“Too bad the Okuchi no Makami can’t fly. Otherwise, things would be much more convenient.”
Chloe held one of Yamato’s hands as she flew through the air with her. This was the only way to keep the commotion relatively small while conserving more stamina.
“Maybe I’ll be able to someday.”
“Hm? You mean through Awakening? Probably not. Even if a Zoan-type awakens, it shouldn’t undergo such a fundamental change.”
“No. That genius scientist Dr. Vegapunk, who is said to be five hundred years ahead of the world, has a theory that Devil Fruits are born from the collective wishes of all living beings.
Let’s assume for now that this theory is true. If enough people believe that the Okuchi no Makami can fly, then perhaps you really will be able to fly.
Even if you can’t, you might still be able to remain airborne temporarily by expending more stamina.”
Geppo was a technique that relied purely on physical ability, but that wasn’t the method Chloe was referring to. Devil Fruit users could naturally accomplish more through their Devil Fruit abilities.
For example, they could freeze the moisture in the air and use the ice as a temporary foothold. In principle, it worked much like Geppo, though there were still some differences.
“That sounds kind of complicated…”
“You should learn Fish-Man Karate too. It’s a unique martial art that teaches people to sense water molecules in the air. Your ability is already ice-based, so maybe you could combine the two…
That should be the ship up ahead, right? It looks like a Marine ship.”
Marine and World Government ships differed slightly depending on their purpose and the department they belonged to, but they were essentially built in the same style.
Moreover, the World Government had a peculiar habit of doing the exact opposite of keeping things discreet.
There was nothing wrong with Marine or Cipher Pol branch ships displaying their own insignias on their flags.
Yet ships carrying out covert transport missions would have the enormous words “Top Secret” written across their sails, while food-supply ships would bear the words “Provisions.”
It was as if they were terrified that others might not know what the ships were being used for, allowing anyone with designs on them to raid them with perfect accuracy.
The warship Chloe was looking at now had an enormous character meaning “Training” emblazoned on its sail, making it obvious that it was carrying recruits.
“They seem to be fighting an enemy. Those two cannon shots that came our way were probably stray fire. In their current state… they probably don’t have time to bother with us?”
“Stop putting yourself in a pirate’s shoes! You don’t have a bounty, and I certainly don’t either! Even if the Marines passed right in front of us, they’d have no reason to attack unless they wanted to invite trouble.
How long have you been staying with us now? Why haven’t you gotten rid of that habit yet?”
Yamato had known from a very young age that Kaido was a pirate, which naturally made the Marines his enemies. Even though she had no bounty herself, she would still be targeted if they discovered that she was Kaido’s daughter.
On top of that, Fish-Man Island was already hostile toward the Marines, so Yamato’s first reaction whenever she saw Marines was usually to reach for her kanabo.
“Then let’s go. Those Marines look miserable enough already, so I won’t hold those cannonballs against them.”
“Wait…”
“What is it? Do you want to make things even worse for them?”
“No. That Marine… is an acquaintance of Dad’s…”
“There are still living Marines who know Mr. Nereus well?!”
Yamato seemed to have heard something utterly unbelievable. As far as she knew, nearly every Marine who had ever crossed paths with Nereus should already be dead. How could he possibly still have an “acquaintance” among them?
“Given the way your mind works, it’d be difficult to explain this to you anytime soon. But… look to your right and behind you. See that rocky beach?”
“I see it. What about it?”
“Don’t move around. If I accidentally drop you into the sea, I’ll have to go back and fish you out again. I’m going to see what’s happening over there.”
With that, she flung Yamato away. After confirming that Yamato had landed perfectly and was in no danger, Chloe changed direction and flew toward the warship.
Meanwhile, aboard the warship, Zephyr’s condition continued to deteriorate.
His asthma had been affecting his body all along. Although it was not yet as severe as it would become several years later in the original timeline, without medication to relieve it, its effect on his body was steadily worsening.
Following Buckin’s orders, Weevil continued attacking the Marine recruits, which constantly weighed on Zephyr’s state of mind.
Under the combined physical and psychological disturbance, Zephyr’s movements began to grow stiff, and even the Haki coating his arms became unstable.
“Time truly is the most terrifying weapon. Twenty years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine a sight like this—the youngest Admiral in Marine history, Black Arm Zephyr, reduced to such a sorry state.”
Buckin raised her cane and killed a Marine recruit who tried to ambush her with a single blow. She could tell what condition Zephyr’s body was in.
If this dragged on a little longer, she and Weevil might be able to join forces and finish off the former Marine Admiral.
But Buckin considered that a losing proposition. The risks of killing Zephyr far outweighed the rewards. There had been cases of Admirals and Fleet Admirals dying in battle, but those who killed them had defeated them head-on through sheer strength.
In such cases, the killers were capable of bearing the risks that came with the deed and dealing with whatever consequences might follow.
Killing Zephyr while he was in poor health would earn them some short-lived fame, but it would immediately be followed by a new Marine manhunt.
Given Zephyr’s history, he could be said to have students throughout the Marines. All three current Admirals had been his students, while the Fleet Admiral and veteran Vice Admirals were comrades from his generation.
Once news of Zephyr’s death spread, the Marines would likely spare no effort to eliminate this threat.
Buckin wanted enough notoriety to facilitate future plundering and deter petty troublemakers, but she did not want her reputation to grow so great that it attracted monsters she could not handle.
From what Buckin knew of the Marines, as long as Zephyr himself did not die, the intensity of their pursuit would not reach an unacceptable level. The mess in the New World was already enough to keep the Marines busy.
Killing these recruits and then escaping unscathed would be enough to achieve her objective. That was also why Buckin had never joined Weevil in attacking Zephyr from the very beginning.
Although her body was likewise no longer what it once was, Zephyr’s current condition still left her perfectly capable of launching a sneak attack.
“Weevil! Hurry up! A storm is coming, and we need to get ready to leave!”
Buckin only brought Weevil with her when she went out. Weevil’s stamina made him an excellent source of manual labor, but his dim-witted brain was incapable of handling delicate work.
Naturally, Buckin herself was responsible for tasks such as navigation. The weather on the Grand Line can change rapidly. The sky had been clear only moments ago, but in the blink of an eye, dark clouds had gathered and torrential rain began pouring down.
In Buckin’s experience, it was only a matter of time before the storm arrived.
“Okay, Mommy!”
After brandishing his naginata several times, Weevil charged toward the Marine recruits aboard the ship. The deck was already riddled with holes and dents, and as Weevil ran across it, splinters of wood flew wildly in every direction.
But Zephyr once again stood firmly in Weevil’s path. No matter how precarious his physical condition was, he had to buy time and wait for reinforcements from Headquarters.
They did not even need to send anyone particularly powerful. If someone could simply deliver an intact dose of asthma medication to him right now, Zephyr would be capable of resolving everything himself.
“Mommy told me to kill everyone else! Stop getting in my way!”
Weevil sniffed forcefully at the mucus running from his nose and seemed to swallow it directly. When he saw that Zephyr had no intention of moving aside, he swept his naginata forward as usual.
Zephyr did not dodge. He held his left arm horizontally in front of him, Armament Haki coating it like a black bracer as it collided with the naginata’s blade.
The shockwave erupted outward in a ring, and the damaged railings along the side of the ship instantly twisted and snapped, falling into the sea one after another.
Weevil froze for a moment. In his understanding, things were supposed to be cut apart and people were supposed to be sent flying.
Someone who looked as sickly as Zephyr should not have been able to withstand that slash.
Zephyr gave him no time to think. His right fist shot out from beside his waist in a perfectly straight trajectory, without a single unnecessary movement. The force of the punch compressed the air with an explosive boom before slamming solidly into Weevil’s left ribs.
Crack.
The sound of ribs breaking rang out clearly. Weevil’s massive body toppled backward, nearly falling into the sea.
Weevil then lowered his head and looked at his ribs, where a fist-shaped indentation had already sunk into his flesh.
“That really hurts, you b*stard…”
As Weevil spoke, his injuries began to heal on their own, as though some kind of ability were taking effect. Zephyr was about to press his attack, but his asthma once again brought him to a halt.
Before he could even throw his punch, he dropped to one knee.
“Damn it… Why now, of all times…”
“Here’s my chance!”
Weevil might not have been very bright, but he possessed an exceptional combat instinct. The instant he noticed something wrong with Zephyr’s movements, he charged forward again.
His naginata came straight down, its tip tearing through the air with a shrill whistle. But at that moment, someone struck the blade from the side with a kick.
