Chapter 116: I Am a Marine
Before this, none of them could stand against that monstrous woman, not even for a single exchange.
They had thought their numbers would give them an advantage, but in the face of her overwhelming strength, they were utterly powerless.
Fortunately, the mighty Usopp had stepped up, as they had hoped, to hold off that monster of a woman.
Now, with the path before them littered with bodies yet completely unobstructed, there was no better time to escape.
Seizing the opportunity, the pirates turned and fled toward the wall's opening, casting terrified glances back at the duel between Maude and Gion.
The raw power of their clash rippled through the ground, splitting the earth, and cast a shadow over the pirates' hearts.
The world of the strong.
This thought consumed the minds of the weaker ones as they hastened their retreat.
Within the battlefield.
Maude struggled to bear the overwhelming force transmitted through the blade of Gion's sword.
Had he not just absorbed Robbie's experience and sharpened his Armament Haki skills, Gion's strike would have overwhelmed him completely.
The importance of Armament Haki was unmistakable at this moment.
Gion's gaze pierced through the clashing blades, locking onto Maude's gritted and determined expression.
Her face remained an emotionless mask, but inwardly, a storm raged.
Typically, someone like Maude—who had only recently awakened his Haki—shouldn't have mastered such advanced techniques.
Even Sol, a veteran from the Roger Pirates who had weathered countless storms, was astonished by Maude's progress.
And Gion, who knew Maude's origins better than anyone, was even more shocked.
"No wonder Robbie lost. This boy's talent is…"
Gion's eyes flashed as she pressed forward, channeling even greater force through her blade.
Suddenly, Maude felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him through the Chidori.
Crack!
The ground beneath his feet fractured once more.
In an instant, his precarious position crumbled.
I can't match her strength…
In that critical moment, a thought flashed through Maude's mind: Disperse the force.
Acting without hesitation, Maude ignored the strain on his wrists and angled his blade slightly to the left, easing off the resistance.
The sudden loss of opposition caused Gion's sword to press Chidori downward violently.
"Naive," Gion muttered coldly.
In that split second, she anticipated Maude's plan.
While dispersing force might relieve pressure, it also created an opening for the opponent.
Gion swiftly retracted her strength before surging forward again, timing it perfectly as Maude tried to pull his blade back.
Maude's attempt to withdraw failed as Chidori was pinned to the ground.
The sword's tip struck the earth with a resounding crash, sending shockwaves up Maude's arm.
Gion's eyes gleamed with intent to kill. With a deft flick of her wrist, she swung her blade upward in a deadly arc toward Maude's neck.
If the strike landed, there would be no doubt—his head would roll.
Thankfully, Maude maintained his composure. Using Observation Haki, he leaned back just in time, narrowly evading the lethal blow.
At the same time, he gritted his teeth through the pain and swung Chidori blindly to ward her off.
But Gion was faster.
As Maude moved, she pivoted gracefully, using the momentum of her missed strike to spin and deliver a devastating kick to his abdomen.
A fleeting red glint appeared in Maude's eyes as he reinforced his defense with Armament Haki.
Yet, even with his Haki fortification, Gion's kick, imbued with her superior Armament, struck home.
Boom!
With a dull thud, Maude was launched like a cannonball, spraying droplets of blood midair before crashing into the ground, leaving a trail of crimson behind him.
Though the kick had landed solidly, Gion realized in that brief contact that Maude had anticipated her move with Observation Haki and braced himself with Armament.
Still, his Haki couldn't match hers, leaving him injured despite his defense.
"To think he's already mastered Observation Haki as well…"
Gion's killing intent intensified as she glanced at the airborne Maude.
Such raw talent...
Even if she struggled to believe it, the evidence was undeniable.
She couldn't let this boy continue to grow.
Without hesitation, Gion gathered her energy, preparing to unleash a sword wave at the falling Maude.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
A heated bullet streaked toward Gion.
She paused her attack, sidestepping the projectile, and cast a quick glance toward the shooter—Sunny.
After a brief look, Gion dismissed her and refocused on Maude.
The timely shot disrupted Gion's pursuit, but only momentarily.
She stepped forward with renewed purpose, closing the distance to Maude.
Sunny froze, shocked that her interference only earned her a passing glance.
When she pulled the trigger, she had braced herself for retaliation.
But Gion's sole focus remained on Maude.
"Is it really just because Maude killed that Marine…?"
Sunny could feel the suffocating intensity of Gion's intent to kill.
She could only assume it was vengeance for Robbie.
But the truth lay deeper—Maude's relentless rise in skill and power had cemented him as a threat in Gion's eyes.
Within months, his physical abilities, marksmanship, swordsmanship, and mastery of Haki had advanced at an impossible rate.
Gion refused to let such a dangerous potential flourish further.
Unaware of Gion's true motives, Sunny reloaded and fired again.
Yet, no matter her efforts, Gion's pursuit remained unwavering, her attention never straying.
"Damn it!"
Sunny hastily reloaded once more, her focus entirely on Gion.
She didn't notice the shadow creeping up behind her.
Under the sunlight, a figure's shadow stretched across the ground.
Sunny's eyes widened as she noticed it. She spun around sharply.
"Wolfrat!"
Relief surged through her as she recognized the figure. "You're just in time! Maude—no, Usopp—he's in danger! Help him!"
Wolfrat regarded her with an unreadable expression. "No need to correct yourself. I know his name is Maude, not Usopp."
"…"
Sunny's heart sank. She raised her gun instinctively, but Wolfrat moved faster, snatching the flintlock from her hand.
"Wolfrat, you…"
With a slight squeeze, Wolfrat crushed the gun in his grasp, its fragments clattering to the ground.
"I am a Marine," he said coldly.
In the distance, Maude hit the ground and rolled several times.
The moment he stopped, he sprang to his feet, wiping blood from his lips.
"A gunshot... Was that Sunny?"
Before Gion could close in, Maude darted a glance toward Sunny's position.
His eyes lit up momentarily upon spotting Wolfrat.
But the sight of Wolfrat crushing Sunny's flintlock made his heart sink.
Gion's presence loomed near once more.
-------
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON!!!
Join here: patreon.com / emperorgarus
There are more than 100 advance chapters available for you!