Chapter 157: Guardian's Rage vs. The Emperor's Blade!
Just as Red-Haired Shanks' Flying Slash—a crescent of condensed, roaring Conqueror's Haki—crashed headlong into Albedo's Pitch-Black Magic Cannon, the very fabric of the atmosphere seemed to scream in protest.
The impact point became a singularity of destruction, a blinding flash of red and black energy that vaporized the frozen sea surface instantly.
"Boom—!!!"
The sound that followed was not a mere explosion; it was a cataclysmic roar that rattled the bones of every living soul on the battlefield. The thick ice shelf, which had stood firm against cannon fire, shattered into millions of jagged shards, thrown into the sky like a chaotic, deadly rain.
In the heart of this annihilation, a shadow moved.
"Yasopp!"
Benn Beckman, the Vice-Captain whose mind was said to be the sharpest in the East Blue, moved faster than the shockwave itself. His figure blurred, abandoning his usual calm demeanor for a burst of desperate speed.
Just as the residual energy from Albedo's magic and the razor-sharp edge of Akame's killing intent converged on the sniper's position, Beckman's hand clamped onto Yasopp's collar.
With a grunt of exertion, Beckman yanked his crewmate backward. It was a movement executed with surgical precision—a hair's breadth difference between life and death. The space where Yasopp had stood a fraction of a second earlier was instantly obliterated, erased by the void-like property of Albedo's magic.
Yasopp stumbled back, his boots skidding on the slick ice, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. He stared wide-eyed at the crater left in the ice, the cold sweat on his forehead freezing instantly in the biting wind.
He was alive. But he knew, with terrifying clarity, that he had just stared into the abyss.
However, on the other side of the shattered battlefield, another "Queen" was seething with a very different emotion.
Esdeath stood amidst the falling ice dust, her pristine white military uniform fluttering violently in the gale. Her ice-blue eyes, usually filled with the ecstatic thrill of the hunt, were now narrowed in cold, dangerous displeasure.
To the Empire's strongest General, the battlefield was a sacred playground. Her greatest pleasure in life was the thrill of trampling the strong underfoot, of breaking the unshakeable spirits of powerful warriors. The slash that Red-Haired Shanks had just displayed—that terrifying dominance, that overwhelming Haki—had marked him.
He was undoubtedly the top-tier "prey" she had been searching for. He was the ultimate trophy.
And now, this prey was attacked first by Albedo?
"How could I tolerate that!"
Esdeath's gloved hand clenched into a fist, the leather creaking under the strain. A dark, possessive aura radiated from her, dropping the surrounding temperature even further.
"Honestly... no patience at all!"
A cold displeasure flashed in Esdeath's eyes. She had absolutely no interest in watching Shanks perform some deeply moving "saving comrades" drama in front of her. She didn't care about their bonds of friendship. She didn't care about their survival instincts.
What she wanted was to make herself the absolute protagonist of this bloody performance! She wanted to be the one to break him.
"You are mine, Red Hair."
She raised her hand, her slender fingers weaving a complex sign in the air. The moisture in the atmosphere obeyed her will instantly.
"Grey Horn!"
With a soft chant that sounded deceptively gentle, the air in front of her solidified. A colossal, jagged spike of ice, harder than reinforced steel and massive enough to crush a building, materialized from nothingness.
"Go!"
Then, accompanied by a high-pitched, piercing whistling sound, the giant ice spike shot towards Red-Haired Shanks!
It moved with the speed of a cannonball, tearing through the wind.
In the same instant, Esdeath's figure vanished from her original spot. It was as if she had melted into the blizzard itself. No, she hadn't vanished—her physical speed was simply pushed to the extreme! She trailed right behind the giant ice spike, using the massive projectile as a shield to close the distance to the Emperor, hiding her presence within the chaos.
"Captain! Look out!"
Limejuice, who had just been pulled back from the brink of death by Shanks' earlier intervention, saw the danger. He watched helplessly as the giant ice spike, moving at a velocity that blurred his vision, reached the Captain's exposed back.
His warning was a desperate, heart-wrenching scream.
However, the reason Red-Haired Shanks was one of the "Yonko"—the four emperors who ruled the New World—was not merely due to his reputation or the fear he inspired.
It was due to years of relentless campaigning, swimming through seas of blood, and genuine, hard-earned strength!
He didn't even turn his head.
It was as if he had eyes grown into the back of his skull. His Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku Haki) had already expanded, painting a perfect, 360-degree holographic picture of the battlefield in his mind. He felt the displacement of air. He sensed the drop in temperature. He saw the killing intent burning like a beacon behind him.
