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At Garbage Mountain Port, Colonel Bacchus scowled at the newspaper in his hand. Thanks to his "efforts," Ikki's bounty had shot up by 50 million Berries. Now he was a laughingstock among the other Marine branch officers in the West Blue.
He couldn't even get in touch with Admiral Kuzan, and he worried the Marine Criminal Investigation Bureau might be looking for him next. His enviable position as a Marine branch commander would surely be handed over to someone else. He couldn't stand the thought.
"Colonel Bacchus!" his adjutant yelled, panting as he ran up.
"What is it?" Bacchus asked, his voice low.
"A major incident happened at Wheat Ear Harbor! Luna Enchanting Flame from Skull Bay has appeared, and at least a hundred people are already dead!" the adjutant replied with a horrified expression.
"Luna? Duke adopted daughter, Luna Enchanting Flame, with a bounty of 73 million Berries?" Bacchus's eyes widened in shock. Her name was legendary in the West Blue.
She'd had that bounty at only nineteen years old; ten years later, no one knew her true strength. The most critical part was that she was from a World Government allied nation, so the Marines couldn't intervene directly.
"Did you find out why she's here?" Bacchus asked seriously, calming down.
"No, but her target is clearly the Tide Kitchen Hotel in Wheat Ear Harbor!" the adjutant immediately replied.
Bacchus thought for a moment and decided to act. "Assemble! We're heading to Wheat Ear Harbor!" he ordered. A squad of Marines quickly set off toward the port.
A tense and eerie silence filled Wheat Ear Harbor. At the hotel entrance, Luna's eyes were wide with disbelief. She clutched her chest, her beautiful face red with anger.
She couldn't believe the young man on the top floor would dare to shoot at her, a renowned beauty, and at such a vital spot! If she hadn't mastered Armament and Observation Haki, the shot would have killed her.
The thought of that close call made Luna's heart pound, but it also fueled a volcanic rage that burned away her reason.
Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap echoed through the sky, as if to tear the world apart. An arm-thick bolt of lightning streaked through the black clouds like a wild, silver snake.
Gusts of strong wind howled, kicking up dust and leaves. In an instant, huge raindrops began to fall, quickly forming streams that flowed down the street. The entire harbor was swallowed by a curtain of rain.
The downpour soaked Luna's dress, causing the light fabric to cling to her body, perfectly outlining her stunning figure. Meanwhile, on the hotel's rooftop, Ikki was completely unaffected. He lay there quietly, his sniper rifle aimed at the woman below.
"Since you refuse my invitation, then I, your elder sister, can only ask you to die," Luna's faint voice said.
Ikki, listening carefully, pulled the trigger. The bullet, unfazed by the weather, flew true. It struck Luna, but her Armament Haki protected her. The impact forced her to stop, but the bullet did no real damage. Luna hadn't expected Ikki's sniping skills to be so excellent; he could hit her accurately even in this extreme weather, which was greatly affecting her Observation Haki.
Ikki's goal was simple: keep her from getting close and controlling him with her power.
"You brat, you are truly annoying!" Luna's voice, once soft and sweet, became cold and sinister, as if from the depths of hell. Her beautiful, soul-ensnaring eyes turned a blood-red color, glowing with a fierce glint.
In the next second, Ikki watched in horror as Luna moved with ghostly speed. She rushed up the side of the hotel, leaving blurred afterimages behind her. Ikki, though alarmed, reacted instantly. He raised his rifle and began firing shot after shot.
The bullets tore through the rain curtain, whistling toward Luna. Despite Ikki's accurate marksmanship, every shot that hit her body simply created a shower of sparks before harmlessly ricocheting off her incredibly hard Armament Haki.
"Damn that Armament Haki!" Ikki cursed, continuing to fire.
As the distance between them closed, Ikki knew he was in a precarious situation. Once Luna got close, her Devil Fruit ability would make it almost impossible to escape. He desperately wished his Haki was stronger than hers so he wouldn't have to fear her power. Deciding not to prolong the fight, he grabbed his rifle and turned to flee the rooftop.
But Luna wouldn't let him escape. Without the sniper fire to slow her down, she easily reached the top floor. A chilling smile, like a poppy flower, spread across her face as she looked at him. The distance was perfect for her to use her ability.
Ikki, still on the rooftop, felt a powerful sense of dread. But then, an even stronger sense of crisis suddenly hit him. Almost instinctively, he rolled to the side. At the same moment, Luna also turned her head toward the sea, her expression one of horror.
A piercing whistle cut through the air, followed by a cannonball that struck the hotel's top floor with immense force.
Boom!
The entire rooftop was instantly engulfed in flames and thick smoke. Luna, closest to the blast, was thrown backward by the explosion's shockwave, sent plummeting off the side of the hotel.