Sphinx Island.
A vast stretch of coastline had turned into a battlefield between pirates and marines. Even the weakest among them were monsters by ordinary standards.
A casual punch could shatter boulders. Normal bullets merely drew blood. Only heavy artillery posed a real threat.
A war between thirty thousand monsters.
The result: the entire port town reduced to rubble, with the sounds of clashing fists resembling endless explosions.
"This is bad. The admirals still haven't taken down White Wolf Magnus?"
Honeys looked frustrated. The tide was turning against the marines. Their greatest strength—two admirals—were not on the front lines. Without them, the temporarily assembled marines from various branches were struggling against the pirates of the New World.
He raised his arm to block Rocks' strike and countered with a haki-covered punch, but Rocks dodged nimbly.
As the battle dragged on, Honeys noticed with alarm that the young man fighting him was improving rapidly.
At first, Honeys used his superior kenbunshoku haki (Observation Haki) to suppress Rocks. But Rocks adapted quickly, reducing his attack strength from full force to about seventy percent.
Rocks had figured it out.
This vice admiral was proficient in both kenbunshoku and busoshoku haki (Armament Haki), but was clearly more skilled in kenbunshoku. Their busoshoku levels were evenly matched.
Without Observation Haki, Rocks was confident he wouldn't lose in a straight fight.
But you couldn't expect your opponent to stop using their best skill in a real battle.
So he adopted another approach.
The power of kenbunshoku haki lay in predicting and dodging attacks. But if one's speed was fast enough, or one could respond instantly to counters, even strong haki could be rendered ineffective.
Honeys had better speed and power, so instead, Rocks reduced his attack frequency.
If he stayed cautious, Honeys' advantage would fade, dragging him into Rocks' pace.
This was something Magnus had taught him: the way to handle Observation Haki users.
Immutable like a mountain. Swift like thunder.
So even if Honeys knew he was stronger, he could do nothing against Rocks' 'turtle strategy.'
"If only Pick were here…"
BOOM—
A deafening collision came from the side. Vice Admiral Pick and Ripley had exchanged punches. It was like two heavy bombs smashing into each other. A shockwave exploded from the point of impact, raising hurricane-level winds.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!"
Their fight was pure brutality—no fancy tricks, no holding back their busoshoku haki. To Honeys, it felt like a single punch from either could kill him outright.
"Huff… Why would a woman like you become a pirate?"
Vice Admiral Pick looked confused.
"With your strength, you could've joined the Marines. Why follow someone else?"
To him, both Rocks and Ripley were promising youngsters—misguided by Magnus, but still salvageable.
Why follow an aging pirate who might drop dead any day?
"Puhahaha! Joining the Marines would be the same—still following orders from admirals and fleet commanders. I'd rather be free in a pirate crew."
Ripley scoffed.
"Besides, Magnus isn't just a good senchō (captain), he's a good man. And a great partner. Your Marine guys don't hold a candle to him."
She didn't show it outwardly, but Ripley had ambitions of her own.
But it was still early. She wasn't strong enough yet.
So she kept her ambition hidden for now.
"What a shame."
Seeing that she wouldn't budge, Pick gave up trying. He believed it was just Magnus' illusion. Once that old pirate lost to the admirals, the fog would lift.
Ripley would come to her senses.
The battle had raged for hours now. Many had fallen—both pirates and marines.
Screams echoed everywhere.
Amid the chaos, Stussy had been dragged out of the clinic by the goat doctor, ordered to help the wounded.
Stussy: Old goat, are you out of your mind?
They were just a bunch of doctors, unarmed and untrained. Even a pirate with a 10-million bounty could kill them on this battlefield.
But if she wanted to learn medicine from the goat doctor, she had to follow him. Treating the injured was also part of the job.
"I said I wanted to join the White Wolf Pirates, not risk my life!"
She grumbled inwardly.
"A woman once told me—patients disappear for only two reasons: one, recovery; two, death."
The goat doctor glanced at her, using forceps to stop a pirate's bleeding.
"I'm a doctor. I can't ignore the person right in front of me."
"Bandages!"
"…Right."
Her body obeyed, but her heart still rejected his ideals.
She had studied medicine to make money.
Now she wanted to join Magnus' crew—still for money.
What did the patients' fate matter to her?
"Haha! Well said!"
A woman's voice suddenly echoed among the clinic's doctors and nurses.
"You're finally a real doctor now."
Hearing that familiar voice, the goat doctor froze.
"You're—Ku…"
He was interrupted.
"Look! It's the Witch Kureha!"
"White Wolf Pirates' doctor! Bounty: 60 million!"
"Catch her!"
…
Amused by the Marine's reaction, the pale-golden-haired woman with sunglasses laughed.
"You guys are lively, but I don't have time for you right now!"
She tossed out a handful of pills. Upon hitting the ground, colorful toxic mist erupted, sending the Marines scrambling.
"It's poison! Hold your breath!"
"I can't move my body!"
"I–gurgle…gurgle…"
…
Watching a group of marines foam at the mouth and collapse, Kureha laughed heartily, hands on hips.
"Didn't anyone teach you not to touch my 'medicine'? Now take these antidotes before you actually die!"
Though she poisoned them, she also gave them the antidotes and began dragging both injured Marines and pirates together.
"Well? Don't just stand there! Help out!"
Awakened by her shout, the clinic staff joined her in treating the wounded.
The battle had reached a point where neither side could keep fighting.
The strong were still locked in combat.
But most others were either down or hiding to lick their wounds.
Everyone realized:
The outcome was no longer in their hands.
The real battlefield was elsewhere.
Just five people.
Yet the intensity surpassed that of thirty thousand.
A third of Sphinx Island—
Had been shattered.
(End of Chapter)
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