The sun had barely begun to rise when the alarm erupted at the island base of Whitebeard's Fourth and Fifth Divisions. From the horizon, black clouds and a metallic stench approached swiftly. The dreaded pirate crew known as the "Blood Skulls" had arrived, their intentions clear: to ravage the base and eliminate Whitebeard's sons.
Thatch, commander of the Fourth Division, immediately ordered mobilization. At his side, Vista, leader of the Fifth Division, unsheathed his twin katanas, his eyes sharp as daggers.
—Zed, take your position —Thatch ordered as a bolt of fire streaked across the sky—. Don't let them get any closer than they already are.
Zed, sword in hand and newly awakened Observation Haki, stepped forward with determination. His spirit burned bright, aware that he had to prove his worth.
The enemy pirates, nearly double their number, charged in with ferocity. The clash was brutal. Swords and fists collided, and bursts of Haki lit up the battlefield.
Vista, with elegant and lethal movements, weaved through the enemies like a whirlwind. His katanas sliced the air, parrying and dispatching with surgical precision.
—Don't let them escape! —he shouted, blocking a massive axe with one katana and countering with a thrust that pierced a pirate's chest.
Thatch, on the other hand, blended technique and brute force. His blade danced with power, each slash accompanied by a wave of Haki that tore through armor and bone.
Though still young, Zed shone in battle. He used his Observation Haki to anticipate attacks, blocking and retaliating with precise strikes.
At a critical moment, an enemy with a metallic claw tried to ambush Zed from the flank, but he turned just in time, channeling Haki into his blade and countering with a decisive thrust that brought the attacker down.
—Good work, Zed —Vista called out while clashing with an unstoppable opponent, a scar-covered colossus—. Don't lower your guard.
The giant threw a punch that made the ground quake, but Vista leaped agilely, landing behind him and driving his blades into the brute's back, ending the threat.
The wind cut like knives as the battle between Whitebeard's Fifth Division and the Blood Skull pirates intensified. At the center of the field stood Vista, calm and focused, his katanas gripped with the precision of a seasoned master.
Before him stood Captain Red Skull, an imposing figure with a 300-million-berry bounty, infamous across the seas and rivaling a vice admiral in strength, though with mid-tier swordsman skills.
To his right, the First Mate —a half-man, half-black wolf beast— bore a 200-million-berry bounty. His Zoan powers made him a savage and formidable foe, vice admiral level. His body was covered in scars and his eyes glowed with bloodlust.
To the left, the Second Mate, a mid-level master swordsman with vice admiral strength, calmly adjusted his sword grip with lethal patience.
—Vista —growled the Captain—, you'll be the first to fall. Red Skull shows no mercy.
Vista smiled serenely, tightening his hold.
—We'll see who's showing mercy today.
With swift motion, Vista dashed in with his dual katanas. The First Mate instantly shifted into his hybrid wolf form. His speed surged, and with a brutal snarl, he lunged straight at Vista.
Confident, Vista countered with precise slashes laced with Armament Haki, blocking claws and fangs with refined skill.
Meanwhile, the Second Mate and Captain advanced from both flanks. The Second slashed horizontally while the Captain aimed crushing blows with his sword.
With a graceful spin, Vista dodged both attacks and retaliated with a diagonal strike that clashed with both enemies' blades at once.
The sound of steel on steel thundered across the battlefield.
—Don't underestimate a Yonko's commander! —Vista roared, coating his swords and body in Armament Haki.
The First Mate, howling, launched another assault, this time unleashing a pulse that shook the air. Vista responded with a special technique: a swift sweep that unleashed a cutting wave of Haki, knocking the beast out of hybrid form.
—Don't get cocky! —warned the Captain, lunging forward with a strike charged with Haki meant to wound.
Vista blocked, feeling the sheer power of the blow, but his training and experience as an advanced swordsman and admiral-level candidate let him absorb the force and counter with an arcing slash that hit the Captain's arm.
The enemy growled and backed away.
The Second Mate, ever patient, waited for an opening, then unleashed a flurry of thrusts, each harder to predict thanks to his advanced Observation Haki.
Concentrated, Vista activated his own Observation Haki, sensing even the subtlest intent, dodging every strike with smooth, graceful motion.
—This isn't over —Vista said with a razor-sharp smile—. Get ready.
Suddenly, he brought his blades together, spinning on his axis, and released a whirlwind of slashes infused with Haki that struck all three foes simultaneously.
The Captain dropped to his knees, bleeding heavily. The First Mate, now in human form, collapsed from the pain, and the Second Mate staggered back, gasping for air.
Vista stood firm, unmoved.
—Surrender? I wouldn't expect anything less from the likes of you.
But Red Skull, panting and bleeding, spat and grinned with disdain.
—This is just the beginning, commander.
At that moment, reinforcements from Whitebeard's crew and Zed were approaching to end the battle.
Despite his fatigue, Vista knew the war for supremacy on the seas had only grown fiercer.
But he was ready.