Instantly Wiped Out
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The west coast of Golma loomed ahead, a picturesque island that belied the danger it presented. It was a known fact among the Marines that the routes between bases were as unpredictable as the weather, and this time, their journey took them along the treacherous waters near Golma's coastline.
The Grand Line was notorious for its capricious nature, where compasses spun aimlessly and the skies could shift from serene to stormy in the blink of an eye. Yet, once on land, the Marines could navigate by the age-old method of tracking the sun's path.
The Marine's supply ships were a beacon for pirates, laden with currency and precious metals. A successful raid on one of these warships could set a pirate crew up for life. It was a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, with the Marines constantly guarding against the ever-present threat of piracy.
On this particular voyage, the warship carried more than just supplies; it transported a hefty sum of reserve funds intended for bounty hunters. These funds were crucial for incentivizing powerful civilians to take up the hunt against notorious pirates, supplementing the efforts of the Marine forces.
As the warship approached the west coast of Golma, Rear-Admiral Feibo had already confessed everything he know about those pirates. According to the information they got from Feibo, they were sailing into an ambush set by a pirate alliance consisting of the Black Fox Pirates, the Dagger Pirates, and the Knight Pirates.
Each group was formidable, their captains notorious with bounties exceeding 200 million Berries—a significant sum that spoke volumes of their strength and notoriety.
In this era, a bounty was a direct reflection of a pirate's might, unlike the Great Pirate Era where influence and deeds factored into the price on one's head. A bounty of 200 million Berries was a clear indicator of a pirate's prowess, suggesting that these adversaries were on par with the Supernovas of the future.
The captain of the Black Fox Pirates was particularly renowned, a master strategist with a fearsome reputation in the Underworld. His cunning was as much a weapon as any cannon or sword.
As the marine warship sailed into the waters off the west coast, the calm was shattered by the sudden appearance of eight pirate ships. They emerged from their hiding spots like predators, their cannons roaring to life.
"Boom! Boom!"
The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and the sound of splintering wood as the pirate ships unleashed their fury.
They were cautious, however, not to engage too directly. A full-scale war with the Marine was not what they wanted, especially with a Vice-Admiral aboard.
The Marines were quick to respond, their training kicking in as they manned their battle stations. The warship was not defenseless, and its cannons returned fire, the sound of cannonballs tearing through the air joining the cacophony of battle.
The sea was a tumultuous stage, and the players upon it were as fierce as the waves that crashed against the hulls of their ships. The pirate alliance had a clear strategy: to strike hard and fast, to plunder the riches of the warships, and to vanish into the sea's embrace before the full might of the Marine fleet could be brought to bear upon them.
The cost of a single warship was a king's ransom, around 300 million Berries, and the bounty didn't end there. The equipment on board was a treasure trove in its own right, and in the shadowy corners of the Underworld, such spoils were as good as gold.
The pirates knew this, and their eyes gleamed with the reflection of their greed. As the Marine fleet split, the three leading warships found themselves ensnared by the pirates' cunning trap.
The captains of the three pirate crews stood at the helm, their laughter booming over the roar of cannon fire as they held back the Marine's advance.
"Boom! Boom!"
The sound of cannon fire was the overture to chaos. Their true prize, however, lay with the two warships lagging behind, heavy with supplies. These were the ships the pirates truly coveted. "Quickly attack!"
The command was given, and the eight pirate ships, devoid of any identifying flags and their crews' faces hidden behind masks, surged forward. They were phantoms of the sea, their identities as concealed as their intentions.
"This time, we'll kill them all." Dis shouted, a wicked smile playing upon his lips as he stood at the prow of his ship, the sea spray misting around him like a cloak.
His adjutant, a man whose nerves were frayed by the prospect of battle, questioned with a tremor in his voice, "Will there be any problem with Rear-Admiral Brontes's plan?"
Dis's laughter was a confident rumble: "Don't worry. That guy's strength is not weaker than mine. This time they picked the wrong opponent."
