Kalifa and Kaku pursued the constantly leaping figure ahead. "Could this be a trap? ... Is that person trying to lure us into their encirclement? ..." Kaku asked Kalifa, who was chasing just as fast beside him.
"It won't be a trap... Our appearance was sudden, so even if the person who escaped earlier informed their people, there wouldn't be enough time to set up any trap... As for an encirclement..."
Kalifa paused for a moment, then continued, "Their people can't be too many... Counting the one who escaped and the one we're chasing... plus the two in the photo... they're at most four people... If they had many people, we wouldn't be completely ignorant of this organization..." Kalifa analyzed calmly. Kalifa still had confidence in their own strength.
"The person we're chasing, I've noticed his hairstyle is very similar to the archaeologist mentioned by Crocodile's intelligence officer, who was taken by this organization."
"Is it the archaeologist who knows about Crocodile's research findings?" Kaku asked, wanting to confirm.
Before Kalifa could answer, their target had stopped and turned to face them. Two more people appeared beside the target, the same two from the photo.
Seeing the three enemies, Kaku and Kalifa stopped, maintaining a certain distance from them. Kalifa spoke again, "Did you kill Blueno? ..." Kalifa was naturally asking Pain, wanting to confirm Blueno's death.
"Ah... not even bones left... Since you've come, the same will happen to you..." Pain replied calmly.
Confirming the expected answer and the opponent's indifferent attitude towards Blueno's life, Kaku's anger surged. Even the usually calm Kalifa clenched her fists, her eyes frosty.
"Oden... that man is yours... finish him quickly..." Pain ordered Oden, not intending to waste words with the opponent. This arrangement was made because it was unclear who among the opponents was stronger; since it was unclear, he simply assigned them randomly.
Although Kalifa and Kaku were angered by Pain's words, they did not lose their composure. Kalifa's mind quickly calculated the disparity in strength and rapidly formulated a response.
Catching a glimpse of Kaku, who was gradually losing his composure, Kalifa quickly spoke up, "Kaku, don't be impulsive, the mission is important! You are responsible for holding off the two in the photo, and I will be responsible for apprehending the archaeologist. Once we succeed, we will immediately retreat, bring back the intelligence, and decide at headquarters!"
As she finished speaking, both sides moved simultaneously... Kaku used Moonwalk, instantly heading towards Pain and Preta Path, intending to take on two, leaving the "archaeologist" for Kalifa to apprehend. Oden, however, went towards Kaku, preparing to quickly subdue him. Kalifa, who had originally intended to rush towards the archaeologist, stopped and looked with slight surprise at the "archaeologist" who had encountered Kaku, her mind momentarily short-circuiting.
"What's going on!? ... Why is this 'archaeologist'... going towards Kaku? ... And... this movement speed seems... very strong? ..." Kalifa stared at the two who had met, her thoughts short-circuiting. Oden held nothing back in his first move, not intending to conceal his strength.
Oden's hands quickly blackened, instantly turning dark red. There was no mistake, it was the dark red of "King-level" Haki. Oden let out a soft cry.
"Oden Two-Sword Style. Thousand Mountain Strike! ..."
A blade curtain, heavy as a thousand mountains, assailed Kaku. Kaku was also very surprised when this "archaeologist" attacked him; he actually kept up with his Moonwalk speed? With no time to think, the strong man's instinct made Kaku instantly realize danger was approaching.
Seeing the "archaeologist's" hands instantly blacken, and it was the legendary "King-level" Haki color, Kaku had no time for shock. His dangerous instinct made him immediately transform into a giraffe, wanting to use Moonwalk again to escape the attack range. His physical abilities would also be enhanced after transforming into a giraffe. But as Kaku prepared to use Moonwalk to leave, he was shocked to feel that within this blade curtain, Kaku seemed to be locked in. No matter which direction he went, he couldn't dodge this blade curtain.
Left with no choice, he could only use his strongest attack to resist, "Evolutionary Extreme · Nose Gun · Qilin Myriad Shot Tower!" His body above the neck instantly turned into Iron Block, and his elongated, iron-blocked head and neck transformed into countless necks, meeting Oden's attack head-on.
"Bang!" The sound of steel colliding and the dazzling light of energy explosion instantly spread. Kaku felt as if a thousand-ton mountain had smashed onto his body. Even with his Iron Block body, his internal organs felt as if they had been shattered. His body flew uncontrollably backward, and as he flew, Kaku spat out a large amount of fresh blood. A deep, one-meter-long, fifteen-meter-long gully was plowed into the ground by Kaku, and he only stopped after flying a great distance.
