The Battlefield Expands
As Hiro clashed with Admiral Zephyr, the rest of the Night Guild Pirates faced their own battles across the fragmented remains of the marine warship. The marines, though shaken by their captain's immense strength, refused to back down.
"Focus on the other officers!" a marine commander roared. "We can't let them run wild!"
---
Demetrius
On the left flank of the battlefield, Demetrius stood calmly amidst a group of marine swordsmen, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. The marines surrounding him gritted their teeth, recognizing the dangerous aura exuding from the swordsman.
"You should've surrendered." His voice was casual, but his eyes were deadly sharp.
"Attack!" a marine officer shouted.
Five swordsmen lunged at him at once.
SHING!
In an instant, Demetrius vanished. A second later, he reappeared behind the marines, sliding his sword back into its sheath.
Five heads of marine swords shattered in half, their wielders collapsing.
The officer barely had time to react before Demetrius turned toward him. "Your turn."
"Damn you—!"
"Severing Gale."
A single drawn slash split the air, sending a powerful shockwave that bisected the officer's sword before launching him off the ship.
Demetrius sighed. "Too easy."
---
Soruto Feng
Above the battlefield, on a remaining mast, Soruto Feng perched like a hawk. His rifle gleamed under the harsh sun as he scanned the battlefield below.
"Sixteen snipers hidden among the wreckage. Pitiful."
With the smooth precision of a master marksman, Soruto cocked his rifle, his Observation Haki flaring.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three shots rang out in quick succession, each bullet curving midair before hitting their mark. Three marine snipers collapsed before they could even fire.
One of the surviving marine marksmen panicked. "We're getting picked off—!"
BANG!
The marine never finished his sentence.
Soruto smirked. "If you weren't ready to die, you shouldn't have pointed a gun at my crew."
---
Hikari Hajime
While the battle raged, Hikari Hajime, vice-captain and doctor of the Night Guild Pirates, walked through the battlefield with graceful steps, her white coat billowing behind her.
A group of marines charged her, swords raised high.
She simply sighed. "Idiots."
Raising her hand, she activated her Bright Bright no Mi, her body glowing with intense radiance.
"Solar Eruption."
A pulse of blinding light exploded outward, consuming the marines in its path. They screamed as their vision was overwhelmed, their skin burning from the sudden heat.
By the time the light faded, the marines lay unconscious, their weapons melted.
Hikari flicked her wrist. "Too weak."
---
Celeste Hikaru
Further away, Celeste Hikaru held her navigation staff like a spear, facing off against a marine Lieutenant Commander wielding a chain whip.
"Pirates like you don't belong in the New World!" the marine snarled.
Celeste twirled her staff, winds picking up around her. "And yet, here we are."
The marine swung his whip, attempting to snare her leg. Celeste's Observation Haki warned her in time, allowing her to twist out of the way.
"Typhoon Step."
Her body spun with the wind, dodging effortlessly before slamming her staff into the marine's gut. A powerful gust of wind erupted, sending him flying backward.
Celeste flipped her hair back. "Stay down."
---
The Crew Proves Their Might
All across the battlefield, the Night Guild Pirates displayed their overwhelming strength, cutting down marines with ease.
On the marine side, fear began to settle in.
"We're getting crushed!"
"These aren't just any pirates… they're monsters!"
But the battle wasn't over yet.
On the horizon, a new marine fleet was approaching.
Hikari narrowed her eyes. "Tch. More trouble incoming."
Soruto reloaded his rifle. "Let them come."
Demetrius grinned. "Time for round two."
As the last of the marine soldiers fell, the battlefield momentarily fell into silence. The salty sea breeze carried the scent of blood, gunpowder, and burning debris. The Night Guild Pirates stood victorious—but their battle wasn't over.
From the horizon, a new fleet of marine warships approached, their white sails emblazoned with the insignia of the Marines. The ocean trembled as the lead ship cut through the waves with terrifying speed.
Standing at the bow of the warship was Vice Admiral Cedric Holt, a battle-hardened marine who had fought alongside the likes of Garp and Sengoku in his youth. His grizzled features and stern eyes made it clear that he wasn't here to negotiate.
"Reinforcements have arrived." Hikari clicked her tongue, shielding her eyes from the sun as she watched the fleet close in.
Soruto whistled from his perch. "Big guy looks like he's seen hell."
Demetrius rested his blade on his shoulder. "That means he knows how to fight."
Cedric Holt raised his right hand, signaling his fleet. "Begin bombardment."
---
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The marine warships fired their cannons in unison, raining destruction upon the remains of the battlefield. Explosions erupted around the Night Guild Pirates, sending debris and seawater cascading into the air.
Hikari's hands flashed with golden light, erecting a barrier of intense brightness that deflected several cannonballs midair. "Tch. They're not giving us time to breathe."
Soruto sniped down some of the cannon operators before they could reload, but there were too many ships to stop them all.
Celeste called out, "We need to retreat! The ship is too far!"
Demetrius clenched his jaw. "Then we fight our way back."
---
Vice Admiral Cedric Holt Steps In
Before the Night Guild Pirates could regroup, a shadow descended from the sky.
BOOM!
The ground cracked as Cedric Holt landed with earth-shattering force, his massive figure towering over them. The old Vice Admiral straightened, adjusting his marine coat. His gray beard and scarred arms told stories of past battles, but his stance showed that he had lost none of his strength.
"I see the rumors were true," Holt spoke in a deep, commanding voice. "The Night Guild Pirates are no ordinary rookies."
Hikari narrowed her eyes. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
"Vice Admiral Cedric Holt." He flexed his massive arms, veins bulging as he cracked his knuckles. "I was trained by the same legends who raised your grandfather, Hiroshi."
The air grew heavy.
Demetrius grinned, sensing the immense strength in the man's stance. "Well, that's a problem."
Cedric shifted his footing, and in an instant—he disappeared.
"Fast—!"
Before anyone could react, Holt appeared in front of Soruto and threw a devastating punch.
BOOM!
Soruto barely dodged in time, but the sheer force of the strike obliterated the mast behind him, sending debris flying.
"He's not just a brute," Soruto muttered, aiming his rifle. "He's got speed too."
Cedric exhaled, his eyes sharp. "The Marines don't send weaklings to handle problems like you."
---
Demetrius vs. Cedric Holt
Demetrius stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. "I'll handle him."
The two swordsmen locked eyes.
Cedric pulled a blade from his back—a massive blackened cutlass, its edge gleaming with Armament Haki.
Demetrius smirked. "Finally, a real fight."
With a single step, they both vanished, clashing in the center with a deafening CLANG!
Sparks erupted as their weapons collided, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
---
The Crew's Struggle
As the two swordsmen dueled, the rest of the crew found themselves surrounded by marine reinforcements.
Hikari, Soruto, Celeste, and the others held their ground, but the marines kept coming.
Hikari's Bright Bright no Mi sent blinding bursts of light through the battlefield, but the new marine officers were strong.
Soruto picked off enemies with pinpoint accuracy, but he knew they couldn't last forever.
Celeste's wind-based attacks tore through the weaker marines, but the stronger ones refused to fall.
The battle had just begun.