[117] The Scorched Sea War (VI)

[3000 words]

I've got a condensed summer course starting this week, so things are going to get a little shakey.

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"So you're here," Indra calmly spoke, locking eyes with his titanic threat.

"Please, you think I didn't notice your Commander trying to pull me away from my ship?" A lax voice responded. "Perhaps it would have worked had his troops not been a pack of wild dogs."

The Ox Lloyd's Warship with its master, Marine Admiral Kurowashi.

Indra hummed at the turn of events and ran through several scenarios of the imminent future. 'No matter what, I have to protect it.'

He was around 60 meters from his target, but a mountain stood in the way.

*Shing!* Kyoran hummed proudly, reflecting its dark nature in Indra's hand. "One must face his difficulties to enjoy success," he answered. "I have no intention of returning with failure."

Masao scoffed at the rebuttal, thinking lowly of it. "I will find pleasure in tossing you into the cold cells of Impel Down, Hellspawn!"

*Pop!* The air exploded as the silver-haired Admiral rocketed onwards, his Haki-clad hand thrusting ahead at speeds rivalling that of sound!

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"Fatal-Four Air Bullet."

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The four fingers, swarming with dense Haki and thick air currents, struck without mercy, seeking to rip open the enemy's throat.

*Clang!* Kyoran groaned under the Admiral's weight, blocking just in time.

Masao was held up in the sky, pushing down at the swordsman. *Grrr!* Sparks lit up from the blade as Indra masterfully slid the marine down his weapon's length before taking to the skies.

He spun midair and struck downwards.

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"One Sword Style: Beautiful Death!"

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The image of a spanning peacock appeared, spreading its magnificent feathers. The air shrieked, and the bird flew down, rushing in tandem with Indra's blade.

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"Paper Arts: Afterimage."

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BOOM!

The powerful attack met nothing but the thick floor of the Warship, failing to meet its intended target. Despite the impressive impact, the damage was minimal—the wooden deck, made from the legendary Treasure Tree Adam, barely showed a scratch.

"!!!" There was no time to admire the craftsmanship as a sharp breeze erupted and a shadow appeared behind Indra.

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"Finger Pistol: Execution Stab."

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The attack was faster than what the eye could track. Indra's instincts forced him to retreat, even if he barely caught a glimpse of the shadow aiming at his throat.

*Swish!* The pirate grasped at his neck, appearing nearly 30 meters away. Warm blood dribbled through the gaps of his fingers. 'He didn't even touch me, yet I was still cut,' Indra thought.

"You have impressive instincts," Masao commented while raising his right leg. *Whuru* *Whuru* Thick cold air currents swirled around the limb, generating an ominous shriek.

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"Tempest Kick: Sky Cleaver!"

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The slashing limb sent out a substantial crescent-shaped attack made from condensed air and Haki, 50 meters in length. *Grrrr!* The slash cleaved past a mast and flew at the pirate's throat, forcing him to defend himself.

Indra's arms bulged in muscles as he fueled his blade with great strength and slashed down.

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"One Sword Style: Evil Befall!"

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The swordsman's boot dug into the dense wood as the attack pushed him a good dozen meters back before dissolving. There was no time to defend as the dark silhouette of Kurowashi appeared past the dust cloud.

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"Iron Body: Bull Charge!"

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The shoulder was bubbling red, crashing hard onto the pirate. 

Instead of blocking, Indra lightly leaped backwards, perfectly timed to use his opponent's momentum to retreat.

*Thud!* The pirate landed gracefully, but not before an ache ran down his spine. "Ugh," he grunted, feeling his arm out of place, a dislocated shoulder.

"You seem a little passive," Masao commented, rushing ahead and opting for endless attacks. 

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"Finger Pistol: Execution Barrage!"

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Haki coated his finger, further amplified by the Emission bubble. 

Boom!

Bam!

Clang!

Boom!

The minor injury was ignored, and Indra met each attack. Be it a dodge, parry or block, each strike was countered.

Boom!

Clang!

The pirate narrowed his eyes as he felt the blade's integrity weaken unreasonably fast. 

'He's aiming at the same spot every attack,' Indra thought, seeing knicks at the bottom of the katana. In tandem with the Emission of Haki, the masterful Finger Pistol was tearing the sword apart.

Boom!

Masao's eyes remained as calm as an eagle's, each stab precise while his left hand stayed behind his back—such was the creed of his Elegant Justice.

Block after block, parry after parry, they continued with Haki bursting in all directions.

"Basara's report had you more of an aggressive threat." Masao was confused by the utterly defensive approach of the notorious pirate. However, victory seemed within reach.

And then it happened all within a tenth of a second. Masao's incessant attacks grew predictable, opening a window of chance. 

"!!!" Indra's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he attacked with a burst of speed. 

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"One Sword Style: Theory of Life!"

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All the Admiral saw was a bright flash and a complete change in scenery. 

He went from the war-struck scorched sea to a beautiful grove: birds chirping and water gracefully dripping in the background. 

"What…"

A deep cut spread across his chest, running diagonally from his kidney area to his left pec, drawing copious amounts of blood. 

Masao felt at peace, and then came the pain: "Ugh!"

A hiss of wind and the Admiral was the one to retreat. 

*Thump* *Thump* Heavy footsteps rang the mighty vessel as its captain was left befuddled.

Kurowashi grunted from the fresh blood and the pain shooting through his body. He glared at Indra, meeting resolute eyes.

"Unfortunately for you, your Haki is too weak to finish me off," Masao spat out. "It was your only chance; you should have gone for the head."

*Crack!* *Krrrr*

Odd sounds echoed from the Admiral's body as he regained his footing. Slowly but surely, the large cut stopped bleeding, with pink skin flooding in, allowing Kurowashi to stand tall again. 

Indra raised his Haki-clad blade, looking at the wound with narrowed eyes, "Life Return."

The two sprang forth once more, entering a temporary stalemate. 

Boom!

Clang!

Bam!

Time ticked on, and twenty minutes passed. 

Masao's assault had grown more thunderous; Indra remained on the defense through it all.

Then it happened.

*Crack!*

A smirk appeared on Kurowashi's face, and he took his chance.

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"Finger Pistol: Execution Thrust!"

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The Haki-blessed finger shot out at speeds exceeding that of sound, crashing onto the cracked blade. 

Like glass, it simply exploded into tiny shards. The iron finger drove ahead and nailed into the pirate's chest.

"Ugh!" Indra felt the stab dig into his left lung; all the while, the Haki did its part to destroy the insides, forcing him to falter. 

With his finger still in the pirate's chest, Masao slashed his left leg.

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"Tempest Kick: Sky Cleaver!"

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The energy arc swept Indra away, carrying him to the ship's tall mast. The weight of the attack was beyond anything the pirate had seen of the Six Powers; it was like being hit by a train!

*BOOM!* A resounding explosion followed by a hail of wood and dust; the Ox Lloyd's Warship had four such masts, and Indra had been embedded in the front one.

Kurowashi calmly walked ahead, his boots playing a melodious beat about the Adam's Oak.

The man stopped a meter from the teetering mast and gazed up. "You've lost your blade, Hellspawn; this is the end for you."

*Pop!* The air resembled a balloon under the Admiral's feet, allowing him to climb. 

Bright green eyes glared at the dust cloud, sensing the immobile enemy lodge in the thick wood.

The marine scoffed and held his arms with fists around one inch from Indra's chest. The lack of movement from his enemy earned nothing but disdain.

It was time to end the farce.

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"Six King Gu-!!!"

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*Swish!* Blood spurted.

Masao's eyes were glued open as he suddenly fell from above, blankly looking at the clouds in the sky.

"What..." the man mumbled.

With a thud, he slammed the floor, and his head lashed onto the wooden ground. The pain of the whiplash brought the man out of his reverie as he gazed at his chest.

It was the previous spanning gash, which had opened once more. "He cut me... but with what blade?" Masao whispered, reeling under the pain.

A dark shadow flickered before the fallen soldier with an arm raised. "A swordsman who is defenceless after losing his sword was never worthy of wielding it in the first place."

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"No Sword Style: Hell Stab!"

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The Haki-flooded finger crashed into Kurowashi's chest, cutting deep and tearing all flesh in the way.

All the air in his lungs was spat out alongside a painful roar. Masao gnashed his teeth while Indra opted to repeat the strike.

*Voosh!* A burst of air, and he was gone. 

