Amid thunderous battle cries and the sound of charging feet, more Marines from Marine Headquarters arrived, swarming in from all directions. Forming dense defensive lines, they closed in rapidly.
"Open fire!!"
"Cannons, now!!"
...
The Marines launched their assault—musket fire blazed in volleys, while distant artillery roared as cannons bombarded the three Great Pirates without mercy.
"How naive."
Shiki grinned with disdain as he shot into the sky.
His eyes glowed with a sinister red light, and his movements were fluid and agile, weaving effortlessly through the hail of Marine firepower.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Bullets and cannon shells rained down on the ruins of the military fortress like a storm, detonating into plumes of smoke and waves of flame.
But in the very next moment, Kaidou and Big Mom walked out of the smoke completely unharmed.
Bullets and shells either ricocheted harmlessly off their bodies or exploded with minimal effect—barely enough to slow them down, let alone cause real damage.
"Man... that stings a little."
Kaidou groaned, rubbing his head as he crawled out of the rubble. His teeth bared in a grimace as he glanced toward Daren in the distance. Then, his gaze sharpened, settling on the vague figure looming through the smoke ahead—eyes cold and dark.
That guy's Armament Haki was brutally powerful. That punch earlier had actually left his arm burning with pain.
"You two better stay put. Don't even think about getting near him. I won't let you reach Daren..."
A cold, steel-like voice rang out.
Zephyr stepped through the swirling black smoke, his white cloak gently rippling behind him. His eyes were sharp, locked onto the two figures before him, cutting off their line of sight to Daren.
"...Whether it's his life—or his body."
Kaidou stared at the former Admiral blocking their path like an unbreakable wall. Then, he suddenly turned and grinned viciously at Big Mom.
"Hey, crazy hag... Looks like this old bastard wants to take us both on."
Big Mom let out a low, sultry laugh, licking her lips.
"Ma ma ma ma... Well, it can't be helped. It's been ages since we teamed up, Kaidou."
"I really do want to just take Daren away... but it looks like that won't be happening now."
"Still..."
She raised her head, fixing her gaze on the purple-haired Marine ahead of her, and sneered,
"You sure about this? You think a retired Admiral like you can really hold off the two of us?"
Zephyr looked at the pair standing shoulder to shoulder, and deep in his eyes, a flicker of unease passed.
Kaidou and Big Mom—these two monsters had bodies so tough, so resilient, that the Marines' firepower might as well be pebbles thrown into the ocean.
From that brief exchange earlier, Zephyr judged that even a Vice Admiral from headquarters would struggle to break through their defenses.
If these two beasts broke through into the Marine formations—or worse, reached the civilian area—it would be an unthinkable disaster. No one would be able to stop them. Marineford would be left in ruins, with countless casualties.
Zephyr couldn't allow that to happen.
More importantly, he knew he'd be at a major disadvantage if he had to face Shiki directly.
While Kaidou, Big Mom, and Shiki all had the ability to fly, Shiki's aerial mobility was far more agile and flexible than the other two, who were comparatively sluggish in the air.
In close combat, Zephyr had the confidence to pin Shiki down.
But knowing Shiki's cunning, he wasn't likely to give him that chance.
If that's the case... it made more sense for Zephyr to hold Kaidou and Big Mom here, and leave Shiki to Daren and the others.
After all, both Daren and Borsalino had high-speed flight capabilities. With Sakazuki's firepower and Kuzan's control, they should be able to hold Shiki back.
"Kaidou of the Beasts, Big Mom Charlotte Linlin... If I remember correctly, you're both remnants of the Rocks Pirates, aren't you?"
Zephyr murmured softly.
Kaidou and Big Mom paused briefly, then both scoffed with mocking grins.
"That's right—but the Marine who fought in the Battle of God Valley... wasn't you."
Zephyr pulled a cigar from his uniform pocket, bit down on it, and lit it.
"Yeah... I wasn't there back then."
He lowered his gaze, staring at his rough, calloused hands with their faded lines, then took a deep drag.
After a brief silence, a smile slowly spread across his face.
"I was never a hero."
"But at the very least..."
He took a deep breath and raised his head high. His presence surged with intensity, rising steadily under the stunned gazes of Big Mom and Kaidou as he let out a bold, booming laugh.
"Today, even if it costs me my life, I'll stop you right here!"
As the thought flashed through his mind, the moment Zephyr made his decision, his eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
A dense, jet-black sheen quickly coated both his arms. As he rolled his wrists and neck, sharp cracks rang out like popping beans.
"As for fighting two at once... how would I know it's impossible if I don't try?"
With those words, Zephyr's boots sank deep into the earth.
In the next instant, he slammed his weight down—
The ground within a hundred meters caved in violently, spiderwebbed with cracks as dirt and stone shot up like a geyser.
Boom!!
Zephyr launched forward like a feral tiger loosed from its cage, the cigar clenched between his teeth curling at the edge of a wild grin. He charged straight at Kaidou and Big Mom!
"They're coming!!"
Kaidou gripped his kanabō tightly, a flicker of tension in his eyes.
Right now, the man before them—the former Marine Admiral—had no hint of age or decline. There was only unshakable confidence, charging forward like an unstoppable force!
"Ma ma ma ma!! Then let's get started!!"
Big Mom burst into laughter. With a wave of her hand, she slapped away an incoming cannonball, sending flames bursting beside her.
"Soul Liberation!!"
She stretched her arms wide.
Countless pale souls poured out of her body, wailing as they swirled through the air, stirring a bone-chilling wind.
"I grant you souls... Awaken, my servants!!"
Big Mom's laughter turned into a deafening shriek, her voice shaking the air with shockwaves so intense they blurred the atmosphere around her.
The flood of ghostly souls rushed into the battlefield—
Into the ground, the stones, the ruins of buildings, the shattered cannons...
And then, an eerie sight unfolded.
Those lifeless objects, infused with souls by Big Mom, sprang to life. They twisted into grotesque monstrosities, stomping across the battlefield in a thunderous charge—hundreds, thousands of them—rushing toward the distant Marine lines!
"Bring me my husband!!"
Big Mom cackled sharply, grabbing the massive broadsword formed by Napoleon the Bicorne in one hand, and, along with Kaidou, charged forward with a roar.
The next second—
The three forces clashed like comets crashing into the earth!
Boom!!
The entire island seemed to tremble under the impact.