Zephyr's group came to Drum Kingdom after receiving a report about a suspicious ship.
They had no expectations. Suspicious ships were common tales, and it couldn't serve as decisive evidence.
But—
"...Surprising. It's a hit."
Zephyr murmured softly while looking through binoculars.
Ahead was a single galleon. Having confirmed it during their battle off Arabasta Kingdom, there was no mistaking it.
Above all, he recognized the giant on the ship.
"'Colossal Shadow' Feiyun. We haven't confirmed the 'Witch,' but she's presumably landed on the island."
"Drum Kingdom's military... the defense force here. Contact them. We'll engage, but tell them wanted criminals have infiltrated nearby towns."
"The 'Witch' can cross the sea alone, so worst case, we might only let her escape..."
"That won't happen. Better to announce loudly we're attacking now—that'll hook her."
If she were someone who'd abandon comrades to save herself, she wouldn't have killed a Celestial Dragon protecting others.
Both Sengoku and Zephyr, who'd fought her once, understood that well.
"Same type as Roger. Without ability, the type that'd die quickly, but..."
"Also a troublesome type when accompanied by ability. Belk, immediately contact Lonz and Saul. Surround the ship."
"Yes sir!"
The ship grew bustling and hectic.
Three nearby warships gradually formed an encirclement, and by the time they judged it sufficient, the enemy had also prepared intercepting stance.
The first to move—was the giant bearing the name "Colossal Shadow."
"She's moving! 'Colossal Shadow!'"
"Can see that. No other human that huge exists."
That physique, roughly ten times the size of a normal giant, made him sigh involuntarily.
In terms of build alone, none could defeat her. For comparison, it'd be giant creatures like Sea Kings or Island Whales.
But even that huge, cannons were effective.
Showering endless bombardment from four warships would deal some damage. Precisely because so huge, a perfect target.
"Lonz and Saul will suppress 'Colossal Shadow.' Sengoku and I will board and finish this."
For facing Feiyun, two Vice Admirals—Lonz and Saul—would suffice. Despite the size difference, Haki strength could bridge the gap somewhat.
Not just the size difference, but considering she herself was a Haki user made it appropriate personnel selection.
Feiyun, too huge to fit on the ship, dipped feet in the winter sea and swung down a fist hardened with Armament Haki toward the warship.
"Think you can defeat me with just that!!"
Deflecting that giant fist sideways, Zephyr and Sengoku headed for Kanata's ship.
Avoiding incoming bombardment, sometimes deflecting, landing on the ship, surveying the deck—Zephyr immediately entered defensive stance.
A spear tip struck his hardened arm, stopping with a high-pitched sound.
"Quite the greeting."
"No need for courtesy with those who board suddenly—besides, if the opponent's an Admiral, you're not soft enough to fall to sneak attacks."
"Naturally. You seem reasonably strong too... where's the 'Witch'?"
"Currently disembarked. She'll return eventually, but you're not planning to wait drinking tea?"
"Naturally—not!!"
Deflecting the spear and stepping in, Zephyr struck at Junshi.
Junshi deflected it by spinning the deflected spear in a sweep, skillfully manipulating the long spear while maintaining distance, thrusting at Zephyr's throat.
Avoiding by a hair's breadth and stepping in further, Junshi read ahead and swept Zephyr's lifted foot attempting to step in.
"Tch!"
Handling those attacks while foreseeing them with Observation Haki, somehow it was awkward.
(This guy... troublesome in a different way from the 'Witch')
No clear power to see the future, but fighting by dominating the field with moves the opponent hated. This type was very awkward—not Zephyr's preferred type to fight—but still, not enough to lose.
Knocking Junshi away with his hardened fist, maintaining several meters' distance.
The spear Junshi held differed from Kanata's—a roughly three-meter spear called a "Liuhe Qiang."
Made of wood except the spearhead, wrapped in Armament Haki, it possessed hardness while maintaining flexibility, deflecting impacts by bending.
"Maintain certain distance and you can manage defense."
"Can't be optimistic enough to get arrogant thinking I can win."
Still, he wasn't completely deflecting damage. More skillful fighter than Kanata, but Armament not as strong as hers.
Additionally, not surpassing Zephyr's Observation Haki, so how long defense would continue—
Zephyr and Junshi moved simultaneously, fist and spear clashing.
