“Boom!!!”
Just as Aburahamu Michion and the others were evacuating under the officers’ protection, a stone lion descended from the sky with a whistling sound and an overwhelming sense of pressure.
“Rankyaku!!”
Nearby, an officer guarding Michion and the others leapt into the air to face the stone lion. Using Geppo, he confronted the approaching stone lion. His legs, now blackened with Haki, unleashed sharp, massive slashes that instantly shattered the stone lion into a pile of rubble.
But at that moment, the battle here caught the attention of Shiki the Golden Lion. In his fight against Garp and Sengoku, more stone lions were launched in a wide-ranging attack, heading straight towards the group.
Several officers stepped into the sky, using Geppo, and the sonic booms from their steps echoed in the air. Hundreds of Rankyaku slashes accompanied them, slicing through the stone lions.
The Marine officers responsible for protection took action, but the result could have been more effective. The stone lions created by Shiki’s Devil Fruit ability were still essentially just stones. The fragments, propelled by sufficient kinetic energy, could be lethal unless wholly shattered.
Most officers were held up, trying to completely destroy the stone lions. At that moment, Michion saw three stone lions charging straight towards them!
“Damn it, you guys run!!” A nearby officer, who had been guarding them, yelled angrily. His previously relaxed face turned grim as he stepped on Geppo, rushing to intercept the attack.
Even though the stone lions required the full attention of even the higher-ranked officers, the situation became increasingly dire as the lower-ranked officers, who made up the second echelon of defence, needed more people to block and shatter them.
The situation became bleak.
“Boom!!” The sharp whistle in the air indicated the sole remaining stone lion hurtling towards the training ground students with murderous intent.
At that moment, all the nearby guards were too preoccupied to help. The only ones facing the stone lion were a few older and younger children.
“Tekkai!”
Just as the stone lion was about to crash, Sora, the tiger girl, threw the little ones she held towards Bellamy and turned to confront the attack without hesitation!
Sora looked imposing in her tiger-human hybrid form with a tiger stripe on her forehead forming the character “王” (king). But against the massive stone lion, it seemed like an egg striking a rock.
“That idiot! Repulsion Aura – Air Wall!” Michion cursed, immediately creating a barrier of compressed air in front of Sora.
“Clink!”
Sora, in mid-air, seemed to collide with an invisible glass wall. Pausing briefly, she slid down the translucent barrier created by Michion, despite the crash contorting her facial features and half-beast form, which looked rather silly.
“Boom! Boom!! Boom!!!”
In front of Sora, the stone lion was blocked by several “Air Shields.” Under the relentless assault, the shields continuously shattered and reformed.
“Run!” Michion shouted at Sora, struggling to maintain the barrier. The impact had left her slightly dizzy.
“Oh… oh!!” Shaking off the dizziness, Sora got up and ran towards Michion. Despite the collision, her Zoan resilience meant she wasn’t seriously hurt.
Seeing the officer handle the remaining stone lions, Michion breathed a sigh of relief. His newly developed defensive skill for Shiki’s attack had proven effective, as the Air Shield had shown decent defence.
He constantly created new shields to replace the shattered ones, preventing the stone lion from breaking through and hitting Sora.
Despite being part of the elite training camp, Michion and the others quickly reached the Marine Headquarters’ shelter after a frantic run.
The air was thick with the scent of sweat and the metallic tang of blood, a stark reminder of the battle’s brutality.
Michion and the others immediately began helping, attending to the wounded with simple bandages and first aid. Michion, with his outstanding medical skills, joined the team treating the severely injured.
Seeing the wounded marines and their families suffering, Michion was once again reminded of the world’s harsh realities. The seed of becoming stronger grew more robust within him; he did not want to be cannon fodder, unable to withstand the aftermath of battles between true powerhouses!
Despite its dreams, adventures, and fantastical islands, this world is ruthless. The weak have no choice but to passively accept their fate.
As time passed, this battle ended with the destruction of half of Marineford, and Garp and Sengoku managed to capture Shiki the Golden Lion and imprison him in Impel Down’s Level Six.
News quickly spread through newspapers carried by News Coo:
“Shiki the Golden Lion, Admiral of the Flying Pirates Fleet, known as the ‘Flying Pirate,’ attacked Marineford. After a fierce battle, he was captured by Marine Hero Garp and Buddha Sengoku.”
A photo of Shiki, dishevelled and imprisoned, accompanied the headline.
The world trembled once again, and the Marines’ prestige soared!
Shortly after Gol D. Roger’s capture, they had also brought down one of the Four Great Pirates, Shiki the Golden Lion.
Now, only Whitebeard and the elusive Red-Haired Pirate remained.
Rumours spread across the seas and even within Marine Headquarters that pirates would soon decline and face extinction.
Given the recent victories, capturing Gol D. Roger and then Shiki the Golden Lion, the Marines’ achievements were outstanding!
Roger’s crew only had one ship, but Shiki commanded a vast fleet.
With Shiki’s capture, his fleet was bound to splinter.
Additionally, all eyes turned to Gol D. Roger’s upcoming execution.
If the execution in Loguetown proceeded smoothly, it would significantly deter pirates and show those who hadn’t yet ventured to sea the fate that awaited them.
Yet, unbeknownst to the world, a more incredible upheaval was on the horizon.
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