The morning sun broke through scattered clouds, painting the deck of the Marine ship in soft gold. Finn stood at the railing, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the island silhouette in the distance. Spring Queen Island. The name suggested something peaceful, almost idyllic. The reality would be anything but.
His Marine coat billowed gently in the sea breeze, the word "Justice" emblazoned across his back catching the early light. Its been years since he'd woken up in this insane world, scrambling to survive in a reality where monsters could split the sky and destroy islands on a whim. Seven years of clawing his way up the Marine ranks, learning to navigate both combat and politics, always watching for the next threat.
This morning, that threat had a name: Douglas Bullet.
A brilliant flash erupted on the island's center, followed by the distinctive crimson glow of magma arcing through the sky like falling stars. The meteors crashed down in a concentrated bombardment, their impact sending tremors visible even from this distance.
Finn's lips curled into a predatory grin. "Meteor Volcano. Sakazuki's already engaged."
He turned to where Gion stood nearby, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Lightning crackled faintly around her fingertips, an unconscious manifestation of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's power. The Devil Fruit had transformed her from a skilled swordswoman into something far more dangerous.
"Let's move," Finn said.
Gion nodded sharply. Her form blurred, and then she was gone. Only a streak of blue-white electricity remained, zigzagging across the water toward the distant shore. An instant later, Finn's Observation Haki picked up her presence materializing on the island itself.
Finn shook his head ruefully. That damn Rumble-Rumble Fruit is absurdly overpowered.
But there was no rush. Not for him. He had other preparations to make first.
Pulling out his Den Den Mushi, Finn dialed the familiar number. The snail's features morphed to match Vice Admiral Jonathan's composed expression.
"Vice Admiral Jonathan," Finn said calmly. "The offensive has begun. The rest is in your hands."
"Understood. Good luck, Finn."
The connection clicked off. Finn pocketed the Den Den Mushi and walked toward the ship's bow at a measured pace, his hand drifting to rest on the hilt of Shindokutō. His mind was already cataloging variables, running through tactical scenarios.
On Spring Queen Island, the air itself seemed to vibrate with violent intent.
Sakazuki stood amid a scorched crater, his Marine cap held in one hand while the other brushed absently at his buzz cut. Smoke rose from dozens of impact points where his Meteor Volcano had struck. Across from him, Douglas Bullet rolled his massive shoulders, utterly unscathed.
The man was enormous, easily twice Sakazuki's bulk and radiating physical power like a furnace. His black military uniform was immaculate despite the combat, his long golden hair tied back and reaching nearly to his waist. White gloves covered his hands, and every inch of his visible body was coated in jet-black Armament Haki that seemed to pulse with barely contained aggression.
But it was Bullet's eyes that drew attention. They held a peculiar madness, a flickering destructive gleam that suggested the man cared for nothing except tearing apart everything in his path.
"Your Marines are pathetically weak," Bullet said flatly.
Behind him, Vice Admiral Dalmatian was climbing back to his feet, his Zoan transformation already healing the damage from Bullet's casual counter. The dog-man Marine spat blood and wiped his muzzle, but Sakazuki didn't spare him a glance. Dalmatian's durability was well-established. A single elbow strike wouldn't put him down permanently.
Sakazuki's eyes narrowed, a hint of mockery creeping into his expression. "I heard you used to be military yourself before degenerating into a pirate. What happened? After Roger died, did you go from stray dog to rabid dog?"
The mention of Roger's name sent a visible ripple through Bullet's composure. Killing intent flared around him like a physical aura before he forcibly suppressed it, his jaw clenching.
"Has that Finn arrived yet?" Bullet asked, his tone deceptively casual.
Sakazuki's brow furrowed slightly. "What?"
"I know he commands G-7. This place isn't far from his jurisdiction." Bullet's lips twisted into something resembling a smile, though no humor reached his eyes. "You Marines think you've surrounded me. But I've been waiting for you to arrive. I want to see with my own eyes what kind of character that shameless bastard Finn really is."
"A trap?" Sakazuki's confusion was genuine.
"There's no need to go hunting him at G-7," Bullet continued, his voice dropping to something more dangerous. "I'll utterly destroy that shameless fraud right here, in front of you hypocritical Marines. I'll ruin his reputation completely."
