Boom! Boom!
The air above the sea resounded with the dull echoes characteristic of Moonwalk.
After Smoker was defeated by Vergo and Ulti's combined assault, the Marines, led by Chaton, took advantage of the opening. Though furious and alarmed, they managed to land at the port unharmed.
However, awaiting them was not only Vergo and several high-ranking officers of the Donquixote Family but also hundreds of elite fighters from the Beasts Pirates under Jack the Drought's command. Among them were two of the Tobiroppo—Ulti and X Drake.
Not to mention, fifteen or sixteen enemy ships were approaching from the offshore waters.
The power disparity between the two sides was overwhelming.
As the strongest Marine officer present, Chaton felt immense pressure weighing down on him.
"The most dangerous among them… is the Beasts Pirates' Calamity."
Chaton's gaze hardened as he fixed his eyes on Jack, who stood not far away.
With a bounty of one billion berries, this pirate exuded a menacing aura even while standing still.
Strangely, from the moment the Marines left their battleships until they landed safely, the Beasts Pirates hadn't taken any action to intercept them.
Smoker had simply been unlucky—his trajectory had led him straight to Ulti.
"Smoker…!"
Beyond the swirling dust, the Marines caught sight of Smoker's battered and bloodied form, their expressions darkened with worry.
"Stay calm."
A crimson glint flickered in Chaton's eyes as he interrupted his comrades' instinct to rush to Smoker's aid.
Given the immense gap in power, any reckless attempt at rescue would only accelerate their defeat and erase any chance of turning the situation around.
Vergo landed lightly and walked up to Smoker's barely conscious body.
Under the furious stares of Chaton and the other Marines, Vergo grasped Smoker's head with one hand and effortlessly lifted him into the air.
Drip. Drip.
Blood seeped from Smoker's wounds, trailing down his body before dripping onto the ground, splattering into crimson blossoms against the port's stone pavement.
"I'm curious."
Vergo inclined his head slightly. Behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses, his gaze was as cold as the dead of winter.
"What made you so eager to rush to your deaths?"
Clearly, no answer would be forthcoming.
"Let go of Smoker…!!!"
Hina's furious gaze locked onto Vergo, veins bulging at the corners of her eyes as she seethed with rage.
"Oh? Let him go? Like this?"
Vergo smirked. In one swift motion, he raised Smoker high, then slammed his head forcefully into the ground.
Boom!
Smoker's entire body crashed into the stone, sending debris flying in all directions.
"!!!"
Hina's pupils shrank sharply.
Soru!
Whoosh—!
Hina's form flickered, vanishing in an instant.
Cage Bind!
She swung her arms, aiming to ensnare Vergo with her powers.
But Vergo was faster. Like a bolt of lightning, he reached out and seized Hina's throat before she could complete her attack.
Szzzt!
Darkness spread across Vergo's palm as he coated it with Armament Haki, suppressing Hina's Cage-Cage Fruit ability.
She coughed up blood as his iron grip crushed her windpipe, leaving her powerless in his grasp.
"No need to rush—I'll deal with all of you one by one."
Vergo's voice was cold as his fingers tightened, preparing to snap Hina's neck.
At that very moment, Chaton appeared behind him in a blur.
His fist, enlarged to the size of a basketball through Life Return, gleamed jet-black with Armament Haki.
Boar Strike!
The punch rocketed toward Vergo's spine with devastating force.
A crimson light flickered in Vergo's eyes. Without hesitation, he released Hina and crossed his arms behind him to block the strike.
Boom!
Shockwaves rippled outward from the impact.
Chaton's immense strength poured into Vergo's arms, sending him flying backward.
"…."
Vergo frowned. Having barely managed to block in time, his stance had been unstable.
Unable to fully absorb the blow, he was launched through the air.
Seizing the momentum, Chaton twisted his waist mid-air and unleashed two massive Rankyaku slashes behind him.
"What quick reflexes!"
Trebol and Diamante, watching from the sidelines, tensed as the crescent-shaped slashes tore toward them.
They had planned to ambush Chaton but were caught off guard by his seamless counterattack.
Had they not been present, the Rankyaku blades would have surely struck Vergo while he was airborne.
"Sticky Chain!"
Trebol abandoned his ambush and instead flicked out a thick glob of mucus, securing it to the ground.
With a strong tug, he yanked up a stone slab and flung it toward the incoming attack like a slingshot.
Meanwhile, Diamante merely spread open his red cape.
To the untrained eye, it seemed like an ordinary piece of fabric. However, it was actually made of steel, rendered as light as cloth through his Ripple-Ripple Fruit ability.
