The third day of battle.
The townspeople were finally starting to step out again. Cautiously, they looked south, toward the mountains that had vanished.
"Dear heavens… they flattened those mountains."
"Can't believe such terrifying pirates were hiding on this island."
"That was the Red Count. A pirate as infamous as Gold Roger and Golden Lion."
"Too dangerous."
"Yeah, no kidding."
Compared to those in the Four Blues, the people of the New World had seen more. Even so, they could only sigh at the sheer power and danger of pirates.
In the center of the town square, Garp stood quietly, sensing the condition of the two fighters in the distance.
"It's almost over."
Beside him, Tsuru nodded. "Let's go."
The two of them rushed toward the shattered mountain range, while nearby marines began forming ranks, preparing to return to the ship.
* * *
Atop the mountain, which had been split clean in half.
The ground was smooth like polished stone, filled with craters of all sizes.
Kong's arms, legs, neck, and even his chest near the heart were covered in sword wounds, deep and shallow.
It was clear how brutal the fight had been. A battle of life and death.
Drenched in blood and panting heavily, the fleet admiral stared at Redfield. "This is the end. Patrick Redfield."
On the other side, Redfield was in no better shape. His chest had caved in completely and his left arm hung uselessly, his crimson clothes soaked through with blood as he leaned on his sword, kneeling on one knee.
Taking a few deep breaths, he stood up. "Is that so… you still think you can take one more strike?"
He raised his longsword with his right hand and pointed it at Kong.
But the fleet admiral gave a cold snort. "Then go ahead and try."
He wasn't thinking about whether he could block the attack. He simply threw the question back at his opponent.
Sensing no clear outcome, Redfield gave up using Observation Haki and gathered all his remaining strength.
Kong also stomped the ground.
Boom!
A massive crater formed beneath his feet, and his entire body, now wrapped in Armament Haki, launched forward like a giant stone.
In a pose similar to Tekkai's shoulder charge, he flew at Redfield as white shockwaves erupted behind him, rippling outward in rings.
The pirate's eyes flashed red, and the muscles in his legs and arms swelled threefold. Raising his longsword, a huge wave of sword energy surrounded him as he charged head-on.
From afar, it looked like the sharpest spear stabbing at the toughest shield.
With a thunderous crash, sparks exploded from their impact.
The two of them skidded past each other by dozens of meters before coming to a halt.
Boom!
The mountain ahead of Kong shattered from the shockwave, bursting into a storm of debris.
Screech!
Everything in front of Redfield was torn apart. That final blow looked like it had split the very world in two.
Thud...
A sound came from behind as Kong collapsed unconscious, a deep sword wound carved from his shoulder down to his back.
Redfield slowly retracted his blade, staggering a few steps forward. "I... won..."
His eyelids drooped, unable to keep them open.
After three days of focused combat, his swordsmanship and speed had finally worn Kong down. But now he had nothing left, and there were still Marines out there...
He could already sense two figures rushing toward him with frightening speed. They had felt Kong fall unconscious and immediately burst forward even faster.
Garp shot through the air, trailing behind a violent shockwave. Everything in front of him, trees, rocks, was torn apart by the pressure.
At the battlefield—
Boom!
Garp appeared in the sky, fist raised, diving straight down.
"Die! Redfield!!!"
Redfield struggled to lift his head. His pupils shrank. He watched helplessly as Garp's Armament-coated fist came crashing toward him.
"Damn..."
Before he could even curse out loud, Garp's iron fist slammed into his skull.
Crack!
The sound of bone breaking echoed, and Redfield's mind was instantly consumed by darkness...
* * *
Year 1500 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
The great pirate Patrick Redfield—"Red the Aloof."
A man who once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with "Whitebeard" Edward Newgate, "Golden Lion" Shiki, and "Pirate King" Gol. D. Roger.
Engaged in a three-day, three-night battle against current Fleet Admiral Kong in the New World.
