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75% One Piece: Path to Power / Chapter 131: [131] Siege

Chương 131: [131] Siege

Chapter 130 had a slight edit. Damien had imbued his Voice of All Things with the snail to translate Shakky's words to Solomon and Choro.

[2810 words]

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"This is all wrong…" a defeated voice said. It came from a young male still in his mid-teens, around sixteen. He had medium-length black hair and a serious face. He wore dark-coloured clothing, black and blue.

The other person in the room heard his words, but he had different thoughts: "Missions change all the time, but we can't falter because they clash with our morals," the other young marine bluntly added. Orders are absolute."

This one was of similar age and height of around eight feet (2.44 m), but he carried a vastly different air around him.

He wore a white coat over his white trousers, leaving his chest bare. His black hair messily ran down his face and around his bright, turquoise-coloured eyes. A scar ran down his left eye.

Both of them were bruised and bandaged up from previous battles that seemed to have occurred only days ago.

Their combined faction was known as the Marine Super Rookies, Monkey D. Dragon and Shinrai. Much like the Pirate Supernovas, these two had great potential, even enough to grasp the rank of Admiral!

[Dragon Image (in Discord)]

[Shinrai Image (in Discord)]

.

The two were chatting in a small room onboard a Standard Marine Ship en route alongside five other such ships. "I saw you once at Marineford. You seemed compassionate and timid. Just what made you so reckless?" Dragon questioned.

Shinrai deeply exhaled. His eyes narrowed at the memory of endless flames and great destruction around him. "I saw hell close-up and felt so pathetically weak," he cursed himself, clenching his fists. "I could only watch as a beacon of justice crumbled from the attack of pirates!"

Shinrai locked envious eyes with his colleague: "You have a strong stand in the Navy with your father being as powerful as he is. I don't have that. The only way for me to rise through the rankings is by completing missions without question!"

The young marine burned with conviction, passionately declaring, "I'll become an Admiral and lead entire fleets to ensure the world is peaceful!"

Dragon heard the bold words and had no intention of admonishing who they came from. Instead, he focussed on Shinrai's quest: "We both have very different views on peace."

Meanwhile, determination fueled the fleet as it sailed relentlessly toward the dark island of Yozora. Their mission: a military takeover for reasons shrouded in secrecy. Yet, even in their wildest imaginations, they could not foresee the ordeal that awaited them…

[Five Hours Later]

[Yozora Island, Dracule Estate]

"Hawk-chan, stay here. Your parents will protect you!"

The middle-aged woman led the child to the uppermost room, hugged him, and ran off on her own. Her mind had only two things to focus on: her child and her husband.

The woman's haste was warranted as five marine ships had arrived off the coast of the dark island. They dropped their thick metal anchors to the depths below, stopping completely.

Five hundred troops made their way down, holding a packed formation. They were greeted by a shroud of utter darkness, broken only by the occasional flicker of fireflies and the silvery gleam of moonlight reflecting off the still waters. 

The air was thick with the stench of swamp and death, a nauseating mix that clung to their senses. The only sounds that reached their ears were the incessant chirping of crickets and the slow drip of water from the towering trees, creating an ominous symphony that made the hairs on their necks stand on end.

The marines looked toward Shinrai, the operation's deputy commander, and saluted: "Yes, sir!"

The half-thousand men began spreading out, a single battalion of a hundred troops staking the island sector by sector.

The supervising Vice Admiral nodded from the side, "Good work, Shinrai."

He then looked up and felt the perpetual darkness with speculation, "Such thick darkness makes everything eerie," the decorated marine murmured. "But where did all the pirates go? There aren't even any bodies."

Yozora Island was one of the many land masses outside of Navy jurisdiction that had been hit with the new wave of pirates spawned from the Scorched Sea War. Naturally, the Navy was on the island of darkness to liberate them of their troubles until the new orders arrived.

.

