In the New World, upon the deck of a Marine fleet's flagship, a battle with a staggering disparity in numbers was drawing to a close.
However, judging by the state of the deck, the side with fewer people was actually the one emerging victorious.
"What a bore. Not a single one of you can actually fight."
Surveying the Marines sprawled across the deck, groaning in pain, Cynthia sheathed her two beloved blades. She let out a bored yawn, looking as though she hadn't even had the chance to warm up.
"The Demon Sword... Cynthia...!"
A beautiful young woman with short blue hair stared fixedly at the blonde woman before her. "Why did you attack us? Have you forgotten the treaty your captain signed with the Marines?"
"The treaty? Oh, you mean that thing." Cynthia crossed her arms. Her curves were lush and captivating beneath her black casual robe, and her long golden hair fluttered brilliantly in the sea breeze, shimmering under the sunlight.
"I remember it, of course. But that treaty only takes effect so long as you stay out of our territory."
"But our fleet never entered your territory!" the blue-haired girl shouted, her teeth nearly bared in frustration.
"Is that so? Well, you've entered it now."
Cynthia's eyes narrowed slightly. She lifted her smooth chin and said proudly, "The moment I struck you all down, these waters were incorporated into the jurisdiction of the Silver Hair. Do you understand now?"
"You...!" The female Marine trembled with rage at such rogue logic. She opened her mouth to speak, but found herself at a loss for words.
In the New World, strength was the only truth.
"Speaking of which, it's quite strange. Where has your Teacher Zephyr gone? I was hoping to have a real fight with a former Marine Admiral."
Ignoring the blue-haired Marine's face, which was flushing red with anger, Cynthia looked around and muttered to herself, "Don't tell me he heard I was coming and ran away in advance?"
"Teacher Zephyr would never run away!"
Fiercely protective of her mentor, the female Marine could no longer endure the insult. She gave a sharp cry and charged forward without hesitation, looking very much like an enraged tigress!
"Back-Back! ———"
Whoosh! ——— A strange, pink, eerie flame suddenly ignited on the Marine's right hand. She lunged, attempting to press it firmly against Cynthia's body.
(That strange Devil Fruit power again?)
Though she couldn't discern what was so peculiar about these flames that lacked any heat, Cynthia didn't dare test them with her own body. She lightly stepped aside, dodging the attack with ease.
However, the blonde swordswoman failed to notice that as the Marine brushed past her, several plant seeds had happened to fall right at Cynthia's feet.
"Now, Binz!"
The moment the blue-haired Marine, Ain, spoke, a Marine dressed as a ninja—who had been playing dead nearby the whole time—suddenly leaped up. He crossed his hands in a strange gesture, activating his fruit power.
"Lush-Lush! ———"
Pop! Pop! Pop! A miraculous scene unfolded. The seeds at Cynthia's feet sprouted and grew at an incredible speed. Dozens of thick vines, like dancing venomous serpents, rapidly coiled around the blonde woman.
Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, Cynthia couldn't dodge in time and was instantly bound tight.
Clatter. One of Cynthia's long swords fell to the deck, letting out a crisp ring.
"We did it! We captured that wretched woman!"
"As expected of Lady Ain and Master Binz!"
Seeing this, the Marine soldiers lying on the deck looked at Teacher Zephyr's two prize pupils with expressions of pure admiration. Then, they turned their furious gazes toward the sexy beauty who was now tied up in a five-way bind by the vines.
"Oh my, how careless of me. I actually got caught by you two."
Cynthia, however, didn't show a hint of the tension one should feel after being captured. Her hot, sexy figure only became more provocative under the restraint of the vines. She completely ignored the ill-intentioned stares from the surroundings and smiled faintly. "Should I say 'as expected' of students taught by Zephyr?"
"How can you still smile?" Ain's expression hardened. The other woman's calm reaction made her feel deeply uneasy.
"Don't waste words on her! My vines won't hold her for long. Teacher Zephyr isn't here right now, and we're no match for this woman!"
The tall ninja man, Binz, patted Ain on the shoulder, reminding her, "She fell from the sky earlier; I suspect she's a Devil Fruit user as well. Hurry up and put the Sea Prism Stone handcuffs on her."
"No, no, no. You've guessed wrong."
Cynthia suddenly shook her head with a chuckle. A meaningful glint flashed in her watery, large eyes. "Flying was indeed thanks to a Devil Fruit power, but that doesn't mean I'm the one who ate the fruit."
"You seem to have forgotten one very important thing..."
Hummm! ——— The sword Cynthia had dropped on the deck suddenly began to tremble, as if some demonic creature was about to break its seal.
"...Why exactly am I called the Demon Sword!"
High in the azure sky, a strange-looking creature was soaring through the clouds. A blurry silhouette could be seen faintly upon its back.
This odd creature, Garchomp, possessed a hammer-shaped head that resembled both a shark and a dragon. It had sharp teeth and terrifying, dark-golden beastial pupils. Beneath its forearms grew a pair of fleshy wings that weren't particularly broad, making it look remarkably like the "flying dragons" recorded in ancient books.
"Hello? Hu Tao? Mission accomplished. That Pirate Expeditionary Force won't be bothering our territory again for a while. Don't worry, I kept my strength in check."
Cynthia held a silver Transponder Snail in her hand, speaking in a leisurely tone. "However, it's quite strange. Zephyr wasn't with his subordinates. It seems he went somewhere alone."
"Mm-hmm, I've got the basic gist of it." Miss Hu Tao's voice came through, as usual, a blend of gentleness and a touch of enchanting charm that tugged at one's heartstrings.
"As for why Zephyr left... according to the latest intel, the pirate who once severed his right arm and killed his students seems to have appeared in the nearby waters. He likely went to seek revenge."
"Oh? Does that mean there's a chance I'll run into that guy too?" A look of eagerness flashed in Cynthia's eyes. Sensing its master's emotional shift, the ferocious beast beneath her let out a low growl.
"Don't, don't, don't! You warmonger, stop looking for trouble." The Transponder Snail made a very expressive face of helplessness.
"Tch, what do you mean 'looking for trouble'? I'm just looking for a powerful opponent to hone my swordsmanship. Right now, I don't even bother personally dealing with enemies who are too weak. I'm practically changing classes from a swordswoman to a beast tamer..."
Cynthia curled her lips. As they flew at high speeds, her long blonde hair danced wildly in the wind.
"By the way, counting the days, that 'God of Gamblers' should have set off by now, right? Also... does the Captain realize we're hiding things from her?"
"..."
There was a moment of mysterious silence from the other side. After a long pause, the Transponder Snail finally relayed Hu Tao's slightly unnatural voice.
"About that... based on my guess, it's highly likely the Captain already knows everything."
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