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CHAPTER 64

Kuina found herself in a challenging battle against Hatchan's six-sword style. Her usual approach was to test her skills in her human form before resorting to her half-cat transformation. She preferred to rely on her natural abilities as a human first, but Hatchan's relentless attack forced her to reconsider her strategy.

"Takoashi Kiken (Octopus Foot Miracle Swords)"

Hatchan swung his swords wildly, launching a relentless assault on Kuina as he charged towards her. She did her best to block and evade his strikes, but his attacks were relentless, and he managed to land a cut on her side. Although it wasn't a deep wound, it served as a stark reminder that she needed to transform, and she did so swiftly. Upon her transformation, her speed and strength skyrocketed, allowing her to gracefully weave between Hatchan's slashing blades.

"Shikai Zero: Takohachi Black (Zero Visibility: Octopus Hachi Black)"

Upon witnessing Kuina's transformation into her enhanced form, Hatchan responded with a swift and tactical move. He expelled a jet of viscous black ink from his mouth, which hurtled towards Kuina. Despite Kreegan's prior warning regarding the unique abilities of the Arlong Pirates, she found herself unable to dodge the oncoming ink assault. In a quick decision, she opted to shield her eyes and accept the impact. The pressurized ink struck her with the force of a mighty blow to the abdomen, causing her to be propelled back several meters. However, without a moment's hesitation, she retaliated to prevent Hatchan from gaining momentum.

"Sanjuroku Pound Ho (36 Pound Phoenix)!" Kuina called out, her voice resolute and determined.

A swirling vortex of compressed air surged forth from her, racing towards Hatchan. In a display of quick thinking and skill, Hatchan countered the attack by generating a formidable tornado-like barrier around himself. The result was a fierce clash between the spiraling sword attack and the turbulent vortex, with their opposing forces effectively negating each other's impact. The sheer intensity of their confrontation sent shockwaves through the area, creating a tumultuous battlefield where neither combatant was willing to yield an inch.

Amid their fierce battle, Hatchan couldn't contain his laughter as he taunted Kuina with mocking words. "Little girl," he sneered, "you cannot beat the best fish-man swordsman. I do not know who you are, but you are going to pay for hurting my friends."

Kuina responded to his arrogance with unwavering determination, her tone laced with defiance. "Hmph, I acknowledge that you're quite strong, but I am not a frog like you, claiming to be the strongest with such limited power. I am well aware that my journey is long and challenging, but someone like you will never succeed in stopping me from pursuing my path."

Hatchan, however, appeared genuinely bewildered by her response. He pointed to himself and corrected her, "Little girl, I am not a frogman. I am an octopusman. Don't you know what a frog looks like? Which part of me looks like a frog?"

Kuina's frustration boiled over, and her mouth transformed into a shark-like jaw as her eyes burned red with anger. "I know that, you idiot! It's an idiom; don't you understand the concept of a 'frog in a well'?"

Unfazed by her explanation, Hatchan continued to challenge her. "I don't know why you're trying to confuse me, but it won't work. Now, let's face each other fair and square, like true swordsmen."

Kuina's anger intensified, but she recognized the futility of trying to reason with him. She took a deep breath, resheathed her sword, and attempted to regain her composure. "Why am I wasting my breath on you," she muttered, her frustration evident in her voice.

With a swift and deadly strike, Kuina unleashed her "Shishi Sonson" technique, slashing Hatchan in passing like a specter. Initially, Hatchan was slow to grasp what had occurred, but soon, a copious amount of blood gushed from the deep slash wound across his chest. He crumpled to the ground, and Kuina believed she had dealt the finishing blow. As she prepared to charge at another Fishman, Hatchan, summoning his last reserves of strength, struggled to his feet and defiantly declared, "I won't be defeated so easily! I am the best Fishman swordsman!"

Adopting a combat stance known as "Takotsubo no Kamae" or the "Octopus Pot Stance," Hatchan positioned all six of his swords in front of him, arranging them in a circular formation over his chest, pointing them forward like a spinning drill. He then lunged toward Kuina with tremendous force. Kuina, wielding her sword and scabbard, moved to block the assault. However, as their weapons made contact, Hatchan abruptly spread his swords apart, exploiting the opening in Kuina's defense. But Hatchan wasn't finished; he closed the distance and delivered a powerful headbutt directly to Kuina's chest.

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Hatchan's forceful headbutt had initially sent Kuina soaring into the air. Yet, in the blink of an eye, Hatchan's confusion turned into a grim realization. Something was coiling around his waist, an unexpected and formidable restraint. Kuina's tail had entwined itself around him with impressive agility, thwarting his attempt to launch her into the sky.

With the ease of someone accustomed to using their tail as an extra limb, Kuina effortlessly reeled herself back toward Hatchan. In her grasp, Tsukikiri gleamed, held firmly in both hands above her head.

She couldn't help but quip, her voice laced with a playful tone, "Isn't it rather convenient to have a tail?"

Hatchan's grumble was one of protest, "This isn't fair. You were supposed to be sent skyward!"