"Vice Admiral Orlov, there's a manor in the distance," Dragon's deep yet straightforward voice resounded, reporting the strange sight.

"Hmm, if there are natives, then that's where they'd be," Orlov concluded. He zoomed in on the distant structure and ordered, "The two of you are leading. I'll watch from the side."

Dragon and Shinrai nodded, and the two began a march to the castle, catching up with a hundred men. Along the way, they were graced with remnants of a vast fight with crimson soil, but once again, no corpses.

[Fifteen Minutes Later]

"Augh!"

"Euughh!"

"Guaaahh!"

"Kwauuah!"

Dozens of miserable cries echoed from a snail in Shinrai's hands. The young marine looked serious as his grip over his snail receiver tightened to almost breaking it: "That was the Fourth Battalion. We lost contact with them entirely!"

Dragon heaved a dull breath. He could feel it; someone was watching—a predator stalking his prey. The same enemy who had already taken out a battalion.

"!!!" The instincts drilled into the lad by his father spiked, zooming onto a sole shadow that had appeared atop a tree a few hundred meters away. 

The hundred marines cocked their weapons, waiting for the order with hidden fear. Before they could speak, the distant figure's voice arrived: "You would be wise to turn around. Only death awaits your men here."

It was a cold voice lacking emotion. The sharp words sent chills down the marines' backs, forcing them to take a step back.

The walk to the forest had already been graced with battle, and now the marines were on the platter. Naturally, they were shaken up by this significant threat.

"Don't get panicky," Shinrai yelled from his position. "It's just one of him and a hundred of us!"

Dragon, however, took a more peaceful approach and called out to the distant figure, "If you lower your sword, we can all get out of this unharmed."

The star marine didn't know who the person was, but he felt the piercing vision fall upon him like a waterfall. Just the gaze alone could force someone into a panic.

'I won't let any more men die.' Dragon knew the enemy was inspecting him and stood tall in return.

"A man must stand up for his values," the swordsman lightly spoke, but the hissing wind carried over his voice. "I will not watch as my home is taken away by the likes of you."

*Shing!* A bright flash went off, blinding the marines, followed by a loud grinding sound. But by the time they looked back, the figure had disappeared.

However, the Marines were more focused on the scar on the earth before them. As one of them pointed out, "I-It's a line!"

"Is it a warning?" Shinrai murmured, gnashing his teeth. "He's trying to intimidate us, push forward!"

"We don't know his capabilities," Dragon disagreed, waving his hand and halting the assault. "We should scout him out first, or we risk the lives of hundreds of men!"

Though his words only evoked a scoff from Shinrai: "You can barely see through this thick darkness. There's no point in sending scouts ahead." He then turned to the waiting marines and gave the command, ignoring his fellow super marine, "Continue onwards!"

"All other Battalions converge on the manor!" Shinrai finalized through his snail, much to Dragon's dismay.

The disappearing shadow had sent the marines with racing hearts. Still, they continued moving ahead—the ominous silence amplified the dread plaguing their minds. Soon enough, they had arrived at the castle with reinforcements imminent.

[Dracule Manor]

"And here I thought the Navy was on the side of the people," a disdainful voice graced the hundred marines.

Dragon, on the other hand, was left shocked. He looked past the thick darkness, making out the sole figure standing in opposition to the dozens of guns, swords and cannons. The man had all but one arm grasping an oddly thick katana, reflecting enough of the moonlight to unveil the aged face and chill-inducing yellow eyes.

*Drip* *Drop* Blood slipped the hold of the weapon, creating a dooming melody in the soldiers' ears—the blood of their fellow brothers-in-arm.

"Navy high command has seized this island and all of its assets," Shinrai proudly declared, matching the old man's eyes with his equally bright turquoise ones. "Do yourself a favour and stand down, or you will be taken down!"

Dozens of other marines roared alongside him, bolstering their morale; this was a mission of justice. Vice Admiral Orlov was present as well, looking at Shinrai with appreciation.

