He didn't utter the last word. He opened his eyes, but Zefa was nowhere to be seen.

Only a huge round stone flew out rapidly, and the familiar fist, after breaking through the stone, was also carried away.

Just a little bit more, the very last bit!

He seized the opportunity, dissipated his Armament Haki, and that way, even if Zephyr didn't want to kill him, he would willingly face death.

At that time, Zephyr, who had killed someone, would have a different mindset and would be able to abandon the useless 'no killing' principle, just like he had. In that case, he would become a truly powerful Marine!

Zephyr, the killer, is truly terrifying.

However, this was ruined!

"Who, who ruined this scene!" Hernando roared furiously.

Step, step, step...

Footsteps gradually echoed outside the cave entrance.

First, a ray of black light shone into the cave entrance, and next to the black light, there were footsteps moving.

As he drew closer, Hernando realized that the black light was actually a blade, stained with blood that dripped onto the ground with each step.

Kuro, with a cigar in his mouth and Shusui in his hand, walked into the cave.

"Lucil Kuro!"

Hernando's eyes were bloodshot. "It's you again! It's you who's in my way again!"

Kuro stared at him for a long time, then exhaled a puff of smoke, the white mist swirling upwards and obscuring his expressionless face.

"I'm telling you... forcing an old man who only wants to spend the rest of his life fighting pirates and upholding his own sense of justice to change his will and beliefs, don't you think you're being incredibly cowardly?"

"If you have a grudge, take revenge; if you have a grievance, settle it. You can only have hope if you rely on yourself. How can you put your hopes on an old person whose condition has deteriorated to this extent? What's the difference between you and those shut-ins who want their elders to support them?"

As the smoke cleared, Kuro raised his head, gripped Shusui, and flung it forward, sending blood slicking off the blade and pooling into a thick blood clot on the ground.

"I'm really annoyed with people like you who live off their parents!"