"Took me lightly? I was tearing up battlefields when you were still on milk." Tsunade's lip curled. She raised her right hand again, pink knuckles tightening as she hammered for Capone Bege.
A clear spike of danger shot up Bege's spine.
"Castle. Blast."
He backpedaled hard with a barked command. In a blink, tiny blades, forks, spears and halberds sprouted from his body.
While Tsunade blinked, the weapons swelled in the wind, ballooning dozens of times over into a forest of iron meant to cut her to ribbons.
"Heh. Try this."
Seeing Tsunade's eyes narrow, Bege sneered and sent hundreds of gleaming weapons howling toward her.
"Careful, sis!"
Peach Rabbit's face changed. Her right foot stamped and she shot upward.
"Shave."
Her figure flickered. In the next instant she appeared behind Tsunade, wrapped her arms around her, twisted, and wove them through the storm of steel.
"Hmph. Think a helper will save you?" Bege mocked, murder bright in his eyes.
The blades wheeled midair and chased the two women the moment they veered away.
"Peach Rabbit, put me down so I can pulp him." Tsunade's expression frosted. She wanted nothing more than to end this skulking rat with one punch.
"Hold on. Dodge the barrage first." Peach Rabbit's mind raced. She exploded into the Navy's Six Powers footwork.
"Moonwalk."
Her jade heels stamped the air a dozen times each second, carrying them in a darting climb.
"Kill."
Bored of playing, Bege let the killing intent surge. The iron flock sped up, scissoring through the air toward the women.
"Damn." Peach Rabbit's face chilled. The steel storm was closing and about to hit.
"Shave."
Her body twisted again, arcing them higher. The mass of blades slammed straight into the giant stone stele carved with Lord Liu Yun's rules. Several lines were gouged and blurred.
"They dodged it."
Fish-Man Island citizens exhaled as one, sweat beading on brows that finally eased when the two women slipped past death.
"Thank goodness."
"Damn Capone Bege. Does he not understand how terrifying Lord Liu Yun is?"
"Look. He just chopped up the rules Lord Liu Yun set."
"What?"
Necks craned. Where a moment ago the warning script had been crisp, now many characters were marred and unreadable.
"Bastard. How dare he defile Lord Liu Yun's words."
"Those rules were set by Lord Liu Yun. He not only broke them, he wrecked the tablet. He is dead for sure." A fish-woman's eyes brimmed with hate as she glared at Bege.
"He will be punished. The will of Lord Liu Yun cannot be profaned."
"Kill him. Kill him."
The moment Bege damaged Liu Yun's rules, fury boiled over. Citizens ground their teeth, ready to devour him alive.
The pirates looked equally shaken, some even pitying the man.
Bege ignored the uproar. He swept the crowd with a cold grin. "A bunch of nobodies. Low-born trash daring to yap before me."
"Castle. Tank."
Bang.
White vapor frothed around him. His legs turned into churning treads. He was a tank of flesh and iron.
"Worms. I will grind you under."
Cigar clenched, Bege laughed, blood lust thick, and the treads screamed as his bulk rumbled toward the civilians.
"Protect the citizens. Hold until Lord Liu Yun returns."
A royal guardsman's shout split the air. Soldiers poured out from the rear ranks.
Most islanders were ordinary folk without strength to resist. Aside from the bruisers who haunted the backstreets, only the Royal Guard could fight.
Ranks of guards sprinted in with spears and blades, throwing up a living wall before the crowd and shepherding everyone behind their shields.
Since Lord Liu Yun became the island's patron, no pirate had dared make trouble here. The army's mobilization had grown lax. King Neptune had even mused about disbanding them entirely.
Peaceful times felt like they needed no soldiers.
No one expected that before a month had passed someone would be foolish enough to cause chaos on Fish-Man Island.
Ryugu Palace
In the resplendent hall, King Neptune lounged upon the dragon throne, admiring the harvest of the past ten days. Gold and stacks of berries carpeted the floor, making his eyes blur.
A soldier burst in from outside, skidded to his knees and panted, face ashen.
"What is this? A soldier of Fish-Man Island, under Lord Liu Yun's protection, and yet you panic?" Neptune frowned down at him.
"R report, Your Majesty. F Fish-Man Island… Fish-Man Island has pirates making trouble."
"What? Trouble?"
Neptune's pleasant smile vanished, replaced by roaring anger. "Unforgivable. How? With Lord Liu Yun guarding us, and still they dare? Do they wish for death? Which pirates?"
"Reporting… Capone Bege and the Big Mom Pirates."
"What? Big Mom?" Neptune dismissed the weakling Bege at once. The true threat was Big Mom.
"What is the situation?" His whiskers trembled as he asked.
"Miss Peach Rabbit and Miss Tsunade have gone to resist them, but it looks like they are having a hard time."
"Damn it. Muster the Royal Guard. We ride."
Neptune swept to his feet and strode from the hall.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Help."
"Save me. I do not want to die."
"Mama. Mama."
The streets of Fish-Man Island had fallen into chaos. Civilians ran in all directions. Forgotten terrors they had not felt in ages surged back to swallow their minds.
"Shield the people. Prepare to fight."
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