Horseshoe Island
An utterly unremarkable island on the Grand Line, Horseshoe Island's only specialty was breeding fine horses.
With a population of roughly two thousand, the residents made a modest but peaceful living raising and trading horses.
Unfortunately, that quiet, simple life was shattered by sudden disaster.
The tranquil town was swallowed by cannon fire. Continuous explosions and rolling black smoke transformed what had once been a peaceful haven into something resembling hell itself.
At the island's harbor, a massive pirate ship was docked.
The island had fallen victim to a pirate raid.
Ayi — wielder of the Slice-Slice Fruit(Kilo Kilo no Mi), bounty: 200 million Berries. Captain of the Blade Pirates. Hailed by some as one of the rising stars among pirates.
At this very moment, he led his crew in a wanton massacre across the island.
Thanks to the power of the Slice-Slice Fruit, he could transform any part of his body into razor-sharp blades. Worse still—
He was a complete psychopath.
His favorite pastime was carving people to pieces.
"P-Please… spare me!"
A simple-looking fisherman collapsed to the ground, legs trembling. He crawled backward in sheer terror, staring at the man before him.
Ayi didn't even bother responding.
With a single slash, he cut the man's throat.
Blood sprayed into the air, staining the blade that had once been his arm crimson. A twisted smile spread across his face.
To Ayi, nothing was more exhilarating than the sensation of a blade slicing through someone's throat.
The scent of iron filled the town.
Blood became a mournful requiem.
Suddenly—
Ayi's expression changed.
He leapt backward, crossing his arms in front of himself.
An enormous explosion erupted where he had just been standing.
Through the thick smoke, a towering figure burst forward.
His fist was coated in metallic black Armament Haki. His massive arm carried the force of a battleship's main cannon as it slammed into Ayi's body.
The comparatively slender pirate captain was blasted into the air.
Even before landing, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Gritting his teeth, Ayi transformed both legs into blades. They carved two deep, narrow trenches into the earth as he skidded backward for more than fifty meters before finally stopping.
"Blade Pirates Captain—'Swiftblade' Ayi. You've got some nerve."
"You…"
Ayi lifted his head and looked at the man before him—twice his size, built like a fortress.
That single punch had injured him.
And once he saw the man's face—
His heart sank.
"Marine rising star… 'Rampage' Roldy!"
He recognized the man who had appeared on countless newspaper front pages.
Roldy approached with a savage grin.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the civilians lying in pools of blood.
Deep in his eyes, a trace of sorrow flickered—
Then it was consumed by blazing anger.
"Why kill them?"
It was a foolish question.
"As pirates, isn't killing civilians normal?"
Ayi straightened up, speaking lightly.
Meanwhile, the rest of his crew began rushing toward the scene.
So what if it was a Marine rising star?
Their captain was a rising star too.
If it came down to a real fight, there was no guarantee they would lose.
In this era, the Marines and pirates were mortal enemies. If one side showed weakness, the other would destroy them without hesitation.
And to the Blade Pirates—
Roldy, standing alone, looked like the weaker side.
"Ryusei Kazan."
A voice filled with fury echoed from afar.
Ayi's heart skipped.
The world before him turned red.
Scorching heat surged forward.
Countless fists of magma rained down like meteors, crashing violently into the ground nearby.
The pirates rushing to reinforce their captain were instantly swallowed by molten lava.
The terrifying heat left nothing behind.
Not even bones.
After suffering such devastating losses, Ayi whipped his head around in shock.
"Commodore of the North Blue—Sakazuki!"
He was a man who seemed forged from iron and blood itself.
A Rear Admiral's insignia rested on his shoulders. He wore a crimson suit, his chest partially exposed, revealing a rose-shaped tattoo. Both arms churned with flowing magma.
Just one glance at him was enough to inspire fear.
"A rookie who hasn't even set foot in the New World… I don't see any chance of you walking away alive."
Sakazuki had an explosive temper.
Though he possessed a Logia-type Devil Fruit, his physical combat ability was equally terrifying—far superior to Ayi's. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to keep up with his speed.
Before Ayi could react, a magma-clad fist slammed into his abdomen.
The searing heat nearly burned straight through him.
He spat out another mouthful of scorching blood.
"Captain, I'll back you up!"
In the distance, a pirate wielding a trident roared. His body was built like a raging bull, and as he charged forward, sharp spikes grotesquely sprouted from his skin.
Clearly—
Another Devil Fruit user.
But he had taken only a few steps when a blinding light flashed across the sky.
"Yasakani no Magatama."
Countless beams of light rained down in a dense, devastating barrage.
The lasers pierced straight through the pirate's body without resistance, like machine-gun fire made of light.
His charge came to an abrupt stop.
His body twisted unnaturally, riddled with holes.
Crackling sounds echoed—
Until the final beam struck his head.
It exploded.
Behind the collapsing corpse stood a tall figure wearing the uniform of a Marine Headquarters Colonel.
"So scary~ The Blade Pirates' vice-captain. Bounty: 92 million Berries. But you're not allowed to take a nap here, you know~"
He smiled lazily as he placed a foot atop the pirate's body.
Yet in Ayi's eyes—
That smile was anything but gentle.
"Marine Headquarters Colonel… another monster rookie from the North Blue—Borsalino!"
Ayi had never imagined that of the four men hailed as the Marines' strongest monster rookies—
Three would show up here.
The thought of retreat began to take root in his mind.
"You Marines really think highly of me…"
Grinding his teeth, he turned and bolted toward the coastline without hesitation.
He knew escape would be nearly impossible. The other three were faster than him—
And one of them possessed the speed of light.
Yet after running a hundred meters—
No attack came.
Confused, he glanced back.
The three men remained where they stood, smiling calmly at him.
What was going on?
The answer came almost immediately.
"Dragon's Breath."
A violent green gale suddenly erupted.
Ayi was caught instantly in a massive whirlwind and hurled high into the sky.
The raging wind carried him back—
And slammed him down hard at his original position.
Struggling to lift his head, unwilling to accept defeat, he rasped:
"The final monster rookie… son of Vice Admiral Garp—Monkey D. Dragon!"
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