38. The End

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At that moment, Eddie was putting his talent for taunting to full use. Even someone as stoic as Kuroobi had now completely lost his composure.

He kept leaping into the air and crashing back down, trying to land a single hit but Eddie evaded every time.

Each time Kuroobi launched skyward, Eddie would flick lead bullets at him. But having learned from his earlier mistake, Kuroobi now deflected them easily.

The standoff continued. Neither side had gained the upper hand yet.

Back on the ground, the villagers of Coco Village were buzzing with excitement. This was the first time they'd seen someone fly or move as if they were teleporting. It was like watching a live miracle.

Seeing pirates actually toy with a Fishman officer lifted their spirits sky-high.

Eventually, fatigue caught up to Eddie. His foot missed a step in the air and he dropped.

Kuroobi had just landed, and when he saw Eddie falling, a wicked grin spread across his face. He clenched both fists, preparing to pound this human pirate into pulp.

But just as Kuroobi moved in for the kill, Dylan had recovered some of his strength.

He strapped his [Cat Claw] blades back onto his hands, then looked toward Kuroobi in the distance. A single word slipped from his lips:

"Ghost Blade."

And in that instant, Dylan vanished. Only a faint dust trail remained by the tree where he'd stood.

[Ghost Blade] was a finishing move Dylan had theorized just a couple of days ago a high-speed assassination technique that combined [Soru] with the [Cat Claw].

The concept had come from Aero, who suggested merging the two abilities. But this was Dylan's first time using it in a real fight. He wasn't even sure how effective it would be.

The downside? It consumed an insane amount of stamina. Constantly chaining [Soru] was draining even at full strength and Dylan was far from peak condition.

So it had to be quick.

And against a Fishman like Kuroobi, with his freakish durability and combat endurance, a drawn-out fight would be suicide.

The outcome of this battle hinged entirely on whether [Ghost Blade] could break through.

As a Fishman with a 9-million-Berry bounty, Kuroobi's combat senses were razor-sharp.

As he approached the fallen Eddie, he felt danger.

His instincts screamed.

He abandoned Eddie and dropped into a defensive stance, eyes darting around, every muscle coiled.

Eddie, meanwhile, couldn't move. He was completely spent. But surprisingly, he didn't hit the ground.

He hovered suspended mid-air.

Aero had stepped in. Eddie was just within range. With a subtle motion, Aero summoned a gust to gently lift Eddie and glide him toward safety.

As Aero set him down, he turned to the villagers. "Do any of you have a doctor?"

"We do! Dr. Nako! Over here!" Genzo called out, waving toward an older man in a white coat.

"Make way! Move aside!" The elder, wearing dark leaf-shaped sunglasses, pushed through the crowd and knelt by Eddie.

Eddie cracked a smile. "Hey, old man. Nice shades."

Dr. Nako chuckled as he examined Eddie's wounds. "You like 'em? Beat Arlong and they're yours."

Aero relaxed slightly at Eddie's banter. If he had the energy to crack jokes, he'd live.

But his eyes quickly returned to the real fight.

Kuroobi was now at a clear disadvantage.

His navy-blue gi had been shredded, his body covered in slash marks. He stood bloodied, breathing hard, his eyes darting wildly as he tried to predict where Dylan would strike next.

Dylan was everywhere and nowhere.

He'd appear long enough to rake Kuroobi with his claws, then vanish again with [Soru]. It was a dance of blades and shadows.

Kuroobi's uniform was soaked in blood, and the ground beneath him was darkened with fresh drips. His stance trembled. His breaths came out in ragged snarls.

Dylan was starting to slow down too.

He couldn't keep this up.

And then—

Shhk! The ten blades of the [Cat Claw] pierced straight into Kuroobi's chest.

Silver metal stained crimson.

Kuroobi coughed blood, his wide hands grabbing hold of Dylan's wrists. With blood oozing from the corners of his mouth, he snarled, "Got you."

It had been a trap.

Kuroobi had let Dylan strike him so he could seize him up close. But the price? All ten blades are buried in his body.

Even Aero was shocked. For a Fishman to do that to himself… it was insane.

Whether he survived or not, Kuroobi would never be the same.

Dylan's eyes widened in horror as he tried to pull his claws free but Kuroobi's grip was iron. Dylan couldn't overpower him.

Kuroobi grinned savagely. "Filthy human scum… you're not even fit to breathe the air here!"

He raised one blood-slicked hand. The blood gathered in his palm, forming and swirling ready to strike.

"Let me show you… The real power of Fishman Karate!"

Dylan struggled harder, kicking at Kuroobi's abdomen, but it did nothing. The Fishman was going for the kill.

Watching from the ground, Eddie saw it happening.

He gritted his teeth, raised his bandaged right hand, and ignored Dr. Nako's protests.

From the tip of his finger, he fired a single lead bullet.

CRACK!

Just before Kuroobi's ultimate attack could land—

His head exploded in a mist of blood.

The crimson rain sprayed all over Dylan.

Kuroobi's bulging eyes rolled back. His grip went limp.

He collapsed, face-first into the dirt, kicking up dust.

Dylan staggered back, blood-soaked and stunned.

It was over.

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