The entire battlefield came to a standstill due to the sudden appearance of five individuals.
Some Marines who tried to continue fighting were promptly knocked away by members of the Roger Pirates, forcing the battle to halt completely.
Moments ago, no one had noticed these individuals, nor did they realize there were five more powerful figures present. Now, as these five revealed themselves...
The officers of the Roger Pirates immediately swept them with Observation Haki and found that every single one of these individuals was as strong as they were.
Upon realizing the caliber of these five, the officers' faces turned grim.
The Roger Pirates were barely on par with the Marines. Neither side could decisively defeat the other.
But if five additional Admiral-level combatants were thrown into the mix, their defeat would be inevitable.
These five alone could take on the Roger Pirates without losing ground, and with the addition of the Marine forces, the enemy's combat strength would double. If they weren't careful, the Roger Pirates could genuinely be left behind here.
Seeing the arrival of the five CP0 agents, Sengoku was far from pleased. Instead, he furiously shouted at them:
"You CP0 bastards! If you'd shown yourselves earlier, the Roger Pirates would probably already be in our grasp. Were you planning to wait until every last Marine was dead before coming out? Or did the battle's shockwaves force you out of hiding?"
Sengoku's rage stemmed not only from their timing but also from the heavy casualties suffered among the elite Marine soldiers he had brought along.
This wasn't an island or land battle where people could retreat to safety.
Here on the sea, there was no escape from the shockwaves generated by the clashes of powerful combatants.
Any warship on which such combatants landed became a deathtrap, with most of its soldiers killed or severely injured. Only a lucky few who jumped into the sea managed to survive.
The CP0 leader glanced at Sengoku and replied indifferently,
"It doesn't matter if a few more Marines die in the process of completing the mission. Dying for the World Government is an honor for them. You should feel proud, not question us."
The tone of the CP0 leader's response implied that the Marines were no more than dogs raised by the World Government, and dying for their master was their privilege.
While both the Marines and CP organizations operated under the World Government, their roles and treatment differed. The CP groups were the favored "biological sons," while the Marines were like neglected stepchildren.
Both organizations competed for resources. The World Government's resources were finite, and whoever contributed more received a larger share. This naturally created tension between them.
If even blood brothers could fall out over competition, it was no surprise that two rival factions under the same government harbored animosity.
Sengoku's face turned crimson with fury at the CP0 leader's words, and he looked as though he might explode at any moment.
Despite his anger, Sengoku knew that this was not the time to argue. Capturing the Roger Pirates was the top priority. He could settle accounts with the CP0 agents later.
Suppressing his emotions, Sengoku turned to the CP0 agents and shouted,
"Get moving and help us take down the Roger Pirates! We must act quickly before they escape!"
The CP0 leader, standing on another warship, glanced dismissively at Sengoku and retorted,
"We know what to do. We don't need the Marines telling us how to do our job. You have no authority to teach us, CP0, how to operate!"
Seeing their arrogance, Sengoku realized that arguing further was pointless. At the end of the day, relying on others was futile.
With that thought, Sengoku turned back to Jabba and roared,
"You damned pirates! Our fight isn't over yet. Today, I'll send all of you to Impel Down to live out the rest of your lives!"
Jabba smirked at Sengoku's declaration and retorted,
"You Marines always say that when you see us. Yet here we are, still thriving on the seas. Your words hold as much weight as a fart!"
"Damned pirates! Go to hell!"
Sengoku, already furious with the CP0 agents, was further enraged by Jabba's mockery. He charged at him in a fit of rage.
Seeing Sengoku's determined demeanor, Jabba knew he couldn't afford to be careless. Tightening his grip on his twin axes, he rushed to meet Sengoku head-on.
Boom!
Ka-boom!
The two clashed violently, and after a brief standoff, their collision triggered an explosion. Shockwaves, tinged with gold and black, spread like a hurricane, wreaking havoc on their surroundings.
Creak! Creak!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The warship they were on could no longer withstand the strain and exploded into fragments. Wooden debris flew like bullets in every direction, catching the nearby elite Marines completely off guard.
"This is bad!"
"Run for your lives!"
"Jump into the sea! It's our only chance!"
"Jump now!"
Nearby Marines abandoned their warships, diving into the ocean to escape the devastating shockwaves.
Unlike previous battles, where shockwaves merely knocked people off their feet, these waves were laced with high-speed wooden shrapnel, as deadly as bullets. Anyone struck by them suffered fatal wounds.
"Even warships can't endure the aftershocks of their fights. What kind of monsters are we up against?!"
"Is this really who we're supposed to capture?!"
"We can't possibly defeat these monsters!"
On distant warships, Marine soldiers who witnessed the destruction were pale with fear. Their weapons trembled in their hands, and it seemed their mental defenses might crumble at any moment.
Though they were far enough away to avoid harm this time, who could guarantee they'd be safe next time?
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As Sengoku and Jabba resumed their battle, explosions erupted all around. One after another, others on the battlefield began clashing again, filling the area with unending detonations and shockwaves.
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