The battlefield was still roaring with chaos when Simon traded opponents. He had been locked in a fierce fight against a Navy officer who wielded eight grotesque, blade-bearing arms. But the moment Fiona caught sight of that same foe, her eyes lit up with curiosity and excitement. Without hesitation, she called out, "Simon! Let's switch!"
Simon, calm as always, didn't protest. In a blink, his new opponent stepped forward a striking female officer in a dark Navy uniform, wielding a pitch-black blade that glimmered like obsidian under the sun.
Her name was Gion, known across the seas as one of the Navy's most formidable female warriors. When she realized Simon had just casually swapped opponents, treating her like an afterthought, a surge of irritation rose in her chest.
"You dare underestimate me?" she snapped, her voice sharp as steel.
Without waiting for a reply, she lunged forward. Her sword pierced the air, gleaming with precision as it drove straight toward Simon's heart.
Simon shifted lightly, the trident in his hands sweeping across his body in a fluid counter. The clash of blade and metal sparked bright arcs through the air.
He pushed her back with brute strength, water gathering at his weapon's tip before he swung again. A roaring curtain of water surged forward, crashing toward Gion like a living wave.
She exhaled sharply and lifted her sword, Kinpira, cleaving downward in a sweeping motion. The wave split in half, cascading around her in twin torrents. Yet instead of falling harmlessly away, the scattered water twisted and coiled shifting into tendrils that reached for her like serpents.
Reacting instantly, Gion leapt away. But Simon was already moving, his trident glowing faintly blue as he brought it down in a powerful strike.
The sound rang like thunder. Gion's blade, now coated in Armament Haki, turned pitch-black as she blocked the blow head-on. The shockwave cracked the ground beneath her feet.
Then, suddenly, her instincts screamed.
Before she could react, Simon's trident pulsed with explosive force. The next instant, a violent eruption of energy tore through the space between them.
The explosion threw Gion backward. She hit the ground hard, rolling through dirt and smoke before steadying herself on one knee. Even with Haki protecting her body, the blast had left her bruised and winded.
"You're a Devil Fruit user, aren't you?" she said through clenched teeth, her voice tight but defiant.
Simon didn't answer. He rarely spoke in battle. Instead, he lowered his trident, his calm eyes reflecting the light of the fires burning across the battlefield.
Then, like a silent predator, he rushed forward.
"Bastard!" Gion growled. Her own Haki flared in response, dark energy swirling around her blade. She swung twice in quick succession, sending out two massive arcs of light that tore through the air toward him.
Simon's eyes widened. Even injured, her strength was formidable.
He slammed his trident into the ground, conjuring two thick pillars of water that surged upward to meet the incoming strikes. But as they collided, her twin slashes cleaved straight through the water, continuing toward him.
"Tch." Simon cursed under his breath and sidestepped at the last second, feeling the wind of her attacks graze past his shoulder. Without the sea nearby, his abilities were clearly weakened.
Gion didn't give him time to breathe. She charged again, her blade a streak of silver as she swung straight for his chest.
Simon twisted his torso, narrowly avoiding the fatal strike. Her follow-up blows came fast and furious, forcing him to spin his trident in a whirl of defensive strikes. Sparks flew as steel clashed with steel in a storm of fury.
Then, suddenly, Simon stomped down hard. The ground beneath him cracked, and from the fissures erupted a geyser of water that shot upward toward Gion.
She anticipated it this time, slashing clean through the column of water. Droplets scattered around her like a rain of glass.
Her eyes were cold. "You're strong," she said, her breath steadying. "But today, I'll be the one standing."
Simon inhaled deeply, his body trembling slightly not with exhaustion, but with power.
Black Haki surged from his skin like dark smoke, expanding outward in waves that rippled through the air. Though he hadn't been training in Haki for long, his progress had exploded, pushing him straight into the intermediate tier.
The aura of a warrior washed over the field. Gion's own Haki flared in response, her will refusing to yield.
The two clashed once more. The sound of their weapons colliding was deafening, their blows shaking the air. Each strike carried the weight of raw willpower and discipline, echoing like cannon fire across the battlefield.
But even Gion's strength had limits. The explosion earlier had left her wounded, and as the duel dragged on, fatigue began to dull her movements. Simon, by contrast, fought with the tireless endurance of a Fishman. His body was built for long, brutal fights.