The Gryphon in his hand, which was still extended from his previous slash, moved again.
With a fluidity that defied biomechanics, Shanks swung his arm backward at an incredible angle. He didn't look. He didn't need to. His wrist twisted, and the blade came up from beneath his armpit, meeting the attack blindly yet with absolute, terrifying precision.
BANG!
The sound was heavy and dull, vibrating through the ice.
The supreme grade blade met the tip of the massive ice spike. With a surge of Haki, the projectile was split cleanly in two. The two halves flew past Shanks' shoulders, crashing harmlessly into the distance.
That wasn't the end. Shanks knew it. His Haki was screaming a warning.
Esdeath reappeared.
She stepped out from the cloud of ice dust created by the split spike, already positioned at Shanks' side-rear. Her face was flushed with the excitement of battle, a sadistic smile gracing her lips.
"Got you."
Her beautiful jade hand was encased in a gauntlet of jagged, transparent ice, forming a lethal claw. It carried a terrifying chill—a cold capable of freezing the blood in one's veins and shattering the soul—and it was aiming directly for Shanks' jugular!
She was very confident in this strike. Her physical combat skills were top-notch, honed in the gladiatorial pits and battlefields of her world. She had chosen a very tricky timing for her attack. Shanks had just unleashed a sword strike to block the projectile; his offensive momentum was spent, his posture was extended, and his arm hadn't even had time to retract.
Most people, after blocking such a heavy attack, would be left wide open. Their defenses would be exposed, making it the most dangerous moment of vulnerability!
Yet, despite this, Shanks smiled.
It was a faint, confident curve of his lips. He seemed to have anticipated her appearance the moment the ice spike was launched.
The Gryphon in his hand did not stop. After splitting the ice spike, instead of losing momentum, it seemed to gain it. He planted his feet on the slippery ice, his leg muscles bulging with explosive power. He used his waist to power a violent spin on the spot.
He shifted his grip in a blur of motion. Just as her attack arrived, he had transitioned from a backward block to a rising slash, holding his sword from bottom to top!
CLANG!
The clash between the blade and the ice-encased jade hand actually produced a loud, ringing sound like metal striking metal!
A visible white shockwave exploded outwards from the two of them. The air pressure dropped instantly. The surrounding ice surface, already cracked from the previous exchange, shattered once again, kicking up a sky full of ice shards that glittered like diamonds in the sun.
After using the force of the collision to complete his turn, Shanks' gaze was like lightning. Finally, he looked directly at this woman with ice manipulation abilities.
Esdeath was pushed back half a step by the terrifying raw power contained in that sword strike. Her boots skidded on the ice, carving deep grooves.
But instead of fear, the pathological smile on her face grew even more fervent!
"Interesting! Too interesting!" Her eyes dilated with excitement, her breathing becoming heavy with anticipation. "You... you are my prey!"
But someone was even more impatient than her!
Seeing her prey being interrupted and "claimed" by this woman, Albedo, who was recovering from the recoil of her magic cannon, instantly erupted in fury!
"Hey! That one-armed bug is MY prey!"
Her furious voice echoed across the ice plain. The sheer pressure and demonic aura contained in her voice caused even the Red Hair Pirates' executives present—veterans of the New World—to feel a sudden pang of dread in their chests.
Albedo's golden eyes burned with jealousy. To her, this wasn't just a fight; it was a tribute. It was an offering to her Supreme Lord, Suzaku. Every enemy defeated was a testament to her love and loyalty. And now, this ice woman was trying to steal her offering?
"In front of Lord Suzaku, who allowed you to steal my credit?!"
Before her words even finished, Albedo's figure transformed into a black streak of light.
She ignored Limejuice. She ignored Bonk Punch and Monster who were cautiously watching her. She ignored the tactical layout of the battle.
She charged directly at Shanks, her face twisted in a mask of beautiful, terrifying wrath, vowing to reclaim this "credit" from Esdeath's hands!
However, another figure was even faster than her.
BANG!
A dull, heavy thud resonated through the battlefield!
Benn Beckman had suddenly appeared not far in front of her. He didn't use his gun. He used his leg.
His long leg, covered in pitch-black Armament Haki (Busoshoku Haki) that shimmered like obsidian, swept in from the side like a heavy battle-axe. It was a precise, calculated intercept.
He didn't just block; he kicked directly into Albedo's path of advance, intercepting her momentum with the force of a hydraulic press.
Albedo was forced to cross her arms to block, the impact skidding her backward several meters, carving trails in the ice.
