Chapter 339: Imu? Eat My Fist!
"Pops!!!"
Marco watched in horror as Whitebeard was sent flying. Without thinking, he turned and transformed into a blue firebird, diving towards the sea.
Shane, noticing the spreading fire in the town, frowned. He threw another punch! But this time, it was aimed at the sea.
SPLASH!
The air itself rippled violently in the wake of his punch, and a massive wave rose from the sea! Tens of meters of water were lifted into the air, forming a giant curtain that blocked out the sun. Driven by the force of the punch, it crashed down like a torrential rain, instantly covering the burning town.
The light drizzle had been useless against the fire. But now, under the onslaught of the massive wave, the flames sizzled and died, the thick smoke was scattered, and the scorching air quickly cooled. The raging fire that had engulfed the streets was extinguished in an instant, leaving only wet ruins and steam.
"Using the wind from a punch to control the sea?" Kizaru watched, then looked up at Shane with a grave expression as he slowly landed. "Terrifying. As expected of you, Shane… But you shouldn't be here, should you?"
"I should be asking you that. A Marine Admiral, acting like a pirate," Shane looked at him coldly. "Garling and Sengoku have been dealt with. What, do you want to be next, Borsalino?"
What? Kizaru's pupils shrank. Saint Garling, and Fleet Admiral Sengoku… both defeated? He knew from his call with Kong that the Curtain Call's forces had appeared on the main battlefield. But who could have expected the situation to deteriorate so quickly, in just an hour or two? On paper, after luring Whitebeard away, the Marines should have had the advantage!
The Curtain Call… How did they do it?!
Meanwhile.
"Just in time, Marco!" Whitebeard landed on a reef, wiping his face, looking a little worse for wear. Shane's punch, meant to stop him, had used all of his strength. It was heavy and sudden. He hadn't had time to react. If Marco hadn't arrived quickly to help him, he really would have fallen into the sea.
Speaking of which… Whitebeard unfolded the crumpled, rain-soaked ball of paper and squinted at it. There were two lines of hastily scrawled text:
"Do you remember how that monster named Imu controlled Rocks?"
"God Valley, hometown! That is the prerequisite for forced corruption. Understand? Just to be safe, get away from Sphinx immediately! Don't even stay in the nearby waters!"
This was the paper ball Shane had forced into his hand when he punched him away. Clearly, he didn't want Whitebeard to misunderstand, and he didn't want him to stay on the island for even a second longer.
God Valley? Rocks? Whitebeard stared at the note. It was clear enough. He didn't need to think too hard to understand what Shane meant. So that kid also knows there's a monster behind the World Government! And that monster's name is 'Imu'?
Hometown, hometown…
No wonder. No wonder even his old captain, Rocks, a man born in God Valley, could be corrupted and dominated like those dogs of the World Government, turned into a demon and forced to fight against them. No wonder the World Government never encouraged people to go to sea, wishing everyone would just stay in their hometowns forever!
"Pops! What should we do!" Marco couldn't help but ask. He didn't really understand the note, but he was mature and steady. He knew what was important. Right now, he just needed to know that Shane had come to help them, and that punching Pops away was for a reason. That was enough! The rest could wait until later!
Whitebeard didn't answer immediately. He put away the note and looked at his hometown, so close yet so far, through the drizzle. "What a disgusting ability, Imu!" To be so close to home and yet unable to approach it… Whitebeard gritted his teeth.
But Shane was right. He, Edward Newgate, was not an unreasonable man. If he forced himself to stay now and ended up being corrupted, it would only cause trouble for Shane and pain for his sons.
"I have to leave immediately and get back to the main battlefield," Whitebeard forced down his reluctance and said gravely. "Although the fire was put out by Shane, many of the villagers must have been injured. Continue the rescue, Marco! I'm entrusting my fellow countrymen to you!"
"Yes, Pops!" Marco nodded firmly. Without hesitation, he transformed into a blue firebird and shot into the sky, racing towards the town.
I'm counting on you too, Shane! Saving him twice in a row… he would never forget this debt. One day, he would repay it!
Whitebeard took one last look at his hometown as the smoke cleared, then turned and leaped towards the sea. Kizaru's shockwave had blasted many wooden planks onto the water. He picked a large one and used his Murakumogiri as an oar, heading back the way he came.
Since he couldn't vent his rage on Kizaru… Then… the Marine brats on the main battlefield had better be prepared to face his wrath!
Sphinx Island, Center.
Shane watched Whitebeard leave, then looked at the phoenix flying overhead to rescue the villagers, and finally relaxed. Marco was not only the First Division Commander but also the best doctor on the Whitebeard Pirates' ship. With him staying behind, he didn't need to worry about the rescue efforts.
Kizaru, of course, noticed Whitebeard leaving. He instinctively wanted to fly up and stop him. But Shane's gaze suddenly turned cold. He pushed the guard of his sword with his thumb, revealing a sliver of cold steel.
"Try taking a step."
The calm voice made Kizaru freeze, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. For a moment, he really didn't dare move.
Hey, hey, are you kidding me… This guy's aura was even more terrifying than before! Last time in the North Blue, although he would have had a hard time winning in a one-on-one fight, he at least had the confidence that he could leave whenever he wanted, and Shane couldn't stop him. But this time… Kizaru felt that even if he used his fruit ability to escape, he would pay a heavy price.
Got stronger again? There was no mistake, this pressure. Fate is truly unfair. That kid is already so powerful, and yet he still has room to grow…
"You haven't answered my question," Shane's cold voice rang out again. "Put aside our past grievances for a moment. I don't care why you insist on staying in the Marines at this point, but… burning down a civilian town here, even attacking children and the elderly?"
"Borsalino, do you really have the nerve to wear the word 'Justice' on your back?!"
