A clear female voice rang out, causing Zephyr to pause his movements and look toward its source.
At the corner of the warship.
There was a young girl with wavy sea-blue short hair, curled up on the deck. The long sword in her hands had pierced through her thigh, nailing herself firmly to the deck.
Zephyr remembered her name was Ain. Her parents were killed by pirates when she was young, and she joined the Navy Branch after reaching adulthood.
Her dream was to establish a massive sanctuary to protect those displaced by pirates.
She was the most talented among this batch of recruits, having already mastered the Navy Six Styles with considerable skill.
...
A trace of clarity appeared in Zephyr's pupils as he looked at the recruit in his palm. Intense agony struck his mind.
What... what am I doing...
Swish—
Just as he loosened his grip and stood dazed, Buckingham flung out a chain, its sharp blade head darting like a venomous snake striking directly at Zephyr's face!!
...
Thud—
The chain blade pierced through flesh, warm blood splattering across Zephyr's face.
A pale hand tightly grasped the blade head that had pierced through her own chest, stopping it right before Zephyr's eyes.
Blood trickled from the corner of Doll's mouth as she forced a faint smile: "Sorry... Teacher Zephyr."
"I failed to notice the pain you were enduring... almost killed the man he thought was the coolest..."
...
...
"You bad woman who hurt me! Why are you running away! Let me chop you to death!!"
Weevil possessed speed that defied his massive build, instantly catching up to Doll. His gleaming great sword swung down toward her back!!
Zephyr immediately raised his hand to protect Doll's back, but the Armament Haki that should have instantly covered his wrist now spread slowly.
...
Fourteen minutes.
——
If a normal person stops breathing for an extended period, their body will rapidly develop a series of severe problems due to oxygen deprivation.
Between 30 seconds to 2 minutes, symptoms like dizziness, darkening vision, and blurred consciousness may appear.
3-5 minutes, for non-professionals, the brain suffers functional damage from oxygen deprivation, potentially leading to loss of consciousness.
Ten minutes is the limit for normal people - even if consciousness returns afterward, there will be serious neurological sequelae.
...
The strong warriors of the sea are still human. Even with physical capabilities far surpassing ordinary people, they can still be affected by illness.
Zephyr suffered from severe asthma, and this attack had already lasted fourteen minutes.
His heart's load had reached its limit. During the extremely brief breathing intervals, what he inhaled were highly toxic agents, making his physical condition unimaginably dire.
The most fatal...
Was that forcefully halted punch of his.
...
Layer upon layer of burdens, both physical and mental trauma - Zephyr now couldn't even manage to cover his wrist with Armament Haki.
So this is how it is...
Zephyr showed no fear, nor did he dodge. Holding Doll in his embrace, he stood like an unshakable mountain.
...
"That's it! My good boy! Chop them down!!"
Buckingham danced excitedly: "So that's how it is! You old fool are sick!!"
"You've been abandoned by the era too! Hehehehe ha..."
As her laughter trailed off, there was an indescribable bitterness in her voice, as if she remembered someone, or perhaps thought of herself.
The massive blade carved a chilling arc through the air, its edge tearing through the atmosphere with a piercing shriek.
From the corner of her eye, Doll caught sight of Zephyr's bronze arms and realized what he intended. She struggled to push him away, wanting to turn and face the enemy herself.
But she couldn't move him.
Looking up, she met Zephyr's gentle smile that seemed to say...
"It's alright. I'll protect you."
...
No...
Amid the turbulent emotions and severe physical trauma, Doll felt something stirring within her body.
Turning her gaze toward the descending blade, her originally clear eyes suddenly gleamed with an eerie radiance.
Countless vortexes seemed to swirl in the depths of her pupils, as if something...
Was about to emerge!
...
Crack—
Her pupils shattered like mirrors, collapsing into black holes resembling the mouth of an abyssal well.
Flickering crimson phosphorescence emerged from these wells, and the next moment—
WHOOSH!!!
A crimson torrent burst forth from Doll's eyes, forming the phantom of an indescribable monstrous beast.
The demonic beast roared!!
An invisible shockwave violently expanded, freezing the surrounding space-time.
An instant later, Weevil was sent flying by the invisible impact, crashing heavily against the warship's mast.
...
Creak—
BOOM!!!
The sound of the mast hitting the deck signaled the resumption of time's flow.
...
...
"What... what was that?!"
Buckingham's hands trembled. In that moment, she had felt watched by some terrifying presence, breaking out in cold sweat.
This chilling, evil aura...
It was just like that monster from God Valley!!
...
Doll breathed heavily, clutching her eyes which streamed with bloody tears.
"What's wrong with you! Doll!"