The swordsman, Dracule Vlad, didn't respond. He simply watched the marine's movements with his hawk-eyed vision. He sighed lightly and said, "Very well then."

*Vvooo* An ominous wind blew as the one-armed man disappeared into the darkness, spooking the soldiers.

Shinrai and Dragon jumped into action, spanning their instincts to respond to the inevitable threat.

"Above," Orlov warned, still leaning on a faraway tree.

.

"Night Sword Style: Midnight Shadow."

.

A gray-coloured slash erupted from the sky, cleaving through the darkness and toward the battalion.

"Take cove–"

Boom!

The attack rained heavily, taking out two dozen men who didn't react in time, bleeding away their cries with the howling winds.

*Vvoosh* Thud! 

The air whistled once more as the one-armed swordsman appeared before another dozen soldiers. The marines nearby were all close-range units, choosing to charge at the man from all directions.

.

"Night Sword Style: Crescent Moon Slash."

.

The blade swung in a full circle, carrying zero forgiveness nor any hesitation. It sliced the air without difficulty, doing the same to the first neck it reached. *Swish* The fountain of blood followed behind the graceful blade before it claimed its second victim.

Blood splattered in a perfect circle, dyeing a dreadful design around the swordsman. 

Vlad remained unwavering, but he was met with some offense:

.

"Graceful Gust!"

.

A whirling torrent of raging wind erupted from the side, blasting at the sole enemy with great precision. However, Vlad's weapon was more than ready to meet it:

.

"Night Sword Style: Dimension Slash."

.

The oddly thick blade ran downward with great speed, leaving a black trail of energy soon lost in Yozora Island's darkness.

The howling winds were like rabid beasts, roaring and barking to obliterate their target. Vlad's thick blade, however, silenced the assault with a simple slash. 

"..." Yellow eyes peered past the center of the torrent as the two halves were divided past the swordsman, exploding toward the surrounding marines while leaving Vlad untouched.

Dragon clicked his tongue, seeing his attack fail. His boots dug into the dark soil, showing hints of hesitation.

"I see pity in your eyes. It will cost you." The whisper in his ears shocked Dragon to his core, but soon, his expression turned painful as he felt the guard of a blade dig into his side, jabbing at his liver and even cracking some lower ribs. 

"Augh!" The young star was shot flying to the far right, his body bouncing over the ground and slamming into a leafless tree.

"We'll take you on!" Thirty soldiers ran in, half of them unloading their clips. Their clenched jaws and sweat-ridden faces conveyed the terror in their hearts, opting for them to carelessly pull the trigger.

Vlad zoomed in on the incoming blade, his incredible eyes tracing the projectile closest to him and watching in slow motion.

Five meters away, four, three, two…

*Voosh* The man flickered upwards, leaving the bullets to burst past his afterimage and into the crowd.

With a thud, Vlad landed as ten bodies fell from the crossfire.

At the edge of the battlefield stood a hurried Shinrai, calling out to his ally, "Dragon!"

He traced his hands over the injury, hearing Dragon's grunts and feeling the broken ribs. The pained expression of his sole friend left Shinrai furious as he rushed toward the enemy: "You'll pay for this!"

"How reckless," Vlad mused, seeing past the terrified marines and locking onto the incoming Shinrai.

A light whistle as the blade was raised, dripping with fresh blood. There wasn't even a tiny chance for the swordsman to miss this strike.

*Swish!* A simple yet unforgiving slash at Shinrai's throat. Vlad felt the flesh being cut, evident from the ever-so-slight resistance in his motion, alongside the blood that followed.

But there was something else…

"!!!" The swordsman was left shocked as the slice he was making, and the separation of the head was somehow mending itself! The spurting blood died down as new flesh took place before death could arrive.

*Shing!* Vlad met air—Shinrai should have been decapitated by now, yet no head thumped to the ground.

It was beyond unnatural.

