The battle took place at the bustling port of Fishman Island, on a massive dock carved entirely from ancient, sturdy coral. The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on. As the two powerful warriors stood at the center, the surrounding Fishmen and soldiers of the Neptune Kingdom Army felt a crushing aura radiating from them. Instinctively, the crowd began to retreat, sensing the danger of being caught in the crossfire.
Seeing the growing panic, King Neptune looked toward his three sons with a solemn expression. "Make sure everyone steps back immediately!" he ordered.
"Yes, Father!" the three princes replied in unison. Under their swift guidance, the coral plaza was cleared, transforming the port into a temporary arena. Despite the danger, the commotion drew a massive crowd. Fishmen, Merfolk, and even wandering human pirates gathered at the edges to witness the spectacle.
"What's going on? Why is it so crowded here?" one bystander asked.
"Look! Isn't that Jinbe in the middle of the plaza?" another shouted in disbelief.
"What's happening? Is someone actually trying to fight Jinbe?" a third chimed in. "Don't be ridiculous! Who would be stupid enough to challenge him? He's the guardian of Fishman Island!".
The tone of the crowd shifted instantly when one pirate pointed toward the horizon. "You idiot, look at that flag! Those are the Beasts Pirates!".
The name sent a wave of terror through the onlookers. "The Beasts Pirates? You mean the crew led by Kaido of the Beasts? One of the Four Emperors, just like Whitebeard?". Panic began to spread like wildfire. "How did we provoke them? It's over! We're all doomed!".
In a quiet corner, Hachi—a former swordsman of the Sun Pirates—stood with Camie. Their faces were pale as they watched the center of the battlefield. Camie nervously covered her mouth, her voice trembling. "Hachi, do you think Boss Jinbe can really win this?".
Hachi opened his mouth to give a confident "Of course," but the words died in his throat. He knew that facing a crew led by one of the Four Emperors was a completely different level of threat. Even King Neptune, standing as close as he dared, felt his heart racing with anxiety. Jinbe, you have to win this, he thought silently.
At the center of the coral dock, the two combatants stood less than three meters apart. Sasaki stood slightly taller than Jinbe, but neither man yielded an inch in terms of pure presence. Even though there was no wind under the sea, the sheer pressure of their combined Haki sent ripples through the water like heavy ocean currents.
Sasaki narrowed his eyes, his hand tightening on his katana as dark Armament Haki began to swirl around the blade. "Knight of the Sea Jinbe," Sasaki said, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "I never thought I'd get the chance to trade blows with you. You know, back when the Sun Pirates were first making a name for themselves, you and Fisher Tiger were my idols.".
Jinbe's expression softened for a fleeting second at the mention of his late captain, but he quickly settled into a firm Fishman Karate stance. "Is that so? If you truly admired him, then why are you serving a man who brings nothing but misery to the world?".
Sasaki's face hardened, his gaze turning cold and dangerous. "Serving the wicked? Don't be so self-righteous, Jinbe. It seems Fisher Tiger's death didn't teach you anything about how this world actually works. I chose to follow Big Brother Kaido so I could resist the world, while you chose to become a Warlord of the Sea. You're the one working for the Marines and the World Government. You're the one helping the real villains.".
"Hmph," Jinbe snorted, dismissing the argument. "Talk is cheap. Let's settle this with our fists instead.".
"As you wish!" Sasaki roared.
"Boom!".
In the blink of an eye, both men charged.
"Rising Dragon Slash!" Sasaki cried, swinging his blade.
"Fishman Karate: Vagabond Drill!" Jinbe countered, thrusting his palm forward.
A powerful blade strike collided with a massive shockwave of air and water. Ever since Kaido had taken Sasaki under his wing, he had forced the swordsman to abandon his old, eccentric fighting style. To Kaido, a swordsman who focused on bizarre tricks instead of pure martial skill was a joke. He believed that true power in this sea came down to three simple things: speed, strength, and Haki.
Kaido wanted Sasaki's swordsmanship to reach a level of absolute efficiency, much like the greatest swordsmen in the world. Sasaki had been a diligent student. By utilizing the powers of the Time-Time Fruit held by their ally Lily, he had spent years practicing in a condensed amount of time. He had stripped away the flashy moves, focusing entirely on the speed of his draw and the power of his slashes.
The results of that training were on full display now. Sasaki's slash and Jinbe's shockwave met in mid-air, neither side giving an inch for several heart-pounding seconds. Then, a violent explosion rocked the plaza.
Both men vanished from sight, moving faster than the untrained eye could follow. Two streaks of light—one blue and one green—shot out from the smoke and collided in the center with the deafening sound of metal striking metal. The resulting shockwave cleared the smoke entirely, sending a gust of wind so strong it nearly knocked the spectators off their feet.
At the heart of the crater, Sasaki and Jinbe were locked in a stalemate. Sasaki's black-clad katana was pressed against Jinbe's forearm, which was also coated in deep Armament Haki. Sasaki didn't look surprised that Jinbe had blocked his attack.
"Impressive power, Jinbe," Sasaki noted. "But don't forget... I'm a Fishman too!".
Suddenly, Sasaki's muscles surged as his strength increased manifold. Jinbe felt the sudden change in pressure immediately. The coral ground beneath his feet began to shatter, and spiderweb-like cracks spread across the entire plaza.
"Boss Jinbe!" the crowd cried out in fear.
Jinbe's brow furrowed, but he didn't panic. Instead of pushing back, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Sasaki's arm. Before the pirate could react, Jinbe shifted his weight and spun.
"Fishman Jujutsu: Tide Current Shoulder Throw!".
Sasaki's massive frame was lifted off the ground and slammed into the coral dock with earth-shattering force. The impact was so great that it created a massive chasm extending dozens of meters from where Sasaki landed.
For a moment, there was total silence. Then, the Fishmen erupted into cheers. "He did it! That's our Jinbe!". "He took down an executive of the Beasts Pirates in one move!".
King Neptune and the princes looked relieved. "If Jinbe can defeat Jack next, the island might actually be safe," the King whispered.
However, on the deck of the lead pirate ship, Jack didn't look worried at all. He rolled his eyes and let out a dissatisfied snort. "Hey, Sasaki! How long are you going to keep playing around?" Jack barked. "Stop wasting time and get serious!".
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