However, just as his fist was about to land, a chill pierced his neck, causing Hernando's pupils to shrink and his fist to instinctively extend upwards.
when!!!
A tremendous force spun Hernando away, sending him crashing into the rock face below the hillside and creating a dent.
"cough!"
Hernando coughed violently, gritted his teeth, steadied himself, pulled himself out of the rock wall, and looked at the young man who had appeared next to Zefa.
The man, gripping a black knife with golden crackling on the blade, a cigar between his fingers, looked up at him. "Advanced Armament Haki? Not very skilled, is it only enough for one punch?"
His arm had a gash, and even with the added aura of domineering power, blood was still flowing down it.
Hernando glanced at his arm, flicked it away to remove the blood, frowned and stared at the person in front of him with considerable apprehension, saying, "Lucir Kuro? What are you doing here?"
He recognized the person—the new generation of naval personnel who had shone brightly in the Marineford War.
"That's a lot of talk..."
Kuro slung the sword over his shoulder, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said, "I'm a Navy Captain. This is my base. Where else can I go?"
"You, on the other hand, did a good job. A former vice admiral becoming a pirate? For what? To become the Pirate King? You're really chasing your dream to the point of making me want to vomit!"
"Lord Hernando!"
The pirate who was about to take a step jumped down and asked worriedly, "Are you alright, Lord Hernando?"
Hernando gave Kuro a deep look and shook his head. "It's alright. With him around... it seems I won't be able to catch up with my teacher. Hugh Tica, get ready."
"yes."
The pirate touched Hernando.
"Shutika? You're Shutika?!"
At that moment, Ain, who was helping Binz up, suddenly exclaimed, "Why did you become a pirate too, Hugh Tica!"
The pirate shuddered, pulled down his hood, revealing a delicate face—it was a woman.
“It’s been a long time, Ain,” she said softly.
“Shutika…”
Zephyr was trembling all over. "Why, why would someone who believes in justice also..."
“Professor Zephyr, I also have my own path to follow, and everything is already set in stone.” Hugh Tica shook his head and said:
"You should still think about how to resolve the current situation, teacher."
"You two!"
Zefa's veins bulged as he took a step forward, his body bursting out, his left hand covered in Armament Haki, and he roared, "I'm taking you back to face judgment!"
"Old man, don't lose your composure, it's too late," Kuro suddenly said.
Bang!
Zefa's punch passed through the bodies of the two men and punched a hole in the rock wall behind them.
They've gone through!
Hernando and Hugh Tica's bodies were stuck on Zeffa's fist, gradually turning into afterimages.
"Shutika!" Zefa's eyes widened as he roared.
Hugh Tica glanced away, avoiding Zephyr's eyes, and said, "Teacher, I ate a Devil Fruit these past few years. I am the 'Reflection Person' of the 'Reflection Fruit.' Our true forms are no longer here; this is just a phantom."
"Teacher, do you remember...?"
Hernando said to Zephyr, "You used to teach us to take pirates seriously because they are cunning and vicious, and we can suffer heavy losses if we are not careful. As the navy is responsible for protecting civilians, it would be a failure for the navy if civilians were injured or killed."
"Then, let's play a game..."
He stretched out his hand and snapped his fingers.
*Smack*
Then, he paused for a moment and said, "In the past few years, I have also found a fruit. I am a 'parasite' who ate this fruit. My ability is to plant a seed in a person. Once the person dies, the seed will sprout and become the same as me."
"Well, although the strength is limited, it's definitely enough for a pirate. These parasites will obey my orders, which means I can make them do whatever I want."
"For example, I might give an order..."
His voice turned cold, "Kill everyone who can see!"
These words made Zephyr's pupils shrink. He realized something and exclaimed, "The pirates who died in Pegasus Town!"
Hernando spread his arms wide, ecstatically saying, "Ah...that's right, the pirates who died in Pegasus Town. They had my seed in them, and now it has sprouted. They have become my clones."
"Teacher, I've always wanted you to admit that you're a failed naval officer. Teacher, please stop me! If you can't, no one on Pegasus Island will survive!"
“I will receive feedback on everything my clones do. In Pegasus Town, which you can’t see, a clone has already started wielding a sword. There’s a civilian right in front of me, with such a beautiful expression of fear. Swing down and take his head. Is it that simple…?”
He spoke the last word with a hint of doubt.
I can't sense it anymore.
His clones in Pegasus Town could no longer be sensed; they had completely vanished.
Although the clones are weak, they are fearless and can kill anyone, whether it's a Marine or a civilian. This is the most annoying thing for the Marines.
But now, there's nothing left.
The most immediate feeling is that something falls from the sky, and then, nothing happens.
"Lord Hernando?" Hutica asked with concern when she saw Hernando stop.
"No...it's nothing."
Hernando looked at Kuro not far away, who was sitting there with a cigar in his mouth, looking relaxed.
"Lucil Kuro..."
Hernando said in a deep voice, "I advise you not to get in the way."
Kuro exhaled a puff of smoke and said slowly, "As a pirate, you don't want me, the commander of a naval base, getting in my way on my turf? What, does a former vice admiral have that much influence?"
Pegasus Town isn't far from here, so playing with precise maneuvers is a piece of cake.
A clone? He'd be willing to kill again if he could die once.
It's just another weapon falling from the sky.
He grasped Qiu Shui and swung the knife across.
"Slash Wave!"
A massive golden slash suddenly swept across, leveling everything in its path. The pirates gathered on the hillside were all cut in two by the slash, which plowed the hillside into flat ground, raising a cloud of dust.
"It's decided, I'm going to kill you with my own hands!" He grinned maliciously.
As the smoke cleared, Hernando and Hugh Tica's figures reappeared, but they had begun to drift like reflections in water.
"It's no use saying that this is not our true form."
Hernando said, glancing at Zefa, "Teacher, you'd better find me quickly, otherwise not only Pegasus Town, but everywhere else will become hell."
The drifting reflection completely dissipated and disappeared.
Bang!
Zefa punched the ground again, creating a crater.
"Hernando! Don't run away, fight me!" Zephyr roared, "You utterly disgraced, degenerate navy man!!!"
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