Changshui Island—the atmosphere was tense. Both ports were packed with pirate ships, their flags fluttering ominously in the wind.
"Ochoku, have you Rocks Pirates gotten too full of yourselves? It's only been a few years since you became a dominant crew, and you already think you can extend your reach into these waters?!"
Orion glared fiercely at his opponent. The tattoos on his face seemed to come alive under the scorching sun, his bald head gleaming in the light.
Orion, had officially challenged Ochoku of the Rocks Pirates. Neither of their captains intervened—Vesper trusted Orion's strength, given his years of survival and slaughter in the New World.
As for Ochoku, he had risen to prominence as a Supernova in just a couple of years, advancing rapidly under Rocks' 'guidance.' Not only had he become a master swordsman, but he had also honed both types of Haki to a formidable level.
His bounty had skyrocketed to 700 million Belly—though still short of Orion's 800 million, Rocks knew the terrifying potential and unique killing intent Ochoku possessed.
In terms of raw power, he was only slightly behind Orion. But as a member of Rocks' crew, wasn't he supposed to grow stronger through battle? To continuously break past his limits?
Rocks was destined to be the king of the New World. His subordinates couldn't afford to be weak. And he firmly believed in Ochoku's potential.
"Our Ochoku has the makings of the world's greatest swordsman!"
...
"A new king will always rise to replace the old! The Vesper Pirates have grown too old to hold onto their vast territory. It's time you surrendered half of it as an offering to our Captain Rocks!"
Ochoku unsheathed his twin blades. A dual-sword grandmaster, his attack power was unparalleled, his relentless killing intent making him a fearless warrior.
"Tch, I'll show you little runts what a true ruling pirate crew looks like!"
Beside him, Jevalle spat on the ground, pointing his rapier at Silver Axe. To him, the Rocks Pirates were nothing more than upstarts—what gave them the audacity to challenge the veteran Vesper Pirates?
"Captain Rocks and your so-called 'Vesper old man' already agreed. This battle will determine the ownership of the four islands in Changshui Island's waters. Whoever wins takes them!"
Silver Axe, clad in a suit of silver armor and wielding a massive battle-axe, grinned cruelly. The officers of the Rocks Pirates were all madmen—relentless warriors without an ounce of mercy.
"Gihahaha! Then let's get started! Kill them all!"
Orion swung his arm forward, and dozens of pirate ships unleashed their forces. As an established ruler of these seas, he had no shortage of manpower. His forces outnumbered Ochoku's pirates two to one.
There was no fairness in pirate warfare.
Yet, Ochoku's men—seasoned killers forged in bloodshed—didn't flinch. Despite being outnumbered, they charged forward with equal ferocity.
However, Rocks had underestimated the sheer wealth of Vesper, the wealthiest pirate crew in these waters. His warriors were soon caught off guard by a relentless barrage of gunfire and cannon fire.
Against an enemy with twice the numbers and firepower ten times as strong, even the fiercest fighters couldn't simply charge through a hailstorm of bullets and artillery.
"Gihahaha! Ochoku, do you understand now? This is what it means to have a legacy, to be a true ruler of the seas! You rookies know nothing about war! This isn't a duel—it's a battle! And battles are won with money! You paupers are out of your league!"
Orion's laughter rang out as he mocked the brute-force approach of the Rocks Pirates. He valued individual strength, but he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the power of technology and firepower.
"Tch!"
Ochoku gritted his teeth, swinging both swords in fury. Two massive slashes of sword energy tore toward Vesper's artillery forces.
"You think you can afford to look away while fighting me?"
Orion flicked his fingers, and the swords around him shot forward like arrows, hurtling toward Ochoku.
As for his own men being caught in the crossfire? He couldn't care less. Cannon fodder was replaceable. What mattered was capitalizing on the opening Ochoku had given him.
In high-level combat, even a fraction of a second's hesitation could determine the outcome.
Despite his quick reaction, Ochoku was unable to deflect all of the incoming blades. A sword coated in Armament Haki sliced across his waist, drawing blood.
He barely flinched, his battle intent only growing stronger.
"Gihahaha! Weren't you Rocks Pirates all about strength and survival of the fittest? And yet you risked your life to protect your disposable lackeys?"
Orion grinned wickedly, unfazed by the dozens of his own men who had been cut down by Ochoku's attack.
"Paramecia. It lets you control wind speed and direction, manipulating objects midair. But its flaw is that you can only control one direction of wind at a time. Am I right?"
Ochoku wiped the blood from his wound and licked his fingers, his eyes turning crimson. His swords began to glow with a menacing red light.
"Gihahaha! So what if you know? Think I'd just tell you my weaknesses?"
Orion was well aware of his fruit's limitations. Otherwise, he'd have turned his ship into a flying war machine by now. He could either propel his ship forward or generate an updraft to lift it, but he couldn't control both at once.
Not that it mattered—his ship was already the fastest in the New World. And when it came to combat, his ability to accelerate weapons and attacks gave him an overwhelming advantage.
He could care less about flight. Speed was king.
His dozens of floating swords hovered around him, while he brandished a finely crafted blade in his own hand.
"Since you can only control wind in one direction at a time, that means your attacks always come in waves!"
Ochoku crossed his swords before his chest and charged forward at full speed, leaving a trail of shattered rock in his wake.
"Gihahaha! You think I only use the wind for my weapons?!"
Orion also dashed forward, his speed enhanced by raging gales. The wind howled as he swung his blackened blade, infused with Armament Haki.
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