Zoro, who had been wandering lost in the forest, and Luffy, who had been walking straight in the wrong direction when he stumbled upon a giant snake and ended up being chased, had found each other. Because of that, they were now both being pursued.
The giant snake coiled around the ruins near Giant Jack, trying to prevent its prey from escaping, and Luffy and Zoro were bickering, out of breath.
"Luffy! I thought you were being chased by that snake, but you dragged me into it too!! How many times have I been chased by that snake today?!"
"Too bad."
"It's your fault!!"
Zoro snapped at Luffy, who was laughing.
But then, Zoro took his eyes off the snake and looked towards Maraptonoka and the Shandians.
"Looks like we've stumbled into something we don't understand."
"Ah! That woman! The fox woman from before!!"
"Couldn't you come up with a slightly better nickname?"
Maraptonoka, the fox woman, shrugged at the two, who had appeared without any tension.
It didn't matter who came.
She would kill them and leave them exposed; that was all.
If she kept Devil Fruit users alive and transported them to "Twilight," she would get money, but in Maraptonoka's current position, that was also difficult. It was like a bounty hunter trying to capture a bounty and hand them over to the Marines.
"You two seem to be strong for pirates active in these seas, but, oh well. I'll take care of you quickly."
Reloading the revolver, Maraptonoka aimed the muzzle at Luffy.
Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger, and the bullet was fired with a dry sound—but it stretched out with a biyoooon and bounced the bullet back.
"It doesn't work~~~!!!"
"Oh my. You're a Devil Fruit user, then?"
She had seen his arm stretch when they fought last time. She had dismissed it as insignificant, but if bullets didn't work, she judged that physical attacks would have the same result, and decided to change her attack method.
As if to say that she would just tear him apart with her claws, she swung her arm, and Zoro, who had instantly stepped in, blocked the attack.
Clang!
A sound like metal clashing rang out, and Zoro's sword and Maraptonoka's arm were locked in a stalemate.
"That's not the sound you'd expect from bare hands clashing...!"
Zoro was reminded of the full-body-blade human he had fought in Alabasta—Mr. 1, Daz Bones—but it was impossible for them to have the same ability.
Thinking there must be another trick, he repelled Maraptonoka's arm and sheathed his sword at the same time.
"One Sword Style, Iai—Shishi Sonson!!"
He landed a slash on Maraptonoka that could cut through steel, but he clicked his tongue at the feeling.
He hadn't cut her.
The previous clash had been the same, but it wasn't the kind of sound you would expect from a human body. It far surpassed human strength.
"You're probably a Devil Fruit user... but I hear there aren't two people in the world with the same ability. I've already met a person whose body turns into steel, so what's going on?"
"I am a Devil Fruit user, that's true, but unfortunately, I'm not a Paramecia type."
"I see. Then, if I can cut you, it seems I can become one step stronger!!"
"Well, you're free to think whatever you want—but I'm not that free."
Luffy had been unaffected, but Zoro was not a Devil Fruit user.
Maraptonoka fired at close range, and Zoro instantly dodged to the side.
However, even that was predicted, and Maraptonoka's bullet accurately pierced Zoro's abdomen.
"Ugh!!"
"Zoro!! You!!!"
"It's a natural consequence that the weak are devoured. Your weakness is the cause of your defeat."
Luffy punched from behind Maraptonoka, but Maraptonoka, without even glancing, dodged it and grabbed the outstretched arm.
She pulled Luffy, who had tried to retract his stretched arm, and struck him hard, sending him flying.
"O-Owwww~~~!!? Why!? I'm rubber!!"
Luffy, confused by the unexpected impact, groaned in pain.
Seeing this, Zoro, bleeding from being shot in the abdomen, stood up, enduring the pain.
He couldn't just lie down and be silent while his captain was being attacked.
"It's wiser to stop. Robin-san also seems to be trying to interfere, but no matter how many of you there are, you can't defeat me."
"We won't know unless we try...!!"
