"Admiral Zephyr has been struck down by the Vice-Director! This battle is our victory! Press the attack!"
The man who had raised countless marines fell to his knees, then collapsed. The news spread like wildfire among the crew of the Marine flagship, and their battle line crumbled completely. Shielding the fallen Daz, Amis stepped in as acting commander, her voice ringing out with new orders.
"Amis, I'm heading to the front lines as well. I want to eliminate any lingering threats to clear the way for the First Fleet's support."
"Yes, please do. I'll take the Vice-Director to the flagship—"
—"…Ugh…"
Just then, the giant they thought they had defeated let out a faint groan.
"…Teacher."
"Ha, haha… you… still call me that?"
He likely couldn't even stand. Shifting his body with agonizing slowness, he managed to turn onto his back. The other father to the marines let out a ragged breath.
"Amis."
"It's alright, Airi. Focus on the front—"
"—Secure the transport cell in the back of the cabin. The two Mopuchi royals are inside."
At this sudden revelation, the two Royal Guard members stared at 'Black Arm' with wide eyes. His justice-bearing marine coat was torn, three raw claw marks carved across his chest. His body heaved, desperately seeking oxygen just to speak.
"Those… were the orders. If we won, the Navy, having 'rescued' the two royals, would be hailed as heroes who defeated the villainous Black Cats and liberated Mopuchi. If, by some chance, the battle turned against us, we were to let you sink this ship, framing the Black Cats for the murder of the two royals we were 'transporting'…"
"The World Government… how could they…!"
Airi clenched her jaw so hard it seemed she might shatter her teeth. Amis gently patted her shoulder. At the same time, she sent a signal to their flagship and, responding to the ear that bloomed on her hand, relayed the new information in a low voice.
"Teacher."
"Mm…"
"Why tell us this? You are a marine. You had no obligation to inform us."
"…It's… payback… against the Government, in a way… but… yes."
"—It's a plea for my life."
They hadn't spent that much time together. But to hear words that a man of his stature should never have to utter, Amis and Airi's eyes went wide.
"I cannot die here. I can't…"
"Is that as a marine?"
"No."
"I have a promise."
"A man's promise… with your Director… with Kuro…"
Amis and Airi instinctively looked at each other.
"After such a cruel betrayal, I know I have no right to say this, but…"
"At the very least… at the very least…"
Amis let out a small sigh and looked toward the ongoing battle. With the defeat of their highest power, a Marine Admiral, the tide had turned completely in their favor. The other two Royal Guard members on her team, Cathaly and Touya, were nowhere to be seen. They had likely received a report via Robin and were already storming the ship's hold to rescue the two royals. The most skilled of their other fighters had secured the area around the cabin entrance, while the rest, under the command of the two remaining Royal Guard members, were systematically knocking the marines from the ship into the sea.
"…We will give you time to escape, but we will be setting fire to your mast. Without a clear signal of our victory, both sides will only suffer more needless casualties."
"That's reasonable, but… harsh."
"The Director gave us strict orders to think as much about how to end a battle as how to win it."
"Hahahahaha! …Ugh… I see… yes."
Despite the pain in his chest, Zephyr let out a booming laugh he couldn't suppress. Without trying to get up, he remained on his back, staring at the sky.
"…A complete defeat," he whispered.
◆ ◆ ◆
"Honestly, Mihawk, never mind that you learned our Master's Haki, but what was that attack just now? You are a swordsman, are you not? Fight with your blade."
"What can I say? I was a bit distracted, but—"
Meanwhile, on another front, the naval battle between the separated First Fleet and the Navy continued. Before the prone form of Akainu, the 'Pirate Princess' and the 'Marine Hunter' were exchanging light banter.
"In my spars with that old codger, he usually gets me with that trick. My all-out blow, an attack meant to slice him in two, is stopped every single time with just a fingertip."
"…Ah, yes. Well."
There wasn't a single officer or Royal Guard member who hadn't been sent flying by the old man assigned to protect the royalty in Mopuchi. Hancock, of course, vividly remembered having her own all-out kick blocked in the same manner.
"Part of it was that I was annoyed at being so easily overtaken by the frightening growth of Kuro and Daz, so I threw myself into training. But I also wanted to land just one clean hit on that old man, so I swung my sword and my hoe every single day."
"…Hey, did you just add something unnecessary to that—"
"In other words," the man who had raised the elite soldiers of the Black Cats, their greatest warrior, grinned. "It was payback."
"Then pay him back, not me!" a full-throated, utterly pointless declaration was made. A moment later, the pirate empress's foot slammed into his back.
The two of them looked completely defenseless, but the marines, intimidated by the power of the duo who had sent Akainu flying, could not take a step forward. The more experienced soldiers who tried to move were held in check by Kris and the other Royal Guard members, and were likewise frozen in place. The First Fleet, serving as both the vanguard and the unit thrown into the most dangerous situations, had been assigned three full teams of the most offensively powerful Royal Guard members. It was a force that could scatter not just any ordinary pirate crew, but even a poorly composed Marine Headquarters fleet, in an instant.
—…How dare… you…
As they bantered, the magma began to burn once more.
"How dare you mock me. You infuriate me, both of you!"
His body began to change, so drastically it seemed his rage was directly affecting his ability. Hancock glanced at his glowing red form but didn't flinch.
"You are the ones who are mocking us. To think you would bring the Mopuchi royals here, imprisoned in the brig of your flagship on the front line. Have you marines not only repaid our Master's kindness with treachery, but also trampled upon all good faith?"
The change was in Akainu. He was staring at the two pirates before him with an expression of pure shock.
"A report just came in. The Vice-Director and Amis's unit have defeated Admiral Zephyr. They have taken his flagship and will be coming here as soon as they regroup."
