110 Buckin and Edward Weevil
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The landscape was scarred with burn marks left by the lightning strikes, and in several areas, fires ignited by the lightning were still raging.
The whole island resembled a dystopian hellscape. At this moment, anyone who did not grasp the severity of their situation was either unconscious or deceased.
"W-Why? Why are you here?!" A man, his legs shattered and body drenched in blood, lay at Brontes's feet. He strained to lift his head.
"You're the ruler of Greed Island, aren't you? You should know why I've come here." Brontes gazed down at the dying man, his voice steady and devoid of emotion.
"E-Edward Weevil... That damned scoundrel."
"It was all because of that old hug... pffff! T-They destroyed everything I had built... Dream Island..."
"ZliZli!"
Disinterested in prolonging the encounter, Brontes directed his finger toward the man's forehead.
A tiny hole appeared in his forehead, and within moments, his brain liquefied under the intense heat of the lightning.
"How long do you think you can hide yourself?" Brontes then turned his attention toward the horizon, proceeding forward at an unhurried pace.
...
"Weevil! Weevil! Wake up, quickly!" Buckin was yelling as she shook Weevil's arm furiously.
"Whoosh!"
The debris was heaved aside, and Weevil rose, rubbing his head: "Mama, it hurts a lot! My back is hurting!"
When the lightning struck, one of the bolts had targeted their position.
In a protective gesture towards Buckin, Weevil pulled her close, bearing the brunt of the lightning strike on his back.
His robust physique shielded him from the fatal blow of the lightning assault.
"Phew! You're alive, that is good. Let's hurry and leave this place. We must escape from this island immediately." Buckin said in an anxious voice.
"Oh, okay, Mama, but my back is really hurting him." Weevil responded dully.
"Escape? Do you think you can escape?"
Buckin whirled around at the sound of the chilling voice behind her.
A tall man stood there, his white cloak billowing. Catching sight of his face, Buckin instinctively took a few steps back.
Just yesterday, she had heard news of the intense three-day battle between Brontes and Whitebeard, which had ended inconclusively due to Red-Hair's intervention.
Initially, Buckin had believed that would be the end of it, especially after she had strategically linked Weevil to Whitebeard's name, capitalizing on Whitebeard's reputation.
While not officially confirmed, the echoes of their past connection and Weevil's intentional mirroring of some of Whitebeard's characteristics, coupled with his own impressive might, had already led many to speculate about his ties to Whitebeard.
Upon discovering that Brontes had targeted Whitebeard over Zed's issue, Buckin breathed a sigh of relief.
It indicated that the Marines viewed Whitebeard with caution, opting to approach him first rather than directly pursuing them.
During that period, Buckin found it hard to contain her excitement, fully aware of the depth of Weevil's link to Whitebeard.
As the Marines closed in on Whitebeard, Buckin had assumed, based on her knowledge of him and his swift response, that the situation would be resolved with Whitebeard acting as a barrier, allowing them to remain beyond the Marines' grasp.
This turn of events could potentially shroud Weevil's identity in even more mystery and intrigue.
Things seemed to be aligning perfectly with her plans, progressing even better than anticipated.
However, Buckin had not foreseen that her former ally, now recognized as the most strongest person in the world, would reach a standstill against Brontes, sparking her anxieties.
She understood that Whitebeard might no longer be capable of shielding them.
Even if the Marines came directly, they would not hesitate to take action regardless of Whitebeard's involvement.
Since catching sight of the newspaper yesterday, Buckin had been gripped by worry and dared not venture far, seeking refuge on Greed Island, a lawless territory, in hopes of evading the Marine's pursuit.
The sudden appearance of Brontes and his swift, decisive actions caught her off guard.
He not only targeted them but unleashed his assault on the entire Greed Island, reducing it to ruins.
Desperate to flee, Buckin turned only to find herself face-to-face with Brontes's icy gaze, dropping to the ground in terror.
"You, you, you…" Buckin stammered, pointing a trembling finger at Brontes.
"You believed Whitebeard could shield you. Despite knowing that harming Instructor Zed and the other recruits won't bring you any good, you not only severed one of Instructor Zed's arms but also caused the deaths of most of the recruits. Now, be prepared to face the consequences." Brontes's voice dripped with malice as he locked eyes with Buckin.
"You can't do anything to me, Ragnarok. You know I was Whitebeard's comrade. You should understand that Whitebeard would never tolerate anyone harming his comrades, let alone laying a hand on Weevil. He is Whitebeard's son, mine, and Whitebeard's…"
"Bang!"
Before she could finish her defiant speech, Brontes swiftly kicked her away as if she were a mere ball.
Despite her past as a formidable pirate, when faced with Brontes, the man who had the power to defeat Whitebeard, she was as insignificant as an ant before him.
"Mama!"
Witnessing Buckin being harshly pushed aside, Weevil finally reacted, rising to his feet and grasping his naginata.
"How dare you attack my mama? I'll kill you!" Weevil's eyes seethed with murderous intent as he lunged at Brontes with his weapon.
"Clang!"
"Boom!"
Brontes intercepted Weevil's naginata with a single hand, causing the ground beneath him to rupture and dust to billow into the air.
Staring up at Weevil, who had tears streaming down his face, Brontes spoke icily: "You do bear a resemblance to Whitebeard, with a strength reminiscent of a young Whitebeard. That much is true. Yet, you ambushed Instructor Zed and slaughtered hundreds of Marine recruits. Your fate has been doomed."
In a sudden move, Brontes appeared in front of Weevil. With a bewildered expression on Weevil's face, Brontes landed a powerful blow to his abdomen.
"Bang!"
"Puh!"
As Weevil spat out a mouthful of blood, Brontes directed an intense surge of energy that erupted, hurling Weevil through the air.
Brontes's focus shifted back to Buckin, who had just risen to her feet.
"Using Whitebeard as leverage was a miscalculation. Were it not for Red Hair's intervention, the Whitebeard Pirates might no longer exist in this world. Do you truly believe Whitebeard is untouchable, as he was a decade ago? I regret to inform you that time has caught up with him. Persisting in battle may lead to his demise." Brontes spoke coldly to her.
"You must be lying. He's Whitebeard, the mightiest man in the world. How could the Marines possibly defeat him? Even Pirate King Roger lost to his might." Buckin retorted, rising from her knees and wiping the blood from her lip.
"He did beat Roger in terms of combat prowess, but he isn't the Pirate King, marking him as a defeated man too. And you, you are among the defeated as well. Throughout history, the defeated are cast as villains, relegated to obscurity and mockery, while only the victors are remembered and honored." Brontes sneered.
"It appears my end is here..." Buckin muttered in self-derision.
"Yes, all of you will meet your end here. Despite your son's strength, it changes nothing. Even the genuine Whitebeard cannot shield you, let alone him." Brontes stated grimly.
"I didn't anticipate you would take action due to Zephyr. Regrettably, I couldn't finish Zephyr off in the past; that would have brought you lasting sorrow." Buckin spoke bitterly.
"Thank your stars you refrained, for had you acted, the repercussions for both of you would have been far graver." Brontes retorted with a voice as cold as ice.
