At G-1 Headquarters—
Arthur's strikes were as swift as lightning, as fierce as a dragon.
Marines fell in droves before him.
This man—though only one—fought with the might of an entire army, pressing down with overwhelming force.
"Damn it!"
"Is this guy really just a trainee crewman?"
"Cursed monster!"
Faces grew grim all around. None of them dared treat Arthur lightly anymore. He was far too strong.
"Everyone, together!!!"
.
"Yes, sir!"
Marines swarmed forward, desperate to halt his advance.
But the result was the same—it was futile.
"Hmm?!"
In the midst of his carnage, Arthur suddenly froze. An icy wave of danger crashed through him. Not a bluff, not paranoia—this was the instinctive certainty of death.
He would die if he stayed.
"Hammer of the Wind King!"
Arthur swung violently and leapt back at once.
BOOM!!!
The ground split apart in an instant. His attack was shattered as though it were nothing. From above, a towering figure descended, slamming into the earth.
He wore a dark yellow suit beneath the Marine coat emblazoned with the bold word Justice. The crashing winds around him etched that word into every eye present.
Arthur narrowed his eyes, studying the man. Strong. Terrifyingly strong. The pressure radiating from him surpassed even Sengoku, Zephyr, Shiki, and Edward Newgate.
And Arthur never doubted his instincts.
The legacy of King Arthur was a collection of broken cheats—whether it was his Red Dragon bloodline, the Sword of Promised Victory, or his preternatural intuition. And that intuition had never once been wrong.
"Young man…"
The newcomer's deep voice boomed like a lion's roar. "That's some remarkable Observation Haki—to have sensed my approach."
The figure rose to his full height, arms crossed. Short black hair, a mouth twisted in a confident grin, and a body radiating raw power. He looked about fifty or sixty, yet his presence exuded unmatched ferocity.
"Admiral Vixon!"
"Admiral Vixon has arrived!"
"The Lion Admiral!"
The Marines' morale transformed instantly. The fear and frustration Arthur had inflicted evaporated, replaced by boundless confidence.
"Oho."
Arthur chuckled. "So the monster finally shows himself. A Marine Admiral… I didn't expect one of your kind to appear here."
Marine Admiral.
The Roaring Lion, Vixon.
A living legend of the seas. Unlike the other Admirals, Vixon was infamous for his feral nature—attacking like a rampaging lion, mercilessly tearing apart pirates with overwhelming might.
"…Tch."
Shiki and Edward's expressions hardened.
A Marine Admiral wasn't a joke. Each one could decide the flow of a battlefield. Sengoku, Zephyr, Shiki, and Edward were evenly matched in their duels—but with Vixon's arrival, the balance had already shifted.
"Shiki. Edward."
Arthur frowned. "Tell me honestly… are you sure this guy is someone we can deal with?"
Yes, the Rocks Pirates had brought two senior officers, two hundred elites, plus Edward's ten sub-commanders and five hundred men.
But the Marines… had an Admiral and seven or eight Vice Admirals. In numbers alone, the Navy clearly held the advantage. Could victory even be possible?
"Gurarararara~~~"
Whitebeard laughed, though even he sounded wary. "Looks like we miscalculated. Something must've gone wrong on Wang Zhi's side. This complicates things. Arthur, be careful. Against a Marine Admiral—one slip and you're dead."
Arthur sighed. "What do you mean one slip? Against an Admiral, it's certain death! There's no way I'm his match."
"Jihahahahaha~~~"
Shiki sneered. "Kid, you should be more arrogant! What better opponent for you than a Marine Admiral?"
Arthur's brow twitched. "Easy for you to say. How about you take on the Admiral, and I'll handle Zephyr instead?"
"No interest."
Shiki refused instantly. Edward didn't even bother answering.
This was normal for the Rocks Pirates. Among monsters like them, no one was willing to stake their lives for another. Even if someone escaped, assassinating a top-tier fighter was nearly impossible. Who would throw their life away for nothing?
It would be a joke.
"Looks like…" Arthur muttered bitterly, "…this time's really a problem."
Still, his eyes locked firmly on Vixon.
A Marine Admiral. The Roaring Lion.
Of course Arthur wasn't his equal. Running wasn't an option. So—he would face him head-on.
"An opponent like this… after we return, I'll be demanding extra pay from Captain Rocks."
Arthur straightened his back, every muscle tensing, blood rushing hotter and faster. Under Vixon's crushing presence, even his Red Dragon bloodline stirred restlessly, as though it too was waking.
"An Admiral, huh?"
Arthur's lips curled into a grin. "Perfect. Let's see just how big the gap between me and these monsters really is."