To survive, no matter what danger awaited them ahead, they had no choice but to charge forward. If they hesitated, if they stayed still, the supplies on the ship would run out and all that awaited them was death.
Wang Zhi cast a sidelong glance at the pirates on the deck, his expression grim.
"I wonder how many of them will still be alive by the time we make it back to Hive Island," he murmured.
Truth be told, the lives of the others didn't weigh heavily on his mind.
He had long grown used to the blood-soaked life of a pirate. Comrades came and went, replaced again and again over the years. He had seen too many fall, and now there was only a faint sigh in his heart.
In the skies above, the battle raged on.
Zephyr's powerful fist slammed into Ares' chest. Coated with Armament Haki, the blow sent Ares' massive, beast-like frame crashing down like a meteor.
With a deafening splash, he plunged into the sea.
"He fell into the ocean… A Devil Fruit user like you, your fate is sealed. The sea will devour you."
Zephyr's eyes dimmed slightly with regret.
Truthfully, he had hoped to capture Ares alive. Maybe with proper guidance, Ares could have become a fine Marine.
But now…
Back on the pirate ship, panic erupted.
"Boss Ares!!!"
"He fell in!"
"Into the sea!"
".....!"
The deck was in chaos, with shouts of alarm echoing in all directions.
Without hesitation, Wang Zhi leapt into the ocean with a splash, swimming toward the spot where Ares had fallen.
Kaido followed a heartbeat later, diving in with equal urgency, his thick arms stirring up massive waves.
"You think I'll let you save him?"
Zephyr used Moonwalk to instantly appear before Wang Zhi, blocking his path on the sea surface.
"Tempest Kick!"
Raising his leg, he launched a brilliant blue slash, slicing through the air and hurtling toward Wang Zhi.
Sensing danger, Wang Zhi lifted his longsword with one hand to parry.
Clang!!
"Kaido!" he shouted, "Ares is yours! I'll deal with Zephyr!"
He poured strength into his arm, shattering the slash.
But the moment he deflected it, a flurry of Tempest Kicks followed dense, dazzling blue blades like a rain of falling stars.
Wang Zhi swung his sword rapidly in defense.
Cling! Clang! Clash!
The strikes rained down relentlessly. On the churning waves, Wang Zhi was like a lone boat in a storm, his body swaying with the tide.
Fighting on water… was a severe disadvantage.
As the saying goes, "Strike from high to low only fools fight uphill." And now, he was literally knee-deep in trouble.
With Wang Zhi holding Zephyr at bay, Kaido pushed forward with all his might, swimming toward Ares with desperate speed.
Given Ares' massive size and abnormal weight, he would sink rapidly. If he fell too deep… it would be impossible to bring him back.
"Hang on, Boss Ares! I'm coming!!" Kaido shouted, his voice muffled by the waves.
He paddled with powerful strokes, knowing that every second counted.
Soon, he reached the area where Ares had fallen. Taking a deep breath, Kaido dove beneath the surface.
The crystal-clear water let him spot a faint black dot far below, still sinking into the abyss.
"Damn it!!"
Kaido's heart tightened. He kicked hard, swimming downward with all his strength.
But the deeper he went, the greater the water pressure. The less oxygen he had, the slower he became.
All he could do was watch helplessly as Ares continued to sink into the dark depths.
"Ar… gurgle… gurgle…"
Kaido tried to call out, but seawater flooded his mouth. Bubbles streamed upward as his oxygen slipped away.
Unable to continue, he had no choice but to turn back toward the surface.
Beneath the waves, Ares was fully conscious when he hit the water.
He felt it, the sea's curse on Devil Fruit users.
It was as if his entire body had been drained, like a man starving for days. All his strength had vanished.
He felt himself melting, dissolving like snow hitting the ground.
Saltwater flooded into his lungs and throat.
Gurgle…
Gurgle…
The choking sensation was unbearable. His consciousness began to fade.
"No…"
"I can't die yet…"
"My journey has only just begun…"
"I haven't become a sword that surpasses even the Supreme Grade blades…"
The will to survive reignited in Ares like wildfire.
He forced his eyes open, desperately searching for a way out.
"My strength… it's vanishing fast…"
"If this keeps up, I'll sink to the bottom and suffocate!"
Panic surged through him. He tried to summon his strength but the monstrous power his body once held had been completely drained.
Gone. As if it had never existed.
He could feel the seawater flooding his lungs. Even his heartbeat was beginning to slow.
"Am I… really going to die?"
"If I die… will I end up in Riku Yo's world?"
That thought crept into his mind.
"No!!"
"I can't die!!!"
Another surge of willpower exploded within his brain.
"Strength… If I've lost my strength, what do I still have?"
"I still have my Devil Fruit!!"
In the pitch-black sea, Ares' eyes lit up.
Memories flashed in his mind.
He remembered the moment when Luffy sank to the bottom of Arlong Park, trapped by a boulder. Genzo had stretched Luffy's rubbery neck all the way up to the surface to let him breathe.
He remembered Aokiji, who had been knocked into the sea by Whitebeard, only to freeze the ocean in an instant.
They had both kept their powers, even underwater!
"There's still hope!!!"
Ares's heart leapt.
He activated his Devil Fruit.
Azure Dragon Form!!!
In an instant, his body transformed into a massive dragon, hundreds of meters long.
Though seawater suppressed Devil Fruit powers, it couldn't drain his stamina.
And Ares realized something else.
The ocean didn't completely negate Devil Fruit abilities!
As his form shifted, the suffocating feeling vanished.
"I… I can breathe underwater?!"
"The Fish-Fish Fruit… it gave me the power to breathe in the sea!!!"
"I'm no longer afraid of the ocean!!!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, you like the story? Wow, who knew. Go ahead, drop a review and throw some power stones maybe I'll be motivated to keep going.
The story's already ahead on Patron. Go there if you want to catch up faster!
p@treon.com/_theon
Change @ to "a"