Chapter 176: Issho crush King

(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)

(T/N: Enjoy!!)

<><><><><><>

King lay at the bottom of the deep crater, crushed under an unbearable force of gravity. Even standing up felt like an impossible luxury. 

Who is that blind man? Where did someone with such terrifying power come from?

Despite King's years of roaming the seas, he had never encountered or even heard of a figure this formidable. 

His thoughts shifted to Vergo's earlier reassurances: promises that Vergo was the strongest Marine in the branch and wouldn't dare set him up. 

Yet here he was, subdued by someone whose strength rivaled that of an admiral. The more King thought about it, the clearer it became—this was a trap. 

A scheme masterminded by Doflamingo to prevent the Beasts Pirates from obtaining Caesar. 

Perhaps, to avoid retaliation, Doflamingo had already conspired with the Marines to deal with the Beasts Pirates together. 

If that were true, then it was likely Kaido's plans to deal with Byakuya weren't going smoothly either.

I can't let myself be captured by the Marines like this, King resolved, tensing every muscle in his body.

Planting his hands firmly on the ground, he pushed with all his might, trying to create enough room to move.

Before long, King realized something—the force of gravity pressing on him was constant. 

That meant if he transformed into his Pteranodon form, with its vastly superior physical capabilities, he might be able to escape while his opponent was unprepared. 

With this realization, King began his transformation. As his body shifted, the pressure on him gradually lessened.

Finally, at the critical moment, King let out a sharp cry and fully transformed. With a powerful downward beat of his wings, the recoil propelled him out of the crater and into the air.

Issho, watching King's escape, was mildly surprised. As expected of the top officer among the Beasts Pirates' All-Stars. His strength is indeed remarkable.

But before Issho could make another move, King, as if he had seen a ghost, fled without hesitation. 

However, his voice echoed throughout the Marine base before he disappeared:

"Vergo, everything you and Doflamingo have done is etched in our memory. Once this is over, the Beasts Pirates will destroy you and your entire family!"

King's voice was loud enough for many soldiers in the Marine base to hear, sparking a flurry of discussion.

"What does he mean? Is Vice Admiral Vergo connected to Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords? And did they double-cross the Beasts Pirates?"

Vergo broke into a cold sweat. Does King think this powerful blind man was part of my setup? Damn it, I'm being framed here!

In truth, Vergo and Doflamingo had meticulously planned everything. After the King took the fake Caesar, their plan was supposed to proceed seamlessly. 

Who could've predicted the sudden appearance of an outsider strong enough to derail their entire scheme?

Even worse, King's final words had drawn a direct connection between Vergo and Doflamingo, something that could attract the suspicion of the wrong people. 

If someone decided to investigate, there was no telling what they might uncover.

The only silver lining for Vergo was the assumption that Byakuya was now likely dead at the hands of the Beasts Pirates. 

With Byakuya out of the picture, Vergo was effectively in full control of the G-5 Base.

Vergo gathered the soldiers and addressed them in an attempt to quell any doubts.

"Don't listen to that pirate's nonsense! He aimed to spread fear and disrupt the harmony of G-5!"

Seeing the soldiers' sceptical expressions, Vergo decided to deliver a devastating "bombshell" to divert their attention completely.

Adopting a sorrowful expression, Vergo spoke in a trembling voice:

"During my battle with King, I learned something devastating… Commander Byakuya has fallen. He was killed at the hands of Kaido."

The news hit like a thunderclap, leaving the soldiers stunned.

"What? Commander Byakuya is dead?"

"But he left the base just an hour ago. How could this happen?"

"I don't believe it. Commander Byakuya is so strong—if he couldn't win, wouldn't he at least escape?"

The soldiers' shock quickly turned to anger. Though Byakuya's tenure as commander of the G-5 Base had been short, he had proven to be the ideal leader. 

Since his arrival, the soldiers' quality of life had improved dramatically.

Vergo, inwardly pleased by the uproar, knew the diversion had worked. No one seemed to be dwelling on King's earlier accusations anymore.

Issho, however, was unfazed. He found the news of Byakuya's death surprising but wasn't entirely convinced. 

Vergo doesn't strike me as a trustworthy person. His words are probably far from the truth.

The scene fell into a sombre silence, the air thick with grief over Byakuya's supposed demise.

At some point, a voice broke the silence.

"We have to avenge Commander Byakuya."

This sparked a wave of agreement.

"Yes, we must avenge him!"

"Revenge!"

The soldiers' cries for vengeance echoed through the base, their determination growing stronger. 

Meanwhile, Issho remained silently contemplative, still doubting Vergo's words but choosing to observe the unfolding events for now.

The idea of soldiers seeking revenge against the Beasts Pirates was nothing short of a pipe dream given their limited strength. 

