Chapter 307: The Man with Seven Scars (5k)

Chapter 307: The Man with Seven Scars (5k)



A massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky, kicking up a visible air current that rapidly rippled outward, reducing everything in its path to rubble. The entire island trembled violently, cracking and crumbling from the center outward.

Towering waves surged from the fissures, submerging half of the island and forming a tsunami that advanced towards the remaining land. With just a casual collision, the edges of the remaining island began to shatter.

This island is sinking.

Amid the powerful air currents, two figures flew out from the sky, crashing into the port city that had been halved by the battle's aftermath.

Whoosh!

As one of the figures descended, they brought forth several cold lights that sliced through the houses they were about to crash into. They landed heavily, once again rippling with cold light, completely shredding the surrounding ruins.

Lili emerged from the wreckage, a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth, carrying the already unconscious Sleiman. She scanned her surroundings, then tossed Sleiman aside and looked up at the mushroom cloud billowing in the sky.

It's impossible to evacuate everyone on the island in two days!

The battle over there had reached such an intensity that the overflowing domineering aura she could barely withstand, protecting her subordinates. However, as the intensity increased, the waves and air currents became more violent, not only hindering her movement but also unleashing powerful aftershocks that shook her subordinates to death!

Forget about rescuing people; it's already difficult for us to stay alive here.

Lili had been hesitating about whether to retreat, but when this aftershock occurred, there was no need for further deliberation. If they didn't leave now, apart from a handful of individuals, no one would make it out alive.

Just as she hadn't reached the port city yet, an even more massive battle aftershock arose, forming a double-layered mushroom cloud! The rising cloud didn't seem as vast as the one created by Sag's cannonballs, but the ensuing waves were utterly different. Even the aftershocks were imbued with the domineering aura and the impact of their aura!

It was the aftershock of an extremely concentrated explosion!

With this tremor, Lili took the initiative to defend herself, but to no avail. Anyone who came into contact with it was knocked flying, and her surviving subordinates were utterly shattered by these waves.

If she hadn't been quick-witted and grabbed Sleiman's collar at the last moment, she would have been the only one left standing among those who had fled the city.

"Lili!"

On the Death Star, docked at the port, Marika's previous smile had faded, replaced by a solemn expression with a hint of dissipation in her open eyes. She steadied herself by holding onto the guardrail.

"I can't hold on anymore; everyone has collapsed!"

"Where's Letti!" Lili exclaimed in shock.

"She's still conscious but not in a good state." Marika shouted back.

"Retreat!"

"Let Letti hold on for a bit longer. We must get the ship moving," Lili said.

BOOM!!!

Before Lili could finish her sentence, a meteor fell from the sky, exploding violently near her, completely shattering the remaining half of the port city and sending dust and smoke billowing into the air.

Lili shielded herself with one hand, defending against the impact, and instinctively looked forward, her pupils narrowing. Her body surged with a lightning arc that shot straight ahead, also blowing away the surrounding smoke and dust. Amid the lightning, her panicked voice rang out:

"Sag!!"

The point of impact formed a massive depression, and within this depression was an imprint of a human figure. Sag was embedded in it, his body at an oblique angle, still in the form wrapped in black and red domineering aura. This posture gave Lili pause, but she soon became even more solemn.

For his entire body seemed to be hemorrhaging, his chest stained red with blood, and his abdomen and above were like an explosion site, riddled with hole after hole.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Sag spat out mouthfuls of blood. Just as Lili rushed to his side, he wobbled to his feet, his body swaying before gradually steadying. His eyes remained fixed on the distant sky, as if trying to see through the storm clouds.

"Sag, how are you feeling?!" Lili asked urgently.

"Don't know how much longer I can last," Sag replied hoarsely.

"Half a day."

"There's no rescue now. The island is gone, Sag. We must retreat first; Kaido..." Lili said.

"Can't come."

The red light in Sag's eyes never wavered as he stared at the sky for a long time before speaking. "He was knocked flying by me."

The last move, 'Fist of the Azure Sky,' was his all-out effort.

Because his stamina wasn't enough.

