BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Another round of cannon fire roared through the air.
This time, the cannonballs landed even closer to the Marine warship.
Everyone on board knew—this was a warning from the pirates.
While fear gripped their hearts, an even stronger feeling burned within them—rage.
The proud Marines were being treated like mere flies, swatted away at the whim of these pirates. It was humiliating!
Watching the waves churn from the impact, the lieutenant's face grew anxious. He urged,
"Rear Admiral, we must retreat immediately."
"If we don't, the next round of cannon fire will hit us directly!"
The Marine rear admiral's expression was grim. "Just a little longer."
"At the very least, we need to confirm exactly who is on that ship."
He refused to accept the idea that they couldn't even complete a simple reconnaissance mission.
The lieutenant opened his mouth to protest, but the rear admiral cut him off.
"This information will soon reach Marine Headquarters. Reinforcements may already be on their way. The higher-ups will never allow two Emperors to meet."
"If the two so-called 'Fifth Emperors' join forces, it would be a disaster for the entire world."
The lieutenant pursed his lips in silence for a moment before asking softly,
"So, if necessary, you're prepared to stop them?"
"Yes."
The rear admiral nodded firmly, gripping his "Justice"-emblazoned cape as his eyes burned with resolve.
"The moment I put on this uniform, I was ready."
"To sacrifice myself for justice is my life's mission."
A bitter smile crept onto the lieutenant's lips. He didn't argue further.
Just then—
"Rear Admiral! We've identified the enemy!"
A Marine lookout shouted from the crow's nest, his voice trembling.
"It's Wildfire King, one of the Three Calamities of the Beasts Pirates!"
The Marine's forehead was drenched in cold sweat. His whole body trembled uncontrollably.
"What?!"
Before the rear admiral could react, the lieutenant gasped in shock.
"Are you certain?"
"Y-Yes! There's no mistake! It's definitely Wildfire King! And there's also another pirate wearing an onihime mask!"
Hearing the confirmation, the rear admiral's face darkened.
Even though he had just arrived in the New World, he knew all too well how powerful Wildfire King was.
He had assumed this was just an ordinary Beasts Pirates vessel, but now, he realized—
One of Kaido's top three commanders was here in person.
"Immediately report this to Marine Headquarters!"
The rear admiral barked the order.
If Wildfire King was here in person, it meant something major was happening.
They had to inform HQ immediately so they could prepare.
The lieutenant nodded gravely and quickly pulled out a Den Den Mushi to make the call.
But before he could even dial—
WHOOSH!
The rear admiral's muscles tensed instinctively. His eyes widened as his hand gripped the hilt of his sword.
The lieutenant hesitated for a split second before following the rear admiral's gaze—
Above them.
A massive shadow loomed in the sky.
A tall, masked figure hovered in midair, flames roaring from his back, two massive black wings beating the air.
Wildfire King.
The lieutenant felt his breath catch in his throat.
The rear admiral steadied himself and called out, his voice firm despite the fear gnawing at his gut—
"King! What do you intend to do?"
He locked eyes with the masked pirate, gripping his sword tightly but making no reckless moves.
Against ordinary Beasts Pirates, he still had the confidence to fight.
But against Wildfire King?
He knew—he didn't stand a chance.
Wildfire King hovered in the air, his golden eyes peering down at the warship with utter disdain.
"Like flies…"
His voice was cold and emotionless.
"I hadn't planned on dealing with you."
"But since you refuse to leave… then you can stay here—forever."
With an icy declaration, he unsheathed his sword.
The blade gleamed menacingly in the light.
This alliance with the Thunder God Pirates was too important.
At first, he had merely intended to chase the Marines away.
But after two rounds of warning shots, they still refused to back off—
And that irritated him.
He had no patience for Marines.
Not after the painful tortures he had suffered at their hands in the past.
Even now, the memories still burned.
Wildfire King's flames flickered violently behind him, casting a crimson glow across his eyes. A cruel smirk formed beneath his mask.
With a casual flick of his sword—
SWOOSH!
A massive flying slash surged forward, slicing through the air like a crescent moon, hurtling toward the Marine warship.
"Damn it!"
The Marine rear admiral's face twisted in horror.
He immediately unsheathed his sword, coating the blade with Armament Haki, and leapt forward to intercept the attack.
CLANG!
The two forces collided.
But the difference in power was overwhelming.
In the rear admiral's terrified eyes—
CRACK!
His sword snapped in two.
And before he could even react—
SLASH!
The devastating slash sliced through his shoulder, severing his entire arm.
"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Blood gushed as the Marine rear admiral let out an agonized scream, his body spiraling toward the ocean below.
But the flying slash did not stop.
BOOM!!!
It cleaved straight through the warship, splitting it in half like a hot knife through butter.
The Marines aboard the ship watched in sheer terror.
"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"
"The ship is sinking!"
"Rear Admiral-sama is no match for him! We're doomed!"
Panic-stricken Marines plunged into the sea, their cries of despair echoing through the air.
Wildfire King didn't spare them a second glance.
With a mere flick of his cape, he turned away, flying off without hesitation.
—Some time later.
A lone figure emerged from the ocean, gasping for breath.
It was the Marine lieutenant, dragging an unconscious Marine along with him—
The rear admiral, now missing an arm.
He carefully placed the wounded officer onto a floating plank of wood, then turned toward the horizon.
In the distance, the Beasts Pirates' ship had already shrunk to the size of a tiny black speck.
The lieutenant exhaled deeply.
They were lucky to be alive.
The moment Wildfire King had appeared, he had accepted his own death.
But after unleashing just one attack, the Calamity had lost interest in them.
As if they were nothing but insignificant insects.
"Too weak to be worth a second strike..."
A bitter smile formed on the lieutenant's lips.
Never had he imagined that one day, he would survive a pirate's mercy.
—BRRRRR! BRRRRR!
The Den Den Mushi rang, snapping him back to reality.
He quickly answered.
"Moshi moshi! This is Marine Headquarters. What's your status?"
A voice from HQ demanded an update.
The lieutenant swallowed hard before replying:
"We were attacked by the Beasts Pirates. Our warship was destroyed."
"The one who struck us down was none other than Wildfire King, one of Kaido's Three Calamities."
"He is currently heading toward Dressrosa."
"Requesting immediate rescue from the nearest Marine vessel!"
Silence.
For two seconds, the HQ officer on the other end didn't respond—processing the shocking news.
Then—
"Understood. We will dispatch the nearest warship for emergency rescue."
"Confirm this—Wildfire King is heading for Dressrosa?"
"Is Kaido with him?"
"Are there any other notable figures present?"
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T/N:
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