-? POV:
The once lush, green jungles of Punk Hazard now burned violently orange, consumed by an unrelenting inferno fed by cannon fire and desperate combat. Thick black smoke billowed upward, obscuring the sky and casting the battlefield into unnatural twilight. Shouts, screams, and the sharp clash of metal echoed endlessly, forming a harrowing symphony of chaos.
"Lieutenant, watch out!" Rear Admiral Okuro shouted, his voice barely audible above the surrounding turmoil.
I reacted instantly, sword meeting the pirate's blade just inches from my face. His eyes were wild, feral, tinged with madness clearly lost to battle frenzy. Behind him, Ensign Haru's motionless form lay sprawled, eyes staring lifelessly into nothingness. Rage ignited inside me, a fiery wave born of sorrow and regret.
Just yesterday, beneath the starlit sky of the calm sea, Haru and I had swapped stories of our homelands, laughing over shared hardships and our naive dreams when we first donned our uniforms. His loss wasn't just a blow to the ranks; it was a personal loss of someone I had close to my heart.
"You bastard!" I shouted, counter attacking with a flurry of precise slashes.
The pirate's movements were untrained and panicked, his brute force no match for my disciplined strikes. Each clash pushed him further back, desperation overtaking his earlier confidence. In a final swift maneuver, I fainted left, then quickly reversed, slicing deeply into his chest. Blood erupted as he staggered back, collapsing into smoldering ashes.
Yet, my relief was short-lived. Exhaustion gnawed at every muscle, fatigue blurred my vision, but around me, battle roared on relentlessly.
The New World showed no mercy. In Paradise, I'd earned respect as a Marine commander, easily defeating pirates. However, the harsh reality of the New World quickly humbled me.
My toughest battle had come one island away from the Sabaody Archipelago, against Bear "The Gorilla" Beach. Bear, captain of the Burly Pirates and holder of a bounty of 43 million beri, was a formidable opponent due to his Saru Saru no Mi, Model: Gorilla.
Without his fruit powers, Bear was weak, but upon transforming, his brute strength became overwhelming. His crew's total bounty of 60 million beri was a testament to their brutal notoriety.
That day, victory seemed impossible. My only chance lay in my recent mastery of Soru from the Rokushiki techniques, relying heavily on hit-and-run tactics. Fortunately, Bear's unfamiliarity with his new powers gave me the opening needed to deliver swift, decisive strikes.
Meanwhile, Ensign Haru fought courageously against Bradley Munoz, Bear's vice-captain. Bradley, a powerful member of the Longarm Tribe with immense physical strength and a bounty of 9.8 million beri, wielded immense physical power. Haru's victory had been critical, earning both of us recognition and ultimately our reassignment to the New World.
Yet, nothing had prepared me adequately for the horrors of Punk Hazard. I couldn't shake the lingering questions echoing relentlessly in my mind. We had clear orders: stall the pirates at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing every last Marine here. But for what exactly? Rear Admiral Okuro himself had confirmed the secrecy surrounding our mission. All we knew was that our true objective was to safeguard two critical things Dr. Vegapunk and whatever he carried. I could only guess that it involved research so important that even Caesar Clown, a renowned scientist, was deemed expendable by comparison. The thought sent a chill down my spine, intensifying my growing anxiety amidst the chaos.
With each fallen comrade, a whisper of doubt grew louder in my mind. Were our orders worth the bloodshed? Each scream, each cry in the chaos, was a weight upon my soul, making me wonder if victory could ever cleanse the stains of such brutal necessity.
"Hold your ground! Vice Admiral Bastille is nearly here!" I shouted desperately, my voice cracking slightly, betraying the uncertainty I desperately tried to conceal.
Nearby, Captain William "Mad Dog" Burke, the notorious pirate captain from Kuchi Island of paradise boasting a bounty of 126 million beri, battled Caesar Clown fiercely. Burke's Inu-Inu no Mi, Model: Jackal enhanced his agility and strength, his haki-infused claws effortlessly tearing Caesar's lethal gas clouds.
Their fight was undoubtedly the most deadly confrontation unfolding on Punk Hazard. Caesar, wielding the terrifying power of his Gas-Gas Fruit, unleashed wave after wave of toxic and explosive gases, each designed meticulously to repel and incapacitate his relentless opponent. Burke, however, was unyielding. In his hybrid jackal form, he lunged repeatedly, his haki-coated claws slashing wildly with a raw, primal ferocity befitting the beast he embodied.
Burke endured countless minor injuries from Caesar's explosive gas detonations, scorch marks and wounds marking his body. Yet, with the enhanced endurance granted by his Devil Fruit, he shrugged off these injuries as mere nuisances. His relentless aggression never wavered. Caesar, for his part, skillfully maintained distance, exploiting his powers to full effect. He managed to inflict significant damage, yet Burke's attacks slowly eroded his defenses.
In a moment of brutal improvisation, Burke lunged through an explosion, his teeth sinking viciously into Caesar's shoulder even as his claws remained locked against Caesar's desperate grip. Caesar screamed in pain and outrage, blood spilling from the deep bite wound, the first truly critical injury he had sustained in the battle. This single lapse shifted momentum definitively, Caesar's frustration transforming quickly into panic as Burke continued his relentless assault, haki-infused claws tearing viciously through Caesar's increasingly ineffective gas barriers.
"You'll choke to death in my poison mut!" Caesar screamed, sending swirling poisonous clouds toward Burke.
Burke laughed wildly, an animalistic growl escaping his throat as his claws shredded through Caesar's attacks. Caesar's panic quickly began to rise from his desperate attempts growing increasingly futile against Burke's relentless advance.
Captain Burke had finally identified the perfect opportunity to strike Punk Hazard when it had the least amount of security. Being deeply entrenched in the black market, from eliminating targets to trading in the slave markets, Burke understood the immense value government research held, especially for influential figures like Joker. He paid handsomely for detailed intelligence on Punk Hazard's defenses but had grossly underestimated Caesar Clown.
Burke never anticipated encountering a Logia user, a challenge his crew, perhaps with the sole exception of Robert his vice-caption, was ill-equipped to handle. Thus, Burke himself had decided to confront and eliminate Caesar personally.
Across the fiery battlefield, Rear Admiral Okuro's fight was decidedly in favor of the Marines. Okuro was one of many orphans born amidst the chaos of the New World who chose to join the Marines rather than become pirates. His tough childhood forged a deep appreciation for camaraderie and family, values he found within Marine ranks.
His unique form of justice, always protecting and supporting his fellow Marines, had made him beloved among his comrades, regardless of rank. During one particularly brutal battle where he nearly lost half his crew, Okuro's fierce determination had manifested as Armament Haki, turning the tide in their favor and earning him a promotion to Rear Admiral. Despite his strength, he continued to train tirelessly, aiming to master Observation Haki and reach the rank of Vice Admiral, driven by his desire to better protect those he held dear.
Robert "Screeching" Manatee, despite his immense bounty of 96 million beri and status as the second strongest member of the Hound Pirates and wielder of the mushi-mushi no mi, model: Kutsukutsubōshi, lacked mastery of haki, placing him at a severe disadvantage against Okuro's formidable skills. The Rear Admiral's haki-coated sword relentlessly clashed against Robert's cicada hybrid form, each strike resonating with a sharp, echoing crack. Robert's armored exoskeleton, the only defense he possessed against the Rear Admiral's assault, began to strain under the continuous impacts.
However, Robert was not defenseless. His namesake screeches granted to him by his fruit were terrifyingly effective, creating explosive sonic blasts powerful enough to momentarily push back even Okuro, hindering his advances and buying the pirate brief moments of reprieve. Still, these brief pauses were insufficient to turn the tide.
Then, in a critical moment, Okuro found his opening. With calculated precision, he delivered a powerful overhead strike, targeting Robert's weakened exoskeleton with expert accuracy. The impact resonated sharply, forming a visible fracture across Robert's armored arms. Sensing vulnerability, Okuro wasted no time capitalizing on this momentary advantage.
"One-sword style: Tri-Strike Cleave!" Okuro shouted decisively.
His blade flashed brilliantly, releasing three swift, consecutive flying slashes aimed directly at the cracked armor. Each strike landed flawlessly, shattering the exoskeleton and drawing first blood from Robert. The pirate stumbled back, eyes wide with disbelief and fear, wings buzzing erratically as he desperately attempted to regain composure. Okuro stood firm, his blade poised, ready to deliver the final blow as Robert's terror mounted visibly.
