Ten pieces!!
A hundred pieces!!
A thousand pieces??
No, it was far more than that!
The sky was filled with cherry-blossom-colored blade fragments, so numerous they were impossible to count. At the same time, Vista realized something crucial: unlike his own attacks, which were constructed from Sword Energy, the fragments released by Gion were actual physical entities!!
How on earth was she doing this?
However, he no longer had time to ponder. As Gion raised her right hand and opened her palm toward him, the floating fragments suddenly seemed to spring to life. They converged instantly and launched a coordinated charge.
The scene was more terrifying than a plague of locusts, enough to make anyone's skin crawl.
Vista, refusing to stand still and wait for death, immediately leaped away. But in the next instant, the swarm of cherry-blossom blades performed a sharp aerial pivot, tracking his movements and pursuing him relentlessly.
Cursing under his breath, Vista dodged again. While retreating, he swung his twin swords, unleashing his Rose Dance.
Unfortunately, the hundred rose petals he produced didn't even create a ripple before they were completely swallowed by the infinite sea of cherry-blossom fragments.
A bizarre scene had unfolded on the battlefield. Gion stood perfectly still, not moving a single step, controlling the chaos with nothing but her right hand. Meanwhile, Vista was frantically fleeing, chased by a swarm of blade fragments that followed him like guided missiles.
A single moment of negligence would mean being overtaken and subjected to a thousand cuts. In fact, "a thousand cuts" was an understatement; the number of fragments Gion had released far exceeded that.
Watching from the sidelines, Hawkeye grew interested, wondering how he would break the deadlock if he were in Vista's position. It didn't take him long to find the answer.
He would simply blast through them with slashes!
If one slash didn't work, he'd use two. If two failed, he'd use three!
It was that crude and simple. Other Great Swordsmen might lack the ability to unleash high-power slashes in seamless succession, but for Hawkeye—a man whose basic attacks were ultimate moves and whose finishers were as natural as breathing—it was effortless.
Meanwhile, among the Marine fleet, a group of Vice Admirals were staring in disbelief.
Could swordsmanship actually be used this way? More importantly, what kind of fruit had Gion fed to Konpira?
Tsuru looked at Akainu with a smile. "Sakazuki, was I wrong just now? If you were careless, you likely would have fallen for that too!"
"No, I am a Logia. Even if I were careless, that attack couldn't harm me," Akainu replied, shaking his head. Being a Logia user gave him the confidence to make such a claim.
Tsuru simply smiled in response, her expression seeming to say: 'Sakazuki, you are still too young!!'
"Admiral Akainu is correct," Momonga added. "While this attack is terrifying, it is difficult to use against Logias or experts of Armament Haki. Setting aside Logia users, Armament Haki naturally counters Devil Fruit abilities. If Vista used Full Body Armament, he could completely tank this attack. Regardless, these blade fragments are essentially products of a Devil Fruit power!"
Many agreed with Momonga's assessment, but there were dissenting voices.
"Vice Admiral Momonga, there is a flaw in your logic," Doberman said, shaking his head. "Armament Haki does counter Devil Fruit abilities, but that counter applies to the power, not the result. For example, if Golden Lion used the Float-Float Fruit to lift an island into the sky and then dropped it, could you stop that island from falling just by touching it with Armament Haki?"
"Based on what we've seen, these blade fragments are the result of Konpira's decomposition. Therefore, using Armament Haki might stop Vice Admiral Gion's control over their movement, but it likely wouldn't negate their inherent piercing power, especially since the fragments are moving at high speeds. In the end, it all depends on whether the strength of one's Armament Haki is enough to withstand that penetration!"
Momonga fell silent. It was a fair point. Until Gion's ability was fully analyzed, no one could say for sure if Armament Haki alone could stop the attack.
The answer arrived quickly. In the projection, the fleeing Vista suddenly came to a halt. His entire body turned a deep, polished black.
Armament Haki—Full Body Armament!
In the next instant, he was engulfed by the cherry-blossom fragments. A dense, rapid series of metallic 'clings' and 'clangs' erupted as the blades struck his body.
Gion frowned slightly and waved her right hand. The fragments immediately converged in the air a short distance away, revealing Vista.
He was completely unharmed, having tanked the wave of attacks through sheer endurance. A smile played on his lips.
'As I thought, they're too spread out. The attack power is insufficient!'
But his expression quickly darkened.
The countless cherry-blossom fragments gathering nearby were changing color. They were turning pitch black. Furthermore, a shimmer of Ryu began to ripple across the surface of the black fragments.
Seeing this, Vista almost cursed aloud.
'Are you kidding me? She can apply Armament Haki to ten thousand individual pieces simultaneously?'
Crucially, these fragments were not in physical contact with Gion; she was projecting her Haki outward to coat them. It was absurd! And to think it was at the level of Ryu!
When had Gion mastered Ryu to this extent?
In reality, Vista didn't know that Gion wasn't simply "applying" Haki; she had used Armament Haki as the power source to activate Konpira from the start. Coating the fragments in Ryu was simply an innovative technique she had developed while channeling her Haki.
Ryu Konpira!
Under Gion's control, the army of blade fragments launched another charge. Vista gritted his teeth and prepared to tank it again with Full Body Armament. He knew that fleeing was useless and would only drain his stamina; maintaining maximum speed indefinitely was no simple feat.
