Amidst the roaring and snarling, intense heat distorted the surrounding scenery.
As Tsuru swiftly kicked out, a Rankyaku blade infused with Armament Haki sliced towards Sakura, sending her flying.
Immediately after, the turbulent sea surface suddenly sank, splitting open a terrifying fissure. A black-suited agent tore through the seawater, launching himself out.
He was like a black meteor streaking through the storm, piercing the curtain of rain.
"You lowly Giant, how dare you!!!"
Driven by extreme rage, this CP6 Agent unleashed his full power, even turning the seawater into solid ground under his feet using Geppo, allowing him to charge freely.
At his full sprint, his fists, shrouded in Haki, whistled through the air, crossing the sea surface at a speed impossible for the naked eye to follow.
"Shigan: Oren!"
"Saul!"
Sakura, stabilizing herself with Geppo, shouted.
A pair of enormous iron fists took on a ferocious appearance, smashing down violently towards the CP6 Agent before them.
The giant's powerful physique, mixed with his will, caused the Haki to fall like steel stars from the sky.
The giant's powerful physique, mixed with his will, caused the roaring Haki to fall like steel stars from the sky.
Causing him to freeze in stunned disbelief.
"Giant, you damn..."
On the face rendered fierce by the howling wind, his lips parted slightly, uttering these words.
Then, the surging force tore through the barrage of bullets woven by Shigan: Oren, hammering squarely into the CP6 Agent's face.
Boom!
A tremendous explosion erupted. Within the layered shockwaves, a figure was sent flying backwards, once again... embedded into the seabed!
"Saul, you bad child, have you truly lost your mind to the pirates?"
A hand suddenly appeared in front of Saul.
It was none other than Tsuru, who had managed to get close to Saul while he was attacking the CP6 Agent.
"Not good!"
Sakura sharply turned around and rushed back, shooting through the air like a meteor.
But suddenly, multiple cannon shots were heard not far away.
Countless streams of steel transformed into lines of fire, interweaving to block Sakura's advance.
The girl's Observation Haki swept out, taking in the situation within a two-kilometer radius.
On the battleship, a female soldier with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, looking weakened, was leaning on the artillery mount. She spat towards Sakura's direction: "Don't underestimate our justice, pirate!"
"Damn it!"
Sakura anxiously looked back at Saul and Tsuru behind her.
"Now, be a good child again, Saul!"
A hand carrying the power of the Woshu Woshu no Mi was already pressed against Saul's fist. The nearly bug-like ability surged into Saul's heart.
Bubble! Pop!
Bubbles spread across the surface of Saul's body, causing the Giant's massive frame to topple backward.
"Saul!"
Sakura arrived just then, using her ability to create a sheet of ice on the sea to catch Saul's body.
"Good, Saul is taken care of. Next, it's your turn, you naughty little monkey!"
Tsuru landed on the ship, seamlessly transitioning from Geppo to Soru, stepping on the gunwale.
Amidst the intense friction with the air, she transformed into a white silhouette resembling a flying crane, pouncing forward.
"Just try it if you can!"
Sakura formed hand seals, replicating the Water Release Technique she had secretly learned in the Uchiha Clan's compound.
Tiger - Bird - Hare
As her fingers flew, the hand seals were formed. Wild Chakra Fluctuations continuously surged, mobilizing the surrounding seawater.
The temperature on her body also rose increasingly, even causing a layer of mist to form on the ice.
The water flow controlled by the Great Waterfall Technique soared into the air, heated into boiling water by the ability on Sakura's body.
[Combined Ninjutsu: Scorching Current Technique!]
The violent, scorching current suddenly leaped into the sky, sprinkling down terrifyingly high temperatures and scalding water.
Tsuru, dashing along the gunwale, frowned, stepping with Geppo to disengage from the merchant ship.
She had deliberately moved the battle onto the merchant ship to contain the untouchable, intense heat radiating from Sakura.
But she never expected Sakura to be this ruthless, directly dousing the ship in boiling water.
"To disregard your own comrades for victory... it seems you are in dire need of proper education!"
Tsuru, mid-air, mused, but her thoughts were abruptly cut off by a warning from her Observation Haki.
The plunging torrent of scorching water, just as it was about to hit the merchant ship, made a near 180-degree turn, shooting straight towards Tsuru in the sky.
"What?!"
Despite her reputation as a strategic genius, the woman had calculated a thousand possibilities but never anticipated that a water flow infused with Chakra could be controlled and directed by its user.
Caught completely off guard, Tsuru only had time to coat her entire body in Armament Haki before being engulfed by the seething seawater.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru!!!"
On the Marine Battleship not far away, officers cried out in anguish as they saw their commander swallowed by the enemy's attack.
Similar cries of alarm came from the scholars aboard the merchant ship.
With little combat prowess to begin with, they were utterly helpless against this scalding heat that was even softening the wooden planks of their vessel.
"Sakura, the temperature is too high!"
Olvia's voice pulled Sakura's attention back.
Changing her hand seals, Sakura diverted a portion of her Chakra to stir the ocean currents, pushing the merchant ship away from the dangerous waters.
"Sakura-chan, what are you doing?!" The scholars on board exclaimed in unison.
"Get out of here! Take the news of the World Government's plans for Ohara back home! I'll hold them off!" Sakura's eyes flashed with a red light as she turned her gaze back to the sky.
Boom!!!
In that instant, a tremendous explosion rocked the area. The water column shuddered and shattered, sending high-temperature seawater spraying in all directions across the ocean surface, instantly cooking the multitude of fish in the shallow layers.
And through the gaps between the scattered droplets of boiling water, Tsuru's figure darted straight towards Sakura.
Now, she had numerous scalding burns on her body. Her once neat and bright Justice Cloak was tattered with holes from the powerful stream.
Tsuru closed the distance rapidly, her hand striking with precision to seize Sakura by the throat in a chokehold.
Her Haki-infused hand, carrying her Devil Fruit's power, clashed violently against Sakura's steam armor, inching relentlessly closer to Sakura's skin.
"Tch, this could go on forever." Sakura muttered.
Her wrist twisted. A dark fissure appeared in her palm, the outline of Ace's hilt beginning to materialize.
At the same time, in the water behind her, a figure scalded red like a boiled shrimp silently emerged.
Malicious intent flowed covertly. In another explosive burst, the long-hidden CP6 Agent expended his last reserves of strength.
"Die! Shigan: Jusshigan!"
The CP6 Agent curved all ten fingers slightly, bringing his palms together in a hollow cup shape before violently thrusting all ten index fingers forward. The impact shot directly towards Sakura's head.
However, the sound of shattering ice rang out. A massive combatant stirred once more with tremendous force.
In the CP6 Agent's fleeting glimpse, a giant fist whistled through the air, unleashing an unimaginable shockwave.
Bang!
"Damn it, why is it again... you...?"
Suddenly, the CP6 Agent's eyes widened, blood vessels bulging in fury and shock.
The colossal force erupted, coursing through his entire body. The sound of shattering bones echoed incessantly.
For the third time, the CP6 Agent was slammed into the sea. After vomiting a large mouthful of blood underwater, he lost consciousness and began sinking into the depths.
"Saul!"
Sakura's eyes lit up, and she shouted with joy.
"Dereshishi! You didn't expect that, did you~"
Saul made a funny face and reached out a hand, only to have it scalded by Sakura's intense heat.
In the distance, Tsuru frowned deeply, her voice low and serious, "Saul, why?"