Further back, Captain Oliver, born to a Marine captain whom he idolized deeply, dreamed since childhood of donning the coat of justice. However, tragedy struck when he was 13, as his father, then a Rear Admiral, while defending a merchant ship fell in battle against Jack "The Drought," one of Kaido's feared Three Calamities.
Driven by a desire for vengeance tempered by a steadfast vow never to sacrifice innocent lives, Oliver trained tirelessly, mastering both Soru and Rankyaku and nearly perfecting Tekkai. Young, spirited, and resolute, Oliver had been assigned under Okuro's command, determined to one day avenge his father without sacrificing innocents in the process.
Oliver struggled desperately against Jerry and Perry, the infamous Hounding Twins, the third and fourth strongest pirates after Burke and Robert within their crew. Known for ruthless coordination and a combined bounty nearing 38 million beri, they pushed Oliver to his limits.
Perry, the bulkier of the two, wielded a massive flail, using his superior strength and reach to relentlessly pressure Oliver, keeping him locked in defense. Meanwhile, Jerry, leaner and quicker, darted in and out, seizing every gap in Oliver's guard to launch swift and deadly strikes with his dual daggers.
Oliver barely managed to parry a vicious dagger thrust from Jerry, sending the blade flying out of Jerry's grasp. Seizing this brief opportunity, Perry spun his entire body, rapidly building momentum before swinging his flail fiercely toward Oliver's left side. Oliver summoned every ounce of his strength, barely blocking the crushing blow, his bones trembling painfully from the overwhelming force. In that critical moment, Jerry struck again, plunging his remaining dagger deeply into Oliver's right side. Fortunately, the blade missed vital organs, but the pain was immense, nearly causing Oliver to collapse.
Mustering his last reserves of strength and determination, Oliver roared, "Rankyaku!" Unleashing a massive flying slash from his kick, he caught Perry completely off guard.
The powerful slash tore cleanly through Perry's right arm, severing it entirely, and sending the pirate staggering backward, screaming in agony.
Oliver, soaked in sweat and blood, fought desperately, each breath labored. "Shut your mouth," he growled defiantly, narrowly dodging another attack from the furious Jerry.
Suddenly, a towering pirate charged forward towards me, swinging a massive hammer wildly. I barely dodged, pivoting sharply and driving my blade through his exposed neck. Another pirate immediately slammed his boot into my ribs, pain erupting as I was flung onto the scorched earth. Gasping painfully, my vision blurred, the world swimming dangerously around me. A shadow loomed, sword raised for the killing blow.
"Is this truly the end...?" The thought filled my mind with despair.
An earth-shattering tremor halted the battlefield instantly. All eyes turned toward a newly-formed crater, where Captain Burke lay impaled, dead upon a sword held by a figure who radiated calm menace amidst chaos.
The man was tall, around 210 centimeters, with sharp black eyes and slicked-back black hair. He wore a pristine black suit over a dark gray vest, a red tie the only splash of color. Though unassuming compared to the monsters of the New World, there wasn't a single soul present who didn't recognize him.
Justin Vargas.
The Enforcer.
A shiver ran through me. He was not a marine, nor was he a pirate. He was something else entirely, a force of absolute judgment.
Dark, piercing eyes surveyed the scene indifferently, radiating an aura of absolute dominance and authority. His immaculate black suit, complemented by a sophisticated dark gray vest and a striking red tie, created an elegant yet imposing figure contrasted starkly with the ruinous surroundings, emphasizing his eerie calm amidst the turmoil. Even the fiercest pirates and bravest Marines froze in awe and fear at his mere presence, the air thickening with tension.
Caesar stumbled backward, eyes wide in terror. "Please, mercy! Spare me!" he pleaded desperately.
In an instant so swift it defied comprehension, Vargas vanished, leaving only a blurred afterimage behind. He reappeared immediately behind Caesar, his blade already extended, dripping crimson blood, as though he'd already executed the pirate before anyone noticed. The battlefield fell into stunned silence as realization dawned, Caesar's fate had been sealed in an instant. Vargas's cold, emotionless voice resonated clearly through the tension-filled air.v
"Verdict: execution."
Caesar's head rolled to a stop, frozen in horror.
My heart pounded violently. "Vice Admiral Bastille, please hurry… we're running out of time."
-End-
Sea Calendar - Year 1519 -