'A Devil Fruit,' the man concluded, but it was too late. 

"I told you you'd pay for this!" A furious Shinrai had taken the open shot to land a fist on the enemy's chest.

BAM!

Vlad grimaced from the punch at his chest; his aged body was easy to harm as he was sent flying across the ground and slamming into a hedge bush with significant momentum.

.

An ominous silence followed until the deep voice returned.

"Such a curse aging is," the old swordsman mumbled past bloodied teeth. Even in his injured state, he never looked away from Shinrai—the piercing yellow eyes tracked the young marine as he returned to Dragon's side.

Shinrai placed a hand over the broken ribs and lightly huffed, "I'll fix you up."

"Thank you, Shinrai," Dragon thanked, feeling his ribs remedy themselves. Within seconds, he was up and running, back to new.

Vlad ignored the pain as he eyed the enemy. The two yellow-ringed pupils vibrated as if the man was zooming into every fine detail: "It's not even some form of healing ability. Rather, he is simply undoing all the damage I did…"

Orlov's booming voice broke any further standstill: "You two, step back. This swordsman's power is a little beyond you."

Shinrai looked at the towering marine and couldn't help but cry out, "I can deal with him, Vice Admiral! Please give me a chance!"

His voice was laced with desperation. He was clawing for the chance to complete his mission with as much perfection as possible. 

Orlov sighed at the star rookie's persistent eyes. He appreciated the drive toward justice, but there were limits to everything: "That's enough. Just take another look at your enemy."

Shinrai turned to the swordsman impatiently, but one good look brought pure shock to his face—Vlad's weapon was far too thick and bulky to be a katana!

"No way…" the young lad absently mumbled. "He was swinging a sword with the sheath still on!?"

Vlad, on the other hand, exhaled a tired breath. He gazed at his prized katana and the sheath that still encased it. 

A dark image of the past flashed by his weathered eyes, snippets of the previous siege on Yozora Island that claimed the lives of almost all the other Dracule people.

He even remembered killing his brother with this same sword to alleviate him from the sickness born from infection to his wounds. "I vowed never to allow blood to spill on behalf of this blade, but now it seems I cannot honour those words."

Shing!

The air was sliced and cleaned under the unleashed blade. It had dark characteristics, was flooded with stars and had a design that encapsulated the night sky. However, there were marks of wear and tear from years of neglect.

"This is 'Yozora' of the twenty-one Great Grade Swords," Vlad introduced, holding the blade up at an angle to cover one of his eyes, allowing the other to peer past the ethereal blade. "Remember the blade that will cut you down."

[Sword Image (in Discord)]

.

The Vice Admiral growled and cracked his knuckles. The sight of the old man waving his treasured blade was akin to obstructing justice, a grave sin in Orlov's book.

"I didn't think such a masterful swordsman could live on this desolate island, Orororo!" the burly man said, appreciating his target. "Considering your lack of hesitation from cutting down so many marines, it is a good thing that we found you before you chose to stand against the World Government."

"I am Orlov, Admiral Basara's right-hand man. I suggest you surrender, old man!"

Vlad showed no change of expression; he stood still, his single arm grasping the sharp blade amidst a battalion of marines, a Vice Admiral and the two star rookies.

*Fwwm* A thick coat of Haki was wrapped around the weapon, unveiling a dangerous luster. His razor-sharp yellow eyes locked onto Orlov, resembling that of a predator to its prey.

"You laid siege to my home," Vlad's indifferent voice cut the air like a knife. "Do not expect any mercy from this blade."

To Be Continued…

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Author's Corner.

Shinrai and Dragon have made their official debut as the future of the Marines. Now they buttheads with a one-armed swordsman on a small island. Naturally, this is all AU for Mihawk's childhood, which will eventually be overwritten in the manga.

What do you think Shinrai's fruit power is? Do remember he was supposed to have died against Damien at G-2.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q


Chương 132: [132] Ultimatum

[2820 words]

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"Mercy? Orororo! You should be the one asking for mercy!" Orlov roared; his entire body was coated in thick Haki, a full body armour! 

He shot from his position, shooting his fist at the swordsman like a raging bull.

*Clang!* The sound of metal hitting metal as Vlad's blade collided head-on with the punch. Sparks flew from the sheer friction of their clash, bringing about an orange hue in the middle of Yozora Island's darkness. 

The one-armed man felt he was losing strength, prompting him to tilt his blade at the perfect angle and force Orlov to fall forward.

The blade sliced mercilessly, slashing at the man's exposed neck.

"Shave."

Orlov flickered away moments before his head was liberated from his neck. 

"Moonwalk."

The air popped as the 15-footer soared to the sky, his arm clenching into that of bulging muscles. 

.

"Iron Body: Meteor Slam!"

.

He fell like a comet, collapsing upon the much smaller Vlad. 

.

"Night Sword Style: Black Tornado."

.

With a swift movement, the man's sword unleashed a whirlwind that immediately took Orlov into the air, throwing his aim off and littering him with micro-cuts. By the time he crashed into the ground, there was another attack waiting for him:

.

"Night Sword Style: Dimension Slash."

.

Orlov was out of his league and couldn't dodge away from the brutal blade. He crossed his Haki-clad arms, brimming them with Iron Body.

*Clang!* The naval officer grimaced in pain from the blade digging into his arms, cutting through the skin and sawing away at his bones; such was the majesty of a Meito.

"Ugh!" He cried out, the blood splattering and pain shooting up his nerves. Yet even under such stress, the man spat an order: "Now, take the shot!"

Vlad didn't have time to be surprised; all he heard was a continuous volley of bullets from all sides, even a rocket launched from above. 

The blade weaved through the air, cutting bullets, shredding projectiles and slicing most attacks. But a one-armed man could do only so much; he was soon hit with three bullets in the chest and another two in his left thigh.

The veteran Vice Admiral quickly exploited such a window:

.

"Tempest Kick!"

.

Orlov unleashed a blinding flash of energy from his armoured leg, slashing at the wounded swordsman with no mercy.

It dug away at the blade that was barely supported by one hand, pushing at Vlad's ribs. The swordsman was launched back, colliding with a stone statue of a knight and collapsing with the bits of rocks.

Blood dripped onto the lawn, seeping into the hedge maze of the Dracule Estate. The wind cried alongside the island's caretaker, conveying its pain.

Orlov's thick boots dug into the shaken soil. The man raised his massive hand and held out a single finger:

.

"Finger Pistol Barrage!"

.

The condensed air pockets rained down on the fallen Vlad, hoping to turn him into Swiss cheese.

*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* It was Orlov's 'Stubborn Justice' at work!

"Orororo! If you wanna blame anyone for this mess, take it up with the Sin Incarnate!"

The battle-hardened marine had naturally spotted the condition of the fine blade—it was chipped and rusty, perhaps due to Vlad's desire never to unsheath for decades.

*Clatter* The burly man smiled as he heard the sword break near the grip—Yozora fell apart! Still, it wasn't enough for him to stop his assault. 

*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

"Is he dead?" Dragon muttered from the side, feeling sickly at the Navy's actions—all this mayhem for a one-armed, old man.

"Either that or he will be processed at Enies Lobby for his crimes," Shinrai answered in his own way. Even now, his eyes carried irritation from having to sit out from the battle.

The two watched the dark shadow at the core of a giant dust cloud that spanned the entire hedge maze—the Marines hadn't taken any chances!

"Wait, he's reaching for something!"

The soldiers barely saw the enemy drag himself to the center of the flattened maze, but soon disappeared under the dusty veil.

"My father trained me for decades to one day wield you," came a tired voice. "I know I remain unworthy to hold your power, but please, let me at least protect the one who is worthy!"

