9 Shiki's Ambush
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The imposing warship, a symbol of the Marine's might, made a swift halt at the base G-1.
The orders of Sengoku, the revered Admiral, had ensured that supplies were ready and waiting at the dock. The marine soldiers, disciplined and efficient, transported the goods with a speed that was almost mechanical.
Within the span of a single hour, the warship was loaded, ready, and set off once again, cutting through the waves like a knife through butter.
...
The world had changed since the fall of the sea overlord, the legendary pirate, Rocks D. Xebec. His once formidable Rocks Pirates had disbanded, their unity shattered like a mirror. The New World, a vast and dangerous ocean, was now divided among the elite cadres of the original Rocks Pirates.
The strongest and largest force in the New World was the Golden Lion Pirates, led by the formidable Shiki. His command extended over dozens of powerful pirates and their crews.
His devil fruit power allowed him to control a large number of flying islands, making him a force to be reckoned with.
Next in line was the Big Mom Pirates, led by Big Mom, or Charlotte Linlin, another elite cadre from the Rocks Pirates.
She ruled over Totto Land, a massive archipelago with Whole Cake Island, her base of operations, at its heart. The archipelago was surrounded by 34 subsidiary islands, arranged roughly in concentric circles. She was currently in hiding, giving birth to children and building her own crew, a force that would soon shake the New World.
In addition to these two, there were many other infamous pirates active in this era. They might not have been top-tier, but they were far from insignificant.
...
About a year ago, the World Destroyer, Byrnndi World, had attacked a World Nobel's ship.
The Marine had deployed its highest officers in that mission, including Admiral Sengoku and Vice-Admiral Garp. World possessed one of the strongest Paramecia-Type devil fruit abilities, the More-More Fruit (Moa Moa no Mi), making him a formidable adversary.
However, the World Government had a plan. They had sent CP agents into World's crew, defrauding his trust, and inciting his men to rebel.
World was seriously injured by his own men, and eventually, he was captured by the Marine.
...
The warship set off again, but they dared not venture too deep into the New World.
On the first day they ventured into the New World, they encountered a pirate group.
Without even waiting for Zed's orders, the students instantly destroyed the ship with its crew, their excitement palpable.
In fact, this was the modus operandi of the marine soldiers when dealing with pirates - act first, ask questions later.
"Remember, we are the law!" Zed's voice echoed through the ship, a stern reminder of their duty: "We do not act out of excitement or personal vendettas. We act to maintain peace and order."
The students nodded, their faces serious. They understood the weight of their actions, the responsibility they carried. They were not just soldiers; they were the guardians of peace, the defenders of justice. And they would do whatever it took to uphold that.
...
A week later, the warship crossed paths with another pirate group.
This time, however, the pirates were far stronger than the previous ones. The ensuing battle was brutal. The recruits, though victorious, paid a heavy price. Over twenty of them were seriously injured, their bodies bearing the scars of the fierce fight.
Yet, amidst the chaos, three figures stood out - Brontes, Sakazuki, and Borsalino.
Sakazuki, with his magma fists, took down the pirate captain, a man proficient in Armament Haki. His attack was swift and deadly, melting the pirate captain's chest like butter.
Brontes and Borsalino, meanwhile, took down most of the cadres. Except for Sakazuki, who was slightly injured, neither of them suffered any injuries.
...
Time passed, and half a year slipped by.
During their journey in the New World, they encountered more than forty pirate groups.
Zed had to step in once, when they faced a terrifyingly powerful enemy - Patrick Redfield, also known as Red Count. An old pirate at the same level as a Yonko, Redfield was an unkillable monster with the ability of eternal youth.
After a grueling fight that lasted a day, they finally managed to repel Redfield.
...
Two months later, Brontes and the others had fully recovered from their injuries.
They ventured deeper into the New World, and finally, they came face to face with one of the overlords of the sea - Shiki, the Golden Lion.
"Shihahaha, it's been a while, Zed. I heard you've retired and no longer sail the seas." A voice boomed from a ship flying at low altitude. On the bow stood a man with long golden hair, wearing a gold-striped coat. He had long knives on both sides of his waist, a cigar in his mouth, and a violent aura radiating from him.
"Shiki, the Golden Lion," Zed muttered, his eyes narrowing.
He was confident in his strength to protect the recruits against other big pirates, but Shiki was a different story. He was as powerful as Redfield, and his crew was both powerful and numerous.
"One of the overlords of the New World, the Golden Lion, Shiki!" Borsalino exclaimed, his eyes wide as he looked at the pirate ship in the sky.
"Captain of the Golden Lion Pirates, Golden Lion, Shiki." Sakazuki echoed, his expression grave.
"If we destroy his ship first, we may have a chance to fight back." Brontes suggested, his voice calm amidst the tension.
Borsalino turned to Brontes, surprise evident in his voice: "Hey, hey, are you serious? Do you really want to start a war with the Golden Lion Pirates?"
"Huh! You idiot, we're already surrounded." Brontes retorted, his voice laced with annoyance.
"Huh?" Borsalino, Sakazuki, and the others looked around, their expressions changing as they realized the truth of Brontes's words.
Their eyes darted around, and sure enough, they spotted another pirate ship closing in on them.
"We have to destroy the Golden Lion's ship first, otherwise when his fleet completely arrives, the casualties on our side will be unimaginable." Brontes declared, his voice grave.
He drew a spear from his back, his gaze fixed on Shiki.
The spear, a weapon he had taken from a pirate, was forged from a powerful metal with good conductive properties.
It could contain his lightning power without being destroyed like ordinary metals. Brontes had a fondness for this spear. Although he could use swords, he preferred the spear for its cool appearance and superior penetration ability.
The spear, over two meters long and divided into two sections, was a perfect match for Brontes's own height.
"Zlizi! Zlizi!"
Lightning streaks danced along the spear as he gripped it tightly.
"Zed, that kid over there has a strong murderous intent towards me, does he want to fight me?" Shiki asked, a cigar curled up in the corner of his mouth.
"Shiki, what is your intention in surrounding our ship? Do you want to fight?!" Zed retorted, his voice loud and serious, his fists clenched in readiness.
"Zed, don't act like you don't know. Last month you destroyed three of my ships and killed hundreds of my men along with their captains. And now you ask me why I've surrounded you?! Of course, it's to take revenge! None of you can leave here alive today!" Shiki roared, his fists clenched, veins bulging on his forehead.
"I knew it would end like this," Borsalino muttered, glancing at Sakazuki and Brontes.
The pirates Shiki was referring to had been killed by Sakazuki and Brontes, and now their captain, one of the overlords of the New World, was here to settle the score.
"In that case, let's fight!" Zed declared, showing no fear.
"That's what you brought upon yourselves. Don't even think about walking out of here alive!" Shiki retorted, his long blond hair fluttering in the wind.
"Take them down!"
As Shiki's island ship rushed towards them, Brontes sprung into action.
"Thor's Spear!" He called out, a lightning spear forming in his hand.
"Zlizi! Zlizi!"
With a powerful throw, he launched the spear towards Shiki's ship.
"Logia-Type devil fruit users. I've long heard that there are three Logia-Type devil fruit users among the new recruits in the Marine. I never thought that one of them has the ability to wield lightning." Shiki mused, drawing the two long knives from his waist.
His face was expressionless, his demeanor calm. He had fought Big Mom countless times, an overlord who could manipulate lightning just like Brontes, so he was not afraid.
"Wave Slash!"
