Chapter 63: The Earthly Branches vs the Navy [3]!

"Fleet Admiral!"

Momousagi, barely on her feet, looked up as a sudden burst of red light illuminated the sky. Her heart sank at the sight of Fleet Admiral Kong plummeting toward the ground, his body battered and drenched in blood.

Her expression twisted with shock and dread. She staggered a few steps, intending to rush back into the battle, but the medical squad quickly gathered around her.

"Vice Admiral Momousagi, your injuries are too severe!" one of the medics warned.

"No... if this keeps going, it'll be disastrous!" Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as she fixated on Edie, still floating ominously in the sky. Her beautiful eyes were filled with fear and disbelief. This man... he's too terrifying. She silently thanked fate that Edie didn't seem interested in attacking further—perhaps because he saw no need to.

"Vice Admiral, please don't push yourself!" the medic pleaded, but Momousagi acted as though she hadn't heard a word. Her mind raced, desperately trying to formulate a plan. Think, Gion, think!

If the Vice Admirals were defeated, and they lost the warships, how would anyone else escape? Even if the ships were intact, fleeing safely seemed impossible with Edie and the Earthly Branches able to fly.

"I'm fine," Momousagi muttered under her breath, though her body screamed otherwise. She pulled out a pack of slim cigarettes, flipping it deftly to release one between her red lips. Her hand shook as she tried to light it, betraying her weakened state.

Click.

Her lighter's flame flickered unsteadily, her frustration growing with each failed attempt. Damn it! she cursed silently, her elegant features twisted with anger at her own helplessness. It was just one kick from Zishu, yet it had left her so weakened.

"You all retreat!" she commanded, taking a deep breath and tossing the cigarette aside. Gritting her teeth, she tightened her grip on her beloved sword, Jinpira. "Fall back as far as you can! You can't help in this kind of battle!" Without waiting for a reply, she charged toward where Kong had fallen.

The Marines exchanged uneasy glances, unsure what to do. One of the highest-ranking officers present, a headquarters colonel, gritted his teeth and made a decision.

"You all fall back first!" he shouted. "The elites will stay behind. Even if we can't do much, we'll do what we have to!"

In the sky, Edie watched with mild interest. He noticed Momousagi pushing forward and observed the Marine troops retreating. While he had no interest in the lower-ranking soldiers, the elite officers surrounding their injured Fleet Admiral caught his attention. They moved with determination, protecting their leader with the resolve of men prepared to die.

Kong knelt on the ice, blood pouring from his mouth and staining the ground beneath him a deep crimson. He cursed himself silently. I was too careless!

As Fleet Admiral, he had underestimated the enemy. He had known from Akainu's reports that Edie's "Red Flash" was a powerful application of Conqueror's Haki, but even so, he hadn't anticipated its devastating force. If not for his Mythical Zoan form, he would be at death's door, unconscious and beyond recovery.

This attack is slow, it requires time to charge, Kong thought, bitterness creeping into his mind. If I'd been in my human-animal form, or even just my human form, I could've dodged it like Akainu did... But as the White Ape, and at such close range, there had been no room to maneuver. The outcome had been inevitable.

Kong clenched his fists in frustration, struggling to rise as the bitter realization set in—he had gravely misjudged his opponent.

"Fleet Admiral, we should retreat!" Momousagi urged, standing protectively over Kong, her voice filled with urgency. She gripped her sword tightly, her gaze darting between him and the chaotic battlefield. "Shenhou(Oden Clone), who fought Admiral Sengoku, led us to a flawed conclusion. The strength of the Earthly Branches is far greater than we anticipated. There are far too many of them, and their power is overwhelming."

Two years ago, when Sengoku had encountered Edie in the New World, he had fought the Earthly Branch known as Shenhou. Based on that battle, Naval Headquarters had concluded that the general strength of the Earthly Branches was manageable. It was thought that figures like Zishu and Chenlong were the pinnacle of their power, and this was the information relayed to the World Government.

But today, with Wuma and Weiyang showcasing their terrifying abilities, that assessment had been proven woefully inadequate. It was a harsh reality check, one they weren't prepared for.

"This operation was rushed," Momousagi continued, her voice strained with concern. "If we keep fighting like this, our losses will be catastrophic. We should retreat now, before it's too late."

There was one thing she didn't say aloud, for fear of crushing morale: she believed there was a real possibility of total annihilation.

What was meant to be a surprise raid had turned into a desperate naval interception, with the Marines being the ones ambushed.

Kong's shoulders sagged slightly as he listened, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Retreat? Of course, they could retreat, but who would bear the responsibility for this failed mission?

The Five Elders had given the order with unyielding resolve, fueled by anger and a desire for retribution. If they retreated now, someone would have to answer for the mission's failure upon their return.

With a heavy heart, Kong slowly rose to his feet, his mind made up. His Observation Haki flared out across the battlefield, assessing the situation.

The Vice Admirals were locked in battles with the Earthly Branches. Garp was fighting Chenlong, Aokiji was engaged with Wuma, Kizaru was clashing with Weiyang, and Zishu, who had taken Kong's earlier punch, was resting lazily on the distant ice, seemingly unconcerned.

But Edie... Even Kong's advanced Observation Haki couldn't sense him. It was just as Akainu's report had described—Edie was impossible to detect, hidden behind layers of untraceable power.

"Relay my Final Fleet Admiral's order!" Kong's deep voice boomed, his decision final. "All Marine commanders present, retreat immediately! The rest, follow me into battle!"

