On the pirate ship, strong winds ravaged the deck, causing boards to break and splinter. Gott Di, wielding a massive gear-shaped broadsword, clashed with the pirate Spider. The force of their battle left Spider red-faced with strain.
Both were already wounded, with Spider particularly struggling, panting heavily and bleeding from the mouth. As Foxy and other marines swarmed in, pirates were killed or captured one by one. Seeing this, Spider grew increasingly anxious, leading to more mistakes in his defence.
Clang…
Sparks flew as Gott Di’s broadsword struck Spider, sending him flying. Amidst the scattered wooden debris, Spider coughed up more blood.
At that moment, a figure appeared out of nowhere—it was Foxy. His blood-stained long sword aimed like a venomous snake at Spider’s neck, causing Spider to shiver in terror.
In a desperate roll, Spider barely evaded the attack, glaring fiercely at his assailant. With deadly intent, he swung his weapon heavily at Foxy.
Foxy’s Observation Haki kicked in, revealing Spider’s attack trajectory in his mind. He stepped right, simultaneously thrusting his sword at Spider’s abdomen.
Spider’s face changed, not expecting the kid to dodge his attack. In a split second, Spider altered his strike, aiming for Foxy’s waist.
Foxy’s eyes were cold as his left hand formed an orchid finger, and his right hand’s sword shifted to block Spider’s attack. At the same time, a pink halo shot out and hit Spider.
Boom…
Foxy was flung away, while Spider, now moving in slow motion, stood still. At that moment, Gott Di flashed forward, his broadsword slicing through Spider’s neck.
As Spider’s head flew off, despair filled his eyes. Blood slowly oozed from the torn neck.
Amidst the debris, Foxy staggered to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. He looked pale.
When the time manipulation ended, Spider’s head rolled across the deck like a ball, leaving a bloody trail. His headless body collapsed, neck spurting blood and twitching.
Gott Di, holding his broadsword, glanced at Foxy with a changed expression. He hadn’t expected Foxy to be so ruthless and a Devil Fruit user.
He had only known Foxy as a cadet recommended by Vice Admiral Tsuru, unaware of his full capabilities.
“Are you okay?” Gott Di asked, seeing Foxy’s pale face.
“I won’t die. Captain, we should finish the fight quickly to avoid more casualties,” Foxy replied, shaking his head. He felt exhausted, but his injuries weren’t severe.
“Understood.”
Nodding, Gott Di charged back into the fray. With Spider and others dead, the remaining pirates were no match for him. The battle ended in just a few minutes.
In the Grand Line, at the Navy G-11 Branch, Gott Di’s warship arrived for resupply after the battle with the ferocious Spider Pirates.
The warship was damaged, and many injured needed treatment. Additionally, Spider’s head and others’ were valuable bounties and military merits.
Foxy, bandaged up, looked at the fortress with mixed feelings. They were greeted by a commodore, whom Foxy initially didn’t recognize until Gott Di saluted him. Foxy then remembered: it was Maynard, a future Vice Admiral, currently gaining experience. He might soon be promoted to Rear Admiral, then Vice Admiral.
Seeing the massive fortress, Foxy knew there must be a Vice Admiral guarding it. Since Gott Di was only a Captain and Foxy just a cadet, having a commodore greet them was an honour.
Inside the fortress, the warship began repairs, and marines arranged accommodations for Foxy and the others.
Gott Di disappeared into the fortress, likely to meet the highest-ranking officer.
In his room, Foxy sat cross-legged on the bed, reflecting on the battle. His power was strong but had clear weaknesses. Against true experts, his ability was almost useless unless catching them off guard, especially if they had Observation Haki.
Foxy had tried covering his hands with the slow-motion halo, thinking it would be a cheat move to touch the enemy. But controlling the halo was difficult, akin to trying to hold back during an intimate moment—impossible to sustain.
In theory, it was a great idea, but currently impractical.
The main issue was the orchid finger stance needed for his power, which felt embarrassing without mastering Finger Gun (Shigan).
Unless necessary, Foxy rarely used his ability. Besides his power, Foxy realized his combat experience was still immature. Training on the Calm Belt island for two months couldn’t compare to fighting humans.
In the fight with Krens, without his Devil Fruit power, he might have been dead. He had a long way to go.
Foxy stretched and left his room, heading to a training ground where Marines were exercising. He joined in, determined to become stronger.
That evening, Foxy was summoned to Gott Di’s quarters.
“Captain Gott Di, what’s the matter?” Foxy asked, seeing the captain smoking a cigar.
“Congratulations, you’re now a Sergeant,” Gott Di replied, smiling.
“A Sergeant?” Foxy was surprised.
He had been a Corporal for only a day or two. How did he skip Private First Class and become a Sergeant?
“I reported the incident. You killed the 43 million bounties Spider and the 40 million bounties first mate Krens, along with other pirates, totalling a 100 million bounty. You saved many comrades. The higher-ups valued this, promoting you to Sergeant. Additionally, you can choose one of the Six Powers (Rokushiki).”
Gott Di’s last words made Foxy tremble with excitement.
“If you choose one of the Six Powers, the bounty rewards will be forfeited.”
Gott Di seemed to remember something, patting his head.
“I choose the Six Powers,” Foxy said without hesitation. Money was less important to him now.
“Which one?”
“Finger Gun.”
Suppressing his excitement, Foxy clenched his fists.
He had wondered if mastering Finger Gun would change the orchid finger stance, allowing his Slow-Slow Fruit to fully unleash its potential. He had already started learning Shave (Soru) and Moonwalk (Geppo), now only missing Finger Gun.
“Alright, follow me.”
Gott Di stood and motioned for Foxy to follow.
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