"All I did was delay their deaths a little," said Momonga with a casual shrug.
...
No sooner had he spoken than another figure appeared in a flash—Vice Admiral Onigumo.
The blades of his eight swords were still dripping with fresh blood. Just moments ago, several Mink Tribe warriors in their Sulong forms had been chopped into minced flesh by him.
In the original timeline, Onigumo was already a prime example of the Marine hawks. In this timeline, he's even more extreme—a hawk among hawks.
He glanced at Dalmatian and Momonga, his voice low and grim.
"Instead of standing around chatting, why don't you go deal with those two Mink troublemakers?"
Without waiting for a response, Onigumo unleashed his Eight-Sword Style. Using Soru, he vanished and reappeared in front of the recently risen Shishilian and Pedro.
His eight blades, each coated in jet-black Armament Haki, slashed down like a storm toward Shishilian, who stood at the front, unleashing a relentless, airtight barrage.
Shishilian quickly moved to block. In his Sulong form, he had the edge in speed, but against Onigumo's all-directional Eight-Sword Style, he couldn't find a single opening. Blades grazed him, sending streaks of silver-white fur soaked with blood flying.
Pedro had also regained his senses by now. No longer howling like a rabid beast, he focused and joined the fray, his claws crackling with concentrated electricity as he attacked Onigumo.
But when Dalmatian and Momonga also entered the fight, Shishilian and Pedro's situation turned dire.
There were only a handful in this sea who could withstand a combined assault from three elite Marine Vice Admirals. This level of power wasn't something just anyone could face—only Admirals or Yonko-class individuals could compare.
Strong physical prowess, refined swordsmanship, and powerful dual-color Haki—these were the hallmarks of elite Vice Admirals.
Onigumo charged in like a human meat grinder, eight long blades spinning in a deadly dance as he plunged between Shishilian and Pedro.
"Eight-Sword Style: Death Spiderweb!"
...
Momonga drew in a deep puff from his cigar. His blade trembled before erupting into roaring flames. While the three clashed, he lunged forward, gripped his sword with both hands, and unleashed a sweeping blow.
Boom!!
The frozen surface cracked open like a volcanic eruption. With a shockwave blasting outward, the fire on Momonga's blade surged into a sea of flames, engulfing both Shishilian and Pedro. Onigumo, who was all too familiar with this technique, had already slipped away.
Through the blazing inferno, Shishilian and Pedro's silhouettes flickered faintly. Their bodies were riddled with intersecting wounds, blood pouring from them. What had once been pristine silver fur was now stained and clotted with gore.
Even their Sulong-enhanced bodies and Haki couldn't withstand the sheer ferocity of Onigumo's Eight-Sword onslaught. On top of that, they'd taken a direct hit from Momonga's devastating strike.
Blood trickled from the corners of their mouths, their conditions rapidly deteriorating.
"Cough... cough..."
Pedro, more heavily wounded, collapsed to his knees in the sea of fire. Even breathing had become difficult.
Shishilian rushed to support him, but before he could say anything, Dalmatian had already leapt into the air.
From midair, he swung his sword, sending a green, cross-shaped flying slash down toward them.
The slash tore through the air, landing in the fire almost instantly.
With a whoosh, the flames were blown away, revealing a gruesome scene accompanied by the wet sound of tearing flesh.
Smack!
Dalmatian landed smoothly, his gaze calm as he looked out over the scorched, sunken ice.
There stood Shishilian, arms crossed in front of Pedro in a protective stance, unmoving like a statue.
Pedro's eyes widened. His voice trembled as he called Shishilian's name repeatedly.
Shishilian's body shivered. He tried to turn to Pedro—but then collapsed like a pile of mud.
"SHISHILIAN!!!"
Pedro screamed, rushing to catch him. As he embraced the fallen warrior, his hands were instantly coated in something sticky and warm.
He froze. Trembling, he raised his hand. It was soaked in red.
Shishilian's blood.
His arms fell limp. Each forearm had a long, penetrating slash that had crushed muscle and bone alike.
But the fatal blow was the cross-shaped wound in his chest. Judging by its depth, his internal organs were likely shredded beyond recognition.
No matter how resilient a Sulong Mink's body might be, injuries like these were beyond salvation.
Pedro understood this.
His face froze as he stared at Shishilian. His lips moved, but no sound came.
Shishilian lay dying in Pedro's arms, blood pouring from his mouth like a fountain. With great effort, he forced out his last words.
"Run... go find Joy Boy. You're... you're the king of the Minks... You can't die..."
Summoning all the strength left in his body, Shishilian grabbed Pedro's chest fur with a sudden jerk, blood-red eyes wide open.
"Take the Minks... and survive!!"
With that final shout, his eyes turned hollow. His head slumped to the side, resting atop Pedro's knees.
The silver fur on his body slowly faded back to its original brown, a sign that his life force had completely dissipated.
...
In contrast, Pedro's silver-white fur turned increasingly red with blood. His claws extended, and a dark crimson line pulsed down their centers.
He stared at Shishilian's corpse, his face twisted in rage, like a beast ready to devour the world.
"Marines... DIE!!!"
He let out a soul-piercing roar and launched forward like a streak of blood, tearing across the ice as he lunged at Dalmatian.
Despite being gravely wounded just moments ago, Pedro now moved faster than ever. Before Dalmatian's Observation Haki could even react, he was smashed and sent flying.
Dalmatian righted himself midair and slashed back at the incoming Pedro with several waves of flying blades.
But Pedro didn't dodge. He charged head-on, letting the slashes strike his body. Under his thick, blood-soaked fur, his muscles surged and swelled.
Pedro felt no pain.
There was only one thought in his mind now—tear every last Marine on this battlefield to pieces.
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+150 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg