Countless pirates hurriedly fired up their ships,
paddling desperately toward the distant horizon.
But no matter how fast they tried to escape, they could not evade the monstrous hand that blotted out the sky.
Barrett waved his hand lightly,
and half of the pirate ships were instantly absorbed into the creature's arm.
"Ahhh!!"
"No!!"
"Help me!!"
Endless pirates were thrown from their ships,
plummeting straight into the water.
Soon,
almost every pirate ship had been swallowed by the monster,
except for the one that had fled at the very start.
After absorbing the ships, the monster transformed again.
Two absurdly massive cannons sprouted from its shoulders.
"Die! Hell Cannons!"
Boom! Boom!
The thunderous sounds of cannon fire echoed as two colossal cannonballs
their composition a mysterious amalgam of countless materials
hurtled rapidly toward Ezra D. Vale.
"Tch, meaningless struggle..."
Ezra spoke with a detached expression,
slowly drawing the Liuzhen Ruo Huo from his waist.
He had no desire to continue playing.
"Sword Pressure."
Swish! Swish!
Two arcs of concentrated energy sliced through the very center of the cannonballs.
With two sharp cracks, the cannonballs were split in half instantly.
Ezra's right foot tapped the ground lightly.
Instant Step!
In the next moment, he appeared above the monster's head,
Liuzhen Ruo Huo in hand, swinging mercilessly.
An even greater slash than the Sword Pressure cut through the giant,
cleaving it cleanly in two.
As the colossal monster collapsed,
Barrett was flung from its remains,
crashing heavily onto the ground.
He tried to support himself with his hands,
but utterly exhausted,
he no longer had the strength to lift himself up.
Ezra descended slowly from the sky,
his gaze coldly fixed on Barrett.
"Kill… kill me…"
Barrett's voice was weak and strained.
Ezra parted his lips slightly.
"Is it worth it?"
Barrett shivered.
"I… I don't understand what you mean."
"Come on. None of your attacks toward me carried true intent to kill.
You masked it well, but I sensed it.
You only wish to die."
Ezra looked at the silent Barrett,
shaking his head as he continued.
"I suppose if Roger is executed,
you'll have no goal to surpass.
Even if you know I am stronger than Roger,
he alone is your target,
because he is the Pirate King."
"So, you want to end your life this way…
Am I right?"
Barrett remained silent for a long moment.
When he finally lifted his head,
his eyes were brimming with tears.
"Stop… just… kill me!"
Ezra raised his right hand silently.
"Though you are a pirate guilty of countless crimes,
I admire your devotion to Roger.
Go to hell in peace…
Perhaps there,
you will find a new purpose."
"Flame Ignite."
As Ezra spoke,
an endless azure flame erupted from Barrett's body.
Yet that fierce face did not scream,
instead, it bore a faint smile
as he closed his eyes forever.
Ezra watched the human-shaped blaze,
which soon crumbled into ashes, scattered by the wind.
Ezra let out a rare sigh.
"Perhaps… this is the charm of Roger."
He shook his head and left the deserted island.
Meanwhile, five days before Roger's execution,
Kaido finally arrived at Cake Island.
"Rinrin… no, Big Mom,
why the rush to bring me here?"
Kaido asked, sipping from his gourd of liquor.
"Kaido, that famous Marine… you know who I mean, right?"
Kaido recalled and nodded slowly.
"Ah, you mean Ezra D. Vale?"
"Yes, him!"
"That Marine, aside from killing the Golden Lion, has dared to provoke you?"
Big Mom's expression twisted in fury.
"That bastard killed two of my sons!"
"Oh ho ho ho, Big Mom!
You have so many sons. Two dead what's the big deal?"
Kaido's words were not entirely wrong,
but…
the sons killed were no ordinary sons.
"Kaido, it's not the same! He killed Daifu and Owen!
The ones I had accepted as Minister Bean and Minister Char!"
Kaido paused, the gourd of liquor stopping mid-lift.
"Really? That only proves this kid isn't weak."
Big Mom continued,
"My second son,
Minister Pink, Katakuri,
has been crippled in half!"
Kaido's interest was piqued.
He knew Katakuri's strength fairly well.
After all, Katakuri was
the leader of Big Mom's "Sweet Generals."
"So? Big Mom, what's your plan?"
Before Big Mom could answer,
Clinker rushed in.
"Mama, that woman has arrived!"
_______________________
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