This form consumed even more stamina, and he couldn't maintain it for long. If the battle dragged on, defeat was inevitable.

That was why Sag had used the move 'Heaven Destruction Fist,' channeling all his power and combining it with the coiling force of his domineering aura to unleash a new 'Fist of the Azure Sky.'

It had worked, but Kaido's blow had also been formidable.

If Kaido came again, Sag would be prepared to use Life Return to turn the tables, even at the cost of his life.

However, he currently couldn't sense Kaido's aura.

Had he flown too far away?

"Cough!"

Sag spat out more blood, and the burning white flame in his hair lost its luster, hanging limply and transforming into ordinary white hair. The spiraling burning eyebrows above his brow also relaxed, becoming ordinary black eyebrows.

The black and red aura, like fur, that amplified his domineering aura also dissipated at this moment, returning to its usual state.

He was completely drained...

"Sag, we can only retreat now, Sag? Sag!" Lili called out, then suddenly saw that Sag wasn't moving. She cried out in alarm, her body trembling as she reached out to check his breath. Her body relaxed as she let out a long breath of relief.

He wasn't dead; he had just fainted while standing.

If she calmed down, she would have been able to sense Sag's condition, but in her urgency, she had instinctively resorted to the most primitive method.

Lili turned Sag around and carried him on her back. She first rushed over to Sleiman, gave him a kick that sent him flying into the boat, where Marika caught him and tossed him onto the deck. Then, using Moon Step, she swiftly moved onto the ship and called out:

"Letti, can you still sail the ship?

"Okay!"

Renee, who had been knocked down by the overwhelming battle aftershocks, gritted her teeth and stood up. She leaped onto the ship's stern, pressing buttons on the rudder with determination. With the power meter activated, the entire ship began to move.

With the power meter, they could sail without the need for abilities. Although everyone had passed out and couldn't fully operate the ship, resulting in a slower speed, at least they were moving. Now, they just had to entrust the rest to the sea.

"Something's wrong!"

Marika, temporarily acting as the lookout, soon realized the problem. Her irises flashed with the red dots of the Observation Color, and she instinctively looked towards the front of the ship.

Whoosh!

A row of densely packed cannonballs flew towards them from the sky.

"Iron Block, Weave a Spider Web!"

Marika's hair danced wildly, extending outwards and intertwining to form a dense black spider web in the sky, blocking the incoming cannonballs.

Boom, boom, boom!

The cannonballs exploded in the air, setting off puffs of black smoke and causing some of Marika's hair to scatter.

In front of the Death Star, several ship silhouettes appeared.

"It's the Navy!"

Renee covered her eyes with her goggles, which had a telescopic function, and instantly recognized the true appearance of those silhouettes.

"Four warships! One large warship and three regular ships! Damn Navy, what are they doing here now?" Renee exclaimed.

"Of course, they're here to take advantage of the situation," Lily said, carefully placing Sag down and drawing out the White Thunder. She stared straight at the approaching warships, which were slowly drawing closer.

"It's been half a day. They should have reacted by now. It's not exactly reinforcements, but they dare not engage us in battle. Do they think they can take advantage of the situation because of the battle between Sag and Kaido?" Lily narrowed her eyes and gripped the White Thunder tightly. "They're underestimating me!"

There were no personnel to fire the cannonballs, and no subordinates to engage in battle. Did they really think they could attack just like that?

"Retti!"

"Yeah?"

"Get the ship closer!" Lily shouted, her eyes gleaming with a fierce light.

"Power brake!"

Renee's small hand twitched as she grabbed the ship's rudder tightly. "Give me full speed!"

The massive Death Star parted the waves and surged forward at high speed, rushing towards the warships ahead.

On one of the four warships, a Navy vice admiral spoke into his Den Den Mushi: "Can't we fire all the cannonballs?"

"Yes, Vice Admiral. The storm is too strong. The rain covers on the cannons have been blown open, and a lot of the gunpowder has gotten wet," came the reply from a Navy soldier through the Den Den Mushi.

"Never mind. Prepare for a boarding battle. We must capture 'Disaster' and all his crew!" the vice admiral ordered.