Seizing the advantage of her downward momentum, Kuina executed a devastating overhead slash, her battle cry echoing through the confrontation.

"Baki (Horse Demon)!"

Hatchan attempted to shift into his Octopus Pot Stance for a defensive maneuver, but Kuina's strike proved relentless. The sheer force of her slash bore down upon Hatchan, crushing him beneath his own swords. This time, there was no question about the outcome; Hatchan lay defeated, vanquished by Kuina's extraordinary strength and determination. As she tenderly massaged her chest, Kuina winced, still feeling the lingering pain from the headbutt she had endured earlier. Each breath was a reminder of the hard-fought battle.

...

SEVERAL MİNUTES AGO

Arlong found himself utterly taken aback by the unfolding chaos. His loyal crew members were falling one by one. The majority succumbed to the relentless sniper lurking in the dense woods, but even his elite officers began to meet their demise. How could such seemingly inferior creatures like humans prevail against his battle-hardened Fishman warriors?

Kreegan couldn't resist taunting the infuriated Arlong further, reveling in the fury he was stoking. With a sardonic grin, he jeered, "Surprised, Arlong? It's only natural that pirates meet their reckoning. Especially when those pirates happen to be Fishmen. Most folks use bait when fishing, you see, but I prefer the elegance of a blade. It makes the process of turning them into sashimi all the more satisfying."

The provocation struck its mark, and Arlong seethed with anger, his fury stoked by Kreegan's words. Amid the turmoil, it was becoming increasingly apparent that wherever Arlong turned, a Fishman was meeting a grim end.

Kreegan, relentless in his verbal assault, continued to press Arlong's buttons. "This is the problem with racist bigots like you. When your delusions of grandeur crumble, all that's left is a seething pit of rage. Is this the 'superior race' you boasted of, Arlong? The ones falling like helpless chickens? My apologies, perhaps it's more apt to say they're being sliced up like fish fillets." His words dripped with mockery as he baited the furious pirate.

Amidst the chaos, Kreegan's attention was abruptly seized by Lex's urgent call, pulling him away from the ongoing combat.

"Kreegan! Little help here," Lex's voice echoed through the turmoil.

Kreegan clenched his teeth in frustration as he watched Lex heedlessly plunge into the water. The man was doing the very thing Kreegan had fervently warned him against moments ago. It seemed that caution was often a fleeting concept in the heat of battle.

"Air Bubble!" Kreegan barked the command, conjuring an air bubble around Lex's head. This would allow Lex to breathe underwater and fend off some of the sea's debilitating effects, at least for a while.

However, there was no time for Kreegan to dwell on Lex's impulsive actions. Arlong, a formidable adversary, charged towards him with a menacing grin, jaws poised to bite.

"I am going to turn you into minced meat!" Arlong declared, boasting his superior physical strength as a gray level 6 Fishman compared to Kreegan's mid-level five. However, Kreegan's recent buff had augmented his agility, granting him the crucial edge in speed. Swiftly, he sidestepped Arlong's vicious bite, creating a small but vital distance between them.

"Ray of Enfeeblement, Nanajuni Pound Ho (72 Pound Phoenix)!" Kreegan chanted, unleashing a spiraling torrent of green sword energy that tore into Arlong's back. The strike weakened Arlong considerably, causing his strength to wane.

Unrelenting, Kreegan pressed his advantage, launching another attack. "Shocking Grasp, Nigiri: Hirameki (Flash)!" he exclaimed as the blade crackled with electricity. Arlong attempted to fend off the strike with his elongated, sharp nose.

While he was somewhat resilient to lightning thanks to his strong body, the shock still coursed through his body due to his aquatic nature and his damp skin, eliciting a pained reaction. However, he retaliated by delivering a powerful kick to Kreegan's midsection, sending him hurtling like a cannonball into the wall of a nearby building.

Though Arlong, too, had sustained injuries, he displayed remarkable resilience and determination. With gritted teeth, he gave chase to Kreegan. Gathering water into his hands, Arlong flung liquid projectiles at his retreating foe with deadly precision.

"I can't use this technique as well as my seniors," Arlong taunted with a deranged laugh, "but it will be more than enough to kill some weakling. Zaaahhaha!"

Eagle's stomach tightened into a knot as he peered through his scope, his eyes locked on the chaotic spectacle unfolding before him. He had a bad feeling; it was impossible to withstand such devastating attacks and emerge without serious injuries.

As the high-speed water shots, resembling a barrage of bullets, whizzed through the air, they wreaked havoc on the surroundings. Dust and rubble filled the battlefield, shrouding it in a dense cloud of debris. The tempest of destruction engulfed the combatants, making it nearly impossible for Eagle to discern what was happening to Kreegan amidst the chaos.

Helplessly, he maintained his focus on the obscured battle, his fingers tensely gripping the stock of his rifle, waiting for an opportunity to land a hit on Arlong when he stopped moving like crazy. All he could do now was hope that Kreegan could somehow weather this storm and emerge victorious.