Every era birthed powerful figures upon the seas.
Sometimes they were stronger.
Sometimes weaker.
And even among those standing at the same peak, there were always differences in strength.
Ortega was the strongest Admiral of this era.
But his comparison was only against Kong, who had just risen to Admiral, and Rona, who had already plateaued.
"Even Admiral Ortega…"
Seeing Ortega hurled away by Magnus, Kong's face changed drastically. He'd already suspected, from their sparring, that Magnus was stronger.
After all, Ortega could suppress either him or Rona alone, but never both at once.
But Magnus?
The battle at Elbaf had been a nightmare for Kong.
Magnus fought three top Marine powerhouses for an hour—then escaped right in front of their eyes.
So even if he hated to admit it… compared to Ortega, Magnus was stronger.
And now—
After only a year and a half—Magnus seemed even more powerful.
Kong himself had grown stronger too, but the gap between them only widened.
Who was the youth here—him, or the seventy-year-old Magnus?
How was that reasonable?
"Hahaha! Kong, I've been the one ganged up on all this time by you Marines. Now it's your turn to taste it!"
"Dorry, Brogy—let's end this quick!"
The Hakoku hadn't crippled Kong at first. Now that he'd recovered, even against both giants at once he wasn't falling behind—he was even pushing them back.
If he hadn't burned so much Haki on that first desperate defense, he'd likely already overpowered them.
So when Magnus moved to join the giants, neither Dorry nor Brogy refused.
"Gyagyagyagyagya! An Admiral so close to Marineford… We don't have time to drag this out."
"Gababa! Then let's crush him together!"
The pressure of three surged at Kong, and his chest tightened.
'Admiral Ortega… hurry back!'
Kong cursed inwardly. Alone, he could barely suppress the giants. Add Magnus, and he'd be dead within minutes.
Far off, Ortega pushed himself up.
"That old monster…"
The slash hadn't truly hurt him—it was clear Magnus had knocked him away just to keep him from aiding Kong.
"Kong's in for it now…"
Even if he himself had lost to Magnus, Kong was weaker still. Against Magnus and two giant captains? Impossible.
"But… those old fossils in Mariejois won't sit back, will they?"
If it was only Magnus, two Admirals together could've forced him back, if not captured him.
But with the giants? The balance broke.
Then—
Ortega's sharpened Observation Haki prickled. Something stirred above.
He chuckled grimly.
"So. The old men finally move."
If Magnus killed a Celestial Dragon and escaped untouched, what face would the World Government have left?
"Kong, don't die just yet!"
Drawing a deep breath, Ortega charged back toward Grove 47.
He'd been gone less than thirty seconds—
But in that span:
"Frostfang!"
Magnus's half-wolf form fell from the sky, freezing Kong's body in place.
The giants roared again.
"HAKOKU!!!"
Twice in one battle—it drained even them.
But it was worth it.
Kong had barely broken free of the ice when the devastating blast slammed into him.
Cells screamed in agony.
He had no Haki left to spare.
With no retreat—his only defense was attack.
"Steel Bone Strike!!!"
He poured everything into one fist, tearing open the storm itself, ripping a hole through the Hakoku's blast.
The shockwave rolled across the archipelago—only to split in two around Kong's body.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!!!"
He stood unyielding, a lone stone against a flood.
Far off, Garp and Sengoku gaped.
The battle shifted too fast—first Kong and Ortega both, then only Ortega, then only Kong.
To them, it looked like Magnus had tricked them into fighting one-on-three.
Now Kong alone stood.
"Damn it, I have to help!"
Garp clenched his fists and surged forward—
"Are you insane!?"
Sengoku grabbed him.
"This isn't a battlefield for us!"
Even the aftershocks alone could kill them instantly.
"But—!"
Garp glared, unwilling.
In the end, all he could do was bellow,
"Admiral Kong! Don't lose!!!"
And from behind, the cadets echoed,
"Admiral Kong, don't lose!!"
"You're an Admiral!!"
"Don't fall to the White Wolf!!!"
The voices carried over even the roar of the Hakoku.
Into Kong's ears.
He was already half-unconscious.
He wasn't a Zoan user. He had no beast regeneration. His flesh and bone were mortal, every wound sapping his strength.
