Capítulo 44: Water 7 Mini Fight II

Shanks and Buggy carried a weakened Enel as they leaped from rooftop to rooftop, heading toward the port. Draco led the way, his movements weaving through the air. After a few more hops, the trio landed near the devastated port, where the remains of Taylor's battleship smoldered in the water.

Enel, slumped against Buggy's arm, smirked despite his exhaustion. "Yahahah… That's what you get for attacking a god!" he said, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction.

Buggy, unimpressed, dropped him unceremoniously onto the ground. "If you're strong enough to talk, you're strong enough to stand," Buggy snapped, crossing his arms and gazing at the wreckage.

Shanks, standing nearby, was about to make a comment when his attention was drawn to a figure further down the port. It was a tall man with long hair, his expression a mix of worry and anger. "Who's that?" Shanks asked, pointing toward the figure.

Draco turned his head, his gaze meeting that of the man, who froze momentarily before recognition dawned. "Huh! It's those damned brats! I'll kill you here and keep one of you alive as a hostage!" the man shouted, his face twisting into a malicious grin.

It was Mace. Though rattled by the situation, the thought of exacting some form of revenge seemed to invigorate him.

"Huh…" Draco muttered, watching as Mace leaped from his position, fist raised to strike. However, Draco's eyes sharpened as he sensed the killing intent. Calmly, he flicked his fingers in Mace's direction.

The air rippled and contorted as a concentrated blast shot forward at blitzing speed. It struck Mace square in the stomach, causing his eyes to widen in shock as his body tore apart. "Wha~What the...!" Mace cried out before his form disintegrated into paper, which scattered into the air.

"He's still alive," Draco said flatly, watching the fragments drift.

"It's a devil fruit," Buggy remarked, narrowing his eyes.

"I thought you guys said, Devil fruits were rare out here...," Enel added, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he regained some composure.

"That guy's an ally of Taylor, it seems," Draco concluded, his gaze fixed on the fluttering paper fragments.

[Roger and Oden]

Meanwhile, further inland, Roger and Oden continued to cut down waves of paper clones. The battlefield was littered with shredded remnants, the ground trembling under their relentless attacks.

"WAHAHAHAHA! KEEP THEM COMING!" Roger bellowed, cleaving through another dozen clones with a single swing of his blade.

"Yes! I agree with Roger!" Oden yelled, laughing alongside him as his katanas flashed through the air, cutting down everything in his path.

Roger noticed a slight pause in the onslaught of clones, their numbers thinning out. He glanced toward the sea and spotted the wreckage of Taylor's ship in the distance. "Is that Draco over there? Hm," he mused aloud, slicing through another wave of paper clones without even looking.

Just as Roger spoke, a sharp whizzing sound caught his attention. A bullet sped toward him, aimed directly at his skull. Without hesitation, Roger sliced the bullet in half midair and turned his gaze toward the source.

Perched atop a tall building, a marine in a white and blue ghillie suit calmly exhaled smoke from a cigar. His rifle rested on his shoulder as he spoke, "Gol D. Roger, this place will be your tombstone."

The marine extended his rifle with one arm, holding his cigar with the other. "The Marines will be here in a few minutes. This is war. Reported by Fleet Admiral Kong."

Roger smirked, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Brat… My journey doesn't end until I deem it so!" With a roar, Roger unleashed his iconic attack.

{DIVINE DEPARTURE!}

A single swing of Roger's sword sent a devastating wave of energy hurtling toward the marine. The air split and the building the marine had been standing on was cleaved in half, the shockwave leveling several already-damaged structures behind it.

But the marine had vanished, appearing on another rooftop moments later. He took another puff from his cigar and looked down at Roger. "Wahahah! Brat, what's your name?" Roger demanded.

The marine responded nonchalantly, "Father Masterson of the Masterson Family." His face remained obscured by the ghillie suit as he readied his rifle.

"Well then, Masterson, you've got guts. Let's test it," Roger said, leaping toward him.

Masterson teleported again, reappearing farther away and taking another shot. The bullet flew at blinding speed, but Roger turned mid-air, deflecting it with his sword. Masterson continued to teleport and fire, each shot coming faster than the last.

Roger landed, feeling the bruising impact of the deflected bullets despite his Haki. "Hmm…" he muttered, sizing up his opponent.

Masterson, unfazed, took another drag from his cigar before unleashing his special attack.

{Death's Whispering Shot}

The bullet moved at near-imperceptible speed, its trajectory infused with Haki and devil-fruit energy. Roger focused intently, getting a little bit more serious. He pivoted just in time, but the bullet grazed his leg, leaving a deep bruise.

Masterson smirked beneath his ghillie suit, pulling out five flintlocks from within his cloak. In a blur, he began firing in quick succession, his movements almost theatrical. Roger deflected the first volley, but Masterson's final rifle shot targeted Roger's blind spot.

