"'Wind Sword Modi'... So that's the swordsman whose bounty broke 100 million two years ago?" White Lion Brent mused grimly, his brow furrowed as he stared at the distant figure. "He wasn't reported on Kullen Island... It seems Capone Bege has been deliberately kiting us these past few days, waiting specifically for him to arrive." He assessed the power needed to counter his earlier attack. "To be able to block my Heaven-Rending Slash like that... this Modi's strength must be equivalent to at least a 300 million bounty."
Mad Tiger Simon's face remained cold, his eyes overflowing with chilling killing intent. "Excellent. He came right to us," Simon stated flatly. "Now we can wipe them all out in one fell swoop." He turned to his communications officer. "Signal the fleet! Full speed ahead! Run them down!"
Signal flags fluttered across the warships. Instantly, all seven vessels surged forward, accelerating simultaneously, carving deep wakes through the sea as they sped in pursuit of the Fire Tank Pirates.
Modi's flying ship, still swaying slightly from the force of the earlier impact, approached the Sky God. Modi, accompanied by Gilon and several dozen other fighters, leaped down onto the main deck. As the smaller vessel descended further, Bege casually retracted it, storing it safely within his internal castle-body.
Without delay, Bege gazed towards the rapidly closing warships, a cold light glinting in his eyes. The Sky God changed course abruptly, making a dash towards the nearest landmass – a deserted, unnamed island.
The massive ship quickly reached the island's shore. Bege and all designated combat members of his crew disembarked, taking up positions on the beach and within the edge of the jungle, awaiting the Marines' arrival.
"They want to fight us on the island? A foolish notion," Mad Tiger Simon sneered, easily seeing through Bege's plan to negate the Marines' naval advantage. He raised a hand dismissively. "Order all ships: commence saturation bombardment! Level this island and bury those pirates beneath the rubble!"
The seven warships quickly adjusted their positions, bringing their main cannons to bear on the island. In an instant, hundreds of cannons across the fleet fired simultaneously. A terrifying wave of hundreds of cannonballs soared through the air towards the island. The Marine gunnery crews worked with brutal efficiency, reloading and firing again almost instantly; the second volley was launched before the first had even impacted. Their intent was clear: to obliterate Bege and his crew with sheer artillery firepower.
"Well, Bege," Modi chuckled lightly from beside him, "it looks like they don't intend to fight us face-to-face after all."
"Then we'll force them to meet us face-to-face," Bege stated calmly, taking a drag from his cigar. He seemed utterly unfazed by the hundreds of incoming shells screaming towards them.
From the castle gate on Bege's body, soldiers began to emerge, working in teams of four to carry enormous cannon barrels – each three meters long and two meters wide. These were Bege's custom-built "Wind Cannons," technological marvels loaded with powerful Skypiean Wind Dials and Breath Dials.
They quickly set up over twenty of these Wind Cannons along the shore. As one soldier pressed an activation switch on each device, the barrels immediately spewed forth ferocious gusts of wind. Together, they created a massive, swirling tempest wall in the air between the fleet and the island. The incoming cannonballs slammed into this invisible barrier, most being violently blown back – some colliding with other shells and exploding harmlessly mid-air, the vast majority simply tumbling uselessly into the sea. Not a single cannonball reached the island itself.
At the same time, seeing the enemy commence bombardment, the Sky God, positioned strategically offshore, also opened fire. Bege had spent two years meticulously designing and constructing his flagship; it was armed to the teeth with over a hundred cannons of various sizes, possessing terrifying combat capabilities of its own.
A devastating salvo erupted from the Sky God, targeting the Marine warships whose own cannons were currently aimed at the island, leaving them vulnerable. The Marine ships, caught off guard and unable to rapidly re-aim their main batteries, were forced onto the defensive. High-ranking Marine officers scrambled, using their own abilities to intercept the barrage from the pirate vessel.
"Turn the cannons! Sink that giant pirate ship first!" Mad Tiger Simon roared furiously.
The cannons across the seven warships immediately began adjusting their aim, shifting focus to the Sky God. Simultaneously, the Sky God accelerated rapidly, powerful gusts erupting from the Breath Dials integrated into its stern, propelling the massive ship with incredible speed, allowing it to easily evade the main barrage. Furthermore, the Sky God itself was equipped with defensive Wind Cannons, which helped intercept any stray shots that got too close.
When the Marine warships saw the Sky God slip out of effective range, they immediately readjusted their aim back towards Bege's forces on the island. But with the land-based Wind Cannons providing cover, Bege's crew could effectively intercept the majority of the shells. Just as the Marines resumed their island bombardment, the Sky God would dart back into range, unleash another punishing salvo on the fleet, and then retreat again before they could effectively retaliate.
