Just as Gion soared backward from the impact, Ross's Poseidon's Trident slammed into the Redfield's staff-sword with a thunderous crack.
Rip it apart!
A crimson haze of overwhelming Conqueror's Haki exploded from the clash point, shaking the air itself.
On contact, the Redfield unleashed everything—no probing, no holding back. He needed to blitz past Ross, finish Gion, and vanish.
Ross matched the fury without flinching. He shifted into Poseidon mode, Armament Haki fusing with churning seawater along the trident's blade.
Boom!
The raw power of their collision rippled outward in shockwaves, crumbling the high platform beneath them.
King Cobra, caught too close, didn't even have time to scream. The blast shredded him into a gory mist, raining blood and chunks across the fleeing crowd below.
"Ahhh!"
"Run for your lives!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Murderers!"
Chaos erupted as the civilians finally snapped out of their stupor, scrambling in panic. The royal guards, faces twisted in horror and rage, pushed through the debris toward the platform, eyes locked on their king's scattered remains.
Alabasta's king was dead—and the world would know it soon.
Clang!
The weapons parted with a screech. Ross hovered in midair, trident gleaming with seawater. The Redfield stood firm on a cushion of Haki, staring him down from across the ruined stage.
The exchange had pushed Ross back over ten meters; the Redfield yielded barely three. By raw force, the assassin held the edge.
But trouble brewed for the Redfield. Ross wasn't some pushover. A few years back in the Grand Line, only legends like Roger, Shiki, or Whitebeard could guarantee a win against him. Even Rayleigh would struggle.
One clash told the Redfield everything. With Ross blocking his path, taking out Gion was no quick kill.
He glanced past Ross. Gion had eaten the flying slash but looked roughed up at worst—no real damage. Her strength rivaled a 300-to-500 million Berries pirate, leagues beyond fodder like Cobra.
Alone, he'd have crushed her in a minute flat. But this? Messy.
Damn.
Locked in the standoff, the Redfield spotted Gion pulling out a Den Den Mushi. His face darkened.
He trusted his solo skills, but a swarm? No thanks. Word was, Zephyr shadowed Ross. If the old Marine hero showed, escape would be a pipe dream.
Still, he'd scouted ahead: Zephyr was holed up in Alabasta's capital. Fastest route? An hour, minimum.
Not enough time to finish the job.
Retreat it is.
Without a second thought, the Redfield wheeled around to bolt.
"Think you can just walk away after murdering King Cobra?" Ross bellowed, framing the assassin as the royal killer from the jump.
Their original target was Gion—the king was bonus carnage. But slapping that label on him tied Ross to the defense, clean and simple.
This fight wasn't just about winning; it was about the aftermath.
The words hit home. Civilians and guards below turned on the Redfield with fresh venom, shouts of outrage rising.
Ross didn't waste the momentum. He surged forward, closing the gap in a blur.
The Redfield's edge in that first hit? Just Haki shock—nothing more. True power? Ross outclassed him in speed, strength, endurance.
As he closed, Ross unleashed the Poseidon's Trident: dozens of high-pressure water blades slicing like flying slashes toward the fleeing killer.
The Redfield barely covered two steps before sensing the assault. He twisted back, sword-staff whipping up afterimages.
Sizzle!
He shattered the first water arc with a precise strike, the seawater exploding harmlessly. But the delay cost him—Ross was on him.
Crash!
Seawater surged like a tidal wave as Ross swung the trident full-force.
No holding back like against Brogy—this was all-out from the whistle. Against the giant, it'd wrap in ten minutes tops.
Clang!
The Redfield's face stayed stone-cold. He parried with effortless grace, staff-sword deflecting the blow.
Conqueror's Haki burst from him in a targeted dome, ten meters wide. The oncoming water slammed into the invisible barrier, splashing wide.
"If that's your best shot, you won't lay a finger on me," the Redfield said coolly. He rode the trident's recoil, flipping back to gain distance.
Fight and fade—that was the play. At their level, a decisive win could take days. Hit the sea, and options exploded: fruits that warped space, summoned waves, whatever. He'd seen 'em all.
Ross's water tricks? Impressive, but no match for the ocean depths. And both he and Gion were Devil Fruit users—swimming was suicide for them.
Once submerged, game over.
Whether you escape? That's not your call.
Ross grinned, charging in with a sweeping halberd arc.
Zephyr was in Alabasta, sure—an hour out. Plenty for a normal chase. But who said the old man's his only backup?
Boom!
The Redfield dodged and weaved, excuses flying as Ross hounded him relentlessly. They tore through Eluma's oasis, then spilled into the scorching sands near the Sandora River.
Shockwaves cracked the earth, toppling mud-brick homes like dominoes. Dust clouds billowed, the desert quaking like doomsday.
Alabasta's folk had never witnessed a brawl this brutal. They stood frozen—until Gion barked orders. Guards snapped to, organizing rescues, evacuations, and scooping up Cobra's remains for a hasty burial.
Out in the wastes, the Redfield sneered amid the chaos. "This your ace? A single Marine warship steaming in?"
His Observation Haki was innate, honed to perfection. Three klicks out on the Sandora River: one warship, closing fast.
"Just a ship?" Ross shot back, smirking.
The Redfield's brow furrowed.
Then his senses pinged: a silhouette vaulted from the deck, rocketing toward them at blistering speed.
"Not Zephyr... You've got another heavy hitter?!"
Haki locked on the face. The Redfield's eyes widened in shock.
"The new Marine Admiral—Sakazuki?!"
—