Chapter 51: You Have Chosen Your Manner of Death

When Caleb and Wyatt finally arrived on the pirate ship, the brief but brutal fight was already over. Only one pirate remained, kneeling on the deck, trembling uncontrollably before Russell.

"Moore sent you to monitor the entrance to the secret realm, didn't he?" Russell's words were phrased as a question, but his tone was one of absolute certainty. After the chaos he had caused on Skull Island, it would be strange if the Black Flag's leader hadn't posted a guard.

The pirate kowtowed frantically, his forehead smacking against the blood-stained wood. The primal desire to survive was just barely enough to suppress the maddening urge to attack that washed over him whenever he looked at the humans. " I've told you everything I know! Please, can you let me go?"

But one look into Russell's cold, merciless eyes was enough to shatter his hope. He shuddered and spilled everything.

After listening to the pirate's story, Russell turned his head to the silent figure beside him. "Kaneki," he said, his voice flat. "I leave him to you."

As the ferocious kagune slowly tightened, the pirate's screams came to an abrupt, gurgling end. Only then did Russell turn to exchange information with Wyatt.

He frowned. "Mr. Wyatt, you heard him. The demons in this realm have completely merged." The now-dead pirate had confirmed their fears. Since Russell's team had wreaked havoc on Skull Island, the Black Flag crew had accelerated the unification of the other pirate factions. The merger was now complete. All four pirate lords were gathered on Skull Island, waiting for an auspicious day to break out of the secret realm, seize the Association's leaders, and crown Moore as their emperor.

At this moment, Wyatt's opinion of Russell had shifted slightly. The kid is more decisive than he looks, he thought. Russell's display of strength and his calm, focused demeanor were beginning to chip away at Wyatt's initial prejudice.

Hearing Russell's summary, Wyatt thought for a moment. "We'll approach Skull Island and sneak in. I'll find a chance to assassinate their leaders." As a registered cardmaker of the Association, he could not sit idly by knowing these demons were planning an attack. What had started as a babysitting mission had now become a necessary purge.

Russell nodded slightly. Wyatt's plan was simple and crude, but overwhelming force was often the most effective strategy. If they could decapitate the leadership, the remaining disorganized demons would pose little threat.

Just then, Russell looked around at their three-man team and paused. "Are we missing someone?"

Caleb glanced around blankly, then his eyes widened in realization. "Oh, no! I forgot about Leo!" He quickly mounted his flying creature to go back and retrieve him.

Ignoring the departure, Russell hesitated for a moment, then turned to Wyatt. "Mr. Wyatt... can you let me be the one to kill Moore?"

Wyatt was taken aback. He had assumed the boy just wanted him to cripple the pirate lord so he could land the final, "glorious" blow. Thinking of the "leader's child" stereotype he had constructed in his mind, he saw no harm in acquiescing. It felt demeaning to cater to a spoiled brat, but it was a good opportunity to curry favor.

"Fine," Wyatt agreed readily.

A short while later, Caleb returned with Leo, and the four of them immediately set sail for Skull Island.

However, the closer they got, the more a sense of unease began to creep into Russell's heart.

And then they saw it.

"Captain! Yara!" Caleb roared, his voice a raw, guttural cry of pure agony. His eyes were so red it looked as if they were about to drip blood.

At the same time, Leo clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood.

Russell just stared, a cold, empty feeling spreading through his chest.

What greeted them at the entrance to Skull Island's main port were two tall, crudely constructed flagpoles. And hanging from them, swinging gently in the sea breeze, were two broken, desiccated bodies, baked black and dry by the scorching sun. A swarm of buzzing flies circled lazily around them.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Russell turned to look at Wyatt, his voice devoid of all emotion, each word a chip of ice. "Mr. Wyatt. I've changed my mind." "There will be no sneaking in." "Now, I will only deliver judgment, openly and honorably!"

Before Wyatt could even process his words, the ship they were on, propelled by an unseen force, crashed heavily into the dock.

"ENEMY ATTACK! ENEMY ATTACK!"

A sharp cry pierced the air. The pirates stationed at the dock could only watch in helpless terror as the ship bore down on them.

BOOM!

With a deafening crash, the front of the ship splintered, and a huge section of the wooden pier collapsed into the sea.

Russell had already summoned Luffy. Thanks to the boy's rubber body, everyone on the ship landed safely amidst the chaos. The violent impact sent a wave of startled birds screeching into the sky from the nearby woods. Now, anyone on the island who wasn't a fool or blind knew something major was happening at the dock.

And that was exactly the effect Russell wanted.

Soon, Moore himself arrived, flanked by several of his top lieutenants.

Wyatt was no longer in a position to reprimand Russell for his recklessness. "Next time you plan something this big," he said weakly, "give me a little warning." After Luffy had appeared, he had finally realized the student in front of him was a bronze-level cardmaker. And at his age... no wonder the Association wanted him protected at all costs.

But he had to assess the new threat. Wyatt's mental power silently scanned the demons in front of him. After a moment, he let out a sigh of relief. Except for the leader, Moore, who might be a little difficult, the others were just cannon fodder. He immediately summoned his own cards, preparing to attack.

To his surprise, Russell put a hand on his arm, stopping him. "Mr. Wyatt," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "Let me."

Wyatt looked Russell up and down, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "Can you handle this?" The student was talented, yes, but the demon in the lead was powerful. He might not be able to deal with him. But in the end, Wyatt agreed. Even if Russell couldn't handle it, he was there to back him up.

Across the ruined dock, Moore had been enraged by the intruders' blatant disregard for him. But as his gaze fell on the powerful cards now standing beside Wyatt, a sneer twisted his lips. He decided to provoke them. "Well, well. I was wondering who could be so bold. It turns out to be the little mice who ran away last time."

"How do you like my artwork?" he mocked, gesturing with a thumb toward the two bodies still hanging from the flagpoles, a playful, sadistic smile on his face. Since these intruders didn't seem to take him seriously, he would make an example of their most important-looking member—this young boy—and let the others taste true regret. Death? He had fought his way up from nothing in this sea of blood. He didn't fear death.

But after hearing Moore's provocation, Russell just looked at him with dead, empty eyes. "You have already chosen your manner of death."

"Luffy. Do it." "Use your full strength."

(End of this chapter)