"I'm going to kill you, trash!"
Rakuya's only answer was a harmless, almost playful smile that sent Charlmaco Saint into a frothing rage.
"He's done it now. He really enraged a Celestial Dragon!"
"Didn't think anyone would actually provoke one…"
The gallery buzzed, all eyes turning as Charlmaco drew his pistol with practiced ease and leveled it at Rakuya's head.
Bang.
He didn't give Rakuya a second.
"Heh. Universal Pull."
Rakuya's right hand curled like a claw. A vast tide of force howled out from his palm, latching onto the bullet and Charlmaco both.
Already fast, the bullet screamed even harder toward Rakuya under the pull. At the same time, the Celestial Dragon lurched off his feet, dragged forward like a sack of meat.
Ting.
The bullet struck Rakuya's open palm and died there, harmless. An instant later the mound of flesh that was Charlmaco crashed down.
Boom.
A slight twist of Rakuya's wrist redirected the force. Charlmaco smashed into the floor, rolled in a tangle of limbs, and spat blood.
"Cough, cough!"
Curled on the ground, he trembled from the pain and the shock. The man had never imagined anyone would dare lay hands on a Celestial Dragon.
"How dare you strike Lord Charlmaco! Do you want to die?"
His attendants shrieked and raged.
"Filth!"
Charlmaco managed a shaking roar, eyes venomous.
Smack.
Rakuya laughed softly and backhanded him across the face.
Pfft.
Backed by gravity, the slap landed like a hammer. Charlmaco lifted off, spun twice midair, vomited blood and crashed again.
"Never tasted death before, have you?"
Gazing at the ballooned, swollen face, Rakuya let killing intent roll off him like a winter squall. The hall went silent. Even Bukodi, so brash moments ago, shivered under that glacial stare, a chill of impending doom creeping up his spine.
However arrogant he usually was, Charlmaco quailed when death stared back.
"Dear gods… he's beating a Celestial Dragon."
"Is he insane? That's a capital crime!"
"He's not afraid of a Marine Admiral hunting him to the ends of the sea?"
"He's done for. Completely done for."
Hardened pirates paled. In their minds, a Celestial Dragon was a forbidden zone. Step there, and you would be ground to dust.
Most of them had never even dared imagine this scene. Now that it played out in front of them, fear eclipsed awe.
Feeling that killing aura swell like a crashing tide, Charlmaco's pupils pinpricked. He forced the words out through pain and terror. "Y-you dare strike… me… you're not afraid a Marine Admiral will hunt you down? I am a World Noble, the most exalted being alive!"
"A Marine Admiral? World Noble? Exalted?" Rakuya's smile was mild as a spring breeze. To Charlmaco, it was the edge of a knife. Cold sweat poured down his back. One careless twitch from this man, and his life would be gone.
Rakuya's answer was three more crisp slaps. Stars burst in Charlmaco's eyes as blood sprayed.
"Stop!"
Scarlet-eyed, the attendants howled and rushed.
"Out of my sight."
Rakuya flicked his hand. Gravity gathered and surged. The lot of them were ripped from their feet and hurled like rag dolls, thudding into walls and pillars before sliding down in a groaning heap.
"Anything else to say, insect?" Rakuya asked, looking down on Charlmaco with the calm of a judge.
"D-don't kill me… please don't kill me. I am the insect, I'm trash. Spare me!"
"Spare you?" Rakuya chuckled. "That would be too cheap. Someone as valuable as you ought to fetch a price. It'd be a shame not to cash in on such a noble identity."
"W-what are you going to do?"
That hungry glint in Rakuya's eyes made Charlmaco's skin crawl. A nameless dread seized his heart.
"What do you think? Extort the Marines. You're a World Noble, aren't you? That means you're worth a fortune."
"In your dreams! I will never pay!"
Charlmaco gnashed his teeth, hatred twisting his battered face.
"Quiet."
Rakuya drove a fist forward. Cartilage crunched. Charlmaco's nose collapsed in a gush of blood.
"Aaah!"
He screamed, and all around, pirates exchanged stricken looks. No one dared say a word.