Meanwhile, the two targeted warships were now encircled, the pirates' intentions clear as day. To loot the ships, they would need to spill the blood of every soldier on board.
As the pirate ships drew near, a forest of grappling hooks shot forth, latching onto the masts with a series of metallic clangs. Pirates swarmed across the ropes, descending upon the warships like locusts.
On the deck of one of the warships, Brontes stood resolute, his form a bastion amidst the sea of Marine soldiers arrayed behind him.
"Drop your weapons and don't resist. This will make your death painless, otherwise..." The lead pirate's voice was a sinister purr, his twin swords glinting in the moonlight.
"You want us to surrender, right?" Brontes's laughter was a defiant peal against the night sky. "That's right, that's what I mean. Oh, you're such a young Rear-Admiral. It's a pity to kill you." The masked man said, his laughter a mocking echo.
"Alright, let's end this quickly. Such a beautiful night shouldn't be wasted on the likes of you." Brontes retorted, his voice steady as he extended his hand.
With a sudden clench of his fist, a surge of electricity crackled to life, wrapping around his arm in a dance of raw power. A dazzling orb of lightning formed, enveloping his fist.
"ZliZli!!!"
"Lightning, could it be that you are..." The masked man's voice trailed off, his swords lowering slightly as he took an involuntary step back, his eyes widening behind his mask.
"Oh? Do you know who I am?" Brontes's voice was calm, almost casual, as he advanced with the confidence of the sea's own storm.
"I didn't expect one of the three Logia fruit users of the Marine to be here. You must be the user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, right? Where are the other two, the users of the Magma-Magma Fruit and the Glint-Glint Fruit?" The masked man's voice betrayed his concern, the name of the fruit spoken with a mix of solemn and fear.
"They're not here. My current identity is Rear-Admiral of the G-2 Base, and also the Chief of Staff. Well, it's useless to say too much to you, Dual Sword Mujer." Brontes replied, his tone dismissive, as he directly exposed the masked man's identity.
"You..." Mujer was taken aback, his stance faltering as recognition dawned.
"How could I possibly not know about the second-in-command of the Black Fox Pirates? You're not still looking for Rear-Admiral Feibo, are you? Unfortunately, he's on his way to Enies Lobby. He'll probably spend the rest of his life in Impel Down." Brontes continued, his words like daggers aimed at Mujer's heart.
"We've been discovered. This must be a trap!" Mujer's teeth clenched audibly, his grip on his swords tightening as he prepared for the worst.
"More or less. It's time to send you on your way." Brontes said, his hand raised, the ball of lightning growing more intense, a miniature storm brewing in his palm.
"Lightning Chain!"
With those words, a cascade of electric fury leapt from Brontes's hand, a serpentine bolt of energy that danced from one pirate to the next with ruthless efficiency. The air was filled with the scent of ozone and the sounds of thunderous retribution.
When the lightning ceased its deadly dance, the deck was a tableau of defeat, the pirates incapacitated, their bodies emitting the acrid smell of char. Only Mujer remained standing, though barely, his swords now useless in his hands.
"I..." Mujer wanted to beg for his life, but his words were cut short as Brontes, now a living embodiment of lightning, appeared before him with the speed of a thunderclap, one hand poised above Mujer's head.
"Save your words for hell." Brontes intoned, his gaze cold as the depths of the ocean.
"ZliZli!" The sound of crackling energy filled the air, a prelude to the final act of this fight.
"Don't think about leaving after trying to ambush our warships." Brontes's body was now a beacon of electric light, his form shifting between the corporeal and something altogether more powerful.
"Lightning Dragon!"
"Rumble!!! Roar!!!"
He shouted, and the night sky was split asunder by the emergence of a dragon made of pure lightning, its roar a symphony of power and fury.
With Brontes at its heart, the dragon soared, a celestial predator hunting its prey. It descended upon the pirate ship with the wrath of the heavens, and in an instant, the ship was no more, reduced to splinters in the sea.
"The slaughter has begun..." Brontes whispered, his voice the harbinger of a storm that would sweep away all before it.