Hanging up the Den Den Mushi, the vice admiral stared at the rapidly approaching massive black ship, his fist clenched tight. "This is a rare opportunity. In the name of justice, we will arrest these criminals!"

Just as Lily had guessed, these Navy soldiers had arrived earlier.

Not when Sag arrived at Teias, but even before that. They had received news when Sag left Garley.

Although he wasn't a Yonko yet, Sag was a strong candidate for the position, and after he took down Garley, the Navy had their eyes on him.

This man had killed a Celestial Dragon and was responsible for the destruction of Marinford, reducing it to mere seabed ruins. Although the fortress was being rebuilt, destruction was destruction.

Especially since he hadn't stopped there; he had directly conquered Garley, occupied the World's Desire City, and slaughtered a large number of nobles from Garley.

Although Garley was a non-affiliated country with no human rights, it was not because the World Government didn't want them but because they chose not to join.

Moreover, according to inside information, some of the nobles had been in contact with the World Government before Sag's invasion, intending to join them.

So, in the Navy's eyes, those nobles were truly nobles.

And Sag had killed them all.

Such a major criminal could not go unnoticed.

But because he was a Yonko candidate, while there was no direct order prohibiting engagement, a passive stance was adopted.

They were a 'surveillance ship,' specifically tasked with monitoring Disaster's movements and, at the very least, keeping track of where he was going.

However, when they arrived at Teias, they were too late, and the local Navy base had already been destroyed. They didn't dare to approach, so they could only watch from a distance.

Then Kaido arrived, and they witnessed the intense battle between Kaido and Sag, which ended with one being knocked away and the other suffering severe injuries.

Now was their opportunity!

An opportunity to capture this major criminal!

The raging storm grew even more violent, with raindrops and gusts battering the vice admiral's body, wetting his hair and flapping his justice cloak.

As the Death Star drew closer, the vice admiral drew his sword and raised it high, shouting, "In the name of justice!"

Boom!

A thunderbolt exploded in the sky as if it had taken on a physical form. The lightning bolt swiftly descended towards the vice admiral's head.

But something was wrong; the lightning wasn't falling. Instead, it was—

Clang!

In a flash of lightning, Lily appeared above the large warship, her sword, enveloped in Haoshoku, like a black thunderbolt. With the roar of thunder, she struck downwards.

Boom!

The pressure of the Conqueror's Haki spread and impacted, causing the vice admiral to falter momentarily.

Sometimes, a single opening could cost you your life.

"Extreme Lightning!"

Szz!

The lightning bolt passed through the vice admiral's neck, and in an instant, his head flew into the air. Not even a drop of blood had time to spill as his head landed in Lily's hand, who had moved with the lightning.

"Lightning Net!"

The black sword danced, and like thunderbolts wandering among the crowd, it instantly covered the entire deck of the large warship. The Navy soldiers, paralyzed and stunned by the Conqueror's Haki, their eyes rolling back, had no time to pass out or collapse before the lightning engulfed them.

The sword light flashed in quick succession, and the thunderbolt contracted to the center, revealing Lily's sword-wielding figure.

Chi! Chi! Chi!

The Navy soldiers on the deck froze for a moment before their heads were sent flying or their chests were sliced open. Along with the headless Navy vice admiral, a fountain of blood sprayed out.

Without even sheathing her sword, Lily swiftly leaped and slashed her blade across the deck.

"Flying Bird, Sweep!"

The Haoshoku coursed through the sword, forming a crescent-shaped white slash that split the entire warship in half. Although it didn't completely sever the ship, the sudden split caused the bow and stern to lose balance and tilt upwards, exposing the Navy soldiers within.

"Power Cannon!"

Renee, who had already reached the ship's bow, raised her mechanical hammer and forcefully twisted the handle. With the kinetic energy pulsating, she fired a specially made cannonball that hit half of the ship's body just as Lily jumped into the air.

Boom!

The explosion created a massive hole in the bow, and the shockwave caused the ship to break apart and sink into the sea.

"Moon Step!"

At that moment, Maryka, who was using Moon Step to tread on the air, and Lily, who was leaping into the air, crossed paths. With their extraordinary strength, they grabbed hold of the half-ship that had been hit by the cannonball and, in the momentum of their bounce, forcefully lifted the massive ship, crashing it into the remaining half.

