Chapter 52: Gear 3!

Luffy silently hung his straw hat behind him; his usual lively demeanor was completely gone. The playful spark in his eyes had been replaced by cold determination. Since Azrael told him to go all out, there was no holding back.

Without hesitation, Luffy bit down hard on his thumb.

Moore watched from across the dock, amused by what he saw as a childish preparation. A mocking laugh escaped his lips. "What's this? Getting scared already?" He sneered, his blade glinting in the sunlight. "Maybe you should run home and find your mother for some milk!"

But Moore's taunts died in his throat when Luffy's right fist suddenly grew to the size of a human torso in the blink of an eye.

"Gum-Gum Giant Pistol!"

The enormous fist came whistling through the air with devastating force. Moore's face turned white as he realized the power behind the attack. This kind of overwhelming strength reminded him of his encounters with the most dangerous of the Utachibukai's subordinates—power that shouldn't exist at this level.

"Impossible!" Moore roared in disbelief, his voice echoing across the entire dock. "This has to be fake! All of it!"

Desperate, he slashed his white blade against Luffy's massive fist. However, the steel only left a shallow scratch on the rubber surface. The next instant, Moore's world exploded with pain as the giant fist made direct contact.

BOOM!

Moore shot backward like a cannonball, his body smashing through several of his own crew members who were standing frozen in shock. Dust and debris erupted around the impact site as pirates scattered in panic.

"Boss Moore!" Terrified shouts rang out from the surviving crew members, but their leader was already struggling to stay conscious.

Luffy wasn't about to give his opponent any breathing room. He launched himself high into the air. As his right fist returned to normal size, his right leg began to grow in a similarly terrifying manner.

"Gum-Gum Giant Battle Axe!"

The air itself seemed to scream as Luffy's massive leg came crashing down from above. The sound of the displaced air was like thunder rolling across the dock.

CRASH!

The entire pier shuddered under the tremendous impact. Wooden planks splintered, and concrete cracked as shockwaves rippled outward from the point of impact. The remaining pirates had already collapsed to the ground, their legs giving out from sheer terror at witnessing such overwhelming power.

The leaders of the other pirate crews watched in stunned silence, cold sweat streaming down their faces. Moore, whom they had considered nearly invincible, was being beaten like a helpless animal, with no chance to fight back.

Under normal circumstances, Moore wouldn't have been so completely outmatched. Unfortunately for him, however, he had chosen to face Luffy, who carried something special:

[Emperor's Recognition]: Luffy's noble spirit has been acknowledged by an Emperor of the Sea, who has placed his faith in the young pirate's future. When confronting any pirate-type enemy, Luffy's abilities are enhanced.

Do you understand what it means to be recognized by a Sea Emperor?

Kent's pupils dilated as he absorbed what he was witnessing. "This level of power is comparable to an ordinary silver-rank card," he muttered in disbelief.

Marvin and Lewis, standing beside Azrael, could only stare in amazement. They had seen Luffy's performances during the Elite Talent Cup broadcasts, but they had never imagined that his true strength far exceeded what he had displayed in those matches.

Now, they understood why Azrael had been so confident about avenging Grey himself. His certainty hadn't been mere bravado; it was backed by this incredible power.

They had originally assumed that Azrael would rely on Kent to handle Moore. How wrong they had been!

Luffy landed gracefully beside Azrael, his expression still serious and focused.

Azrael could sense Luffy's status in his mind and couldn't help but sigh internally. "Gear Third is powerful, but Luffy is about to enter his cooldown period after just two attacks. He probably only has enough strength left for one final strike."

Still, it was a fair trade. Luffy might only be a bronze-level card, but exchanging a temporary cooldown period for three attacks equivalent to a silver-level card's power was worth it.

"Cough."

Moore's weak cough drifted from within the settling dust cloud.

Azrael frowned. "Still not dead?"

As the smoke gradually cleared, Moore's pitiful condition became visible to everyone. His right hand no longer held a sword; the blade had snapped in half. His once-powerful physique was battered beyond recognition, with not a single patch of uninjured skin visible on his body.

Yet, even in this devastating state, Moore clung to life.

"Truly incredible," he gasped between labored breaths, his voice barely audible. "I never expected to encounter someone of your caliber in a place like this."

