"Conqueror's Haki...!"
Zeff's pupils contracted sharply, his heart skipping a beat in shock.
"This guy... actually possesses the will of a king!"
That moment of stunned disbelief was all it took for his flurry of punches to come to a dead stop.
The second the assault ended, Ares finally had a chance to breathe. With a wrenching gasp, he spat out a mouthful of blood that sprayed across the sky like crimson mist.
His bloodshot eyes, full of killing intent, locked coldly onto the Marine Vice Admiral Zeff.
"Haha…"
"What terrifying strength. It's been a long, long time since I've felt pain like this…"
"Black Arm, Zeff!"
"Fighting you… is exhilarating! Absolutely exhilarating!"
The roar from Ares's dragon-like maw, still dripping with blood, reverberated through the air with a pungent, metallic scent of gore.
His monstrous face began to flush red and emit steam once more.
Blood Armament, Unleashed!!
The massive dragon head, followed by his long coiling body, dived from the sky toward Zeff like a bolt of red lightning.
"You lunatic!!"
Zeff cursed, looking at the maddened Ares, unable to help the chill creeping up his spine.
After taking dozens of his punches, Ares still had the will to fight back still had the strength to charge him with even more ferocity.
The man's fighting spirit… was horrifying.
"Bloodhand" Ares was proving to be even more unhinged than Garp himself a battle maniac through and through!
With no choice, Zeff grit his teeth and raised his fists once more.
The clash of blows rang out like thunder, shaking the skies and sea alike.
This battle alone lasted longer than the past three days combined.
More than twelve hours passed before Ares and Golden Lion Shiki returned to the ship.
Ares was covered in cuts and bruises, several ribs clearly broken, and even his mythical Zoan healing factor couldn't mend them quickly.
After all, his opponent was the Marine Vice Admiral, Black Arm Zeff.
"Zeff didn't hold back today, huh?" said Wang Zhi, eyes wide as he looked over Ares's battered form, swollen and bruised muscles mottled red and purple.
The sight sent a chill down his spine.
"If Ares hadn't been strong enough, he would've lost for sure today. But once he grows stronger, he'll crush Zeff and settle this score!"
The ship's doctor quickly treated Ares with painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicine.
The stinging sensation of the treatment didn't make Ares flinch in the slightest. Years of brutal training had forged in him the kind of pain tolerance that would make even Guan Yu proud.
With a confident smile on his face, he said, "Don't worry. I can feel it… I'm growing stronger by the day. It won't be long before I beat him."
In truth, this kind of intense battle was like a form of advanced training. The impact from Zeff's fists worked his body harder than any iron rod ever could.
It also honed his power, his technique, and his will.
Ares almost wished he could fight like this every single day.
"Rurururu… I believe in Boss Ares!" Kaido laughed from the side, his fighting spirit stirred by Ares's aura. He, too, yearned for battle.
"Once I master Moonwalk, I'll fight at your side in the skies, Boss Ares!"
Kaido made a silent vow to himself he would never again stand idle while Ares fought alone.
Never again would he let him fall into the sea before his eyes.
"By the way, Ares, how did you survive after falling into the ocean that day?" asked Silver Axe, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Wang Zhi and Golden Lion also turned toward Ares.
As Devil Fruit users themselves, they knew all too well that seawater was their natural enemy. Even Golden Lion avoided falling into the ocean at all costs.
One slip could mean death.
All eyes were on Ares as he calmly replied, "At first, I thought I was done for too. But then I remembered… my fruit is the Zoan-type Fish-Fish Fruit."
"So I transformed into my Azure Dragon form and I was able to breathe underwater."
"Fish-Fish Fruit?" Golden Lion's expression shifted in surprise. "This is the first time I've ever heard of a Zoan-type with a fish classification."
Wang Zhi was just as stunned. "Most Zoan-types are like Dog-Dog, Cat-Cat, Snake-Snake Fruits... Fish-type Zoans are extremely rare."
"The origin of Devil Fruits has always been shrouded in mystery," he continued. "No one knows where they came from or how they were formed."
Though Devil Fruits were widespread across the seas, their origin and mechanics remained a total enigma.
"Jihahaha… Who cares how they're made? As long as they give power, that's all that matters!" Golden Lion laughed gleefully.
"If Ares can breathe underwater, then he's no longer bound by that fatal seawater weakness!"
Wang Zhi smiled broadly. "Exactly. We may never understand Devil Fruits, but if Ares is now free to move in the sea…"
"Then the sky, the land, and even the ocean will be his battlefield!"
He then gestured subtly for Golden Lion to follow him. The two made their way to the rear of the ship.
Once there, Wang Zhi dropped his voice. "We need to act tonight. If the crew realizes we're running low on food, a riot could break out."
"And right after that long fight, the Marines won't have time to catch up either."
Golden Lion nodded, puffing his cigar. "Alright. I'll use my powers to lift the ship into the air. We'll reach the Kingdom of Prodence faster."
"And from the skies, we'll strike unseen."
"We fly in, raid the city, grab what we need and vanish."
With the cover of night, even a massive pirate ship wouldn't be easily spotted in the sky.
They both understood the mission: swift and ruthless.
Golden Lion turned to Wang Zhi. "How much do you know about the Kingdom of Prodence?"
Wang Zhi responded, "They've got a standing army of over a hundred thousand. And their king, Elizabello I, is no pushover. He's defeated some notorious pirates in the past."
He shared more details about the kingdom's defenses and layout.
Golden Lion furrowed his brow, inhaling deeply. "A surprise attack is our best bet. We raid the supplies and get out fast."
His eyes gleamed coldly. "Leave some trainees behind to cover our retreat. Whether they live or die... depends on their luck."
A cruel smirk played at the edge of his lips.
Wang Zhi understood perfectly. He nodded quietly. "I'll handle it."
Some pirates would become pawns decoys to distract and delay the enemy.
With their plan set, the two returned to the front of the ship.
Wang Zhi tapped his blade against the golden deck with a sharp clang clang, drawing every pirate's attention. He shouted, "Get ready for battle, boys!"
"Up ahead lies a rich island just begging to be plundered!"
"Gold! Booze! Curvy women! And all the rum you can drink!"
He knew exactly how to rile up a crew of cutthroats.
And sure enough…
The pirates' eyes lit up with wolfish gleams. Their bloodlust ignited.
One pirate raised his gleaming saber and shouted, "Watching Ares fight all day has fired me up! I'm ready to slash something!"
Another jeered, "Hah! You weren't complaining when you were practicing your hand speed last night!"
Embarrassed, the first pirate snapped back, "This time I want to feel the gun in my hand!"
Silver Axe smirked and shouted, "Hey, you sure it's a real gun you're talking about?!"
The whole deck erupted in raucous laughter.
Wang Zhi cleared his throat loudly, snapping everyone back to attention.
"Eat your fill, sharpen your blades, clean your weapons. If your knife's dull and you lose your head, don't come crying to me!"
"And hey check your guns. Don't wanna see any 'accidental discharges.'"
"Now…"
"I'll assign your roles!"
Meanwhile…
Back on the Marine warship, the ship doctor was wrapping Zeff's injuries with clean bandages.
Zeff, still grim-faced, turned to Garp and growled, "Garp, contact Fleet Admiral Kong. Request reinforcements."
"Bloodhand Ares… if he's allowed to grow, he'll become a threat not just to the Marines but to the entire world."
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