"Fire!"
"Blow that arrogant rookie ship to pieces!"
At Abughost's command, several cannons along the Tonkotsu's broadside erupted with fire and smoke. Black cannonballs shrieked through the air, hurtling straight toward the Blazing Fang.
"Heh."
Standing at the bow, Sammy didn't move an inch.
He didn't even bother looking at the incoming cannonballs.
"Tch. How unoriginal."
The next instant, a black figure spun into the air like a gale.
"Two-Sword Style—Meteor Concerto!"
Kaihalo's low shout rang out alongside the clear cry of his blades.
Several flashes of cold steel streaked through the sky, slicing through the cannonballs as effortlessly as cutting paper.
The split shells immediately lost all momentum and splashed harmlessly into the sea, raising nothing more than a few small sprays.
Kaihalo landed lightly back on deck and sheathed both swords in one smooth motion, not even sparing the sinking fragments a second glance.
"With skills like that..."
"...you dare block the entrance to the New World?"
"Bastard!"
"Close the distance!"
"Board them!"
Abughost roared furiously.
During all his time ruling this stretch of sea near the Grand Line's entrance, he'd never encountered rookies this composed.
The enemy crew was clearly far stronger than he'd anticipated.
Ordinarily, the sensible choice would have been to withdraw.
But morale among his own crew had already been shaky.
If he backed down now...
...he'd lose whatever authority he had left.
The Tonkotsu adjusted its sails and rode the current straight toward the Blazing Fang.
The hailstorm loomed only a short distance away.
Naturally, the Blazing Fang had no intention of sailing into it.
Sammy merely raised a hand, signaling Hans to hold their position and wait for the enemy to approach.
As the two ships closed in, sporadic cannon fire continued.
Some shots were effortlessly dodged.
Others were smashed away by Aldo's massive spiked club before they even reached the ship.
None of them left so much as a scratch on the Blazing Fang's hull, built from the precious Adam Wood.
The distance steadily shrank.
Everyone aboard the Blazing Fang stood ready.
Sammy issued no elaborate orders.
He simply stood among his crew, calmly watching the burly man on the opposing deck who was waving an absurd-looking weapon while shouting insults.
A 300-million captain...
...against a 110-million opponent.
Unless he's some movie-version Luffy...
...he's not making any miracles happen.
"Captain."
Marcus turned his head slightly.
"That guy over there looks like he can take a beating."
"Mind if I use him to test myself?"
He licked his dry lips.
Fighting spirit blazed in his eyes.
"My bounty's been stuck at sixty-three million for a long time."
"I want to see..."
"...where I really stand now."
Sammy looked at Marcus before glancing toward the shouting pirates aboard the enemy ship.
He nodded.
After their training on Katuna Island and their time recuperating on Fish-Man Island, everyone had already become far stronger.
Especially after grasping the rudiments of Haki.
Abughost wasn't weak.
He would make a suitable whetstone.
"Fine."
"The rest of you..."
"...clear out the cannon fodder."
"Leave him the battlefield."
"Don't let anyone interfere with their duel."
"Understood!"
Everyone answered in unison, their battle spirits surging.
Bang!
With a heavy crash and the groan of grinding timber, the two ships slammed tightly together.
More than a dozen iron grappling hooks flew across, biting firmly into the Blazing Fang's railings.
Abughost let out a furious roar and became the first to leap aboard.
"You ignorant little—"
His threat stopped halfway.
A lone figure had already appeared before him like a ghost.
Marcus rested one hand on the hilt of Ranzakura at his waist, wearing a faintly provocative smile.
"Char Siu Abughost."
"Your opponent..."
"...is me."
Abughost swung his bizarre weapon downward with all his might.
At nearly the same instant, Marcus drew Ranzakura and intercepted the blow.
CLANG—!
The explosive crash of metal rang across the deck as sparks burst between them.
Abughost's arm trembled.
Fast...
What a fast sword!
"Second Mate!"
The pirates following Abughost charged forward ferociously—
—but Aldo's tower-like body blocked their path.
Resting his spiked club across his shoulders, he grinned.
"Road's closed."
Kaihalo and Alberto took positions on either flank like twin guardian statues, sealing every avenue of approach.
Within moments, the Jellyfish Pirates had secured complete control of their own deck.
Cries of pain and the clash of steel erupted all around.
Yet strangely...
...the center of the battlefield remained completely clear.
Abughost sprang backward, finally taking in the situation.
"Bastards..."
"How dare you look down on me like this!"
His face flushed crimson.
The enemy's orderly formation made one thing painfully obvious—
They had deliberately turned him into a sparring partner for one of their officers.
"State your name, rookie!"
Abughost slammed his weapon against the deck.
Only then did everyone finally get a good look at it.
It really was...
...a gigantic green onion.
The white stalk was as thick as an adult's arm.
Its green leaves were long and surprisingly tough.
Even the wilted roots remained attached at the tip.
Yet the entire thing possessed the metallic sheen of forged steel.
It looked so much like an ordinary green onion that no one could tell whether it was an actual vegetable...
...or a specially crafted weapon.
"Officer of the Jellyfish Pirates."
"Ranzakura Marcus."
Marcus twirled his sword in a flourish.
"As for you..."
"Char Siu Abughost, was it?"
"I'll be taking your bounty."
"Arrogant fool!"
Abughost roared, focusing every ounce of his fury on Marcus alone.
"Die!"
The strange weapon whistled through the air, descending with enough force to split mountains as it crashed toward Marcus's head.
Marcus's eyes flashed.
Instead of retreating...
...he stepped forward.
"Perfect!"
CLANG—!
Ranzakura left its sheath in a dazzling streak of pink light.
The upward slash met the descending green onion head-on.
The expected scene of a broken staff and falling sword never came.
Instead...
...a tremendous weight surged through the blade, numbing Marcus's wrist.
That ridiculous-looking green onion...
...was far tougher than it appeared.
"Oh?"
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
The smile on his lips only deepened.
"Interesting."
"That's no ordinary green onion, is it?"
"No kidding!"
Abughost sneered.
The muscles in both arms bulged as he forced the giant onion downward.
"Today..."
"...I'll smash both you..."
"...and that worthless sword of yours into pieces!"
"Worthless sword?"
Marcus's gaze turned cold.
With a sudden burst of strength, he knocked the giant onion aside.
"Then..."
"...why don't you try?"
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