Chapter 51: You've Got Your Way to Die

When Marvin and Kent arrived at the pirate vessel, they found only one survivor left on deck: a lone pirate, trembling with barely contained terror, kneeling before Azrael.

"Moore sent you to monitor the secret realm entrance, didn't he?" Azrael asked, his tone carrying absolute certainty.

After the chaos they unleashed on Skull Island last time, it would be foolish to think that Moore—the ruthless leader of Black Flag—wouldn't post sentries at such a critical location.

The pirate pressed his forehead to the deck, kowtowing frantically. Despite the overwhelming urge to attack that surged through his body whenever he looked at Azrael—a primal response he couldn't quite understand—his survival instincts kept him compliant.

"Boss, if I tell you everything, you'll let me live, right?" The desperation in his voice was palpable.

But when the pirate caught sight of Azrael's cold, merciless gaze, his entire body began to shake uncontrollably. The words poured out of him like water from a broken dam, spilling every secret he knew.

After listening to the pirate's frantic confession, Azrael turned to Kaneki with a slight nod. "He's all yours."

The grotesque kagune slowly coiled around the pirate's throat, cutting off his screams with finality.

Only then did Azrael turn his attention to exchanging information with Kent, his expression grave.

"Kent, you heard what he said. The demons in this secret realm have completely consolidated their forces." Azrael's frown deepened as he processed the implications.

The dying pirate revealed that, ever since Azrael's group tore through Skull Island, Black Flag had accelerated their plans to merge the scattered pirate crews. The process was nearly complete.

All four pirate leaders had gathered on Skull Island, waiting for the perfect moment to attack the secret realm. Their goal was clear: to seize control of the association and capture the Emperor to fulfill Moore's twisted ambitions.

As he observed the young man's decisive actions and apparent strength, Kent's assessment of Azrael shifted slightly. "This kid's actually got some backbone," he thought, his previous stereotypes beginning to crumble.

After considering Azrael's question, Kent responded with military precision. "We'll approach Skull Island under cover, infiltrate their defenses, and I'll eliminate all the leaders in one decisive strike."

As a registered Lore Cardian of the association, Kent couldn't stand by while these creatures plotted to attack the secret realm. What had started as a simple protection mission was rapidly evolving into a full-scale cleanup operation.

Azrael nodded approvingly. Youwei's plan was brutally simple, but sometimes the most direct approach was the most effective. Eliminate the leadership, and the remaining forces would likely collapse into chaos.

A moment of silence stretched between them before Azrael suddenly looked around, confusion flickering across his features. "Wait, aren't we missing someone?"

Marvin blinked in bewilderment, then his eyes widened in realization. "Damn it! We left Lewis behind!"

He immediately mounted his flying vehicle and took off to retrieve their forgotten companion.

While Marvin was gone, Azrael hesitated before turning to Kent with an unusual request. "Kent, when we get to Moore, can I be the one to kill him?"

Kent paused, slightly taken aback. He assumed that Azrael wanted him to weaken Moore first and then allow the young man to deliver the final blow. Given his suspicions about Azrael's family's influence, Kent saw no reason to refuse the request.

Though he personally disliked this kind of political maneuvering, maintaining good relations with powerful families was simply pragmatic.

"Fine by me," he agreed readily.

Soon, Marvin returned with Lewis, and the four-person team set course for Skull Island.

However, as they drew closer to their destination, Azrael began to feel an inexplicable sense of dread. Something felt terribly wrong.

Until they saw it.

"Captain! Carl!" Marvin's voice cracked with anguish; his eyes blazed red with fury and grief.

Lewis's jaw clenched so tightly that his teeth ground together and his fists were clenched so hard that his nails drew blood from his palms.

Azrael simply stared, his mind struggling to process the horrific scene before them.

Two towering flagpoles dominated the harbor, and a mutilated corpse hung from each, blackened and desiccated under the merciless sun. Clouds of flies swarmed around the remains in a grotesque dance of death.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Azrael turned to Kent, his voice deadly calm. "Kent, I've changed my mind.

"No more stealth. No more infiltration.

Now, I'm going to punish that demon openly and make him suffer."

Before Kent could grasp Azrael's intentions, their vessel slammed into the dock with devastating force.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The piercing alarm shrieked across the harbor.

The pirates stationed at the dock could only watch helplessly as the ship bore down on them like a battering ram.

"Boom!"

The earth-shattering collision sent most of the wooden dock crashing into the sea, creating a cascade of splintered timber and debris.

Azrael had already summoned Luffy, whose rubber fruit abilities cushioned their landing as they leaped from the destroyed vessel.

The violent impact sent every bird on Skull Island screaming into the sky. Anyone could see and hear that war had come to their doorstep.

Which was exactly what Azrael wanted.

Within minutes, Moore arrived at the ruined dock with several cadre-level subordinates in tow. His face was twisted with rage and curiosity.

Kent sighed wearily. "Next time you plan something this dramatic, give me a heads-up, will you?"

After Luffy appeared, Kent immediately recognized that the student he was protecting had become a bronze-level Lore Cardian. "No wonder the association considers him so valuable," he mused. "At his age, this level of achievement is extraordinary."

Kent's mental power swept over the opposing forces, assessing their strength. After a moment, he relaxed slightly. Aside from the leader, who might prove challenging, the rest were nothing more than cannon fodder.

He began summoning his cards, preparing for battle. However, Azrael's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Kent, let me handle this," Azrael said firmly.

Kent studied the young man, doubt evident on his face. "Are you sure you can manage? You're talented, and reaching bronze level at your age is impressive, but that leader looks like he could be trouble."

Nevertheless, Kent ultimately agreed. Even if Azrael couldn't handle the situation alone, Kent would be there as backup.

Meanwhile, Moore had grown increasingly incensed by their complete disregard for his presence. His gaze lingered fearfully on the cards Kent held, but his sneer remained defiant.

"Well, well," Moore taunted, his voice dripping with malicious amusement. "Look who's bold enough to come back. It's the little mouse that scurried away last time."

He gestured toward the two corpses still swaying in the breeze, his smile turning predatory. "How do you like my artwork? I put a lot of effort into the composition."

Moore had decided to quickly kill the obviously important "little mouse," wanting to see the regret and despair in his enemies' eyes before they died.

Death? The thought amused him. He had clawed his way up from the depths of these bloody seas. Did they really think he would be intimidated by a few upstart children?

But Azrael's response was delivered with chilling calm, his voice carrying the weight of absolute judgment:

"You've already chosen how you're going to die."

"Luffy, do it. Go all out."