Bang!!

The remaining half of the large warship was completely submerged by the heavy collision, vanishing under the waves.

Renee twisted her mechanical hammer and aimed it at the remaining ordinary warship.

Lily and Maryka also pounced towards the other two warships respectively.

With the biggest threat eliminated, it was easy to take care of the remaining few hundred Navy soldiers on the ships!

The strength of the executives of the Disaster Pirate Group was not to be underestimated.

...

Half a day later.

G1 Navy Base.

"Hmm, I understand. From now on, regarding him, do not act on your own accord. Report beforehand; this is no longer a matter that you can handle."

After hanging up the call, Sengoku covered his head with a sigh, feeling a headache.

"You're about to retire, and you're still sighing here? What's the matter?"

Tsuru walked in from the door, glancing at the empty space behind Sengoku, where the plaque that proclaimed 'Absolute Justice' used to hang.

"I'm still the Marshal of the Navy," Sengoku said, lifting his head. "Just now, I received intelligence that the four ships monitoring 'Disaster' have sunk, and only a few Navy soldiers survived."

"Disaster?"

Tsuru frowned and also sighed, "The sea is becoming increasingly violent. With the emergence of another pirate who kills Celestial Dragons, it's easy to draw parallels to two or three decades ago."

"Who knows what the future holds."

Sengoku gazed out the window, his eyes trailing off into the distance, "Our own people are also getting more and more violent."

"Hmm?"

Tsuru turned her head, looking out at the azure sea through the high window, "It's almost over. It's been nine days, and Borsalino said that Kuzan might lose."

At the same time, in the Land of Wano.

A massive green dragon appeared in the clouds and descended towards Onigashima.

Boom!

A tremendous impact echoed across the land, kicking up dust and smoke.

A figure cloaked entirely in black, with flames swirling around his head, hurried towards the smoke and called out, "Big Brother Kaido? What happened?"

Since he had returned, why did he crash into the ground?

Kaido emerged from the smoke, holding his kanabo and rubbing his head. "Damn, that guy made it difficult for me to even land!"

"Big Brother Kaido?!"

The figure cloaked in black, with only his eyes visible, widened them in shock.

At that moment, on Kaido's chest, amidst the dried blood, there was a gaping wound that occupied the center of his chest, resembling an explosion with dried blood caking the edges.

"Oh, blah blah blah! I just fought with Disaster, and it was exciting enough that I don't even know where I flew off to before coming back. But that kid is really strong!"

Kaido wiped the wound that covered half of his chest and grinned menacingly, "He left me with a permanent scar!"

On the first floor of the Death Star, in the banquet hall.

Sag sat on the throne as the three female executives took turns feeding him. The food didn't need to be delicately prepared; it just needed to be cooked enough to eat.

White smoke rose from Sag's body as he continuously ate, gradually healing his external wounds. Even the numerous chest wounds that had been blown open by the explosion began to close and heal.

As soon as Lily and the others destroyed the Navy warships, they immediately brought Sag back to the banquet hall. They first force-fed him liquid food, then solid food. Even though Sag was unconscious and had exhausted a lot of his strength and life-returning energy, he still ate instinctively.

In the first hour of feeding, Sag woke up, but he was too injured and weak to move.

Until now.

"That's enough."

Sag's fingers twitched, and his entire arm began to move. He stopped the three women from feeding him and closed his eyes, allowing the white smoke to rise more vigorously. As his bones crackled and popped, his body slowly straightened.

"Phew."

Sag exhaled a white breath and opened his eyes again. "That's better. I can move now."

"Sag, your..."

Lily stared at Sag's chest, shocked.

Sag lowered his head and first looked surprised, then his lips curled up as he touched the wound on his chest. His smile turned into a sinister grin as he traced the wound, a scar that even the use of Life Return couldn't heal, a scar that looked like a bullet hole.

"He really did a number on me, leaving me with seven scars!"

The seven scars, from his chest to the upper abdomen, formed a pattern resembling the Big Dipper, just like his fist technique.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end