"Kill!"
A single word slipped coldly from Zephyr's lips.
Once the order was given, their movements erupted like thunder.
Behind Zephyr, the five Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals showed not a hint of hesitation.
They all understood that behind this single word — "Kill" — lay the Marines' unshakable resolve to completely sever ties with the old era.
"Soru!"
Doberman's figure was the first to vanish from sight.
In the next instant, he appeared at the flank of a CP0 squad leader, the cross-shaped scar on his face reflecting the icy murderous intent in his eyes.
The moment his blade left its sheath, the air split with a sharp, piercing screech.
"Shigan!"
The CP0 squad leader reacted instantly, countering Doberman's blade with a lightning-quick finger thrust.
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang—!"
The rapid clash of steel rang out in a burst of sparks.
Meanwhile, Onigumo's eight signature blades were already drawn. His entire body spun like a deadly whirlwind, charging directly toward another group of CP0 operatives.
The dazzling arcs of his blades wove into a dense web, sealing off every possible escape route. Each strike was so precise that no retreat remained.
"Tekkai!"
The targeted CP0 members tensed their bodies instantly, muscles hardening like steel as they crossed their arms in front of them, hoping to withstand the assault head-on.
But they underestimated Onigumo's killing intent.
This was the strongest assassination technique forged through countless battles with pirates.
When he struck, he struck to draw blood.
"Slash—!"
Blood blossomed in midair.
Several CP0 members were carved open with deep, bone-revealing wounds. Their pristine white suits were instantly drenched crimson, and the arrogance in their expressions crumbled into shock and fear.
They couldn't comprehend why these Marines were attacking with such lethal intent right from the start!
"Are you insane?! We're CP0 — direct agents of the World Government!"
One operative roared furiously while blocking an incoming strike.
His answer came in the form of another Vice Admiral's blade — a clean, merciless slash.
The flash of steel was the last thing the agent saw.
His body split cleanly in two, falling into the surging sea below, his face still frozen in disbelief.
Why…?
Why would forces under the same World Government banner… turn their blades against each other?
"..."
The battle erupted into full chaos within moments.
The Vice Admirals didn't hold back. They didn't test their opponents. They unleashed their full strength from the very start.
Their goal was singular: every single one of the World Government's "eyes" and "ears" before them had to be silenced — permanently.
...
At the center of the battlefield.
The leading CP0 squad leader stared at the purple-haired old man before him, his gaze filled with a mix of rage and disbelief.
"Zephyr! Black Arm Zephyr!"
His voice trembled with fury.
"You've betrayed Marine justice! You're attacking direct operatives of the World Government! This is an act of war against the Five Elders! You—"
Clack—
Zephyr wordlessly detached his mechanical arm, the "Crusher," and tossed it aside.
Inky-black Armament Haki spread rapidly across his entire body, coating him from head to toe.
This darkness was deeper, heavier, and more ominous than during his youth.
The man who once upheld the belief of "no killing" was gone.
In his place stood the dreaded "Black Arm" Zephyr, the Marine whose fists once made countless pirates tremble in fear.
When the conviction of mercy transforms into the resolve to kill, power only grows more feral… more terrifying.
"Black Arm… Fist!"
Zephyr threw a single punch.
"!!!"
The CP0 squad leader's pupils shrank violently.
He could feel it — a horrifying force powerful enough to crush him entirely.
This old man, who should have grown weaker with age and despair, why… why was his strength so monstrous?!
"Rankyaku!"
Not daring to be careless, the squad leader kicked out hundreds of vacuum blades in rapid succession.
The slashes converged into a pack of wolves, howling as they lunged at Zephyr's fist.
But the blades, sharp enough to slice through steel with ease, shattered instantly upon contact with Zephyr's pitch-black fist. Like waves crashing against a mountain, they dispersed into nothingness.
His punch didn't even slow down.
"Tekkai!"
With no other choice, the CP0 squad leader concentrated every ounce of strength into his crossed arms, bracing for the impact with his strongest defense.
BOOOOM!!!
A deafening shockwave tore through the sky.
An unstoppable force surged through his arms and pierced straight into his body.
It felt as if he'd been struck head-on by a battering ram. Blood exploded from his mouth as he was sent hurtling backward.
"Th-this… can't… be…"
Barely stabilizing himself midair, he looked down at his twisted, mangled arms, his eyes wide with dread.
Why… why was this old man's strength so overwhelming?!
Zephyr didn't give him time to breathe.
With a swift Geppo step, Zephyr closed the distance like a shadow.
"Brat… do you know what I've spent my entire life doing?"
His voice was deathly calm.
Flashes of countless young, hopeful faces passed through his mind.
His students.
He once believed that true Marine justice meant no killing.
He had taught them that naïve belief.
And the result?
A ship full of cold corpses… and a severed arm.
His mercy had only led to betrayal and death.
But now, he had seen a different path.
That young man — Rayne Hawke.
Through ruthless, bloody justice, Rayne enforced order upon this lawless sea.
That… that was the only correct way.
To protect that future… to prevent history from repeating itself…
He had to become the very thing he once despised — a demon drenched in blood.
"I spent my whole life making mistakes."
"But now… I'll correct them myself."
"From today onward… fear the Marines!"
Zephyr's second punch crashed forward like a thunderclap.
The CP0 squad leader desperately raised his already-broken arms, trying to defend.
But he was facing a former Admiral.
A revenant — a Marine who had rediscovered hope, reclaiming his faith, determined to clear every obstacle standing in the way of the new era.
CRACK!!!
The sound of shattering bones rang out, sharp and chilling.
The squad leader's arms snapped like brittle twigs beneath Zephyr's iron fist.
The momentum didn't stop — the punch slammed brutally into his chest.
"Ugh…"
He looked down at the arm piercing straight through his heart, his gaze clouding with confusion and despair.
"You… you'll… regret this…"
His voice was hoarse, fading with his final breath.
"Regret?"
Zephyr slowly withdrew his arm, letting the lifeless body plummet into the crimson-stained sea below.
"No."
He gazed across the battlefield, his voice carrying like thunder.
"The Marines will bear the true justice of this world."
"And for that… we will never regret it!"
...
Before long, the battle was over.
Under the relentless assault of the five elite Headquarters Vice Admirals, every last CP operative was slain. Their corpses sank into the depths, swallowed by the sea.
Zephyr landed softly on the flagship's deck, his massive frame trembling slightly.
Turning, he looked toward Onigumo.
Khff—!
A violent cough bent him forward.
"Zephyr-sensei!"
Onigumo rushed to his side, catching him with concern written all over his face.
He could feel it clearly — Zephyr had pushed his long-broken body beyond its limits, trading his life force for a brief surge of peak power.
Tap—!
Ain ran up quickly, clutching the detached mechanical arm and a breathing apparatus.
"Here—!"
Zephyr accepted the respirator, taking a deep breath.
Cool medicine flowed into his lungs, easing the suffocating tightness in his chest.
"I'm fine."
He waved a hand, signaling Onigumo not to worry.
Then, turning his gaze toward the distant horizon, his expression hardened.
"Tell Sengoku."
"The plan… needs to accelerate."
"The World Government have already caught our scent."
"Yes, sir!"
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