These are words that echoed out from the foggy hedge maze. 

"I have a bad feeling about this," Orlov muttered.

Shing!

The air shrieked from the sudden sharpness, sending out tremors through the atmosphere. A bright light reflected through the hazy fog and dust, lighting the way.

Orlov was finally able to make out his surroundings. He saw the crumpled hedge maze as before, but the giant sword fixed into the thick rock had disappeared alongside the yellow-eyed man.

.

"Night Sword Style: Last Stand!"

.

Orlov had no time to react. All he saw was a gray-coloured blade slash away at his neck at incredible speeds. 

There was the dust in the air and cricket chirpings in the background before, and now, there was silence.

The Vice Admiral blinked in confusion, 'I'm dead…?' he thought, unable to voice it out. The last thing he saw was a fountain of blood erupting from a headless body before darkness took over.

""Vice Admiral!""

Dragon and Shinrai rushed to the fallen marine, springing to action. Under Vlad's sharp and tired eyes, the latter tried to use his powers.

"Stay with me!" Shinrai held the head, still dripping with blood, and connected it to the neck, an orange light shining at the connection.

However, Orlov's lifeless eyes remained lifeless.

"It seems your powers have limits, young marine." Vlad breathed out, coughing some blood.

Meanwhile, a mighty wind spun around the other rookie, increasing vigorously. 

"No wonder you both are touted as the Future of the Navy. You have good talent and notable abilities at your disposal." Though the final words came at more and more expense, the swordsman slowly succumbed to his injuries.

Yoru fell to the ground, lightly trembling.

*Szzz* Vlad's hand was left scarred, his Haki unable to without the might of the Supreme Blade beyond a single slash. 

Dragon noticed such a sight: "I haven't seen a masterful swordsman as yourself; that must be an excellent blade to leave such a mark." However, his face warped into a mix of anger and reluctance: "You should have surrendered, and now nothing is stopping your execution!"

The old man smiled back, even though his waning strength had left him on his knees: "We all have our time on this planet. I will accept my end graciously." His hawk-like eyes locked onto his young adversary, scanning every detail, "But I wonder, can you take pride in this endeavour, young marine?"

"…"

All the swordsman saw in the young man's eyes was apprehension. "Life is truly filled with ironies," Vlad muttered, reading the enemy's hesitation like a book.

"Enough, old man!" Shinrai roared, furious at the fallen Vice Admiral. "There's another three hundred marines that'll be here any second; you'll pay for what you did!"

"Commander Shinrai!" a low-rank marine rushed across the dry soil. "W-We lost contact with Battalion Three and Five!" he yelled. "Only a hundred from Battalion One made it here!"

Dragon narrowed his eyes, looking at the near-dead Vlad, "You're not alone."

This was news to even Vlad, who helplessly cursed under his breath, "Mina, I told you to stay with him."

A person arrived at the fallen swordsman's side: a woman. Though much older than the young rookies, she still maintained elegance.

"What kind of a wife would I be if I didn't stand beside my husband in his weakest moments."

Vlad sighed, though he couldn't help but lightly smile, even in the face of such darkness. Their connection was undeniable, forged in the fires of countless battles and strengthened by their unwavering commitment to each other. 

The woman gave one last smile at the fallen man, beaming life into his soul, and looked at the two soldiers with distaste: "You mischievous Navy rookies don't know how to respect your elders. I can't believe there was a time when we admired you people!"

Dragon sighed, extending his hands.

*Vvooo* *Wururu* A powerful gust of green air spun about, though it now crackled with electricity! The ground was left charred, showcasing the destructive nature of the rookie's powers.

Meanwhile, Shinrai leapt ahead as well: "Shave."

Mina sensed the two attacks and returned with one of her own:

.

"One Sword Style: Bloody Mary."

.

The blade was swift and elegant, carrying no hesitation: three consecutive attacks, each slashing at the coming enemy.

