Chapter 259: Cooperate in Battle!
Ryuunosuke wasted no time selecting three people from the trainees to serve as his combat partners.
The first was a man nicknamed Iron Man, who had eaten the Iron-Iron Fruit. His ability granted him an incredible level of defense—when combined with Armament Haki, he was practically a walking fortress. His name was Gal, and his role in the squad was clear: a moving shield to anchor their formation.
The other two were agile swordsmen—Desos and Yakana—both renowned for their lightning-fast footwork. While they couldn't quite match Ryuunosuke's speed, they weren't far behind. Armed with lightweight swords, their specialty lay in hit-and-run tactics and battlefield disruption. With their mobility and precision, they complemented Ryuunosuke's power perfectly.
All four began intensive coordination training.
---
Five Days Later
"Captain Yuu, the drills are complete. Please inspect us," Kirito reported, standing proudly with his team of 239 warriors.
Compared to five days ago, this unit was unrecognizable. Their fighting spirit had undergone a complete transformation. The pressure of having to face off against the Dragon Hunter Pirates had clearly worked.
After all, this wasn't just some internal exercise. These men were selected specifically to counter the overwhelming might of the Dragon Hunters.
Not that they'd be the only ones sent into battle. But even among hundreds, they couldn't afford to be weak.
Yuu nodded, stepping forward with a grin. "Alright then. Let's see what you've got."
He drew his sword, coating it with a dense layer of Armament Haki.
"Form a line. Any of you can come at me. Don't hold back—I want your full strength. If you're afraid of hurting me, then you're not strong enough!"
A few warriors stepped forward.
Yuu recognized them. Not the best, not the worst. Solid middle-tier fighters. But they had potential.
"Good," Yuu said, raising his sword. "Let's begin—"
BOOM!
Before he could finish, a massive figure slammed into him like a cannonball. It was a hulking man whose bulk wasn't just fat—it was muscle reinforced by Haki and raw power. A series of explosive strikes followed, forcing Yuu back several steps.
He wasn't seriously injured, but his pride definitely took a hit.
Still, Yuu laughed. "Hah! Not bad!"
He wasn't angry—in fact, he was thrilled. This was exactly what he was looking for: warriors hungry to fight. The old Dragon Guards, former lackeys of the World Government, had grown soft from comfort and politics. They were rusty, dull.
These new recruits? They were the fresh blood he needed to shake the rust off the old guard.
"Don't stop now!" Yuu shouted. "Are you just going to stand there while the enemy regains their footing? In real combat, hesitation gets you killed. Strike fast. Strike clean. Kill in one blow!"
"Captain... you've already lost."
The voice came from behind.
Yuu spun around—and froze.
Four swords, all coated in Armament Haki, were pressed against his back.
A woman stepped forward, grinning.
"I'm the user of the Water Mirror Fruit," she explained. "It allows me to create water-based reflections and switch places with them."
"All four of us were reflected behind you the entire time. The ones you were watching? Just mirror images."
Their bulky teammate had created the perfect distraction—blunt, loud, and overwhelming. It allowed the others to flank undetected.
Yuu burst into laughter. "Fantastic! I didn't expect that four of the so-called 'weaker' ones would pull off such a clean victory. Captain Kirito, well done!"
He turned to his right-hand officer. "Bedos, gather the rest of the Dragon Guards. Have them fight against Kirito's team."
"But Captain," Bedos protested, her voice tinged with worry. "Some of them have close ties with the Celestial Dragons. If we pit them against these trainees and they lose—"
"So what?" Yuu cut her off coldly.
SHLICK!
Before she could finish her sentence, Yuu beheaded her.
The other guards froze in horror.
"This woman was nothing more than a toy for the Celestial Dragons," he spat. "She dared defy a direct order, thinking her connections would save her. Now look."
He turned to Kirito and the others. "If you beat the current Dragon Guards, their positions are yours. You'll no longer be trainee guards—you'll become full-fledged members. Prove yourselves."
Kirito stepped forward, a smirk tugging at his lips. "We all know where the current guards are stationed, right?"
His voice turned icy.
"When we 'spar' with them… things might get messy. Some hands might 'slip.' Accidents might happen. Are you all prepared for that?"
A chorus of voices responded in unison.
"We're ready, Captain Kirito!"
Their eyes gleamed with green fire. Under Kirito's command, they'd learned not only to fight—but to fight together. Their teamwork had reached the point where their combined strength was more than the sum of their parts.
"Then go. Show no mercy."
With a shout, the group surged forward toward the Dragon Guard base like a storm of blades and fury.
Yuu watched them go, satisfied.
And then—
CRACK!
A bullet tore through the air, hitting the ground where Yuu had just been standing. His instincts kicked in, and he dodged just in time.
His eyes narrowed. "A sniper…?"
But this shot was different. It wasn't wild or destructive. It was precise. Surgical.
That wasn't the work of Mine, the pink-haired cannon queen of the Dragon Hunters.
This meant something worse—there was another sniper.
A new threat.
A new monster.
"Yo. What are you looking at?"
A lazy, mocking voice drifted into Yuu's ears.
He turned slowly.
And then his heart dropped.
"Ban..."
"The Undead Demon."
Panic set in. This wasn't a drill anymore. It was a bloodbath in the making.
"Kirito! Turn your forces around! The Dragon Hunters are attacking!" Yuu shouted, scrambling backward.
But it was too late.
SHINK!
A blue-white blade pierced his body clean through.
Yuu gasped, blood spilling from his lips.
"Kirito…" he choked. "Why…"
The man he'd praised, the man he'd elevated, looked down on him with cold, unwavering eyes.
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