So, Rocks thought he could take down Vesper in the brief window before Brook arrived? Did he really think so little of the Emperor?
Vesper admitted Rocks was stronger, but he wasn't some nobody to be brushed aside. He was a New World overlord, the Emperor, damn it!
With a roar, Vesper's clothes shredded as his muscles bulged, rippling with power. His aged face belied a body coursing with ferocious Haki, his aura as wild as a beast's.
"Rocks, when I was ruling the New World, you were just a snot-nosed rookie! Think you can crush me in a quick scrap? You ain't got the chops for that!"
Gripping his Supreme Grade sword Vesper clashed with Rocks' Supreme Grade blade. Sparks flew as their swords unleashed torrents of ferocious sword aura, shockwaves ripping up the ground, sending pebbles flying, and leaving the battlefield in ruins.
"Jiehaha! Old man Vesper, you think age gives you the edge? Let's see how long you can last!"
Rocks' grin widened, his aura surging as he entered a frenzied battle state. His skin glowed a dark red, shimmering with an iron-hard sheen. Armament Haki flowed freely, boosting his speed and strength tenfold.
"You think you're the only one who can push your limits?"
Vesper's eyes blazed red, veins popping as he unleashed his own explosive state. Steam rose from his body, his skin flushed, blood visibly pumping through his veins.
"Let's have a real brawl, then!"
New World King Rocks D. Gibeck versus Emperor Vesper—a prime titan against a fading legend. Both wielded Supreme Grade swords wrapped in Conqueror's Haki Coiling, each strike shaking the heavens!
In their heightened states, fueled by innate talent or secret techniques, they fought with earth-shattering ferocity. The battlefield darkened, and every pirate scrambled to steer clear, terrified of being caught in the crossfire of stray, hundred-meter sword slashes.
...
Even amidst the chaos, razor-sharp sword aura sliced through the air, threatening to carve apart anyone too close. Pirates fled farther, desperate to avoid the deadly, unpredictable AOE.
Salem, watching the two overlords dive into a life-or-death duel so early, felt a chill of unease. But he had no choice—he had to stick to the plan. His job: keep Skal pinned down, giving Shirokiri a shot to strike.
Salem, with a 1-billion-Belly bounty, wielded the Swap-Swap Fruit. He could instantly swap places with any animal in his line of sight, regardless of their strength—even overlords! The catch: the stronger the target or the farther the distance, the more stamina it drained.
Salem's eyes narrowed. In a flash, he swapped places with Grimm Vane who was standing near Skal. His blade arced toward Skal, while Grimm Vane suddenly materialized next to Shirokiri, facing a fully charged sneak attack!
"ROAR!"
Grimm Vane was ready for such tricks. He transformed into his Ancient Zoan Titan Ape form.
The parry absorbed some of the blow's force, and Grimm Vane's monstrous defense shrugged off the rest. Though his skin was nicked, it was no big deal—he'd heal fast.
But now, swapped into the heart of the enemy camp, Grimm Vane was in deep trouble.
Salem's sneak attack on Skal didn't land either. Nearly surrounded, he instantly swapped with a random Vesper Pirate grunt, teleporting back to safety. The poor grunt, however, was obliterated by Skal, Ochoku, and Rocket Jonas, reduced to a pile of gore. Vesper's crew stared at their ruthless overseer with dread.
One wrong glance in a crowd, and you're a sacrificial lamb!
This was why Salem's popularity in the Vesper Pirates paled compared to Shirokiri's. Fighting under Salem meant risking being swapped to your doom at any moment—a nightmare for any crewmate.
Thankfully, Salem had spent recent years managing the Vesper Pirates' base, rarely joining battles, which eased his crew's fears slightly.
Skal and his allies charged onto the island to rescue Grimm Vane from the enemy's encirclement. The clash between the crews' officers erupted into all-out war.
...
Thanks to Salem's Swap-Swap Fruit, Rocks' officers stayed close, relying on sharp Observation Haki to counter his shadow-swapping antics and avoid ambushes.
Salem had been burned before. Years ago, he'd waded into the Rocks Pirates' ranks, cutting down foes with ease—until a smoke bomb blinded him, trapping him in their midst. The massive scar across his face was a souvenir from that day.
He'd since grown cautious, knowing his fruit's weakness was well-known. He'd tried using Observation Haki to bypass the need for line-of-sight, but the Swap-Swap Fruit was stubbornly inflexible—it required visual contact, no exceptions.
If he went blind, the ability would be useless. Even nearsightedness could cripple it. The fruit's limitations frustrated him, especially compared to the Op-Op Fruit, which could swap any objects, not just the user with animals. Salem sometimes regretted eating it.
Still, he'd honed his "trash" fruit to perfection. Over years with the Vesper Pirates, he'd assassinated countless enemies, earning a fearsome reputation.
On the battlefield, Salem flickered like a phantom, forcing Rocks' crew to stay on high alert.
But one man had his sights locked on this elusive foe: the great swordsman Ochoku. His Observation Haki, honed to glimpse the future, made him the perfect counter.
Ochoku had a score to settle. His old rival, Redfield, had hit a 1-billion-Belly bounty, and Ochoku refused to lag behind. Salem was his stepping stone to glory.
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg