Chapter 101: Ace to the Rescue

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News of Noir's crew attacking the World Nobles spread like wildfire. Almost every Marine on Sabaody Archipelago converged on the restaurant.

A sea of Marines flooded the streets, surrounding the restaurant. Rosward, in a fit of rage, shrieked, 

"Damn you Marines! You're too slow!"

"Kill them! Kill them all!"

Though the Marines held a numerical advantage, the balance of power was a different story.

The rank-and-file soldiers were nothing more than cannon fodder. Enel and Wyper, both wielding powerful Devil Fruit abilities, carved a path of destruction through their ranks.

Even Kalifa made short work of the Marines, gracefully weaving through the chaos while holding Conis' hand. She'd send Marines flying with a flick of her finger pistol every now and then.

But soon, two Marine officers, clad in justice coats and wielding swords, blocked Enel and Wyper's path. 

The panicked Marines, seeing their superiors arrive, were invigorated, their cries filling the air.

"It's Vice Admiral Doberman and Vice Admiral Onigumo!"

"Yes! The pirates are doomed!"

"Vice Admirals! Defeat them!"

Doberman, his face and neck crisscrossed with X-shaped scars, drew his katana and declared, "Pirates deserve nothing but death."

Onigumo, using Life Return, transformed the hair on his back into eight spider-like arms. Without a word, he charged, wielding multiple weapons like a vengeful Devil.

Enel sneered. "What? Are you two the lapdogs of that dead God?"

Doberman remained silent, his black blade slashing down with immense force. Enel's eyes widened, and he transformed into lightning, narrowly dodging the attack.

Dammit, more Busoshoku Haki!

Wyper, in his hybrid form, clashed with Onigumo. Their destructive power cracked the ground beneath them.

Though their Haki and combat skills were inferior to the Vice Admirals, Enel and Wyper's Devil Fruit abilities gave them a distinct edge. 

Under the shadow of the Admirals, people sometimes forgot the sheer power of the Vice Admirals. 

In truth, the gap between them wasn't that vast. Sometimes, it boiled down to a single Devil Fruit.

A Vice Admiral and an Admiral might possess similar Haki and physical strength, but the Admiral, with the added advantage of a powerful Devil Fruit, would ultimately prevail.

This differed from the old era, where Marines primarily focused on Haki and physical combat.

Nowadays, many Marine officers weren't averse to consuming Devil Fruits; they simply hadn't found one that suited them.

Even seasoned Vice Admirals struggled against the strongest Logia users and the rare Zoan Ancient Model users.

Back in the restaurant, Ace's crewmates were urging him to leave. "Captain Ace! Let's get out of here while we can!"

"Yeah, they attacked a Celestial Dragon. An Admiral will be here soon!"

Ace crossed his arms, a conflicted expression on his face. "What a shame. It's rare to find someone who can match my appetite."

His crewmates sweatdropped. Ace sighed and gestured for his crew to follow him. 

They weren't his friends, after all. There was no reason for him to get involved in a fight against a Marine Admiral. He was a notorious pirate with a hefty bounty on his head.

Lightning and a winged beast filled the sky. Doberman and Onigumo, relying on their superior Haki, managed to hold Enel and Wyper at bay.

Unable to break through, the two Devil Fruit users grew desperate.

These Vice Admirals are tougher than they look!

The Marines, too, were worried. If reinforcements didn't arrive soon...

Enel, wielding his golden trident, parried Doberman's blade, then suddenly felt a shiver down his spine.

His Mantra was screaming a warning. Something was coming! 

Bang!

Before Enel could react, a tremendous force slammed into his chest, sending a jolt of pain that nearly knocked him unconscious.

Enel was launched backward like a meteor, crashing through several buildings, leaving a trail of dust and debris in his wake.

Wyper stared in shock at the newcomer. A tall man in a yellow pinstripe suit leisurely lowered his leg, yawning.

Ugh – what a creepy-looking guy!

Even the battle-hardened Wyper couldn't help but shudder at the sight of Kizaru's face.

As the Marines erupted in cheers, Kizaru idly picked at his ear and looked at Wyper. After a moment of thought, he said,

"Wyper, known as the 'Warrior God', suspected Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit user, possibly a flying type. No bounty, no battle record, hmmm…"

Wyper flushed. Since arriving in the Blue Sea, he'd mostly been helping Noir. He hadn't exactly been racking up a fight record.

He'd fought Sea Kings, battled in CP9's cage matches, and helped capture the zombie Ryuma.

But those were either insignificant or completely unknown to the outside world. 

"Oh well..." Kizaru shrugged, his body beginning to shimmer.

A golden light flared. Wyper's vision was momentarily blinded. A powerful kick sent him hurtling towards the ground. 

The massive pteranodon crashed to the earth, narrowly missing the surrounding Marines and civilians.

Wyper coughed up blood, glaring at Kizaru.

That was a hell of a kick…

His head was ringing, and it felt like it was about to split open.

Kizaru stroked his crepe-like face, his mouth twisting in a puzzled frown. "Such a resilient physique. And I used my full strength…"

He then gathered a blinding golden light in his hand, stretching it out before him. A sword made of laser light materialized.

Kizaru raised his Ama no Murakumo sword, preparing to bring it down on Wyper's head.

"You bastard!"

Just as Wyper was about to retort, a blue streak flashed from the distance.

Enel, roaring and enveloped in lightning, shot towards Kizaru like a falling star.

Despite the incredible speed of the blue lightning, Kizaru's seemingly languid eyes narrowed with ease. His Ama no Murakumo, now held in a reverse grip, darted out to the side.

It was difficult to say whether lightning or light was faster in isolation, but in this clash, the answer was clear.

Kizaru's sword pierced Enel's chest, the world blurring red as blood filled his vision.

Enel's golden staff struck Kizaru's light form, passing through harmlessly. The weapon slipped from his grasp.

Damn it, if only I'd mastered Busoshoku Haki…

Seeing Enel's grievous injury, Wyper's adrenaline surged. But he didn't forget to shout at Kalifa and Conis, "Run! Find the Captain!"

Kizaru pointed his index finger at the two women, his voice calm despite their terrified expressions. 

"I'm afraid Noir can't save you now."

The flickering golden light intensified. With a sharp whistle, a devastating laser beam erupted from his fingertip.

As Wyper watched in despair, a massive explosion rocked the island.

A giant Yarukiman Mangrove tree toppled, but the two women, shielded by someone who had tackled them to the ground, were spared from the blast.

Kizaru, his eyes on the familiar orange-red hat, scratched his head in annoyance. "Looks like trouble has arrived..."

Ace, adjusting his hat, his hand radiating heat, spoke, his voice low and menacing, 

"You said Noir couldn't save who, now?" 

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