The Siren Goddess Calypso faltered as Brook's soul-stirring music tugged at her spirit, freezing her body for a few precious seconds. Defenseless, she was swarmed by a dozen generals, their blades slashing wildly.
Even with the resilience of her Mythical Zoan Siren Fruit, Calypso was battered, her body marred with wounds. The ghostly generals weren't just illusions—they could strike the physical world, sapping vitality and assaulting the soul itself!
"Calypso! Are you okay?!"
Dawei reverted to his human form, catching her in his arms. His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, and his Armament Haki flared, unleashing a storm of sword aura that shattered the generals.
But the ghosts reformed swiftly within the Reaper's Ghost Gate behind Brook, materializing once more to face their foes.
Dawei gently caressed Calypso's pale cheek, his heart aching. He wished he could transfer his own monstrous regenerative powers to her.
Years ago, for her safety, he'd gone to brutal lengths—slaughtering a merchant convoy and a pirate crew to seize the Mythical Zoan Siren Fruit. Its unparalleled recovery and survival abilities were perfect for her.
Yet Calypso wasn't a born fighter. That she'd developed the fruit this far was more than enough for Dawei, who vowed to protect her always.
He'd considered keeping her airborne, out of the fray, but with Golden Lion Shiki on the enemy side, he couldn't risk it. So they fought together, her perched atop his head—a duo that had toppled countless pirates. But today, Brook had turned the tables.
"Retreat, Dawei! While the Sea Kings are still with us, we can escape. We'll save Dalma and the others another time!"
Calypso's wounds were severe but not fatal. Her greater fear was for Dawei's safety. The Hell Pirates were far stronger than they'd anticipated—dangerously so.
"No! They hurt you like this—I'll make them all pay with their lives!"
As a Conqueror's Haki wielder, Dawei had grown stronger time and again for Calypso's sake. Protecting her was his creed, his reason for being.
Seeing her injured now, he couldn't swallow his rage.
Half-beast again, Dawei secured Calypso to his back, two tentacles gently but firmly binding her in place. His eight-sword great swordsman style became a six-sword stance, burdened by love.
"Yohohoho! Why do I feel like you're the protagonist here, Dawei? Carrying your wounded love, vowing revenge, and fighting your way out—this sounds like a story I've heard before…"
Brook sensed Dawei's murderous intent. Had he crossed a line, touched the man's deepest nerve? Was this the spark for Dawei's own cosmic eruption?
"Don't worry, Brook! I've got your back!"
Charlotte Linlin unleashed a tidal wave of aura, shattering Dawei's killing intent. No one would harm Brook on her watch!
Was this… the ultimate sense of security?!
Hmph! Dawei wasn't the only one with a loved one to fight for. Linlin could unleash her own fury for love!
"Get ready—full focus! Dawei's done holding back!" Brook called out. "Let me give you a little boost!"
He began playing a rousing rendition of Conqueror's Paradise, igniting the fighting spirit of Redfield, Newgate, and Shiki. Linlin? She was already in her own universe, blazing with passion.
...
Shakky and her samurai crew, along with their captives, retreated to a safe distance. This level of battle was beyond their reach for now.
But Shakky's mind raced. If Brook's team and Dawei ended up mutually wounded, she might swoop in for the spoils. A pseudo-emperor's blood was a rare treat—perfect for a power boost!
She'd joined the "scavenger squad" now. High-quality blood was too good to waste, and even if Brook claimed the souls, she'd make use of the leftovers.
...
With Calypso on his back, Dawei entered a vengeance-fueled frenzy. His three types of Haki surged, and his Mythical Zoan Octopus Siren Fruit awakened fully. His regeneration was near godlike—severed tentacles regrew in seconds!
"You destroyed everything the Sea Siren Pirates stood for! Today, I'll end you all!"
Dawei charged, his speed undiminished despite carrying Calypso. His six sword-wielding tentacles stretched impossibly long, coated in Armament Haki for defense, with emitted Armament Haki and sword aura slashing at his enemies.
"Energy's finite," Brook said to his crew. "His Mythical Zoan may heal fast, but his stamina won't last forever. Brace for a war of attrition!"
He didn't voice the darker tactic: targeting the wounded Calypso. He knew his crew fought with honor, so he left it unsaid.
That dirty work? Brook would handle it himself. A "stray" attack or two might just hit Calypso, distracting Dawei in the process.
As Dawei barreled forward, Linlin and Newgate, the twin titans, met him head-on. Redfield and Shiki flanked him, striking from the sides with relentless ferocity.
Brook played a soul-stirring melody, granting his allies a boosting aura while hitting Dawei with a debilitating curse. Then, drawing his Shichiseiken, he leaped skyward, unleashing a ferocious Slash!
Four future legends of the seas—Linlin, Newgate, Redfield, and Shiki—surrounded Dawei. Even in death, he'd have reason to boast!
Linlin's thunder-fire fists, Newgate's quake-infused naginata, Redfield's lightning-charged rapier, Shiki's dual-sword aura paired with earthen lions, and Brook's piercing ghost slashes from above…
The onslaught overwhelmed even Dawei's six-sword mastery. Each foe wielded Armament Haki emission, forcing him to burn through his own Haki reserves to keep up.
Brook's slashes were the worst—cutting flesh was one thing, but freezing the soul? Dawei's rapid healing couldn't counter that eerie assault, leaving him uneasy for the first time.
Calypso, strapped to his back, suffered even more. Already wounded, she endured the battle's shockwaves, her lover too stubborn to retreat.
Their bond was true, though. Calypso gritted her teeth, bearing the collateral damage to avoid distracting Dawei. One misstep, and they'd become doomed lovers on the run.
"Yohohoho! Dawei, ever think your wife might not survive this fight? Instead of escaping to heal her, you're playing the tragic hero, avenging her in a blaze of glory!"
Brook positioned himself behind Dawei, unleashing a Slash. Dawei scrambled to parry, his focus split.
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