Kizaru was silent. After a long time, he sighed softly. "Don't impose your thoughts on others. This sea isn't as free for everyone as it is for you. There are always some people who have to bear the burden of helplessness, who have to do things against their will…"
BOOM!
The ground in front of him exploded, and Shane vanished. Kizaru's pupils shrank. He didn't even have time to elementize before a bone-shattering pain shot through his chin!
"Don't give me that contradictory crap!" Shane's fist smashed into Kizaru's chin, sending him flying hundreds of meters, crashing through several mountains, and finally embedding him in a cliff face.
"Cough cough…" Kizaru struggled out of the rubble, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Before he could wipe it away, a large hand grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up.
"Against your will?" Shane sneered. "You're the fastest man in the world, yet you choose to be the most loyal dog! If you were really disgusted by this, if you really wanted to resist the World Government's orders, you could just leave the Marines. Who could force you?"
What ambiguous justice! At this point. Knowing so much darkness, seeing so many innocent people slaughtered by the World Government… Could a person with a conscience really remain ambiguous?! Did he have to wait until five years later, like in the original timeline, when the executioner's blade fell on his closest friend, and he had to be the one to swing it, before he felt the pain, before he cried and cursed his superiors?!
"In the end, it's just an excuse for your cowardice," Shane's tone grew even colder. Black-and-red lightning coiled around his right fist again. "Since you've chosen this path, you should have been prepared for this, right? The resolve to pay the price!"
He punched Kizaru in the stomach with full force!
"URGH!" Kizaru was smashed into a deep crater, curled up in agony, blood gushing from his mouth.
"This punch is for those innocent villagers!" Shane said coldly, raising his fist again.
BOOM!
Another heavy punch slammed into Kizaru's chest. A rib cracked, and he was sent flying hundreds of meters, carving a deep trench in the ground.
"This punch is for Newgate, who was almost killed by you!"
Kizaru clutched his chest, stumbling, finally managing to stand. He looked at Shane, who was approaching like a demon, step by step, and gritted his teeth.
Killing intent! He felt an undisguised killing intent! Kizaru had no doubt that if he stayed here and continued to fight this guy, he would really be beaten to death, punch by punch!
I have to run! I have to escape at all costs!
But just then…
BOOM!!!
A purple lightning bolt tore through the sky, descending from the heavens! A massive purple-black pentagram, over a hundred meters in diameter, rapidly unfolded behind Kizaru. Amidst the swirling black mist, a slender figure wearing a veil stepped out of the magic circle. She was dressed in a simple, plain maid's outfit.
A maid? Kizaru was stunned. When the pentagram appeared, he had thought it was one of the Five Elders finally coming to help. But the person who arrived… who was she?
"You may withdraw for now, Borsalino," the beautiful, slender maid sighed at Kizaru, speaking expressionlessly. "You have botched the task our master gave you. He is very disappointed. He only wanted to watch an interesting cockfight, and you couldn't even satisfy that… You Marines really are incompetent."
Master? Kizaru's eyes narrowed. His orders had come directly from Fleet Admiral Kong. But he wasn't a fool who knew nothing. From the recent series of major events, from the occasional words of the Five Elders, he had vaguely sensed something fishy and guessed that behind the Five Elders, there was probably someone who truly ruled the world. Could it be…
But the mysterious maid ignored him. Her gaze had turned to Shane across the way. Shane was also sizing her up.
"Speaking of which, I killed a woman from the Holy Knights named Gunshi once," Shane raised an eyebrow. "She seemed to have been that guy's maid too. Hey, are you in a similar situation? Which of you has more seniority?"
The maid frowned slightly. "The King of the Curtain Call, the most famous rebel in the lower world today," she shook her head and said calmly. "You are just as our master said. Though you are a commoner from the East Blue, you seem to know a lot of things you shouldn't. Plus, with your increasingly rampant movements over the past six months, even someone as noble as our master has gradually developed a considerable interest in you."
"Oh?" Shane grinned. "Considerable interest? Should I feel honored?"
"No need. Because what you should truly feel honored about is what comes next," the maid raised her eyelids, looking at the sky. "Haven't you realized? Our master has decided to descend in person this time to see just how much weight you, this audacious fool, truly have."
VWOOM!
Almost in the next instant! Endless black mist surged from all directions. Sphinx Island began to shake violently, and countless purple-black cracks appeared on the ground. The maid's eyes rolled back, her body tensed, and she floated upwards. Her aura suddenly skyrocketed, as if her body had been taken over by some supreme being!
CRACK!
Another flash of black lightning. It wasn't just her aura. Her body underwent a massive transformation! A pair of giant black wings burst from the maid's back, a long arrow-tipped tail extended from her rear, and a pitch-black trident, taller than a person, appeared in her hand! Looking up from the ground, she looked like…
A true demon descended upon the mortal world!
Kizaru gasped, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Hey, I really should have left earlier. Now, it seemed he had come into contact with a true secret he should never have seen.
Hoo~ The lightning and black mist gradually dissipated, but the terrifying pressure that had descended upon the world did not fade. The possessed "maid," or rather, "Imu" herself, finally opened her eyes and spoke slowly. Her voice was layered and ethereal, indistinguishable as male or female, like thousands of people whispering at once. "I have finally come to see you, mortal. You…"
BANG!
Before Imu could finish her opening line, her face was caved in by a fist. The punch was heavy and powerful. Her exquisite, arrogant face was instantly twisted and deformed, her nose collapsed, blood spurting from the corner of her mouth, and she was sent flying like a broken kite!
Kizaru watched, jaw dropped, dumbfounded.
"Mortal my ass!" Shane retracted his fist and said coldly. "That tone makes me sick just hearing it. If you want to fight, fight. If you have something to say, say it. What's with all the mystery and posturing?"