Chapter 21: Marine Counter-Attack

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"Boom! Boom! Boom!" 

This was one of the wildest storms Arashi had ever witnessed. 

It was like a god was pouring water from the heavens into the sea, creating a waterfall cascading down from the sky with a deafening roar. 

The wind howled above, and the violent waves tossed around the Marine ship beneath his feet. 

Even more terrifying was that the storm grew stronger by the minute.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Get the water out!"

"Don't let the rain flood the ship!"

"This storm is insane! The weather in this area is so unpredictable!"

Shouts filled the air as Arashi quickly joined the fray. 

The rain pounded down on his back and head, causing sharp pain. 

Looking out at the sea, he saw bubbles rising and the water's surface churning violently. 

It was as if a massive tsunami was brewing beneath the waves.

"Arashi, go to the stern!" Kuzan, drenched from head to toe, shouted as he held a bucket, trying to bail water out of the ship.

"Boom! Boom!" 

Thunder roared, and lightning illuminated their faces, casting eerie shadows. 

Arashi nodded and dashed across the rain-soaked deck, disappearing in an instant. 

When he reached the stern, he saw Sakazuki was already there.

"Hmph, Arashi!" Sakazuki glanced at him, then snorted coldly before scooping water from a bucket and tossing it overboard. 

Arashi shot him a quick look, noticing the sword strapped to Sakazuki's waist and his icy expression. 

Without a word, Arashi bent down and started bailing water alongside him.

Gradually, the two of them picked up the pace, their movements growing faster. 

Suddenly, they looked up, locking eyes, sparks flying between them. An unspoken competition began. 

Sakazuki's hands moved at lightning speed, and the water on the deck visibly decreased. His hands were a blur while Arashi grunted with determination.

Finally, when the water on the deck was almost completely gone, Arashi collapsed onto the deck, panting heavily. 

Sakazuki was also exhausted, but he forced himself to stand, crossing his arms as he looked down at Arashi scornfully as if to say, "Is that all you've got?"

"Childish competition!" Arashi muttered as he stood up after a moment. 

Sakazuki's expression shifted slightly, and just as he was about to retort, he saw that Arashi had already turned and walked away.

The storm raged on, causing enormous trouble for everyone on board. 

Their visibility was severely limited, and they lost track of their heading. 

Looking out from the ship, there were no landmarks to guide them. Worse yet, they had lost sight of Roger's crew.

"Bogart, before Roger's crew vanished, were they heading in this direction?" Garp shouted over the storm.

"No doubt about it," Bogart replied, wiping the rain from his face.

"Damn this storm!" Garp cursed, then turned to Arashi, who was standing nearby, seemingly lost in thought.

"Hey, kid! What are you daydreaming about?" Garp barked.

Arashi didn't respond, instead pointing ahead at the sudden appearance of over a dozen pirate ships, tilting and swaying haphazardly in the rain.

Garp paused, and then a grin spread across his face. "Hahahaha! Looks like this storm has completely scattered Shiki's fleet!"

The rain was so heavy that by the time both sides spotted each other, they were already dangerously close, with the nearest pirate ship on the verge of colliding with them.

"Everyone, listen up!" Garp roared. The storm paused momentarily as everyone on board instantly snapped to attention.

"Clear the way! No one blocks my path!" Garp bellowed.

"Yes, sir!" Kuzan, Sakazuki, Bogart, and the others shouted in unison.

"Boom!" Thunder rumbled across the sky, and lightning suddenly illuminated the scene, making the rain-soaked surroundings momentarily clearer.

"It's the Marines!"

"Take them down!"

"Wait, that guy at the bow... Is that...?"

"It's Garp the Hero!"

The pirates on the dozen or so ships also noticed the Marine vessel, particularly the man standing at the bow. 

He had short black hair, a cold gaze, and a muscular build. Their already anxious expressions shifted visibly to terror as they recognized him. 

Without even engaging in battle, the fear took root in their souls.

"Kill!" Sakazuki wasted no time. He leaped forward, drew his sword, and charged onto the nearest pirate ship. Kuzan and Bogart quickly followed suit. 

Arashi, with a flash of movement, propelled himself into the air, his feet rapidly kicking off the wind, and in the blink of an eye, he leaped over Sakazuki and the others, heading for a pirate ship even farther ahead.

As Arashi looked down, he noticed Sakazuki slicing through the pirates with impressive swordsmanship, cutting down over a dozen in the blink of an eye, exuding a menacing aura. 

His sword strikes were swift and decisive, showing overwhelming strength against the Golden Lions Pirates. 

With a swing of his long sword, Bogart sent a slash flying through the air, slicing through the mast and nearly cutting the ship in half, eliciting screams of despair. 

Kuzan was even more relentless, flashing in and out of sight, his punches landing with tremendous force.

This was when Kuzan, inspired by Vice Admiral Garp, fought using his fists. Of course, he still carried a Marine sword at his waist.

In just a few breaths, Arashi landed on another pirate ship.

"Take him down!"

"We have no choice! Even if it's Garp's crew, we have to charge!"

"Kill him, then escape!"

From the pirates' shrinking pupils and trembling bodies, Arashi could sense the fear in their hearts. 

Almost instantly, a figure appeared before him, wielding a sword with both hands, slashing down with incredible speed. 

The blade was imbued with a unique aura.

"Armament, Haki?"

Arashi's eyes narrowed, but he had no time to react. 

This pirate was undoubtedly an elite, battle-hardened, with each angle and force of his strike meticulously calculated to leave Arashi with no room to dodge. 

Without the foresight of Observation Haki or honed battle instincts, Arashi found himself outmatched. 

The blade descended from above, slicing through him from head to waist with blinding speed, cutting him in half.

Arashi's pupils contracted sharply, a mix of fear and intense pain flashing across his face. 

This was, without a doubt, the worst death he had experienced so far—bisected in a single strike. 

But in the very next second, his eyes turned icy cold, and the blade was bizarrely expelled from his body, clattering onto the deck beside him.

"Crack!" The slash didn't stop there; it extended forward, splitting the ship's bow in half.

"Finger Gun!" Arashi's eyes were cold as he pressed his index and middle fingers together and struck.

"Thud!" The pirate wielding the sword felt a sharp pain as Arashi's fingers pierced his forehead, driving the force through his skull and into the mast behind him, leaving a hole with a loud "thunk." 

A look of utter confusion crossed the pirate's face as he died, unable to comprehend how his foe had survived being cut in half.

Arashi exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing as he faced the other pirates surrounding him, their faces tense and fearful. 

In the New World, there were no weaklings among the pirates. 

This was undoubtedly a challenge! But he knew he wouldn't die and certainly wouldn't be defeated.

<End Chapter>

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