Aizen Sōsuke walked calmly toward the zone where blades were already clashing.
A pirate rushed straight at him. The moment he saw Aizen, he raised his blade and slashed down.
"Get out of my way, you scrawny glasses-wearing bastard!"
Aizen did not even slow his steps. His right hand moved lightly.
Kyōka Suigetsu traced a small arc in the air, blooming into a fleeting sword flower. The pirate collapsed with a thud at Aizen's feet.
"Bastard! Die!"
Another pirate roared and charged forward, trying to avenge his comrade.
Aizen did not even bother turning his head. Kyōka Suigetsu split into several streaks of silver light, blasting away every pirate who tried to surround him.
"That's… Major Aizen Sōsuke!"
Quite a few Marines recognized him.
"No wonder Vice Admiral Garp personally recommended him! With this strength, he's at least colonel level, maybe even rear admiral!"
"Stick with Major Aizen. Push through and kill them!"
While the Marines' morale surged, the Whitebeard Pirates' side looked grim.
"Damn it, we're not his match!"
"Fall back! Go around him! Our goal is to rescue Ace. Don't get bogged down!"
The pirates tried to retreat, but the Marines clung to them relentlessly.
"Trying to run? You're all dying here today!"
With morale soaring, the Marines cut down the nearby pirates, forcing them into a steady retreat.
"You bastard! What do you think you're doing to our men?!"
At that moment, two voices that sounded almost perfectly synchronized rang out from Aizen's side.
Two fists wrapped in clawed gauntlets struck one after the other, aiming straight for Aizen's vital points.
Aizen gave them a casual glance.
The Decalvan Brothers, captains of one of Whitebeard's allied crews.
They were not on the level of division commanders, but they were still formidable fighters.
"Die!"
As twin brothers, their coordination was flawless, their attacks flowing seamlessly together.
Yet Aizen's body swayed lightly, like a leaf brushed by the wind.
In a single step, he slipped cleanly through the gap in their attacks.
"Wh… what?!"
Their hearts jolted. They turned, trying to pursue him.
But then they realized something horrifying.
No matter how much strength they put in, they could not take a single step forward.
Pshhk!
Blood burst from their bodies.
They looked down and finally saw a long, deep gash carved across their chests.
"How is that possible? I didn't even see him swing his sword…"
That thought flashed through both their minds just before they collapsed.
"This is bad. He's strong!"
"Hurry and inform the captains. He's not someone we can handle!"
Aizen continued walking forward as if strolling through a garden.
Every pirate who dared block his path was cut down with a single strike.
Before long, his presence drew the attention of both sides.
"Isn't that Garp's subordinate? Looks pretty impressive."
Sengoku rubbed his chin. Another young talent worth cultivating had appeared.
"Seems like a decent swordsman. I'll go test him."
Watching Aizen nearly carve his way from the outskirts straight into the center on his own, the Whitebeard Pirates' Fifth Division Commander could no longer sit still.
Flower Sword Vista charged forward to intercept him.
Interestingly enough, both of them were connected to the Fifth Division in their own ways.
This clash almost felt like fate.
"Hundred Blossom Storm!"
Vista swung his twin blades. Ferocious sword energy bloomed like countless flowers, swirling as they surged toward Aizen.
Aizen's eyebrow twitched slightly.
This move felt a bit like Byakuya Kuchiki's Senbonzakura.
Unfortunately, the power was far inferior.
Aizen raised Kyōka Suigetsu. Thick Armament Haki instantly coated the blade, turning it pitch black.
Clang!
Aizen thrust straight into the center of the sword-energy flower. It collapsed instantly, the surrounding sword energy vanishing along with it.
Vista's expression darkened.
He saw through the weakness of the technique at a glance?
No… maybe it was just a coincidence.
Vista had absolute confidence in his swordsmanship.
Otherwise, he would never have challenged Dracule Mihawk for the title of the world's strongest swordsman.
There were still more than ten sword-energy blossoms left.
He refused to believe Aizen could break all of them.
Reality, however, was far crueler.
After the first success confirmed his hypothesis, Aizen's right hand moved rapidly, Kyōka Suigetsu leaving only a blurred afterimage in the air.
Vista's sword-energy flowers shattered one after another like fragile soap bubbles, bursting with a single strike each.
"H-How is this possible?!"
Vista was completely stunned.
He was a famed swordsman, renowned for years.
Yet his proud technique had been dismantled by an unknown Marine.
"Oh? Looks like the Navy has some capable swordsmen too."
From the rear of the battlefield, Dracule Mihawk glanced over, a look of approval on his face.
Both Vista and Aizen were rare, high-level swordsmen.
If the chance arose, he would very much like to cross blades with them.
"Kid! No matter who you are, I won't let you hurt my comrades any further!"
Vista raised both swords and launched a fierce assault.
"Rose Rondo!"
Countless crimson roses engulfed Aizen completely.
"Flashy nonsense."
A hint of disdain appeared in Aizen's eyes.
Techniques like this were excellent for crushing weaker opponents, but against someone of equal level, they were riddled with openings.
By dispersing power everywhere, it looked inescapable.
In reality, every point became a weak spot.
With equal strength, concentrating power to break through a single point rendered the entire move useless.
Aizen raised Kyōka Suigetsu. The Haki coating the blade grew even denser.
At the same time, his Observation Haki activated, searching for the weakest point in Vista's technique.
"There."
In an instant, Aizen's eyes sharpened, and Kyōka Suigetsu slashed down with force.
Rip!
A sound like cloth tearing rang out. Vista's Rose Rondo was pierced in a flash, opening a gap neither large nor small.
Aizen's figure blurred as he slipped straight through the opening.
Not using Shunpo, but the Navy's Rokushiki technique, Soru.
After that exchange, a note of gravity entered Vista's eyes.
He no longer dared use those overly ornate techniques, instead trading blows with Aizen directly, strike for strike, strength against strength.
Aizen judged it was about enough and deliberately restrained his power, entangling himself with Vista in prolonged combat.
If he defeated Vista too easily, Whitebeard himself might step in.
The real show had yet to begin. He had no intention of stealing the spotlight.
Up on the platform, after watching the duel between Aizen and Vista, Mihawk shifted his gaze toward Whitebeard across the battlefield.
Sensing Mihawk's restless aura, Donquixote Doflamingo let out a cold laugh.
"Fufufufu… what, are you thinking of joining the war?"
***
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