"You can't read your opponent's Haki to determine their strength, so the outcome is already decided. My objective is not you. If you retreat, I won't chase you."
Maraptonoka said that if they abandoned the Shandians and ran, she wouldn't pursue them.
Nearby, Robin and Chopper were hiding. Zoro groaned in pain but still held his sword. Luffy was holding the place where he had been hit but still glared at Maraptonoka.
She had no use for the Straw Hat crew. They weren't even in her sights.
In fact, she even thought it would be better if Robin ran around, as she would be a source of income.
Maraptonoka urged them to run, but Luffy and Zoro stood their ground, not hiding their fighting spirit.
"You should retreat, Captain-san!! You can't win against her!!"
"It's not about whether we can win or not. It's about not being able to trust this woman."
No matter what, Maraptonoka's words couldn't be trusted. They hadn't built that kind of relationship, and more than anything, she might not leave the other companions alone.
Besides, the giant snake that had been chasing Luffy and the others was aiming at them from a little distance away from the ruins, as if wary of Maraptonoka. If they ran, there was a possibility that they would be chased by it instead.
Maraptonoka made a deliberately fake crying sound, saddened by not being trusted.
"Even though I operate on trust... It's sad that you don't believe me."
"I don't even know if you really intend to let us go. I can't trust you!"
"Well, that's true. I've only been hostile towards you since 'Lunes'."
Maraptonoka stopped pretending to cry and spoke bluntly.
It was true that she had no interest in whether they lived or died, but if they wouldn't listen because they couldn't trust her, then so be it.
She would just eliminate everyone here and attack "Ohara."
Just as she took a step towards Luffy and the others, thinking that—a crackling sound of electricity discharging in the air occurred next to Maraptonoka.
"—!?"
A woman like lightning, who had appeared from a distance, tearing through the air, was already swinging her sword the moment Maraptonoka turned around.
A bluish-white light looped around her body, and the raised "Shunrai" had become a black blade, infused with Haki.
"—Severance."
The descending slash was like judgment from the heavens.
Instinctively concentrating Haki on both arms to block the slash, Maraptonoka groaned as her body was scorched by the crackling lightning.
The seemingly endless clash ended before it was completely swung down, with Maraptonoka taking distance.
"Hmph... A surprise attack, what a polite greeting...!"
"If the opponent doesn't choose their means, there's no need for us to choose ours, either."
Her face couldn't be seen because she was wearing a fox mask, but her voice was extremely cold. There was no doubt that she was furious at Maraptonoka's actions.
The bluish-white light that still made crackling sounds of discharging electricity looped around Komurasaki's body, and it wouldn't be strange if lightning flew at any moment with her will.
"Komurasaki!"
"Robin-san, leave this place. As far away as possible."
"...Yes. I'd appreciate it if you could avoid damaging the surrounding ruins as much as possible."
"I'll do my best."
Maraptonoka's movement had allowed Wiper to be brought back, so one of the Shandian warriors rushed over to treat Wiper.
Chopper also approached, and Zoro, who had moved so as not to take his eyes off Maraptonoka, began to apply hemostatic treatment to his abdomen.
Chopper seemed to be trying to treat both of them at once.
"Chopper, I'm fine with the bare minimum. Prioritize him."
"But you're also seriously injured!?"
"I can move, so I can wait. Getting away from here comes first."
"That's right. If she fights, we'll only get in the way if we stay here."
"..."
Zoro stared intently at Komurasaki's back.
Both of Maraptonoka's arms, which had been unharmed by his slashes, had shallow cuts on them.
It showed that Komurasaki's swordsmanship was superior to his own. Since she wasn't an enemy, they probably wouldn't fight in the current situation, but he wanted to burn that sword style into his eyes.
"You should return to your ship. Her comrades seem to be attacking."
"Really!? Nami and the others are in danger!!"
"Calm down, Luffy! That idiot cook and Zepo are on the ship, they won't be defeated so easily!!"
