Suddenly, a sharp sound tore through the air behind Gutte. A mocking voice followed, crisp and lazy.
"Talking behind someone's back? That's not very polite, Gutte-san~."
Gutte froze. His body stiffened as he turned with a jerk, his expression twisted in fury as he gritted out,
"You—damn—pervy—Yellow—Monkey—bastard!"
Hovering in midair, Borsalino bent forward slightly, his voice languid and amused.
"Wow~ such a sharp tongue."
"I'm going to kill you, Kizaru. Even if it costs me my life, I'll kill you here and now," Gutte spat through clenched teeth, face dark with rage, his tone slipping into madness.
"You're wagering your life?" Borsalino's expression sharpened ever so slightly. He clasped his hands together, forming a blade of concentrated light. In the blink of an eye, he slashed downward.
"In that case, I'll stake the honor of a Marine Admiral... and erase you from this world."
"Come on then! Let me be the one to kill an Admiral!" Gutte roared, his face contorted in bloodlust. He threw aside his scabbard and charged forward, both hands gripping his sword tight.
The air itself exploded with a violent pulse. A visible shockwave rippled outward. A circle of white energy surged like a tsunami, splitting the earth beneath their feet, sending seawater surging back. The explosive gust swept across nearly half of Grove 53.
"What the hell was that?!"
"The navigator never mentioned a typhoon today!"
"Are those... monsters fighting?!"
"Vice Admiral Kizaru?!"
Hurricane-force winds slammed into marines and pirates alike, flipping them over like leaves. The ocean surged violently, and battleships moored at the coast rocked in the tide. The shockwave's edge reached even the shore of the island where Aeridar and the others stood.
"This wind... it's not a storm," Aeridar muttered, narrowing his eyes as his coat flapped wildly. "This is the backlash of a battle between monsters. Kizaru and Gutte...!"
"It's coming from the coast. No way this is a natural phenomenon," said Lucci, shielding his face with one hand.
"Captain made landfall after all. Looks like he's been caught up by Kizaru," Obes muttered. He had already seen the clash from afar, back when they were still at sea. He'd known instantly who it was.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang...!
A rapid barrage of metal-on-metal clashing echoed closer and closer. In the distance, two figures—one clad in black, the other cloaked in gold—clashed violently, sparks flashing in midair. Their fight was hurtling toward them like a meteor, tearing through everything in its path. Devastating sword strikes collided with searing laser blasts, leaving the battlefield in ruins.
"That disfigured freak must be Gutte, right? What an ugly bastard," Aeridar quipped, sparing not even a glance for the downed Puda at his feet. Hands in his pockets, he watched the duel and began walking toward it, voice dripping with mockery.
Gutte brought his sword down with a roar, but Borsalino's body dispersed into shimmering photons, and he zipped into the sky. The ground behind him split open with a deafening crack, torn apart by the invisible edge of the missed strike.
Midair, Kizaru casually pointed a finger down at Gutte. Particles of light gathered in an instant, forming a blinding ball of brilliance. Dozens of concentrated laser beams shot downward.
A bowl-shaped explosion, ten meters wide, lit up the earth below like a second sun. Fire roared, incinerating everything within. The ground trembled from the impact, the shockwave tossing dust high into the air. Smoke billowed out, cloaking the battlefield in a dense, choking haze.
"Oni Blade: Star Demon!"
From the smoke, dozens of grey, human-like slashes streaked through the air—phantom blades shaped like ghosts, diving straight for Kizaru in the sky.
But Kizaru was the wielder of the Glint-Glint Fruit. Hitting him was easier said than done.
In a flash of golden light, he vanished again, reappearing smoothly on the ground as the ghost blades tore into the towering Yarukiman Mangrove behind him. One after another, slash, slash, slash... deep gashes marked the trunk of the ancient tree.
"Aiyaa~ we meet again, kid," Borsalino said as he landed beside Aeridar, shooting a glance toward the crumpled Puda. "Thanks for the help back there."
"Cut the crap, you twisted monkey. No way in hell you're thanking me out of the kindness of your heart," Aeridar rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed by Kizaru's tone.
"Oof, that's cold~ Even if I wasn't being sincere, no need to be so blunt, little bro~," Kizaru pouted, his voice ever so carefree.
"It's Admiral Borsalino!"
"Thank goodness! Admiral Borsalino's here!"
The arriving marines brightened instantly at his appearance, their tense faces easing into smiles as they rushed to greet him.
"Wow, you really are weirdly popular for such a sleazy monkey," Aeridar raised an eyebrow, surprised by the warm welcome Kizaru received.
"Hey now~ my subordinates are adorable, you know~," Kizaru replied with mock hurt, lips twitching at Aeridar's jab.
From the smoke, Gutte stepped out, sword in one hand. His clothing was torn in several places, scorch marks and slashes everywhere.
"It's Captain Gutte!"
"Hell yeah, the boss is here!"
The gathered pirates began cheering wildly, emboldened by their leader's arrival. Morale surged in an instant.
"Puda..." Gutte's face darkened as he looked down at his bloodied second division commander lying unconscious. His eyes bulged with fury. Then he noticed the man standing beside Kizaru, his expression turned from rage to confusion.
"Captain, that's the new Warlord of the Sea, Golden Ring Aeridar," Jig said, staggering over with a pale face. "Be careful. He's strong... like a damn monster."
"You're hurt that badly?!" Gutte spun around, eyebrows drawn tight in fury.
"I got hit by Golden Ring Aeridar first... then had to fight one of the World Government's agents," Jig said, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth and glancing toward Lucci.
"Tch... World Government agent, huh..." Gutte muttered, eyes narrowing as he looked at Lucci, still in his hybrid beast form. "Zoan-type Devil Fruit users... are they really this strong?"
Gutte knew his first mate's strength well. Even injured, he wasn't someone just any government agent could overpower.
"Never underestimate them."
Jig spoke slowly, each word heavy.
"Captain," Obes approached with his massive Black Bow slung over his shoulder, voice calm despite the tension.
"All the coated ships here have been destroyed by Marine cannon fire. They're tightening the encirclement from all sides."
At that, Gutte scanned the surroundings. The Demon Mask Pirates were rallying toward their position, nearly a thousand had already gathered. Those who hadn't come... were either dead or pinned down by Marine encirclement units.
As for the Marines, with the newly arrived forces led by Vice Admiral Strawberry from Marine Headquarters, the total enemy strength now exceeded fifteen hundred.
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