"A slash on the level of a top-tier swordsman? No thanks, I'm not about to take that head-on."
As the massive strike came hurtling toward him, Aeridar's body flickered, and vanished from sight.
Splat! Splurt, splurt...!
The monstrous grey slash ripped across the battlefield, carving a trench over a hundred meters long into the earth. Navy troops caught in its path were cleaved or maimed outright. Blood painted the ground in a crimson swath, severed limbs and shattered bodies strewn along the gaping fissure.
"You dare do that to my subordinates?" a thunderous voice rang out. "Don't you dare ignore me."
A streak of golden light blinked behind Gutte. It reformed midair into a humanoid figure, who landed a powerful whip kick to Gutte's waist.
Coughing blood, Gutte flew across the battlefield, slamming into the root of an "980"-numbered Yarukiman Mangrove. Half his body embedded itself into the wood, spiderweb cracks spreading across the trunk from the sheer impact.
Seeing their leader hurled through the air, Obes and Jig, who was locked in fierce combat with Rob Lucci, shouted in alarm.
"This isn't the time to lose focus on the battlefield!"
While Obes was distracted, Aeridar suddenly appeared right in front of him. With a smirk, he launched a punch straight at Obes's face. As the saying goes: strike the face first to blind the eyes.
But Obes wasn't just any pirate, he'd survived in the New World for years. As an archer, his mastery of Observation Haki was formidable. The moment Aeridar appeared, Obes sensed him. However, the man's speed was simply too fast, he had no time to counterattack. All he could do was raise his black bow in front of him.
Aeridar's punch slammed into the bow, bending it slightly inward from the sheer force. Obes skidded back over ten meters, his boots gouging deep trails into the dirt.
"That's one tough, and flexible, bow," Aeridar commented with genuine admiration. He grinned. "That's the Black Dragon Bow, isn't it? Forged from massive dragon bone, dragon sinew, and other rare materials—one-of-a-kind."
Hands still trembling from the shock, Obes stared warily at Aeridar. His tone, though, was far from cowed.
"You've got a good eye, bastard. Wanna see what it can really do? I've got an arrow with your name on it."
Aeridar chuckled arrogantly, his eyes gleaming with greedy delight.
"No, no. I was just thinking, this beauty will look perfect in my collection room."
Aeridar wasn't a swordsman or an archer himself, but he had a particular fondness for rare weapons and artifacts. Filling a room with treasures satisfied something deep in his soul.
"You'll have to kill me first," Obes growled, his expression darkening.
With a swift motion, he grabbed three iron arrows from the quiver on his back, nocked them, and loosed them in one fluid motion.
Archery Technique—Triple Shot!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three black arrows streaked through the air, forming a tight spread that cut off all of Aeridar's escape angles.
Aeridar's eyes narrowed. He realized that no matter how he dodged, he'd be hit by at least one arrow.
"Impressive!" Aeridar praised, then stepped forward instead of retreating. With a surge of power, he threw a punch forward.
A visible shockwave erupted from his fist, distorting the air itself and slamming into the arrows mid-flight—sending them flying off course.
The sound of clashing metal rang out again as a fresh gust of wind blew through. That was Gutte and Kizaru locking blades once more, golden light versus dark steel. The sheer force of their exchange cleared the area of both Navy and pirates, none of whom dared get caught in their clash.
Suddenly—pop!—a subtle ripple appeared in the air.
Just as Gutte parried one of Kizaru's light blades, he felt... something.
Back near the center of the battlefield, Strawberry approached Aeridar, his expression calm.
"Aeridar-dono," he said flatly, "leave Kataror Obes to me. Please assist Admiral Kizaru in eliminating Hodgil Gutte."
"Oh, Vice Admiral Strawberry, huh?" Aeridar glanced over at the stoic Marine. He scowled. "Hey now, let's not get ahead of ourselves, I called dibs on that bow first."
"I promise, the Black Dragon Bow will be yours, once the battle is done."
Aeridar's expression eased.
"Fair enough!" Without another word, he turned and left.
"...Tch." Strawberry's eye twitched.
"You don't get to decide what happens to my bow, you bastard!"
Watching the two casually negotiate the fate of his prized weapon right in front of him, Obes, normally calm and composed, was incensed.
And he knew, his captain couldn't possibly hold off both an Admiral and a Warlord of the Sea. Likewise, Obes himself couldn't handle both a Vice Admiral and Aeridar. This would be his final stand.
With grim resolve, he called out:
"What's wrong? Running away already? Scared I'll put a few extra holes in you?"
"A cheap provocation," Aeridar stopped and looked over his shoulder. "I know what you mean. If you manage to survive this fight... come find me. I might just offer you protection."
Aeridar wasn't one to risk himself lightly, but a loyal, gutsy subordinate like Obes? He didn't mind sparing some resources to keep a warrior like that alive.
With that, he vanished.
"Damn it!" Obes gritted his teeth as Aeridar disappeared, fingers clutching the Black Dragon Bow so hard his knuckles turned white.
"That man would go so far as to offer you shelter?" Strawberry said calmly, twin blades in hand. "Then I really can't let you live."
His voice was frigid.
Near the shoreline...
Kizaru and Gutte clashed in a blazing duel of light and darkness. Golden light-sabers sparked against obsidian black blades. The surrounding area was deserted, neither Navy nor pirates dared interfere, knowing death awaited anyone caught in the crossfire.
The air shimmered, just a trace.
Just as Gutte parried Borsalino's longsword, a chill crawled up his spine. His shoulder twitched instinctively.
A burst of blood erupted from his shoulder, a hole torn clean through.
"Damn it!" he cursed.
Pain shot through him, and his grip on the sword faltered. His guard broke, his once-flawless swordplay now full of gaps.
A veteran of countless battles, Borsalino didn't hesitate. Seizing the moment, he gripped his blade with both hands and slashed in a wide horizontal arc.
Hot blood sprayed through the air. Gutte staggered back, clutching his abdomen. He dropped to one knee, breath ragged, blood pooling at his feet.
"Too bad," a cool voice drawled from the trees.
From the shadows stepped Aeridar, fingers curled in sleek, black gauntlets. He wore a look of mild disappointment, as if he'd missed a perfect shot at a game.
"I was aiming for your heart. Can't believe you dodged it."
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