"Hmph! My nemesis? Don't flatter yourself, brat! You haven't even beaten me yet!"
Patrick Redfield's eyes flared blood-red, torrents of crimson aura swirling violently around him.
"As long as you're not a Logia, and you can't turn into elements, then you still bleed…"
With a sneer, Redfield's fangs extended and his claws clenched tight. Wright suddenly felt the blood within his veins jolt unnaturally.
"…Interesting."
Holy Light surged in response as Wright forcefully suppressed the sensation, staring down the stunned Redfield.
"Old man, if you had a few months to truly master this power, it might have been terrifying. But right now? You're out of time."
"Such low-tier blood manipulation… under the judgment of the Holy Light, it's meaningless."
"You think it's meaningless? Then let's find out the hard way!"
Redfield snarled, refusing to believe that the young Fleet Admiral before him was completely unaffected. At their level, even the slightest disturbance could tip the scales toward victory.
Clashing violently once again, Wright met Redfield's onslaught head-on—but this time, he hadn't come to play some drawn-out duel.
"It's about time. Most civilians have been evacuated. Let's wrap this up, old man."
With a flash of sacred brilliance, Wright slashed Redfield away. The vampire pirate grunted in pain, scorched by the Holy Fire.
"Normally, I wouldn't mind trading blows with you a bit longer," Wright continued calmly, "but I've got far more pressing matters back at headquarters. I didn't come here to waste time."
"Senpais—go."
A biting chill and a blinding flash erupted at Wright's sides as Kuzan and Borsalino stepped forward without a word, forcing Redfield's face to twist in grim realization.
Two Admirals? He could handle that. A battle lasting days wasn't out of the question.
One Fleet Admiral? That was more concerning. This young man's powers genuinely did seem to suppress his own…
But three of them, together? That would decide the fight quickly.
Especially with Wright's Holy Light acting as a direct counter to his vampiric powers. Redfield wasn't foolish—he'd guessed it had something to do with his vampire form. But he'd never heard of this kind of suppression before.
A Zoan being countered by a Paramecia? That made no sense!
"The Navy… is overflowing with monsters."
Redfield's eyes narrowed. "In that case, I'll be taking my leave—for now."
He dissolved into a blur of blood-red shadow, attempting to vanish—only to slam into a massive golden barrier that spanned the entire island.
"…This move…"
Suddenly, Redfield remembered—this was exactly how things had ended for Whitebeard at Marineford.
"So much for that tea in Impel Down… Don't be in such a rush to leave now."
Facing Redfield together, Wright, Kuzan, and Borsalino stood their ground. With the island sealed under a dome of light, this was starting to feel like a true dead end.
"Boss!"
The tanuki, Pato, finally burst past the residual shockwaves of battle and rushed to Redfield's side.
"Boss! Take me with you! I can help!"
"They're too strong! No one can face this kind of power alone!"
"…"
Redfield fell silent. Looking down at the hopeful gleam in Pato's eyes, he suddenly felt the absurdity of all he'd been doing.
"…What a joke."
He chuckled lowly, claws tapping against his forehead as the blood in his eyes faded.
"In the end, I really was just a fool who gave up on his dream."
"I used to sneer at others… and now I've become the very thing I once looked down on."
Wright offered a small smile. "So, got beat hard enough to finally figure things out?"
"Yeah… as much as I hate to admit it, I really did get knocked to my senses."
Redfield flexed his claws and sighed.
"Being young… that alone isn't an excuse to give up on your dreams."
"I tried to chase after borrowed dreams with borrowed youth… You called it, kid."
"No, I abandoned my own dream by pinning it on others."
Appearing before a civilian woman he had previously drained, Redfield reached out. Smoker moved to intervene, but Wright stopped him.
Kuzan smirked. Borsalino pushed up his sunglasses. Smoker watched in astonishment as Redfield placed a clawed hand atop the woman's head.
A flash of blood-red light—then the woman was young once more. Her white hair darkened, vitality returned to her cheeks.
Redfield himself, however, had aged back into his worn, white-haired form.
"I tried to fight aging with the convenience of 'restored youth'… but in truth, I had already given up."
"With such a fragile will, how could I possibly face you, Fleet Admiral?"
With renewed vigor, Redfield spread his arms, solemnly gripping his sword. Crimson aura illuminated his long silver hair.
"I finally understand. The title of 'Pirate King'… isn't something you can attain with borrowed strength or resolve!"
"I swear from this moment forward, even with this frail, aged body of mine…"
"I'll surpass Whitebeard!"
"Roger!"
"And everything else!"
"With unshakable will and unyielding resolve, I will face every challenge head-on!"
"And you—Fleet Admiral! Admirals! You'll be my first targets!"
"…"
Wright smiled faintly. Talk all you want—but in the end, it's strength that forces someone to face the truth.
"Congrats on finding your fighting spirit again. But this is a war between Marines and pirates. I won't be naïve enough to let you go just because I respect your resolve."
"Come, then. In honor of your conviction, we'll fight you with everything we've got."
"Boss!"
Pato darted in front of the now solemn Redfield, planting himself firmly at his side.
"You're not alone, Boss! It's one man—and one beast!"
"I swear too! I'll never leave your side! I'll protect you!"
"I don't care if you abandon me—I'll still follow!"
"Even if I get booted or punched into the sky, I'll chase you to the ends of the earth!"
Pato shouted at the top of his lungs:
"I won't give up either! On my dream!"
"…"
Redfield looked at Pato, then at Wright, Kuzan, the grumbling Borsalino, and the camera-smashing Smoker. With a wry smile, he muttered:
"Hmph… Loudmouthed brat."
"Looks like my plan to get you to safety's gone up in smoke."
"You do realize—if I lose, you're going to Impel Down with me, right? No daylight. No escape."
"I know!"
Pato beamed. "Even so, I'll still go with you, Boss!"
"…Heh."
Redfield shook his head, a rare smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Then this… is the first step of a new ambition."
"Just one man—and one beast."
"Marines, prepare yourselves. We'll show you our terror!"
Pato leapt onto Redfield's shoulder. Redfield raised his blade high, pointing it toward the three formidable Marines.
"Starting today, the entire sea… will remember my name again!"
"…What an incredible old legend."
Holy Light, radiant flashes, and icy winds surged as Redfield's blood aura burst forth, turning the island into a kaleidoscope of chaos.
"Let's begin!"
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