Chapter 52: Rendezvous
On a calm sea, a massive Marine warship sailed steadily forward.
On the deck of the warship stood a group of battle-hardened, elite Marines. The average strength of these soldiers was much higher than that of Momousagi's subordinates.
This was the Pirate Guerrilla unit led by former Marine Admiral Black Arm Zephyr, which specialized in hunting pirates and served as the predecessor to the later NEO Marines.
On the upper deck, a tall and sturdy man with his right arm replaced by a mechanical prosthetic stood upright, gazing at the distant sea with cold determination flashing in his eyes.
This man was Black Arm Zephyr.
Originally, Zephyr had joined the Marines to become a hero, and for a long time was known for his policy of "not killing." When he was 42 years old, his family was murdered by pirates, causing his hatred toward pirates to intensify and his mentality to shift drastically. He became the Marines' Chief Instructor, responsible for training new recruits. The current three Admirals and most Marine officers were trained under him—his teaching abilities were unparalleled.
However, he was later attacked by Edward Weevil, who claimed to be Whitebeard's son. All the students aboard his ship were killed in the battle except for Ain and Binz, and he lost his arm in the process. Since then, his character changed completely. The previous year, he had formed the Pirate Guerrilla unit and had been ruthlessly hunting pirates across the seas.
Behind him stood a woman with long, wavy navy-blue hair, her posture graceful, legs straight, features delicate, and eyes large and bright. This was none other than Ain, user of the Modo Modo no Mi.
"Sensei, I heard that Vice Admiral Momousagi is a Great Swordsman?"
"Yes."
Zephyr nodded slightly, a faint smile crossing his face. "When she arrives, you should ask for her guidance."
"That would be wonderful," Ain said with delight.
For any swordsman, receiving guidance from a Great Swordsman was truly a dream come true.
"By the way, Momousagi has taken on a student. I heard he's only seventeen years old and will be participating in this battle. You should keep an eye on him," Zephyr mentioned.
"Understood!" Ain nodded, adding with curiosity, "Vice Admiral Momousagi's student must have exceptional talent for swordsmanship. Perhaps we could have a sparring match if the opportunity arises."
"That's fine, but he's only seventeen. Even if he's talented, he can't be that strong yet. Be careful not to hurt him," Zephyr cautioned. "Momousagi has quite a temper."
"Yes, I'll be careful," Ain nodded quickly.
Time passed steadily.
Soon, Momousagi's warship came into view. The two vessels quickly rendezvoused and sailed side by side.
While Momousagi currently outranked Zephyr, as his former student, she brought Rhodes and her crew aboard to pay their respects to Zephyr first.
Once aboard, Momousagi caught up with Zephyr and discussed battle plans, leaving Rhodes on deck.
"Well, well, quite a few familiar faces!"
Rhodes glanced around and chuckled to himself.
The beautiful swordswoman Ain, the Taijutsu master Shuzo, and Binz, user of the Mosa Mosa no Mi...
These three were incredibly powerful—at least comparable to Rear Admirals from Marine Headquarters.
Ain's Modo Modo no Mi was particularly troublesome. Anyone struck by her power would have their age regressed by twelve years, and repeated strikes could cause them to disappear entirely.
"Busoshoku Haki hardening should provide some protection, otherwise this ability would be completely broken," Rhodes mused as Ain and the other two approached him, introducing themselves while sizing him up curiously.
"You look rather delicate—not very strong at all," the gruff Shuzo observed. Then, with genuine concern, he stepped forward, patted Rhodes on the shoulder, and said, "Young man, stick close to me once we reach the island. I'll keep you safe."
"..."
Rhodes was at a loss for words. Age really was a disadvantage—blame it on his rapid advancement!
How exhausting.
Looking at the handsome young man before her, Ain immediately took a liking to him. Compared to Shuzo, who resembled a grizzled middle-aged veteran, or Binz with his eccentric outfit, Rhodes' appearance was clearly more pleasing to the eye and suited her preferences better.
Her large, bright eyes focused on Rhodes' sword. After a moment's hesitation, she couldn't help but ask, "Would you like to exchange pointers in swordsmanship?"
The swordsmanship taught by a Great Swordsman must have many valuable techniques, she reasoned.
"Hmm?"
Rhodes was slightly surprised. After a moment's consideration, he decided to be straightforward: "You're not my match."
Three months ago, Ain might have been able to fight Rhodes and possibly even win.
But now... he wasn't being arrogant—even all three of them combined might not be his equal.
Ain's expression froze at this response. She hadn't expected such blunt words!
How arrogant!
Shuzo was stunned as well.
These three were all veteran Marines at their peak, proficient in Haki, Rokushiki, and other advanced techniques—they formed the core fighting force of the Pirate Guerrillas.
Ain was clearly unconvinced.
She narrowed her eyes, drew her two short swords—barely longer than daggers—and said with obvious irritation, "Then please, enlighten me."
A seventeen-year-old brat daring to speak so brazenly!
Ain felt she needed to teach Rhodes a lesson about how the world really worked.
This kind of arrogance might not matter in peacetime, but in bloody battles against pirates, it could prove fatal!
The atmosphere grew tense.
Binz wanted to break the tension with some of his signature moves, but seeing Ain's icy expression, he couldn't help but shrink back.
Among the Pirate Guerrillas, Zephyr was the absolute leader, but Ain held the second-highest authority. In both strength and capability, she was exceptional.
"Why doesn't anyone ever believe the truth?"
Rhodes sighed inwardly and gestured for Ain to attack first.
With his current swordsmanship level, sparring with Ain would be nothing short of bullying!
"This guy... does he really think he's qualified to guide Ain?" Shuzo was speechless.
This confrontation drew considerable attention. Members of both the Pirate Guerrillas and Momousagi's personal guard watched curiously from a distance.
The guards were intrigued, having witnessed Rhodes defeat Eleanor, while the Pirate Guerrillas were mostly expecting entertainment.
They had anticipated a fierce duel, but unexpectedly, the fight ended with shocking swiftness.
Almost in the blink of an eye, Rhodes deflected Ain's twin blades with a casual swing, stepped forward, and gently grasped Ain's delicate neck with his free left hand. A simple thrust would have ended the beautiful swordswoman's life.
Silence fell over the deck.
Everyone stared in amazement.
Feeling the warmth of his hand against her neck, Ain's irritation immediately gave way to complete shock.
"How could... the gap be so enormous!"
She hadn't even been able to react to Rhodes' assault!
Such precise swordsmanship, such terrifying speed...
"I told you—you're not my match."
Rhodes shook his head, released his grip, stepped back, and sheathed his sword.
Ain remained crouched on the ground, breathing heavily, her delicate, fair face flushed. Rhodes was puzzled—he hadn't used much force, so why did she look as though she were suffocating?
Ain's overall abilities were impressive, her Devil Fruit power particularly dangerous, but when it came to pure swordsmanship, she was simply outclassed.
Against Rhodes, she couldn't withstand even a single exchange.
If it had been Shuzo, a master of Taijutsu, he might have lasted a few more moves.
(End of Chapter)
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