Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom...
A rapid series of air-burst sounds crackled from the sky.
Bamos instinctively looked up. A young man in a sharp black suit and a Marine "Justice" coat was sprinting through the air.
"Flying... in the sky?"
Bamos blinked, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him. His giant axe slowed in mid-swing. He rubbed his eyes, confirmed the sight was real, and immediately froze. Disbelief flooded his face.
"Th-this... How is this even possible?"
Seeing Bamos hesitate, the severely wounded Torod exhaled in relief. He followed Bamos's gaze and chuckled faintly. Though weak, his laughter brimmed with smug triumph.
"Heh... You're finished."
Torod knew he'd succeeded—he had stalled Bamos long enough, held the line on the No. 2 battleship, and blocked the Great Axe Pirates' retreat route.
Bamos spun toward Torod, trembling with rage. His heart burned with hatred. If not for this stubborn fool, he wouldn't be in such a dire state. His eyes radiated murder.
Torod let his broken katana drop to the blood-stained deck, then slumped down, unfazed by Bamos's furious glare. He stared back calmly and murmured:
"Justice will always prevail."
By now, the clashing Marines and pirates on the No. 2 battleship had also noticed the airborne figure—Nodori Mori.
In an instant, pirate morale plummeted. The Marines, battered and retreating moments ago, rallied with renewed spirit, launching a fierce counterattack. Many pirates, once bold, now turned and fled in panic.
A few hundred meters away, aboard the No. 1 Marine battleship...
A Marine officer stood at the bow, holding a Den Den Mushi.
"Prepare the cannons. Target the enemy pirate ship. Fire."
His voice barely faded when the ship roared to life. Cannons swiveled into position.
Blinding flashes and choking smoke poured from the muzzles. The air grew stiflingly hot. Solid black cannonballs—some chained together—screamed across the sea.
The Great Axe pirate ship erupted in splinters. It looked like it might fall apart at any second. Waves crashed around it, the hull swaying dangerously. The main deck, railing, and cabins were punched through with gaping holes. The foremast and stern masts took direct hits from chain-shot, shattering into pieces—some crashing onto the deck, others plunging into the sea.
The cannon fire was disturbingly accurate. Almost every shot found its mark.
In moments, the 70-80 meter-long ship was engulfed in flames, its hull breaking apart as it began sinking stern-first. Yet the Marine guns didn't stop—they intended to erase the ship from existence.
The Great Axe had been drifting alongside the No. 2 battleship for some time. The Marine gunners had it locked in their sights. When the order came, it was like shooting a target at a firing range.
"Damn it... My ship..."
Bamos stared at his vessel sinking into the waves. He reached out, as if trying to pull it back.
"No more chances. I'm out of here."
Liorosa, seeing the tide turn, narrowed his eyes and spat in disgust. Then, without a word, he quietly slipped away.
Likiwa's twin blades flashed—two Marines fell in a spray of blood. He looked up at the airborne figure, his voice trembling:
"How... How can someone run in the sky like that?"
He landed hard on the deck, sending up smoke and shattering the wood beneath him.
"You worthless sea rats... You've cost me far too much."
The smoke parted. A man emerged and strode to Torod's side.
His voice was sharp, commanding.
"Commander, good work. I'll recommend you for HQ deployment."
Through the thinning smoke, the figure came into view: black suit, Marine coat draped over his shoulders, a long scar carved across his forehead like a reminder of countless battles. His face was unremarkable, but his intense eyes were unforgettable. In one hand, he carried a three-foot copper staff, adorned with ancient carvings.
"Heh... Captain Mori, that's all I ever wanted."
Torod tore off his tattered shirt. His body was riddled with wounds, but he grinned through the pain.
"The Pirate Slayer—Nodori Mori!"
Bamos stared at the man. Though taller and bulkier, he instinctively stepped back, shaking in fear.
Mori's eyes narrowed. Without wasting a word, he charged, raising his copper staff for a crushing blow to the skull.
Cornered and panicked, Bamos raised his axe with both hands and struck back.
A thunderous metallic clang echoed across the ship.
"H-how... You... You have that kind of strength?"
Bamos strained under the clash, sweat pouring down his face. How could someone so lean wield such monstrous power?
"Don't view the world through the eyes of an ignorant fool."
Though clearly overpowering Bamos, Mori was annoyed.
"To think a nobody who hasn't even seen the Grand Line could block me... Have I gotten soft these past two years?"
But he didn't slow down. With a flick of his left hand, he pointed.
Blood sprayed. Bamos gasped as Mori's finger pierced his chest.
"How... How is this real...?"
The surrounding pirates were stunned. They knew Mori was dangerous—but they hadn't expected their captain to be taken down instantly.
Likiwa shouted, charging in with twin blades aimed at Mori's head and neck.
It was like striking steel. Likiwa's hands shook violently. Both swords shattered.
"What... What even are you?"
He was paralyzed. In his world, no human could block a blade with their body—but everything he believed was crumbling before his eyes.
"Captain Mori! A large pirate ship is approaching!"
A Marine officer shouted from the edge of the deck, pointing toward the open sea.
Everyone—Marines and pirates alike—turned.
A massive black ship with white markings and three sails, shaped like a snarling wolf's head, was tearing across the waves toward them.
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