Chapter 160: A Victory That Slips Away
“It’s Gion! I didn’t expect you to have this trick up your sleeve, truly unexpected. I didn’t think they’d send Gion over besides you, Sakazuki… Does the Navy have no issue pulling so many high-level combat forces? Pirates are the best at taking advantage of a burning house.”
“As long as we bring you, the criminal, to justice, it’s enough to deter the other lawbreakers.”
“What a headache, talking to you is completely unreasonable!”
“I have no interest in listening to a criminal bluster here.”
On the deck,
Within arm’s reach, the collision of storm and lava created a hellish inferno that humans could hardly approach. The Marines had long since scattered, and aside from the two protagonists, anyone else approaching here probably couldn’t last even a second.
Fight as they may, both knew it was impossible to defeat the other in a short time. So amid the battle, both were distracted by other matters—the struggle in the cabin. Sabo and Gion’s fight was drawing their attention.
Since the battle here couldn’t be decided for the moment, they could only temporarily pin their hopes on the outcome in the cabin.
Of course,
Even while distracted by the commotion in the cabin, he still swung his fists with the conviction to kill Dragon. As long as Dragon dared to show even a second of negligence, he was confident he could bring this battle of uncertain end to a sudden close.
However,
Monkey D. Dragon showed not the slightest flaw.
Even Sakazuki had no choice but to patiently wait for Dragon to make a mistake.
“Gion’s appearance did catch me a bit off guard, but… this small deviation is within the margin of error.” Dragon looked at Sakazuki, half-molten into lava. “The World Government and Navy underestimated our resolve.”
“This time it’s not my stage alone; the Revolutionary Army companions will all take the field.”
Thunder rumbled in the sky, fleeting lightning instantly dispelling the darkness between sea and heaven. In that brief instant, Sakazuki saw a shadow under the wind and rain in the sky—it was Dragon, uh, not the one in front of him, but a giant dragon with huge wings and fire-breathing mouth.
No mistake,
Dozens? Hundreds?
Amid the howling gale and pouring rain, the sky was filled with densely packed giant dragons. That instant was too short; Sakazuki couldn’t clearly count how many giant dragons were in the sky, but the number was definitely not just a dozen.
Artificial dragons…
As expected, this technology fell into the hands of the Revolutionary Army. The Science Unit is really… who knows what they’re up to! The new technology they researched wasn’t equipped to the Navy; instead, the Revolutionary Army got to use it first. Borsalino really can’t be allowed to keep slacking off like that…
The giant dragons are manageable, though.
For Sakazuki, these seemingly terrifying giant dragons were no harder to deal with than those Sea Kings that were just big in size, and without seawater’s hindrance, they were actually easier to kill. The real trouble was the powerful auras standing on the backs of the giant dragons.
The elite among them could be called top-tier Vice Admiral level combat power even at Navy Headquarters. Aside from the Fleet Admiral, Generals, and freak Vice Admirals like Garp, few could match these Revolutionary Army Officers.
“Going all out?”
Sakazuki’s expression grew grave.
“No mistake, we’re determined to succeed this time.”
Dragon said word by word.
The reason he didn’t seize the Devil Child before Sakazuki took custody of Nico Robin—besides not wanting to ruin the trade relationship with Elus—was that this operation truly mobilized the Revolutionary Army’s entire roster.
With such strength, if they couldn’t snatch someone from a General’s hands…
The Revolutionary Army might as well not exist.
Moreover, when departing from the New World for Alabasta this time, Elus conveniently provided them with plenty of good stuff on credit! Things like so many artificial giant dragons were credited by Elus—goods first, payment later. As a businessman, it was extremely generous.
Though the Revolutionary Army had acquired plenty in the past two years, their territory was vast. Useful war weapons like artificial giant dragons were demanded by branches as soon as they arrived, leaving few at headquarters. Without Elus’s kind credit, Dragon couldn’t have assembled such a luxurious lineup on short notice.
As the saying goes, help all the way; send Buddha to the West.
One is debt, two is credit; Elus lent and credited, giving the Revolutionary Army more than just artificial giant dragons…
“Bang!!!”
