With his arms crossed, Rojen wore a faint smile that radiated both fidend pt. At this moment, his demeanour bore an uny resembo Bai Feng's.

  Behind him, there was a hint of fear in Reiner's eyes. The two stood side by side in silenbsp;

  "I don't want to get involved with you anymore. Stop following me."

  Rojen's words were spoken calmly, but they sent a shiver down Reiner's spine. g his fists, Reiner finally cked the ce to attack Rojen again.

  "You brat, you're too dismissive of the Marines!"

  Suddenly, a booming voice echoed from above as a muscur figure desded from the sky, apanied by a gust of wind, and unched a direct atta Rojen.

  With a fsh of his eyes, Rojen dodged.

  "Rankyaku!"

  With a loud 'bang', the spot where Rojen had been standing shattered, splintering the deck as a figure nded heavily.

  "Soru!"

  The moment he nded, Monarch let out another scream. His figure vanished in a blur, his speed far outstripping Reiner's. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Rojen.

  "Shigan!"

  His finger, as sharp as a spear, stabbed forward violently.

  Rojen's pupils shrank violently as he barely turned his head.

  'Ssh!

  A streak of blood appeared on his cheek and his eyes narrowed sharply.

  His right hand cwed like an eagle's talon as his body suddenly accelerated, sshing fiercely at Monarbsp;

  "Tekkai!"

  "g!

  In the moment, sparks flew from the impact. Rojen's heart trembled as he immediately retreated. As he retreated, Monarch raised his right leg high and unleashed a powerful blue ssh.

  Swish!

  The ship's mast was instantly severed, showing that the force of the attack was immense and terrifying.

  Without pause, Monarch vanished again and reappeared in front of Rojen. His fists flew like the wind, striking swiftly alessly, while his legs unleashed a steady stream of kicks at Rojen.

  The oppressive force of the attacks forced Rojen to retreat tinuously. The immense pressure from Monarch alpable. pared to Reiner, Monarch's skill and strength were on airely different level.

  The two fought like the wind, crashing across the deck at incredible speed, retreating, dodging, and repositioning.

  The lohe fight went on, the more Rojen's eyes flickered. There was no doubt that Monarch's power far exceeded his own.

  His ability to barely hold his own was due to Bai Feng's 'Lightweight Merit', his quient, and the calm state of mind he had ied from Ye Wen.

  However, if the battle dragged on, his strength would be exhausted a would be iable.

  "Shigan!"

  With another loud shout, the monarch lunged fain.

  "Thud!

  Rojen's expression ged as a bloody hole appeared in his right shoulder. Overwhelmed by Monarch's relentless attacks and suppressive power, the inexperienced Rojen had finally been injured.

  "You 't escape now, Rojen!" Monarch stood still, his muscles tense and ready for atack. His sharp eyes fixed on Rojen.

  "Heh." A small chuckle escaped Rojen's lips. The moment, his eyes gleamed as he soared into the sky. A faint shimmer revealed two ethereal wings behind him, and his speed suddenly tripled.

  Climbing rapidly to a height of teres, Rojen's gaze sharpened. Without hesitation, he dove back down, using gravity to increase his speed even further.

  "Feather Edge!"

  In an instant, Rojen was in front of Monarch, sshing fiercely with a sweeping motion. His attack resembled a predator sshing with its razor-sharp cws.

  A cold, shimmering streak of light fshed in the void.

  Monarch's eyes widened as he roared, "Tekkai!"

  'g!'

  The sound of metal g echoed as dazzling sparks erupted. Rojen's eyes flickered as a sharp pain coursed through his right hand.

  Opposite him, after using 'Tekkai', Monarch's right leg spun like a massive wheel, rising high into the air before sshing down at Rojen with forbsp;

  "Rankyaku!"

  A faint blue ssh materialized instantly, its sharp energy cutting through the air with a 'whoosh' as it hurtled toward Rojen.

  Rojen leaped like a bird, dodging the ssh. He bent his legs, poised to step into the air and unother attack. Suddenly, his expression ged dramatically.

  From his right, a figure silently emerged, attag him uedly.

  "Shigan!"

  In the blink of an eye, Rojen mao avoid a fatal blow, but with a 'thud', a hole appeared in his abdomen, and bright red blood began to flow.

  Two seds ter, Rojen crashed heavily onto the deck, rolling teers before finally steadying himself in a half-croubsp;

  When he raised his head, his eyes were icy cold.

  Ahead of him, Reiood with a cruel smirk.

  Monarch frowned as he looked at Reiner, his face full of disapproval. "odore Reiner, don't you think that was rather dishonorable?"

  "When dealing with criminals, what's dishonorable about it?" Reiner replied dismissively.

  Monarch's expression grew even darker. In his eyes, Rojen hadn't itted any heinous crimes. In fact, he harbored reseoward the Marines' headquarters for issuing the order to capture Rojen. For someone like Monarch, who revered justice, punishing one person while implig others went against his principles.

  Rojen stood painfully, taking a deep breath as he looked at the two men. Slowly, he raised his right hand to his lips and blew a sharp whistle.

  'Whistle!'

  From the skies above, the white bird cirg high above let out a loud cry and began to dive toward him.

  "Quick, don't let him escape!" Reiner shouted, sprinting toward Rojen at full speed.

  Rojen, however, leaped into the air, s rapidly upward. His speed was astonishing, and in the blink of an eye, he had asded twenty meters. By the time Reiner reached the spot below him, all he could do was watch Rojen rise higher and higher.

  "Monarch!" Reiner yelled to the man behind him. "Chase him!"

  Mnced up at Rojen and then turned away with a look of disdain. "Sorry, but my 'Geppo' training isn't quite there yet."

  Reiner ched his fists in frustration, gring at the sky where Rojen now stood atop the white bird. He was seething with anger but utterly helpless.

  In the air, Rojen looked down at the se below, then lightly tapped the bird with his foot. The massive white bird cried out and swiftly flew off in one dire, disappearing from sight in mere moments.

  On the ship below, the Marines who had been flung into the sea were now crawling ba board, either lying on the deck or sitting and gasping for breath.

  "Curse it all!" Reiner muttered furiously, his helplessness evident.

  Meanwhile, about five kilometers away on a calm stretch of o, a civilian vessel sat quietly. A few shadowy figures aboard the ship were the events in the distanbsp;

  "How's it looking, Vice Captain? Is the Captain's younger brother safe? Should we intervene?"

  At the forefront of the group stood a middle-aged man with white hair, gsses, and a longsword at his waist. His deep gaze was apanied by a faint smile.

  "He's already gone. Everything is secure," The man replied calmly.

  "Also, I'm no longer your Vice Captain."

  ---

  (End Of The Chapter)