"Tch!" Shinrai, who had rushed forward, halted, though not fast enough to evade the hits. The young lad felt the throbbing pain of having his chest, thigh and neck cut open; it was like magma coursing through his nerves. Alas, it lasted but a brief second before mending.

He saw the alarmed Mina watching with those same piercing eyes and opted for something else. With a quick swipe, the broken Yozora was picked up.

Shinrai flexed his arms and sent the weapon with just its grip remaining at the woman, aiming for her throat.

"!!!" The female swordsman didn't know why the broken blade carried far more danger than it was present.

.

"Remedy."

.

Shinrai's words echoed through and were overshadowed by the flying weapon suddenly transforming!

A sharp blade regrew about its broken stem, almost like a blooming flower! Within seconds, it went from the size of a dagger to a full-fledged sword—Yozora was reborn!

*Clang!* Due to Mina's proactiveness, she was able to divert the blade, parrying it to the side, but not before leaving herself open.

.

"Abyssal Gust!"

.

A massive stream of raging winds abruptly arrived, slamming onto the woman's body. The blade was guarded, protecting her body from most of the attack.

Cuts opened along her arms and legs, and the howling winds were as sharp as her sword! 

Mina didn't wait and leapt to the sky with her weapon. Unfortunately, she was one step too late:

.

"Seismic Thunder."

.

*Rumble* A bright flash followed by the roar of thunder.

Mina was bathed with millions of volts, her raised weapon acting like a lightning rod, credit to Dragon's attack.

Shinrai joined in the assault as well, picking up a pebble and aiming it at the woman frozen midair.

*Fwooo* the harmless stone soared across the sky toward its enemy. 

At the last second, Mina regained control over her tasered body, but not before the innocent pebble was at arm's length from her.

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"Overhaul."

.

*Click* *Clack* The tiny pebble suddenly mended to its original shape, which it had previously broken off, transforming into a boulder over five meters in diameter!

Mina was struck, and her lithe body was thrown to the far end of the maze and nearing the stone manor.

A disgruntled Dragon flicked his finger at the last second, sending a gentle gust of air to slow her fall. Her life was spared from any damning injuries, but her ribs were long broken.

Such a brutal, one-sided victory was met with a round of applause:

"That's the future of our Navy! They're incredible!"

"For Justice!"

"Orlov-sama has been avenged!"

The nearby marines, accounting for 120 or so men, burst into a cheer, exclaiming in favour of the two young stars.

Even in the eternal darkness of Yozora Island, these men felt like they were bathed in the light of justice, carrying out the will of their fallen hero, Orlov.

'Soon, I'll have all the Navy cheering me on,' Shinrai clenched his hands, smiling triumphantly. 'The Commander-in-Chief will surely give me merit for this!' The young lad could taste the imminent glory; it was his first step on the path to power.

Dragon was different. His face carried great ambivalence as he stared at the miserable couple, both left near death in their own home. A single thought circled his mind: 'What could warrant such a damning assault. To attack an island with no history of piracy to this…'

Shinrai's voice brought the storm-bringing marine out of his reverie: "Arrest them both."

"I have the cuffs, sir," a Commodore reported, rushing up and attempting to click on the metal bracelets over the downed Vlad.

However, even with a hundred-plus reinforcements absorbed in the glow of victory, the man couldn't stop what was to come:

.

"Oblivion Press."

.

Boom!

The leading Commodore went through the five stages of grief as he felt the cold voice echo in his mind. The others barely even processed the words before they were pressed with a colossal amount of force, their very bodies being stapled to the ground.

It was a dark curtain of despair, drawing over the battalion with its climatic doom. 

"Ugh!" "Auugh!" "Kauuwh!"

The 120 or so men all cried out in unison as their bodies were subjected to weight far beyond gravity, their organs threatening to pop. It was like being forced under a towering waterfall.

"Who is it!?" Shinrai shot back, creating distance from the despairing sight. Meanwhile, a dull wind carried Dragon away, each of the Star Rookies jumping to action.

