Flames and sword flashes intertwined as the sea breeze grew hot, the beach already stained with patches of black char and crimson blood.
Golaz's massive blade, coated in Armament Haki, clashed violently with Ace's blazing fist.
CLANG—!!
Sparks flew, and a wave of heat rolled outwards.
"Kid, your flames are strong, but you're still too green!" Golaz sneered, a vicious glint in his eyes. He suddenly put more force into his swing, knocking Ace's fist aside with his blade. He twisted his body and unleashed a furious counter-slash. "Blood Blade: Horizontal Slash!!"
A dark slash swept out. Ace's pupils contracted as flames erupted from his feet, forcing him into a retreat.
BOOM!!
A trench dozens of meters long was blasted into the beach, and seawater rushed in, creating waves several feet high.
"Don't let them intimidate you!!" Golaz roared. "They're just a bunch of kids! Fight back!!"
"Kill—!!" The core officers of the Blood Blade Pirates finally regained their senses, unleashing their own weak but fierce Armament Haki as they swarmed forward.
The first mate, "Iron Hook" Barton, targeted Luffy, who was wreaking havoc among the pirates. "Kid, you've got a hard punch!" Barton grinned menacingly, the heavy iron hook on his right arm whistling as it swung down.
Luffy grinned back and flickered out of sight. "Shave!"
He instantly appeared at Barton's side, his fist clad in Armament Haki, and slammed it into his opponent's abdomen. "Iron-Shattering Fist!!"
BAM!!
The punch landed squarely on his ribs. Barton's organs shook, and he staggered back, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Damn, getting hit by you is like getting hammered! Why does it hurt so much?!"
Luffy shook his fist and grinned. "My grandpa taught me! Go ask him!"
The combat captain, "Dual Blade" Rex, saw Zoro cutting down multiple pirates with two swords and charged him. "You use a two-sword style too? Let's see what you're made of!" He pushed off his toes and unleashed a sharp, crossing wind blade.
Zoro didn't dodge, meeting the attack head-on with a diagonal leaping strike. "Two-Sword Style: Rhino Cycle!!"
CLANG!!
A metallic roar echoed as sparks flew. The two swordsmen brushed past each other, almost face to face. After the exchange, they both retreated. The webbing of Rex's hand was numb, and he was shocked. "This kid's strength... actually overpowered mine?!"
Zoro licked his lips, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. "Not bad... Again!!"
"Regress-Slash!" Ain moved like a ghost across the battlefield. Her short sword swiped past an officer, and his right arm instantly withered, regressing to a child-like state, its strength greatly reduced.
"Aaargh!! My arm?!"
"What kind of ability is that?!" The officer retreated in terror, only for Ain to slash him across the back, knocking him unconscious.
Meanwhile, Binz slammed his hands on the ground, and plants began to grow wildly. "Overgrowth: Entanglement!!"
Several pirates were immediately bound tightly by the vines.
"Nice one, Binz!" Ain precisely reaped the rewards, cleanly finishing off several of the trapped enemies.
In the rear of the battlefield, Zephyr stood like a rock, his arms crossed, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over every position.
"Ace's flame bursts have power, but he lacks control... His Observation Haki needs more training."
"Luffy's physical technique is improving fast, and his attacks are strong, but he has too many openings."
"Zoro's blade is already starting to show the potential to 'cut iron'."
Just as a pirate quietly circled around to ambush a distracted cadet—
POW!!
Zephyr struck like lightning, a fist coated in Armament Haki smashing the enemy into the sand, instantly incapacitating him.
The rescued cadet looked at him in shock. Zephyr said coolly, "On the battlefield, you must always be aware of your surroundings. Do not get distracted!"
"SIR!!" The cadet straightened up, his eyes filled with a new determination.
Fire, sword-light, roars, and vines crisscrossed the battlefield. The Blood Blade Pirates were in full retreat, while this group of young cadets took their first steps toward becoming true Marines amidst the cannon fire and bloodshed.
Golaz was now panting heavily, covered in burns, and his giant blade was already showing cracks. "Dammit... how is this kid so strong?!" He gritted his teeth and looked at Ace, who, though also tired, still had eyes burning with intensity.
"Flame Commandment: Explosive Flame Bullet!!" Ace brought his hands together, compressing a massive fireball into the size of a fist. The aura it radiated was terrifying.
Golaz's pupils shrank. "Wait... I surren—"
BOOM—!!!
The fireball crashed down, and an explosion of flames consumed everything.
The smoke of battle had not yet cleared. The beach was littered with the unconscious forms of the Blood Blade Pirates, but the fighting spirit had not faded from the eyes of the youths. Ace's fiery blast had completely engulfed Golaz, leaving him lying on the sand like a broken sack, his skin charred and smoking, his once-arrogant gaze now filled only with fear and emptiness.
On another part of the battlefield—
"Two-Sword Style: Bull Charge!!" Zoro lunged forward, his body like a charging bull, his dual swords unleashing a flurry of ultimate thrusts.
Stab! Stab! Stab!!
Rex's eyes widened in shock. He could only barely block the first two strikes before the rest of the attacks rained down on him like a storm.
"Dammit!"
"—Slash!!" As Zoro brushed past him, his swords flashed. Rex stumbled back several steps, his chest covered in numerous fine cuts. Blood spurted as his swords fell from his hands, and he collapsed.
Zoro stood up slowly and let out a heavy breath. "Hah... That's the strongest attack I can manage right now." He sheathed his swords and stood over the fallen Rex, murmuring calmly, "You lose."
Not far away, the pirate officers suppressed by Ain and Binz had all been defeated. Vines were entangled around the fallen foes as Ain finished them off with clean, decisive strikes.
The pirates' morale completely shattered. The previous uproar faded like a tide, leaving only terror and trembling.
But the battle was not entirely over. In his fierce fight with the first mate, Barton, Luffy had gradually moved away from the main battlefield and into the edge of the jungle.
BAM!
Luffy's fist slammed against Barton's iron hook. Armament Haki clashed with metal, sending sparks flying.
"Kid... you pack quite a punch!" Barton gritted his teeth and sneered, suddenly twisting his hook in an attempt to lock Luffy's fist.
Luffy grinned and ducked low. "Shave: Flash Step!"
He instantly appeared behind Barton, his right leg sweeping out like an iron whip. "Tempest Kick: Whip!!"
CRASH!!
Barton was sent flying, smashing through several trees before finally crashing into the bushes at the jungle's edge.
Luffy stood his ground, panting slightly with his hands on his knees, sweat trickling down his face. "Hah... this guy's pretty tough."
After a moment's rest, he was about to turn back to the beach when he suddenly frowned.
Rustle...
A faint sound of rustling leaves came from deep within the jungle.
Luffy spun around, his pupils contracting.
"Who's there?!"
From the dark shadows of the trees, two figures slowly emerged—one large, one small, both with cold, murderous eyes.
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (290 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (240 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (110 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (120 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (310 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (120 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (140 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(70 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (193 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (140 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (100 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (70 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (100 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (120 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (120 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (85 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (60 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (70 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (120 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (120 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (60 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (90 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (90 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (70 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (70 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (70 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (70 Chapter)
Uma Musume: You Can't Be a Hero Without a Little Chemical Enhancement (20 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd Your Boyfriend is Really Amazing (20 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.