Wrapped in Armament Haki, they produced shockwaves each collision—even on the broad ship's deck, the inescapable situation made getting caught up highly likely. To avoid being in the way, Scotch's group evacuated to the ship's edge.
If Kanata's group at Kureha's returned, they could at least somewhat reverse this desperate situation... but the situation wasn't simple enough to allow that.
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"Besides the 'Witch,' another with ability to face Zephyr existed... but seems no one else remains aboard."
Two giant Vice Admirals were suppressing Feiyun. Junshi, first contact today, was engaging Zephyr, and currently no strong person aboard this ship could handle Sengoku.
Sengoku stepped forward to collectively defeat the approaching crew members—and caught David's incoming fist.
"I'm in charge of this ship...! Won't let you do as you please!"
"Then try protecting it...!"
David's ability exploded his fist, but no damage to Sengoku wrapped in Armament Haki.
Too much difference in fundamental power. Before Sengoku even used his ability, David's ability couldn't deal damage. Couldn't penetrate Haki.
"Damn... dammit! Why am I so...!!"
Though going too flashy risked breaking the ship, he still wasn't holding back.
The cruel reality of completely losing in power utterly crushed David's confidence.
"As expected, only the 'Witch' poses a threat. Seize the ship first, and she'll calm down."
Against her who treasured comrades, restraining crew members would easily calm her. Even Sengoku understood her strength—nothing better than avoiding head-on combat if possible.
Thoroughly punching and knocking out David, Sengoku prepared to disable remaining crew members.
"Wh-wh-what do we do about that!? We can't do anything against Sengoku!!"
"Even if you ask what... with neither Kanata nor Zen here, we have no choice but to somehow manage?"
"Why are you so calm!?"
Beside the panicking Scotch, Kuro made calm judgments.
With this ship's maximum forces—Kanata and Zen—absent, things were quite bad, but they'd contacted via Den Den Mushi earlier and that was it. With some distance, they needed buying time, but this situation made even that difficult.
Junshi alone had hands full just facing Zephyr, and Feiyun was facing two Vice Admirals—couldn't expect much.
Kuro or Scotch couldn't handle Sengoku—but.
"Gotta do it. We were entrusted!"
With even Kuro—among the weakest on the ship—saying this, Scotch's situation was half-desperate.
Cutlass in hand, raising spirits, even knowing defeat, couldn't not fight.
In that situation, one man emerged from inside the ship.
Sengoku narrowed his eyes, stopped walking warily.
"—I'll be your opponent. I owe Kanata."
Tiger crouched and burst out at tremendous speed, striking at Sengoku.
Using Fish-Man characteristic strength, the defending Sengoku couldn't plant feet firmly and slid several meters across the deck.
"Ugh...!"
"Tiger! That helps, but you'll get a bounty too!?"
"Don't care! The Marines don't protect Fish-Men anyway. Becoming wanted is nothing."
At Tiger's assertion, Sengoku grimaced but didn't counter.
The World Government's way, the Celestial Dragons' way, and considering the Marines' way—he had no words to counter Tiger's assertion.
Even if Sengoku didn't approve that way. Being in the Marines meant obeying.
Not everyone could live like Garp.
"...If you interfere, I'll show no mercy to anyone!"
Finally activating his ability, Sengoku became a Buddha.
Boasting size comparable to giants—even seeing that form, Tiger glared without retreating a step.
"That's Animal Zoan... my ability won't mean much."
Against Animal Zoan whose main ability was physical enhancement... or rather, against Sengoku in the first place, pulling him with Kuro's "darkness" gravity carried tremendous risk.
Carelessly pulling would likely result in Kuro getting done in.
Buddha Sengoku swung down his raised fist at Tiger, who avoided it, leaving a large hole in the ship's deck.
"Whoa!? Isn't letting Sengoku rampage bad!?"
"The ship might break first... can we somehow drive him out or drop him in the sea?"
Unlike Kanata who fought laying ice directly on the sea, fighting on the ship made catching Sengoku off-guard difficult.
Tiger being a Fish-Man would fight much easier in the sea, but Sengoku wouldn't allow that.
Before Tiger moved, Sengoku released Haki shockwaves from his palm, blowing away Tiger and the crew members waiting behind.
