The Marine ship remained anchored, lines taut, hull steady, deck occupied by rows of Marines in operational readiness. The vice admiral stood at the front of the group, short cape fastened at the shoulder, sword sheathed at his side. No orders had been issued in the last few minutes. The wait was deliberate.
"I do not like this delay." The vice admiral kept his eyes on the horizon, one hand resting on the sword hilt. "The base has been unresponsive for too long."
"Maybe it is just interference." A captain replied, adjusting his rifle against his shoulder. "Since yesterday the systems have been unstable."
"Interference does not silence an entire post." The vice admiral stepped forward. "Maintain formation. I want everyone alert."
"Yes, sir." The response came in unison, the Marines adjusting positions without dispersing.
The vice admiral closed his eyes for a moment. Observation Haki expanded in a controlled manner, sweeping the immediate area without visible effort. His body reacted before any verbal command. His hand slid out of the sheath, drawing the sword halfway.
"Something is wrong." The blade halted in the air. "There is someone here."
No Marine had noticed. No sensor had indicated a presence.
A shadow formed at the front of the deck, solid in the next instant. Alvida occupied the space naturally, resting her club on her shoulder as if she had walked there without hurry. Her smile was wide, open, deliberately provocative.
"You really trust these Marine toys too much." She took two steps forward, ignoring the immediate aim of dozens of rifles. "You did not even notice when I arrived."
"Contact ahead!" A Marine shouted, finger on the trigger.
"Wait!" The vice admiral raised his hand, stopping the shot. His gaze remained fixed on Alvida.
"Everyone fall back." His voice came firm with the first command, tone unchanged. The Marines hesitated just long enough to confirm it was not a suggestion. "Clear space on the deck and keep distance. No firing without my order."
The formation began to loosen in controlled steps, rifles lowering one degree at a time as the soldiers retreated, maintaining angles of cover without advancing. The vice admiral remained in the same spot, now alone between Alvida and his men.
"Do not confuse courage with recklessness." He added, still without taking his eyes off her.
Alvida tilted her head slightly, the smile still wide, the club resting on her shoulder, no change in posture despite the organized retreat.
'Trying to act smart like I am alone. They are all going to die.'
The vice admiral drew the sword fully from its sheath in a continuous motion. The blade reflected direct light without tremor in the grip. Armament Haki activated in the next instant, coating the steel evenly without visible excess.
"Filthy pirate, feel the justice of my sword."
He advanced in the same second he finished the sentence. The cut came straight, without flourish, short trajectory, focused on the central axis of her body. The decision was clear. Immediate neutralization before any other variable could enter play.
Alvida did not retreat. She slid one foot forward and rotated her torso, bringing the club in a horizontal arc. Armament Haki activated with the motion, concentrated only at the point of impact, without waste.
CLANG!
The clash between club and sword stopped the vice admiral's advance at the exact point of contact. The impact pushed both back in equal measure, reinforced wood against hardened steel, neither yielding completely.
The vice admiral adjusted his base on the deck and pulled the sword upward, using the rebound of the impact. The second strike came diagonally, now with more weight applied through the dominant arm.
Alvida spun the club along its own axis and blocked from top to bottom, her body following the motion with minimal precision, guard intact.
KRAAANG!
The weapons separated. The vice admiral took two short steps back and changed the angle of his wrist, altering his grip for a tighter attack. He advanced again, giving no space for a long response.
"These damned Devil Fruit users always rely on tricks instead of discipline." The blade cut the air in short sequence as he advanced, arm firm, base adjusted, maintaining constant pressure to prevent any comfortable repositioning.
Alvida slid backward in a straight line, the club lowering from the block into a relaxed guard, feet maintaining continuous contact with the deck without losing alignment. The retreat opened enough space to interrupt the vice admiral's sequence without conceding direct advantage.
The retreat ended with her planting the rear foot and adjusting her weight.
"What is it, could you not hit me?"
A side door of the ship burst open abruptly. The movement was direct, without warning, creating a new access line to the deck. Kalifa appeared in the opening and took one step forward, already positioning her body for immediate execution.