In the end, Kong collapsed from exhaustion. But the worn-out Redfield was ultimately arrested by the arriving Vice Admiral Garp.
The imprisonment of Patrick Redfield shocked the entire world. It also marked the complete end of the old era once ruled by Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Roger.
* * *
A few days later, North Blue.
On the third battleship, Sakazuki stood holding a Den Den Mushi, speaking in a calm tone.
"Yeah. Alright. I understand."
Clack!
He hung up and called over a messenger.
"Pass the word. Starting today, there's no need to collect heads anymore. Just eliminate them on the spot."
The messenger saluted. "Yes, sir!"
He turned and ran off to relay the order.
Sakazuki walked up to the top deck and looked out toward the rear of the battleship. He let out a quiet chuckle, then turned and stepped back into his room.
* * *
Late at night.
The soldiers on watch shook their replacements awake.
"Wake up!"
"Time to switch shifts!"
"Hurry up. There's a surprise outside."
The soldiers getting up rubbed their eyes in confusion.
"A surprise?"
"What surprise could be out here on the sea?"
"What are you even talking about?"
"So mysterious."
Still, their curiosity was piqued. They quickly dressed and went out.
The moment they stepped onto the deck, they froze in shock.
"Whoa!!!"
"What is this?! There weren't nearly this many yesterday!"
"How are there so many today?!"
"It's beautiful!"
"Didn't lie, right? Hurry and take over."
"Alright, alright."
After the handoff, the previous shift didn't leave. Instead, they stood side by side with the new group, staring into the distance.
There, behind the battleship, lights flickered like stars across the sea.
"No matter how long you look, it's not enough..."
Suddenly, Sakazuki's voice broke the silence. "Impressive, isn't it."
The nearby soldiers jumped and hurriedly turned around.
"Admiral Akainu!"
"Admiral!"
"Admiral Akai—"
Sakazuki raised his hand to stop them. "No need for formalities."
He walked up to the railing, eyes fixed on the fleet of ships gathering behind the battleship.
Thanks to the recent operation, they were now sailing the seas without resistance. Every day, more ships joined.
Merchant vessels. Private boats. Government fleets. Tiny travel boats. Countless types. Their lights lit up the night like glowing fireflies.
Sakazuki observed in silence for a while, like staring at stars scattered across the sea. Then, he looked to one of the soldiers who had just taken over the watch.
"What do you think?"
The soldier's gaze held a bit of admiration as he replied, "Proud. And honored. This is what we fight for."
Sakazuki gave a faint smile and spoke softly, "That's right. This is exactly what we fight for. And this... is just one small part of the world.
"Each person only lives once. Some choose a peaceful life, others choose to carry the burden forward. The moment you choose to carry that burden, you're destined to face trials of life and death.
"Behind us are thousands of homes and families. We have no path to retreat. I'm glad you made the choice you did."
The soldier was stunned as his hands trembled a little. "You... you remember me?"
Sakazuki chuckled. "There aren't many kids with that kind of guts. Fourteen years ago, right? During the pirate sweep in the West Blue. Because I killed the pirate you admired, you stabbed at me with a wooden sword during a resupply stop on some island. I think it was Sicily Island. You had a tiny wooden sword and a fake mustache."
The soldier laughed awkwardly, and the nearby soldiers burst into cheers, making his face turn bright red.
"You remembered all that so clearly, sir."
Sakazuki smiled. "Why didn't you set out to sea?"
The soldier's expression darkened. He clenched his fists, and murmured, "I..."
It was obvious something harsh had happened in his life. The others around him understood too, and fell quiet.
Sakazuki placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Keep pushing forward. There will come a day on this sea, when not a single pirate remains. When every citizen in the world can travel these waters freely and without fear. When that day comes, tragedies like yours won't happen again."
The soldier looked up and took a deep breath.
"Yes, sir!!!"
His eyes were full of hope. As if he could already see that future scene...
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!