"Gu, aaah...!!"
The blown Tiger immediately regained posture and leaped at Sengoku.
Clashing with Sengoku's Haki-wrapped fist, competing, taking distance as if mutually deflected.
Immediately after distancing, guns aimed from behind supporting Tiger, but against Sengoku even that held little meaning.
However superhuman Tiger's strength, Sengoku surpassed even that.
"Damn, as expected, strong...!"
"You guys! Don't make only our guest Tiger fight! Support, do support!"
Scotch raised his voice, swinging up his cutlass and slashing at Sengoku.
Even knowing he couldn't win, continuing to let guest Tiger fight alone left him unable to face Kanata as one entrusted with the ship.
Attacks without even Haki couldn't deal damage, but thinking even a slight opening—there, the blown Junshi crashed from the side.
Rolling involving Scotch, hitting the wall, both stopping.
"Junshi! Hey, you okay!?"
Kuro called to Junshi who'd rolled with Scotch, but no answering voice.
Junshi, bleeding from his head, immediately stood up, prepared for Zephyr's follow-up.
However, contrary to expectation, Zephyr didn't pursue, standing alongside Sengoku with crossed arms.
"Still too soft. Not enough to defeat me."
"Zephyr, why are you playing! We need seizing the ship before the 'Witch' returns!"
"Don't say that, Sengoku. He was quite strong. Enough to give some trouble."
At minimum, he'd pulled no punches.
Junshi had bruises in places, but bleeding was from cutting his head. Not a particularly deep wound.
Conversely, Zephyr had one scratch on his cheek but otherwise nearly uninjured. Even called putting up a good fight, Junshi himself wouldn't accept this.
"Besides... it's too late."
Zephyr turned his gaze toward Drum's main island—immediately after, an ice spear flew supersonic at Zephyr's throat.
Catching it with both arms hardened with Armament using blade-catching technique—Kanata's flying kick slammed into the ice spear's shaft, blowing Zephyr away.
Before Sengoku could cry out, Kanata turned toward Sengoku and slammed a fierce kick into the giant's flank.
"Gu, nuu—!?"
Haki was far stronger than when they'd fought before.
Though Sengoku staggered, he immediately regained posture at the ship's edge and released Haki shockwaves toward Kanata.
Kanata blocked it head-on with Haki, glaring at Sengoku with sharp red eyes.
"You've had quite your way, haven't you, Sengoku?"
"'Witch'...!! You've gained this much ability!"
The atmosphere trembled with both their Haki.
Continuing to rampage wouldn't leave the ship intact. Thinking it bad, Kuro tried calling out, but Kanata moved first.
"Too cramped here. Let's have a date on the sea."
Matching Sengoku's fist swing, Kanata clashed fists, scattering shockwaves while saying such things.
Before asking what that meant, a giant face entered the corner of vision.
"Mmm~~, heehaw!! Here I go~~!! 'Face Growth Hormone'!! 'Hell's Heeell'!!! 'WINKmm~~nwiiink'!!!"
A blast from just blinking, further enhanced by eyelids enlarged with Face Growth Hormone.
Sengoku, taking that blast directly from the side, was ejected from the ship. But immediately kicking the air to return to the ship, he collided with Kanata leaping from the ship.
The sea surface froze instantly, both landing simultaneously.
"Zen!"
"Understood!"
Against Zephyr returning to the ship replacing Sengoku, Zen wrapped himself in Armament Haki and attacked Zephyr.
The outstanding two's offense and defense changed dizzyingly—saying it was cramped here, Zen moved onto the ice with Zephyr.
Kanata faced Sengoku head-on on the ice, quietly boiling flames of anger.
"Kanata!"
Dragon, who'd returned to the ship, threw the white spear left behind in Kanata's quarters at Kanata.
Catching it, wrapping it in Armament Haki, hardening it black.
"...A year ago was a similar situation."
Killing a Celestial Dragon, Sengoku had launched his ship pursuing Kanata's group trying to immediately flee the port.
This time already surrounded with no escape. Except fighting here and winning, no path to survival existed.
"This time I won't let you escape. Prepare yourself."
"I don't intend to keep running. This time it's my turn to crush you."
Both their Conqueror's Haki clashed, fist and spear collided—and the heavens split.
***
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