Thirty minutes earlier.
Grove 66, Marine Garrison Base.
Clack, clack, clack… clack, clack, clack…
The broad base was bustling with movement. Waves of Marine troops swarmed the grounds, armed to the teeth. Squads marched out in rapid succession.
"Move it! Hurry!"
"Get moving, double-time!"
"Don't drag your feet or I'll plant my boot where the sun doesn't shine! Faster!"
"This time, we're dealing with real big-name pirates. Bring the artillery! Bring the Seastone weapons!"
Seven or eight Marine officers in Justice-embossed coats barked orders with urgency. Any soldier who lagged behind got a kick for their trouble. The more vicious officers lashed out with whips.
...
Inside the Base Headquarters.
Den Den Mushi rang out in an overwhelming chorus, the constant "pere, pere" noise echoing throughout the office.
Pere… pere… pere… pere…
Pere… pere… pere… pere…
Click.
Click.
Click.
"Moshi moshi, this is the Sabaody Archipelago Marine Base."
"Quickly, reinforce Squad Four's perimeter!"
"Yes, Chief Strategist! The defense line is being established."
"…What? They've already reached the perimeter?! Hold them off no matter what! Reinforcements are en route!"
"Fleet Admiral, sir—understood! The forces are en route now. We swear we won't let the Demon Mask Pirates damage the Sabaody Archipelago!"
Inside the command center, officers and aides rushed frantically between calls. Communications from Marine HQ, frontline units, even the World Government flooded in nonstop. The air was thick with tension, every man drenched in sweat from the nonstop pressure.
"Damn it! I'm heading to the front. The rest is in your hands. Keep me informed!"
The speaker was a middle-aged officer with pineapple-styled hair, a blue suit, and a Justice coat fluttering behind him. He stuffed a Den Den Mushi into his pocket, grabbed a jitte, and shoved the door open.
"Sir! Rear Admiral Branly!"
The officers inside immediately snapped to attention and saluted.
...
Grove 55 — Coastline.
What was once a coating and ship-repair facility had been transformed beyond recognition. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Marines swarmed the coast, building defensive structures and hauling ammunition. Dozens of cannons were arranged in tiers, forming an interlocking web of suppressive fire.
Just 200 meters from the shoreline stood a temporary command center.
Pere... pere... pere... pere... pere...
A Den Den Mushi bounced atop an ammunition crate.
Click.
"Moshi moshi, this is Squad Four. Captain Sutter speaking."
The voice came from a brawny Marine colonel.
"Rear Admiral Branly, sir! We've reached Grove 51 and are finalizing our defensive line."
"Understood. Hold that line at all costs. We will not allow those damned pirates to get through!"
...
Five nautical miles offshore from the Sabaody Archipelago.
A fleet of nearly ten pirate ships cut through the waves at high speed. Their sails bore a chilling emblem: a skull, half white half gray, with a crossed sword and rifle behind it. This was the flag of the Demon Mask Pirates.
Every ship in the fleet bore signs of battle, some pockmarked by cannon fire, others blackened by flame. The pirates onboard were clearly battered. Some were wounded, others exhausted.
BOOM BOOM BOOM—BOOOOM!
Above the sea, a golden humanoid flash zipped through the sky. Blazing beams of light shot from its body, tearing through the air and battering the sea below. Waves exploded into foam with every impact.
On the largest ship, a man stood at the prow, wearing a long brown coat embroidered with golden thread. He wielded a massive black longsword, slashing with explosive force to intercept the oncoming laser beams. His presence alone shielded the fleet. His face was split in contrast—half normal, half ravaged by burn scars.
Hodgil Gutte, captain of the Demon Mask Pirates, with a bounty of 580 million Berries.
"Damn bastard!" Gutte roared, kicking off the deck and launching into the air.
Each step he took triggered a sharp burst of white mist underfoot—snap, snap, snap—as he seemingly shattered the air itself.
Geppo, one of the Rokushiki techniques.
In mid-air, he swung his sword in a wide arc, unleashing a massive gray-white slash that looked like it could split the sky.
"So scary~ What a monster you are~" came a teasing voice.
A blinding golden laser shot from the humanoid flash, slamming into the enormous slash.
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion roared across the sea like thunder. The shockwave turned into a raging tempest, sending chaotic air currents surging in every direction. The sea boiled into towering waves. Every pirate ship rocked violently.
"Piercing Death Arrow!"
A cold shout.
FWOOSH!
A streak of black light split the air with a shrill, piercing whistle, racing straight toward the golden flash like it meant to impale it.
But in that instant, a gaping hole opened in the humanoid figure's chest. The black arrow shot through harmlessly and vanished in the distance.
The hole closed. A man emerged—tall and thin, in a yellow-and-white pinstripe suit, with black curls, a trimmed beard, and gold-shouldered Justice coat. He wore sunglasses and spoke in a languid, almost joking tone.
Admiral Kizaru — Borsalino.
He patted his chest and peered below, his lips curled in a comical grimace.
"Phew… that was close~ Almost bought the farm. What a scary guy you are~ Black Bow, Kataror Obes."
On one of the pirate ships below, a cold-eyed young man with short dark green hair stood at the prow. He wore a sleek black combat outfit, sleeves rolled tight over powerful arms that hung past his knees. In his hands was a massive, pitch-black longbow. At his waist, an arrow quiver.
"You're a damn nuisance, get out of my sight!" Gutte snarled, his face twisted in fury. He launched forward with a burst of Geppo, streaking through the air straight toward Kizaru.
"No can do~," Borsalino replied lazily, hands coming together as photons began to gather between his palms. Light pulsed and shimmered, and then, with a dramatic pull to either side, a blade of pure radiance emerged.
Ama no Murakumo Sword!!!
Clang!
The blade of light clashed against the dark sword, the strike ringing out with a sound like colliding steel. From above, Borsalino met Gutte's strike with a single, effortless slash, halting it in midair.
"Clingy little fly. Bastard!" Gutte spat, veins bulging at his temples as his strike was nullified. With another sharp kick, he used Geppo again, propelling himself back into the fray, locking swords with Borsalino in a fierce midair duel.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Gutte was already a formidable swordsman, nearing the level of a master Great Blade user. His swordplay was deadly, backed by elite-level Haki in both Armament and Observation. On top of that, he was equally adept at Rokushiki-based martial arts and gunplay.
But Borsalino wasn't just a Logia-type user of the Glint-Glint Fruit, his swordsmanship was nothing to scoff at either. As a Marine Admiral, one of the Navy's strongest assets, his Haki was nothing short of exceptional.
Their battle lit up the sky, each clash flaring with sparks. One was a pirate with a 580 million bounty on his head. The other, an Admiral, one of the highest military powers in the world.
Their clash tore through the air with shockwaves, the sky rippling like water under the force of their blows.
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