Spidey's hands were trembling as he gripped his snake-spear.
He was covered in wounds—raked open again and again by the guy in the sky. His scales were split, his body a mess. Not a single spot was unscathed.
And when he looked up…
That bastard barely looked hurt.
Spidey had only landed a few hits—nothing serious—and every one of them had been blocked with Haki.
Wasn't this guy badly injured when he fought Whitebeard's First Division Commander? Didn't Marco suppress him the whole time?
How long has it even been… and he's already this strong?!
Truth was, Spidey had overrated himself.
Marco was a Mythical Zoan. If Spidey fought Marco head-on, he'd be roasted into snake jerky in seconds.
Those phoenix flames weren't something "just anyone" could endure.
Last time, Kuro survived mostly because he was slippery enough to dodge.
If he'd taken it head-on, he would've been a grilled mantis—crispy and fragrant.
Even though Kuro had been pressured hard by Marco back then, he still managed to land some brutal hits.
Marco could heal, sure—
but afterward, even Marco felt a little uneasy when he saw Kuro.
This guy went berserk and didn't care about dying—he'd tank flames just to slash you twice.
Kuro glanced at the motionless crocodile corpse in the distance and smiled.
"Looks like you're down another man."
Spidey's expression twisted.
He'd heard Parker's roar earlier. The moment he turned his head to look—
Kuro had swarmed him with a savage barrage.
Now there were three deep claw marks across his upper body, starting from the neck and running all the way to his abdomen.
They were still bleeding.
If he'd reacted a fraction slower, he would've died right there.
Spidey cursed inwardly.
That idiot Parker couldn't even handle one Mink leopard—and he still got killed.
And that loudmouth who showed up acting all superior, calling White Ghost "a brat"—
where is he now?
They'd been fighting all day.
That earlier clash had terrified Spidey too—the sky split open, the earth shook like it was breaking apart.
Didn't the boss say White Ghost only relied on his Mythical Zoan?
So why is he this monstrous?!
Kuro looked toward the harbor.
Django's group was chasing the fleeing mobs.
Two Ancient Zoans—A-Da and A-Er—
One destroyed ships from the air like a living bomber.
The other bulldozed through crowds with brute durability.
Kuro smiled and kept talking, because why not.
"The trash you brought is about to collapse."
"Bastard!"
Spidey didn't even dare look.
Kuro's Observation Haki was locked onto him like a knife at his throat.
If Spidey turned his head, Kuro would definitely strike with something lethal.
And Spidey had zero confidence he could dodge the same killing move twice.
"You're terrified," Kuro said, voice light.
Then he flicked out a Rankyaku.
"Rankyaku!"
A blade of compressed air screamed forward.
"Clang!"
Spidey split it with his spear and shouted furiously:
"Fight me properly! Face-to-face!"
"Flying around and ambushing me—what kind of bullshit is that?!"
Kuro shrugged.
"I can fly. Cry about it."
"You're covered in armor and scales. Why would I trade blows with you head-on?"
"You—!"
Spidey's face sank into something ugly.
At first, he'd used the mountain—threatening to charge uphill—to force Kuro into a direct fight.
But after White Ghost entered the battle, Spidey stopped daring to go up.
Even from far away, White Ghost's sword aura made his skin crawl.
If Spidey sprinted uphill and White Ghost happened to flick a sword wave his way…
He'd be finished.
Kuro noticed Spidey spacing out—thinking too long.
His mouth curved.
WHOOSH—!
Wing thrust plus Shave—
Kuro blinked to Spidey's chest.
"Bad idea."
Spidey snapped back—eyes widening.
Kuro's claws were already raised.
"Not good—!"
RIP—!
A clean hit.
Kuro instantly hopped back.
BOOM—!
Spidey's spear smashed down where Kuro had been.
"BAKA-YAROU!"
Spidey clutched his chest.
Kuro had ripped right along the old wound.
The cut was so deep now Spidey could see bone.
Grinding his teeth through the agony, Spidey lunged and hacked at Kuro like a madman.
Kuro danced backward, smiling.
"Told you. Mantises hunt snakes, too."
"Shut up!"
Spidey roared.
"All you do is talk and ambush people!"
"How does the sea even produce garbage like you?!"
Kuro caught the spear shaft with his right hand.
His left hand swept out—
A flurry of tiny flying slashes.
Spidey coated his arms with Haki and guarded.
CLINK-CLINK-CLINK—!
Sparks burst.
Kuro released the spear.
Spidey, still pulling with all his strength, stumbled backward—
and in that instant, Kuro was already moving again.
RIP—!
Another claw strike dug into Spidey's belly.
"Aaah—!"
Spidey's eyes went bloodshot.
He swung wildly, trying to chop Kuro down.
Miss.
Miss again.
He was heavy.
And Kuro was fast.
Kuro's tone stayed playful.
"Hmm… you look like you're about to Awaken."
"Think you'll fail like that dumb crocodile and turn into a beast?"
"SHUT UP!"
Spidey slammed his spear into the ground.
BOOOOM—!
A crater blew open.
Kuro seized the opening and snapped out another Rankyaku.
"Clang!"
This time, Spidey slapped it aside with his palm—Haki-coated—eyes locked on Kuro with murderous focus.
Kuro smiled.
"So you haven't Awakened."
Spidey cursed him silently.
Of course I haven't!
He wasn't stupid.
A living example of Zoan Awakening failure was lying right there.
If he failed, he'd become a beast, lose his mind—
Even if he killed Kuro afterward, his life would be over.
Suddenly—
A sword wave sliced in from the side.
Spidey turned and split it.
Clang—!
The slash scattered.
Spidey's eyes widened.
That wasn't Kuro's.
Kuro had dodged it too.
Spidey looked over—
and saw the masked woman.
One of her white wings had been cut off.
Her body was covered in sword wounds.
Her clothes were torn to rags, her perfect figure flashing through—
but Spidey had no mood to appreciate it.
"Ha… ha…"
She clutched her chest, where a deep cut still bled, and stared at the woman holding two blades.
Ain's voice was flat.
"Fly."
"Aren't you so good at flying?"
Kuro shook his head slightly.
Ain was getting colder by the day.
Warm to the captain.
Ice to everyone else.
The masked woman trembled with fury.
This bitch's sword is insane…
They were both stuck at peak swordsman level, short of Great Swordmaster—
but Ain's techniques were endless, unpredictable.
One mistake, and another cut appeared.
She'd even chopped off a wing.
Now she couldn't fly at all.
On the ground, Ain had her completely suppressed.
"I'll kill you!" the masked woman snarled and charged.
"Heh. Come."
Ain raised her blades.
Steel clashed as the two fought, sliding farther and farther away.
Kuro glanced over.
"Looks like the captain's woman is about to finish her fight."
He shifted his gaze back to Spidey, smiling.
"Then I should hurry up too."
Spidey spat with contempt.
"You? Kill me? Dream on."
Kuro didn't answer.
He simply rushed in—faster than before.
Spidey's eyes tightened.
He's faster…
But I'm not some random nobody either.
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