"Who is that person?"
"Is he the Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, Kizaru?"
To most people who had never seen them, the three Admirals of the Navy were almost like legendary figures. Therefore, seeing the golden lightning emanating from Vivian, many citizens who only knew that Kizaru was a Logia-type Glint-Glint Fruit user were a bit confused.
"But isn't Kizaru supposed to be a middle-aged man?"
"Yeah, this young man looks at most in his early twenties. Is he really Kizaru?"
"I don't know… What if he just looks young but is actually fifty years old?"
Someone speculated.
But in any case, upon learning that Vivian was not on the pirates' side, the citizens breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Although they were not quite sure whether the government or the pirates scared them more…
The clash of swords resumed.
Zoro, covered in blood, stood opposite Vivian, his desire for battle growing stronger.
He had wanted to fight Vivian ever since their last encounter during his escape, but he hadn't expected the gap in their strength to be so vast.
Although the gap was smaller compared to his fight with Mihawk in the East Blue, it still didn't give him the feeling of being utterly invincible. Yet, he knew he was far from being a match for the person in front of him.
However…
So what if he couldn't win?
If he didn't fight until the last moment, until he was utterly exhausted, how could he live up to the vow he made back then?
The word "retreat" did not exist in his dictionary.
After all, having a wound on his back was a swordsman's greatest shame.
"Demon Aura: Nine-Sword Style…"
"Nine-Sword Style?"
Vivian raised an eyebrow and assumed a stance as well.
Neither of them used Haki, but Vivian was confident that the power of his Thunder Breathing was far beyond what Zoro could handle.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
"Asura: Demon Nine Flashes!"
With the illusionary aura of the cursed sword, Zoro seemed to grow three heads and six arms, wielding nine blades that slashed towards the rapidly approaching Vivian.
Clang—!
The crisp sound of blades clashing.
Some might say that nine swords against one sword gave Zoro the advantage, but Vivian would tell you…
More swords do not necessarily mean better.
By maximizing his speed and strength, he showed the greatest respect he could for Zoro as a fellow swordsman.
The two switched positions again.
As Vivian stood still, Zoro's tightly clenched Wadō Ichimonji fell from his mouth, landing in the dirt at his feet.
Bang!
Zoro collapsed forward. Having not fully recovered from the injuries sustained during the Thriller Bark incident and Kuma's attack, and now being severely wounded by Vivian, Zoro could no longer withstand the immense pain and passed out.
"Is it over?"
Saint Charlos's two bodyguards exclaimed.
The fight between Vivian and Zoro had been so intense that they didn't dare to get close, hiding in the surrounding alleys with the citizens.
Now, seeing Zoro lying on the ground, completely incapacitated, the bodyguards quickly removed their sunglasses and rushed out, pointing at Vivian, "You, good job. Quickly take this guy to the hospital and help treat Lord Charlos's injuries!"
"Treat his injuries?"
Vivian was stunned for a moment, then walked over to Zoro, lifted him from the ground, and looked at the bodyguard, saying, "Sorry, I'm here on a mission. That minor injury, I think the local doctors can treat it quickly, right? Besides, I captured this guy, and I'll personally take him to Impel Down for imprisonment, so you don't need to worry."
After saying that, he ignored the bodyguard and walked straight ahead.
…
On the other side.
Among the Eleven Supernovas, Scratchmen Apoo, Capone Bege, Urouge, and Basil Hawkins were hiding nearby, witnessing the entire process, and then exchanged glances.
"That person shouldn't be a Navy Admiral," Capone Bege said.
He was from the West Blue and had been roaming the Grand Line for many years. He was an experienced pirate and naturally knew the appearances of the three Navy Admirals very well.
"But when did the Marines produce such a powerful young man?" he muttered to himself.
At the same time, he felt a bit worried.
An Admiral was on his way to the Sabaody Archipelago, and now there was another powerful young Navy…
Do they, the pirates, really have a chance to escape from here?
"Maybe we should leave here first and continue to the New World after the situation calms down."
"Apoo laughed loudly, his hands instantly turning into drums, and began to beat rhythmically along with his laughter.
"As long as we finish coating before the Admiral arrives and then escape, won't that be fine?"
As he finished speaking, Hawkins, who was playing with tarot cards, suddenly spoke, "If we escape now, the survival rate is 54%, but if we stay, the survival rate is 45%…"
"What about the remaining 1%?" Urouge asked.
"Unknown variables…" Hawkins said expressionlessly.
Variables?
A factor that could change the current probabilities.
He pondered deeply.
At this moment, Capone Bege, who was bumped and stepped on by two fleeing civilians, unhesitatingly raised his gun and shot through the person's heart.
"Ah!!!"
The civilian fell to the ground, and the seven or eight-year-old girl he was holding burst into tears.
"Shut up…" Bege frowned, took out his gun, and was about to shoot again when Hawkins stopped him.
"Wait… if we stay, the survival rate drops to 20%."
A sudden drop of 24%?
What's going on?
Everyone was puzzled.
"I think the problem lies with these civilians…" Hawkins thought for a moment, then picked up the little girl and placed her by the roadside, "Run away quickly, or I'll kill you too."
The girl wiped her tears and ran into an alley. After she disappeared, Hawkins used his tarot cards again and concluded, "Now the probability is back to over 40%."
"So, it really was because of that little girl?" The group was surprised.
"I feel… if we want to enter the New World safely, we should restrain ourselves and stop killing the civilians on this island," Hawkins added.