Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!—
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!—
In a separate chamber of the underground basement, the man known as "Tiger," wearing his signature tiger mask, charged through like a rampaging tank. Built like a monstrous devil of muscle, nothing could block his path, everything in his way was smashed to bits.
Opposing him was Rock, whose arms had transformed into cold steel cannon barrels. Constantly on the move across the wide chamber, he resembled a walking artillery platform, blasting one shot after another. The deafening roars of cannon fire mixed with searing flames and choking black smoke.
Fortunately, the room had originally served as a storage warehouse, about 420 square meters wide, once used for stockpiling weapons and medicinal herbs.
But ever since the Great Pirate Era began, pirates frequently landed on the island, forcing the town's guards into constant skirmishes.
With battles came weapon losses and injuries, and over time, nearly all supplies had been depleted. As a result, the space now stood nearly empty, perfectly suited for their brutal clash.
"Tiger" bellowed, his voice like a beast unleashed, and charged forward like a wild predator let loose from its cage.
"Brainless brute," Rock spat, sneering. Still, he quickly retreated, raising his cannonized arms to aim squarely at the oncoming threat.
With a burst of muzzle flash, two black cannonballs shot forth like meteors. The two men were already at close range. But "Tiger" didn't slow, his burly arms swung out, each palm as large as a war fan. He smacked the cannonballs mid-air with raw strength, batting them away like toys.
Two wooden weapon racks off to the sides exploded under the impact, enveloped in black smoke and tongues of flame.
Meanwhile, in the large meeting hall, two massive beast-like figures blocked the doorways, locked in a frenzied brawl.
Roars echoed through the chamber as lightning crackled and energy shockwaves surged. Clumps of torn fur, shattered scales, and the stench of blood littered the floor. The walls, ceiling, and floor were riddled with claw marks and scorched craters.
Vito stomped down with a massive foot, shaking the ground beneath him. His thunder-charged body moved with surprising agility, when he dashed, he left only afterimages in a flash of lightning.
"Lion" let out a thunderous roar, unshaken by Vito's lightning transformation. Like a rock in a raging tide, he relied on powerful Kenbunshoku and Busoshoku Haki to lock onto Vito's position with pinpoint clarity, striking back with punishing force.
Elsewhere, "Eagle," wearing a white eagle mask, clashed blades and steel with "Snake"—Nekk, the blade-wielding assassin.
Sparks flew through the air as their weapons collided again and again. One was a master of the spear, the other a deadly expert in swordplay. The brutal, up-close combat of cold weapons made for a savage and violent spectacle, with shattered strikes flying in all directions.
"Eagle" moved like a soaring eagle, diving with precision. His golden short spear stabbed out swiftly, each thrust like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Nekk's blade technique was just as vicious, every strike targeted vital points, yet his defenses were airtight. His body twisted and weaved like a serpent, slipping through "Eagle's" rapid jabs with uncanny grace.
"Eagle's" spear stabbed in a flurry, petals of spear-light blooming as he tried to envelop Nek completely.
Nekk's curved blade flashed silver as it intercepted each thrust. But suddenly—
"Eagle's" spear struck directly against Nekk's blade. The impact sent a shock through Nekk's body, he staggered backward, and his sword hand trembled uncontrollably.
"Eagle" didn't waste a second. He surged forward with rapid steps, spear thrusting again, the tip tearing through the air with a high-pitched whistle.
In less than the blink of an eye, the golden spear was upon Nekk's abdomen.
But then, something incredible happened.
Nekk's torso bent backward unnaturally, like his bones had vanished, forming a perfect "C" shape. "Eagle's" spear strike pierced only empty air.
Nekk's counterattack came instantly.
With a twist of his right wrist, his blade sliced upward like a silver crescent. The motion was lightning fast, a clean, deadly arc aimed directly at "Eagle's" neck.
The blade missed by a hair, slicing the ground instead and leaving a long, meter-wide gash in the stone.
"He dodged that?!" Nekk's eyes narrowed in disbelief.
"Nope. Almost got me," a voice replied, from behind him.
There stood "Eagle," one hand gripping his spear, the other wiping a thin trail of blood from his neck. A small cut had opened across his throat, and a single drop of red trickled down.
That last slash hadn't killed him, but it hadn't left him unscathed either.
"Eagle," now slightly wounded and furious, launched himself forward once more, spear gleaming gold under the lights.
But Nekk, who'd scored a hit, wasn't intimidated. He angled his blade toward the floor and rushed to meet him head-on.
The two pairs of fighters, Tiger and Rock, Eagle and Snake, fought across a space divided only by the central black roundtable. Each pair's attacks often crossed the invisible line, lightning bolts and sword slashes tearing into walls and ground alike, leaving deep gouges and destruction in their wake.
Oddly enough, the black roundtable itself seemed impervious to the chaos. No matter the impact, be it slash or thunderstrike, it remained intact, its material clearly something far beyond ordinary steel.
Meanwhile, in the corridor beyond, a ferocious battle was unfolding between "Wolf," wearing his fearsome black wolf mask, and Muir Marcus.
Their clash sent shockwaves through the hallway, scarring the intricately patterned and relief-carved walls with craters and cracks.
Wolf's hands, hardened with Armament Haki, had transformed into black talons, sharp enough to grind stone into powder and tear through steel like paper. Each swipe carved into the walls with terrifying ease.
Marcus, for his part, swung his massive ring-bladed saber with brutal precision, every strike aiming straight for the kill. A single slash was enough to sink inches deep into solid masonry.
Thankfully, the corridor was three meters wide, just enough for both warriors to fight at full force without restraint.
Marcus's blade tore through the air with a chilling whoosh, cleaving downward toward Wolf with overwhelming power.
But Wolf vanished in a flicker of motion, reappearing behind Marcus with his claw already slashing toward his back.
Marcus had spun around just in time, the broad curve of his saber raised across his chest. He blocked the strike head-on.
The impact rang out like thunder. A concussive blast erupted from the clash, surging down both ends of the corridor like a shockwave.
"WAAAH! R-Run for it!!"
"The Captain and that guy, they're monsters!!"
"If we get caught up in that, we're dead!"
"Damn it, we can't even get close!"
The ordinary crewmen of the Triangle Pirates had first been pushed back by the sheer force of the battle.
Now they were in full retreat, stumbling down the hallways as Marcus and Wolf's fight escalated.
Some of the pirates who had been standing too close were thrown to the ground by the gusting shockwave, scrambling in fear up the stairwell like their lives depended on it.