Beckman slowly retracted his leg, resting his long flintlock rifle casually on his shoulder. A helpless, wry smile appeared on his weathered face as he puffed on his cigarette, the ember glowing brightly in the cold air.
"Madam," he drawled, exhaling a perfect cloud of gray smoke, "although I've never liked being rough with beautiful ladies..."
His gaze, however, became incredibly sharp, locking onto her like a sniper scope. The lazy aura vanished, replaced by the lethal intent of a man who stood at the summit of the pirate world.
"But, you can't go bothering my Captain!"
Albedo straightened up. Her attempt to steal credit had failed, and she was blocked by a man who appeared out of nowhere.
"Hmph, a mere bug dares to block my way?"
Albedo's rage was completely ignited. She suddenly looked up, her crimson pupils locking onto Beckman with unparalleled disdain.
"Get... out of my way!"
Buzz...!
Accompanied by a low, vibrating roar that shook the atmosphere, dazzling magical light burst from her body!
It was a transformation sequence that defied the logic of the Pirate World. As the light dissipated, her pure white dress had vanished. In its place was a suit of full-body armor—grotesque yet magnificent, pitch-black as the abyss.
Layers of thick plate metal interlocked perfectly, covering every inch of her skin. The armor seemed to absorb the light around it, radiating a heavy, oppressive despair. It was the armor of a true tank, a fortress in human form.
Albedo's combat form, the divine artifact [Hermes Trismegistus], had completely covered her body!
"Die for me!"
A giant black battle-axe, glowing with a sickly green neon light—her weapon, [3F]—appeared out of thin air in Albedo's armored hand.
Without another word, she brought it down on Beckman's head!
The axe tore through the air, creating a vacuum blade that screamed as it descended.
Beckman's eyes narrowed. He didn't retreat. Instead, he advanced, raising his hand and firing a shot!
BANG!
The specially modified bullet, imbued with high-density Armament Haki that spiraled around the lead like a drill, spun as it shot towards Albedo's face!
Beckman had aimed for the visor, the weak point of any armor.
However, Albedo didn't dodge. She didn't evade. She didn't even flinch.
She allowed the bullet, powerful enough to smash through the hull of a small ship, to strike her helmet directly!
CLANG!
With a crisp, high-pitched sound, the Haki-infused bullet struck the divine metal. Sparks flew wildly. But instead of piercing, the bullet flattened and was easily deflected. It spun away into the ice, failing to leave even a trace or a scratch on her divine armor!
This was the power of a World Item—a defense that transcended the physics of this world.
And the giant axe in her hand, whistling as it tore through the air, came crashing down!
Beckman's expression changed slightly—a flicker of genuine surprise crossed his face. He immediately pulled back, his body moving with the agility of a cat, narrowly avoiding the powerful axe strike!
CRASH!
The giant axe smashed into the ice surface where he had just been standing. The impact was devastating. It didn't just crack the ice; it directly split the tens of meters thick ice layer into a colossal, bottomless chasm! Seawater geysered up from the split, freezing instantly in the cold air.
"Oh?"
Beckman landed gracefully a distance away, eyeing the deep chasm and the armored woman.
"Not only is her defense astonishing—taking a Haki shot point-blank without a scratch—but her strength is also this terrifying? What a dangerous woman!"
Beckman looked at the incredibly defensive armor, and a genuinely serious expression finally appeared in his eyes. He realized that his usual bullets, even with Haki, might not be enough to penetrate that black shell.
It seems this battle today is going to be far more troublesome than he imagined!
Above the ice plain, the battle instantly diversified.
Shanks fought Esdeath alone, sword light flashing against creeping ice, their clash creating a zone of absolute death!
Beckman was firmly entangled by Albedo, the sound of gunshots and the heavy impact of the giant axe clashing fiercely, creating a rhythm of war!
Akame, meanwhile, had arrived not far from Rem and her sister. She moved like a shadow, her red eyes scanning for openings. She jumped into the fray, helping them block Limejuice and the two others, who, seeing they couldn't help their Captain, wanted to gang up on their companions!
The Ram and Rem sisters were still facing Lucky Roux and the other Red Hair Pirates executives. Wind blades sliced through the air, and the massive iron flail smashed against Haki-infused defenses. Electric light and clashing sounds erupted everywhere!
This battle, which the Red Hair Pirates initially thought would be a "dimension-reducing strike"—a quick lesson for some arrogant rookies—instantly evolved.
It was no longer a skirmish. It was an evenly matched... grand melee!
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