The fatal blow never came.
Instead, someone suddenly shoved Kai aside.
A dull sound echoed, and blood splashed onto the ground.
Kai's eyes widened.
"K–Ken…?"
Ken was standing in front of him, taking the strike himself.
The Mafia Boss's sword had pierced deep into his chest.
"Go… Kai…" Ken whispered, barely able to stay on his feet.
"Finish this."
With trembling hands, Kai grabbed the fallen sword.
He didn't think.
He didn't hesitate.
Using the last of his strength, he stepped forward and drove the blade straight into the Mafia Boss's heart.
The man's eyes widened in terror.
"No…" escaped from his lips.
His body collapsed to the ground.
But Kai didn't stop.
Years of pain, humiliation, and rage—locked deep inside him—finally burst free.
A strike.
Another.
And another.
He came back to himself only when he heard someone calling his name.
"Kai…"
He froze.
Kai slowly turned around, barely able to remain standing. His body was shaking—not from fear, but from pain and exhaustion. The mist around him was thinning, growing faint, as if it too had reached its limit.
On the ground in front of him lay Ken.
Kai understood immediately—the blow meant for him had struck Ken instead. Ken's chest was soaked in blood, his breathing shallow and broken.
"Ken…" Kai rasped, stumbling closer.
Ken slowly opened his eyes and gave a weak smile, as if he were glad to see Kai one last time.
"You… did it…" he whispered. "You killed him…"
Kai clenched his teeth. He didn't know what he was feeling. Hatred, pain, gratitude—everything was tangled together.
"Why…?" Kai asked quietly. "Why did you do it?"
Ken took a heavy breath, each one filled with pain.
"I'm sorry…" he said. "I betrayed you.
The Mafia Boss promised to let me go if I helped him. He said he knew where my older brothers were… and showed me their photographs. I believed him."
Kai said nothing. His fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms.
"I was weak…" Ken continued. "I just wanted to survive.
But… when I saw that he was about to kill you… I knew I couldn't do it anymore."
Ken coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth. Kai immediately knelt beside him, supporting his shoulders.
"Don't talk," Kai whispered. "Save your strength."
Ken slowly shook his head.
"It's too late…"
He looked straight into Kai's eyes. There was no fear left in his gaze—only regret.
"Kai… if you find them…" his voice faded to almost nothing.
"Tell them… that I'm truly sorry.
That we couldn't create a pirate crew together… and sail the seas side by side. Their names are Kim… and Lu…"
Something tightened painfully in Kai's chest.
"I promise," he said softly. "I'll find them. I'll tell them everything."
Ken gave a faint smile.
"Thank you…"
The hand gripping Kai's sleeve slowly loosened and fell lifelessly to the ground.
In that instant, Kai felt it—Ken's life had slipped away.
The rain began to fall harder, mixing with the blood on the ground. Kai lowered his head slowly, feeling an unbearable emptiness inside.
But then—
His mist, the last remnants of his power, trembled faintly.
Danger.
Kai straightened abruptly. Without thinking, he gathered the last fragments of his strength, spun around, and struck at the figure behind him.
The blow was powerful—but in the next moment, Kai felt as if he had hit a mountain. His body was thrown backward, his vision darkened.
The last thought that crossed his mind was terrifyingly familiar:
"Am I… going to become a slave again…?"
Darkness swallowed him.
End of Volume 1