The sea wind howled as sails billowed.
Anchors were hauled up, metal rang across the deck as the warship prepared to depart.
"…I wonder if this answer of mine will be considered acceptable by Teacher Zephyr."
Gern stood at the stern, gaze calm as he watched the island slowly recede.
Black Blade Eight Desolations hung quietly at his waist, its bandages fluttering in the wind.
Suddenly—
His pupils contracted.
Whizz—!
A series of sharp air-tearing sounds split the sky.
Several jet-black bullets streaked from the island toward him, each one wrapped in dense Armament Haki, gleaming coldly under the sun.
Gern tilted his head slightly left, then right.
The bullets screamed past his ears, the pressure lifting strands of his hair.
Casual.
Yet every lethal trajectory was avoided with absolute precision.
"Armament-coated rounds…?"
Gern's eyes locked onto the eastern treeline of the island.
His Observation Haki expanded instantly.
A presence—clear and sharp.
Atop the canopy stood a tall, slender man in a formal hat, a long sniper rifle still smoking.
Only then did the Marines react.
"Enemy attack!"
"All hands—battle stations!"
"Stand down."
Gern raised one hand.
His voice was terrifyingly calm.
After two years under Zephyr, he knew the era's infamous pirates well.
Including the one who just fired at him.
"Golden Lion Flying Pirates—Third Division Captain,"
"'Death Knell' Davy."
"Bounty: 800 million Beli."
He never took his eyes off the treetop.
"So this is Doger's 'escort'."
The deck went deathly silent.
Eight hundred million—
That meant a true New World monster.
In the treetops, Davy's eyes narrowed, disbelief flooding his mind.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
His title wasn't for show.
His sniping had never missed—
especially not with Armament, surprise, and distance.
And yet—
Back turned.
Dodged cleanly.
"This Marine's Observation… is monstrous."
His finger tightened on the trigger—
But before he could fire—
Gern raised his right hand.
Index finger pointed straight at him.
"Sneak attacks aren't very classy."
"And besides—"
A pale, condensed vibration particle formed at Gern's fingertip.
The surrounding air fractured from high-frequency tremors.
"I see you."
SHHH—!
A spiraling pale beam tore through the air.
Silent.
Instant.
Davy's face twisted as his body rolled sideways on instinct.
BOOM—CRACK!!
The beam punched straight through the tree he had stood on.
A violent internal detonation followed—
The massive trunk exploded from the inside out.
Wood fragments rained down like shrapnel.
Davy landed on another tree, kneeling, his hat gone—
revealing a pale, sinister face.
Though he avoided a direct hit, the residual shock sent his blood churning.
A line of red slipped from the corner of his mouth.
"…What kind of Devil Fruit is that?"
On the warship, Gern stood at the stern, Justice cloak snapping in the wind.
"Tch. Dodged it?"
"Not bad."
Davy rose, rifle spinning back into position, a savage grin spreading.
"You brat… you think beating some third-rate pirate lets you walk the New World?"
"The terror of the Flying Pirates—
you haven't seen it yet."
He was about to move—
Buru-buru-buru—!
A Den-Den Mushi rang at his waist.
He hesitated, then answered.
The snail's face hardened.
"Davy. Admiral's order. Withdraw immediately."
"We've encountered the Whitebeard Pirates."
Davy straightened instantly.
"Understood."
He closed the call and glared back at Gern.
"You're lucky, Marine."
"Next time, I'll personally ring your death knell."
And with that—
He vanished into the forest.
The Marines finally exhaled.
"Captain… we don't have authority to engage the Flying Pirates."
"I know."
Gern nodded calmly.
"The mission's done. No need to complicate things."
"…And besides," he added quietly, eyes on the horizon,
"Golden Lion isn't someone I should provoke yet."
He turned toward the cabin.
"Full speed back to Marineford.
Report everything."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers knew—
What they'd witnessed today would spread fast.
First mission:
Capture of Island-Splitter Doger.
And on the same day—
Forcing back an 800 million bounty Flying Pirates commander.
Gern stood on deck, fingers resting lightly on his blade.
"…Golden Lion. Flying Pirates."
He exhaled softly.
The New World…
was far more interesting than he'd imagined.
"For more chapters and fanfics please visit patreon.com/UchihaAce"