"Arrogant," Sakazuki said coldly.
His foot slammed into the ground with explosive force. Magma erupted from the impact point, propelling him forward in a burst of tremendous speed. His fist, already transforming into molten rock, drove straight toward Bullet's face.
Bullet's reaction was instantaneous. His Haki-coated fists came up to meet the attack head-on.
"Dark Hound!" Sakazuki roared.
His arm completed its transformation, magma condensing into the shape of a massive, slavering dog's head. The technique carried both the Magma Magma Fruit's volcanic heat and its explosive concussive force, enough to punch through battleship hulls.
The collision sent shockwaves rippling outward. Where their fists met, boiling magma exploded like fireworks, spraying in all directions. Bullet held firm, matching the Admiral's devastating blow with pure physical might and superior Haki.
Sakazuki wasn't surprised. Killing Bullet with a single punch would be absurd. Instead, he pressed the advantage.
Half his body liquefied into flowing magma. The ground beneath his feet began assimilating, the natural terrain transforming into superheated volcanic rock through the awakening of his Devil Fruit. Then magma erupted, a massive geyser surging from both the earth and from Sakazuki's own form. The twin torrents converged on Bullet from multiple angles, trying to envelope him completely and reduce him to ash.
"HAH!" Bullet's bellow was primal.
His entire body became encased in even denser Armament Haki, turning him into a living statue of black iron. His free hand swept out in a devastating arc, and the sheer force of the motion shattered the incoming magma waves. Superheated rock exploded outward in every direction as Bullet simultaneously retreated, creating distance between himself and the Admiral.
The moment Bullet pulled back, Sakazuki's grinning voice rang out: "Wildfire!"
From the fist still locked against Bullet's guard, a massive additional surge of magma erupted without warning. The sudden explosion of force and heat would have caught most opponents completely off-guard, burning and blasting them before they could react.
But Bullet's retreat had been perfectly timed. The volcanic blast seared nothing but empty air.
Sakazuki's grin widened, something mocking and satisfied entering his expression. "Just as I thought."
Bullet's eyes narrowed. "As you thought?"
"Just like Finn predicted," Sakazuki said, his voice dripping with contempt. "The rumors that you're equal to Silvers Rayleigh are complete lies."
He paused, then continued with even sharper derision: "Though perhaps that's not entirely accurate. Maybe Silvers Rayleigh's strength was equally exaggerated. The Roger Pirates were a worthless crew. They never had the power to defeat opponents like Shiki or Whitebeard. They could only rely on tricks and opportunism to find their so-called 'Final Island,' and got reluctantly acknowledged as Pirate King through nothing but luck and timing. After that, Roger was probably paralyzed by fear. That's why he immediately disbanded the Roger Pirates and ran to hide for two years before our Marines finally caught and executed him. The so-called Pirate King? Nothing but smoke and mirrors."
The words were calculated poison, delivered with surgical precision. Sakazuki's talent for psychological warfare was genuinely impressive. His contemptuous expression and mocking tone were pitch-perfect.
Bullet's eyes flashed with barely suppressed rage. Although he'd left the Roger Pirates halfway through their journey, he knew Roger's true strength intimately. Roger had been his goal, the mountain he'd dedicated himself to surpassing. He'd respected Roger deeply.
Hearing this Marine bastard belittle Roger as worthless ignited something violent in his chest.
Yet even through his fury, Bullet maintained control. His voice came out low and dangerous: "Roger withdrew from the seas because of his terminal illness. Compared to him, your Marines are the truly despicable ones. That Finn is the most shameless of all..."
"Oh?"
The new voice came from behind Bullet, smooth and genuinely curious.
"We haven't met before, have we, Douglas Bullet? Why this hostility? Why call me shameless?"
Bullet's entire body tensed. He spun around, his eyes locking onto the figure approaching from his blind side.
Finn walked forward with measured steps, completely relaxed. He wore black combat pants tucked into high boots, a simple white short-sleeved shirt, and a brown leather belt. His Marine coat of justice hung loosely across his shoulders, swaying with each step. One hand rested casually on the sword at his waist. The other was raised to his chin, fingers stroking thoughtfully in an imitation of Borsalino's habitual gesture, though somehow lacking that insufferable air of lazy superiority.