"…Impossible… 'Black Arm'…" Akainu's ever-present cigar dropped from his lips.
"Touya and Cathaly, who took control of the ship, have secured the royals. They said both were in a terrible state, unable to even stand."
It was a clear opening, but Akainu looked past them, toward the sea where Admiral Zephyr's flagship, the vessel of the invincible 'Black Arm,' was supposed to be.
It was burning. The proud seagull flag, the symbol of Absolute Justice, was on fire.
"We heard that the Mopuchi royals were searched for and protected as a reward for our Master's contribution to the defense of the Holy Land. Whatever the reality of that may be."
Mihawk, some of the Royal Guard, and probably Robin and Perona were the only ones who knew, but inwardly, Hancock was boiling with rage.
"And this is the result. Never mind us pirates, is this how you treat the royalty of a nation you have officially recognized, even if they are not a member state?" If her orders had allowed for their annihilation, she would have already used her ability to turn every last one of them to stone, shattered them, and sunk them to the bottom of this sea.
"The justice you preach is one where you trample on agreements under the protection of the Government, deny even basic human dignity to non-affiliated nations, and work tirelessly to create a class of weaklings to rule over, all while feigning a desire for order. And to be defeated on top of all that… Ha—"
"Is it not a cheap and cowardly justice? Well? Akainu."
◆ ◆ ◆
(I see… Hancock, that one. I was surprised enough that she learned to project Haki, but she has truly grown as a commander.)
"To be mocked to this extent… Even if this ship sinks, I cannot allow you to escape…"
Taking Hancock's taunts, a furious Akainu began to truly unleash his ability. The marines, fearing they would be caught in the inferno, began to dive into the sea the moment Akainu gestured for them to flee. On their side, the soldiers, except for the Royal Guard, had also begun to retreat. Robin had likely used her ability to arrange it.
The deck began to smolder from the heat, and the entrance to a nearby cabin caught fire. The sea breeze fanned the flames, sending sparks flying up to the mast. It did not take long for it to become a raging inferno.
(On the other fronts, the Royal Guard and fleet officers who heard the news from Robin are probably already spreading the word of Zephyr's defeat. Even from here, we can see his flagship burning. And now, if this flagship also goes up in flames…)
The soldiers would think: First Black Arm, and now Akainu, too?
The soldiers would think: Is Akainu so desperate that he has to burn his own ship?
(They are a pseudo-army, relying on numbers and the quality of a few, with no real coordination. If their morale collapses here, the battles on the other ships will swing heavily in our favor.)
The girl, clad in a suit embroidered with a great serpent devouring its own tail coiled around a three-clawed mark, stared straight at Akainu.
(A commander's presence…)
"The Vice-Director and Amis's team have done their part. Mihawk, let's go."
"Of course. If I don't put in the work here, I won't be able to face Kuro or Daz."
"The dozen or so remaining enemy soldiers who appear to be elites will be handled by us, the Royal Guard."
"We will provide support if necessary. Please give us your orders."
"Mm."
This was not bad. A worthy reason to swing his sword, colleagues worthy of standing beside, and apprentices who had chased after him with desperate resolve, more than worthy of fighting alongside. And, though he was not on this sea at this moment, a commander worthy of entrusting his blade to.
Something he thought he would never have again, something he thought he would never hold again, was now on his back. A symbol of bitter memories was now, somehow, a source of comfort.
(You are likely being pursued by an Admiral as well, but I doubt one or two of them are enough to handle you.)
His grip on his sword tightened. As Hancock had said before they fought, his anger at the shameless betrayal—and various other emotions—was sharpening his sword's edge.
(Hurry up and come back, Kuro.)
Akainu's hostility was directed more at him than at Hancock, but it was also scattered. His breathing was ragged, likely from that last blow, and his attacks were extremely easy to read. Zephyr had probably been in a similar state. This was not the proper mindset for a battle.
(We need you—)
"…Hm?"
◆ ◆ ◆
The battle between the Black Cats and the Navy—an event that would later be recorded in history as the West Blue Naval War, or the Mopuchi War of Independence—had a new arrival. Four warships reached the edge of the sea battle.
The flag they flew bore the mark of a seagull. The symbol of justice, of the protectors of peace and order on this sea.
"To think that so many would gather, even though I was the one who started this…"
But this symbol of justice had a strange addition. Three lines had been drawn over it. Three lines, like claw marks.
"It is because the officers and soldiers of the West Blue had despaired, sir. It began with the marine slaves, then the Pirate Alliance, the subsequent reconstruction efforts, the negotiations with the Five Elders, his solo journey to the Holy Land… and this battle is the result."
"They all saw a future in that pirate. Not in the World Government, but in him."
"…You're right."
The old soldier at the head of the formation was not wearing a marine uniform, but a plain black suit. He surveyed the battle line.
"Commodore Taki, your orders."
"The rank of Commodore is no longer necessary, Colonel Vigre… Ah, no…"
The old soldier and the subordinate beside him looked at each other with straight faces for a moment, then both let out a small chuckle.
"My, my, old habits die hard."
"Indeed, sir."
After a moment of quiet laughter, Taki looked forward again, at the burning Headquarters warship, at the other vessels that were sinking or still engaged in battle.
"The burning ship is likely where the battle has been decided, or where the Black Cat's main force is fighting Akainu. If we interfere there, we might disrupt the battle."
"Then…"
"Yes. Hard to port!"
At the call of "Hard to port!" from Vigre, the helmsman quickly turned the wheel.
"We will come alongside the Marine ships that are still fighting and launch a boarding assault to support the Black Cats—"
"To support our allies!"
"Let's go! Follow the flag of the three claws—"
"Follow the Flag of Dawn!"
—"SIR!"
***
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