Just then as the fight intensified, in a momentary loss of my concentration Agana’s katana found its mark as the blade slashed through my arm almost severing it, sending a jolt of pain throughout my body. However, even amidst the excruciating pain, I refused to succumb to pain and fatigue.
With a deafening roar, I bit into my own tongue to stave off unconsciousness from blood loss. As clarity replaced agony, I channeled all my energy with vengeance, swinging Sandai Kitetsu with every ounce of strength. "Dark Descent!" Agana, reveling in the sensation of toying around with her prey, was caught off guard by my sudden outburst and couldn’t raise her blade completely in time for defense.
Despite the surprise she was quick to react, she attempted to enter elemental state for evasion, but the distance was too short. Despite her efforts to clad herself in haki and partially transform in a split second, her elemental form couldn’t fully shield her from the devastating blow. I had infused the attack with an advanced form of armament haki—both emission and internal destruction.
The attack carried all my wrath and desperation. As she was sent hurtling through the air, crashing into the railing with a resounding thud, a surge of triumph washed over me, though I acknowledged it as petty. Within moments, Agana returned with vengeance, treating my previous attack as a mere inconvenience. Despite the overwhelming odds, I couldn’t help but smirk. Finally, since the start of the battle, I had managed to land a clean hit and draw blood, even if it was a meager amount.
Meanwhile, Agana, wore a somber expression, caught off guard by a mere child. The trace of crimson on her lips served as a reminder of the damage I inflicted. Prideful in her perfection, she felt a pang of shame at being bested, even if the attack seemed feeble. Recognizing why the elders held me in high regard, despite my youth, I had mastered advanced Armament Haki techniques like emission and internal destruction.
Under normal circumstances, my attack would have torn through the internal organs of someone wielding a Logia fruit, even in elemental form. Yet, Agana wasn’t just anybody reliant solely on her Logia abilities. In that split second, she managed to coat herself in Haki, sparing herself from the full force of my blow. Despite her outward calmness, a glint of anger and frustration simmered in her eyes as she prepared for another assault.
As I stood, feeling the warmth of my own blood flowing from my wounds, I realized each drop I shed only empowered Agana. Her abilities centered around blood manipulation, and with every wound I sustained, I inadvertently fueled her powers. Despite this disadvantage, I found myself entirely at her mercy, knowing only my Armament and Conqueror’s Haki kept her Devil Fruit abilities restrained for the moment, uncertain how much longer I could endure.
Agana stood poised but this time with much more seriousness, unsheathing her blade once more, brushing off the debris from her coat, her eyes blazing with anger and contempt. "Kid, I originally intended to take you back to the Holy Land in one piece, but it seems that words alone won’t get through to you. I’m sure the elders won’t mind if you’re missing a limb or two, especially considering you’re scheduled for slaughter alongside your brother at Mary Geoise."
With a swift movement, she vanished from her spot and reappeared behind me, her blade slicing through the air in an attempt to sever my sword arm. But my future sight had already anticipated her move, and I plunged my blade backward to where she would appear next.
"Clang!" Our swords met, but Agana deflected the swing with ease. "Seriously, what other secrets are you hiding? Exceptional mastery of Armament Haki, observation Haki honed to see the future, Conqueror’s Haki... Kid, you need to die, and I will make sure of it!" Agana remarked with surprise mixed with contempt, her attacks growing more ferocious as she combined her blade skills with her blood powers.
I realized the reason she could deflect my attacks with such casual ease was not just due to my current condition but also due to the disparity between my mind and body. While my Observation Haki, could outmatch Agana’s, my body’s reaction time couldn’t keep up. It was a drawback I knew I couldn’t overcome through training alone; my body needed to naturally grow and develop alongside my Haki abilities. For now, this discrepancy left me vulnerable to Agana’s onslaught, as she ceased holding back and pressed her advantage trying to tear me apart.
Meanwhile, the entirety of Marineford had already descended into chaos . Only the higher-ups were aware of the order to capture young Rosinante, while the rest remained oblivious. Originally, Tsuru had advised against revealing the order, fearing that Garp’s prodigy might have honed his observation haki to the point of detecting thoughts and emotions. People with weak wills could be read like open books, and Tsuru wasn’t willing to take that risk. So as currently Garp alongside his subordinates fighting against the rest of the Admirals and their subordinates had created confusion amongst the Marine ranks not many were aware what exactly was happening and stayed in the sidelines praying in silence.
"Tell me, what have you done with my brother?" I demanded, my voice strained with exhaustion. It had been nearly half an hour since my clash with Agana began, and blood continued to drip from my countless wounds. Despite my best efforts, I found myself on my knees, struggling to hold my ground against an admiral-level fighter.
While I could have held my own against someone like the current Sakazuki or Borsalino, who had yet to reach their full potential, Agana was a different story. She was a genuine powerhouse, and facing her was pushing me to my limits. Even pushing myself to such an extent was not enough to mount a decent defense against her, as she wasn’t even taking the fight seriously; it was like a predator toying with its prey.
My current condition was truly pathetic, my right arm hanging limply at my side, the deep gash across it serving as a painful reminder of my predicament. With my right arm incapacitated, I gripped Kitetsu tightly in my left hand, thankful for my ambidexterity. I had honed my skills with both hands, and while I preferred single-sword combat, I hadn’t neglected the use of my off-hand.
