"They're Gecko Moria and Crocodile! Both of them have bounties exceeding 100 million beri!"
Vice Admiral Dais growled, his teeth clenched.
If he could capture these two infamous pirates at once, his promotion to admiral at Marine Headquarters would be guaranteed.
"Hoho! Have you come to rescue your fellow pirate? How touching! Pirates are really one big happy family, huh?"
Dais mocked, pressing his foot harder against Daz Bones' face.
"Eh heh heh heh! We didn't come to rescue anyone. We're just here to cause some mayhem! Got a problem with that?" Moria sneered, completely unfazed by the vice admiral's taunts.
"Oh, is that so? Not here to save your 'friend,' huh? I must've given you too much credit. Pirates are as ruthless as ever—betraying each other without hesitation. Why would I think someone like you would help a comrade?"
Dais threw his head back and laughed.
Crocodile narrowed his eyes, his irritation boiling over. "I can tolerate killing, but trampling someone's pride? That's crossing the line. Get your filthy foot off him."
"Fine," Dais sneered, removing his foot. "I'm tired of stepping on this trash anyway. Maybe I'll stomp on the two of you instead!"
Dais removed his coat, his muscles bulging as he activated his Zoan ability. In an instant, he transformed into a massive humanoid pug, courtesy of his Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Pug.
"Vice Admiral Dais has activated his Zoan powers! Everyone, fall back!"
A seasoned Marine shouted, and the rest of the crew immediately retreated.
At first, Moria and Crocodile seemed intrigued by Dais' transformation. But their initial excitement turned to disappointment as they took in his pug-like form.
"What is this?" Moria asked, gesturing at Dais in disbelief.
"A dog," Crocodile replied flatly.
"What kind?"
"I'm not sure, but it looks like a mutt."
"I see. I've never fought a dog before. Have you?"
"Nope, but I've heard that when dealing with animals, you need to hit their weak point."
"Oh? I thought that was for snakes?"
"Doesn't matter. Animals are all the same," Crocodile replied dismissively.
"So where's the weak point on a dog?"
"Who knows? Maybe it's the tail."
The two pirates burst into laughter, openly mocking their opponent.
"You two! Enough of your shameless chatter!" Dais roared, charging at them in a blind rage.
"Looks like the dog's getting agitated," Moria quipped.
"And a cornered dog always jumps over the wall," Crocodile added dryly.
Even as they dodged and parried Dais' wild attacks, the two continued their playful banter, showing no signs of taking the fight seriously.
To any observer, it looked less like a battle and more like a pair of seasoned hunters toying with an unruly mutt.
---
Marine Observation
"Those two are incredible! They're fighting Vice Admiral Dais without even breaking a sweat!"
"Vice Admiral Dais might actually lose at this rate."
"Shouldn't we help him?"
"Don't even think about it. Vice Admiral Dais doesn't differentiate between friend and foe during a fight. You'd just end up as collateral damage."
Despite their whispered concerns, none of the Marines dared to step forward.
---
Back on the battlefield, Dais growled, his eyes glowing red with fury. "Are you two cowards done dodging? Stop playing around and face me head-on!"
"We're not done playing yet. What's the rush?" Moria replied, his grin widening.
"It's rare to see such an entertaining mad dog. Naturally, we want to enjoy this a little longer," Crocodile added, uncharacteristically aligning with Moria's playful tone.
The two exchanged a knowing glance, silently agreeing to continue the farce.
"Enough!" Dais bellowed, his body trembling with rage as he lunged at them again.
---
Enter Daz Bones
Meanwhile, unnoticed by most, a figure leapt onto the Marine warship's deck and approached Daz Bones.
"Oi, are you alright? I'll get you out of here," Kaizen said quietly, crouching beside him.
Daz's gaze remained fixed on Dais, his eyes burning with hatred. "Just remove the Seastone chains. I'll handle the rest."
Kaizen sighed, sensing the weight of Daz's emotions. "Your body's in no condition to fight. Let them handle it."
"My comrades… he slaughtered them all right in front of me. If I don't avenge them, I'll never forgive myself!"
Daz's voice trembled with suppressed rage, his fists clenched tightly.
Kaizen understood. Without another word, he coated his hand in Busoshoku Haki and shattered the Seastone chains with ease.
Freed at last, Daz slowly rose to his feet. Despite his battered appearance, his towering frame exuded an aura of raw menace. He was like a specter of vengeance, a man driven by unyielding resolve.
Kaizen stepped back, watching silently as Daz moved forward. "Go. Do what you must."
Daz nodded, then advanced toward the battlefield.
---
The Turning Point
Moria and Crocodile noticed the sudden change in the air. Turning, they saw Daz Bones striding forward, his eyes blazing with purpose.
"So that's how it is," Crocodile muttered, a flicker of admiration crossing his face.
"Alright, we'll leave the dog to him!" Moria said, sitting down with an exaggerated sigh of relief.
Crocodile remained standing, his gaze fixed on Daz.
Dais noticed the shift in attention and turned to face his new challenger. "You? The defeated? What do you think you're going to accomplish here? Fall before me again!"
Daz said nothing. Gripping his blades tightly, he surged forward with deadly precision, his silhouette like a vengeful ghost emerging from the depths of hell.