Chapter 241: Concern Leads to Chaos, Both Sides Suffer.

"Oh? He's chasing me."

Feeling the fierce wind pressure behind him and the anger different from the calmness during the fight, Klein's lips curled into a dangerous smile.

"Looks like you're not without 'flaws,' a good Captain who loves his people."

As soon as he landed, he had his subordinates help the civilians, used his Paramecia Devil Fruit to create puppets to wipe out the pirates, and came alone to face him.

Such an 'overly righteous' guy, so Klein didn't think he had lost. As long as he used the opponent's weakness...

"Too bad, all that hair was wasted."

Klein's 'Swap Fruit' could move objects based on the 'cost' of items, and when used on himself, it had to consume a 'part' of himself as the cost.

The good news was he could use cut hair and nails as the cost, the bad news was:

"If I have a few more fights like this, will I have to go out with a buzz cut?"

Just thinking about that possibility made the noble descendant shiver.

It's really a headache~~

!

Whoosh—

The sharp sound from behind made Klein instantly swap places with a fingernail! After glancing at the spot that looked like it had been hit by a heavy cannon, he mourned for the fingernail for 0.1 seconds before continuing to rush towards the civilians.

"Be careful..."

"Everyone, help bandage the wounds!"

"Lightly injured, rest on the side. Severely injured, leave it to Ensign Ann for treatment."

Every Marine soldier has learned battlefield first aid, and years of fighting have made them adept at handling external injuries. Even these "second-generation Marines" can handle simple surgical procedures like cleaning wounds and stitching them up.

What? It's not sanitary out here...

If you're dead, who cares about sanitation!

At the same time, Nami continuously summoned 'Life Blue Flames' to fall on the severely injured. While it didn't heal them instantly, it ensured the injuries wouldn't worsen. And at this moment:

Swish!

A young man in noble attire, with a sunny face, suddenly appeared in the crowd. Before the Marines could react, the injured civilians around them cried out in fear.

"Demon!"

"Murderer—"

"Pirate Captain..."

"'Phantom' Klein!!"

!? "Everyone, fall back!"

Noticing the constantly "flashing" figure and the frantically pursuing Roman behind him, the beautiful Commander Isuka immediately turned and stepped on Geppo to return. With a loud reminder, she swung her saber, sending a flying slash towards the opponent's location.

Crack!

However, with a light sound, the sword energy only carved a deep mark on the ground! The pirate captain, who was the target, had disappeared:

"Nice swordsmanship,"

The elegant voice startled Isuka, and she reflexively spun and slashed towards the source of the voice with her saber, which was sharp enough to cut through gold and iron, but:

Clang!

With a metallic sound, the sharp saber was caught in the opponent's hand. Before Isuka could react, the opponent had already kicked the young Commander in the waist.

"Ah~~"

Boom!

Watching the Marine Commander he kicked flying into the ruins of a house, Klein shrugged helplessly.

"Punching and kicking a beautiful lady is not gentlemanly behavior, but you're too strong, I couldn't hold back."

Whoosh—

Thud!

A white spear instantly pierced through Klein's figure, but it was just an afterimage.

He's here.

Seeing Roman, who was rushing over with killing intent boiling like smoke, Klein's expression became serious. — Until the last moment, the roles of hunter and prey could always switch.

Hmph, I must take him down before he realizes I care about Nami! Or force him to leave, otherwise...

As Roman sped towards him, he had a thought, and the white puppet warriors who were killing pirates around him immediately turned back, adopting a stance of "protecting" the civilians. — In reality, it was just to divert the opponent's attention.

Good, it seems he really cares about the civilians—?!

Klein, who had rushed into the crowd, suddenly felt a sense of unease. His intuition told him he had overlooked something important.

"Protect the civilians! Don't let that pirate captain run wild!"

As Roman leaped forward with a righteous shout, the surrounding Marines snapped back to reality and immediately aimed their weapons at Klein. However, Klein's "Phantom" name wasn't just because of his Devil Fruit ability, but also his incredible speed!

With a twist and a spin, he easily broke through the Marines' encirclement. If it weren't for Roman's killing intent like a thorn in his back, he would have had time to slit the Marines' throats. But:

Thinking back carefully, why did something always feel off?

Swish!

As Klein dashed through the crowd, two white puppets suddenly switched from stiff "automatic defense" to agile, their long swords whistling down from left and right, forcing Klein to use his "swap ability" again.

Something's wrong!

In that last ambush, Klein clearly saw that the opponent didn't care about hurting the nearby people! The fierce sword energy barely missed an injured civilian. This doesn't seem like someone who cherishes the people—

Right, and that beautiful Commander from before!

