"Hey, hello—Baka, who are you?"
Some people can talk things out, but there's never a shortage of loudmouths in this world. Murakami couldn't hold back any longer. Their gate had been kicked open, and Blaine was still standing there acting like he owned the place. If no one else had stopped him, Murakami probably would've tried to fight Blaine the second he appeared.
It seemed the islander had a bad temper. Unfortunately for him, he'd run into Blaine—who wasn't exactly known for his patience. Watching Murakami fume like an idiot, Blaine figured that dealing with a barking dog required the same method: ignore it entirely.
"I'm not here for anything else today. I'm here to seek justice."
"Once more—who blew up my house?"
Blaine's voice dropped lower and heavier, his anger pressing through every word.
"I think you've found the wrong—"
FUC—
Before Madam Gao could finish, Blaine stabbed the two unlucky men beside him, killing them instantly.
"For the last time—who. Bombed. My. Home!"
Blaine's fury peaked, each word punched out one at a time.
Madam Gao had seen Gali's strength before, and she'd also seen Blaine at Gali's side. So as far as she was concerned, this was not someone they wanted to provoke unless they had no choice. (Blaine was definitely borrowing some of that tiger's prestige.) Madam Gao was powerful, yes—but power always depends on comparison. And in front of Blaine, she chose the safer path.
"It seems you're unwilling to admit it."
"Then don't blame me for letting blood flow here today."
Blaine lifted the trident upside down and swung it forward.
Sin or not, Blaine didn't believe in Buddhism. Killing one is a crime; killing ten makes you a bandit; killing enough makes you a ruler. Blaine was born to kill.
The moment Blaine moved, Madam Gao tensed, ready to react. But suddenly—someone else jumped in.
"Idiot…"
Murakami lunged from the side, katana aimed straight at Blaine.
"Then I'll cut off one of your fingers!"
Seeing Murakami charge, Blaine's expression turned icy. A red light flickered in his eyes. His wrist shifted subtly; the trident twisted, its blade catching the rushing katana.
h—
The sharp crack echoed through the night. The sword broke cleanly. But it didn't end there. A strike holding fifty percent of Blaine's strength wasn't going to stop at a blade.
"Business circle—"
"My arm—my arm—my—ARM!"
After the katana shattered, Murakami's arm followed. Blood burst from the severed limb, painting a vivid, grotesque flower across the desert.
"So strong…"
Madam Gao, Alexander Della, Sowanda—everyone present was stunned. The blow was monstrous. The ground beneath Murakami had collapsed into a pit over a meter deep. The base's flooring had been reinforced; even a heavy rocket usually wouldn't crack it. And yet—
Blaine had driven Murakami straight into it.
He had also coated the trident with a trace of curse poison. Murakami, already doomed, would die without hope. That was why Blaine spared him from instant death—contradict him, and even if you kept your fingers, you'd die screaming. Blaine intended for him to rot in agony on his own territory.
Whether they were shocked or terrified, none of the Hand members dared to move.
"Anyone else disagree?"
Holding the trident, Blaine swept the halberd tip across the crowd. His voice was low, dangerous. He had come for retribution, and he wasn't leaving until his rage was spent.
Arrogant—unbelievably arrogant. A massive international criminal organization, reduced to silence by one man. Not one dared to speak.
"Ahhhh—Aaaahhhhhh—!"
Murakami's screams tore through the night. Louder and louder. Every cry made the heart clench; the agony in it was suffocating.
"Leave him. It's hopeless."
Madam Gao stopped Alexander Della from stepping forward. No one else knew, but she understood exactly how terrifying the man before them was. The fact that Blaine hadn't already continued attacking meant she was still trying to avoid provoking him. But still—someone had killed a leader of the Hand in front of her. They couldn't just let this become a death trap.
Moments later, Murakami's last scream choked off. He hit the ground silently. Seconds after, his entire body melted into a puddle of foul-smelling sludge.
"What exactly are you trying to do…?"
At some point, Madam Gao had straightened her normally stooped back. She couldn't hide anymore.
"I advise you to think carefully. Either hand over the mastermind behind this—"
"Or I'll kill every last one of you!"
As Blaine finished, an overwhelming aura erupted from him, pressing on everyone present. It was clear he wasn't bluffing.
"I think Your Majesty has mistaken us. If any of us has offended you,"
"We would gladly hand him over. I swear it on the keel."
"But there is an old saying."
"If you want to add a crime, there's no need for an excuse."
"If that's how it is, then even if I die today, I'll fight Your Excellency to the end!"
"…Huh?"
Her words planted a seed of doubt in Blaine. Could this old woman actually be telling the truth?
His mind-reading showed her thoughts matched her words. Yet Blaine hesitated. Someone who had lived this long could easily possess a method to shield their mind—right?
But swearing on the keel… these people were devout. Oaths made in the name of something sacred weren't taken lightly.
And Blaine had killed Murakami in front of them. If they truly wanted revenge, they would've acted by now.
Piece by piece, the logic held. Blaine froze, stunned.
He had come all the way here—only to be told he'd made a mistake?
Was this some kind of joke?
"Then explain why your mad ninja appeared near my house!"
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