Yet, their resolute cries underscored Byakuya's place in their hearts. Even Issho, who had been a mere observer, was moved by their determination and softly remarked,

"If the day ever comes when you seek revenge, feel free to call on me. This old man would gladly lend a hand."

Though Issho hadn't met Byakuya during this trip, he shared many of the man's ideals and wouldn't hesitate to help if needed.

"Ahem," Vergo interjected, feigning sorrow. "I, too, deeply mourn Vice Admiral Byakuya's passing. However, as Marines, we cannot act on impulse." 

"Any talk of revenge must wait for instructions from Marine Headquarters. Until the official orders arrive, I will temporarily take command of the G-5 Base."

As Vergo spoke, he noticed a sudden and inexplicable change in the soldiers' expressions. Their anger had transformed into joy.

What's going on? he thought, confused.

Before he could figure it out, a voice behind him spoke with a teasing tone he couldn't mistake, "Go on. I'm curious how you plan to avenge me."

Vergo froze in terror and whipped around, only to see the all-too-familiar smirking face of Byakuya.

"B-Byakuya… Commander!" Vergo's voice cracked, his panic evident.

Byakuya clapped Vergo on the shoulder, his grin unwavering. "You seem disappointed that I'm still alive."

"N-not at all! It's wonderful to see you safe, Vice Admiral Byakuya!" Vergo stammered.

"Good. Because now that I'm fine, some people won't be." Byakuya's voice carried a chill as he walked past Vergo, ignoring him completely. 

He was convinced that the plot to lure him out of the base using Ain and Tashigi had Vergo's fingerprints all over it. 

Such treachery wouldn't go unpunished. Once this crisis was over, both Vergo and Doflamingo would disappear together.

After calming the soldiers and dismissing them, Byakuya turned his attention to Issho. 

Byakuya wasn't surprised by Issho's appearance; after all, he had made a public proposal to abolish the Warlord system and leaked it to Morgans to stir up attention. 

It seemed to have worked better than expected, as Issho's timely arrival had not only driven off King but saved many soldiers' lives.

Most importantly, Issho's strength was on par with the top-ranking admirals, making him one of the few truly exceptional fighters in the world. 

Now that he had Issho's attention, Byakuya couldn't let him leave. He would find a way to persuade Issho to join him.

With a warm smile, Byakuya stepped forward, extending his hand. "Issho, isn't it? I've heard about what happened earlier." 

"If not for you, we would've suffered heavy losses. As the commander of this base, I thank you on behalf of my soldiers."

Issho, sensing the sincerity in Byakuya's words, nodded slightly. "It was nothing more than a small effort on my part."

Byakuya's genuine gratitude left a positive impression on Issho, but the admiral was also studying Byakuya. 

To Issho's surprise, Byakuya was much younger than he had imagined. 

It was perhaps this youthful energy that had given Byakuya the boldness to propose the abolition of the Warlord system.

Sensing the need for privacy, Byakuya invited Issho to his office.

"I heard you came specifically to see me, Issho."

Issho nodded. "Indeed. Though I am just a blind old man, I pay close attention to the affairs of the world." 

"I heard you proposed abolishing the Warlord system at a high-level Marine meeting. Is that true?"

As expected, Byakuya had been prepared for this question. 

"Yes, it's true. After learning of Crocodile's actions in Alabasta, I couldn't suppress my anger and brought the proposal forward during the meeting."

"Do you disagree with my stance, Issho?" Byakuya asked, feigning curiosity.

"Not at all," Issho replied firmly. "I strongly support it."

"Ah, if only the World Government shared your views," Byakuya sighed. 

"To be honest, my recent ambush by the Beasts Pirates was all due to one of the Warlords—Doflamingo. It just shows how reckless and dangerous they've become."

At the mention of Doflamingo, Issho recalled King's earlier accusations about Vergo. Hesitating briefly, he said, "There's something I'm unsure if I should bring up."

"Please, feel free," Byakuya replied.

"Before King fled, he mentioned that Vice Admiral Vergo might be connected to Doflamingo. I can't confirm whether it's true or not, so I leave it to your judgment."

"Hmm, I've suspected Vergo of being Doflamingo's mole within the Marines for some time now, but I haven't had any solid proof," Byakuya admitted.

At that moment, the transponder snail on Byakuya's desk began to ring.

"Fleet Admiral?" Byakuya answered, recognizing the voice on the other end.

"You're alive?!" Sengoku's surprise was evident.

"Why, Fleet Admiral, you sound almost disappointed," Byakuya quipped.

"Of course not! I heard you were ambushed by the Beasts Pirates, so I called to check on you," Sengoku explained sheepishly.

<End Chapter>

If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 10 advanced Chapters for you guys.

patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:OPM NOVEL TIER