A dazzling mushroom cloud erupted from the center of the island, followed by a scorching blast of air. The shockwave, thick with dust and pulverized rock, surged outward in every direction. Under this overwhelming force, the entire island trembled violently. Large stretches of ancient forest were uprooted in an instant, the intense heat turning the lush trees into nothing but charcoal.+4
Deuce and the rest of the Spade Pirates were knocked off their feet by the terrifying impact. They rolled across the jagged ground before finally coming to a stop, battered and covered in thick dust. As they struggled to sit up, their ears buzzed with a deafening ring, and the world seemed to spin.+4
It took a long time for the gale to subside and the dust to settle. When the air finally cleared, a massive crater over a hundred meters in diameter was revealed, looking as if an extraterrestrial meteorite had struck the earth. The heat had been so intense that the rocks at the bottom of the pit were vitrified, shimmering with an eerie, glass-like glow. Wisps of white steam rose steadily from the scorched center.+4
At the very bottom of the pit lay Hanevza. His massive body was charred black, and he had reverted to his human form, lying completely unconscious. Near the edge of the deep crater, Ace stood swaying on his feet. The world before him twisted and blurred as his strength finally failed. His body went limp, and he fell straight backward onto the hard ground.+4
"Ace!" Deuce screamed.+1
"Captain!" the others cried out.+1
Disregarding their own injuries, the crew scrambled toward the crater and gathered around their fallen leader.+1
"Quick! Check his wounds!" Deuce shouted.+1
After a tense moment of examination, one of the crew members let out a shaky breath. "He's okay. He just fainted from exhaustion".+1
Hearing those words, the crew felt their hearts finally drop back into their chests. A wave of relief washed over them, quickly followed by a surge of post-battle euphoria. They looked down at the powerful enemy defeated at the bottom of the pit, then back at their captain. Their faces were filled with the pride of having survived a major encounter with a world-class power.+4
"We actually did it... we took down a high-ranking officer of the Beasts Pirates!" one crew member cheered.+1
"Captain Ace is incredible!" another added.+1
While some celebrated, others moved quickly to tie up the unconscious Hanevza, ensuring he was securely bound. By defeating such a formidable foe, the Spade Pirates' reputation was bound to echo throughout the New World. To them, it felt like a victory for Marine justice.+4
However, their joy was short-lived.+1
As they began to gather their things and tend to their wounds, small black dots appeared on the horizon of the sea.+1
"What's that?" a crew member asked, pointing toward the distance in confusion.+1
As the dots drew closer, their silhouettes became terrifyingly clear: pirate ships. On the sails of every vessel, the skull emblem of the Beasts Pirates fluttered in the wind, a sight that made their hearts stop. More than a dozen ships sailed in from all directions, completely encircling the island.+4
The faces of the Spade Pirates turned pale. "How... how are there so many of them?" someone whispered.+1
The decks of the enemy ships were crowded with "Gifters," pirates who had gained strange animal traits. They stared at the ploughed-over state of the island and Hanevza, who was tied up like a bundle. Their initial shock quickly turned into a rowdy, mocking discussion.+4
"No way! Boss Hanevza actually got beat?" one Gifter yelled.+1
"The opponent is that Marine rookie, Ace! He's got some real skill to pull that off".+1
"Too bad for them. This is where their journey ends".+1
A burly man with the head of a lion leaped from the bow of the lead ship, landing heavily on the shore. He scanned the exhausted and wounded Spade Pirates with a cruel smile, like a cat watching a cornered mouse.+1
"Bring both Ace and Boss Hanevza back to Kaido-sama! As for the rest of these runts... if they resist, kill them without mercy!" the lion-headed Gifter commanded.+1
Despair settled over the Spade Pirates. They had just survived a life-or-death struggle, their strength was gone, and their most powerful fighter was unconscious. Facing hundreds of fresh enemies, they had no chance of winning.+4
"Damn it..." Deuce hissed, gritting his teeth as he pulled Ace's limp body behind him. His eyes burned with a desperate, final light. "If you want to touch our captain, you'll have to go through me first!".+1
"Yeah! Let's fight to the end!" the others shouted, drawing their weapons. They formed a defensive circle around Ace, using their broken bodies as a final shield.+1
"You're overestimating yourselves!" the Gifter snorted. He waved his hand dismissively. "Charge!".+1
The members of the Beasts Pirates surged forward like a tide. The battle that followed was brief and one-sided. The Spade Pirates roared, swinging their swords with the last of their energy, but their resistance was powerless against the sheer numbers. One by one, they were struck down, their blood staining the rocky ground. Even as they fell, they tried to stay in their protective circle around Ace.+4
"Hmph. A bunch of fools," the lion-headed Gifter muttered as he walked up to Ace and kicked him to check for a reaction. "Throw him in with the others".+1
Just like that, the Spade Pirates—once hailed as the rising stars of the Marines—were all captured.+1
Ace slowly regained consciousness in a dark, damp cell. He shook his groggy head, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the sight of cold stone walls and rusty iron bars. When he tried to move, a chilling, bone-deep sensation of powerlessness washed over him. It felt as if his very soul had been drained of its strength.+4
"Where am I...?" he whispered.+2
"Captain! You're awake!" Deuce's weak voice called out from the shadows.+1
Ace turned his head quickly. In the dim light, he saw his companions chained to the walls. They were all injured and battered, their faces showing a mix of defeat and frustration.+1
"Deuce! Everyone! What happened? Didn't we win the fight?" Ace asked, his voice filled with anxiety.+2
Deuce smiled bitterly and explained everything that had happened after Ace fainted. Ace listened in silence as his fingernails dug deep into his palms.+1
"It's because of me..." Ace muttered, his voice trembling with regret. "If I hadn't used up all my strength... if I were just a little bit stronger...". A massive wave of self-blame hit him as he looked at his suffering crew.+4
"I'm sorry, everyone. This is all my fault," Ace said, his voice breaking with pain.+2
"Captain, stop that nonsense!" a crew member with a bandaged face barked, grinning to show a missing tooth. "We're Marines! Fighting pirates to the death is just part of the job. We took down a high-ranking officer, and that's enough for me!".+1
"That's right! Even if I'm going down, I'm taking a bite out of them first!" another added.+1
In a far corner, a crew member with a broken arm actually managed to laugh. "Hey, Captain! Don't look so miserable. Did you forget? Our goal is to be the strongest Marines and catch all the big pirates. Think of this as meeting the final boss early for a bit of scouting!".+1
Ace listened to them, his eyes reddening. He lowered his head, hiding his face so they wouldn't see his weakness.+4
Just then, the heavy cell door creaked open. The lion-headed Gifter stepped inside, looking at the prisoners with a wide grin.+1
"Hey, Ace! Kaido-sama wants to see you".
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