On a small island near Lionheart Island, Sakazuki stood covered in blood, watching the turmoil on Lionheart Island and the raging sea beyond.
Beneath his foot lay a pirate Colonel whose body had been horribly burned.
In his hand was a wild nodachi over two meters long.
The island itself looked like the aftermath of a volcanic eruption.
Molten rock covered the ground, and corpses were scattered everywhere.
“…Which one of us is really the pirate?”
The dying pirate laughed bitterly.
“You magma brat…”
“As long as scum like you die…”
“…what does sacrificing a few innocent people matter?”
Sakazuki answered coldly.
His face twisted with anger as he swung his blade, ending the pirate’s life.
The fierce winds gradually cooled the island’s molten lava, hardening it into volcanic rock that spread across the battlefield.
Not long after the mission ended, a Marine soldier struggled through the gale.
“Colonel akazuki!
”
“Both our ships and the pirates’ ships have been sunk by Colonel Dragon ‘s Devil Fruit!”
After killing the pirate Colonel , Sakazuki walked to the shore and raised a telescope toward Lionheart Island.
“Once Dragon starts using that power…”
“…it’s impossible to stop.”
Hours passed.
Dawn was approaching.
The violent storm surrounding Lionheart Island slowly subsided.
“Haa…”
Dragon, exhausted after expending an enormous amount of stamina, walked over to the crater where Arthur had been buried.
Looking inside, he froze.
Arthur was…
Snoring.
“…His physique is unbelievable.”
“He’s actually sleeping after taking a hit like that?”
Shaking his head, Dragon reached into the crater and pulled Arthur out by the arm.
Arthur’s body was soaked in blood.
The moment he was lifted out, his eyes opened.
Surprisingly…
He looked far better than Dragon had expected.
Straightening himself immediately, Arthur looked at the broken rifle strapped to his back.
“…My rifle snapped.”
“I won’t have to pay for it, will I, Colonel Dragon ?”
Dragon simply nodded.
“I’m just glad you’re alive.”
His attention quickly returned to the ruins ahead.
Apollo slowly emerged from the wreckage.
His entire body was covered with injuries.
Yet he was still standing.
“Heh…”
“I’m not dead yet…”
“…Garp’s son.”
Arthur’s eyes widened.
“Colonel !”
“He’s still standing!”
Just then, Dragon dropped to one knee.
Using his Devil Fruit at full power had nearly exhausted him.
Combined with everything he’d spent fighting Apollo beforehand…
He needed time to recover.
Damn it…
I need a moment…
Facing a pirate worth 370,000,000 Berries alone was still extremely difficult for Dragon.
His Devil Fruit possessed incredible potential, but he hadn’t developed it enough yet.
Had he mastered it further…
That last attack would have killed Apollo.
For the first time in a long while…
Dragon regretted resisting Garp’s brutal training.
Apollo staggered forward from the ruins.
“You little brat…”
“That was my strongest punch.”
“Why the hell are you still standing?”
His eyes were bloodshot.
Blood poured from countless wounds across his body.
Arthur smiled.
“Why?”
“Because I refuse…”
“…to pass out before the battle is over.”
Earlier, when Apollo had still been at full strength…
Arthur hadn’t stood a chance.
Dragon’s attack had weakened him.
Arthur wanted to settle the score.
At the same time, he’d finally realized something.
His hand-to-hand combat alone wasn’t enough.
Against veterans like Apollo…
Relying only on his fists would eventually get him killed.
At least this battle had shown him exactly where he stood.
Soon, large numbers of wounded Marines rushed over from the town.
Rifles raised, they surrounded Apollo.
“Surrender, Apollo!”
“Your men have been defeated!”
“Your ships have already been destroyed!”
“Stop resisting!”
Arthur walked through the crowd until he stood directly before Apollo.
Looking up at the battered pirate, he smirked.
“You looked pretty impressive earlier.”
“Now?”
“…You’re pathetic.”
Apollo laughed just as disdainfully.
“So are you…”
“…Marine brat.”
He glanced around.
In his current condition…
He’d probably die from a hail of bullets.
But surrendering…
Shiki would almost certainly execute him anyway.
Failing to seize the Marine strongholds throughout the Aivor Sea was unforgivable.
Arthur suddenly raised a hand.
“Everyone!”