"Is this Oden's true strength? ... If this one strike were used on Preta Path at that time... I would have Preta Path use Sealing Technique Absorption Seal to absorb the damage, but he definitely wouldn't last a second before exploding..." Pain thought with inner surprise upon seeing Oden's break out.
"Cough, cough, cough... Ugh..."
After being sent flying, Kaku struggled to stand up, but it only worsened his internal injuries, causing him to cough up blood continuously. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Kaku knelt on one knee, looking at Oden with a grave expression. Kaku understood that if he continued to fight now, he might not even be able to exert half of his Peak strength, and his confusion deepened.
"You... just who are you!? ..."
Oden did not press his advantage nor did he answer Kaku's question. He just watched Kaku coldly, waiting for Pain's instructions. Whether to kill or capture was up to Pain.
The always calm Kalifa, however, watched the rapidly concluding battle with extreme shock, trembling slightly and at a loss for what to do.
"No way? ... How is this possible!? ..."
"Kaku was defeated in one blow? ... Who... who is he? ... Why is he so strong? ... Why!? ..."
The more Kalifa thought, the less calm she became. This was truly astonishing. Kalifa and Kaku had carried out many missions, and although they had often narrowly escaped death, they had never encountered such a disparity in strength, after all, they weren't challenging figures like the Four Emperors. And who exactly was this "archaeologist"? This question constantly revolved in Kalifa's mind, and she still couldn't figure it out.
Kalifa knew that this mission had been a complete failure, and they were thoroughly defeated. Whether the two of them could return alive might depend on the enemy's mood. "Is this really the only way?" Kalifa thought despondently.
"No... there must be some way... One of us must go back alive! ... We must bring back this crucial intelligence! ... Otherwise, Blueno's sacrifice will be in vain! ..."
Kalifa was currently engaged in an intense mental struggle, racking her brain for a way to escape. Her usually sharp mind felt utterly insufficient at this moment.
"Who exactly are you?! ... Why are you opposing our Marine!? ... With your strength, how could our Marine have no information on you!? ..."
Kalifa questioned Oden loudly. Although she knew in her heart that the other party wouldn't answer her questions, Kalifa just wanted to buy time to keep herself calm through the questions, and quickly come up with a way for Kaku to escape. Yes, let Kaku escape. Kalifa had already decided that if it came down to it and only one could survive, then she must ensure Kaku escaped to bring back the intelligence.
After all, Kaku's strength was much greater than hers, and his Moonwalk speed was also faster, so Kalifa believed Kaku's chances of escape were definitely higher. Oden did not answer Kalifa's questions, but instead turned to look at Pain without saying a word.
The meaning was simple and clear: "If you have any questions, ask Pain. I won't answer you." Kalifa turned her gaze to Pain, anticipating an answer, while also formulating an escape plan in her mind.
"Who he is doesn't matter... What matters is that you won't be going back... Kill them! ... Leave no one alive..."
Kalifa's heart trembled upon hearing the enemy's answer. Without time to formulate any plan, she directly shouted at Kaku, "Kaku... hurry and go! ... Take the intelligence back, I'll hold them off! ..."
As soon as she spoke, before the enemy could make a move, countless bubbles erupted around Kalifa, floating towards Pain and Oden. Kalifa's thorny whip, combined with Moonwalk, unleashed "Moonwalk: Thorny Walk," rapidly assailing Oden and Pain. Kalifa, wielding her thorny whip, quickly moved through the air using Moonwalk. Each traverse created a blockade with the thorny whip, intending to trap the enemies within the thorny whip to facilitate Kaku's escape.
Kaku hesitated, looking at Kalifa who had already made her move. He wasn't sure whether he should abandon Kalifa and escape. Mission and sentiment fiercely contended in his heart. Reason told him that the mission was paramount, and bringing back effective intelligence was even more important. Their failure in this mission was caused by a severe lack of intelligence about the enemy, which showed how crucial intelligence was.
But emotion told Kaku not to abandon Kalifa. If he escaped and brought back intelligence, he would certainly be true to the mission, but he would be untrue to Kalifa and his own heart. From that single blow, Kaku understood that if they fought head-on, they would all surely die here. Now Kalifa was buying him time to escape, but he didn't know what to do. As Kaku struggled internally, Kalifa was easily sent flying by Oden's single blow.
Before falling to the ground, she still roared at Kaku.
"Go! ..."
To be continued...