Ever since incorporating Germa's weaponry and the rapid-fire guns crafted by Hammer, this was the first real head-on battle for Hammer's subordinates.
The previous skirmish with Roger didn't count, that ship was full of monsters.
The results brought by advanced firearms were immediately apparent.
Any pirate standing in the way of the Marine fleet was ruthlessly eliminated by the firepower net.
The pressure on the Royal Army was instantly relieved.
Cobra was both delighted and thankful for his decision.
Unlike the ground battle, the sky battle between kings was explosive with the full power of the Flame-Flame Fruit.
Seeing his flame rays dodged by Hammer, Scree quickly changed tactics.
Waves of fire burst from his body, transforming him into a fiery wheel-shaped monster.
"As expected, the more outlandish the move, the lamer it looks."
Hammer reappeared, spitting out another brutal roast.
Scree really did look ridiculous in that form.
With a swing of his right hammer, a shockwave of air blasted the flames apart, turning them into a shower of sparks.
"Damn Marine! How dare you insult me!"
"I'll burn you to ashes!"
In his fury, Scree's entire body erupted in flames, unleashing a blazing inferno like a tidal wave.
"Oi?! An AoE move this big? That's just unfair!"
Hammer frowned slightly, not because he feared the fire attack.
But the flames were starting to descend and would soon engulf the ground below. Though Alabasta was a desert and unlikely to catch fire, the Royal Army and his own troops would suffer.
"Damn that old geezer Sengoku. If he told me this mission involved a walking torch, I'd never have come."
"No choice... Frosbane!"
To protect his men, Hammer drew the treasured sword at his waist.
The Frosbane was unsheathed, releasing a terrifying chill.
"If you're fire, then let's see how you handle my ice!"
With a powerful swing, the octagonal Hanjian imbued with intense ice energy slashed at Scree.
The raging fire was halted mid-air by a storm of ice crystals.
"Hell yeah! My craftsmanship never fails!"
Seeing the flames blocked, Hammer seized the moment and flashed beside Scree.
Scree, still going berserk with flames, didn't even notice the enemy approaching.
"Eat this from Iron someone!"
With Armament Haki coating his Big Hammer move, Hammer smashed it into Scree's face.
With a scream, Scree was sent flying into the sand.
The sea of fire stopped spreading the moment he got hammered.
"Damn it... How can you even hit me? I ate the Flame-Flame Fruit! I'm fire incarnate!"
Scree was on the brink of madness after two brutal blows.
He couldn't understand it, he didn't understand it!
Driven insane, Scree launched a fiery punch.
Hammer frantically dodged; he didn't want his clothes burned.
"Fool. You think just having a Logia-type Fruit makes you invincible? I've hammered even light and magma. You think I can't handle a little fire guy like you?"
"Lie down! Armament: Omnidirectional hammer strike!"
Annoyed, Hammer crossed both hands and unleashed a massive assault. Armament Haki and air hammers exploded all around.
Terrifying hammer strikes rained down from every direction, leaving Scree totally dazed.
He lost consciousness mid-beating.
But Hammer didn't notice and kept hammering away for several minutes.
When it finally stopped, Scree's soul had already left his body.
Hammer vs. Little Flame Guy: Hammer wins!
Scree's subordinates, seeing their boss defeated, tried to run, but Lance wasn't about to let that happen.
The firepower net cut off their escape and trapped the pirates.
With no way out, the pirates surrendered.
"Lance, find a Seastone chain and bind him."
Lance glanced at the unrecognizable charred body of the fire giant Scree and twitched slightly.
'Tsk tsk tsk, too brutal. Even his own mother wouldn't recognize him now.'
Meanwhile, Hammer calmly walked up to Prince Cobra.
"Prince Cobra, the pirates have been wiped out. If there's nothing else, I'll lead the troops back now."
Cobra was still dazed, everything had happened so fast.
'That was a Logia-type Flame-Flame Fruit user... defeated just like that?'
'And when did the Marine get such terrifying firepower?'
Countless question marks floated above Cobra's head.
"Hey? Prince Cobra? Did you hear me?"
Hammer looked at the dazed prince, speechless.
'So this guy was already a dummy when he was young. No wonder Crocodile stole his country later. Too dumb.'
"Oh, oh, oh! Rear Admiral Hammer, I was just... thinking."
"You said you're leaving? Don't! Now that the pirates are gone, please allow me to host you properly."
"At least stay for a meal."
Cobra snapped back and grabbed Hammer's hand eagerly.
Hammer: '...What's with that look? Cobra's not supposed to be into guys, right? Otherwise, how was Vivi born?'
"No, no. I still have a mission, and these pirates need to be escorted. I'll take a rain check on the meal."
Faced with Cobra's overwhelming "enthusiasm," Hammer made a hasty retreat.
Cobra stood there dumbfounded. 'What just happened? Why did he run off?'
"Hammer, what happened? You're drenched in sweat. Did the flames burn you?"
"And why did you tell me to bind Scree? He's already dead."
Lance, in charge of escorting the pirates, looked at the sweaty Hammer with some confusion.
"Yeah, he's long gone."
Hammer: 'He couldn't take a beating, huh...'
Setting sail again, Hammer looked back at the shrinking harbor and finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Bururu buru... click."
"Hello, this is Hammer. Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the mission is complete."
"Well done, Hammer. Escort him to Impel Down, then you may return to Marineford."
"Too late for that, Fleet Admiral. That Flame-Flame Fruit guy is long dead... so I can just head back to Marineford, right?"
Sengoku: '...Then why even ask?'
"He's dead. What do you think?"
"Heh, slipped up. Didn't expect him to be such a glass cannon."
Sengoku: '...Listen to this guy! A pirate with a bounty over 100 million, a glass cannon?'
Then again, this was Hammer, #4 among the Marines' new generation.
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 15 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu