Virgo 14, Monet 15... (5/5

"Ohohohohoho~ Witness my masterpiece of destruction!"

Jorah, the rotund wielder of the Art Fruit, thrust her hands forward, unleashing a massive cloud of translucent smoke, akin to shimmering bubbles. The smoke swirled and thickened, gathering density before rushing toward the two opponents, as forceful as a fire extinguisher's blast.

But just as the attack was about to strike—

A razor-sharp wave of sword energy sliced through the air, striking her body in an instant!

A deep, gaping wound slashed across her entire back.

"Ahhhh!"

Jorah screamed and collapsed to the ground of the arena.

"Jorah!"

The members of the Donquixote Family widened their eyes in disbelief, fury etched on their faces. Their roars filled the air.

They turned toward the direction of the attack, seeing a lone figure descending from the sky, landing gracefully in the center of the ring.

The crowd erupted into gasps of shock. No one had expected someone to dare challenge the might of the Donquixote Family!

"This sword... it's unreal!" Cyrus muttered in disbelief. Even in his prime, when his legs were still intact, he doubted he could have matched the skill of the young female swordsman standing before them.

"Father, she's with the Marines! They're here to take down the Donquixote Family!" Rebecca's eyes gleamed with hope.

If the Marines were involved, then surely they had come to save them!

"Bastard! How dare you sneak attack one of us?! Delinger, take her down!" Diamante, still cradling the unconscious Jorah, snarled.

The betta fish hybrid, Delinger, let out a crazed laugh as the fins of his fish form jutted out, signaling his rage.

"High-Speed Movement—Corner Strike!"

In a blink, Delinger vanished, moving with such speed that only afterimages remained. His attack zeroed in on Tashigi.

"She's too fast! That Marine girl won't stand a chance!"

"Attacking the Donquixote Family means death!" The onlookers whispered nervously.

Whoosh!

With a single stroke, Tashigi's blade met Delinger mid-charge, her strike clean and precise.

A spray of crimson burst into the air as Delinger was slashed across the chest, crashing to the ground, his body convulsing in shock.

Gasps filled the arena. If the earlier attack on Jorah had seemed like a sneak strike, there was no mistaking the power in Tashigi's recent move.

Delinger, the crazed fighter known for his invincibility in battle, was defeated—without so much as laying a finger on her.

"What... what is she?" The crowd murmured in awe.

Rebecca trembled with excitement. "Father, we're saved! This Marine... she's stronger than anything I've ever seen! My swordsmanship feels like a child's play compared to hers!"

Cyrus nodded solemnly. "It's not your lack of skill, Rebecca. It's her overwhelming strength. A Marine like her—there's no way she's an ordinary soldier."

"Ding! Captured 10 members of the Donquixote Family. Reward: 100 years of life."

"Ding! Do you wish to claim the reward?" A voice chimed in Finn's mind.

"No," Finn whispered, shaking his head.

"Ding! Reward of 10,000 years of life forfeited."

Diamante's face twisted in horror as he watched Delinger fall. His hands shook with rage, and he drew his massive sword.

"Who are you?!" he roared, eyes wild. "Are you our enemy? Do you stand against the Donquixote Family?!"

Tashigi shrugged, her expression calm. "It's not personal. Just orders."

In an instant, she became a blur, darting toward Lao G. Before the seasoned warrior could even react, her blade struck him down with ruthless precision.

"Now you die! Hell Ton Mahabath!" Another fighter leaped into the air, preparing to crush her with a brutal dive. But suddenly, his movement halted.

"What—where did she go?!"

Tashigi's voice came from above him. "Looking for me?"

Mahabath turned, eyes wide, just as Tashigi's sword came down, slicing through him with ease. Another one fell.

Diamante watched, his sanity slipping away as more of his family were cut down before his eyes. "No! I won't die here! Someone must tell the young master!"

He turned and fled, his feet pounding against the shaking arena floor.

Tashigi leaped into the air, landing gracefully in his path. "Leaving so soon?"

"You can't stop me!" Diamante roared, slamming his hands onto the ground. The earth rippled like a flag caught in a violent wind, his Devil Fruit powers warping the terrain.

Tashigi staggered momentarily, her footing thrown off, giving Diamante the chance to flee toward the arena's exit.

As he sprinted, hope briefly flickered in his heart. She wasn't chasing him.

But then his eyes landed on a figure blocking the exit. A young man stood there, seemingly unaware of the danger bearing down on him.

"Fool! You'll die for standing in my way!" Diamante snarled, thrusting his sword forward.

The next moment, his body was sent flying backward, faster than he had been running.

He crashed hard into the center of the ring.

Finn stood in the aisle, Violet and Robin at his sides, their forms barely visible from the sheer speed at which they had appeared.

Rebecca gasped, her voice filled with hope. "Auntie!"

Violet stepped forward, her expression grim. "Rebecca, I know you have questions. But first, I need to avenge my sister."

Rebecca nodded, stepping beside her. "We'll do it together."

Their swords glinted in the light as they both plunged their blades into Diamante's chest.

With a final, guttural gasp, the bloodied Donquixote Family member slumped to the ground, dead.

Finn muttered quietly, "137..."

With the Donquixote Family cadres either dead or incapacitated, the Marine soldiers moved in, handcuffing the survivors with seastone restraints.

The battle was over, but Finn's mission had just begun.