Seven Star Sword and the Emerald City

Brina looked pale as she stared at the man standing before her. He looked down at her, the curve of his lips mocking and cruel.

He knew!

Brina was terrified. She had already submitted to Bai Cangshu’s strength. Even though the Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral and even Vice Admiral Garp were nearby, and she could call for help at any moment, she did not.

She had even planned to nurture this young, powerful marine soldier after returning to G51 Branch, send him to the headquarters for further training, and retire to a clerical position herself.

But now, the look in his eyes clearly told her that he knew exactly what she had done. He even seemed to know where Corey, Lucido, and the others had gone.

Combined with the news she had heard aboard the Marine Headquarters warship earlier, this marine soldier had displayed overwhelming might and ended Skuld Island’s "evil god." This marine soldier who called himself "Mercenary Tao" had already risen to prominence at headquarters.

Although his methods were exceptionally cruel and neither Vice Admiral Garp nor Vice Admiral Chaton thought highly of him, Doberman, Vice Admiral Onigumo, and the missing Vice Admiral Dalmatian all regarded him very highly. His potential was immense.

Would such a rising star with such potential spare her after learning of her dark, rotten past?

Brina’s face was pale as Bai Cangshu closed in on her. The headquarters Marines had all returned to Mock Town to rest and regroup. The local bandits, gangs, and even pirates had all hidden away like quails.

The pirates who had followed the Golden Emperor into those waters earlier all said that the Golden Emperor, ship and all, had been blasted away. His whereabouts were still unknown.

Bai Cangshu reached out and pinched Brina’s snow-white chin. This once-proud Marine branch colonel now radiated an aura of "weakness," like a little white mouse.

Brina took two steps back and was forced directly to the edge of the deck.

"Colonel Brina, tell me, how should I deal with you?"

Brina’s pupils trembled. She could still clearly see that there was no lust in his eyes. There was only that savage brutality, as though he could devour someone at any moment. No matter how well he concealed it, this man’s true nature was that of a ferocious beast.

Moreover, ever since returning from that island, he had become even more irritable and unstable.

The killing intent stimulated her so intensely that she did not dare move at all.

Bai Cangshu seemed troubled, but merely gripping a living body had involuntarily stirred within him the urge to tear it apart.

Satsui no Hado began to surge little by little.

Bai Cangshu released his hand and thought, tapping his temple with his fingertips.

Tap, tap.

"Corey may have been weak, but he was a decent guy."

It was rare for Bai Cangshu to give a weakling a positive assessment. He knew very well that the weak marine soldier Corey had indirectly given him quite a bit of help in this world.

"I think I’ve had plenty of chances to kill you without anyone noticing. Perhaps if Vice Admiral Onigumo heard your story, he would only think that your weakness and uselessness no longer had any value, and let me get rid of you…"

As Bai Cangshu spoke, the dark purple Satsui no Hado around him became increasingly apparent. He had not initially felt a strong urge to kill her, but that faint thought was ignited by Satsui no Hado and swiftly began to sweep through his heart.

Hum~

Violent energy spun continuously. Bai Cangshu lowered his eyelids and bent his arm, extending only a single finger as a golden Dodon Ray condensed.

His finger stopped less than ten centimeters from Brina’s chest. The woman’s exposed breasts felt the scorching heat, and the shadow of death made her entire body stiffen.

She had thought that she had already prepared herself to accept death beside that enormous whirlpool, but when death truly descended upon her, she was overcome with indescribable terror, especially at the coldness and cruelty in his eyes.

It was as though she truly had no value at all. Neither the authority of a Marine branch colonel, nor her strength, nor even the beauty of her body meant anything to him.

He only enjoyed the thrill of killing her.

That inescapable death intent made Brina feel as though she were about to freeze solid.

Thud.

Brina’s knees suddenly gave out, and she fell to the ground.

"Spare… spare me…"

"I… I have value."

Tears streamed down Brina’s face. Her lovely features twisted with fear, and her fair skin was soaked with tears and snot.

The energy on Bai Cangshu’s finger stopped spinning, and his heartbeat gradually slowed.

Naturally, he was not moved by Brina’s pleading. He simply did not wish to be controlled by Satsui no Hado. Bai Cangshu liked killing and did not mind killing, but he did not want to be controlled.

Besides, he still coveted the monsters Garp had captured.

"Oh?"

"Colonel, tell me. What value do you have?"

Brina’s mind raced as she constantly considered what this ferocious beast might be interested in.

Power? Naturally, but where could a mere branch colonel like her find such immense power for him? If she had it, she would have used it herself long ago. No, wait—she suddenly remembered how he had leaped into that terrifying whirlpool in search of treasure.

"Treasure!"

"Mercenary Tao, have you heard the legend of the Seven Star Sword?"

She blinked twice, and an unusual flush appeared on her face at the sudden hope of survival rising in her heart.

The Seven Star Sword…

Bai Cangshu naturally knew that story. It was one of One Piece’s many derivative tales. Legend said that a Seven Star Sword had once appeared in a certain kingdom. It was a demonic sword capable of corrupting people’s hearts and possessed strange powers.