“Don’t shoot yet!”
“I want to fight him myself.”
The Marines instinctively looked toward Dragon.
Still kneeling on one knee, Dragon gave a small nod.
The Marines immediately stepped back, forming a wide circle around Arthur and Apollo.
They understood what Dragon intended.
He wanted Arthur to grow.
To nurture someone with rare talent…
Someone capable of thinking for himself.
The flames covering Lionheart Island had already been extinguished by Dragon’s massive storm.
Thunder rolled overhead.
Rain poured relentlessly across the island.
Every Marine present fixed their eyes on the two fighters.
Even now…
Rescue efforts continued throughout the town.
Marines and pirates alike had suffered heavy casualties.
Arthur’s bloodstained clothes were washed clean beneath the rain.
He rushed forward and drove a punch into Apollo’s side.
At the same time, he asked,
“Can you hear them?”
Even injured…
Arthur’s monstrous strength hadn’t diminished much.
The blow forced Apollo back several steps.
Clutching his side, the pirate grinned through the pain.
“Hahaha…”
“Hear what?”
Arthur frowned.
“The civilians.”
“Their cries for help.”
Apollo laughed even harder.
“You’re joking, right?”
“You seriously came all the way here to ask me something like that?”
“I’m a pirate!”
He suddenly charged forward.
His enormous fist—larger than Arthur’s entire body—came crashing down.
Arthur crossed both arms to block.
The impact sent him skidding nearly eight meters across the soaked ground.
“So that’s your question?”
Apollo sneered.
“You challenged me…”
“…just to ask something so stupid?”
Arthur roared back.
“That’s exactly why I’m asking!” This chapter is updated first at g.com.
“Because I’m a Marine now!”
“If I weren’t…”
“…you’d already be nothing but a pile of meat.”
His righteous conviction was unmistakable.
If he hadn’t left the East Blue with Dragon…
He never would have known the world was this cruel.
Apollo wiped the blood from his mouth.
“Naive.”
He clenched his fist and rushed forward again.
“This world is built on the law of the jungle.”
“The strong trample the weak.”
“The weak exist only as toys.”
“Do you even understand that, little brat?”
Arthur fell silent.
As much as he hated hearing it…
Apollo wasn’t entirely wrong.
In this world…
Absolute strength really did allow people to do whatever they pleased.
The only reason Arthur stood against him now…
…was because he had chosen the side of justice.
The two closed the distance once more.
Apollo threw another punch.
Even if I die…
I’ll at least take this brat with me.
But—
Arthur vanished with Soru.
He sidestepped the attack.
His left arm locked onto Apollo’s massive forearm.
Then—
He brought his right elbow crashing down onto the pirate’s arm.
CRACK!
The sound of breaking bone echoed across the battlefield.
“AAAGH!”
Apollo screamed.
The pain forced his weakened body to collapse onto both knees.
Though nearly fifteen feet tall…
He now seemed smaller than Arthur.
Arthur clenched both fists.
He unleashed a relentless barrage directly into Apollo’s face.
“We’ll see…”
“…which one of us falls first!”
Determined to preserve the reputation of the Golden Lion Pirates’ Beast Apollo, the pirate swung his remaining arm wildly.
But…
He couldn’t stop Arthur.
Blow after blow hammered into his head.
After dozens of crushing punches…
Apollo finally lost consciousness.
From dawn…
…until sunrise…
He had been beaten senseless.
His unconscious body collapsed face-first before Arthur.
Looking down at the battered pirate, Arthur thought quietly,
“I just don’t understand…”
“…how anyone can enjoy slaughtering innocent people.”
“Especially after seeing it with my own eyes.”
“It weighs far more heavily than I imagined.”
“So…”
“Is growing up really the price of losing my ideals and my passion?”
“No.”
“I’ll never become someone like that.”
“I’ll keep my kindness.”
“I’ll keep the reason I wanted to become stronger.”
“Otherwise…”
“How am I supposed to wait another thirty years until Luffy and the others finally set sail?”
The battle for Lionheart Island…
…had finally come to an end.
The Marines quickly rushed forward and shackled the unconscious Apollo with heavy chains.
“Count the casualties!”
“Contact Colonel Sakazuki and Colonel Borsalino!”
“Have they completed their objectives yet?”
“If not…”
“Do they need reinforcements?”