My vision began to blur as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me. Even my Armament Haki faltered under the relentless assault, but my conqueror’s Haki remained steadfast, keeping Agana at bay throughout the battle . Though I was at an absolute disadvantage, I had managed to land a few blows of my own. Agana’s once pristine attire was now a bit crumbled , and her graceful demeanor had given way to sweat and disheveled hair.
Despite her apparent victory, I was making it difficult for her. I had even left a gash on her back which I could attribute only to catching her off guard due to my superior observation haki, though she had swiftly healed herself using her blood abilities the attack was like a slap on her face. Despite my unyielding counters where I tried to exchange a wound for a wound Agana still came out on top as she casually used her blood ability to heal herself, Though I had a superior physique It was frustrating to see her use me as a blood source to replenish her wounds.
"Oh, don’t worry about your brother," Agana sneered, her voice laced with malice. "He will be well taken care of. Lucky for you, the elders have ordered to take both of you alive. So why don’t you surrender, kid? Although you have struggled admirably, you are still leagues away from reaching the stage where you can challenge me. Maybe, if given a decade or two with your talent you might be qualified for me to use my true powers. But, unfortunately for you kid, your journey ends here today."
Despite the dire situation, I refused to yield. My body ached from the multitude of wounds, and the temporary loss of my functions in one of my arm and a leg left me severely handicapped. Yet, I remained defiant in the face of Agana’s overwhelming power. There was a rare glint of admiration in her eyes as she regarded me. Fallen though I may be, I was also a descendant of God, and that fact alone earned her begrudging respect.
Agana hailed from the Figarland family, a lineage from the original twenty. Because of her unmatched talent, she has been trained since she was young to serve as one of God’s knights. She had always prided herself on being the epitome of talent, believing that no one could match her prowess. Even within the Holy Land, she had been groomed for greatness, destined to become a pillar amongst the celestial dragons. But now, standing before her, was a child who had the potential to match her maybe given time even surpass her. It was a realization that both intrigued and unnerved her, fueling her determination to bring me down and preserve her status as the supreme genius.
"Dark Descent!" I shouted, launching a flying slash at Agana in a desperate attempt to catch her off guard. But to my dismay, the once majestic attack had diminished in size, a clear indication of my waning armament haki. My gaze drifted toward the bay, where the chaos of Marineford unfolded before me. Despite the distance, I could make out Garp and his direct subordinates, fighting tirelessly against overwhelming odds.
Agana’s voice pierced through my thoughts as I drifted, the blood loss inducing hallucinations. Dripping with contempt, she casually deflected my incoming attack with a blood slash of her own. "Forget about them," she taunted. "They’ll never come to your rescue. Isn’t it amusing to watch them squirm? That’s the loyalty of dogs to their masters."
Her words stung, reminding me of my past affiliations with the original Donquixote family. But I pushed aside the memories, focusing on the present duel. Meanwhile, Kuzan battled against the combined might of Sakazuki and Borsalino.
"Junior sure is putting up a fight; it’s so scary!" Borsalino remarked, attempting to strike Kuzan from behind. Ever vigilant, Kuzan countered with an ice shield, redirecting Borsalino’s light-based attack toward Sakazuki.
"Kuzan, you are a Marine; you should know that he is a criminal; he has slaughtered innocents; he needs to be punished; don’t make me kill you," Sakazuki bellowed, following absolute justice to the letter, a perfect lapdog to the World Government. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel~fire~net
Sakazuki retaliated with a mighty eruption of magma, while Kuzan countered with his own ice-based technique. "Ice Age." The clash between the two Logia users created a spectacle of elemental fury.
Meanwhile, Bogard struggled against the overwhelming number of vice admirals pouring out like a relentless tide. Though formidable, he restrained himself from harming his fellow marines. Without admiral-level abilities or means to push back massive numbers, the tide of battle turned against him. Witnessing his friend’s plight, Garp’s resolve hardened.
"Kong!" Garp’s voice thundered, his Haoshoku haki surging like an unstoppable wave, knocking out several Vice Admirals surrounding Bogard. "Stop this madness. Don’t force my hand."
Despite the chaos, Garp remained resolute, attempting to reason with Kong and the other admirals. But time was running out. The strain of the prolonged battle took its toll on his protege, and he sensed my armament haki faltering.
However, my duel with Agana continued unabated. Despite my injuries and diminishing haki, I stood my ground against overwhelming odds. Every blow I landed was a testament to my determination, even as Agana’s power threatened to completely overwhelm me.
*******************************
Meanwhile, on an uncharted island in the New World, the planned meeting between the Donquixote Family and the Beast Pirates had descended into chaos. Betrayal had torn through their ranks, leaving the Donquixote family at the mercy of the ferocious Beast Pirates and the forces of the World Government . Amidst the carnage, Kaido himself, the feared "strongest creature in the world," had descended upon the island.
"Hahaha, did you think you could stroll through the New World unchallenged, brat?" Kaido’s booming voice echoed across the battlefield as he faced off against Doflamingo, Diamante, and Senor. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Kaido exuded confidence in his hybrid form, radiating power.
Battered and bruised, Doflamingo glanced at the fallen body of Pica, a loyal member of the Donquixote family who had sacrificed himself to protect his leader. Anger simmered in Doflamingo’s eyes as he braced himself for the onslaught.