Light flashed in mid-air.
The pitch-black cannons mounted on the giant dragons’ backs targeted the warships below. With one shot, eerie green light turned into destructive cannonballs, striking the Navy warships below. A massive warship was cleaved in two from the middle, its destructive power far exceeding ordinary cannon fire—especially that…
Cannonball’s form.
Seeing this shot, Sakazuki’s face truly showed shock.
Light cannon… or rather laser. If he wasn’t mistaken, that attack was extremely similar to the ones Borsalino unleashed—or rather, aside from the color difference, it was identical to the attack methods from Borsalino’s Glint-Glint Fruit.
If he remembered correctly, Doctor Vegapunk had always been researching Borsalino’s Glint-Glint Fruit, trying to replicate its power through science and technology. So far, there seemed to be no practical results…
Where did the Revolutionary Army get such advanced technology?
Damn it!
What the hell is the Science Unit up to?
Aside from developing the Seastone tech to cross the Calm Belt, the Navy hadn’t enjoyed any more inventions from the Science Unit. In the end, the Revolutionary Army reaped the benefits, which inevitably infuriated Sakazuki.
“What terrifying power!”
Dragon watched the warship rapidly sinking into the water and exclaimed in admiration.
He had witnessed a test firing of this cannon. When Elus provided it, they demonstrated this new weapon’s terror on the New World seas, its astonishing attack power leaving him stunned. But unlike the giant dragons with mature sales channels, Elus only lent it for use, to gather real battlefield data for adjustments.
This codenamed ‘Cerberus Type-1’ light cannon was a prototype, not yet intended for sale.
At the same time,
Handing this weapon to the Revolutionary Army for real combat testing was also to let them take the fall. After all, it wasn’t suitable for public view—it was a weapon made from technology derived from the Pluton Blueprint. Who knows if the World Government might reverse-engineer the Pluton Blueprint or Pluto itself from it…
That waste Caesar had researched the Pluton Blueprint for so long, and the only result so far was the ‘Cerberus Type-1’—and since it’s Type-1, it meant immature, just the initial version.
Caesar’s technical level outside biotechnology truly disappointed Elus. Miss Bakkin was also a big name in biology and medicine, but for mechanical tech, Jermma Kingdom was superior.
The issue was that unlike Caesar and Miss Bakkin, Jermma Kingdom’s King Vinsmoke Judge was Elus’s ally, registered in the World Government’s eyes, so Elus couldn’t use force to treat Jermma’s king as his captive alongside Caesar and Miss Bakkin.
By the time Cerberus Type-1 was ready, no suitable testing ground had been found.
And this thing might be steeped in forbidden knowledge; Elus didn’t dare let his subordinates test it in New World battles. Perfectly, the Revolutionary Army was heading to Paradise for big news, so Elus went with the flow, lending them the people and cannon.
No mistake,
Those operating the Cerberus Type-1 light cannons were all Elus’s subordinates, to protect the weapon’s secret.
In any case,
For safety, having the Revolutionary Army take the blame was undoubtedly the best choice.
The Revolutionary Army, accustomed to taking the heat, gladly shouldered this huge pot. Debts piled up don’t worry, lice too many don’t itch—that’s life’s wisdom. Dragon didn’t care about the World Government and Navy’s bounties and pursuits on him.
He was already the world’s most dangerous criminal.
He didn’t believe the World Government and Navy could give him an even more heinous charge or nickname.
“Keep firing.”
Dragon’s voice carried into the sky on the wind. The gunners on the giant dragons’ backs unhesitatingly fired without hesitation. Green light cannons wantonly destroyed the fleet below; in one salvo, three warships were sunk. The massive fleet Sakazuki brought was now battered and scattered by the Revolutionary Army.
“Damn it, Monkey D. Dragon, you bastards!”
Watching warship after warship sunk by light cannons, the furious Sakazuki couldn’t help cursing. But it wasn’t over; after one round of light cannons, several giant dragons lowered their flight altitude, the figures on them plummeting like falling meteors straight toward the flagship.