But hearing their cries—
Hearing the voices of the next generation—
Kong snapped awake.
He couldn't fall.
He couldn't lose.
Not with the future of the Navy watching him.
"I AM… AN ADMIRAL OF THE NAVY!!!!"
With a final surge, Kong tore apart the Hakoku.
The backlash nearly toppled both giants.
Magnus felt a headache coming on.
What the hell had he just seen?
Was Kong the protagonist of some manga?
One minute from collapse, the next exploding with "bonds and justice"?
So… was he the villain here?
Wait. He was a pirate. Of course he was.
"Fine then."
Magnus's eyes hardened.
"If you insist on clinging to your so-called justice… then I'll end you here!"
As the shockwaves faded, he lunged—
Only for another blade to intercept.
Ortega.
"Kong… well done."
For the first time, he spoke with approval.
Kong had what they lacked—hope.
Magnus sneered.
"Hope? Don't make me sick."
"Guarding what shouldn't be guarded. Saving what shouldn't be saved. Clinging to twisted ideals. Compromising on what should never be compromised."
"This is your justice?"
"Don't make me laugh!!!"
He dropped his sword, seized Ortega by the face, and hurled him like a bowling ball—straight into the already-exhausted Kong.
Pathetic.
People with conviction were hard to hate.
But when those convictions were warped? Disgusting.
And then—
"Well, well. Admirals of the Navy. Two of you, and you can't even bring down a single pirate."
A mocking voice cut through the shattered silence.
From the broken island stepped a man in archaic knight's garb, a longsword at his hip.
"White Wolf Magnus."
"I am Vice-Captain of the Holy Knights. Figarand Granreed Saint."
The golden-haired man drew his blade.
"In the name of God…"
"You slew a Celestial Dragon. An unforgivable crime."
"Now, face divine judgment!"
—
Grove 43.
Tsuru heard the distant detonations, worry flashing in her eyes.
She'd already come to think of Garp and Sengoku as friends—and they were too close to the battlefield.
The clash of Admirals and Magnus wasn't something rookies could survive.
And now, her own crisis arrived.
A Marine force had encircled her and the freed slaves.
If she wanted to reach the White Wolf Pirates, she'd have to break through.
Which meant fighting the very Marines who should've been her comrades.
Why?
Weren't Marines supposed to protect civilians?
Most of the slaves here were ordinary folk, seized by traffickers. Many were even natives of Sabaody itself.
"Why? Why are the Marines helping slavers?"
"I just want to go home!"
"Please let us go!"
Even some soldiers looked uneasy.
But the Vice Admiral in charge remained cold.
"These slaves are property of nobles and merchants. If you protect them—who will cover the losses of those nobles?"
Merchants were major taxpayers, and paid the Navy "protection fees." Without them, the seas couldn't be patrolled.
The freed slaves were reported immediately. Complaints had flown in. Headquarters was in uproar.
"Not one escapes. Capture them all!"
But before the order finished, a boulder crashed down.
"You think we'll let you take them back so easily?"
The ground shook.
Ripley loomed in giant form.
"Our ship's ready. We'll see them to safety. After that—it's their choice where to go."
A 100-million-Berry pirate, her arrival turned the soldiers pale.
"It's the White Wolf crew!"
"It's Empress Flower Ripley!!"
"Vice Admiral Bell, are you—!"
But Bell was already unconscious, felled in a single blow.
"Come on, everyone, to the ship!"
Big Mom—still just little Linlin—toddled forward too, smiling brightly.
"We'll protect you!"
Now almost nine, she'd slimmed from her six-year-old bulk. Chubby, but with the charm of a neighbor's child.
The slaves wavered… then nodded.
"They saved us… they won't harm us!"
"Yes, the White Wolf Pirates are good pirates!"
With Ripley and Linlin clearing the path, the escape was smooth.
Until—
"Slaves daring to flee their masters?"
"Unacceptable."
An old man in black knight's armor appeared before them.
"Silhouette."
His shadow stretched, snaring everyone's at once.
All save Ripley and Linlin, who barely dodged.
The rest—slaves turned to ash under the sun as their shadows were torn away.
"Ah. Some survived?"
The old knight grinned, eyes glinting.
"Good. Your shadows will make fine additions to my collection."
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]