He braced himself, reinforcing his defense.
A moment later, he was swallowed by the swarm once more. About ten seconds later, as the fragments dispersed, everyone watching gasped in horror.
Vista's entire body was covered in a dense network of tiny wounds. While each single cut was shallow and small, the sheer quantity caused a qualitative shift in damage.
He had become a man of blood. After struggling for a moment longer, the two Great Grade swords in his hands finally slipped from his grip and clattered to the ground.
A few seconds later, the man collapsed backward, completely losing consciousness.
The cherry-blossom-colored blade fragments floating in the air converged once more, returning to Gion's hand as they reformed into Konpira.
'''
Over by the Marine fleet, a collective gasp echoed through the ranks.
Akainu's expression shifted slightly.
'I was too careless with my words just now!'
He realized that when Vice Admiral Tsuru mentioned his "carelessness," she wasn't referring to the previous attack. She meant his assumption that, as a Logia user, he was untouchable—leaving him completely unguarded and vulnerable to the subsequent strike.
In a situation like that, even he might have been brought to his knees.
"While Vice Admiral Gion's victory was stunning, we now have another troublesome problem," Momonga spoke up after a long silence.
Akainu raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "What problem?"
"This... Admiral Akainu, are we still continuing the operation?"
Everyone froze for a moment, their expressions becoming quite complicated.
Indeed, according to the bet between Gion and Vista, Vista had lost. Gion could now take him directly back to Marine Headquarters to kneel and apologize. Was there any point in continuing the assault just to capture someone who had already surrendered by forfeit?
"No, it is still necessary. We still have Thatch!"
"Due to the change in circumstances, the original operational objective is canceled. It is now a capture mission for Thatch!"
"Notify Gion and Sean to keep their eyes on Thatch. Simultaneously, order the fleet to set sail immediately and flank the Whitebeard Pirates' ship. Sink it if necessary!" Akainu shook his head and issued his orders.
Although Vista was dealt with, the bait needed to be enticing enough to lure Whitebeard. He couldn't let Thatch, who had essentially delivered himself to their doorstep, slip away.
With Gion and Sean watching him, he believed Thatch wouldn't be able to escape. The time for action had arrived.
'''
On Volcano Island, seeing Vista's miserable state, Thatch rushed into the arena.
But in the next instant, Sean appeared before him, blocking his path.
"Marines, what is the meaning of this?"
"It means nothing. Vista was the one who proposed this bet; we didn't force him into it. What's the matter? Is the Whitebeard Pirates crew unable to handle a loss?"
From the sidelines, the hundreds of spectators nodded in agreement.
It was true—Vista had initiated the gamble, and Gion had won. Naturally, Gion had the right to take Vista back to Marine Headquarters to kowtow and admit his mistake. There was nothing wrong with that.
Conversely, Thatch's current behavior made him look exactly as Sean described: as if the Whitebeard Pirates were sore losers trying to cheat their way out of a deal.
Thatch's face flushed red, but he found himself unable to refute the claim.
As for forcibly seizing Vista and fleeing? Setting aside the fact that he lacked the strength to do so, even if he could, such an act would completely destroy the reputation of the Whitebeard Pirates.
But if he didn't act... once Vista reached Marine Headquarters, did he really think the Marines would let him go after he apologized?
Even a child could tell that was impossible. And once Vista was captured, Whitebeard would never stand idly by; he might even launch a direct assault on Marine Headquarters to rescue him.
That would escalate things to a catastrophic level.
Thatch knew very well that while the Whitebeard Pirates were powerful, they could not defeat Marine Headquarters acting alone. One wrong move, and the entire crew could be wiped out.
No! He absolutely could not let them take Vista!
"Vista's injuries are too severe. I must take him back for treatment!" Thatch said grimly. "Rest assured, the Whitebeard Pirates keep their word. Once Vista has recovered, we will personally deliver him to Marine Headquarters to fulfill the bet!"
Sean, however, knew exactly what he was plotting.
'Personally deliver him to Headquarters?'
Sean suspected that by the time that happened, Thatch would bring Whitebeard and the entire fleet along for the ride. If that happened, it would be a nightmare for the Marines to deal with unless they fought their way out of their own base.
There was a world of difference between luring the Whitebeard Pirates to charge toward the execution platform and hunting them across the open sea.
How could Sean let him have his way?
"Don't worry, Marine doctors are not inferior to those of the Whitebeard Pirates. We guarantee he won't die," Sean replied indifferently.
"Are you Marines truly declaring war on the Whitebeard Pirates?"
"That's not your concern. If I were you, I'd run away right now and tell Whitebeard about this. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind bringing another Division Commander back with me!"
While Sean spoke calmly, he was cursing internally.
'You idiot, hurry up and run! If you linger any longer, Akainu and the others will arrive.'
Sean was waiting for Thatch to trigger the plotline involving Blackbeard. Besides, if Thatch were captured and taken to Marine Headquarters now, where on earth would Sean find the Dark-Dark Fruit?
Beside him, Gion gave Sean a strange look.
'Why do I feel like Sean actually wants Thatch to get away?'
She shrugged it off. If he had a reason for doing it, she would let it be. However, if Headquarters questioned this later... it might be a bit troublesome.