"Locking in place."
Deactivating his power, Diamante caused the cape to instantly harden into a solid steel shield.
The Rankyaku slashes struck Trebol's stone slab and Diamante's steel cape in quick succession.
Boom! Boom!
Explosions erupted as waves of air blasted outward.
Though the attacks were neutralized, both Trebol and Diamante were forced back several steps.
"This guy isn't to be underestimated."
Regaining his footing, Diamante's gaze darkened as he assessed Chaton, who had singlehandedly pushed them all back within seconds.
"Yeah, yeah, he's definitely the strongest Marine among them."
Trebol, still oozing mucus, nodded in agreement.
Based on Chaton's movements alone, they could already tell he was a master of martial combat.
As the dust settled, Chaton paid no mind to Trebol and Diamante. His full attention remained on Jack and the other Beasts Pirates.
Despite everything, they still had yet to make a move.
Even standing motionless, their mere presence felt like a blade suspended above his head, forcing him to stay on high alert.
"Smoker…"
Hina coughed violently, but as soon as she steadied herself, she rushed to check on Smoker.
She pressed a hand to his chest, feeling for a pulse.
The faint rhythm beneath her fingertips made her face pale.
"His pulse is weak… If we don't treat him soon—"
"Hina, face reality."
Chaton cut her off bluntly.
Normally jovial and kind-hearted, he now displayed the unshakable decisiveness of a true commander, allowing no emotions to cloud his judgment.
Hina's eyes trembled slightly.
She understood the situation.
Even securing their own survival was uncertain—how could they possibly save their comrade?
Biting her lip, she swallowed any further protest.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The thirty Marines who had landed via Moonwalk regrouped around Chaton, forming a defensive formation.
Meanwhile, two Marine warships were nearing the shore.
Only because the Beasts Pirates had yet to intervene had they managed this far.
Had the enemy acted, they would never have even landed, let alone provided cover for their ships.
But pursuing them were 2,000 Donquixote Family reinforcements, along with over a dozen powerful officers.
The Marines' situation was dire.
Vergo landed, expressionless, eyes scanning the formation before him.
Lowering his gaze, he glanced at his arm.
…It hurt a little.
But it wasn't a major problem.
Still, even just Chaton alone was someone who warranted serious attention.
As for the others, they weren't worth mentioning.
Standing to the side, Jack observed the situation coldly. With his keen eyesight, he could naturally recognize Chaton's strength—it was evident that he was an incredibly tough opponent.
Not wanting to waste time before boarding the ship, Jack spoke icily, "Vergo, I'll handle the one in yellow. You all have five minutes to deal with the rest of the Marines—don't waste my time."
The "one in yellow" referred to Chaton.
"..."
Hearing Jack's words, Vergo remained silent, his expression rigid.
Chaton's gaze flickered slightly as he inwardly sighed—this was going to be troublesome.
Having given his command, Jack raised both hands and reached behind his neck, grasping the two shotel blades resting there.
This was a weapon with a straight lower blade and a curved, scythe-like upper blade.
The curvature of the blade made it impossible to sheathe, but Jack had no need for a scabbard—he simply wore the sharp shotel blades around his neck.
With his formidable bodily defense, unless facing an extremely powerful opponent, he didn't need to worry about the blade cutting into his skin.
Even if it did wound him, it didn't matter.
As an Ancient Zoan user, he possessed exceptional regenerative abilities and could even enhance his Devil Fruit's precision through self-inflicted wounds.
After retrieving his shotels, Jack strode toward Chaton with heavy, forceful steps.
"Hey, Jack, so we just stand here and watch the show?"
Ulti crossed her arms, staring at Jack's back.
"Do as you please."
Jack responded without looking back.
Ulti pouted but remained where she was, showing no interest in joining the fight.
Other than Chaton, none of the Marines present piqued her curiosity.
Drake, meanwhile, silently observed the Marines caught in a dire predicament, his eyes lowering slightly, concealing a trace of unspoken concern.
"Drake, if I remember correctly, you were once a Marine Rear Admiral, right?"
Ulti suddenly turned toward Drake, her voice laced with amusement. "What made you betray the Marines and become a 'fallen' pirate?"
"Ulti, if you're that bored…"
Drake met her curious gaze with cold eyes, his hands resting on the hilts of his axe and sword. In a flat tone, he said, "I don't mind keeping you entertained."
"Oh?"
Ulti narrowed her eyes, a sly grin curving her lips. "Sounds like a good idea."
