Faramis stood near the railing, his coat fluttering as the sea wind passed through him. His eyes were fixed on the distant ship cutting through the waves ahead of them.
His voice was calm, almost detached.
Faramis: "That man… he's the captain of the SOUL Pirate crew."
Ato paused mid-step.
Kojo slowly turned his head.
The name alone made the air feel heavier.
Faramis didn't continue immediately. For the first time since they had set sail, he hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
Faramis: "Aizawa Ryonen."
The reaction was instant.
"WHAAAAAAAAAT?!"
Both Ato and Kojo shouted at the same time, their voices echoing across the deck.
Ato spun toward Kojo.
Ato: "You know him?"
Kojo shook his head sharply.
Kojo: "No. Never heard of him."
Ato frowned, confused.
Ato: "Same here."
He turned back to Faramis.
Ato: "Then why are you acting like that?"
Faramis exhaled slowly, clearly irritated.
Faramis: "Because ignorance doesn't protect you."
Kojo crossed his arms.
Kojo: "So?"
Ato narrowed his eyes.
Ato: "Is he a problem?"
Faramis snapped his head toward him.
Faramis: "He's the biggest problem, idiot."
Kojo's grin widened instead of fading.
Kojo: "Good."
He stepped forward, drawing both swords.
Kojo: "That just means he's worth cutting down."
Ato smirked.
Ato: "Yeah. Let's see what he's got."
Faramis raised his hand.
Faramis: "Don't be stup—"
Too late.
The moment they locked eyes with the man standing calmly on the opposing ship, both Ato and Kojo vanished in a burst of movement.
The deck cracked beneath their feet.
They landed on Aizawa's ship in perfect sync.
Aizawa didn't move.
He simply watched them approach, one hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword.
Kojo was first to strike.
Kojo: "Two-Sword Style— Tiger's Wrath!"
His blades roared forward, crossing in a ferocious arc meant to tear straight through Aizawa's torso.
Steel met steel.
The impact rang like a bell.
But Aizawa didn't budge.
Not even an inch.
With a casual twist of his wrist, he redirected both swords and shoved Kojo backward with raw force.
Kojo skidded across the deck, boots digging deep lines into the wood before he barely managed to stop himself.
Aizawa tilted his head, mildly interested.
Aizawa: "Oh?"
He smiled faintly.
Aizawa: "You don't have it yet."
Kojo clenched his teeth.
Aizawa continued, almost kindly—
Aizawa: "But you do have potential—"
Before the sentence ended, Aizawa drew his blade halfway and swung once.
A single motion.
Nothing flashy.
Nothing dramatic.
The sound was barely audible.
Kojo blinked.
He stood there, confused.
Then a thin red line appeared across his chest.
His eyes widened.
The cut exploded open.
Blood sprayed.
Kojo collapsed instantly, unconscious before he even hit the deck.
Ato: "KOJO!"
Ato's rage detonated.
He launched forward, energy spiraling around his arm.
Ato: "You'll pay for that!"
He thrust his fist out.
Ato: "Black Bullet!"
The compressed blast tore through the air—
And stopped.
Aizawa caught it on his blade.
The energy dispersed like smoke.
Ato's eyes widened in shock.
Aizawa looked unimpressed.
Aizawa: "Is that all?"
Ato grinned instead of retreating.
Ato: "Mada mada."
He raised both arms.
Dark energy surged.
Ato: "Black Bullet— Gatling!"
Dozens of compressed blasts fired at once, shredding the deck and engulfing Aizawa in a storm of explosions.
The ship shook violently.
Smoke and dust swallowed everything.
Silence.
Ato breathed hard, eyes locked on the cloud.
Ato: "Got you—"
A whisper sliced through the dust.
Aizawa: "Divine Slash."
The smoke split apart.
A blade of invisible force ripped toward Ato.
He barely twisted aside, the slash grazing his shoulder and carving a massive trench into the deck behind him.
Ato skidded back, breathing hard.
Before he could recover—
Another whisper.
Another slash.
Too fast.
Too close.
Ato tried to move.
His body didn't respond in time.
The attack struck him head-on.
He was launched backward, crashing into the deck and rolling until he stopped beside Kojo, unconscious.
The dust settled.
Aizawa stood alone, sword lowered.
Aizawa: "Disappointing."
He took a step forward.
Aizawa: "I should finish you—"
Faramis: "No."
Aizawa stopped.
Slowly, he turned.
Faramis had stepped onto the ship, his expression calm but sharp.
Aizawa: "And what makes you think you can stop me?"
Faramis met his gaze without fear.
Faramis: "Because if you kill them—especially Ato—he will come for you."
Aizawa's smile faded.
The air shifted.
Aizawa: "So you know."
Faramis nodded.
Faramis: "You know exactly who I'm talking about."
Aizawa laughed softly, but there was tension in it.
Aizawa: "Interesting… I was wary of Ato's power."
He looked back at the unconscious boy.
Aizawa: "But it turns out there's something far more dangerous here."
His eyes returned to Faramis.
Aizawa: "You."
Faramis smiled.
Faramis: "I plan to make that blue-haired boy the greatest swordsman in history."
Aizawa raised an eyebrow.
Aizawa: "Bold."
Faramis: "He's my second experiment."
That caught Aizawa's attention.
Aizawa: "Second?"
Faramis' smile widened.
Faramis: "The first is reviving the God of Creation."
Aizawa laughed—genuinely this time.
Aizawa: "You're insane."
Then—
Aizawa: "Join my crew."
Faramis shook his head instantly.
Faramis: "No."
Aizawa blinked.
Faramis: "I'm running out of time."
He turned away.
After two steps, he stopped.
Without turning back—
Faramis: "You're wondering how I know what you're thinking, aren't you?"
Aizawa's grip tightened slightly.
Faramis tapped his forehead.
Faramis: "I possess knowledge far beyond normal humans."
Aizawa smirked.
Aizawa: "So… a mind-reading monster."
Faramis chuckled.
Faramis: "If that helps you sleep."
He raised his hand.
Faramis: "Boost."
The ship roared.
Energy surged through its hull as it accelerated violently, tearing away from Aizawa's vessel.
Wind screamed past.
Aizawa stood silently, watching them disappear into the horizon.
His smile slowly returned.
Aizawa: "Interesting…"