"Tch," the no-swordsman frowned as the Admiral appeared a dozen meters away, standing tall again and this time in the middle of the second and third mast.

*Fwwm!* Indra's Haki was decent as he swarmed his entire right arm, from the shoulder down to every finger.

He gave one look at the sets of sails above him and followed through with the attack.

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"Hell Slash!"

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The sword energy stream rushed ahead, zooming at the distant threat.

"He actually weaponized his own arms!" Masao cursed, raising his left arm in defence.

*Grrrr!* The energy arc dug into the skin, drawing blood before dissolving away—a combination of impressive Armament and Iron Body.

Although being pushed near the ship's center, the Admiral was still in good health.

He heard the rush of air—the enemy was racing at him again.

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"Iron Body: Bull Charge!"

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"Hell Spear!"

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"Guhh!" Masao growled. His thick shoulder was strong, but the force was transferred to his chest and his open wound. 

Indra was no better. 

No matter how much Haki he wrapped around his arm, it could never truly be a perfect sword. 

*Spurt!*

Blood shot out beyond his elbow as the bone was tearing out!

Indra ignored the pain from shredded nerves along his arm and continued strong. 

*Crack* the fingers were next to shatter, followed by the bones in the forearm. 

With a thunderous roar, Masao pushed through, and the swordsman was sent flying back 10 meters. 

*Rumble* Another resounding boom from crashing into the second mast. 

"Damn you!" Masao was livid. Every breath he took was followed by waves of pain; the gaping hole in his sternum and the spanning slash across his chest had long ruined his uniform. 

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"Spirit Resurgence!"

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The booming voice resounded through the canyon. Kurowashi sighed in relief as ripples of green energy echoed back from his call, rushing to the dead center of the ship.

The giant wound from earlier was bathed in fresh green light and quickly healed. 

The spanning cut from his right kidney to left pec was instantly healed—the Black Eagle was as good as new!

"Awakening," Indra coughed past the dust cloud. "He's reaping the spirit of his soldiers to heal his body."

"I admit to underestimating you, Hellspawn," Masao confessed in a low voice. "I figured a Warborn who failed to activate his Figures wouldn't be much of a challenge—I was wrong."

But even in his proud state, the Admiral was left pondering. 'Basara's report painted him as a very offensive and resourceful threat, even landing two deadly hits on him.'

He looked at the pirate and examined the situation. 'Even when crashing into the masts, he always lands on his right side, making sure not to take any damage to the left. Is he wounded?'

Indra hummed at the man's curiosity and brought out a tiny orb, barely 10 centimeters in diameter. It looked like a black and red glass marble.

[Item Image (in Discord)]

Kurowashi's mind fired at the turn of events. 'Every attack, trying his best to reach further into the ship. He's been leading me here!'

The Admiral found himself at the heart of the mighty Ox Lloyd's Warship, 60 meters from the front deck!

Indra had released the ball as it floated into the air, stopping a good 20 meters in the sky.

"Your mission was to reach the core of my ship!" the man exclaimed. 

…

At the same time, another conversation broke out in the distance.

"Say, Garp. Do you think there's beauty in an explosion?" Damien asked while massaging his shattered left fist.

Garp, his arm purple and bruised, gave a confused look. "Hah? What are you on about now? The only beauty in this world is a fresh bag of rice crackers."

The Sin Incarnate rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm not much of a destruction enthusiast, but I want to see it for myself."

Garp frowned, uncertain of what was to come.

…

Sengoku, who was pushing Rayleigh into a weakened position, sensed something dire. His instincts kicked in as he scanned the battlefield, spotting the ominous ball floating above the fabled vessel.

The Resourceful General also noticed Shakky signalling to the higher-ranking pirates, initiating an immediate retreat.

"Rayleigh, even you?"

The Dark King grinned, reversing his grip on his blade. Black lightning crackled and arced around the saber.

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"Mon Alisa!"

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The blade's slash birthed a ghostly figure with hollow eyes and a gaping mouth draped in tattered, ethereal veils. 

[Attack Image (in Discord)]

The Buddha responded with a cataclysmic shockwave, obliterating the shrieking woman into dust. However, Rayleigh was long gone.

A chill ran down Sengoku's back while the hair on his arms shot up. "Garp, come with me, now!" he roared.

