Chapter 22

"Ugh…." 

What greeted him was a knife through the chest, Rocks did not have time for this scum and the pirates that were beside him were all chuckling menacingly. They quickly made their way through and ignored the girl that they unintentionally saved. 

But the girl knew these men were likely her biggest ticket out of here so she quickly stepped in front of them despite the fear and anxiousness. 

"Hey hey little girl, we don't have time to joke around with you, move." 

"I… I know the underground docks very well if you are looking to go there.. Just please take me out of here." 

Pirates wouldn't think twice about being a hero unlike a certain adventure group but move based on interest and gain. 

Rocks didn't need to nod and his underlings agreed for him. If they could sneak in and find their target that would be best, if they can't they will save a lot of time when fighting upfront. 

The girl's smile, though hesitant, held a spark of hope. "Yes, sir! You won't regret this."

And so, under the watchful eyes of Rocks' crew, their faces a tapestry of suspicion and cautious optimism, the girl took the lead with scary looking pirates beside her.

As they descended deeper into the city's underbelly, leaving the glittering facade behind, the air grew thick with the smell of damp stone and stale fish. The ground beneath their boots became slick with grime, the echoes of their footsteps swallowed by the oppressive darkness.

Obviously there were many people patrolling and moving around but Rocks and his crew very silently and quickly dealt with them and none of them managed to alarm anyone. 

After seeing brutal assassinations one by one, Akiko felt numb. But she had a high adaption ability and very quickly got used to it and did not overreact. 

They were very efficient and fast, reaching the depths of the underground port at a very quick pace but eventually someone noticed. Well more accurately the two Admirals and a few CP0 who were guarding the place noticed.

"Rocks… As expected you would really come here."

Rocks wasn't unhappy to see them and in fact he was even happy. If the two Admirals were here, they must be in the right direction right?

Immediately one of the people beside Rocks quickly took out a den den mushi and pressed the button. 

Rocks, however, roared with laughter. "Ah, my little surprise! Don't mind that I invited some friends to join the party!"

From the murky depths of the harbour, dark shapes began to emerge. Pirate ships bristling with cannons started appearing from the depths of the sea, obviously being coated and started firing onto the island without any discrimination. 

"Your navy loves to use the buster call for 'justice' so I thought you should experience it yourself after all you have so many evil bugs on the island." 

Nelson glinted with an unexpected gleam. "Interesting," he murmured. "A pirate version of the Buster Call? Not half bad, Rocks." Although his words were praising Rocks, the killing intent emitted from the two Admirals was no joke. 

But would Rocks be afraid of the killing intent of mere Admirals? Please he already killed one, what was two more? 

"You can handle the CP0s, leave the Admirals to me." 

"Aye captain." 

"We will hold off those pirates, Rocks will be left to you."

"You don't need to say more." 

The cavern became a maelstrom of chaos. The clash between strong men was no joke and the only small fry there with zero attack power was immediately running for her life in the opposite direction from these monsters. But was it really possible for her to get out completely safely? Impossible. Soon Akiko was thrown backwards by the shockwave, landed hard against a crate, her vision momentarily swimming. 

Before passing out she saw the strong men who were fighting tooth for tooth and she decided and swore that if she managed to survive, she would definitely be one of them. 

Meanwhile….

The cannons roared a chorus of defiance, their thunder resonating through the smoke-choked harbor. World Government warships, steel leviathans adorned with the white-and-gold sigil of justice, battled against a swarming tide of pirate vessels, their black flags snapping like ravens in a gale.

The once pristine harbor was now a graveyard of splintered masts and shattered hulls. Water, stained crimson by spilt blood, reflected the fiery explosions that blossomed across the sky. From the decks, Marines in crisp white uniforms surged forward, blades flashing in the sunlight as they grappled with tattooed pirates wielding cutlasses and flintlock pistols.

On the land, the battle was no less brutal. Gritty cobblestones slick with gore became the battleground, echoing with the clang of steel and the guttural roars of clashing warriors. Pirate hordes, fueled by rum and avarice, crashed against the lines of Marine defenders, their ragged battle cries vying with the disciplined shouts of their adversaries.

Above the fray, two towering figures duelled amidst a swirling vortex of wind and flame. A Marine Vice Admiral, clad in steel armour etched with runes of power, traded blows with a hulking pirate captain, his obsidian-forged axe crackling with malevolent energy. Their clash shook the very ground, each impact sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.

Meanwhile, in the labyrinthine alleys of the port city, a different kind of war raged. Young Marine recruits, barely out of their training, fought with desperate courage against seasoned pirate crews. Rooftop chases became deadly games of cat and mouse, cobbled streets transformed into killing fields. Each fallen comrade fueled the fire in their hearts, their youthful fear eclipsed by the burning desire to protect their homes.

On the outskirts of the harbor, a hidden battery of World Government cannons unleashed a thunderous roar with their balls crashing through the pirate ranks like krakens rising from the deep. Pirate ships, their hulls peppered with gaping wounds, sank beneath the waves, taking their crews with them to a watery grave.

Time warped and stretched in the throes of battle. Minutes felt like hours and finally the pirate cadres who were at least Admiral level and above started moving.