Klein suddenly remembered that when he kicked the Commander away earlier, the young Captain chasing him didn't show much emotional fluctuation, which means:

"I've been tricked,"

The opponent isn't someone who cherishes the people or even the soldiers, but just happens to have someone very "important" here...

So who could it be?

As Roman also leaped into the chaotic town port, although the Marines were doing their best to maintain order and chase the noble-looking pirate captain, the entire temporary "treatment point" was still in chaos.

And now time was equally urgent for both Roman and Klein: Roman had to ensure the opponent didn't notice Nami, while Klein had to find the Captain's "weakness" before he got too close...

"Mom!"

In the chaos, a little girl threw herself onto an injured woman, trying to protect her with her small body.

At the same time, an orange-haired girl holding a book stood in front of the little girl, preventing the chaotic crowd from hurting the mother and daughter.

Such a beautiful family bond. As the second son of a scheming noble family, Klein was indifferent to such scenes. But his steps still subconsciously moved in that direction. If you ask why, maybe it's just envy...

Killing intent!

A fierce killing intent suddenly surged!

It was a cold and resolute anger, mixed with the fury of a dragon's reverse scale being touched! It was as if winter had arrived in an instant, the bone-chilling killing intent made all the ordinary people here feel like their heat was sucked out, their bodies stiffening and collapsing, instantly quieting the chaotic "treatment point"!

The source of the killing intent was, of course, the rapidly approaching Roman!

The target of the killing intent was only Klein, who was trying to get close to Nami.

Feeling the killing intent behind him as if it would tear him apart, Klein showed a genuine smile.

Found it,

"Ah—!?"

As the crowd in front suddenly collapsed in the "cold," a shadow rapidly enlarged in Nami's pupils! She didn't have time to use the various "Thieves' Ultimate Skills" in her hand before the figure circled behind her, leaving her facing:

The mix of urgency and anger rushing towards her, Roman.

Smack,

The force from behind made Nami fall forward without resistance, then an arm gently wrapped around her! A familiar scent hit her, but a cold, mocking voice came from behind.

"Checkmate."

As Klein pushed his opponent's 'weak spot' away, he also revealed his true trump card: a small silver revolver appeared in his hand as the cards vanished, aimed at the orange-haired girl he had pushed away.

This was the latest technology from the North Sea, capable of firing six bullets in an instant with incredible power! The bullets were also embedded with indestructible Sea-Prism Stone, ensuring that any Devil Fruit user would meet their end under this masterpiece.

—Of course, Klein wouldn't waste such a precious weapon on a mere girl. In his estimation:

In an instant, as Roman held Nami and saw Klein pull out the revolver, he instinctively turned, using his back to shield her. But as the bullet, far faster than normal, shot towards him, piercing through his Armament Haki, Roman's expression changed!

This feeling, too familiar—

Sea-Prism Stone!

"Checkmate."

At the same time, Klein's mocking declaration rang out.

The one checkmated is you—

As blood splattered from his back, Roman's cold eyes locked onto Klein's! In that instant, Klein saw a proud, domineering aura like blue and white light, engulfing everything.

This light was so overpowering, it invaded Klein's mind like a god from above, stirring his primal fear. In the face of this aura, all trained willpower, determination, and emotions seemed incredibly fragile.

Conqueror's Haki - Intimidation

At the same time, Roman, holding Nami with one hand, threw a punch with the other!

This punch, filled with anger, made Roman's arm feel like steel! His muscles, like steel cables, tightened to the limit, and he aimed a punch at Klein's chest.

Fast as lightning, powerful as a landslide, the punch's wind alone made Klein's bones crack! His chest caved in with a fist mark! The ground behind him exploded in all directions under the terrifying force, creating a fist-shaped crater dozens of meters wide.

!!

"Swap—"

In a critical moment, the man with blood spurting from his nose and mouth, his face twisted in pain, used his most precious 'backup plan.'

Whoosh,

Boom!!

With a loud crash, the entire town shook! The ground caved in under Roman's punch, forming a huge fist-shaped crater. Inside, except for a hand, there was nothing, making Roman, holding Nami and still in a punching stance, frown.

Escaped?

Looking at the hand, Roman smirked.

Really 'left a hand,' huh, bastard!

Don't let me see you again...

"Victory, victory!"

"Captain Roman punched the enemy to ashes!"

"Oh oh oh, Captain is mighty, Captain is invincible—"

As the nearby Marines cheered, Roman's body swayed, and Nami caught him.

"Doctor! Doctor!!"

Blood spread down his back, staining the word 'Justice' in red, making Nami panic and forget to use the 'Thieves' Ultimate Skill.'

"Hurry, Roman is hurt—"

Tsk, still not strong enough...

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