"No, you should hurry. Pedro has also joined them, but there are five enemies. I think it's no exaggeration to say that they're in danger."
"Isn't that bad!?"
"Wait!"
Robin stopped Luffy and Zoro, who were about to run off, with Chopper's treatment still ongoing, by grabbing their legs.
Thud!
They ended up diving face-first into the ground, and the two snapped at Robin, bleeding from their noses.
"What are you doing!!"
"That's the opposite direction."
These two, after all, tended to walk randomly and get lost easily. They probably wouldn't be able to reach the ship unless Robin led the way.
They couldn't leave Chopper behind, and they had to at least wait until Wiper's first aid was finished.
They were worried about the ship, but... At least in this place, she was confident that they wouldn't lose, Robin thought.
***
Komurasaki was a top performer in the "Valkyrie," Kanata's direct subordinate unit. Excluding Kanata, only Ragnell or Teach could fight her as equals or better.
Holding the fine sword "Shunrai" in both hands, she swayed the tip of the sword as if looking for Maraptonoka's opening.
(...I can tell at a glance, this Haki. Indeed, this is strong...)
It had been the same in the previous clash, but her simple swordsmanship and the strength of her Haki were extraordinary. There were probably only a handful of people who could injure Maraptonoka's body.
Her flesh, which possessed the genes of the strongest creature, and her Haki, could not be pierced by ordinary strength.
Still, she didn't think she would lose at all.
"Alpha Maraptonoka. Do you intend to surrender?"
"You know the answer. Of course I have no intention of doing so."
"Very well—I have questions, but I don't think you'll talk. I'll cut you down here."
"If you can!"
This time, Maraptonoka attacked.
The continuously swung claws were strong claws that could tear through steel. If taken directly, her physical strength would easily break one's stance.
So, Komurasaki didn't take it.
The fluid body of the Logia type let Maraptonoka's attacks flow past, and Komurasaki swung her sword down at Maraptonoka's neck after her attack.
"Hmph!"
Maraptonoka dodged it at the last moment, but her cheek was deeply cut by the returning blade.
She blocked the continuing slashes by wrapping her arms in Haki, and aimed for Komurasaki's neck with her other free arm.
Again, the fluid body let Maraptonoka's claws flow past, and some of the bluish-white light that had been looping around her body shone brightly.
"Lightning Spear."
Multiple spears of lightning were shot at her feet, and Maraptonoka took small evasive actions while distancing herself from Komurasaki.
It had been a brief exchange, but its troublesomeness was enough to make her click her tongue.
Her Observation Haki was highly accurate, and she showed not defense but evasion even against Maraptonoka's Haki-clad attacks. In addition, her Armament Haki was also strong, making each blow heavy.
She understood that this was indeed being treated as a sort of final weapon on this island.
She knew most of "Twilight's" existing executives, but this ability, name, and appearance didn't match any of them. Including her strength, Maraptonoka thought she was probably Kanata's hidden card.
She sighed from the bottom of her stomach.
"Haa~~... I wonder just how much strength that person is hiding..."
She had heard that some forces that the government hadn't grasped had surfaced in the previous skirmish with the Four Emperors alliance, but this didn't match those either.
Considering that she had taken in Douglas Bullet, if Kaido and Linlin hadn't formed an alliance, there was a good chance that one or both of them would have been taken down in order.
Such strength was a bit inconvenient for the government and for Maraptonoka herself.
"How many more strong people are there that haven't come out?"
"Do I need to answer?"
"No, but, well, it's just out of curiosity. It seems I'll have to get serious—"
As Maraptonoka stepped on the ground, about to do something, Komurasaki struck her with a dropkick at the speed of lightning.
Blown away by the intense impact, Maraptonoka knocked down trees and went into the depths of the forest, and Komurasaki followed.
Just before that, she turned her face towards Robin.
"Hurry and get away! Quickly!"
Immediately after, without even giving Komurasaki time to pursue, Maraptonoka counterattacked.
"—Boro Breath!!!"