Chapter 223: Arrest
Not long after Axel finished speaking, a group of sharp, disciplined Marines emerged from the surroundings.
They moved quickly, spreading out in formation and surrounding Vergo from every direction.
The one leading them was Vice Admiral Doberman.
After approaching, Doberman looked straight at Vergo and said, "Vice Admiral Vergo, I hope you will cooperate with our investigation."
As one of Donquixote Doflamingo's subordinates, Vergo knew very well what accepting an investigation meant.
Once they started digging, it would be impossible for him not to reveal flaws.
Naturally, he refused.
He looked at Axel, a trace of surprise finally appearing in his gaze.
"How did you do it?"
He had been watching Axel the entire time, while also keeping his two companions under surveillance.
Logically speaking, Axel should not have had any chance to send a message out.
"Sometimes, sending a message doesn't necessarily require speaking," Axel said slowly.
He had used his ability to adjust the direction and frequency of energy, simulating sound and transmitting the message that way.
"But instead of worrying about that, shouldn't you be thinking about how to escape?"
Vergo fell silent for a moment.
He considered whether there were any other options.
Although he still did not know the full extent of Axel's strength, catching and killing him in front of Doberman, whose strength was not inferior to his own, would likely be impossible.
He glanced toward Ain and Binz.
Axel was standing between him and them.
That meant threatening those two would not work either.
In that case, there was only one choice left.
Run.
If he did not run now, his chances would shrink even further once a Marine Admiral arrived.
Vergo was confident in his own strength, but that confidence was not blind arrogance.
Even the Young Master could not forcibly contend with a Marine Admiral.
Let alone him.
So he had his answer.
Seeing that Vergo did not respond, Doberman could not help urging him.
"Vice Admiral Vergo, please cooperate."
Doberman had always believed in Absolute Justice.
His principle was iron-fisted and uncompromising toward pirates.
If Vergo truly was a pirate, then this would undoubtedly become the greatest joke in Marine history.
And also one of their deepest shames.
That was why Doberman was already impatient even before the matter had been fully confirmed.
This time, Vergo gave his answer.
But not with words.
With action.
He stomped down suddenly, using Moonwalk to step into the air and rise upward, one step after another.
That single action turned suspicion into fact.
It meant the Marines had truly been played for fools.
A pirate had infiltrated their ranks and even become one of their Vice Admirals.
Doberman's expression changed drastically, his face darkening with fury.
He immediately issued the order.
"Fire!"
The gathered Marines looked at one another in confusion.
They did not understand what mistake the well-respected Vice Admiral Vergo had committed to be arrested.
They understood even less why they were being ordered to fire on him.
Even so, the order had been given.
Gunshots erupted.
Vergo moved left and right through the air, evading a large number of bullets.
The remaining shots struck his body, only to be blocked by the black coating that suddenly covered his skin.
Armament Haki.
After the first volley ended, some Marines who had once received Vergo's kindness could no longer stand by silently.
They stepped forward, trying to stop things.
"Vice Admiral Doberman, what are you doing? Is there some kind of misunderstanding?"
Seeing the attack being obstructed, Doberman roared angrily, "Do not interfere with my mission!"
His voice thundered across the port.
"Vergo is a pirate. We need to arrest him!"
But clearly, that explanation was not enough to convince everyone.
How could Vergo, who was usually kind to his subordinates and ruthless toward pirates, be a pirate?
They simply could not believe it.
"How is that possible?"
"Impossible. Vice Admiral Vergo has always cared for us so much, and he's arrested so many pirates. If he's a pirate, then why would he..."
Doberman was furious, but seeing Vergo gradually putting more distance between them, he had no time to explain.
He pushed aside the surrounding Marines and used Moonwalk to give chase.
However, after that brief delay, and with Vergo being highly proficient in Rokushiki, his Moonwalk speed was slightly faster than Doberman's.
Seeing Vergo about to escape, Doberman gritted his teeth in frustration.
At that moment, a beam of light cut straight across the sky.
It was like a flash of brilliance blooming in an instant.
A dazzling streak crossed the air and appeared in front of Vergo before he could react.
The light slowly dispersed.
But what emerged from that dazzling radiance was not a peerless beauty.
It was a middle-aged man with an extremely punchable expression.
Kizaru.
Kizaru did not say a word.
The moment he appeared, he acted, gathering power into one leg before kicking out.
The instant Vergo saw Kizaru appear in front of him, his expression changed abruptly.
At the fastest speed possible, he coated both arms in Armament Haki and crossed them in front of his body to block the kick.
Under Kizaru's Light Speed Kick, Vergo was blasted backward at several times his original speed.
He crashed heavily into the iron-plated port.
Boom!
A massive explosion rang out from the violent impact, and dust surged into the air.
When the dust settled, the iron plating of the port, several centimeters thick, had been torn apart, forming a huge crater.
Vergo was embedded firmly in the ground, like prey trapped in a spider's web.
However, a purple-black sheen emanated from his body.
He slowly broke free from the ground and stood up.
At this time, Kizaru descended from the air and landed.
He twisted his mouth and spoke in that infuriatingly casual tone.
"How scary~ You can still stand after taking a Light Speed Kick."
Although Kizaru said Vergo was scary, everyone knew what was truly frightening.
It was not Vergo, who had endured the blow.
It was Kizaru, whose casual strike had reduced the port to this state.
In everyone's hearts, Kizaru was far more terrifying.
Vergo did not give up.
He chose to force his way through head-on again.
Since he lacked Kizaru's speed, escaping safely was impossible.
His only chance was to break through.
But Kizaru had no intention of giving him that chance.
His body flashed, dodging aside, while several beams of light shot from his hands as distracting attacks.
From the moment Kizaru made his move, no one spoke up for Vergo anymore.
Within the Marines, an Admiral's authority outweighed anyone else's.
Doberman also returned, but there was no need for him to join the fight.
Under Kizaru's offensive, Vergo was forced into a state of passive defense.
It was not that he chose to defend.
It was that he had no chance to counterattack at all.
Axel also watched Kizaru with a solemn expression.
If Kizaru had shown this level of strength during their previous fight, Axel would clearly have been defeated in no time.
But Kizaru had not.
Obviously, during that battle, the vast majority of Kizaru's attention had been on Issho.
That was why Axel had been able to find an opening.
Before long, Vergo was defeated by Kizaru.
After the battle, not only had his bamboo stick been broken, he was also in a miserable state, covered in wounds.
Even so, he still maintained that poker face.
He looked at Axel.
"One day, the Young Master will make your end even more tragic than mine."
"But before that," Axel said, "your Young Master will need to find the time to deal with me first."
His tone was calm.
"Tesoro's side has already started moving too."
Then Axel looked at the surrounding Marines, who were staring at him with strange expressions.
After a pause, he explained, "Tesoro is a businessman. Cooperating with him isn't against the law, right?"
.....
https://discord.gg/KvMN2CFsMR
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]