Chapter 1298: Search and Destroy!
Chapter 1298: Search and Destroy!
Haisong Port was a port island in the New World that belonged to no kingdom. Its natural harbor served as a crucial transit point for many ships, sustaining numerous villages across the island and supporting one large central town.
At least, that was the case seven days ago.
Now, the port lay in ruins. Lingering charred residual energy choked the air, the ground cracked and scorched jet-black like obsidian, with glowing crimson fissures snaking across the surface. At the town’s center, the devastation reached hellish proportions.
Molten lava spewed from the cratered ground like a miniature volcano, leaving the surrounding terrain pockmarked and scarred from fierce combat. Nearby, a small Navy unit camped at a distance from the heat-ravaged town. Soldiers with bandaged wounds sat or stood listlessly, their morale shattered. All eyes occasionally drifted toward the central command tent.
The tent flap lifted. Vegapunk emerged, his body swathed in bandages from arm to head, leaning heavily on crutches with each labored step. At his approach, the Navy men snapped to attention and saluted. "Yi Xiao Admiral!"
Yi Xiao grunted in acknowledgment, tapping his crutch toward the direction of several soldiers tending to a stretcher-bound comrade. "How are the wounded?"
"A few stabilized", a medic replied. "They’ll recover with rest."
"Good." Yi Xiao nodded, his gaze drifting toward the Grand Line horizon as he exhaled deeply. "Even I can’t explain this disaster."
A Navy Commander hesitated. "But Admiral Yi Xiao, this wasn’t our—"
"I’m not blaming you", Yi Xiao interrupted, his voice darkening. "I meant the one who escaped. Luffy’s fury was... unprecedented."
A sudden gale howled from the sky, whipping the officers’ hooded cloaks and Yi Xiao’s hair. Looking up, they saw a golden-white silhouette descend rapidly, landing with a thunderous impact that kicked up a dust cloud. As the haze cleared, murmurs spread.
"Kuro Admiral!"
Even Kuro had arrived? At least this meant they might survive the aftermath—surely the Navy would send ships now.
Surveying the shattered ruins and lingering battlefield energy, Kuro spat bitterly, "Damn, you lot really screwed this up."
The area reeked of residual combat—blade scars, meteor craters, lava flows, twisted wreckage, and ground fractured like shattered glass. Some parts of the island had even fused together with cooled obsidian.
"Kuro, you arrived first", Yi Xiao remarked flatly.
"Forget that", Kuro snapped. "Why did you lose? Sakazuki’s a Logia user! And you were both here! Even fighting Luffy and Marshall D. Teach, you should’ve held out until reinforcements arrived!"
"Later", Kuro waved him off, entering the tent. Yi Xiao sighed and followed.
Inside, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki lay unconscious, his wounds being treated by medics. At Kuro’s entrance, they saluted. "Kuro Admiral."
Kuro ignored them, focusing on Sakazuki’s injuries. His hat was gone, revealing a buzzcut. Blood crusted his skull, a fist-shaped indentation marred his chest, and his body showed multiple internal displacements.
"Shockwave damage and a punch", Kuro muttered. "Marshall D. Teach and Luffy teamed up?"
"Correct", Yi Xiao confirmed. "Sakazuki was surrounded."
Kuro frowned. "What were you doing?"
"Engaged", Yi Xiao replied. "‘Hell King’ Roronoa Zoro, ‘demon chef’ Vinsmoke Sanji, ‘Sea Hero’ Jinbei, and seven Blackbeard Pirates captains encircled me. I sustained injuries as well."
Kuro clenched his teeth. "They joined forces because Shirahoshi exposed her King of the Sea identity? They’ll fight us first, then settle their own score? And Teach found new allies already?"
He examined Sakazuki’s wounds. "The punch wound matches Luffy’s impact. The scattered internal damage suggests combat with Luffy, but this chest indentation... it’s like he didn’t react. Teach must’ve ambushed him mid-fight with Dark-Dark Fruit powers. Only that explains disabling Sakazuki’s abilities long enough for Luffy’s attack to land."
As for Yi Xiao, even Admirals couldn’t survive such overwhelming odds.
"Yi Xiao, you didn’t capture anyone?" Kuro pressed.
"Except Blackbeard’s grunts", Yi Xiao admitted.
Kuro didn’t turn. "That’s... unacceptable."
Yi Xiao lowered his head silently.
"How long ago did they leave?"
"About a day. The battle lasted six days."
Kuro activated his wristwatch Transponder Snail. As it rang, a voice crackled: "Kuro Mr.!"
"Kas, split fleets with Wilbur. Search north from Haisong Island. Notify Smoker and Tina to cover west, and dispatch another fleet east. Thoroughly search for Luffy and Blackbeard—do Not engage rashly. Report immediately!"
"Understood!"
After disconnecting, Kuro dialed again.
"Kuzan here."
"Kuzan, take your fleet south. Mobilize all Wano Country Navy forces. Find Luffy or Marshall D. Teach—they have Shirahoshi, the King of the Sea Poseidon. They won’t go far. Intercept them!"
"Whoa, serious trouble?" Kuzan asked.
Kuro glared at Sakazuki, grinding his teeth. "Fleet Admiral... lost."
(End of Chapter)
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