Turwindis was still in midair when he spat out a mouthful of blood—along with several broken teeth.
Lance's kick had poured out overwhelming power. For someone like Turwindis, there was no way to endure it.
"Just one kick and you're done already?"
Lance walked over calmly.
"D-Don't get cocky…!"
Turwindis gurgled out, blood in his mouth, equal parts shocked and furious.
He suddenly pulled out a flintlock from his waist and fired two shots at Lance.
Lance's body flickered like a mirage. The bullets grazed past him harmlessly.
"You really think something like a gun works on me?"
In a flash, Lance stepped forward and stomped down on Turwindis's chest. The ground cracked beneath the impact, forming a shallow crater.
Turwindis coughed up more blood, his face paling instantly.
"Please… have mercy…"
He began to beg in panic, trembling as blood spilled from his lips. "I won't come near Dressrosa again! I won't slander you! Please… let me live!"
If he were facing a different kind of powerhouse, Turwindis might have fought to the death.
But he hadn't forgotten—standing before him, pinning him down, was the infamous Man-Eating Monster that had terrified Dressrosa for over a month.
All the victims left behind were nothing but mangled flesh and bone… He'd seen one of those scenes with his own eyes. It haunted him still.
Now, remembering it only amplified his fear.
He could face death—but not that kind of death. The horror of being eaten alive was beyond what he could bear.
"Sure. No problem. First, though… go to hell!"
Lance's gaze turned icy. Ignoring the man's howls and begging, he stepped forward—then slammed his foot down, crushing Turwindis's head.
Blood exploded in every direction. Lance's face didn't even twitch.
"Kuro, it's your turn now."
Behind him, a black shadow began to form from swirling dark particles. A spectral creature appeared—grinning under its bandaged maw.
"Delicious… so good…"
Without a word, Kuro tore into Turwindis's corpse, ripping chunks of bloody flesh into its maw.
Lance calmly walked back into the warehouse.
The one-legged toy soldier was weaving through gunfire, returning fire with sharp precision.
"Even in toy form… that kind of strength. No wonder he won 3,000 consecutive matches."
Lance lit a cigarette.
He spotted someone trying to slip away near the factory's entrance. "How naive."
In a blink, Lance leapt down, grabbed a nearby flintlock, and fired—blasting the escaping man in the head.
"It's over… Boss Turwindis didn't kill him… Boss is dead!"
"Damn it! Kill him! Avenge the boss!!"
As soon as Lance reappeared, all the traffickers realized what had happened. But instead of running, they raised their guns to shoot.
"You dared to come at me… now you'll all die in agony."
Lance's eyes were filled with murderous rage.
He darted forward through the hail of bullets. Like a blur, he closed in on one man—his clawed fingers piercing directly through the man's heart.
His movements were swift, fluid like water. He weaved through the chaos with deadly grace.
These techniques—his speed, reflexes, and brutal efficiency—all came from the countless people Kuro had devoured. Their combat skills were now part of him.
Within seconds, Lance had slaughtered several men with ease.
Blood drenched his body. He could feel the power surging through his veins—Turwindis's strength was being absorbed.
From outside, over twenty more men rushed in. They were the rest of the trafficker gang, returning after hearing the commotion.
"So much fresh 'fuel'… I love it."
Lance grinned cruelly. Covered in blood, he launched himself into another wave of killing.
Eventually, the toy soldier's musket ran dry, and he switched to melee. But to his surprise… he found himself with little to do.
Almost no one was targeting him.
Everyone was focused on Lance.
Five minutes later, it was over.
Inside the ruined warehouse, only the trembling girls, the toy soldier… and Lance remained.
Lance stood atop a mountain of corpses, drenched in blood, dripping from head to toe like a demon from hell.
He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a slow drag.
The trafficker gang had been annihilated. Completely. Singlehandedly. It was a massacre, not a battle.
"Rebecca, are you okay?"
The toy soldier rushed over and removed her restraints.
Rebecca threw herself into his arms, crying uncontrollably.
The other girls were saved too. They thanked both the toy soldier and Lance before fleeing the warehouse in tears.
"Man-ea—I mean, kind sir… thank you for helping us."
The toy soldier bowed deeply in front of Lance.
Rebecca mimicked him, bowing as well.
Lance glanced at them but said nothing, just kept smoking.
"Kuro, clean up the place."
As Lance spoke, Rebecca and the soldier heard sickening chewing sounds.
One of the corpses next to Lance was being devoured by something invisible—its flesh disappearing chunk by chunk, exposing horrifying innards.
Rebecca turned pale and began to vomit.
The toy soldier, however, had clearly seen such things before and remained calm.
"S-Sir… I think you've been shot…"
Rebecca, sharp-eyed, noticed blood bubbling from a wound in Lance's side.
"When did I get hit…"
Lance looked down. He hadn't even noticed.
"We have to take you to a hospital! If you don't get treated, you could—!"
Lance flicked his cigarette to the ground. "Shoot me. Kill me."
Rebecca and the toy soldier froze in shock.
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