Chapter 19: Hawkeye makes his move

Just moments ago, Kaido had been inside the shadow box, pierced by the shadow horn spear.

At that moment, everyone believed Kaido had been killed.

But they hadn't seen it firsthand, as the shadow box had obstructed their view.

Now.

Kaido struck Moriah with his mace and defeated him.

This time, everyone saw it.

Moriah's eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness.

This undeniable fact was right in front of them.

The Marine Headquarters descended into chaos.

A Shichibukai being taken down so effortlessly was clearly terrifying.

The people of the Bubble Islands were even more frightened.

"Moonlight Moriah... was defeated just like that?"

"How is that possible!!?"

"That's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!!!"

"Are the Four Emperors truly this powerful? Those two are going to destroy everything... and we're doomed too, aren't we? Ahhhhh..."

"Am I really not dreaming?"

"The Seven Warlords of the Sea lost just like that?"

"Kaido... what kind of monster is he?..."

"So this is the power of the Four Emperors!!!"

People stared at the screen in horror.

Many still couldn't accept the reality before their eyes.

They could comprehend a Warlord losing.

But being struck once, and Moriah's massive form shrinking like a deflated balloon—this was too much to accept. It was shocking.

How could the gap between the Four Emperors and the Seven Warlords be so vast??

In the inner bay of the Marine Headquarters, Kaido didn't stop after striking Moriah. Instead, he approached the unconscious Gekko Moriah lying at his feet.

"It's not like I kill people without reason."

Kaido muttered, his voice low, almost as if speaking to himself: "There are side quests, and I can't help it. Gekko Moriah, thank you for your efforts, but it's time for you to leave this world."

The world of One Piece has a certain characteristic:

Almost no one dies.

Regardless of whether they're a supporting character or a villain, deaths are almost nonexistent.

In contrast, the righteous characters perish to set the atmosphere and move the audience.

So.

In this context.

Kaido was actually somewhat hesitant about killing people.

But later.

Kaido changed his mind.

There was no need for hesitation.

The lack of deaths in the world of Pirates doesn't mean there are truly few fatalities.

It's simply that they're rarely depicted or shown.

What's presented is the adventurous and lighthearted side.

The cruel side is merely downplayed.

It doesn't mean cruelty is absent, or that it doesn't exist.

So.

Kaido is now ending Gekko Moriah.

He is simply carrying out those cruelties that exist everywhere but are often downplayed.

So.

Kaido lifted the iron club in his hand, the Eight Fasts, and swung it down toward Gekko Moriah's head.

…

At Marine Headquarters, countless people felt their scalps tingle and shivers run down their spines.

Some even felt their legs go weak.

This was because they sensed the brutality of this war.

How long had it been since the battle began?

And already, one of the Seven Warlords had been defeated like that?

"This…this..."

An elite Marine officer staggered back, a look of horror on his face. He then turned and fled, screaming, "I don't want to die! I won't fight anymore!!!"

Hearing his scream, many Marines around him suddenly snapped out of their daze.

A deserter.

There was a deserter!!

Under normal circumstances, others might have looked down on him or disapproved.

But now, no one judged him.

Instead, it became a wake-up call.

It triggered the desire in others to desert as well.

They had no choice.

Hadn't they just witnessed a Shichibukai die like that?

That was one of the Seven Warlords!!!

They roam the seas, and even the World Government finds them troublesome enough to enlist their help and grant them privileges.

Each Shichibukai is a ruler of the sea.

But now.

Such a formidable Warlord.

Under Kaido's hand, it was like an egg shattering with a light tap.

If even the Shichibukai fell so easily.

Others asked themselves.

How strong were the Shichibukai, really?

Could these so-called elite soldiers survive even two or three moves against Gekko Moriah?

Highly unlikely.

Gekko Moriah was so powerful, yet he couldn't withstand even one blow from Kaido.

If Kaido advances,

everyone would be dead before they even realized what happened.

If they didn't flee, would they stay and become cannon fodder?

So, after one soldier deserted, more and more elites wavered.

Soon, many began to follow suit.

"I... I won't fight anymore. I don't want to die either."

"Run!! There's no way we can face a monster like Kaido!!!"

"I'm out of here, goodbye!"

"This is terrifying... ahhhhhhhh..."

Many elite soldiers dropped their weapons and fled.

Of course, compared to the total force of 100,000 Marines, the deserters were only a fraction.

But still, there were hundreds.

"Hey! Don't run! Desertion will earn you a court-martial later!"

"Come back, don't flee!!"

"What's there to fear about Kaido? We've got numbers on our side!!"

A Vice-Admiral from the headquarters shouted at that moment.

However, very few turned back.

There was no other choice.

If these deserters weren't truly terrified, they wouldn't have fled so openly.

And since they were scared, a few words alone couldn't persuade them to return.

"I will stop them."

A Vice-Admiral of the headquarters was about to step forward.

However, at that moment, boom!

The surrounding temperature spiked dramatically.

A massive ball of magma descended from the sky, striking the deserters directly.

With a deafening boom, the magma crashed down, silencing the deserters.

There were no cries.

And they certainly didn't flee.

This scene shocked the surrounding Marines, including the Vice-Admirals who had intended to halt the deserters.

Oh my god.

Magma?!

It had just incinerated the deserters?

As panic spread among the ranks,

a voice echoed from above.

"Deserters will face severe punishment."

Admiral Akainu's cold, indifferent voice resonated, reaching the ears of all Marines: "In the face of world-class criminals, as righteous Marines, you must hold the line and not retreat a single step! If you retreat, who will protect the families and civilians behind us? You are the navy! You uphold justice on the seas!! Shameful deserters who disgrace the name of justice will be executed on the spot!!!"

Akainu's voice carried across the battlefield.

The shock caused by the magma wiping out several Marines began to fade.

That's right.

The Admiral was correct.

They were the Marines, the embodiment of justice.

If they retreated, what would happen to their families and the civilians they swore to protect?

As members of the navy,

being scared in front of pirates and choosing to run was shameful!!

They should not retreat even a step.

They must fight to the end against these vile and wicked pirates!!

Then.

Akainu's gaze turned toward Kaido.

Sensing this gaze,

Kaido returned the look at Akainu.

"Akainu."

Kaido assessed his strength: "High attack power, tough durability, and he endured a full-force combo from Whitebeard in his fury, yet he wasn't seriously hurt except for coughing up two mouthfuls of blood... This guy's vitality is probably second only to mine in the entire ocean. It may even rival my own. He won't be easy to handle."

Back when Kaido read the manga,

he was astonished by Akainu's endurance. Whitebeard had probably unleashed every ounce of his strength and attack power in that moment. It would have been understandable if Akainu died.

But he wasn't even gravely injured. Damn,

he only coughed up a bit of blood.

It couldn't even be called a minor injury.

It was like the plot armor given to a main character.

It was clear that beating him required serious effort.

And at this moment,

someone else made their move.

On the defensive line,

at the position of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Hawkeye Mihawk.

He drew the black blade from his back.

"Kaido."

Hawkeye spoke: "Next, I will be your opponent."

Kaido's brutal display of power and the defeat of Gekko Moriah had piqued Hawkeye's interest.

He was eager to fight. Doflamingo, standing nearby,

was immediately unnerved: "You're challenging Kaido!?"

It wasn't that

Hawkeye's decision to face Kaido was terrifying.

But

Doflamingo was worried about whether this would affect him!

He couldn't just desert in broad daylight, right?

Damn it.

Kaido had clearly been focused on Akainu a moment ago.

Why did you have to step in, Hawkeye? Why are you drawing his attention?

Are you out of your mind?