“President!
President!
Our people just caught Rocks attacking the Marine G-5 Branch on film!
It’s a complete massacre, and the Marines are about to collapse!” “What?!
News, this is huge news!” An albatross exclaimed excitedly, jumping up from his desk upon hearing his subordinate’s report.
This giant bird was one of the Kings of the Underworld and the President of the World Economic News Agency, Morgans.
He was a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user who ate the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Albatross.
Because he stayed in his hybrid form twenty-four-seven, absolutely no one knew what his true human face looked like.
“Hurry up and print the papers!
I want this headline spread across the entire world by tomorrow morning!” Morgans yelled, his feathers rustling with pure joy.
“Oh, and who’s the photographer who got this footage?
Give that genius a tenfold raise!” “P-President,” the subordinate stuttered, trembling from head to toe.
“Won’t publishing this make the Marines and the World Government furious?
They’ll definitely come after us, right?” “What are you shaking for?
The Marines and the World Government don’t have the time to worry about us right now,” Morgans scoffed, a crazed grin splitting his beak.
“They’re too busy figuring out how to survive Rocks.
The total destruction of the G-5 Branch is going to give them a massive headache for a long time, Hahahaha!
Besides, in our line of work, News equals Money, and Money equals Life!” “Yes, sir!
Understood, President!
I’ll go print the morning edition right away!” Meanwhile, at the Marine G-5 Branch.
After sailing straight for a full day and night, a exhausted trio—Monkey D.
Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru—finally arrived at their destination.
But nothing prepared them for the sight.
The entire base was a smoking pile of rubble.
The buildings had collapsed into dust, and the harbor was completely littered with the bodies of both Marines and pirates.
It was a graveyard.
A group of scouts soon discovered a body near the docks and quickly called the three over.
It was Vice Admiral Disque.
His death had been incredibly brutal; practically every single bone in his body had been shattered into pieces.
“Damn it!
We were a step too late,” Sengoku growled, clenching his fists so hard his nails cut into his palms.
He gnashed his teeth in sheer frustration.
“These vile pirates have absolutely no humanity!” Garp and Tsuru fell silent.
Even the usually cheerful and carefree Garp carried a heavy, solemn look of pure rage on his face.
Bloop…
bloop…
bloop…
bloop…
bloop…
bloop…
The ring of a Den Den Mushi broke the heavy silence.
“Fleet Admiral Kong, this is Tsuru,” she said, quickly composing herself to answer the call.
“This is Kong.
Tsuru, have you reached the branch yet?
What’s the situation on the ground?” “The branch has suffered a devastating blow, sir.
Vice Admiral Disque was killed in action.
We’re currently searching the ruins for any survivors,” Tsuru replied.
She glanced over at Sengoku and Garp, trying her best to keep her voice steady despite the grief.
The line went dead quiet for a long moment.
“I see,” Kong finally spoke, his voice heavy.
“Continue the search for survivors.
Once you’re done, wrap things up and return to Marine Headquarters.
I’ll personally take care of the families’ pensions.” “Understood, sir!” Elsewhere, on the island of Manuka.
“Hey!
Feast your eyes on my ultimate move…
Heaven and Earth, Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies, Peerless Invincible Extermination Slash!” Twilight Allen stood shirtless in the shallow sea, shouting the ridiculously dramatic name at the top of his lungs as he swung his sword at the open water.
A tiny gust of wind whipped off the tip of his blade, but it instantly fizzled out, disappearing harmlessly into the waves.
“Pah!
Whoever said a longer move name makes it stronger is a big fat liar,” Allen spat into the water, thoroughly annoyed.
He rubbed his chin in thought.
“Well, the basic form of sword intent is there, but I still have a long way to go.
I need to master both the focus of my sword intent and the speed of my swing.” “Twilight Allen!
Twilight Allen!” “Uncle Natsu?
What’s wrong?” Allen asked, turning around as the older man ran toward him, gasping for air.
“At…
at the port!
