Chapter 50: A Mysterious Death

“When the time comes, we'll slaughter him like a dog. He dared to kill so many of our people from the Celestial Evil Sect—he must be slowly tortured to death,” Zhou Yin said coldly, his eyes fixed on Luffy in the distance. The young man stood at the school gate, not in any hurry to enter. “Such talent at his age—what a prodigy. If he hadn’t met us, he might have lived, but now he’ll die like a ghost.”

“Indeed. Anyone who dares to oppose the Celestial Evil Sect is doomed,” Tang Liang said. He held a long spear in one hand and a cigarette in the other, taking a drag and sneering.

“Don’t be so arrogant, all of you. If that boy managed to kill the Sacred Beast, it means he has some strength. You’d best be careful,” Tang Wu warned softly, her sword slung across her back, black robes fluttering in the night wind.

“Who cares? I’ll play with him myself first!” Zhou Yin ignored Tang Wu’s words, his massive sword on his back thirsting for blood after too long.

Luffy stood at the school gate, then suddenly leapt through the iron doors like a spirit cat, entering the grounds and walking toward the square in front of the teaching building. The atmosphere was eerie, unsettling. He stood in the square and suddenly sensed a disturbance ahead.

A gigantic blade, gleaming coldly, slashed toward him—swift as the wind.

With a sharp whistle, the blade struck, its edge razor-sharp.

With a clang, Luffy quickly drew the Thousand Thunder Sword to block. Sword and blade collided, sending sparks flying. Before Luffy could muster his strength, the opponent’s sneak attack forced him back five steps.

The giant blade pressed its advantage, slashing at Luffy again with speed and power. Before Luffy could see his attacker clearly, he was driven back another dozen steps, his sword hand tingling from the impact.

“Not bad for a second-tier kid, able to withstand my triple strike,” a man in black robes, wielding a massive sword, appeared before Luffy.

Luffy narrowed his eyes, studying the black-robed figure.

“Are you from the Celestial Evil Sect?”

“Smart boy. You guessed it. I wonder how you managed to kill the Sacred Beast, and so many of our disciples. Tonight, your life stays here,” the black-robed man said, icy and mocking.

“How many moves do you think Zhou Yin needs to flatten that kid?” Wu Pang asked, hefting his enormous iron hammer and looking at Tang Liang with a grin.

“Three moves. Even if he’s a second-tier prodigy with three hundred times human strength, he’s no match for Zhou Yin. He’s dead for sure,” Tang Liang replied, his voice as cold as his nature.

“I say five moves,” Sun Li said, gazing at Luffy with starry eyes. “He’s so handsome! If he can survive five moves from Zhou Yin, I’ll rescue him and make him my manservant.”

“You’re hopeless. That boy isn’t as simple as you imagine. Don’t get overconfident,” Tang Wu was furious; these companions were too arrogant. If they died, she wouldn’t step in to save them.

“Tang Wu, you’re too cautious. He’s just second-tier, and no matter how mysterious, he can’t escape our grasp. Relax,” Wu Pang smiled, trying to reassure her.

“Want my life? You’d better see if you have the strength first,” Luffy said calmly, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly in serene confidence.

“Kid, don’t get cocky. If you lack the strength, you’ll be crippled and humiliated,” Zhou Yin said, brandishing his giant blade and charging forward. “If you’re seeking death, I’ll oblige.”

Zhou Yin’s figure blurred, leaving afterimages as he leaped high, raising his massive blade to cleave Luffy in two. The cruel smile on his face promised death.

With a thunderous crash, dirt flew everywhere—the blade struck only the ground, carving a deep groove.

Zhou Yin’s expression darkened, stunned. The second-tier boy, supposedly easy prey, had vanished. He looked around, but Luffy was nowhere to be found. Humiliated, he realized he couldn’t even strike down a second-tier youth. How could he face his comrades now?

“Watch above!” Wu Pang shouted.

“Damn it, die!” Zhou Yin snarled, twisting around and swinging his giant blade at the sky.

“This time he’s dead!” Wu Pang cried, seeing the youth falling from the sky, about to be met by the gleaming blade.

With a crash, the boy vanished in midair, dust erupting from the ground.

A desperate scream rang out from the haze. Luffy emerged from the side, hands clasped behind his back.

Meanwhile, Tang Wu and the others leapt down from the teaching building, rushing toward Zhou Yin’s location.

As the dust settled, Zhou Yin’s giant blade lay broken in two, cracks everywhere, and Zhou Yin himself had been cleaved in half, blood pooling beneath him.

“How is this possible? How did he die? How did that boy just disappear?” Tang Liang stared wide-eyed at the corpse and the shattered weapon, gripping his own tightly. In an instant, both blade and man had been severed. What force could do such a thing?

They were all deeply shocked, uncertain who was responsible. The second-tier youth before them couldn’t possibly have done it. Was there some other powerful presence nearby?

They grew wary, scanning their surroundings.

“Well?” Wu Pang asked Tang Wu.

“I sense no other powerful presence nearby,” Tang Wu shook her head, frowning as she glanced at Luffy. “Could it be that second-tier boy?”

“Whoever did it will pay. First, let’s kill this lucky dog right here,” Wu Pang said seriously. They had no clue who was responsible—a maddening situation.

Their enemy lurked in darkness, while they stood exposed, completely passive.

In truth, it was Luffy’s doing. His strike was so fast, and the dust so thick, that it created the illusion someone else was responsible. Moreover, Luffy had used the Dream Mist Violet Step to dodge aside, emerging only after the commotion, further convincing them it wasn’t his work.

Clouds thickened overhead.

Wu Pang, wielding his giant iron hammer, approached Luffy, eyes cold and disdainful. “You got lucky, dodging disaster, but your luck’s run out. Join our comrade in death.”

He raised the hammer high, roaring as he swung it at Luffy, his imposing presence terrifying.

Luffy looked calmly at the fat man. “Fatso, if you want to follow that sword-wielder’s fate, just keep swinging at me.”

Luffy was putting on a show. Everyone, give him some recommendation votes to make his performance even more convincing.

(The end of this chapter)