G-5 Marine Base, amidst the ruins.
Once a magnificent fortress, it now lay in ruins. Broken stones were scattered everywhere, and the space between the two levels of the building was empty, it was as if a chunk of it had been scooped out like butter. The entire G-5 base was filled with debris, and bodies lay scattered around.
This was the destructive power of the highest-ranking officers under a Yonko Pirate!
Standing on the ruins of a battleship, "Jack the Drought" held his Shotel blade, gleaming with a cold light. His steel mask emitted white vapor from its seams, and his presence was overwhelming. As he gazed at the approaching "shadows" in the distance, Jack grinned, "Have they finally arrived?"
Marine battleships had already reached a distance where they could be seen clearly without binoculars. They gradually came to a halt on the sea's surface.
Huā Lā La!!!
The Justice cloak fluttered in the strong wind, creating a hunting sound as a tall and imposing figure appeared at the forefront of the leading battleship. It was Admiral Akainu, the strongest combatant in the Marines. He pressed down his baseball cap and raised his hand.
Click! Click! Click!
At his command, there was no chaos or disorder, only the coordinated movements of a well-drilled machine. Quickly, on the battleships, artillery pieces were set up.
The Plasma Cannons, capable of destroying a large-scale pirate ship with a single shot, began charging up. Marine soldiers pushed rows of cannons into position, all aimed at the ruins of the G-5 Marine Branch.
Suddenly, a buzzing sound filled the air as rolling clouds were shattered by massive airborne entities. The colossal and azure silhouettes of war aircraft cast vast shadows against the sunlight. Admiral Akainu led the front line, Admiral Aokiji was in the middle, and the Undying Vice Admiral Rowen formed the rear guard.
Furthermore, the Headquarters Great Staff Officer and the formidable female Marine hero Tsuru were responsible for overall command. They were coordinated with hundreds of aircraft, thousands of battleships, and a hundred thousand elite Marine soldiers.
This was a formidable force capable of sweeping the world. Even if the Yonko Pirates were present, they would have the power to engage them head-on. And yet, this was only a portion of Marine's strength, without considering their other top-tier combatants.
This glimpse of Marines might left various factions observing in shock, chilled by their determination. At the same time, they were grateful that it wasn't their own forces provoking the Marines at this critical moment, but rather the Hundred Beasts Pirates, known for their stubbornness.
Compared to the vast Marine fleet that was as colossal as a Marinford, the enemy at G-5 Base was tiny.
They were just two individuals!
Jack stood on the wreckage of a battleship far from the coast, each hand holding a Shotel blade. Another figure, tall and clad in black attire with a samurai sword at its waist and a flame-patterned mask on its face, stood atop the fortress.
Apart from these two, there was no one else. It was just these two confronting a hundred thousand elite Marines!
"It seems like Kaido will definitely appear," One of the spectators signed, while a prominent figure from the Underground World. "I wonder where the world will go after this war."
To be honest, many of these observers hoped that Marines would lose the war. After all, the Marine's strength not only suppressed pirate chaos but also made the Underground World tremble in fear.
Since Rowan had cleared Jaya Island, Marine had never stopped cracking down on the Underground World. Some even referred to them as a pack of rabid dogs.
However, a Marine defeat might not necessarily be a good thing either. The Underground World had rules, and Marine, to some extent, adhered to them. Pirates, on the other hand, were notorious for their disregard of rules.
One person among the spectators asked with a puzzled expression on his face, "Sir, why do you think 'Hundred Beasts' Kaido will definitely appear? Is it to protect the Three Disasters?"
This was a force of a hundred thousand elite soldiers and Two Admirals. Even if it were Kaido, could he really turn the tide?
However, if Marines couldn't keep Jack and King, it seemed Marines didn't have any other options.
"Foolish!" The man gave the questioner a disdainful look, making the latter break out in a cold sweat.
On a battleship, Akainu watched the figure appearing at the top of the fortress ruins and clenched his fist. Magma dripped onto the deck, emitting billowing black smoke.
"King the Conflagration!!!"
"Calm down, Akainu!" Vice Admiral Tsuru stood calmly beside him and whispered, "He's showing up to provoke you! Consider your position!"
"Hmph! Naturally, I know!" Akainu retracted the magma that had spread around him and snorted.
"Then, Rowen!"
"Is it time?"
Zī Zī!
Electric sparks crackled in the surroundings, and a figure appeared beside them in an instant. Rowen, as if just waking up, yawned and gazed into the distance with deep, piercing eyes.
