After easily dealing with Kizaru, the Explorer continued to speed forward. However, Kizaru wasn't the only threat on the square, and the Marines weren't about to let the Straw Hats do as they pleased.
Suddenly, an eight-person team appeared in front of them. The group was small, but their presence was different from the regular Marine elites.
They exuded a palpable sense of danger. The first two were Vice Admirals, while the remaining six were Rear Admirals. This small, elite squad was clearly a sign of how seriously the Marines viewed the Straw Hat Crew.
"Everyone, clear the area! The Straw Hats are here!" one of the Vice Admirals, who wore a dog-like helmet with a Demon Slayer Mark pattern, shouted.
"Yes, Vice Admiral Dalmatian!" The nearby Marine elites quickly scattered.
Another Vice Admiral with a scarred face and a bushy mustache slowly drew his sword. "Vice Admiral Doberman is here! For the sake of justice, we'll stop the Straw Hat Crew today!"
"Hoorah!" The Rear Admirals behind him roared in response.
Then, the squad charged forward.
Vice Admiral Doberman swung his blade directly at Franky, but Franky, still accelerating, kept moving forward. With a clang, Zoro jumped into the air, deflecting Doberman's strike with his swords.
"Roronoa Zoro, the Pirate Hunter," Vice Admiral Doberman said, his voice filled with a bloodthirsty intensity.
"So you're a Vice Admiral with strong swordsmanship. You're not Onigumo, but I've found a good opponent!" Zoro said with a smile, turning to Franky. "Franky, leave this guy to me. You and Robin keep going, and cover Luffy as you head for the execution platform!"
"Super! You got it!" Franky didn't hesitate. He stomped on his damper to increase the propulsion and sprinted ahead.
Zoro landed on the square, facing off against Vice Admiral Doberman. The initial clash was enough for Zoro to feel the man's strength. He was definitely no weaker than Onigumo. Since they came to block the path, Zoro was more than happy to meet the challenge.
Meanwhile, Nami faced her own obstacle. Vice Admiral Dalmatian, the one with the dog helmet, appeared in front of the Explorer using Geppo and swept a brutal kick at Nami. Sanji cursed under his breath, his black shoes immediately meeting the attack.
However, the moment their kicks collided, Sanji felt an intense pain in his leg, a sensation that almost felt like his bones were about to shatter. "This Vice Admiral is unbelievably strong!" he thought.
Sanji had always prided himself on his kicking skills and the rigorous training he went through every day. He believed he was second to none. But now, it seemed that a Vice Admiral's power was far beyond his imagination.
Dalmatian's leg felt like a combination of Iron Body and Armament Haki, making it even harder than steel. Compared to his opponent, Sanji's Armament Haki and Iron Body were far weaker. If he hadn't used his Devil Fruit ability, he would have been in big trouble.
Vice Admiral Dalmatian pulled his leg back, feeling a strange numbness from the collision, and his expression turned grim. Logia-type Devil Fruit users really were a pain to deal with.
He, a veteran Vice Admiral, had just gotten the short end of the stick against a mere rookie pirate. It just proved how dangerous the Straw Hats were and why they couldn't be allowed to grow any stronger. He decided that this war was the perfect place for them to meet their end.
"Iron Body! Whip Legs!"
Vice Admiral Dalmatian continued his assault, and Sanji was forced to endure the barrage of kicks. After a few exchanges, Sanji's legs were screaming in pain, and Dalmatian's attacks were growing numb.
Sanji gritted his teeth and used his lightning ability to instantly appear behind Dalmatian, aiming a kick at his lower back. But Dalmatian's Observation Haki was sharp. He sensed Sanji's intention and used Geppo to leap into the air.
Sanji knew he had to keep this guy busy. He shouted, "Nami-san! Get Luffy to the front! I'll hold him off!"
"Alright, Sanji-kun! Stay safe!" Nami replied. She didn't waste a second and controlled the Explorer to surge forward.
Dalmatian tried to stop them but was immediately intercepted by Sanji. Sanji launched a powerful lightning kick, forcing Dalmatian to dodge quickly.
The kick narrowly missed Dalmatian, but the column of lightning hit the group of Marines behind him who hadn't been able to get out of the way, incinerating them instantly.
"Black-Leg Sanji! You're asking for a fight!" This result enraged Dalmatian, and he immediately intensified his attacks.
Nami and Franky's progress came to a grinding halt as well. The six Rear Admirals formed a human wall, blocking their path. They weren't weak either, making it extremely difficult for the Explorer to break through.
"Damn it! Get out of my way! I'm gonna save Ace! Gomu Gomu no…"
"Oh, Straw Hat Luffy, I can't let you get past me."
Kizaru's voice cut Luffy off. An eight-foot mirror of light appeared above Luffy's head, and a long leg shot toward him. Luffy had already sensed the attack and coated his forearm with Armament Haki to block it, but Kizaru's leg still struck the Explorer.
"Leave Straw Hat Luffy to me! The rest are all yours!" Kizaru said to the Rear Admirals. He then turned into a stream of light particles, reappeared next to Luffy, and launched a flurry of light-speed kicks at him.
Luffy didn't back down and began to fight Kizaru.
Meanwhile, Nami and Franky were completely blocked. Little 3, Jango, Mari, and Ri Ji also jumped off the Explorer to confront the six Rear Admirals. With that, the Straw Hats' advance completely stalled.
In the bay, Marco stopped Aokiji and yelled at Whitebeard, "Pops, Ace's brother has been stopped! We need to break through to the square fast! They're under a lot of pressure over there!"
Whitebeard stared at Luffy fighting Kizaru. "I see it, but that Sengoku is up to something. We need to be careful!"
Whitebeard and Sengoku looked at each other from a distance. Sengoku, known as "The Strategist," was no simple-minded man. With the brilliant Vice Admiral Tsuru at his side, he rarely made a mistake.
Even though the Straw Hats had caught them by surprise, the Marines had quickly adjusted. The two Vice Admirals, Dalmatian and Doberman, were quickly recalled from the ice in the bay. Otherwise, Kizaru alone would not have been able to stop the Straw Hats' charge.
"Good job, Marines!"
Whitebeard noticed that Sengoku was setting up some sort of trap, and the Marines' actions had changed. The sailors in the bay seemed to be deliberately retreating, and the warships at the head of the bay also appeared to be falling back, as if tempting the Whitebeard affiliate crews to enter the bay and join Whitebeard.
"That damn Sengoku! Is he trying to trap us all?"
Whitebeard was infuriated. He immediately contacted Squard and the Decalvan Brothers using a Den Den Mushi. He ordered the pirate ships at the head of the bay to destroy the Marine warships first and not rush to join the main force.
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