She rotated her hip and lifted her leg with millimetric precision. The kick came sharp and fast, accompanied by the minimal displacement needed to generate maximum air compression.
"Rankyaku."
The compressed air projectile left Kalifa's leg in the shape of a blade, advancing in a straight line across the deck at constant speed.
SHRRAAAASH!
The wind blade tore through the group of Marines watching the fight. Bodies were cut before any coordinated reaction was possible. The impact opened clean gashes through armor and flesh, throwing soldiers backward at different angles. Weapons fell loose, fingers opened involuntarily, knees buckled unevenly.
Cries erupted at once, disordered, some cut short midway, others stretching until they vanished as bodies struck the deck. Blood spread in short trajectories, marking the ground with broken patterns as the soldiers collapsed.
The projectile continued until it lost force, dissipating only after crossing the entire line.
The vice admiral turned his body on reflex, eyes following the trail left by the attack. The sword lowered slightly, not from hesitation, but from adjustment in the face of the sudden change in scenario.
"Damned women, how dare you." He clenched his teeth, arm tensing as he resumed guard and pulled his body forward. "Attacking my men from behind."
He advanced again, now with more force applied to his steps, the blade describing a wider arc, seeking to close the distance before another interference could occur.
Alvida answered by stepping forward as well, canceling part of the reach advantage. The club rose diagonally to intercept the next strike.
CLAAANG!
The clash pushed both to opposite sides. The vice admiral twisted his wrist and attempted an immediate return cut, aiming for the torso. Alvida shifted her body axis and used the club handle to deflect the blade, keeping her head out of the attack line.
KRAAANG!
The separation was brief. The vice admiral slid his foot forward and tried to press with a direct blow, using body weight to punch through the defense. Alvida absorbed the impact with a firm base and pushed back, forcing space.
"Finish this already." Kalifa said as she adjusted her glasses with two fingers and shifted her weight to the side. "If you take any longer, I will step in myself."
"Hey, this fight is mine, why do you not go deal with other ships." Alvida replied without breaking posture, the club returning to the center line while her feet maintained exact distance for another exchange.
The vice admiral advanced in the gap created by the exchange. The blade traced a short and direct arc, with no visible preparation, cutting through the open space before the club could fully close guard.
SHRAAACK!
The sword edge tore through the side of Alvida's abdomen. The impact pushed her body half a step back. The cut opened flesh cleanly and deep, blood appearing immediately, flowing in a continuous line before dripping onto the deck.
"Do not get distracted in battle, pirate." The vice admiral maintained his advance after the strike, sword still aligned in front of his body, ready to continue pressure.
Alvida retreated another step, the club lowering to stabilize her base. Her free hand pressed the wounded area only long enough to stop the immediate flow.
She lifted her face.
"Look what you did. Lucky it is not permanent."
The wound began to close. Exposed flesh contracted in visible sequence, the edges of the cut drawing together as the blood flow reduced until it stopped. The opening shrank at a steady pace, sealing layer by layer until only a fresh mark remained, still reddened, but intact.
The vice admiral halted his advance for an instant. The sword remained raised, but his gaze traced the area where the cut had been opened and now no longer existed. His weight redistributed backward, feet adjusting position to maintain safe distance.
He rotated the blade once, short, reassuming a mid guard. The change was immediate and practical, removing any attempt at direct pressure while he recalculated the rhythm of the fight.
Kalifa observed the complete closure of the wound and took one step back, already moving away from the main combat line.
She inclined her head slightly, her glasses reflecting light for a moment.
"I will let you do it your way. Just do not ruin the plan."
An opening formed at the side of the deck, narrow and functional. Kalifa crossed through without hesitation, disappearing from view in the next instant. The opening closed right after her passage, without additional sound.
Alvida adjusted her grip on the club, spinning it once before setting her hands on the correct axis.
"It is time to put an end to this." She stepped forward, her body following the motion with clear resolve. "No interruptions."
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