Aether felt a flicker of surprise. A Great Swordsman so devoted to blades should not be wielding sothing so fragile. Still, with her opponent's weapon shattered, Gion allowed herself a confident smile and swung her katana straight for his head without hesitation.
"It's over. You were a worthy opponent."
Facing the deadly strike, Aether raised his jet-black arm, compressing his Armant Haki to its absolute limit with precise control.
Clang… Boom…
The razor-sharp blade failed to pierce his defense. Sparks burst where steel t hardened Haki. Even so, the overwhelming force behind the strike sent Aether flying, his body crashing into the sea below. Fortunately, he was not a Devil Fruit user, or the battle would have already ended.
Monts later, Aether surged back to the surface, drenched and disheveled.
Gion had already repositioned herself. Using Moonwalk, she closed the distance in an instant. Her blade angled forward with lethal intent, her movents sharp and decisive.
Before they could clash again, a deafening roar erupted from the warship behind them.
A blade-like shockwave burst upward from beneath the sea, slicing the vessel cleanly in two.
Steel split apart as though it were nothing more than dry wood. The crashing waves mixed with the panicked cries of Marines. Though Rayleigh had not aid at the ordinary soldiers, several unfortunate ones were caught in the aftermath.
One unlucky Marine, who had slipped away earlier to relieve himself, barely had ti to react before he was dragged beneath the water.
The sinking warship created a powerful vortex, pulling weaker Marines down toward the depths. Officers with greater strength imdiately began rescuing those struggling to survive.
The chaos forced Gion to split her focus.
Aether seized the opportunity.
He stopped holding back.
"Chain of Heaven."
The necklace he wore transford instantly, extending and thickening into a powerful binding weapon. Both ends shot forward, wrapping tightly around Gion. The chains coiled from her arm to her shoulder, across her neck, and around her torso, restraining her completely.
The pressure tightened.
Gion's expression hardened. In an instant, her entire body turned jet black as Armant Haki covered her form, reinforcing it like steel. Her katana glead with deadly precision.
With a single decisive slash, she cut through the chains.
Just as Aether expected. Without divine power within her, the chain could not unleash its full strength.
"Advanced Conqueror's Haki."
Aether did not hesitate. His fist clenched as crimson-black lightning crackled around his arm. The air itself seed to tremble.
Gion's eyes widened slightly.
Before she could react, Aether struck.
The force of the blow sent her crashing into the sea, a massive column of water erupting upward from the impact.
The attack drove her deep beneath the surface, over a hundred ters down. The disturbance attracted nearby Sea Kings, which imdiately moved in to attack.
In the dark depths, flashes of steel and violent struggle followed.
Aether did not linger to watch.
He turned and returned to his sloop. He understood his limits clearly. Even with Advanced Conqueror's Haki, defeating Gion outright was unlikely. She still surpassed him in physical strength and overall Haki mastery.
By the ti he stepped back aboard, Rayleigh had already resurfaced from the seabed. The old man looked him over with a teasing grin.
"Haha, roughed up by a little girl? You're weaker than I thought."
Aether scoffed lightly. "She could probably take on a warship alone."
"I'm not that weak."
"Then you go fight her."
Rayleigh paused, then shrugged. "Fine, I admit it, I'm no match for that little miss."
Aether said nothing, though a faint smirk crossed his face.
The two continued their banter while working the sails. The sloop cut cleanly through the waves, quickly putting distance between them and the battlefield.
By the ti Gion resurfaced, the ship had already beco a small dot on the horizon.
Water clung to her soaked clothes, revealing faint outlines beneath. Her expression tightened in frustration as she clenched her fists.
"Advanced Conqueror's Haki, and swordsmanship at the level of a Great Swordsman… I will find you sooner or later."
Letting out a breath, she turned her attention back to her subordinates. Rescuing the surviving Marines took priority. She would need to contact headquarters imdiately, two Marine divisions were stranded in open waters.
anwhile, aboard the sloop, Aether experienced a sudden shift.
As he stood at the helm, he felt the pull of the incarnation talisman. The summoning had begun. If he did not respond quickly, the talisman would expire.
After giving Rayleigh a brief explanation, Aether collapsed onto the deck, falling into a deep sleep.
"Rayleigh, I'll leave the rest to you. Soone is calling for my help."
Rayleigh frowned. At first, he assud Aether was joking and kicked him lightly.
There was no response.
Only then did he realize the situation.
"…So it's all on now."
Rayleigh sighed, glancing at the horizon. If enemies appeared now, things would beco troubleso.
Far beneath the sea, within Impel Down, Level 5.5 remained hidden from the knowledge of the Marines.
This secret level lay between Levels 5 and 6. It had been carved out long ago by Morley of the Revolutionary Army, a Giant who possessed the power of the Push-Push Fruit.
During his ti as a pirate, Morley had been captured and imprisoned in Impel Down. Using his unique ability, he tunneled through solid matter and escaped without detection. Because of this, the world still believed that only Golden Lion had ever broken out of the prison.
After joining the Revolutionary Army, Morley revealed the existence of Level 5.5 to Emporio Ivankov.
Now, Ivankov and his followers hid within this hidden sanctuary, waiting for the right mont to rise.
Nearby, Bon Clay, his body wrapped in bandages, stood before a door. From within, Luffy's voice echoed loudly.
"I'm starving… give food…!"
The shout startled the surrounding pirates. Even Ivankov found himself amused by such spirit.
The events leading to this mont had begun a day earlier.
After being defeated by Magellan on Level 5, Luffy and Bon Clay had continued fighting off snow wolves. Though Luffy's Conqueror's Haki eventually knocked the beasts unconscious, both of them collapsed soon after.
They were saved by a group of Okama who had been searching for potential allies. The group carried them back to Level 5.5.
Bon Clay's poisoning was mild and easily treated.
Luffy's condition, however, was far more severe.
Ivankov used his Horm-Horm Fruit to push Luffy's body beyond its limits, enhancing his immune system to survive the poison. The process worked, but at a cost.
Ten years of Luffy's lifespan were sacrificed.
Once they recovered, Luffy and Bon Clay explained their mission.
Ivankov was deeply moved by their determination, especially their bond as brothers.
During their conversation, Ivankov shared stories from his past, including an incident where a stubborn pirate refused to join them. Using his powers, Ivankov transford the man into a delicate blonde woman, leaving Luffy completely stunned.
Then, in the midst of it all, Luffy revealed sothing unexpected.
His father was Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army.
===
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