Captain, you find a chance to get Shanks and the others out! I'll cover the rear! Barrett bit down on his lip as he stared at Sengoku before them.
He knew this man had come because of him—because he'd struck a Celestial Dragon. Cleaning up the mess, therefore, was naturally his responsibility.
"You idiot… You think we need you to clean up? It's just a Marine admiral! He's only one man. What, we should surrender without even trying?" Fang Yi licked his lips and said coldly. "Shanks—when the time comes, you and Barrett attack from left and right, don't let him get close to me! I'll provide ranged fire support!"
"Got it!" Shanks nodded firmly.
Barrett didn't argue further, but his eyes grew deadly serious.
"Go!" Fang Yi's voice was low, and as he fell back, Barrett and Shanks lunged forward. In the same instant, an arrow whistled from Fang Yi's bow, streaking toward Sengoku.
"Interesting." Sengoku smiled faintly. "Then I'll play with you for a while."
With that, he swung a fist straight at Fang Yi's arrow.
The ice-imbued shaft hurtled toward him, but Sengoku's Haki-clad punch shattered it instantly. It couldn't even slow him down. Switching hands, he pressed forward, one palm slamming down toward Barrett and Shanks.
Boom! Even though the two had spread apart per Fang Yi's warning, Sengoku's palm strike still swatted them both through the air like insects.
"Ugh—!" Shanks crashed to the ground, coughing blood as he tried to rise.
Barrett wasn't in much better shape, though his sturdier body let him stagger back to his feet.
The might of an admiral—truly terrifying.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Fang Yi's arrows continued to rain in, buying them precious seconds.
"Pointless." Sengoku dodged them with ease, chuckling. "Your ability is strange, I'll grant you that. Even if I dodge or destroy your arrows, they still find their mark. But with your level of strength? I could kill you several times over before you ever bring me down."
"But I'm not alone!" Fang Yi shot back.
As Sengoku weaved around the shafts, Barrett activated his Devil Fruit. All around, weapons were ripped from Marines' hands and drawn into his body, fusing with him until his frame ballooned to more than twice its size.
"Useless. You brats are coming with me. You dared attack a Celestial Dragon—if I let you escape, I'd never hear the end of it," Sengoku said softly, shaking his head.
"Captain, go! I'll hold him here!" Barrett roared. He knew victory was impossible—but if he went all out, he might stall Sengoku long enough.
"Bullshit! I've never had the habit of abandoning my crew! Don't give me that 'I'll cover the rear' crap again. Last time it was Buggy who dragged me off, or else it wouldn't have been your turn either! Sengoku—eat this!" Fang Yi snarled, loosing arrow after arrow in rapid-fire succession.
If one arrow wasn't enough, then a hundred would have to do. If just one triggered Stun or Critical, it could give them the opening they needed.
But Sengoku clearly had no intention of letting him keep up the barrage. With a flash, he surged straight at Fang Yi.
"Damn it! Shanks, take the captain and run!" Barrett bellowed, throwing himself bodily at Sengoku.
But Shanks didn't obey. Instead, he let out a sharp laugh—and unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.
"Conqueror's Haki?" Sengoku froze mid-strike, caught off guard by the wave of raw willpower radiating from Shanks.
"Die!" Barrett's Haki-coated fist slammed forward in that instant.
Sengoku blocked, but the force was enough to make him reevaluate. "Conqueror's Haki… a body-strengthening Devil Fruit user… and you, an archer with that bizarre ability… Looks like I really can't keep holding back."
The earlier pain from Fang Yi's arrows still lingered faintly within him. These pests weren't without teeth.
"Barrett, keep him busy!" Fang Yi called, eyes lighting up.
"Right!" Barrett wiped blood from his mouth and nodded grimly. He knew exactly what Fang Yi was planning—and only one move might give them hope.
"You still haven't given up?" Sengoku sighed, glancing at the three surrounding him.
"Of course not! How would we know we can't win unless we try?" Fang Yi retorted. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something—their fallen crewmates were gone from where they had been lying.
During the clash, Lucky Roux had regained consciousness and quietly carried Tiffany and Jessica back to the Dragon Wolf.
"Yaaahhh!" Barrett bellowed and charged.
Armored in steel from his fruit, he looked like a living war machine.
Thwip-thwip-thwip! Fang Yi's arrows followed, ordinary shafts this time—greater odds of triggering Stun or Critical.
Last came Shanks. His expression hardened, and with another burst of Conqueror's Haki, he darted in from Sengoku's blind spot, sword flashing.
"I told you… It's useless."
Sengoku's body flared gold. In a burst of light, he assumed his colossal Buddha form.
With one massive palm, he smacked Barrett clean out of his armored fusion. Blood and shards of steel painted an arc in the air as Barrett hurtled away.
One strike—enough to shatter his fusion state and wound him deeply.
Meanwhile, Fang Yi's arrows rattled harmlessly against Sengoku's golden frame. He had considered using Flame Dragon Burst, but there was no chance to charge—it was all he could do to keep firing.
Clang, clang, clang! Each shot struck true, but Sengoku's defense was impenetrable.
Still, Fang Yi's system told him that Precision had been activated. He refused to believe Sengoku could shrug it off forever.
And Sengoku seemed to sense the same. After swatting Barrett aside, he moved on to Fang Yi—but Shanks' blade was already descending.
"Impressive teamwork," Sengoku admitted.
Yet his movements didn't falter—his palm swept toward Shanks.
Fang Yi fired again. Sengoku hesitated for just a split second—then chose.
Better to eat the arrow and crush Shanks first.
Thud! Just as his palm was about to connect, his body froze.
"A chance!" Shanks' eyes blazed. His sword cut across Sengoku's chest.
Shhk! Blood flew—then a massive palm sent him hurtling away.
One of Fang Yi's arrows had triggered Stun. Brief, but enough for Shanks to land a blow before Sengoku recovered.
"Remarkable little brats," Sengoku murmured, glancing at the shallow wound across his chest. "But in exchange… your lives as pirates end here."
With a blur, he vanished, arrows whistling through the space he had occupied.
"So fast!" Fang Yi's eyes narrowed. For such a massive body to move that swiftly… unbelievable.
Before he could even think to run, Sengoku was towering in front of him.
Fang Yi braced himself to take the blow head-on—
—but a figure suddenly appeared before him, intercepting the strike.
"Barrett!" Fang Yi roared, loosing an arrow point-blank at Sengoku's head.
It was indeed Barrett, reforged with even more steel than before, his body larger than ever.
"Hmph. Great Buddha: Shockwave!" Sengoku snorted, his palm blasting Barrett away. The follow-up shockwave surged toward Fang Yi.
There was no dodging. Fang Yi grit his teeth, ready to take the hit—
Ding!
"Skill Divine Protection (Lv 2) triggered. Immune to this attack. Uses remaining this month: (1/2)."
Fang Yi staggered back, stunned. Sengoku's attack had been lethal—yet his skill had activated, nullifying it completely.
Even Sengoku was shocked. He had struck true, but the boy stood there unharmed.
Woof! Woof!
At that moment, barking echoed from the direction of the Dragon Wolf.
All of this—the clash, the injuries, the miracle—had unfolded in the span of mere moments.
Back on the ship, Lucky Roux had ensured Tiffany and Jessica were safe. He had been ready to charge back into battle—but Tiffany stopped him.
Instead, Jessica roused Wangcai, their loyal dog, while Tiffany and Lucky Roux prepared the ship for immediate departure.
By the time Wangcai was awake, Fang Yi was already sent flying. The dog didn't hesitate—he bolted straight for his master.