Chapter 93 The taste of defeat?

Author: Xiao Yifeng

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

Vivi's desperate search through the capital of Alabasta culminated in a single, vital encounter. "Adjutant Pell!" she cried out, her voice cracking with relief.

At the sound of her voice, the man turned. Pell, the strongest warrior in the entire kingdom, his fearsome reputation cemented by the Falcon Zoan Devil Fruit that granted him flight, had a look of utter shock that quickly melted into profound relief. "Princess Vivi!"

Pell's appearance was as sharp and distinct as his namesake. A tall, powerfully built man with purple lines drawn down from his eyes, giving him a hawkish intensity. He wore a long white robe decorated with star-like patterns, a matching hat, and a large orange necklace. His sword rested on his right hip, a subtle hint at his ambidextrous or left-handed fighting style. His eyes, however, showed not just the warrior, but the loyal guardian, now filled with a mix of excitement and deep-seated concern.

Ten days earlier, Igaram had made it back to the kingdom alone, delivering the grave news of the princess's predicament. Despite the report, a knot of worry had been coiled in Pell's gut, a tension that only seeing Vivi alive and well could finally release.

"It is alright now, Princess Vivi," Pell assured her, his gaze falling on her exhausted companion, Karoo, who looked ready to collapse. "We will escort you back to the palace immediately."

But Vivi shook her head frantically, her own urgency overriding her exhaustion. "There's no time, Pell! We have to get back to them. If we're late, Luffy and the others will be in grave danger!" She grabbed his arm, pulling him, her entire being focused on returning to the fight. Karoo, sensing her determination, spun around, ready to charge back into the fray.

As Pell tried to process her frantic words, a calm, unexpected voice cut through the air. "Excuse me," it said. "Did that young lady just mention the name Luffy?"

The moment the name was spoken, Pell's every instinct screamed danger. He moved to shield the princess, shouting, "Protect Princess Vivi!" He knew that for someone to get this close to them, past a hundred royal guards, without being detected was no small feat.

They turned to see a young man standing nearby. He was tall and leanly muscled, with a thatch of curly black hair and a spray of freckles across his nose. His most striking feature was the massive tattoo on his back: the symbol of the Whitebeard Pirates, a skull with a magnificent white mustache set against a cross of purple bones. Another tattoo on his left bicep spelled out "ASCE" in a vertical line. He was bare-chested, wearing only black boots, knee-length shorts held by an orange belt, and a cowboy hat tipped low.

The man offered a disarming, friendly smile. "My apologies for startling you, but I couldn't help but overhear. You see, I care a great deal about Luffy." His smile was bright and genuine, like the sun breaking through a morning haze. For a fleeting moment, Vivi felt an uncanny presence, as if Luffy himself were standing right there.

The young man tipped his cowboy hat lower, his expression shifting to one of genuine concern. "And... did you just say that Luffy is in danger?"

-----

The battle raged. "Don't you dare hurt my friends!" Luffy roared, his voice raw with fury. He launched his attack, Gomu Gomu no Whip, his right leg, blackened with Armament Haki, stretching out like a devastating lash aimed directly at the Vice Admiral.

His opponent, Vice Admiral Tokikake, remained utterly composed. With his hands still casually tucked in his pockets, he simply swayed. Rokushiki: Kami-e. His body became like paper, flowing around the whip-like kick with insulting ease.

A boom echoed as Luffy's foot smashed into a nearby building. Before his leg could even retract, Tokikake vanished with a burst of speed, reappearing right beside him. "It's over for you, Straw Hat," he declared, moving to strike the off-balance pirate.

But from a nearby roof, another attack came. "Xun Gua: Wind Blade," Bai Ye, the Priest, commanded from his vantage point. A volley of invisible blades, sharp enough to slice through stone, shot silently toward the Vice Admiral's neck.

"A decent trick," Tokikake commented, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But far too slow." He didn't even move to dodge. Rokushiki: Tekkai. His body hardened to the strength of steel, his neck glowing with a layer of Armament Haki. The wind blades struck with a sharp clang, shattering harmlessly. The Priest's eyes narrowed in frustration. Is this the strength of a Vice Admiral?

The brief distraction was all Luffy needed to disengage. Seeing the boy retreat, Tokikake paused his assault, a thoughtful frown creasing his features. The rookies were more resilient than expected.

Suddenly, Sanji exploded onto the scene, his right leg wreathed in roaring fire and reinforced with Haki. "Black Leg Style: Flambage Shot!" he yelled, aiming a devastating axe kick at the Vice Admiral's face.

Tokikake's expression soured slightly. "What's this now, little one?" he chided, effortlessly evading the fiery kick with Rokushiki: Soru. He reappeared a few feet away, a mocking tone in his voice. "My, my. One should have better manners than to try and kick such a handsome face."

Before he could continue his taunt, he was forced to look up. Zoro, his three swords glowing with powerful Haki, had leaped from a roof. "The nine mountains and eight seas constitute one world!" he chanted, his voice a low growl. "A thousand of them form a small chiliocosm! And when I gather and cube that chiliocosm... there is nothing I cannot cut! Three Sword Style Secret Technique: The Billion-fold World Trichiliocosm!"

His swords spun into a vortex of cutting energy, descending with immense force. The ground erupted, splitting into a massive crater where Tokikake had been standing. Kneeling in the dust, Zoro's pupils shrank. I missed!

High above, Tokikake stood on the air itself, using Rokushiki: Geppo. He calmly lit a cigarette, the very picture of unconcerned superiority. "Goodness," he drawled, exhaling a plume of smoke. "You boys are certainly playing for keeps. A bit more and you might have actually wrinkled my suit."

Nami sighed softly, then expertly raised her Clima-Tact. "Wind and Thunder—Attack!" A powerful gust swept over the Vice Admiral, followed instantly by a deafening clap of thunder as a massive bolt crashed down from the sky.

Simultaneously, Usopp pulled the triggers on two large magnums. "Magnum—Fire Tornado!" he shouted. The specialized bullets erupted, creating a roaring hurricane of flame that spiraled up from below.

Caught between a lightning strike from above and a firestorm from below, Tokikake's expression finally shifted. For the first time, he seemed to be taking the fight seriously. "Elemental attacks?" he mused. "Not Devil Fruits, I think." He glanced at their weapons, then his eyes landed on the crew's stoic Vice-Captain. "Priest Bai Ye," he called out, a note of genuine surprise in his voice. "Is this another application of your 'Daoism'? I hadn't realized its effects could be shared."

The time for games was over. With a fluid motion, Tokikake's right hand left his pocket, moving to his waist and drawing a katana. His relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced by the focused intensity of a true master. With two contemptuously simple slashes, he dispersed the lightning and extinguished the firestorm.

He landed softly on the ground, facing the regrouped pirates. "Well now, Straw Hat Pirates," he said, his tone utterly casual once more. "You've given me a proper warm-up."

His eyes swept over them, analytical and sharp, before landing on Luffy and the Priest. "To think a crew fresh on the Grand Line would not only possess Haki, but also command such unique and powerful attacks," he noted, a flicker of true intrigue in his eyes. "You are all full of surprises."

Hearing his assessment, the Straw Hats tensed. They were facing an opponent who saw their full strength and was still completely, utterly unfazed. Even Luffy's usual boundless confidence was gone, replaced by a grim seriousness.

The confrontation between the Straw Hat Pirates(except for Raccoon) and the Navy Vice Admiral was a complete and overwhelming defeat.