The moment Bullet saw him, something inside the former Roger Pirate snapped.
Rational thought evaporated. Bullet's foot crashed into the ground with earth-shattering force, and he launched himself forward like an enraged bull. Sakazuki might as well have ceased to exist.
"How could Roger lose to a bastard like you?!" Bullet roared, his voice raw with something that might have been grief. "It's because he was sick! Because he couldn't fight at full strength!"
His fist, wrapped in devastatingly powerful Armament Haki, drove toward Finn's skull with enough force to pulverize stone.
Finn didn't move. Didn't even blink.
A faint lavender glow flickered in his eyes.
Fifteen centimeters in front of his face, concentrated gravitational force condensed into an invisible barrier. The power of the Press-Press Fruit manifested as a localized repulsive field, a shield of warped space-time that couldn't be seen but could definitely be felt.
Bullet's punch slammed into the barrier.
CRACK.
The air itself fractured. Visible shockwaves radiated outward from the point of impact, and the space around Finn's head seemed to distort and shimmer. But the fist stopped dead, unable to advance another millimeter.
Finn's expression remained utterly calm, almost bored. "He surrendered to me because he had a terminal illness and couldn't display his full strength. Is that what you mean?"
Bullet slowly pulled his fist back, staring at his destroyed white glove. The fabric had completely disintegrated, revealing the raw, reddened skin beneath. His eyes were wide, genuinely shocked.
Maybe Finn is a shameless schemer, Bullet thought, his worldview tilting, but his strength... his strength might actually be real.
"You're not entirely wrong," Finn continued softly. "In reality, Roger and I never fought. The capture narrative was propaganda, public relations for the masses."
Finn paused. His hand left his chin, dropping to rest on the hilt of the demonic blade at his side.
"But..." His voice hardened. "If you think that makes me some shameless rookie with no real ability who rose to power through schemes and tricks alone, then you're completely mistaken."
As he spoke, the demon sword Shindokutō slid free from its sheath.
The transformation was instant and terrifying.
Cold light flashed along the blade's edge. The aura surrounding Finn shifted dramatically, the righteous Marine officer suddenly replaced by something darker, something that felt like it had crawled up from the deepest pits of hell. An obscure, malevolent energy radiated from the sword itself, seeping into the air like poison.
"Gravity Blade: Tiger Kill," Finn said quietly.
Tremendous gravitational force erupted from the blade, warping the very fabric of space around it. Simultaneously, powerful wind pressure burst forth, howling around Shindokutō's edge.
The saying went: clouds follow dragons, wind follows tigers. The spectral tiger condensed from pure gravity became exponentially more deadly under the shrieking gale.
Bullet crossed his arms in front of his chest, every muscle in his body tensing. He'd fight this head-on.
But the attack arrived far faster than he'd anticipated.
The gravity-formed tiger slammed into him with crushing force. Then the wind pressure blades engulfed him completely, hundreds of cutting edges attacking from every angle simultaneously.
His pristine black military uniform shredded instantly, torn fabric spiraling away to reveal his heavily muscled upper body. Bright crimson blood began seeping from countless shallow wounds across his torso and arms. The wind pressure had carved through his initial Haki defense, leaving dozens of lacerations on his skin.
The ground beneath Bullet's feet gave way. The earth itself collapsed under the gravitational assault's tremendous pressure. Despite all his strength, despite bracing for impact, Bullet was blown backward like a leaf in a hurricane.
CLANG.
Finn sheathed Shindokutō in one smooth motion. The malevolent, oppressive aura vanished as if it had never existed, leaving only the composed Marine Vice Admiral standing calmly in place.
He didn't bother watching where Bullet landed. He knew the man would be fine. Embarrassed, certainly. Wounded superficially. But the attack had been designed to hurt his pride more than his body.
"What are you staring at?" Finn asked, glancing at Sakazuki. "Planning to fight me next?"
Sakazuki's expression was unreadable, but his eyes were sharp. "When you draw that sword, you don't look like a Marine at all."
"Can't be helped." Finn shrugged, his tone turning almost apologetic. "This blade in my hand is a legendary cursed sword. It's got some wicked tendencies. But I'm fundamentally a good person." His smile was disarming, completely genuine. "I believe that eventually, Shindokutō will become a kind sword too."
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