The bullet struck Roger's oblique, its Haki-infused power tearing through his side. Roger gritted his teeth, refusing to falter despite the pain. Blood seeped from the wound, but his resolve burned brighter than ever.

"Your precision is impressive," Roger admitted, his voice steady.

Masterson nodded slightly, reloading his rifle with deliberate ease. The battle between Roger and the Mastersons was far from over.

The last of the paper clones disintegrated under Oden's relentless assault. Sheathing his katanas momentarily, Oden turned his sharp gaze toward Roger. He was mid-battle with Masterson, but something unexpected caught Oden's attention, Roger was injured. Blood seeped from his oblique, a sign that the marine sniper was more than just a skilled marksman.

"Huh!" Oden grunted, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. Without hesitation, he unsheathed his katanas again, their edges gleaming with Haki so potent it radiated a palpable, murderous energy.

"OI!" Oden shouted, charging toward Masterson with a speed that cracked the ground beneath him.

But just as he was about to reach the fray, a sudden eruption of icy spikes burst from the ground in front of him, forcing him to halt abruptly. The jagged wall of ice spikes shined brightly in the murky sunlight.

{Ice Spikes!}

A voice rang out cool and unbothered, and from the shadows of the nearby rubble, a figure emerged. It was Aokiji, dressed not in a Marine uniform but in a relaxed Hawaiian shirt and sandals, his vacation attire.

Oden skidded to a halt, jumping back to avoid the razor-sharp ice. He glared at the newcomer. "Oi! Another one?!?" he roared, frustration and adrenaline coursing through him.

Aokiji's gaze lazily shifted to Masterson and then back to Oden. He raised his hand slightly, as if assessing the tension in the air. "Vice Admiral Masterson… how lucky that you and I happen to both be here," Aokiji said, his voice calm and detached as usual.

Masterson, still puffing on his cigar, didn't seem thrilled by the interruption. "Keep that samurai away from us," he said curtly, his tone flat and commanding. "Roger and I are fighting."

Aokiji blinked, his expression remaining neutral, but a bead of sweat rolled down his temple. Internally, he thought to himself: 'Masterson… you're strong, but you're not at that monster's level yet. Roger hasn't even begun using his full strength.'

Despite his doubts, Aokiji gave a small smile, deciding not to argue. "Be careful then," he said simply, stepping forward to face Oden.

Oden smirked, his stance low and ready. "So, you're the one standing in my way, huh? Fine! Let's see if you're strong enough!"

Without warning, Oden launched himself forward, his katanas swinging in a deadly arc.

{GUN MODOKI}

he roared.

Aokiji's hand shot up, and a massive barrier of ice erupted between them. The clash of Oden's Haki-infused blades against the ice sent shockwaves through the port. The sheer force of the strike shattered the barrier, but it also created a dense mist of frost, momentarily obscuring the battlefield.

From within the fog, Aokiji's voice rang out calmly. "You've got some power, I'll give you that. But I wonder… how well does a samurai fare against ice?"

Suddenly, jagged ice tendrils shot out from the ground, snaking toward Oden with terrifying speed. Oden leaped and twisted midair, slicing through the tendrils with precision, but more kept coming.

[Meanwhile, Roger vs. Masterson]

Roger wiped the blood from his side, his eyes never leaving Masterson. The marine stood with his rifle aimed steadily, flintlocks strapped across his chest. Smoke curled from his cigar as he remained perfectly still, like a predator ready to strike.

"Not bad, brat," Roger said, a wild grin spreading across his face despite the pain. "But if you think you can take me down with cheap tricks, you're sorely mistaken."

Masterson didn't reply. Instead, his rifle glinted in the light as he took aim and whispered,

{Phantom Barrage}

In an instant, Masterson fired a series of shots so fast that they blurred into streaks of light. Roger's grin widened as he read the trajectory of each bullet with practiced ease. His blade swung in wide arcs, deflecting the bullets with precision.

But as Roger moved to block the last of the barrage, he felt a sharp sting in his side. One of the bullets had ricocheted off the rubble and grazed him.

"Clever," Roger muttered, impressed despite himself.

Masterson gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "Your reputation isn't undeserved. But even legends bleed."

Roger laughed, the sound booming across the battlefield. "Bleed? Sure. Fall? Not today!"

Summoning his Haki to its fullest, Roger prepared his counterattack. The air around him crackled with energy, and his sword began to glow with an otherworldly aura.

{DIVINE DEPARTURE!}

he roared, unleashing another devastating wave of energy.

Masterson teleported again, narrowly dodging the attack, but the shockwave still sent him flying backward. He landed on a distant rooftop, steadying himself as he reloaded his rifle.