Chương 20: 20. Sakazuki's Shock!
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Grand Line.
Rackos Island.
This island, usually known for its perpetual winter, similar to the famous Drum Island, is undergoing a drastic change today.
The temperature has suddenly risen, melting the snow-capped mountains, and lava pits have appeared all over the island.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki said, no prisoners, no mercy, kill them all."
"Come on, wipe out these damned pirates!"
"Avenge Lieutenant Ironhead, kill!"
"Brothers, don't retreat! Our captain is a big-name pirate from the New World with a bounty of 600 million berries. We'll definitely take down that nasty Akainu!"
"That's right, the number of Marine soldiers is dwindling. Finish them off quickly and support the captain!"
"Marines, die for me!"
All over the island, the sounds of battle echoed as Marines and pirates clashed. Blood was spilled, and limbs were severed, filling the air with chaos.
In the distance, two powerful figures collided in midair, then vanished and reappeared, clashing repeatedly.
Bang, bang, bang.
The violent blasts resounded through the sky.
"Ugh~~~"
Finally, the pirate captain, bare-chested, was sent flying backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his face pale.
Opposite him, Sakazuki, in his magma-solidified human form, appeared in sight.
"Damn it, why did I run into such a mad dog?"
The pirate captain wiped the blood from his mouth and growled in frustration.
"Pirate, stop struggling. You know you're no match for me."
Sakazuki's right hand, steaming with magma, moved forward slowly, each step heavy.
"Listen, Akainu, I came to the Grand Line to reform my crew and head to the New World to challenge the Beasts Pirates. Just pretend you didn't see me today, okay?"
Sakazuki narrowed his eyes slightly, showing no interest in responding.
His aura grew heavier, and the magma dripping from his body increased in intensity.
"Of course, you can't be reasoned with at all. If it weren't for that bastard Baishou who ruined everything for me, you think I'd bother trying to talk to you?"
The pirate captain knew his chances were slim.
The three Marine Admirals had already made a name for themselves across the world, each one terrifyingly strong.
Especially Sakazuki, whose temper matched his magma abilities—few targeted by him lived to tell the tale.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking everyone with me."
"Sakazuki, before you kill me, I'll make sure every Marine soldier you brought here dies too."
The pirate captain's body was covered in Armament Haki. Instead of retreating, he advanced, a cruel and crazed smile on his face.
He roared with a high-pitched, confident voice that echoed across Rackos Island:
"Little ones, push harder! I want to see that after we take down this mad dog, no Marine soldier is left standing!"
"Don't let them escape! Surround them so Akainu won't dare to use a large-scale attack!"
The island fell silent.
But soon, the pirates responded from afar.
"Hey, Captain, don't worry, not a single one of these Marine soldiers will survive!"
"As expected of a 600 million berry pirate from the New World! I knew the boss was about to win when I heard that loud, energetic voice!"
"Hahahaha, with such a powerful boss, this world will bow to me!"
"Marines, did you hear that? Your chief is about to lose, so die already!"
"..."
"Courting death." Sakazuki's eyes flared with murderous intent, and without a word, he charged forward with all his might. (T/N: Here it is)
"Hahaha, hurry up, you mad dog. Finally getting desperate, huh?"
The pirate captain laughed, prepared for death but unafraid of the furious Sakazuki.
Boom boom boom.
The two clashed again.
Time passed slowly.
The pirate captain wasn't focused on defeating Sakazuki; instead, he was doing everything he could to avoid fatal injuries, simply to buy time.
On the other hand, Sakazuki's expression grew increasingly anxious.
Through his Observation Haki, he could sense the familiar presences of his soldiers gradually disappearing, a clear sign of what was happening.
Every moment, his own men were falling under the enemy's blades.
If he truly lost everything in this battle, the loss would be nearly impossible to recover from, especially in this critical period for the Marines.
Determined, Sakazuki intensified his attacks, abandoning defense. Even if it meant trading blows, he had to take down the pirate in front of him as quickly as possible.
However, the pirate captain, with a 600 million berry bounty, wasn't an easy target. Even though he couldn't defeat Sakazuki, he was skilled enough to hold his ground, especially since his main goal was to stall for time. He avoided falling into any traps Sakazuki set, staying focused on delaying the battle long enough for all the Marines to be wiped out.
At this critical moment, suddenly...
Phew, boom, boom.
Several shells were fired from an unknown location, striking where the pirates were gathered.
At the same time, a large group of energetic Marines charged into the fray, wielding swords and guns.
"Fear not, Marine brothers, reinforcements have arrived!"
"Damn pirates, your heroic grandpa is here, prepare to die!"
"Wow, so many pirates! I'm just about to reach 70 kills to make it onto the 'Heroic Soldiers' list. Don't you dare steal my kills!"
"Stay in formation, don't worry, there's enough for everyone! Just be careful not to get hurt!"
"..."
The arrival of these Marines instantly shifted the tide of battle.
Each soldier looked at the pirates like a starving man eyeing a feast, their eyes filled with hunger for victory.
The pirates, stunned by the sudden reinforcements, found themselves overwhelmed by the ferocity of the Marines.
Even Sakazuki was momentarily taken aback.
But his battle instincts quickly kicked in, suppressing his curiosity as he charged at the pirate captain once more.
"You wanted everyone to die with you, it looks like your plan's been foiled."
"Damn it!"
The pirate captain roared in grief and rage.
...
...
Half an hour later...
The fighting ceased, and Rackos Island returned to an uneasy calm.
Sakazuki emerged alone, leaving behind the smoldering remains of the pirate captain with a 600 million berry bounty, whose body was slowly being consumed by magma.
"Sir!"
An exhausted soldier attempted to stand and salute, but before he could rise, Sakazuki's large hand pressed firmly on his shoulder.
