Chapter 234

Punk Hazard , New World

The once lush green island was now a smoldering wasteland, engulfed in flames and cinders. The combined forces of the Donquixote Family and the Beast Pirates had proven too formidable for the Marines and the World Government, despite their best efforts to hold the line.

The air was thick with smoke, the scent of charred earth and burning vegetation filling the lungs of those still standing.

"Kill them! Kill them all!" a Beast Pirate bellowed, his voice hoarse from the battle, trying to rally his comrades. But instead of charging forward, the others hesitated, their eyes wide with terror. A low, menacing growl echoed behind the man, and before he could turn around, a massive shadow loomed over him.

A large, fur-covered paw clamped down on his head, crushing it with ease. Blood splattered across the ground as Admiral Raylene, in her hybrid form, emerged from the shadows. Her feline features were contorted into a predatory snarl, her eyes glowing with a cold, savage light.

Raylene had sensed the presence of powerful adversaries on Punk Hazard and rushed to the island, her bestial instincts sharpening her focus. As she gazed up at the sky, her eyes narrowed on the two figures battling amidst the storm clouds.

One was her primary target—the mighty dragon, Kaido—whose very existence posed a threat she was charged to monitor and, if necessary, contain. The other was the eldest of the Donquixote brothers, the infamous Heavenly Demon, Doflamingo.

But what truly unsettled Raylene wasn't the dragon or the devilish purple-blue flames Doflamingo wielded; it was the ominous sky above them, where thunder and lightning roared like a primordial entity, waiting to unleash its wrath.

King, the Beast Pirates' right-hand man, noticed the Admiral's descent and immediately switched targets. He spread his wings, preparing to intercept her, but his keen observation haki alerted him to an incoming threat.

Cladding himself in haki, he barely had time to react as a powerful punch collided with him, sending him hurtling toward the ground like a meteor. The impact shook the entire island, creating a massive crater where King landed.

Blood stained his face as he struggled to his feet, reverting to his regular form. Standing at the edge of the crater, his uniform pristine despite the chaos around him, was a young man with a calm yet deadly presence. The golden bars of a Rear Admiral gleamed on his shoulders—Vergo had arrived.

Vergo's entry was nothing short of spectacular. He had been deep undercover for years, limiting communication with his family and staying in the shadows, all to maintain his cover within the Marines.

But when he learned that Punk Hazard was under siege by the Donquixote and Beast Pirates, he didn't hesitate. He rushed to the island, officially to provide support, but secretly, he yearned to reunite with his family and take part in the battle.

King recognized him instantly. As the one who managed the Beast Pirates' intelligence, he knew the significance of the man standing before him. "Demon Fist Vergo," King whispered, his voice tinged with both recognition and respect.

This was the youngest Rear Admiral in Marine history, a man whose reputation for ruthless efficiency was well-earned. It was rumored that Vergo was on the fast track to becoming a Vice Admiral, or even an Admiral Candidate, and his presence here could turn the tide of battle.

Vergo merely smirked at King's words, his expression unreadable. "Rear Admiral Vergo," Admiral Raylene's voice cut through the tension as she glanced at the young man. "Settle things here. I'm going ahead—I have a dragon to catch." Her feline eyes gleamed with determination as she used Geppo to launch herself into the air, heading straight toward the epicenter of the storm where Kaido and Doflamingo clashed.

King's instinct was to intercept Raylene, but Vergo was already upon him. With a speed that defied logic, Vergo appeared above him, his arm encased in a dense layer of haki. The pressure was immense, a force so overwhelming that it made the air around them tremble. Vergo's fist descended with the power to crush mountains, and King barely had time to brace himself.

"Boom!" The impact was cataclysmic, sending shockwaves rippling through the island. The ground beneath them cracked and splintered, and King was driven deeper into the crater, blood spurting from his wounds. Despite the intense pain, King pushed himself back up, his wings spreading wide as he snarled at the Marine before him.

But Vergo was relentless. He leaped back, his eyes cold and calculating, before launching another devastating attack. This time, his entire body was coated in haki, transforming him into a living weapon. Each blow he delivered was precise, designed to cripple and overpower his opponent. King fought back with everything he had, his haki-clad fists meeting Vergo's in a flurry of blows that sent sparks flying through the air.

The battle was ferocious, with each clash of their haki sending ripples of power across the battlefield. But it was clear who held the upper hand—Vergo's brutal efficiency was unmatched, and his every move was calculated to exploit King's weaknesses. And as the fight intensified, King found himself increasingly on the defensive, struggling to keep up with Vergo's relentless assault.

