The sea wind howled as the warship's sails billowed violently, the canvas snapping under the pressure. Soldiers hurried across the deck, hauling up anchors as synchronized footsteps and the clanging of metal echoed through the air.
"I wonder… will Teacher Zephyr consider my 'answer' satisfactory?"
Gern stood at the stern, his gaze calm and distant as he looked toward the island slowly shrinking behind them. The black blade Bahuang rested quietly at his waist, the bandages around it fluttering lightly in the wind.
Suddenly—his pupils shrank.
Whoosh!
A sharp, piercing sound tore through the air as several pitch-black bullets shot toward him from the island. Each one was wrapped in dense Armament Haki, glinting with a cold metallic sheen under the sunlight.
Gern tilted his head slightly from side to side. The bullets grazed past his ears, the pressure of their passing lifting a few strands of his hair. His movements looked casual, almost lazy—yet every lethal trajectory was avoided with absolute precision.
"Armament-coated bullets?" Gern muttered, his gaze snapping sharply toward a massive tree on the eastern side of the island.
His Observation Haki flared open, instantly locking onto a concealed presence within the treetops.
A tall, thin man wearing a top hat stood there, a long sniper rifle in his hands, faint smoke still drifting from the barrel.
Only then did the soldiers aboard the warship realize what had happened. Seeing the smoking impact marks on the steel plating, panic erupted.
"Enemy attack!"
"All units, on guard!"
"Don't move."Gern raised a hand, stopping them in their tracks. His voice was terrifyingly calm.
After two years under Zephyr's command, there were few notable pirates of this era he didn't recognize.
Including the one trying to kill him now.
"Golden Lion Pirates, Third Division Captain—'Death Knell' David. Bounty: 800 million Beli."
As he spoke, his eyes never left the figure in the trees."So this is the man Dorg pledged himself to… coming personally to greet me."
The soldiers went pale.
An 800 million bounty—this wasn't a typical pirate. This was a true monster of the New World.
At the same time, in the treetops, David narrowed his eyes in disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding me…"
His nickname, Death Knell, wasn't for show. His sniping had never missed—especially not when enhanced with Armament Haki and launched as a surprise attack.
And yet… even like that, the target had dodged it casually, without even turning around.
"This Marine's Observation Haki… is that insane?" David gritted his teeth, his finger tightening on the trigger.
But before he could fire again, Gern raised his right hand, extending a single finger toward him.
"Sneak attacks aren't very honorable."
His voice was calm—too calm.
"And besides…"A pale, shimmering particle of energy gathered at his fingertip. The surrounding air began to fracture under violent vibrations.
"I can see you."
Fwoom!
A spiraling beam of pale light tore through the air, leaving rippling distortions in its wake. It moved so fast it was almost impossible to track, carrying terrifying penetrative force and internal destructive power.
David's expression changed instantly. As a fellow Observation Haki user, his instincts screamed danger. He hurled himself sideways.
BOOM—CRACK!
The beam pierced through the treetop where he'd been standing. A muffled explosion followed as the tree detonated from the inside, exploding into splinters and debris.
David landed heavily on another branch, dropping to one knee. His hat was gone, revealing a pale, sinister face. Though he had avoided a direct hit, the residual shockwaves still churned his insides, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"Damn it… what kind of Devil Fruit is that…?" he muttered, wiping the blood away, fear flickering in his eyes.
Back on the warship, Gern stood calmly at the stern, his justice cloak fluttering violently in the wind.
"So you dodged it," he said coolly. "Not bad."
David slowly rose to his feet, twirling his rifle once before resting it on his shoulder. A feral grin spread across his face.
"You damn brat… You think beating some third-rate pirate means you can walk all over the New World?""The terror of the Flying Pirates… you haven't even begun to understand it!"
Just as he was about to move again, a sharp ringing cut through the air.
Buru buru buru—
The sound came from his waist.
He hesitated for a moment, then pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
The snail's face twisted into a grim expression as a hoarse voice spoke:
"David. Orders from the Commodore. Withdraw immediately.We've run into the Whitebeard Pirates."
David stiffened."…Understood. I'll return at once."
He put the Den Den Mushi away, then looked back at Gern with pure malice burning in his eyes.
"Consider yourself lucky, Marine. Next time, I'll ring your death knell myself."
With that, he vanished into the forest in a blur.
Only after he was gone did the soldiers finally breathe again, their fear still lingering.
"Captain Gern…" one officer said carefully, worried he might act rashly."We don't have the authority to clash with the Flying Pirates."
"I know." Gern shook his head calmly. "The mission's complete. No need to stir up more trouble."After a brief pause, he gazed toward the distant horizon. "Besides… the Golden Lion isn't someone I can afford to provoke right now."
Turning away, he headed toward the cabin, leaving a final command behind him:
"Full speed back to base. Report everything to headquarters."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers exchanged glances—relieved, yet shaken.
They all knew what they had just witnessed would soon become new gossip within Marine Headquarters.
On his very first mission, Captain Gern had captured "Split-Island" Dorg—and then personally forced back the Flying Pirates' Third Division Captain, the 800-million-beri monster known as Death Knell David.
The sea wind strengthened as the warship cut through the waves, racing toward Marineford.
Gern stood on deck, fingers unconsciously brushing the hilt of his blade as his gaze drifted toward the endless horizon.
"Golden Lion… Flying Pirates…"
He murmured softly.
Truthfully, he had no intention of chasing David—or clashing with the Flying Pirates.
Because a Golden Lion without a ship's wheel embedded in his skull…was truly terrifying.
The power of the Float-Float Fruit.Mastery over all three types of Haki.A dual-blade swordsman of the highest caliber.
With strength like that, backed by a crew of monstrous commanders…
Even Gern couldn't deny it.
At this point in time, the Flying Pirates were more terrifying than the Roger Pirates themselves.
After all, the coming Battle of Edd War would not be a simple clash of fleets.
It would be a war where pirates with bounties exceeding a billion—many of them—would unite under the Golden Lion to hunt down Roger's crew.
"…Looks like the New World is far more interesting than I imagined."
The wind roared as the warship surged forward, carrying him toward a future filled with chaos, ambition, and destiny.