The blade that would have severed Zephyr’s arm merely struck the deck.
“Ugh… Why does everyone keep trying to stop me?! I’m just following Mommy’s orders!!”
Weevil’s eyes turned red, and he looked so aggrieved that he was on the verge of tears. He began wildly swinging his weapon as though he intended to sink the entire ship.
“With your health in this state, perhaps you shouldn’t be personally leading missions anymore.”
Hovering in midair, Chloe flapped her wings as she warily watched Weevil, who seemed to have gone berserk.
The public’s general hostility toward the Marines differed somewhat from the information known to those at the top. Chloe, for instance, knew that Zephyr was somewhat different from the other Marines.
According to Nereus’s classification, Zephyr was not someone who had to be eliminated.
Zephyr had also met Chloe several times and knew the girl’s true identity.
However, his worsening asthma prevented him from giving a proper response, while Weevil gave them no opportunity to reminisce, already charging at them with his naginata once more.
“Looks like I’ll have to deal with this madman first… Secret Art: Sea Phoenix Pierce!”
Chloe decided which techniques to use based on changes in the weather. In this torrential downpour, Merfolk techniques were clearly more useful than the flames of the Lunarian tribe.
The rain filling the sky seemed to transform into a soaring phoenix. Its pointed beak resembled a sharp drill as it pierced through Weevil’s body with seemingly no regard for his defenses.
Some special power seemed to be hidden within Weevil’s body, rapidly healing the damage he had sustained. Buckin, however, noticed something unusual.
The way she struck, the technique behind her move—all of it was far too familiar…
“Weevil! We’re leaving!”
“Mommy, I can still fight!”
“You foolish boy, the battle is over! Leave this place immediately!”
Weevil did not understand, but he obeyed. Without the slightest hesitation, he swung his blade twice to deter any pursuit, then immediately followed Buckin off Zephyr’s warship and jumped onto a small boat.
He then used his blade like an oar, slashing forcefully behind them and using the resulting reaction force to propel the boat rapidly forward.
“What… What the hell? They just ran away?”
Weevil’s abrupt departure left Chloe baffled, but she chose not to pursue them. A storm was about to arrive, and Yamato was still stranded on the reef nearby.
If she went after them, she might not even know where to look for Yamato when she returned. Besides, she and Zephyr were not particularly close. Now that the immediate crisis had been resolved, whatever happened afterward had nothing to do with her.
Chloe was not the only one confused. Weevil was equally bewildered.
“Mommy! Mommy! Why did we leave?! That coughing man couldn’t beat me! I was just about to kill all those people like you told me to!”
“You foolish boy, we’ve already achieved our objective. There was no need to continue. Besides, that flying girl… there was something familiar about her…”
“Mm-hmm. That little girl hits really hard. It felt like she churned up everything inside my stomach, like she was hitting me from inside my body.”
Weevil’s description confirmed Buckin’s suspicions. That was the method of exerting force used in Fish-Man Karate, and it even bore traces of Nereus’s habits.
There had also long been rumors in the New World that Nereus was involved with a Lunarian woman. That pair of black wings made the answer far too obvious.
All these connections convinced Buckin that the girl was most likely Nereus’s daughter.
Although the idea of Nereus’s people helping the Marines sounded rather absurd, that was unimportant. Buckin had no desire to become entangled with Nereus.
“That girl’s father… is extremely difficult to deal with.”
“But aren’t I Whitebeard’s son? He’s the strongest pirate in the world! C-Could it be that I’m not actually my father’s biological son?!”
“Idiot! How could that be?! Touch your mustache! It’s exactly the same as Newgate’s! You are unquestionably his biological son!”
“I knew it! There’s no way I wouldn’t be his son.”
Weevil stroked his mustache and smiled innocently, failing to notice the deep concern covering Buckin’s wrinkled face.
Was Whitebeard the strongest pirate in the world?
At present, it seemed fair to say so. As long as one added enough qualifiers, anyone could be the strongest. Even Buggy could be called the strongest in the East Blue.
Those who were stronger than Whitebeard were now, for the most part, either dead or retired. Among the pirates who remained active, Whitebeard truly was the strongest.
But Buckin knew very well that, ten thousand meters beneath the sea, that monster who had escaped the ravages of time still possessed the same terrifying power he had wielded back then…
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