Zephyr supported Doll's faltering body, urgently asking: "That just now was..."
...
"So... this is it..."
Doll's breathing gradually steadied as she grinned: "Still as rough as ever, you bastard Griffin..."
...
...
Zephyr's pupils contracted sharply: "It was him?!"
The experienced Buckingham quickly grasped the situation. Glancing at Weevil who had climbed out unscathed, she sneered:
"Well, I've seen everything now. The wicked Marines are conducting human experiments on their own soldiers?"
"Female Marine, you've been implanted with some special weapon, haven't you? It seems to be taking quite a toll on you."
"Why stay with such a Marine organization? Join us instead! You're quite impressive—you might even bear powerful children with Weevil!"
...
"Huh?! Having children? Mom, can I have sons too? Would that make them Whitebeard the Third?"
Weevil stumbled out of the rubble, briefly adjusting himself before standing beside Buckingham.
Clearly, the earlier impact had done no substantial damage to his monstrous physique.
"Heheheheh! That's my clever boy—Whitebeard the Third! You'll inherit the Whitebeard Pirates' treasures one day!!"
...
Doll slowly pulled the chain piercing through her chest, her face pale with pain.
Clang—
Tossing the chain onto the deck, Doll assumed a fighting stance, her face still wearing a confident, determined smile: "Sorry, I'm not interested in Whitebeard's legacy. Compared to that... I'd rather become someone's superior officer."
Buckingham scoffed disdainfully: "Why keep struggling when you're already dying? Look—can Zephyr even stand anymore?"
They saw Zephyr kneeling on the ground, one hand clutching his heart, his face contorted in agony.
His pupils began to dilate as he teetered on the edge of consciousness.
...
Zephyr desperately struggled to rise from the deck, but his body wouldn't permit any further movement.
"Teacher Zephyr, rest well. It's our turn to protect you now."
A blue-haired girl stood before Zephyr as more and more figures appeared within his fading vision.
...
...
Buckingham watched as new recruits positioned themselves before Zephyr, weapons aimed at her, her ugly face showing disbelief.
"How is this possible! How could you weaklings break through my ability!!"
She quickly realized the truth.
"It's Haki! That was actually Haki just now!!"
"How could this happen!!"
...
The burst of Eye Power not only repelled Weevil's fatal strike but also dispelled Buckingham's ability!
"I don't know how either, but..."
Doll stared intently at Buckingham, her killing intent boiling: "Right now, I want nothing more than to kill you!!"
...
...
...
Buckingham quickly composed herself, glanced at the fallen Zephyr, and sneered: "So what?"
"Your struggling appearance is truly pathetic. Without Zephyr, I can't even be bothered to use my ability."
"Weevil, kill them! Cut off Zephyr's head!!"
"Yes, Mother!"
——
The recruits who had regained control of their bodies burned with rage, wishing they could tear this vicious woman apart with their teeth.
But the cruel reality was...
No matter how furious they were, they couldn't withstand Weevil's terrifying power.
The massive naginata swept horizontally, sending several Marines flying along with their weapons.
Blood stained the deck, severed limbs scattered everywhere.
Against such absolute power disparity, any tactics or coordination appeared utterly futile. He was like an unstoppable behemoth, crushing everything in his path.
Bang bang bang——
Bullets merely sparked off Weevil's body, none penetrating.
...
As time passed, more and more Marines fell.
Whoosh——
Doll seized the moment and leaped high, kicking toward Weevil's head.
But the penetrating wound in her chest slightly distorted her movement, allowing Weevil to react.
Smack——
Weevil grabbed her ankle, snarling angrily: "Why won't you have children with me! Bad woman trying to kick me!"
"Die!!"
Boom!!!
He lifted Doll high and smashed her violently into the deck!
Doll glanced at her dislocated, twisted ankle...
By now, both her arms and one leg were broken.
No matter, I still have one leg left!
Doll leaped from the crater, pouring all her strength into her remaining leg, charging forward relentlessly!
...
"So annoying... why won't you just die!!!"
Weevil roared in fury, swinging his blade with both hands toward Doll.
...
After this strike, I'll die.
Doll realized this with absolute clarity.
She slightly opened her mouth, biting down on the grenade's trigger.
After being cut down and losing consciousness, my body will be close to him—it should be enough to damage his eyes.
——
——
At that very moment.
The temperature dropped.
As if the scene had repeated, the surroundings seemed to lose color, only an ice-blue light crashing into view.
Boom————!!
Weevil's massive body was sent flying, plunging into the sea.
...
"Don't let go."
A voice so familiar it couldn't be more so whispered in Doll's ear.
"You've done well to hold on until now."
"Leave the rest to me."
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