"You've made a grave mistake coming here, you pirate scum," Vergo said, his voice calm despite the chaos around them. "Today, I'll show you what it means to face the true might of the Marines."

The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke and burning debris, and the ground trembled with the aftershocks of the fierce battle still raging above.

Kaido, sensed something amiss. His gaze snapped to where King was engaged, only to find his right-hand man being mercilessly besieged by a Marine—none other than the infamous Demon Fist Vergo.

His attention shifted to Queen, who was also struggling, held back by two of Doflamingo's subordinates. One was a Logia user, and the other wielded strings with deadly precision, keeping Queen's hands full.

Kaido's eyes narrowed in anger. His subordinates were faltering, and yet, before him, stood a single man who dared defy him with relentless tenacity—Doflamingo.

Though battered and bruised, Doflamingo fought on with every ounce of his strength, refusing to yield. The Heavenly Demon wasn't just fighting to survive; he was pushing himself beyond his limits, honing his haki against the strongest creature in the world.

"Tatsumaki Kaifu!" Kaido roared, unleashing a barrage of deadly twister blades. The air itself seemed to scream as the razor-sharp wind tore through it, hurtling toward Doflamingo with devastating force.

But Doflamingo was not done yet. "Hyper Nova!!!" he roared in return, summoning a massive explosion of compressed flames to counter. The sky lit up with a brilliant blaze as the two attacks collided, shaking the heavens. Doflamingo poured every ounce of his strength into the attack, determined to hold his ground.

Just then, his observation haki detected a new presence—a lethal one—closing in on him from the flank. He was fully invested in countering Kaido's attack, leaving him vulnerable. Out of nowhere, an odachi was poised to strike his heart.

Admiral Raylene, in her hybrid form, had chosen the perfect moment to strike, her feline instincts guiding her to the kill. For Raylene, pirates were the enemy, and it didn't matter who they were; her duty was to eliminate them. She knew Doflamingo was a dangerous threat, one that needed to be nipped in the bud before it grew into something uncontrollable.

"Clang!" The deafening clash echoed across the battlefield as a gleaming black blade intercepted Raylene's strike. Her eyes widened in shock. Despite her overwhelming strength, the attack had been effortlessly blocked. She glanced at the wielder of the blade, her predatory instincts screaming a warning.

"Doffy, get back to the island. We have quite a few treasures to dig up," the young teen said calmly, his gaze never leaving Admiral Raylene. It was the younger of the two Donquixote brothers, Rosinante, 'The Heavens Equal', standing between Doflamingo and the Admiral.

****

My tone was firm, yet there was a hint of concern as I assessed Doffy's condition. He was holding his own, but I could sense the broken ribs, the fractures, and the dwindling reserves of haki. Doffy was reluctant, but a stern look from me made him chuckle, and he began to retreat toward the main facility of Punk Hazard.

Kaido's fury erupted as he was completely disregarded, his massive frame trembling with rage. "You little bastards! Do you think I'm some kind of whetstone for you to train with and just leave? Doflamingo, I will have your head today!" Kaido bellowed, his voice shaking the heavens, as he prepared to pursue Doflamingo.

Keeping Raylene's blade locked with Shusui, I reached for my second sword. The moment Akatsuki—the legendary crimson-black blade—was unsheathed, Raylene's instincts screamed at her to retreat. She leaped back over a hundred meters, her breath hitching as I swung Akatsuki toward Kaido.

Kaido, intent on chasing Doflamingo, suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of danger. An ominous threat, unlike anything he had ever experienced, washed over him. Even in Wano, where he ruled as an unchallenged force of nature, Kaido had never felt such primal fear; even against someone like Oden, he did not feel such a threat.

For the first time in a long while, Kaido felt his heart race—not with excitement but with genuine terror. Without a second thought, he reverted back from his massive dragon form. His reverted form barely managed to dodge the invisible sword attack that was meant for his neck.

The entire battlefield froze as the blade tore through the skies, silent yet filled with an oppressive aura. The air itself seemed to hold its breath as Akatsuki moved, a pulse of energy radiating from its edge.

The ominous pressure spread across the island, sending chills down the spines of everyone present—pirates, Marines, even the mightiest among them. It was a cut that transcended mere physicality; it was a cut that divided reality itself.

Doflamingo, retreating toward the facility, felt cold sweat trickle down his spine despite the distance. Though the attack wasn't directed at him, the sheer magnitude of its power left him shaken.

Everyone on the island felt it—an unstoppable force, a creeping dread that clung to their very souls. Many simply collapsed under the weight of the pressure, their minds unable to comprehend the magnitude of the power they had just witnessed.

