22 Chapter 22

"Damn kid, you sure are resilient. The wound on your body has already healed. No wonder you stood back up so quickly." While saying so, the Marine launched a powerful fist attack right into Vergo's rib, knocking the air out of him. However, contrary to his expectations, Vergo wasn't knocked out. This angered the Rear Admiral, who unceremoniously lifted Vergo up by the wrist and launched back-to-back Haki-powered punches. One could hear bones cracking and flesh tearing with every punch.

Vergo's mouth was now drenched with blood, but he remained conscious. He weakly swung his fist, connecting with the man's face. Although the attack lacked power, the Marine felt it was an insult.

"Please let the child go. It's us you want. Please let Vergo live." Zephyr's wife looked at the battered and broken body of Vergo, realizing their assailant's target was only Zephyr's family. She pleaded with the Marine to let go of her adopted son.

"Like I said, orders. No witnesses."

The Rear Admiral imbued his sword to finish off Vergo with a single blow and then planned to eliminate Zephyr's family. However, just as he raised the sword, his Observation Haki picked up a new threat—a flying slash imbued with Haki flew towards him at blinding speed, aiming to sever the hand that was holding Vergo. Reacting swiftly, he swung his blade to intercept the flying slash.

"Clang!" As the Marine attempted to push away the first sword attack, a second attack was launched from the same direction, aimed at his hand. He pushed away the first attack with all his strength and then quickly retreated a few meters using Soru after letting go of Vergo.

"Damn, you guys sure are fast. I only had enough time to kill a dozen pirates." I walked out steadily from an alleyway. If I had been a bit slower, Vergo would have been history. Unlike me, Vergo has not had a proper trainer to guide him in Haki yet, so this was the reason for his pathetic display, and he had ample time to grow. He was only twelve years old this year.

"Kid, I know who you are. You can blame your luck for being here." The Rear Admiral, who was flexing, suddenly reacted.

"Tekkai!"

"Boom!" My fist, clad with Haki, crashed right into the man's rib, not giving him enough time to react as he was launched ten meters, coming to a stop while skidding. Although I was faster than him, the Marine reacted at the last moment.

Vergo stood up, raising his fist, to join the fight again by my side. I gave him a sideway glance.

"Please step aside. You will only be a hindrance if you join the fight." I didn't take my eyes off the enemy, as he was also looking for openings against me.

I drew my sword again, poised to strike, while Vergo clumsily wiped the bloodstains from his face and moved towards Zephyr's wife. She quickly started wiping off the remaining blood on Vergo's face, her hands trembling with a mix of fear and relief.

With a sudden action, the Rear Admiral launched himself at me, his sword gleaming in the moonlight as he aimed a vicious overhead strike. Reacting with lightning-fast reflexes, I parried his blow with a resounding clang, the force of our clash sending shockwaves rippling through the surrounding area.

As I descended from the air with the force of my Armament Haki-clad strike, the Rear Admiral attempted to counter my assault with a swift upward swing of his sword. Our blades met with a resounding clash, sending sparks flying in all directions as the sheer force of our collision sent shockwaves.

With a fierce determination burning in my heart, I pressed forward, pouring every ounce of my strength into my attack. The Rear Admiral, however, was no ordinary opponent; his skill and resolve matched my own, and he met my onslaught with unwavering resolve.

But I refused to back down. Drawing upon my training and experience, I unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one faster and more ferocious than the last. The Rear Admiral struggled to keep pace, his defenses beginning to falter under the relentless assault.

Sensing an opening, I pressed my advantage, driving forward with all my might. With a powerful lunge, I aimed a decisive blow at my opponent's exposed flank, intent on ending the battle once and for all. But the Rear Admiral was not so easily defeated.

With a lightning-fast movement, he sidestepped my attack, narrowly avoiding the full force of my strike. In the same instant, he launched a devastating counterattack of his own, his blade cutting through the air with deadly precision.

Reacting with split-second reflexes, I twisted my body to the side, narrowly evading the deadly arc of his sword. With a deft movement, I countered his assault with a lightning-fast Rankyaku, sending a powerful air blade slicing through the air towards him.

The Rear Admiral barely had time to react. With a desperate lunge, he deflected the air blade with his own sword, the force of the impact sending him stumbling backward. Seizing the opportunity, I pressed my advantage, closing in on him with deadly intent.

"Shring!" My blade ripped through fabric, flesh, and bone, sending a severed arm flying through the air. Despite the Rear Admiral having clad his arm with Haki, my own Haki completely overpowered him, allowing Kitetsu to slice through his sword arm effortlessly.

But I had to commend the enemy; despite the pain, the man quickly collected himself and retreated to a safe distance.

"Kid, you are meddling in things that are way out of your league. Will you be able to face the consequences for foiling our plan?" The Marine started speaking now that he was at a disadvantage.

"Man, you sure are pathetic, trying to stall for time in such a crude manner. No matter how much time you stall, your friends aren't coming. Do you think that it was only Dragon-san and Bogard-san who stayed back?" I knew the man was waiting for other Marine traitors who colluded with the World Government, but Kuzan was already confronting them. Unknown to everyone, after I had made plans, the entire division under Garp's command stayed back in Marineford. Garp was the sole member of his team who left for the Rocks mission. And one must know that the Marines who served under Garp were elites, and even the regular Marines who served on Garp's ship were the cream of the crop.

"It sure is frustrating to hold back from killing people like you, but I am sure Garp sensei will not mind if I kill you. After all, he hates Marines like you the most." I sheathed my blade, already noticing that the enemy was trying to find an avenue for escape. However, I had locked onto all his escape routes with my Observation Haki.

"Rokuogan!" I flickered next to him at blinding speed and launched a devastating attack. The force of the blow sent a massive shockwave ripping through the enemy's internal organs. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to his knees, defenseless against my assault.

"Damn! It sure is oddly satisfying when you pummel someone with your own fists, but then I guess I prefer swords over fists," I murmured to myself as I picked up the fallen enemy. Although I was only ten, I was tall for my age, just like Doffy.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" I repeatedly started punching the now defeated Marine, just so I could vent. I had been holding myself back for a long time since joining under Garp, and punching this man felt oddly satisfying. My life in the Mafia had etched a few things right into my soul, and tormenting my enemies was something I had to do from time to time to feel refreshed.

Zephyr's wife, witnessing this gruesome scene, didn't make a sound. She was a practical woman who understood that, if not for my timely arrival, she would have lost everything. She did not have an ounce of mercy for her enemy now.

Vergo walked next to me and stood by my side as I repeatedly punched the man in front of me. The man was already dead; his skull was completely smashed and caved in. But I still kept punching, maybe because I had seen Vergo near death and something snapped in me, and Vergo is family.

I paused and quickly whispered to Vergo, who immediately clad his back with Armament Haki and jumped in front of Zephyr's family. Just then, an almost invisible Rankyaku sliced through his back, leaving a gaping wound that exposed Vergo's back right down to his spine. Blood splattered across the woman's face, and Vergo fainted as the attack was too much to handle. I had calculated it perfectly, and I had already detected a man hiding, trying to snipe Zephyr's family while we let our guard down. I had also detected an ally rapidly closing in on our position.

"Ice Age!" Kuzan froze the entire street along with the buildings. Just as he landed next to me, the presence that was hiding had already vanished without a trace.

"Ross, are you alright?" Kuzan couldn't help but ask as he saw the now broken corpse in my hand. Despite his concern, I could see something else in Kuzan's expression, perhaps a hint of disapproval, but he held back from saying anything.

I dropped the now dead Rear Admiral without paying much heed to Kuzan's unspoken thoughts and moved towards where Vergo lay. Despite the seemingly life-threatening wound on his back, I knew Vergo's life was not in danger. Mythical Zoan fruits were known for their remarkable vitality. With Kuzan's help, I picked up Vergo and escorted Zephyr's family towards the central fortress. As we made our way through the chaos, a few other pirates from the Blood Skull Pirates targeted us, but they were swiftly eliminated by Kuzan.

It had been more than three hours since the attack on Marineford began, and it was close to midnight. Through the darkness, one could see about half a dozen Marine ships quickly approaching Marineford. These were the temporary reinforcements that Kong had mobilized to support Marineford. Originally, he had intended to mobilize troops from Mary Geoise, but orders from the elders required Kong to remain there, considering the possibility of an attack on Mary Geoise itself. Hence, He had to reach out to Sabaody to send reinforcements.

At the site where Dragon and Darius clashed, everything lay in ruins. The aftermath revealed the devastating extent of their battle, with a part of Marineford completely destroyed due to the epic clash.

In the center of the largest crater, amidst the rubble and debris, Dragon stood tall, bruised, and battered, his chest heaving with exertion and his Rear Admiral uniform now in tatters, exposing his upper body completely. Before him lay Darius, broken and gasping for breath with a large fist sized hole in his chest, his once formidable aura now diminished to a mere flicker.

Dragon approached Darius cautiously, his gaze unwavering, despite the fatigue weighing heavily on him. "Who sent you? Who ordered the attack on Zephyr's family?" Dragon demanded, his voice resonating with anger and authority.

Darius, though gravely injured, managed a weak smirk. "Hahaha,Cough! Cough! You're a fool if you believe I'd spill their secrets," he spat out blood defiantly, his voice strained with pain.

Dragon's fists clenched at his sides, frustration simmering beneath the surface. He had hoped to extract valuable information from Darius, but it seemed the pirate was determined to remain silent.

"You've lost," Dragon stated firmly, his tone unwavering. "There's no escape for you now. Tell me who orchestrated this attack, and perhaps I'll grant you a swift end."

Darius chuckled hoarsely, a glimmer of defiance still present in his eyes. "You can't threaten me, Marine. I've faced death countless times, and I'm not afraid to meet it again," he retorted, his voice tinged with bitterness.

Despite his injuries, Dragon remained composed, his resolve unwavering. He knew that time was running out, and he needed answers before it was too late.

"Darius, listen to me," Dragon urged, his voice tinged with urgency. "If you cooperate, perhaps there's a chance for redemption. Don't let your pride cloud your judgment."