Looking around, Sakazuki's already stern expression grew even more severe.
He noticed that one-third of the soldiers he had brought with him were no longer among the living.
The survivors sat wearily on the ground, gripping their weapons in silence, their eyes fixed on the port where a sea burial was being conducted for their fallen comrades.
In the varied expressions of the surviving soldiers, Sakazuki saw sadness, confusion, indifference, and the fear of death.
There was nothing he could do about it.
War is never a child's game. Every time you fight pirates, it's either you who dies or they do.
Although he was strong, he couldn't protect everyone. Today's opponent, while unable to defeat him, was skilled enough to delay the battle.
"We should head to a nearby base and get some proper rest," Sakazuki thought, sighing to himself. "Otherwise, the soldiers will collapse before we even encounter more pirates."
Not long after, the sea burial concluded amidst the silent mourning of everyone present, easing the oppressive atmosphere slightly.
The soldiers, accustomed to such scenes, began to shake off their grief and returned to their duties.
Sakazuki turned his attention to another group of Marines who had come to support them. They were gathered around a few individuals holding thick notebooks, arguing animatedly.
"Their fighting spirit is much stronger than that of ordinary soldiers," Sakazuki mused. "Whose command are these men under?"
As he approached, he overheard the conversation among the supporting Marines.
"Hey, Register, I took down three pirates. You didn't miss that, right?"
"I clearly remember killing six. Why are you saying there are only five? Are you targeting me or something?"
"Can you check how close I am to making it onto the 'Heroic Soldiers' list?"
"Relax, our job is to accurately record the number of enemies everyone has killed. We don't target individuals. If the Acting Fleet Admiral finds out, we'll end up in a military court."
"The one you're missing was taken down by you but died after being shot through the head by a stray bullet. I can only give you half credit for that."
"..."
"Heroic Soldiers' list? What's that? And who's this Acting Fleet Admiral?"
Sakazuki pondered, thinking it must be Akira's subordinates, but quickly dismissed the idea. Akira couldn't have left Marineford at this time.
For the past month, Sakazuki had been either hunting pirates or battling them. He had no time to pay attention to other matters, leaving him puzzled by the situation.
What caught his attention was the immediate respect and admiration that spread across the soldiers' faces when they mentioned "Acting Fleet Admiral."
After standing still for a moment, deep in thought, Sakazuki turned around and walked away, heading in another direction.
Under the shade of a large tree, a dozen soldiers sat together, cheerfully passing around newspapers and sharing laughs.
"Soldier, what are you looking at?" Sakazuki approached, his tone softer than usual out of respect for their bravery.
"Ah, Sakazuki-sama, thank you for fighting for justice."
"Please, sit down, my lord," one soldier offered, handing him a newspaper. "We're just reading some of the latest news. Would you like to take a look?"
"Don't mind if I do," Sakazuki nodded, accepting the newspaper and sitting down with them.
As he glanced at the front page, the headline immediately caught his eye:
"This issue's total of heroic soldiers is 189, hailing from the G7 fortresses of Nishio and Tomioka. Acting Fleet Admiral Akira has ordered the governors of these areas to distribute honor medals promptly and prioritize their requests."
"Congratulations! Heroic soldier 'Halsted,' who earned the honor of beheading over a thousand enemies, has married Princess Anita of a Grand Line kingdom. The king presented a large sum of berries and a villa. Halsted has already moved in with his family."
"Soldier 'Hogback' saved countless colleagues with his exceptional medical skills and has earned a lunch date with the famous West Blue stage actress Victoria Cindry, courtesy of Marine Headquarters."
"Shock! A heroic soldier's mother-in-law personally brought footwashing water for her son-in-law" — A follow-up report from our insider."
"If you don't have the chance to fight for justice at least once in your life, it's a waste. Female masseur from Pleasure Street nationwide have vowed to accompany heroic soldiers for three days and nights, free of charge."
"Note: No need for certain... precautions."
"According to our reporter's investigation, there's a rising trend of noblewomen secretly meeting with heroic soldiers at sea, even behind their husbands' backs."
"Touching! The day I found my hero."
"A famous male star is willing to give up a job with a 100 million berry salary just to become a Marine, but he was ruthlessly rejected. Acting Fleet Admiral Akira stated: 'Every Marine soldier is extremely honorable, and if one fails the exam, not even a king can get them in through the back door.'"
Sakazuki read each article with care, taking in every word.
Seeing the Vice Admiral so engrossed, the soldiers began sharing their thoughts excitedly:
"I'm not great with women, but if I become a heroic soldier, women will come to me!"
"And the base even provides food and lodging for families. The food might not be delicious, but you can eat as much as you want."
"Akira-sama made it clear that all soldiers who fall in battle will be carefully registered, and after two months, the Acting Fleet Admiral himself will deliver the pension to their families, under the supervision of all soldiers."
"One idiot from my village became a heroic soldier and ended up marrying the village chief's daughter. I'm so mad—if I'd become a heroic soldier first, the village beauty would be mine!"
"The Acting Fleet Admiral also promised that after these tough times, no Marine will shed blood or tears in vain."
"I heard that the Fleet Admiral and his secretary held a grand wedding for hundreds of heroic soldiers at the same time. Even noble kings attended. It was an incredible honor."
"Last time I went shopping in a village, some kids even saluted me, hahahahaha, it made my day."
"..."
Before long, more soldiers gathered around, joining the conversation. Their faces lit up with a shared understanding, and even those who had been fearful moments ago now had a gleam of excitement in their eyes.
As Sakazuki finished reading the last newspaper, he listened to the soldiers' praise of Akira and their eager discussions about introducing their wives to Marine Headquarters.
"Akira..." Sakazuki murmured to himself, his tone a mix of admiration and complexity.
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