Even Basara and Zephyr hurriedly answered his call, all rushing at the Ox Lloyd's Warship!

Kurowashi, too, heard his fellow Admiral and looked at the ball once more. Any thought to cut or slash at it was met with a flare of his Observation.

"I can't cut it, I can't bury it, I can't blow it up," he rambled with clenched fists.

Meanwhile, a whisper echoed in the marine's ears, "You were half right. My mission was indeed to reach the core of your ship..."

Masao glared at Indra, standing at the edge of the ship. "Our meeting was never a coincidence, Kurowashi… farewell."

The pirate grasped his cracked shoulder and jumped off, escaping into the sea.

...

Damien floated in the sky, feeling their haste. A red and black shield formed around him, protecting him from just about anything.

His deep red eyes were locked onto Kurowashi aboard the majestic Warship.

The other Admiral-level marines were still 10 seconds away, leaving the Black Eagle all alone. "Consider this payback..." he muttered, seeing a grim future.

Shakky and Rayleigh watched Damien from afar, catching his next relatively simple gesture.

*Snap!*

With the snap of a finger, the crimson sphere reacted with an ominous glow. In a fraction of a second, the outer crimson liquid-like layer was sucked in, revealing a green gem at the center.

The highly reactive ore, now exposed to the air, began to destabilize violently. The atomizing energy acted as an unholy catalyst, accelerating the reaction to a catastrophic level.

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"The Big Bang."

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BOOOOOOOM!

A sea-ruptured explosion resounded on the Ox Lloyd's Warship as apocalyptic levels of fire and heat were instantly released.

The resulting fireball swallowed Kurowashi whole, engulfing him in its fiery embrace. Its skin-dissolving heat stretched to the ends of the vessel while also evaporating the seawater nearby, and even wood and metal melted into liquids, some even gases.

"Auuughh!"

Miserable cries echoed out from the plume of crimson death belonging to the Black Eagle. The hell Masao experienced was entirely hidden under the cloud of fire and shock.

The thundering wails resounded over the seas, sending a cold chill down the backs of those nearby.

*Thud!* Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and Basara landed. 

They couldn't see much since the light from the explosion lit up the entire sea, bringing dawn to the doom-like clouds.

"Hold the blast!" Sengoku roared out to his colleagues.

*Fwwm!* *Fwoooo!*

Multiple things happened.

The top marine personnel, Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and Basara, acted swiftly. Their collective Emission Haki formed a bubble-like shell around the fireball, preventing it from expanding further. The giant light-red sphere strained under the pressure but held firm against the explosive force.

Under the drain of significant levels of Haki, the four men continued their struggle as the fireball was fully contained. Still, it would only stop once the ore had been entirely used up, making it a waiting game.

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Unfortunately for the Marines, where there was an explosion, there was also a shockwave.

A wall of highly compressed air burst forth, obliterating the marine formation. Ships were torn apart, marines hurled into the air like ragdolls, and the surrounding sea vaporized.

Even the kilometer-tall mountain that circled the battlefield shattered apart from the shockwave, exploding into dust and debris.

Mayhem and disorder plunged the formation. The soldiers that survived the earsplitting shockwave were met with towering tidal waves and torrents of howling winds.

Even the 60-meter-tall warships folded in on themselves or were swept away by the tides. Shrapnel from the shredded ships near the center tore through the air, causing additional carnage as debris sliced through everything in its path.

The casualty count was not small, to say the least.

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Damien exited his bubble and watched the calamity of his own craft. The crimson eyes carried pity.

The mortality scale of the Rocks Era was countless, but such was the life these Marines chose to live.

He extended Ryushi out in a simple gesture, grabbing the attention of the thirsty pirates, "Now, while the marines are shaken up, destroy them!"

A deafening warcry broke out as the injured and exhausted pirates saw the chaos on the Navy's side.

From the blood that stained the broken seas or the constant wails from trapped and dying marines, it was nothing but music to their ears.

From 16,000 marines to no more than 7,000, the death toll in the past minute was over 9,000! Without a doubt, the tides had turned from a single attack, spelling doom upon the surviving Navy soldiers.

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

There were changes from the original. I also opted for a catastrophic chemical reaction rather than a nuclear one, as I felt the former was a bit overblown.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q

The giveaway of a custom character ends in around a day: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q