"Kaidou! Hand over my student, Daren!"
The voice boomed across the sea from the warship, powerful and commanding, laced with an overwhelming aura of dominance.
As the words echoed, the members of the Beasts Pirates instantly turned pale. When they caught sight of the burly figure standing tall on the deck, gasps of shock escaped them.
"It's Zephyr!! Former Marine Admiral... Zephyr the Black Arm!!"
"The legendary Marine!!"
"Didn't he retire!? Why is he back out at sea!?"
"...We're done for... it's over..."
Zephyr, former Admiral of Marine Headquarters—one of the World Government's highest military forces.
Known to the world as "Black Arm" for his unmatched Armament Haki, he was a veteran of countless battles, his feats legendary. His name alone once struck terror into the hearts of pirates across the seas.
The sight of that short purple-haired figure from behind was a symbol that countless young Marines followed into battle without hesitation.
"Surrender... Daren?"
At Zephyr's words, Kaidou's pupils instantly filled with veins of rage.
He glanced at the advancing warship, then at the arsenal in the distance—now collapsing in explosions—and finally swept his bloodshot eyes over the base island, littered with corpses and rubble.
His eyes bulged, fury burning behind them as if ready to erupt into flames. Clenching his teeth, chest heaving, the black and red lightning on his kanabō crackled wildly.
Kaidou suddenly burst into mad laughter, his body trembling uncontrollably, even tearing up from laughing too hard.
"How hilarious! Truly hilarious!!"
"You're seriously asking me to hand over that brat!?"
His hard-earned weapons production line had been completely destroyed; countless members of his pirate crew were dead or wounded; and the two reckless brats responsible had mocked him to his face before escaping with ease...
And now, the Marines had the nerve to show up demanding the boy!?
"Wororororo... this is killing me!!"
Kaidou couldn't stop laughing. His body shook with the absurdity of it all, as if the world itself had gone mad.
Watching this unfold, Queen instinctively shrank back a step, trembling.
"It's over... Kaidou-sama's about to blow..."
He knew Kaidou's temper well. That look meant he was on the verge of exploding.
Beside him, King the Conflagration said grimly, "Kaidou-san, now's not the time to start a war with the Marines."
At King's reminder, Kaidou's expression shifted. He grit his teeth hard, then took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He turned toward the port and roared:
"Zephyr! Your student already escaped!"
Zephyr was momentarily stunned, then shouted back in anger:
"What nonsense! Kaidou, do you take me for a fool!? You think I'd believe that so easily!?"
"Daren's a Devil Fruit user—you must've had him shackled in Seastone! There's no way he escaped from your Beasts Pirates' stronghold!"
"You're telling me Daren, restrained with Seastone, managed to break out of your high-security prison and flee while surrounded by your entire crew!?"
"Are the Beasts Pirates really that pathetic!?"
"Don't insult my intelligence!!"
Zephyr clearly didn't buy a word of it. He thought Kaidou was stalling for time, trying to mislead him.
What he didn't see was Kaidou's expression darkening with every word—until his face was pitch-black, like a storm about to break.
"Zephyr, you damned bastard!!"
Kaidou finally couldn't hold back his fury and roared in rage.
Beside him, Queen's face changed dramatically. Grabbing Kaidou's arm in panic, he pleaded desperately:
"Kaidou-sama, don't lose it! That's Zephyr, the former Marine Admiral—the teacher of that bastard Daren!!"
Daren's strength had skyrocketed in just a few days. Teaming up with Bullet, he had managed to withstand a full-force strike from Kaidou-sama himself.
If that's what the student could do... just how powerful was the legendary Marine "Black Arm" Zephyr as the teacher?
Just thinking about it made Queen break out in a cold sweat, his round face soaked in fear.
"Let's retreat for now. After all this delay, there's no saving the arms production line on the island."
He pleaded, drenched in sweat.
Unexpectedly, Kaidou grabbed him by the front of his overalls and yanked him close.
Those blood-red, slit pupils locked onto him with murderous rage.
"Who the hell do you think I am!?"
"He's just a former Marine Admiral!!"
"Follow me... we're heading toward the warship!"
Kaidou's fury was blazing, barely under control.
It was already infuriating enough that that bastard Daren had trashed his base and slipped through his fingers. And now the Marines had the gall to show up demanding he hand the kid over!?
Just a former Marine Admiral? Kaidou could handle him alone with ease.
And he had King on his side.
But just as Kaidou finished shouting, another thunderous barrage exploded from the far side of the island.
"Kaidou!! Surrender Commodore Daren of Marine Headquarters! Do so, and I'll spare your life!"
King and Queen's pupils shrank. They turned their heads sharply.
Out on the sea, another Marine warship surged through the waves.
At its bow stood a man with a black afro and black-rimmed glasses, calling out in a calm but commanding voice.
Behind him loomed a towering figure with an unusual build, grinning as he stroked the stubble on his chin.
"A... Marine Admiral...?"
"Sengoku the Buddha!!"
"One of the World Government's strongest fighters!!"
"And that guy... that Marine 'monster'—Borsalino!!!"
"Two Admiral-class forces!?"
The pirates gasped in horror, every one of them drawing in a sharp breath. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Seeing Sengoku arrive, Kaidou's heart skipped a beat.
Just Zephyr alone was enough of a problem—now Sengoku too? A creeping sense of danger began to spread in his chest.
"Ka-Kaidou-sama... should we... still move in?"
Queen's lips trembled as he asked cautiously, face pale as ash.
Kaidou froze, glancing at the countless subordinates already moving to follow his lead. His mind flashed back to the bold words he'd just shouted—and his expression twisted.
Gritting his teeth, nearly crushing his molars, he growled:
"Of course!! Who do you think I am!?"
"Daren destroyed our base, his teacher Zephyr came to get him, and now Sengoku shows up too... So we fight!!"
"Just two Marine Admirals!"
"King, go hold off Zephyr!"
King's mouth twitched slightly, but he silently rested his hand on the hilt at his waist.
Kaidou gripped his kanabō tightly, eyes locked on Sengoku, and muttered coldly:
"Two Admirals... we can still take them—"
A massive cannonball crashed down from above, erupting in a towering column of fire nearby.
"Bwahahaha!! Kaidou!! Hand over my adjutant!"
"Or I'll gut you like a lizard and roast you for dinner!!"
A loud, boisterous laugh rang out from the sea. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs novel⦿fire.net
The moment that voice reached his ears, Kaidou's expression changed completely, and his heart began pounding wildly.
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