A pirate ship just docked, and they look incredibly dangerous!
You need to go check it out right now!” Natsu panted, pointing back toward the town.
“Is that so?
I’ll handle it.
Go tell the townspeople to hide in their houses and lock the doors.
Don’t come out until I get back.” Allen quickly threw his shirt back on and ran toward the harbor, shouting over his shoulder.
“Be careful, Allen!
Don’t get hurt!” “Got it!” A pirate ship about forty meters long was currently tied up at the Manuka docks.
“Hahaha!
Alright, boys, time to pillage!” a heavy, fierce-looking man wearing glasses shouted to his crew.
“I heard the mead in this town is famous all over the Grand Line.
Once we’re done robbing them blind, we’re gonna have ourselves a massive feast!” “Ohh!
Long live the Captain!” the crew cheered wildly.
The bloodthirsty pirates began jumping onto the docks one by one, heading straight for the town entrance.
But just as they reached the border, a cold voice echoed through the air.
“The road is closed, scum.” The pirates stopped and looked up.
A young man, about one hundred and eighty-five centimeters tall with messy black hair, stood in their path.
His white shirt was loosely open at the chest, and he was pointing a sword directly at them.
“Hahaha!
Where did this brat come from trying to play hero?
Can’t you see all the cowards in this village already ran away?” the pirates jeered, laughing hysterically at Allen.
“To deal with a bunch of small fry like you, I’m more than enough.” “You arrogant brat!
Let’s see you talk after I smash your face in!” A pirate roared, rushing forward while swinging a massive spiked club.
He closed the distance instantly, bringing the heavy weapon down right toward Allen’s head.
A cold gleam flashed in Allen’s eyes.
In the next split second, he completely vanished from the pirate’s sight, reappearing right behind him.
The pirate’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief as a clean line of blood bloomed across his neck.
Without a sound, he crashed face-first onto the dirt.
“Hey!
Hey!
Are you kidding me?!
Iron Bear, get up!
This is no time for a nap!” the pirates in the back shouted, staring at their fallen crewmate in shock.
“Small fry should really learn their place,” Allen said, casually shaking the blood off his blade.
He looked at them with pure disdain.
“Just because you carry a heavy iron club doesn’t make you Kaido of the Beasts.” “You bastard!
Men, swarm him and cut him to pieces!” “Hold on a minute, boys,” the fat captain interrupted.
He looked at Allen’s quick movements and smiled, thinking he just found a great fighter.
“Kid, you’ve got real talent.
How about you join my crew?
I’ll instantly make you a crew captain.” “Sigh.
It’s always the weakest guys who spend all day daydreaming,” Allen sighed, shaking his head.
“Don’t you get it?
A slightly bigger piece of trash is still just trash.” The fat man’s face turned bright red, his belly shaking with rage.
“You little brat, do you have any idea who you’re talking to?!
I am a great pirate with a bounty of thirty-three million Berries, ‘Alpaca’ Samo!
Men, kill him!” The pirates roared, raising their swords and guns as they rushed Allen all at once.
“Pfft…
Alpaca?
Seriously, that name makes me want to spit,” Allen muttered, almost bursting into tears from holding back his laughter.
As the crowd closed in, Allen activated his Observation Haki.
His body became a blur, moving nimbly through the gaps in their formation.
Every single time he glided past a pirate, his sword flashed, effortlessly taking another life.
Within a matter of moments, dozens of pirates were lying motionless on the ground.
“Now it’s just you left, Draft…
I mean, Alpaca,” Allen said, turning his gaze toward the remaining captain.
“Kid, I like you even more now!
Come on, join me,” Samo said, completely ignoring the dead bodies of his crew.
To a pirate captain, weak lackeys could be recruited by the hundreds at any port, but a powerful swordsman like Allen was a rare find.
“How about I make you my official Vice-Captain instead?” Allen looked at the fat man with a look of utter disgust.
“You really are a piece of work, aren’t you?” —————————————