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News of Noir''s crew attacking the World Nobles spread like wildfire. Almost every Marine on Sabaody Archipelago converged on the restaurant.
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A sea of Marines flooded the streets, surrounding the restaurant. Rosward, in a fit of rage, shrieked,
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"Damn you Marines! You''re too slow!"
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"Kill them! Kill them all!"
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Though the Marines held a numerical advantage, the balance of power was a different story.
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The rank-and-file soldiers were nothing more than cannon fodder. Enel and Wyper, both wielding powerful Devil Fruit abilities, carved a path of destruction through their ranks.
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Even Kalifa made short work of the Marines, gracefully weaving through the chaos while holding Conis'' hand. She''d send Marines flying with a flick of her finger pistol every now and then.
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But soon, two Marine officers, clad in justice coats and wielding swords, blocked Enel and Wyper''s path.
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The panicked Marines, seeing their superiors arrive, were invigorated, their cries filling the air.
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"It''s Vice Admiral Doberman and Vice Admiral Onigumo!"
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"Yes! The pirates are doomed!"
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"Vice Admirals! Defeat them!"
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Doberman, his face and neck crisscrossed with X-shaped scars, drew his katana and declared, "Pirates deserve nothing but death."
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Onigumo, using Life Return, transformed the hair on his back into eight spider-like arms. Without a word, he charged, wielding multiple weapons like a vengeful Devil.
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Enel sneered. "What? Are you two the lapdogs of that dead God?"
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Doberman remained silent, his black blade slashing down with immense force. Enel''s eyes widened, and he transformed into lightning, narrowly dodging the attack.
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Dammit, more Busoshoku Haki!
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Wyper, in his hybrid form, clashed with Onigumo. Their destructive power cracked the ground beneath them.
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Though their Haki and combat skills were inferior to the Vice Admirals, Enel and Wyper''s Devil Fruit abilities gave them a distinct edge.
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Under the shadow of the Admirals, people sometimes forgot the sheer power of the Vice Admirals.
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In truth, the gap between them wasn''t that vast. Sometimes, it boiled down to a single Devil Fruit.
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A Vice Admiral and an Admiral might possess similar Haki and physical strength, but the Admiral, with the added advantage of a powerful Devil Fruit, would ultimately prevail.
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This differed from the old era, where Marines primarily focused on Haki and physical combat.
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Nowadays, many Marine officers weren''t averse to consuming Devil Fruits; they simply hadn''t found one that suited them.
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Even seasoned Vice Admirals struggled against the strongest Logia users and the rare Zoan Ancient Model users.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
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Back in the restaurant, Ace''s crewmates were urging him to leave. "Captain Ace! Let''s get out of here while we can!"
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"Yeah, they attacked a Celestial Dragon. An Admiral will be here soon!"
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Ace crossed his arms, a conflicted expression on his face. "What a shame. It''s rare to find someone who can match my appetite."
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His crewmates sweatdropped. Ace sighed and gestured for his crew to follow him.
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They weren''t his friends, after all. There was no reason for him to get involved in a fight against a Marine Admiral. He was a notorious pirate with a hefty bounty on his head.
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Lightning and a winged beast filled the sky. Doberman and Onigumo, relying on their superior Haki, managed to hold Enel and Wyper at bay.
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Unable to break through, the two Devil Fruit users grew desperate.
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These Vice Admirals are tougher than they look!
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The Marines, too, were worried. If reinforcements didn''t arrive soon...
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Enel, wielding his golden trident, parried Doberman''s blade, then suddenly felt a shiver down his spine.
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His Mantra was screaming a warning. Something was coming!
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Bang!
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Before Enel could react, a tremendous force slammed into his chest, sending a jolt of pain that nearly knocked him unconscious.
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Enel was launched backward like a meteor, crashing through several buildings, leaving a trail of dust and debris in his wake.
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Wyper stared in shock at the newcomer. A tall man in a yellow pinstripe suit leisurely lowered his leg, yawning.
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Ugh – what a creepy-looking guy!
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Even the battle-hardened Wyper couldn''t help but shudder at the sight of Kizaru''s face.
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As the Marines erupted in cheers, Kizaru idly picked at his ear and looked at Wyper. After a moment of thought, he said,
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"Wyper, known as the ''Warrior God'', suspected Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit user, possibly a flying type. No bounty, no battle record, hmmm…"
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Wyper flushed. Since arriving in the Blue Sea, he''d mostly been helping Noir. He hadn''t exactly been racking up a fight record.
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He''d fought Sea Kings, battled in CP9''s cage matches, and helped capture the zombie Ryuma.
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But those were either insignificant or completely unknown to the outside world.
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"Oh well..." Kizaru shrugged, his body beginning to shimmer.
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A golden light flared. Wyper''s vision was momentarily blinded. A powerful kick sent him hurtling towards the ground.
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The massive pteranodon crashed to the earth, narrowly missing the surrounding Marines and civilians.
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Wyper coughed up blood, glaring at Kizaru.
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That was a hell of a kick…
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His head was ringing, and it felt like it was about to split open.
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Kizaru stroked his crepe-like face, his mouth twisting in a puzzled frown. "Such a resilient physique. And I used my full strength…"
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He then gathered a blinding golden light in his hand, stretching it out before him. A sword made of laser light materialized.
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Kizaru raised his Ama no Murakumo sword, preparing to bring it down on Wyper''s head.
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"You bastard!"
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Just as Wyper was about to retort, a blue streak flashed from the distance.
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Enel, roaring and enveloped in lightning, shot towards Kizaru like a falling star.
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Despite the incredible speed of the blue lightning, Kizaru''s seemingly languid eyes narrowed with ease. His Ama no Murakumo, now held in a reverse grip, darted out to the side.
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It was difficult to say whether lightning or light was faster in isolation, but in this clash, the answer was clear.
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Kizaru''s sword pierced Enel''s chest, the world blurring red as blood filled his vision.
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Enel''s golden staff struck Kizaru''s light form, passing through harmlessly. The weapon slipped from his grasp.
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Damn it, if only I''d mastered Busoshoku Haki…
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Seeing Enel''s grievous injury, Wyper''s adrenaline surged. But he didn''t forget to shout at Kalifa and Conis, "Run! Find the Captain!"
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Kizaru pointed his index finger at the two women, his voice calm despite their terrified expressions.
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"I''m afraid Noir can''t save you now."
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The flickering golden light intensified. With a sharp whistle, a devastating laser beam erupted from his fingertip.
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As Wyper watched in despair, a massive explosion rocked the island.
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A giant Yarukiman Mangrove tree toppled, but the two women, shielded by someone who had tackled them to the ground, were spared from the blast.
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Kizaru, his eyes on the familiar orange-red hat, scratched his head in annoyance. "Looks like trouble has arrived..."
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Ace, adjusting his hat, his hand radiating heat, spoke, his voice low and menacing,
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"You said Noir couldn''t save who, now?"