"Help me, ple–guh!" A marine managed to beg before the damning weight pressed him to the floor—the shrieking earth overshadowed the soldiers' misery.

It took Dragon a few moments to find the culprit—a lithe figure standing near the fallen couple.

He observed her sleek, black outfit, its sharp gold accents catching the dim light. The form-fitting design emphasized a commanding presence, each movement precise and deliberate. She exuded an air of elegance and menace, a figure of undeniable authority in the shadows. 

[Clothing Image (in Discord)]

"The power to command gravity," Dragon murmured, staring at the masked woman with a shaken spirit. "Devil's Architect, why are you here!?"

Raging winds encased the marine, his body crackling with lightning, conveying his strong guard against the woman feared in the Underworld.

Shinrai was just as confused, though his anger at the sight of his fellow marines being pressed overruled his befuddlement.

Another voice greeted the two, a voice of disparagement: "You two brats aren't worthy to stand before our Boss. We'll take you on!"

The Star Duo turned their attention to the other two men who had arrived alongside the Underworld Emperor.

They were well-known.

The one at the forefront had pale skin and resembled more of a white humanoid snake than a human, especially considering the cracked skin and yellow eyes. He had purple tubes connected to the back of his head and neck; whether they were for purpose or decoration, the man was a demon from appearance alone!

"'Bone Baron' Kaiser," Shinrai spat out. "Bounty of 282 million berries."

[Kaiser Image (in Discord)]

The other attacker growled through his sharp canines like a wild dog. The creature donned Egyptian clothing, leaving his brown-coloured upper chest bare. He had pointy ears with the face of a jackal. 

"'Voice of the Dead' Nekrós, a reward of 420 million berries!"

Nekrós, previously named Ebi, had a power many feared—a power to produce endless soldiers! A power he proudly showed off:

.

"Arise!"

.

The black orb floating over his staff shone with blue light, dawning over the sea of corpses, giving them life.

"You bastard!" Shinrai roared, seeing a fearsome sight—hundreds of corpses stood up in undead glory. A giant body was also there, eclipsing the others in stature and presence.

"E-Even Orlov-sama, you demon!"

It was the headless Vice Admiral!

Dragon wanted to move in and ensure his fallen comrades weren't desecrated but met a brick wall: "Nuh-uh, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The young marine felt a cold blade aimed toward him, emanating primal sharpness. He saw his enemy, one with white bones protruding from his body; it was Kaiser.

Shinrai gnashed his teeth impatiently, feeling helpless, "The two guardians of Unso Island… The Hounds of Fulcrum!" 

"..."

Dragon looked away from Kaiser, even though the latter was within range to kill. The marine's eyes traced over the risen dead, following on the true master of the newly arrived enemies.

"Fulcrum, do you really want to do this? Even if you're in good grace with the Government, you can't just do as you please!"

The words drew a short silence, the attention of others falling on the masked woman.

Her black mask had no design—it was a simple black sheet. Its simplicity, in tandem with the endlessly pressing weight of over a hundred marines, painted quite a frightening picture! Being blanketed by Yozora Island's darkness amplified the woman's ominous existence even further.

"The Government values my Styx Passage far more than the both of you; that little you should know," came the young woman's voice.

Dragon felt eyes lock on him from under the dark mask, her words bringing forth an ultimatum: "Go back and tell Endou and the geezers at Mariejois that Yozora Island is protected by Fulcrum. Any further trespassing will be met with brutal resistance from the Underworld!"

To Be Continued…

----------------------------------------------

Author's Corner. 

Orlov wants the Dracule to blame Damien for all of this mess. Something so important that the Endou overruled Kong and demanded a military takeover. Fulcrum arrived at the last second with her Hounds, facing off against the Star Rookies.

Images are available on Discord alongside other niche details: https://discord.gg/aJHHHPvb6q


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