Gradually, Gion's swings slowed. Her footwork faltered. She pushed herself harder, scoring a shallow cut across Simon's arm but it wasn't enough.
Simon's trident swept through the air, sending a surge of pressure that slammed against her defenses. Gion staggered. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground, unable to continue.
Simon stood over her quietly, his chest rising and falling. He didn't relax. Reaching into his storage tag, he retrieved a pair of reinforced handcuffs and approached cautiously. Only after confirming that Gion was fully unconscious did he secure her wrists and lower his weapon.
He let out a long breath. Another fight, another victory.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, his comrades were still fighting their own wars.
Compared to Simon, Fiona, and Big Pan's dominance, Chiyo was struggling. Though she had eaten the Mythical Beast Fruit: Tricolor Phoenix, she was still inexperienced. Her opponent, Vice Admiral Kaji, was a hardened veteran brutal, cunning, and armed with monstrous strength.
Kaji grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "Pretty girl, you're out of your league. Give up while you can."
Chiyo's breathing was ragged, her wings battered and scorched. But her eyes burned with defiance. She steadied her breath, her aura rising sharply.
In the blink of an eye, her body shimmered, and she transformed fully into her mythical form a majestic, violet-blue phoenix.
With a cry that split the heavens, she soared upward. Cold blue flames danced along her feathers, and from the sky, a flurry of white fire rained down like snow.
"Frozen Flame World!" she shouted.
Her flames converged into a massive vortex, swirling into a blizzard of freezing heat that roared toward Kaji. The vice admiral's eyes widened as the storm consumed him.
For a moment, it seemed over.
Then a sharp crack echoed through the air. The frozen sphere shattered, and Kaji stepped out, covered in burns and frostbite, but very much alive.
Chiyo's heart sank. That had been her strongest attack. Yet he'd survived.
Still, she refused to yield. With a fierce beat of her wings, she shot forward again, streaking through the air in a blur of blue and silver. The two clashed once more, locked in a deadly dance between fire and steel.
Elsewhere, Dortay faced a mountain of a man a giant vice admiral named Bika, whose height exceeded twenty meters. His hide was thick as armor, and his Haki stronger than iron.
If Dortay hadn't possessed his Devil Fruit–forged gauntlets, he would've stood no chance.
He clenched his fists, feeling the burn in his arms. "Big guy," he bellowed, grinning fiercely. "Now I'm done holding back!"
Bika laughed heartily, his voice booming across the field. "Good! Show me what you've got, little man!"
They collided like two meteors. Every strike sent shockwaves ripping through the air, every kick splitting the ground beneath their feet. Their Haki clashed like thunder, shattering rocks and toppling trees around them.
Minutes felt like hours. Finally, both fighters gathered every ounce of strength for one last blow.
Their fists met with a sound like the sky breaking.
When the dust settled, both were on the ground battered, breathless, but smiling.
The surrounding Navy soldiers rushed forward, some tending to Bika's wounds, others raising their weapons toward the exhausted Dortay.
But before they could attack, Bika lifted a massive hand and thundered, "Stand down!"
The soldiers hesitated. "But Vice Admiral Bika "
"That's an order," he barked. "This man fought with honor. Leave him be."
The soldiers obeyed.
Moments later, a streak of light flashed overhead. Fiona descended gracefully from the sky, her blades gleaming. Seeing the Navy surrounding Dortay, she prepared to strike but Dortay quickly shouted, "Wait! Fiona, it's fine. This big guy isn't an enemy."
She hesitated, glancing between them. Dortay quickly explained what had happened, his words tumbling over each other. When he finished, Fiona nodded slightly and dispelled her blades, letting them dissolve into thin air.
Bika exhaled in relief. Had she attacked, the result would've been catastrophic. He had already witnessed what Fiona was capable of.
With Dortay safe, Fiona turned her gaze toward another part of the battlefield where Reiju was surrounded, struggling against two Marine rear admirals. Her Poison-Poison Fruit had already incapacitated dozens of soldiers, their bodies lying unconscious nearby. But fatigue was setting in fast.
Fiona rushed to her side, her arrival turning the tide instantly. Within minutes, the battle was over.
Together, the two regrouped with Dortay and Simon. The smoke was clearing, the air heavy with the scent of ash and salt.
They had all fought their own battles. They had all grown stronger.
But the war was far from over.
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