Chapter 110: Sea Battle
Adrian, having departed from Drum Island aboard his two-masted brigantine, found himself fortunate to encounter such favorable weather.
{A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast).}
The gentle sunlight bathed the deck, inviting anyone to take a leisurely nap."Hmm?"
Early in the voyage, Adrian had released the small ghost from the Starry Patrol technique to serve as a lookout.
At this moment, the distant sea view transmitted back by the Mini Ghost caught his attention.
"1, 2, 3… 8?"
"Eight Marine ships? Could there be such a powerful figure in the Paradise that requires nearby Marines to concentrate their efforts?"
Adrian pondered curiously.
"I haven't heard of any formidable newcomers arriving in the Grand Line recently…"
"Um, surely these Marines aren't here for me, are they?"
…
Meanwhile, aboard the Marine fleet,
A Commodore held a brass telescope, observing the small two-masted sailboat on the distant sea.
Before long, he hurriedly left the observation deck and made his way to the warship's main deck.
There, the Commodore approached Vice Admiral Comil and spoke respectfully:
"Reporting to Vice Admiral Comil! A two-masted sailboat has suddenly appeared on the distant sea! There are no markings on the sails or the hull indicating any affiliation!"
Vice Admiral Comil, stroking his smooth bald head, and inquired, "Does it resemble the sailboat that the White Ghost is known to use, as per our intelligence?"
"It appears so—"
"Are you truly coming for me, Marines?"
Comil, the Vice Admiral, suddenly became fierce. His right hand instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword as he looked upward.
The adjutant and other Marine soldiers heard the stranger's voice and turned their gaze skyward.
There, hovering near the white flag atop the main mast of the Marine warship, they saw a young man wearing a bowler hat. His face remained obscured by shadows, but he was unmistakably dressed in a black suit, with both a long and a short sword at his waist.
"It's the White Ghost!"
"The White Ghost has arrived!"
"Alert! Sound the alarm throughout the ship!!"
The Marines erupted into a flurry of activity, raising their guns and aiming at the unexpected figure suspended in the air.
And that figure? None other than Adrian himself!
Had he discerned that the Marines' target was not him, Adrian would have quietly retreated, feigning ignorance.
But now that he knew they were after him, there was no turning back!
Engage in a firefight against eight well-armed Marine warships with his modest wooden two-masted sailboat?
Adrian's mind raced. Had he ever planted a B-Tree in his heart?
His eyes locked onto the senior officer leading the Marines. The man had a bald crown surrounded by unruly, pine-colored hair.
Draped in a dark red double-breasted short coat, a bright green shirt peeked out from underneath. A blue tie adorned his neck, and two swords—almost human-sized—rested at his right hip. Notably, a distinctive wooden box hung from his left waist.
"Are you Vice Admiral Comil of Marineford?" Adrian's tone remained calm, though the question served to confirm the other man's true identity.
Vice Admiral Comil quelled the urge of his subordinates to attack and replied with composure, head held high: "I didn't expect the White Ghost from the West Blue to possess such an in-depth understanding of Marine headquarters's intelligence."
"Of course," Adrian's figure abruptly vanished from the vicinity of the main mast, only to reappear before the Marines officers on the deck. "Paying attention to the enemy's intelligence and information is a crucial and commendable habit!"
The speed—astonishing! Moments ago, Vice Admiral Comil had activated Observation Haki, yet the White Ghost's movements far exceeded his expectations. Truly a formidable character—one even Sakazuki couldn't easily subdue.
However…
The headquarters hadn't dispatched me without preparation!
This weapon is specifically designed for Devil Fruit users!
Vice Admiral Comil touched the wooden box at his left waist, calming himself.
"White Ghost," Vice Admiral Comil spoke solemnly, "While I admire your actions in the South Blue, combating pirates remains the Marines' duty, and I won't turn a blind eye to your past deeds."
"Is that so?" Adrian narrowed his eyes, refusing to be careless.
Vice Admiral Comil, a seasoned vice admiral, excelled in Armament Haki and Observation Haki. His two-sword style ranked among the best in the Marines.
Without relying on Devil Fruit abilities, Vice Admiral Comil represented the pinnacle of ordinary vice admirals' combat power.
"Then let's deal with the cannon fodder first!"
Negative Ghost!
A large number of phantom ghosts materialized out of thin air, piercing through the bodies of all the Marines soldiers on the warship's deck in an instant.
Only two Marines remained standing: Vice Admiral Comil and his colonel adjutant. Their foresight, thanks to activated Observation Haki, allowed them to evade the onslaught of the Negative Ghost.
"White Ghost! How dare you——"
"Calm down! No one is injured!" Vice Admiral Comil's angry shout silenced his adjutant.
As the vice admiral and the operation's lead, Comil possessed extensive knowledge about White Ghost's abilities. This information had been meticulously compiled and reported by Vice Admiral Sakazuki after his personal encounters with the enigmatic figure.
Comil understood all too well that White Ghost wielded a terrifying Devil Fruit power—one capable of instantly sapping enemies' will to fight.
Surveying the numerous Marines now kneeling on the deck, Comil felt genuine admiration for Sakazuki. How had the Vice Admiral managed to dodge White Ghost's surprise attack during their previous encounter?
Yet, for these Haki-less Marines, facing White Ghost remained an arduous task. It was still a good idea to let them leave the stage at this time...
With rapid thoughts racing through his mind, Comil drew both swords from his waist—one in each hand—and fixed his gaze on the composed figure of White Ghost.
"White Ghost! Let me test your swordsmanship level!"
Swoosh, swoosh—
Two white sword beams streaked across the sky, intersecting to form a colossal cross aimed directly at Adrian.
In the blink of an eye, Adrian's form vanished from the sword's path, leaving behind a splintered deck—the wooden planks cleaved into two deep cracks by the sheer force of the blade.
Simultaneously, he reappeared behind Vice Admiral Comil.
Yubashiri, held aloft, radiated a faint Armament Haki glow. Its edge bore an unstoppable aura as Adrian brought it down in a swift, decisive slash!