Their sharp gazes clashed midair, invisible sparks crackling between them.
The hundred or so elite members of the Beasts Pirates, all standing by, grew tense as they watched the two, who were second only to the All-Stars, seemingly about to come to blows.
At a time like this, they should probably try to mediate and calm the two Tobiroppo down.
But they didn't dare.
In the Beasts Pirates, strength dictated authority over life and death.
If they provoked the Tobiroppo, they could easily find themselves in grave danger.
While Ulti and Drake were locked in a standoff, Jack had already engaged Chaton, their fierce battle forcing the other combatants out of the immediate area.
Vergo silently watched Jack and Chaton clash—every blow landed solidly, their fight shaking the battlefield.
After several exchanges, Vergo noticed something peculiar: Jack's speed wasn't impressive—in fact, he was rather sluggish—but his raw strength and durability were monstrous.
Earlier, Vergo had crossed his arms to block a punch from Chaton and still suffered minor injuries. Yet Jack was taking Chaton's consecutive strikes head-on, seemingly unfazed.
This stark contrast made Vergo fully grasp the unique battle style of the Beasts Pirates.
They were a terrifying force composed entirely of monsters…
After several seconds of contemplation, Vergo pushed aside his thoughts and set his sights on Hina.
Aside from Chaton, she was the strongest Marine present.
"Soru!"
With a powerful stomp, Vergo shattered the ground beneath him, his figure vanishing in an instant as he charged toward Hina at high speed.
"Hm?"
Sensing the attack, Hina swiftly swung her arms.
"Tekkai—Black Cage!"
From her outstretched arms, black iron bars extended, forming a crisscrossing lattice barrier in front of her.
Vergo's form appeared just before the black cage.
"A technique that doesn't even qualify as a 'wall' isn't worth showing off."
Seeing the gaps in the lattice, Vergo smirked in disdain. Without even using his Tremor-Tremor Fruit, he flicked his fingers, launching three Shigan bullets.
The flying finger bullets, faster and more powerful than lead bullets, zipped through the openings in the cage toward Hina.
"!?"
Hina's eyes widened—she managed to evade two bullets, but the third pierced her thigh, sending a spray of blood into the air.
Her leg wounded, Hina's balance faltered.
Vergo's eyes flashed with killing intent. Using Geppo, he leaped into the air, tracing a sharp "V" trajectory to bypass the black cage and appear right before Hina.
His weapon, the bamboo staff Demon Bamboo, was coated in hardened Armament Haki as it descended toward Hina's head with a deafening whoosh.
If it connected, it would surely shatter her skull.
"Damn it…"
Falling backward, Hina had no time to retract her black cage. She could only watch, wide-eyed, as the pitch-black Ghost Bamboo came crashing down.
In that instant, time seemed to slow.
All sounds vanished, as if sucked into a vacuum, leaving an eerie silence.
Then, like a falling star, a shadowed figure descended from above.
Speed. Momentum.
Shattering the slowed time in an instant—
At the same time, sound returned, flooding Hina's ears.
Her wide eyes reflected the towering figure standing in front of her.
That figure raised his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together against the end of Demon Bamboo.
With just that, Vergo's powerful strike was completely halted.
"Ma…ude…"
Hina's mind went blank as she stared at the man who had suddenly appeared and shielded her.
Vergo's pupils shrank sharply, disbelief filling his gaze as he looked at Maude—who had stopped his full-force attack with just two fingers.
But what shocked him even more was the sheer impossibility of Maude appearing before him in such a manner.
Maude calmly spread his fingers, grasping the end of Demon Bamboo. "Are you too shocked to even use your Gura Gura no Mi?"
Before Vergo could react, Maude's grip tightened.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Demon Bamboo splintered apart, its fragments raining down.
He had crushed it with sheer force.
Vergo's heart pounded as he instinctively leaped backward.
At that moment, a chilling mist enveloped the space behind him.
"Ice Time."
Aokiji's cool voice whispered into Vergo's ear.
Before he could react, Vergo was instantly frozen into an ice sculpture.
Standing behind the frozen Vergo, Aokiji remained expressionless, hands in his pockets, white frosty breath escaping his lips.
"Maude, Aokiji!!"
"They're here…?!"
The sudden appearance of Maude and Aokiji hit the battlefield like a bombshell.
Everyone instinctively ceased fighting, their eyes fixed in utter shock on the two men.
"Aokiji…"
Chaton withdrew, staring at him in surprise.
"Bacardi Maude!"
Jack and Ulti glared murderously at Maude.
This was the man Kaido had personally ordered to be eliminated.
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