Then, as if reshaped by the hands of a god, a neat, serene slash appeared across the entire breadth of the island, splitting it in two. There was no grand display of power, no deafening explosion—just a cold, serene cut that parted the land and sea alike, stretching for miles in each direction.

"Kaido!" I called out, my voice carrying across the battlefield with unyielding authority. "I will be your opponent from now on." Then, turning my gaze to Raylene, I added, "You dared to sneak attack my brother, did you? Let's see what the wielder of the mythical White Tiger Fruit can do. Come at me, both of you!"

My Conqueror's Haki erupted, tearing through the island's core, sending shockwaves that even Kaido's monstrous Haki faltered against. Kaido, the unshakable beast, couldn't deny the cold chill that gripped his heart.

For the first time, he felt it—fear, the fear of death. Raylene, too, realized the gravity of the situation. She had just provoked a beast that was far more dangerous than she could have imagined.

The stories she had heard, even the warnings from the legendary Garp, paled in comparison to the reality before her. This was no ordinary pirate; this was a monster who wielded a blade that whispered of death, a blade that seemed to live and breathe, craving blood.

Raylene steeled herself, her battle instincts flaring to life as she prepared to face this new adversary. Even Kaido, the man poised to become the mighty Emperor of the Sea, was wary of the blade in my hand. He could feel it—the life within it—a living, breathing entity that howled for blood and whispered of destruction.

Akatsuki wasn't just a sword; it was a force of nature, a legendary blade that surpassed even the Supreme Grade swords, a weapon that could rewrite the course of history with a single stroke.

On the island below, Vergo's eyes widened in a mix of surprise and exhilaration. The sheer force of his young master's power resonated through every fiber of his being, a stark reminder of the vast difference between them.

Vergo, already a powerhouse at the level of an admiral, couldn't help but feel a thrilling sense of awe. Despite his own formidable strength, he instinctively knew that he stood no chance against the young master, Rosinante.

The realization sent a surge of adrenaline through him, and he channeled all of these overwhelming feelings into his attack, pummeling King with renewed vigor.

In another part of the island, Borsalino, who was locked in deadly combat with the blind swordsman, pushed back against Fujitora's relentless assault, creating some distance between them.

As he caught his breath, his gaze drifted upward toward the sky, where the young Donquixote stood, wielding his fearsome blade. A rare chill ran down Kizaru's spine, and cold sweat beaded on his brow. His usual nonchalant demeanor was shaken, if only for a moment.

"Oye, oye… What kind of monster did Garp-san create?" Kizaru muttered to himself, his voice betraying a hint of unease. "He isn't even in his twenties… What in the world is he going to become in the future?" The thought unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

Kizaru's mind raced as he tried to process what he was witnessing. He had seen countless powerful individuals throughout his career, but this… this was something else entirely. The blade that Ross wielded wasn't just a weapon; it was a force of nature, an entity that seemed to exude a will of its own.

Even from such a distance, Kizaru could feel the oppressive aura emanating from the sword, as if a colossal reaper loomed over the entire island, its cold, merciless scythe ready to reap the lives of everyone below.

The more Kizaru observed, the more he realized that the only thing keeping that terrifying blade in check was Ross's own will. The young man's mastery over such a weapon at his age was nothing short of extraordinary.

But there was something darker, more foreboding, lurking beneath the surface. Kizaru couldn't shake the feeling that if Ross ever lost control, if his will faltered for even a moment, that blade would devour them all, friend and foe alike.

Issho, standing across from Kizaru, could sense it too. His observation haki was honed to perfection, and it allowed him to perceive the true terror of the situation. He could feel the weight of Ross's presence, the sheer magnitude of his power.

It was as if the island itself was holding its breath, teetering on the edge of oblivion. The blade wasn't just a tool of destruction; it was a harbinger of death, and only Ross's iron will kept the inevitable at bay.

Kizaru's usual carefree attitude faltered as he grappled with the implications. "What kind of future is waiting for us with someone like him around?" he mused silently, the unease gnawing at him. For the first time in a long while, Kizaru found himself truly uncertain about what lay ahead.

*****

Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story! Your support truly means everything to me, and I appreciate every single one of you who has joined me on this journey. I'm excited to share that for every 500 power stones I receive (weekly), I'll be posting an extra chapter as a token of my gratitude. 

Additionally, if you'd like to dive deeper into the world I've created, I invite you to join my Patreon page, where you can access over 60 additional chapters and more exclusive content. Your support not only helps me continue writing but also motivates me to create even better stories for you all. 

Thank you once again for your encouragement and enthusiasm. Happy reading, and I can't wait to share more with you!

With heartfelt thanks,

[Silent_stiele]

Patreon : www.patreon.com/Silent_stiele