He paused, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "But last time we met, you weren't nearly this strong."

"Why is that?"

Does losing someone precious always force people to grow stronger?"

"Hahaha, cough."

Azrael had been listening intently, expecting a crucial revelation. But it turned out to be the typical ramblings of a defeated enemy.

"Finish it, Luffy."

At Azrael's command, Luffy activated Gear Third one final time.

"Gum-Gum Giant Bazooka!"

Two massive fists cast an enormous shadow over Moore's broken form. The pirate captain's consciousness began slipping toward eternal darkness.

Just before Luffy could land the finishing blow, however, a whisper seemed to drift through the air, so quiet that it might have been imagined.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how pathetic you'll look when you face the King."

Azrael's eyes sharpened, and he quickly turned to scan the faces around him. "Did anyone else hear that just now?"

Kent and the others shook their heads, indicating that they hadn't heard anything unusual.

"The King?" Azrael murmured to himself.

Shaking his head to clear away the unsettling thought, he decided he must have been mistaken. There were more immediate concerns to focus on.

At that moment, Luffy delivered his final, devastating attack and slowly began to fade as his summoning time expired.

Kent couldn't help but feel relieved. "As expected, that kind of power comes with significant limitations."

If there were no drawbacks, the distinction between bronze and silver rankings would be meaningless.

The surviving pirate crew leaders watched Luffy disappear and felt their confidence surge. They exchanged meaningful glances, no longer able to suppress the murderous intent burning in their hearts. Leading their remaining subordinates, they charged forward in a desperate final assault.

However, they had forgotten about Azrael's other cards: Tsugikuni Yoriichi and Ken Kaneki. More importantly, they had dismissed Kent entirely.

As he observed their foolish charge, Kent's expression turned ice-cold. "Idiots! Did you really think I was just a decoration?"

Although Azrael's bronze-level card impressed him, Kent was a legitimate silver-rank Lore Cardian with considerable power.

"Well, this saves me the trouble of hunting you down individually."

With a mere thought, his summoned card materialized and began moving through the attacking pirates like the personification of death itself. The card's movements were precise and lethal, harvesting lives with clinical efficiency.

The pirate leaders collapsed before they could mount any meaningful resistance.

The massive power disparity finally penetrated the remaining pirates' battle-drunk minds. They realized that numbers alone would never bridge the gap between their abilities and those of their opponents. Weapons clattered to the ground as the pirates turned and fled toward the nearby mountains and forests.

Kent watched their retreat with cold indifference. With the leaders dead, the scattered remnants posed no real threat and weren't worth pursuing.

Azrael observed the one-sided massacre and felt a familiar pang of inadequacy. "There's still such a huge gap between me and a true silver-rank Lore Cardian."

But he quickly rallied his spirits. "At the rate I'm progressing, silver rank shouldn't be too far away."

Since advancing to the bronze level, Azrael had religiously maintained his meditation practice, and his improvement compared to his earlier days was remarkable. While the path to silver rank was still long, it no longer seemed impossibly distant.

"Azrael, I can't thank you enough." A choked voice interrupted Azrael's thoughts.

He looked down and saw Marvin kneeling before him with tears streaming down his weathered face.

Azrael panicked at the unexpected display. He was never comfortable with such intense emotional moments. Quickly, he helped Marvin to his feet. "Marvin, please don't do this. There's no need for such formality."

With Azrael's assistance, Marvin stood, wiping his eyes roughly. "I knew I could never get revenge on my own, but I never dared to hope."

His voice broke with emotion. "I really don't know how to express my gratitude, Azrael. Marvin doesn't have much to offer except this worthless life of mine."

"If you ever need anything, anything at all, just say the word."

Azrael was touched by the sincerity, even though he couldn't imagine what help Marvin could provide that he couldn't handle himself. Still, he wouldn't dismiss the man's heartfelt offer.

"Of course, Marvin. I'll remember that."

Marvin reached into his jacket, withdrew something, and pressed it into Azrael's hands. "This is the material that condensed when the demon died."

Azrael looked down at the item in his palm: a crystalline fragment that seemed to pulse with contained energy.

Bronze-level [Elite Pirate Swordsman] (Gold Quality).

The material would serve as valuable crafting components for future card creation. It was a tangible reminder of their victory and the justice they had delivered for Grey's memory.