They could see each other clearly, and as soon as Rowen appeared, Jack grinned, opened his mouth wide, and roared to the sky.
"Rowen!!! Let's fight!!!"
With the roar echoing, a shockwave spread across the sea, whipping up white waves that crashed incessantly, causing a commotion in the battleship formation.
He released such terrifying power with just a roar. Were all the Yonko's subordinates monsters?
"Stay calm! Don't let Justice be tainted!" Akainu roared, calming down his soldiers, then patted Rowen on the shoulder.
"It's up to you!"
"Understood!"
Rowen's eyes blinked open, and a dazzling spark of determination gleamed in his eyes. He stood at the edge of the ship's deck, amidst the curious gazes of many, facing the sea, and took a step forward.
*Blink!*
The next moment, Jack's heart tightened, and he swung his Shotel blade in retaliation.
*Clang!*
*Slash!*
The clash of swords sent two Sword Energies bursting from their backs, tearing through the land and the ocean.
Sharp vigor erupted, and the ruins of the battleship on the spot exploded like bubbles, scattering into countless iron scraps.
Jack blocked Rowen's descending Thunder Cloud Sword with his Shotel blade. Suddenly, his iron chin shattered with a "crack," leaving a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.
With a somewhat puzzled expression on his face, he stuck out his tongue and licked the blood at the corner of his mouth. This taste of rust and blood stimulated Jack's aura, causing his power to surge once again as he pushed Rowen's arm away.
"Is sneak attacking the only thing you know, little bug?"
In front of Jack, who stood nearly four meters tall, Rowen, who had grown to a height of two meters and thirty-eight centimeters due to his Rokushiki training, indeed appeared small.
A vast surge of power spread throughout Rowen's body with the Thunder Cloud Sword as its focal point. Without any visible movements, Rowen's feet sank deep into the ground.
*Thud!*
After the resounding shock, a circular area with a radius of ten meters around Rowen suddenly sank, with soil and rocks flying in all directions.
"Jack the Drought" demonstrated the terrifying ferocity of his strength. However…
Even so, Rowen's movements of holding the Shotel blade with his own blade in both hands remained unchanged. Under Jack's astonished gaze, he slowly pushed back the Shotel blade.
*Overload Lightning Kick!*
*Whoosh… Bang!*
In an instant, Rowen completed two sets of rapid dodging and attacking movements. Caught off guard, Jack was ruthlessly kicked in the temple by Rowen, and he flew out like a cannonball.
The battle had started so suddenly that the onlookers barely had time to react. Jack had been kicked away by Rowen and crashed into the heart of the fortress. Along the way, he shattered several brick and stone houses and plowed a deep trench into the ground.
What kind of speed was this?
Pirates hiding in the shadows were suddenly filled with shock. They couldn't even trace his movements. Rowen's actions seemed to instantly send Jack flying.
"If you only know how to use brute force, don't blame others for sneak attacks."
Rowen disdainfully shook his head, spitting out a mouthful of saliva after he finished speaking.
Then, he raised Thunder Cloud Sword toward the top of the fortress, his eyes as cold as ice.
"It's you, isn't it? The one who tortured Mozambia."
"Hmm?"
This was a man whose physique was not much different from Jack's. He wore a black uniform with golden accents, and his face was concealed behind a black mask, making it difficult to discern his features. However, he had a distinctive characteristic— on his back were a pair of wings, similar to Magellan's but with a fiery appearance, composed of thin, flame-like feathers.
Upon hearing Rowen's question, King looked at him with confusion, then nodded. "Yes, what about it?"
"This Bastard! What does he want to do?!" Akainu exclaimed, gritting his teeth.
"Madman!" Tsuru gasped, murmuring to herself.
Sure enough, immediately afterward, Rowen crouched down and charged forward, almost instantly moving in front of King.
But this wasn't a Blink; it was an explosive acceleration of speed with inertia!
King stared in astonishment at Rowen, and Rowen's fist grew larger in his eyes.
*Thud!*
Hard stones flew in all directions, and the fortress-like structure crumbled.
Two figures dashed out of the smoke, one after the other.
As he looked at his fist caught by the opponent, Rowen, not surprised but rather pleased, grinned. "Why don't you join in, King of Conflagration? There's no need for Admiral Akainu to get involved!"
"Suicidal!"
King of Conflagration's eyes narrowed, and his right hand, resting on his waist, reached for his sword.
*Cremation: Rash*mon!*
*Bang!*
(End of this chapter)
You can read up to 70 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395.