Too ruthless.
Hack truly could not comprehend it.
Ryukawa was supposed to be just a greenhorn—
A disciple his dojo master had personally requested the revolutionaries to look after.
A boy taken out to sea for "experience."
But who could have expected…
This kid needed no experience.
He was a natural-born killer.
No teacher required.
Compared to Ryukawa's cold decisiveness, Hack felt he fell short by three levels.
At the very least—
Hack himself could never butcher over a hundred people and remain completely unfazed:
No emotional fluctuation,
No trembling hands,
No disturbed breathing.
That psychological fortitude…
It was monstrous.
"This boy feels like someone born for killing…"
"A damn monster."
Hack stared at Ryukawa's back with genuine fear.
Not only was he a terrifyingly fast-growing genius…
He was a genius who killed without blinking.
A monster—
That was Hack's evaluation.
Next to him, Sabo looked pale as a sheet, seeing such a sea of corpses for the first time. Sweat covered his forehead, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.
Hack sighed.
"People really are different. The gap is ridiculous."
Sabo couldn't help asking, voice shaky:
"Mr. Ryukawa… he kills so many people without psychological burden?"
Hack responded slowly:
"When you kill, just think of it this way—
They're all evil pirates who deserve to die.
It makes swallowing the guilt slightly easier."
"But even then… don't compare yourself to him."
"You're human. He's a monster. An anomaly."
Even telling himself "they deserved it," Hack still felt discomfort whenever he killed.
But Ryukawa?
He had the mentality of a professional executioner.
If Hack didn't know Ryukawa came from a dojo, he might genuinely believe this boy was a natural-born butcher.
Wiping out over a hundred pirates in minutes, without showing even a twitch of emotion…
It was absurd for a supposedly inexperienced youth.
Hack patted Sabo's shoulder.
"You really need to push yourself, Sabo."
Even if Sabo used every last ounce of strength—
Hack suspected he still wouldn't even catch a glimpse of Ryukawa's dust trail.
"Alright, clean up these corpses."
Hack ordered the revolutionary members.
Meanwhile…
Ryukawa sheathed his sword, grabbed Bellamy's limp body by the head like a dead dog, walked back over, and casually tossed him onto the ground.
Hack swallowed.
"You really… feel nothing?"
Ryukawa blinked in confusion.
"Why would I feel anything?"
It was just killing.
He had already wiped out mountain bandits before.
This wasn't any different.
Hack: …
Yep.
Absolutely a monster.
"Ask whatever you need quickly. He won't last long. I might've gone a little overboard—didn't think he'd be so fragile."
Ryukawa looked down at Bellamy's mangled form.
And honestly, he was surprised too.
He hadn't even used much force.
Bellamy was simply too weak.
Hack rolled his eyes.
"Do you even realize what your level of strength is?!"
Still, he stepped forward.
BAM!
A heavy kick slammed into Bellamy's shoulder, rolling him across the floor and slamming him into a wall. Bellamy coughed violently, blood spilling from his lips.
"Gh…!"
He lifted his trembling eyes toward Ryukawa.
Fear—
Pure, animal fear—
filled them.
Hack crouched down.
"I ask. You answer. Understood?"
Bellamy trembled and nodded.
"W-What do you want to know…?"
"Where are the kidnapped civilians being held?"
Bellamy froze.
"You… you people…!"
At last, he understood why these strangers had come to slaughter them.
They were here for that issue.
His lips curled in a bloody, miserable smile.
"So that's why… you came."
Hack's voice grew colder.
"Speak. Unless you want to experience what 'worse than death' truly means."
Bellamy broke instantly.
"T-They're kept in a cargo ship… in the west port of Octagon Town."
Hack immediately sent a team to confirm.
Minutes later—
"Report! The information is accurate. We found 270 kidnapped boys and girls locked inside a pitch-black holding cell on the ship."
Hack's eyes went cold.
He stared at Bellamy with icy rage.
Bellamy smiled a twisted, despairing smile.
"I didn't expect you were doing all this for them…"
"But you fools have no idea… how deep this runs."
"You're doomed."
"Even if you had the backing of some great old man—interfering with this operation means death. You don't understand at all… the monster you've provoked."
Hack scoffed.
"We already know. Behind you stands the infamous Donquixote Family."
But Bellamy shook his head, laughing with a madness only a dying man had.
"Yes… but that's only the surface."
"Tell me—did you ever wonder why we kidnap these children?"
"Who we work with?"
"You really think the Donquixote Family raises slaves by themselves? You think we do this for fun?!"
"You ignorant fools…"
"You're already dead."
Bellamy's bloodshot eyes widened.
"The people we're selling these children to…"
"Are the World Government."
"The CP Organization."
"Children who will be raised from infancy to become perfect agents—taught absolute obedience."
"And YOU—"
"You dared to steal goods that belong to the WORLD GOVERNMENT."
"So congratulations…"
"You haven't just offended the Donquixote Family."
"You've offended the Government."
"You've offended CP."
"From today onward…"
"There will be no place for you in this sea!"
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