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The Marine warship was now half-submerged, its deck ravaged by [Tempest Orbs]. Most of its crew had either been flung into the sea or gravely wounded by the blast.
That alone took immense pressure off the Dove's crew.
Aero, high in the air, stayed alert his body shimmering faintly with wind energy. Just as he prepared to reposition, Grice, the Navy Commander, launched a surprise attack. His sword, now coated in black Armament Haki, sliced toward Aero's vanishing silhouette.
Missed.
Grice's expression soured. Fighting in the air wasn't his strength. He scanned his surroundings cautiously, wary of a sudden counterattack.
Then he spotted the Dove below.
With a cruel smile, he raised his blade and slashed sending a massive wave of [Haki-infused] wind cutting through the air toward the ship.
He wasn't worried about damaging it. He'd already sent word to nearby patrols. This mission? It wasn't a capture it was an elimination.
And if Aero escaped to the Grand Line, he'd be a threat to the World Government itself.
Grice smirked. "Let's see you ignore this."
---
Aero reappeared right where Grice expected.
But this time, his arms were crossed, and before him spun a large pale-white windshield.
"[Wind Shield]!"
CRACK!
The slash collided and disintegrated.
But there was no time to breathe.
Grice had ridden the wave appearing behind his own attack.
Aero barely turned before the Commander's blade came down on his head.
Too late for [Windstep].
CLANG!
Aero blocked the strike with a red short blade strapped to his side gifted to him by Scarface.
"Hm? It didn't break?" Grice muttered, eyeing the crimson dagger with suspicion.
Aero kicked off and retreated. Fighting this guy up close was suicide. The dagger had saved him… this time.
---
He sheathed the blade again.
If wide-range attacks were too weak, he'd need something more focused.
Aero took to the skies positioning above Grice.
With a flick of his wrist, hundreds of [Wind Blades] formed above him, each razor-sharp and hovering like a swarm.
"[Wind Blade: Blade Rain]!"
He pressed his hand down.
The blades plummeted like meteorites.
Grice's figure was lost in the downpour. Below him, the remains of the Marine warship offered no cover. Soldiers trying to climb aboard the Dove were instantly cut down.
"Whsst—whsst—whsst!"
Wood shattered, rails splintered, and a few unlucky Marines took blades straight through the chest.
Some tried to swim away.
They didn't get far.
---
When the storm cleared, Grice's uniform was shredded. His coat hung in tatters, soaked in blood.
He'd dodged a few blades. Blocked more with Haki.
But it wasn't perfect.
His shoulder was bleeding. His leg, too.
Still… he was standing.
"You're hard to kill," Aero muttered.
Dylan and the crew were flagging. If this dragged on, they'd collapse and the Navy could use them as hostages.
He couldn't allow that.
---
"I'm going to kill you today!" Grice roared.
His pride, his ship, and his mission were all ruined.
With bloodshot eyes, he began slashing the air dozens of times, then sheathed his blade.
The moment his hand left the hilt—
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
A wave of condensed shockwaves blasted forth.
Aero's eyes narrowed. He sensed them before they even took form.
No more holding back.
He summoned a [Wind Shield] but it wouldn't be enough.
More and more strikes came from every direction.
So he summoned another. Then another. A full barrier.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Clashes rang out in rapid bursts as the wind and sword energy collided.
Smoke swirled in the air.
When it cleared Aero was gone.
A second later, he reappeared on the Dove's deck.
The enemy Marines immediately turned and charged.
Aero didn't flinch.
"Get over here!" he shouted to his crew.
Dylan, Eddie, and Gin all began falling back toward him.
Then, just as they regrouped—
Aero did something none of them expected.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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