Zzzz...
Countless photons converged in midair, coalescing once again into a human form. Borsalino gently patted his chest, lips pursed in exaggerated relief as he drawled,
"Scaaary~ That one nearly got . Terrifying slash, really~"
"Huff..."
Gutte let out a heavy breath, his face pale. The move he'd just used had clearly taken a toll. He looked up at the Admiral, gritting his teeth.
"Annoying bastard... Damn light freak. If you've got the guts, stop running all over the place and fight properly!"
Gutte knew full well the truth staring him in the face—this Marine Admiral wasn't going anywhere. Even if by so miracle they seized a coated ship, escaping would be next to impossible. After all, when it ca to speed, who in this world could hope to outrun the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit?
On the pirate ship below, Obes' expression was grim as he surveyed the wreckage.
Too many light bullets. In just that brief exchange, they'd already fired off two whole quivers of arrows, and even then, a few light bullets had slipped through.
And these weren't just any attacks. Even a casual light bullet from Borsalino packed more punch than a standard naval cannon. Their hundred-ter-long pirate ship had taken several direct hits. One or two more, and the whole thing would go under.
Worse still, this was the sea, and he couldn't use Geppo.
"What a pain..."
Borsalino floated midair, arms lazily gesturing to the ocean behind him.
"My reinforcents are already here, y'know. Just let kill you and save us all the trouble."
"Tch. They're fast..."
Gutte turned his head, his brow twitching at the sight.
Dots appeared on the distant coastline—dark specks that resolved into Marine warships.
An entire fleet was approaching.
Over a dozen battleships, fanning out across the sea.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom...
"So what?"
Gutte leapt through the air, white smoke bursting from beneath his feet with every step, steam hissing from the compressed force of his movents. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
"My crew has already broken through your little blockade. Those weaklings on the island? They won't stop us. The scales of victory are tipping toward !"
"Yooo~ I never expected them to stop you."
Borsalino raised his hands, and in them ford a blade of solid light. He spoke with that sa calm indifference.
"As long as they stall you, that's enough. Did you really think we wouldn't have backup plans on Sabaody Archipelago?"
"What...?"
Gutte's pupils shrank.
...
On the edge of Grove 53, a bridge spanned toward Grove 54.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Jig's arms were hardened with Armant Haki, clashing fiercely against Branly, a Marine Rear Admiral wielding a pair of Seastone jitte. Sparks flew with every impact.
Yet even with Seastone in hand, Branly was clearly outmatched.
CLANG!
One crushing strike from Branly's jitte was stopped cold by Jig's fist. A shockwave burst from the clash, kicking up a violent gust that radiated outwards.
"Damn pirate... In the na of justice, I will take you down!"
Branly's voice trembled with both effort and conviction as he gasped for breath.
"Heh heh heh~ Oh, Marine... you're welco to try. But the scales are tipping in our favor now."
Jig sneered, and with a powerful surge, he hurled Branly backward.
The Rear Admiral stumbled several steps before catching himself. His gaze hardened. Gripping his jitte tightly, he stomped down, vanishing in an instant.
Rokushiki: Soru!
"Hm?!"
Jig's brow twitched. Spinning around instinctively, he lashed out with a punch.
CLANG!
A violent impact cracked the air itself.
Branly, who had reappeared behind Jig, felt a jarring shock travel up his arms. The force knocked his weapon loose, sending one of the jitte spinning through the air.
"Ti to die, Marine."
Jig grinned wickedly. Pivoting on his heel, he whipped around with a vicious spinning kick aid square at Branly's chest.
"Damn it, I can't dodge—!"
Branly's face tightened. Muscles tensed across his body as a faint gleam of invisible armor flashed across his skin.
Tekkai!
BOOM!
Jig's haki-clad black foot slamd into Branly's torso like a hamr striking steel. A dull thud echoed as the impact forced a shockwave outward in all directions.
Whoosh—
CRASH!
RUMBLE...
Branly was launched like a cannonball, crashing into an abandoned building with such force that the structure collapsed entirely, shrouding the area in dust and debris.
"Rear Admiral?"
Jig lowered his leg, clicking his tongue with disdain.
"Hmph. I've killed several of you already."
With that, he turned to leave, ready to continue tearing through the Marine reinforcents across the archipelago. Every second mattered now.
"Oh~ is that so? Then... can you kill , too?"
The voice ca from his right—light, playful, and full of amusent.
"What!?"
Jig froze and snapped his head around.
On the rooftop of a nearby three-story building, a young man sat crouched like a watchful predator. He wore a black coat trimd with white wave patterns, his chest bare, a pair of Golden Rings adorning his ears.
He looked down at Jig with an easy, mischievous smile.
"You're...!"
Jig's eye twitched. His face contorted in shock before twisting into a deep scowl.
"Chris T. Aeridar... of the Golden Ring...!!"
"Ah? You know ?"
Aeridar tilted his head curiously, then glanced toward the ruins of the collapsed building.
"Sha I got here late. That guy wouldn't have had to eat so much dirt otherwise."
"So the Warlord of the Sea is here... I take it you're siding with the Marines today?"
Jig's face darkened. This changed everything.
One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea was now on the battlefield, on the Navy's side, no less. That was a serious problem.
Even if Aeridar was a relatively new face, no pirate in these seas dared to underestimate him anymore.
His reputation wasn't bought. It had been earned, with blood and sweat.
Whether it was the seasoned Marine Vice Admiral Ghost Hamr Syrons, or the infamous forr Warlord who once served under Kaido of the Four Emperors, Gecko Moria, this man had clashed with legends. By comparison, Jig had to admit, even his own na fell a little short.
"No helping it," Aeridar replied with a grin, eyes locked onto Jig. "The World Governnt issued a compulsory summons. As a Warlord, I couldn't exactly say no."
His voice was light, but there was a razor edge behind it.
"That said, they did offer sothing... tempting in return," he added, tone now playful. "Let's call it a trade. Otherwise... well, I wouldn't mind hunting you down myself."
He chuckled.
"After all, soone with a bounty of 360 million berries like you? If you decided to go all out, even I might end up in a tight spot... right, Calamity of Ten Thousand—Jig?"
Aeridar's teasing tone did nothing to lighten the weight in Jig's chest. His face remained grim as he answered:
"Since you're here at the Sabaody Archipelago... I assu you're also heading for the New World?"
He paused, choosing his next words carefully.
"If you'd be willing to sit this one out and let the Demon Mask Pirates make it through... my captain would be very grateful. We could even form a discreet alliance—share intel, back each other up... rule the New World side by side."
"Ooh?" Aeridar's eyes lit up with exaggerated interest. He bared his teeth in a grin.
"Now that's tempting."
He leaned forward, voice low and amused.
"You make it sound like I should really let you go..."
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