"King, don't worry about us! Focus on your fight—we'll meet again on Sky Island!"
Gusion shouted, seeing King fall back.
Gusion was surprised to see Aramaki. In the original story, Aramaki would become Admiral Green Bull years later, so he shouldn't even be in the navy yet. Clearly, some explorer was altering events behind the scenes—though whether or not it was the same one spreading rumors remained unknown.
Regardless, they were in trouble. With King tied up by Aramaki, and another navy rear admiral pursuing them, the group would have to sail up on their own.
King could only focus on his battle. As long as King didn't have to protect them at the same time, Gusion judged that he'd be safe. Aramaki was still young, not yet as strong as he would one day become. This fight should be even.
"Instead of worrying about your friends, you should worry about yourself!"
A figure leapt along a vine, springing toward Gusion's departing ship.
This man was tall, in standard navy uniform, with an exaggeratedly tall hat, looking somewhat comical.
As he lunged at the ship, his two swords flashed, slashing in an X toward the deck.
Strawberry's plan was simple: destroy the ship. If the ship sank into the White Sea, the crew would be helpless, especially if any were Devil Fruit users. Even if Gusion wasn't, falling into the White Sea would leave him unable to fight back.
As a navy officer, Strawberry was skilled in the Six Powers. He could use Geppo to hover and launch attacks from above; it would be easy pickings.
He jumped from the wooden bridge, using Geppo to adjust his trajectory, his twin swords coated in black Armament Haki, unleashing a deadly energy slash.
On board, Snow Wind's face grew grim. In the anime, rear admirals often seemed weak, but in reality, they were the navy's backbone, comparable to Yonko officers.
Strawberry was a named character with a solid record—his personality left much to be desired, but his strength was real. Snow Wind's scouting skills sensed just how dangerous he was.
She'd brought her adventurers to escape Kaido's battlefield, never expecting to be hunted by the navy.
She drew her greatsword, ready to fight. But before she could act, Gusion moved.
A sonic boom ripped through the deck as Gusion charged, shattering the planks beneath his feet even with his cloud-walking ability. Without that, he would have destroyed the entire ship just by launching himself.
As he sprinted, a smile spread across his face—the thrill of a true life-or-death battle. After months as a strategist, this was what he'd missed.
Strawberry, rushing in, was shocked. According to navy intel, Gusion wasn't supposed to be a fighter. Yet now, in motion, Gusion's presence surged, fierce as a typhoon.
Lightning crackled around Gusion, a dark violet mist trailing from him at high speed.
With his shikai and Demon God skill active, Gusion's stats had soared to 54!
His black hair bristled, muscles bulged, threatening to burst his coat.
Gusion gripped his sword, Mazuko, and slashed horizontally, meeting Strawberry's attack head-on.
Boom!
Dark-red Haki enveloped Mazuko Blade as it collided with Strawberry's twin blades, the impact making the White Sea dip and clouds scatter.
The ship behind Gusion shuddered violently, pushed forward by the blast.
The blades didn't spark—the flow of Haki around Mazuko acted as a buffer, absorbing the clash.
Strawberry stared in disbelief as he was hurled backward, smashing through floating clouds, his hands numb.
Gusion, using the recoil, gracefully flipped and landed at the stern, Mazuko at his side, eyes locked on Strawberry as he stabilized midair with Geppo.
Gusion grinned. "Taking down a rear admiral should earn me a hefty bounty, right?"
"Damn Pirate!"
Strawberry, enraged, charged again. He blamed the earlier setback on momentum: Gusion had jumped from a stable platform, while he'd been running in midair.
But he was a seasoned officer, on the verge of promotion to vice admiral. He wouldn't back down—if he couldn't handle a pirate barely in his twenties, he might as well retire.
Anger surging, Strawberry's Haki darkened to purple. He slashed again at the ship.
"Two-Sword Style: Twin Moons Fall to Sea!"
With a battle cry, Strawberry's blades unleashed crescent-shaped energy waves at the vessel.
Gusion, surrounded by lightning, exhaled steam, lowering his stance. The sword hilt creaked in his grip.
Power gathered from his feet, flowing upward, culminating at a single point.
Veins bulged on Gusion's arms, muscles knotted, lightning crackling like a thunder nest.
But in the instant he stepped forward, all phenomena vanished—calm before the eruption.
"Gu—"
Snow Wind tried to call out, seeing Strawberry's attack about to destroy the ship, but Gusion hadn't moved. Anxiously, she readied her sword to defend.
But before she finished his name, Gusion struck.
Even with her sharp eyes, Snow Wind couldn't see his blade—only the image of a mountain collapsing, an overwhelming force.
Gusion slashed horizontally:
Secret Sword Technique—Mountain Collapse!
The clash sent a shockwave outwards, splitting the White Sea into a cross.
The ship sailed along the single safe lane, deep chasms opening on either side.
Strawberry had gone all-out, but facing Gusion's overwhelming force, he was forced back.
And as he flew, he saw—his twin swords, both famed blades with Haki reinforcement, had faint cracks down the middle.
Impossible!
Before he could check his swords, pain shot through his waist. Looking down, he saw a thin, bleeding line across his side.
Gusion stood on the stern railing, most of the deck behind him destroyed.
He gazed at Mazuko, savoring the moment. Mountain Collapse wasn't a traditional technique—it was Gusion's own invention, inspired by ancient martial arts legends, now made real thanks to his supernatural powers in this world.
A move that poured all his strength into one blade, blending force and sharpness—enough to topple mountains!
"Not bad. You make a good test subject."
Seeing Strawberry's fighting spirit undimmed, Gusion smiled.
His stats, seen through his scouting skill, were around 60. Stat-wise, Strawberry had the advantage, which explained Snow Wind's earlier fear.
But combat wasn't just about numbers—Strawberry's skills were less refined.
Gusion's Haki was of the advanced flowing type, ahead of Strawberry's version. On top of that, Mountain Collapse multiplied his attack power, allowing him to outmatch Strawberry's aerial assault.
"How did you do that?"
Strawberry approached warily, not attacking yet, finally sensing the threat Gusion posed.
He'd been wounded! And he didn't even know how.
"Oh? You're confused how I cut you through your sword?"
Gusion grinned. He stepped forward, standing unsupported in midair, his ship sailing on.
"Is that even harder to understand?" he teased.
Strawberry stared, mouth agape—Gusion clearly wasn't using Geppo!