Bonney dragged her badly wounded body to the side, her breath uneven as she watched the standoff between man and machine. No matter how much she wanted to see Aether fall, a part of her still hoped he would win. If he lost, her journey would end right here.
A red light flashed in the Pacifista's eyes as it made the first move. Its mouth opened, revealing a cannon barrel, and a laser fired straight at Aether. He simply sidestepped, then burst forward, closing the distance in an instant.
The long blade in his hand darkened as Armament Haki wrapped around it. With a clean motion, he split the incoming laser, the beam scattering like fireworks in the air.
His sword came down in a direct slash. Before the Pacifista could react, a deep gash, nearly a meter long, tore across its shoulder. Sparks crackled along its mechanical frame. After landing the hit, Aether slipped away from another laser as the machine leapt backward to create distance.
They faced each other once more. After just a single exchange, the gap between them was already obvious.
Aether flexed his grip on the sword. He had to admit, the Pacifista's defense was impressive. Even with Armament Haki, he had not been able to cut it in half. Its laser attacks were deadly as well.
Against weaker opponents, it would be unstoppable. One clean hit was enough to kill instantly. Unfortunately, its rigid structure and predictable attack patterns made it easier to read.
Aether moved again. With his Observation Haki guiding him, he avoided the lasers effortlessly. His blade swept upward.
"Mountain Cleaver."
The strike sliced clean through the Pacifista's hand, crippling half of its offensive ability. Its remaining arm lashed out, knocking Aether away before unleashing a rapid barrage of lasers.
Midair, Aether adjusted his balance and landed smoothly. His blade spun in his grip, forming a curtain of sword energy that deflected the incoming beams in all directions.
Watching from the side, Bonney felt a mix of frustration and relief. Frustration, because Aether's overwhelming strength made the fight look effortless, ruining any chance of seeing him struggle. Relief, because it meant she might survive today.
She let out a quiet sigh, but in her distraction, she failed to notice a stray beam striking near her. The explosion sent her crashing to the ground.
Already on the brink, she coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, her voice filled with anger.
"Aether, even if I die and become a ghost, I won't let you off!"
Hearing her, Aether decided to end things quickly. The noise could attract unwanted attention. Raising his blade with one hand, the black steel flickered with intense energy as his Armament Haki condensed to its limit.
A cold killing intent filled his gaze.
"Sea Splitter."
The overwhelming slash shattered the incoming beams and continued forward without losing momentum. It cut straight through the Pacifista, splitting it cleanly in two. Sparks erupted from its exposed interior before it detonated in a massive explosion.
That single strike consumed more than half of his Armament Haki, but it was necessary. Only a blow of that level could destroy a Pacifista.
Aether sheathed his blade and walked toward Bonney with a faint smile.
"Miss Bonney, need a hand?"
Her face dirty and pale, she turned her head away stubbornly.
"I don't need your help, just get lost…"
Before she could finish, Aether picked her up without hesitation. Left alone, she would not survive in her current state. Any passing pirate could finish her off.
As for the Marines, with Bartholomew Kuma involved, she would likely be fine.
Now in his arms, Bonney could only glare at him, her eyes burning with defiance. Realizing he was not good at dealing with someone like her, Aether decided to leave her somewhere safe.
"Relax, I'll find a place for you to rest."
Hearing that, Bonney secretly relaxed, though she kept up her tough expression.
"You saved me on your own. Don't expect thanks."
Suddenly, her expression changed, her eyes widening.
"Be…"
Her warning came too late.
Aether's Observation Haki flared, sensing a presence behind him. The fact that someone could get this close without being noticed meant only one person.
There was no time to turn.
He poured the last of his Armament Haki into his back and released Bonney.
A flash of light.
Aether vanished from her sight.
Kizaru's lazy voice followed.
"Killed a Celestial Dragon, destroyed a Pacifista like it was nothing. Can't let someone that dangerous run free."
Bonney ignored him completely, her gaze fixed on where Aether had been. A flicker of worry crossed her mind. Had he just been killed?
Kizaru narrowed his eyes as he watched Aether's body crash through multiple giant trees, flying nearly ten kilometers before disappearing into the distance. Only then did he turn his attention to Bonney.
"Jewelry Bonney, another troublesome one. Can't afford to lose the Shichibukai Bartholomew Kuma before the war begins."
With no interest in dealing with her, Kizaru transformed into a beam of light and vanished.
Bonney was left behind, helpless. Whether it was the Pacifista or Kizaru, both were enemies she could not hope to defeat.
Far away, in Area 35, Aether's body smashed into a massive mangrove, shaking the colossal tree.
He coughed lightly as he stepped out from the damaged trunk, completely intact.
In the distance, he saw Kizaru turning into light again, clearly preparing to pursue.
That single kick had activated his Substitute Puppet, proof of how terrifying the attack truly was. His expression turned serious. That had not been one of Kizaru's casual strikes.
It had been a full power attack.
Without the puppet, being caught off guard like that might have killed him.
Golden light gathered nearby as Kizaru reappeared. Seeing Aether standing there unharmed, a rare hint of surprise flickered across his face.
"Are you some kind of monster? Taking my full power kick without a scratch. That's absurd."
Aether looked at him with open disdain.
"I don't need to be called a monster by someone like you, Borsalino."
Kizaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Aether more closely.
"You look familiar. What's your connection to Roger?"
In his younger days, he had fought the Roger Pirates countless times alongside Garp and Sengoku. Roger's face was something he would never forget.
Aether remained calm.
"Relax. I'm not Roger's son, and I'm not related to him."
Kizaru placed a hand on his chest in mock relief.
"Good. Otherwise, I might have to worry about the Pirate King's legacy coming back for revenge."
===
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