"Fleet Admiral!?" The nearby colonels looked at him with heavy expressions, the weight of his words sinking in. Final order?

"This is an order!" Kong barked, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Leave at once!"

The colonels hesitated for only a moment longer before saluting, their faces grim as they prepared to withdraw, leaving behind their leader and the remaining elites to face the Earthly Branches head-on.

Kong roared in frustration, his heavily injured body transforming once again as he entered his hybrid human-animal form. From his armpit, a dark, cloud-like ribbon of energy began to unfurl—ominous and intense.

"Fruit Awakening?" Edie remarked with a raised eyebrow as he floated mid-air. "As expected of a Mythical Zoan user—such tenacity." He smirked, his voice dripping with disdain. "Though I suppose not all of them are worthy... Kurozumi Orochi, for instance, is a disgrace to the Mythical class."

Kong's massive form launched into the air, charging at Edie with renewed speed. Though his human-animal form wasn't as powerful as his full white ape transformation, it offered the perfect balance between speed and strength.

But someone else was faster.

Zishu, who had been lying in wait, suddenly reignited with flames, bursting into the sky like a red lotus set aflame. He intercepted Kong mid-air, his blade flashing as he slashed at him with a fiery attack. Kong quickly raised his right arm to block the oncoming flame slash, his face grim.

As the sparks of their clash filled the air, Zishu's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Why do you Marines hate my mask so much? Curious about my face underneath?"

Kong glared at Zishu, catching sight of the fractured mask. Half of the mask had shattered, revealing a face that sent a chill down his spine. It was the face of a child—golden, starry eyes gazing coldly back at him. A child's face... on a terrifying warrior.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Momousagi shouted to the stunned Marines still standing around. "Hurry! Get out of here!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The officers, realizing the danger, cast a final glance at their battered Fleet Admiral before turning to retreat.

Momousagi exhaled in relief, watching them pull back. She glanced at the lifeless figure nearby, her eyes narrowing in frustration. "How long are you planning to lie there, Chaton?"

"Ugh..." The figure groaned, stirring. Chaton slowly emerged from the ice, his forehead stained with blood. "These monsters... every one of them. I thought I was dead for sure."

Not far away, another battle raged. Garp's fist connected brutally with Chenlong's face, imbued with Armament Haki. The internal destruction shattered Chenlong's ghostly mask, finally exposing the face beneath.

Chenlong staggered back, sliding across the ice for tens of meters. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but the real shock came from Garp, who froze mid-attack.

"..."

There was something familiar about the face.

No, more than just familiar—it was uncanny. The resemblance was impossible to ignore. "Young Kaido?" Garp whispered, his voice filled with disbelief. "I saw your face during the Battle of the Valley of the Gods!"

Chenlong's current appearance was that of a 20-year-old. And in the Valley of the Gods battle 21 years ago, Kaido, a member of the Rocks Pirates, had been 21. The realization struck Garp like a hammer.

Watching from above, Edie smirked. "So, it's finally come to this. No point in hiding anymore. Take off your masks."

At his command, the Earthly Branches paused in their battles. Zishu grinned broadly, tearing off what remained of his cracked mask. "Finally, we don't have to wear these anymore!" With a snap, he crushed the mask in his hand.

Wuma and Weiyang followed suit, removing their own masks and revealing their true faces to the shocked Marines.

Kizaru's eyes widened as he stared at Weiyang. "You... look like a young Sengoku?!" he muttered in disbelief. The resemblance to the former Admiral Sengoku was uncanny—he looked like Sengoku as a boy of about 12 or 13 years old.

Aokiji was equally stunned as Wuma removed his mask. Though the face wasn't one he recognized, he could still guess. "Are you... Whitebeard? Edward Newgate as a child?!"

Though Wuma's face only bore a slight resemblance to the infamous pirate, the unique chin—thick and unmistakable—gave it away. But there was no crescent-shaped mustache, adding to the eerie resemblance without making it a perfect match.

Kong, now standing on the battlefield, took it all in with wide eyes. Slowly, the pieces began to fit together in his mind. As the Marine Fleet Admiral, he knew many of the government's top-secret research projects—the human gigantism experiments, the cloning program...

And more recently, the revival of the Germa Empire in North Blue. The once-dominant Germa 66, destroyed by the World Government after 66 days, had risen again under Vinsmoke Judge. Judge, now ruling the resurrected Kingdom of Germa, had already developed a clone army.

"Could it be... you're all clones!?" Kong shouted, his voice filled with shock and anger as he stared at Zishu. "Who are you?"

Zishu chuckled darkly, lifting a hand to his forehead, amusement dancing in his golden eyes. "Can't you guess?"

Before Kong could respond, Edie's voice rang out like a cruel taunt. "What's the surprise? Zishu's prototype is none other than the Pirate King you executed seven years ago... Gol D. Roger."

"Impossible...!" Kong's voice trembled. His entire body shuddered in disbelief as the reality sank in.

Zishu sneered, his eyes glinting wickedly. "Divine Departure!"

A crescent-shaped black slash flew from Zishu's blade, striking Kong's chest. Blood erupted from the wound, and Kong was sent flying across the battlefield.

As he fell, the horrible truth solidified in Kong's mind. A deep, bone-chilling fear spread through the Marine ranks, and one terrifying question echoed in every soldier's thoughts:

Who are the other Earthly Branches?