The Sky God danced around the formidable Marine fleet like a cunning fox, playing cat-and-mouse, turning their superior numbers and firepower against them. After several frustrating exchanges like this...
"Damn it all!" Simon raged on the flagship's bridge. "How can a single pirate ship possess propulsion technology superior to our state-of-the-art warships?! When we get back, I'm lodging a formal complaint with the entire Science Division!"
Beside him, White Lion Brent's face was extremely gloomy. "There's no alternative now," the old Vice Admiral stated grimly. "Their defensive capabilities are too effective against bombardment, and that ship is too maneuverable. We must land and engage them directly on the island."
Mad Tiger Simon took a deep, steadying breath, his furious gaze fixed on the distant figure of Bege standing calmly on the island shore. "Fine," he snarled coldly. "Then we land." He added with chilling certainty, "Our combined combat strength is more than enough to crush them and bury them here."
The seven warships rapidly approached the deserted island's coastline.
"Alright, you lot!" Bege called out to his crew, his voice sharp and carrying, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "Get fired up! It's time for battle!" He turned and led his assembled fighters deeper into the island's jungle interior, preparing an ambush.
The seven Marine warships arrived simultaneously, beaching themselves or anchoring just offshore. Vice Admiral Simon, Vice Admiral Brent, the other three Vice Admirals, the six Rear Admirals, and squads of elite Marines disembarked swiftly, immediately heading inland in pursuit of Bege's group.
The two forces met in a large clearing deep within the island's jungle. For a moment, the two elite groups simply stood facing each other – pirates on one side, Marines on the other – the silence thick with tension, the atmosphere extremely heavy.
"Vice Admiral Mad Tiger," Bege greeted him coolly, breaking the silence, his gaze cold despite the polite smile on his face. "We meet again."
He let his eyes sweep over the formidable lineup arrayed against him. "Five Vice Admirals, six Rear Admirals," Bege chuckled softly. "The Marines truly do hold me in high regard."
Simon's face remained impassive, though a sharp, dangerous glint flashed intermittently in his eyes. "Letting you escape two years ago remains a stain upon my record, Capone Bege," the Vice Admiral stated coldly. "This time, there will be no escape from my grasp."
Bege's gaze instantly turned glacial. "Last time, I nearly died by your hand," he retorted, his voice dangerously low. "That is a debt I remember quite clearly. Today, Vice Admiral, on this island... only one of us will be walking away." As he spoke the last words, Bege glared fiercely at Simon, and an immense wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him – a tangible, blood-red aura that surged towards the Marine ranks like a tidal wave.
The faces of Simon, Brent, and the other Vice Admirals changed drastically. Behind them, several of the lower-ranking Marines instantly collapsed, foaming at the mouth, completely unconscious.
"Conqueror's Haki?!" Simon and Brent exclaimed simultaneously, recognizing the rare and powerful ability, their shock evident.
"This man absolutely must die!" White Lion Brent roared fiercely, conviction burning in his eyes. His body rapidly began to change, twisting and expanding as he transformed into his powerful, muscular lion-man hybrid form, radiating a terrifyingly primal aura.
Not to be outdone, Simon instantly shifted into his own tiger-man hybrid form, immediately activating his strongest state. The other three Vice Admirals tensed, drawing weapons, preparing for battle.
On Bege's side, his crew felt the overwhelming pressure of their captain's Haki, but instead of fear, their own fighting spirits surged in response, adrenaline pounding through their veins, their battle intent reaching its peak.
"Kishishishishi!" Moria swallowed two hundred shadows, his body rapidly swelling to his balanced giant form, his distinctive eerie laughter echoing through the jungle clearing.
A visible current of blood-red energy began to flow around Bege's own body. His form started to visibly expand and distort slightly, and a terrifyingly violent and ferocious aura emanated from him – an aura so intense that even Moria instinctively kept his distance. Bege's eyes became bloodshot as he locked his deadly stare onto Simon; sparks seemed to crackle in the air between the two commanders.
"All units!" Mad Tiger Simon roared the command, breaking the standoff. "ATTACK!" Without hesitation, he, White Lion Brent, and the other three Vice Admirals charged forward simultaneously, leading the Marine assault.
At the exact same moment, Bege and his top commanders exploded into action.
Bege instantly intercepted Simon mid-charge. The two moved at incredible speeds, their respective swords flashing as they clashed in the center of the clearing with a deafening shriek of metal. Sparks flew violently as their blades met, the sheer force of the impact generating a powerful shockwave storm that ripped through the surrounding jungle. Both captains possessed immense physical strength; in this initial collision, neither yielded an inch. The ground beneath their locked blades began to instantly crack and shatter under the strain. The decisive battle had begun.
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