[send power stones please]
Bellamy had outlived his usefulness.
The trafficked captives had already been rescued.
Ryukawa had obtained the transponder snail he wanted.
Keeping Bellamy alive served no purpose.
To prevent any possibility of information leaking—
Ryukawa firmly believed dead men keep the best secrets.
Bellamy must not survive.
"N-No, no! You can't do this!"
Bellamy panicked instantly.
A moment ago he laughed like a madman, but that was merely the bravado of someone with nothing left to lose.
If there was even a sliver of hope, he desperately wanted to live.
"Sabo. Finish him."
Hack gave the order casually.
"Me?"
Sabo pointed at himself, stunned.
He had not expected the responsibility to fall directly onto him.
He hesitated, staring at Bellamy's battered, dying body.
His hand trembled—not from fear of Bellamy, but from the weight of the act itself.
"You all handle the cleanup. Avoid leaving any survivors if possible," Ryukawa said without turning back.
"I'm not afraid of trouble, but I do prefer not to have unnecessary complications chasing me around."
The Revolutionary Army feared no trouble.
But Ryukawa was different.
He had no official identity, no organizational backing.
For him, provoking a giant like the World Government carried enormous personal risk.
At least for now—
He lacked the strength to openly clash with such powers.
Ryukawa and Hack stepped aside to speak privately.
"What's your plan now?" Hack asked, frowning.
"I overlooked this. Our intel didn't show CP involvement… and picking a fight with them is no small matter."
The Revolutionary Army had no fear of CP.
But Ryukawa was not a Revolutionary.
The real danger was that Ryukawa's connection to Shimotsuki Village—and to Isshin Dojo—might be exposed.
If CP traced anything back there…
The consequences would be catastrophic.
Ryukawa shook his head.
"This shouldn't involve the village. At worst it only implicates me."
"There aren't many who know I come from Shimotsuki Village. As long as I don't return there recklessly, CP won't be able to trace it back."
"But what does matter is whether CP already sent people to Octagon Town for the transaction."
"We forgot to ask where the trade was supposed to take place."
Ryukawa glanced behind him at Bellamy's corpse.
It seemed Sabo had already carried out the order.
Hack's expression darkened.
"CP's intelligence capabilities far surpass ours."
"Even if we kill every witness here, once CP operatives arrive and investigate, they'll uncover our tracks easily."
Hack's appearance alone stood out—
a towering fish-man was impossible to overlook.
Easily remembered by any resident.
Ryukawa, though human, was strong, young, and distinctive enough to be noticed as well.
If CP followed the trail…
Ryukawa might be labeled a Revolutionary Army collaborator and put on a Government bounty list.
Ryukawa crossed his arms, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Let's consider two questions."
"First—has CP already dispatched agents to meet Bellamy's group?"
"Second—where is CP's temporary base? They must have a nearby holding site prepared to receive trafficked captives from various regions."
Hack stared at him in disbelief.
"You're surprisingly calm. Aren't you worried about your movements being tracked?"
Ryukawa blinked.
"Of course I'm worried. Which is why I've already decided how to prevent that."
Hack blinked again.
"…What action?"
Ryukawa gave him a strange look.
"Didn't I already say it?"
"I… must've missed it?" Hack scratched his head awkwardly. "My memory isn't what it used to be."
Ryukawa sighed.
"I said—kill every last witness."
"…Huh?"
Hack froze.
Then his pupils constricted sharply.
Wait.
No way.
Did Ryukawa mean—
Not just killing Bellamy's group…
But killing CP operatives as well?!
Hack's brain went blank.
He stared at Ryukawa as though looking at a lunatic.
This kid…
Was he insane?!
From Ryukawa's face, Hack could tell—
He wasn't joking.
Ryukawa truly intended to wipe out CP operatives.
This wasn't stirring a hornet's nest.
This was kicking the nest, setting it on fire, and throwing it into a powder magazine.
How could he dare?!
Hack trembled.
He truly could not find words.
Ryukawa watched Hack's horrified expression and sighed inwardly.
"Honestly… this generation of revolutionaries has terrible mental fortitude."
Were they supposed to be the ones overthrowing world governments?
Even this small thing had them jumping in fright?
If he didn't eliminate the CP operatives—
Why else would he have taken the transponder snail?
Everything he'd done…
Was preparation for a clean, thorough eradication.
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