“Not a chance, Great Eruption!!”
Sakazuki swung his fist with full force.
This move, simulating a volcanic eruption by launching his fist, had astonishing destructive power. Not to mention withstanding this devastating strike—even ordinary Vice Admiral level experts had no choice but to flee under this attack.
“Change direction!”
The storm blew up.
The lava erupting like a volcano was deflected by the storm, narrowly missing the falling figures in the sky.
Veins bulged on Sakazuki’s forehead as he glared at Dragon opposite him, his rage reaching its peak. His whole body turned to molten rock, no longer restraining the heat that could melt steel into molten iron. The deck underfoot instantly melted into a huge hole.
His whole person,
Fell straight through the hole into the cabin interior.
“Sabo, be careful!”
The storm chased into the warship’s interior; Dragon shouted loudly to warn his disciple.
Actually, no need for Dragon’s shout—he had been keeping part of his mind on the deck’s developments while fighting Gion. He hadn’t forgotten his mission. From the start, the Revolutionary Army never optimistically thought they could easily rescue Nico Robin.
The Revolutionary Army going all out wasn’t for show.
Dragon believed half-measures wouldn’t suffice.
Sabo’s mission was to prevent a cornered Sakazuki from jumping the wall and outright killing Nico Robin… That might leave unknown risks, but it was still better than letting the Devil Child join the Revolutionary Army.
Face Sakazuki’s attacks head-on, buy one or two seconds for the Revolutionary Army companions’ assault window.
That was his mission.
Gion’s unsheathed blade left a deep gash on Sabo’s right cheek, but Sabo tanked Gion’s attack and rushed to Nico Robin’s side. His full-power Dragon Claw Fist sent the CP0 agent guarding her flying.
The next second, the floor overhead melted from fiery red molten rock.
Sabo grabbed Nico Robin and lunged forward, barely dodging the falling lava. But even with his speed, dragging a burden against a monster like Mister Sakazuki wasn’t fast enough.
The clothes on his back were incinerated by the lava’s heat.
Without Armament Haki’s protection, his skin and flesh would’ve burned to ash.
“Hellhound!”
The lava-form Sakazuki showed no mercy, swinging his fist with intent to kill both Sabo and Nico Robin. The scorching Magma Fist clashed with the jet-black Dragon Claw Fist gleaming with steel luster.
“Aaaah!!!”
Sabo let out a scream of utmost agony.
His right forearm was gone.
His fingers, palm, wrist, forearm… all vanished, leaving only a charred irregular wound at the elbow.
“He’s still alive?”
Sakazuki frowned; he hadn’t held back on that punch.
Unexpectedly, he missed.
His surging lava arm churned, ready for a follow-up strike, but then the storm arrived. A thick wall of wind blocked Sakazuki’s lava, Gion’s Sword Qi, and the CP0 agents’ attacks. Then Revolutionary Army Officers burst through the surrounding walls into the cabin.
“Take Sabo and Nico Robin and go; I’ll cover the rear.”
Dragon’s order reached everyone’s ears.
The Revolutionary Army Officers quickly gathered around Sabo and Nico Robin, ignoring his injury, and swiftly evacuated with them. The Navy side, hearing Dragon’s order, moved to intercept.
But the enraged Dragon, fired up by his disciple’s wounded state, unleashed full power.
The merciless storm tore the warship to shreds. With no footing, the Navy’s interception slowed. Even Sakazuki restrained his heat, not daring to burn the sampan underfoot—Geppo had time limits; even he couldn’t truly walk on air indefinitely.
This delay let the Revolutionary Army pull away, boarding the giant dragons circling in the sky and fleeing rapidly into the distance.
Dragon coldly glanced at the furiously punching Sakazuki. The howling storm briefly blocked the sky-filling Magma Fists. Borne by the gale, he leaped onto a giant dragon’s back, leaving a group of giant dragons to cover the rear against Sakazuki’s attacks as he chased the others away from this sea area.
Nico Robin was secured.
The Revolutionary Army’s objective achieved; no need to keep fighting Sakazuki.
