Blame Game
A vision of fiery defiance, her long, unkempt orange hair whipped around her face, partially obscuring her obsidian eyes that burned with unwavering focus. Her dominatrix outfit, a stark contrast to the azure sky, clung to her toned physique, revealing glimpses of smooth, white skin through the gaps in the leather.
Meanwhile, on the deck of the battleship, panic crackled once again.
"There's someone flying above the Calm Belt!" A young Marine squeaked, his voice strained with disbelief.
"A friend?!" Another marine wondered aloud.
A burly veteran scoffed, his weathered face etched with skepticism. "You think good news will fly from Impel Down today?!"
A few Marines, still reeling from Blackbeard's destructive spree, watched in stunned disbelief through binoculars.
"Just what the fuck is going on today?!" one muttered, his voice laced with hysteria.
The other stared blankly.
First Monkey D. Luffy had broken out of the prison with a crew of 241 prisoners and taken over a battleship.
Then that demon Blackbeard…
But it wasn't over yet?!
Another calamity was rushing at them?! Damn it all! They had barely survived the last two!
"If I survive today…" A tired Marine in his mid-forties, his spirit as broken, mumbled, "...I'm giving up this life as a Marine!"
The others silently nodded, their faces grim masks of resignation.
"Get your heads out of your shells!"
The captain barked, snatching the binoculars and focusing on the distant figures.
"They're just two! And judging by that flying junk, at least one of them's a Devil Fruit user!"
The Marines flinched, a flicker of hope igniting in their eyes.
"That woman!"
The captain's breath hitched.
Even from a distance, the curves of Sadi's outfit were undeniably mesmerizing, clinging to her figure like a second skin.
"What a devastatingly gorgeous woman!" he thought, his mind momentarily straying from the threat they posed.
"N-no, duty comes first! Can't be distracted by her looks!" he snapped, slapping himself mentally. "Eyes on target and fire!"
The first cannon roared, a plume of smoke blossoming as the iron ball hurtled towards Magnus and Sadi.
Magnus's dark eyes narrowed.
An invisible ripple emanated from him, and the metal platform lurched upwards with an almost imperceptible groan. The projectile whistled harmlessly past, splashing into the stagnant waters of the Calm Belt with a resounding boom that echoed unnaturally across the still surface.
More cannons roared in rapid succession, the sky erupting in a deadly ballet of smoke and iron.
Another iron ball hurtled towards them, its trajectory aimed squarely at Sadi.
"They dare look down on me!?"
With a snarl that would make a panther cower, she leaped off the platform, her form a blur of red and black.
In mid-air, the pitchfork in her hand transformed into a wickedly barbed whip, the tip crackling with barely contained energy.
With a sharp crack that resonated like a thunderclap, she lashed out, deflecting the iron ball with a precision that sent shivers down the Marines' spines.
The projectile screeched past, disappearing into the vast blue. Landing back on the metal platform with the agility of a seasoned acrobat, she moved with a lethal grace that sent a wave of nervous excitement coursing through some Marines.
"What an incredible display of flexibility!" The captain, despite his best efforts, found himself almost salivating at the sight.
More cannons erupted, the sky erupting in a fiery blossom of smoke and iron.
Sadi, a whirlwind of red leather and orange hair, danced across the metal platform, her whip a blur as she deflected cannonballs with practiced snaps.
But the sheer volume of the attack was overwhelming. With each clang of metal, the platform shuddered, threatening to buckle under the relentless barrage.
"Haa~"
Magnus let out a heavy sigh. He wanted to preserve his energy considering the dangers lurking beneath the placid surface of the Calm Belt, but the luck wasn't on his side.
He closed his eyes, focusing his will. A subtle tremor ran through the metal platform, a ripple of unseen energy emanating from Magnus himself.
Sadi, amidst her frantic defense, saw a cannon hurtling straight for her.
"Oh no!"
A strangled cry escaped her lips, but before the projectile could connect, an invisible hand seemed to snatch it mid-air.
The cannon jerked violently, as if pulled by an unseen magnet, slamming into another incoming cannon with a deafening clang.
Sparks erupted from the impact, igniting the surrounding air.
Magnus, his brow furrowed in concentration, didn't stop there. With a flick of his mind, he manipulated the ignited air, weaving it into a fiery curtain that engulfed the remaining cannonballs.
The projectiles, robbed of their momentum, sputtered and died within the inferno.
BOOOM!
The few that breached the flames collided with each other in mid-air, creating spectacular explosions that momentarily painted the sky with streaks of fire.
The Marines on the battleship watched in stunned silence. The Captain, his grip tightening on the binoculars, gaped in disbelief.
This wasn't an ordinary Devil Fruit user!
"A Level Six escapee!" he choked out in realisation, a cold sweat drenching his uniform.
Just as the captain and marines were gripped by despair, the once tranquil ocean beneath them churned violently.
SWISH!
A monstrous serpent, its scales shimmering an unnatural green under the sun, erupted from the depths. Its colossal head, backed with jagged teeth like a butcher's knife, lunged towards Magnus and Sadi, its maw agape in a silent scream.
The marines, using seastone lining at the bottom of their ships, prevented the Sea Kings from noticing them, but Magnus and Sadi were a beacon of light in the open sea.
The Marines, forgetting their fear, erupted in cheers.
" Yay!"
"Luck is finally shining on us!"
Even the captain let out a sigh of relief.
As the serpent's colossal head lunged towards its preys, its fetid breath washing over them like a wave of decay, Magnus flicked his wrist.
With a surge of power that sent a tremor through the platform, a jagged chunk of twisted metal ripped itself free from the edge.
It was as if an invisible hand had reached out and torn it loose, propelling it forward with deadly force.
The makeshift spear found its mark with a sickening squelch, embedding itself deep in the creature's eye.
ROARRRR!
The monstrous serpent roared in pain, its colossal body thrashing wildly in the water.
"That bastard!"
The Captain, his relief evaporating as quickly as it arrived, jerked back in shock.
"Damn it!" he roared.
"Fire the cannons! Help that poor creature!"
The Marines stared at him and then at the terrifying sea king.
"Poor creature?" one Marine sputtered, disbelief etched on his face.
They didn't hesitate though, the cannons roaring back to life.
Meanwhile, the enraged serpent lunged at Magnus again, its fury redoubled. But Magnus, even with his Haki completely dulled by years of confinement, wasn't about to be caught off guard by something so obvious.
He reached out with his mind, a silent command echoing through the air. An incoming cannonball, aimed at the metallic platform, suddenly changed course.
"Thanks for the assist," Magnus muttered under his breath.
The cannonball hurtled towards the creature's gaping maw, detonating in a thunderous explosion that sent a geyser of blood and seawater raining down.
"Fucking hell!" The captain screamed, his face contorted in rage. "I told you guys to help the sea king! Not that prisoner!"
The Marines, jaws slack with disbelief, stared at their Captain.
You are blaming us?!
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