"Some vague legend cannot buy your life."

Bai Cangshu grabbed the woman’s throat again as Satsui no Hado surged once more. Bai Cangshu carefully "teased" that power. To completely tame it, aside from stacking his attributes high enough or becoming powerful enough to possess the strength to resist Satsui no Hado’s erosion…

Bai Cangshu could only adapt to it.

As long as he could adapt to the intensity of Satsui no Hado and release that mad killing intent at the right time, Satsui no Hado could also become an aid.

Although Bai Cangshu’s strength and agility had yet to break past their limits, he had already triggered the complete Extraordinary Trial of all four attributes. For him, that essentially guaranteed that he could meet the requirements to learn Shun Goku Satsu.

Combined with Satsui no Hado, Bai Cangshu would be able to recreate the complete version of One Instant Thousand Strikes, along with Uncertainty Principle of Luck and Death Intent Senluo.

Bai Cangshu’s powerful combo would then take shape.

The relief Brina had just felt was instantly shattered. Her scalp seemed ready to explode, while the tremendous force on her throat made her feel suffocated. The distant Marine Soldiers seemed not to have noticed at all that a branch Marine was about to murder an officer.

"I… I can do anything… as long as you say so…"

Bang.

Brina was thrown to the ground. The purple hue in Bai Cangshu’s eyes quickly faded as well. He turned around, looked out at the sea, suppressed the surging killing intent, and then spoke calmly.

"Once the vice admirals resting in Mock Town are ready, I want you to find a way to release the two monsters Vice Admiral Garp captured."

Brina’s pupils contracted…

Vice Admiral Garp had only been temporarily assigned here. The two monsters would most likely be escorted jointly by Vice Admiral Chaton, headquarters Marines, and branch Marines. But even without Vice Admiral Garp, how could a mere branch colonel like her accomplish something like that…

Brina watched Mercenary Tao turn and walk toward the cabin. He gave her no room to bargain.

The young girl Cindy was brought into town by Olgins and the others. Vice Admiral Garp’s adjutant believed that everyone who had left the Skuld Island waters needed to undergo a thorough examination.

That abnormal infection and those monsters were extremely dangerous.

Only the confirmed infected Bellamy remained imprisoned in the cabin. He had even been fitted with Seastone shackles and now lay weakly in a cell at the bottom of the ship.

Roland’s power had eroded him, activating his body, but abnormal growths had appeared on his throat and skin.

An ordinary human would probably have died long ago, but due to the exceptional vitality unique to people in this world, he was still breathing.

"Yo, Bellamy. Still alive?"

Bai Cangshu tapped his toes against the ground and squatted down. His entire weight was supported by only two points, yet his body remained perfectly balanced. Even after gaining numerous abilities, Bai Cangshu still placed great importance on training Martial Arts Mastery.

In his view, as his attributes continued to rise, this most fundamental mastery ability would provide him with greater improvements.

Superman learning martial arts was naturally a joke, but when there was a group of Supermen, the Superman who could use his abilities more efficiently would inevitably be stronger than the others.

Bellamy had no strength left even to make an expression when he saw who had come.

Bai Cangshu flicked a finger.

Bang!

A burst of force instantly destroyed the cell door’s lock. He walked in openly, grabbed Bellamy by the back of the neck, lifted him up, and turned toward the cabin exit.

"Hey, Mercenary Tao… Marine soldier, where are you taking that guy?!"

The two marine soldiers guarding the cell immediately questioned him upon seeing this. They realized that they did not even know the rank of this branch Marine who had already become famous, so they could only address him as a marine soldier.

Bai Cangshu smiled as though nothing were amiss.

"I received Colonel Brina’s orders. I’m taking this guy to Mock Town for an examination as well."

Bai Cangshu discovered that smiling had another benefit: he did not need to think about what expression to make when lying.

The two Marine Soldiers stepped aside upon hearing that, even offering friendly reminders.

"Be careful, Mercenary Tao. Who knows whether that guy’s infection is contagious."

"Yeah, Mercenary Tao. For something this minor, you might as well find someone else to do it for you."

Bai Cangshu’s reputation among the Marines was already quite high. Especially among the hawkish Marines who revered strength, Bai Cangshu’s brutality only seemed like a form of power to them.

Bai Cangshu nodded readily, carried Bellamy back to the deck, then leaped several times before landing in Mock Town.

Bellamy was just a minor figure. Neither Garp nor headquarters vice admirals like Onigumo would care much about a pirate with a bounty of fifty-five million. Brina was the one who would take charge of him.

As soon as Bai Cangshu brought Bellamy back to Mock Town, he received a prompt from the space.

Bellamy has successfully survived and arrived in Mock Town.

You have completed the hidden side quest: Legend of the Emerald City.

Bellamy weakly pointed at an inconspicuous little wooden house by the harbor and said, "That sea chart… I hid it in that house."

Bai Cangshu searched briefly and did indeed find a yellowed sea chart.

You obtained Treasure Map: Legend of the Emerald City (Extremely Rare)