Chapter 333: The Snatched
Golden light and crimson sword energy clashed endlessly, tearing the entire sky into a patch of pitch-black void.
Berserk shockwaves swept in all directions. The sea surface was forcibly pressed down into abyss-like trenches, and the port had long since been reduced to ruins.
Kizaru's brows furrowed in a rare display of seriousness; the lazy demeanor was completely gone from his face.
His gaze was cold and sharp as he stared at the captain of the Red Hair Pirates before him.
"Shanks... what exactly are you trying to do?"
Gryphon was held horizontally in front of Shanks, its blade pressing against the Ama no Murakumo. Crimson and golden light exploded into blinding sparks in mid-air.
Shanks's gaze was like iron, yet his tone was surprisingly calm: "I only want to take one person."
"I will not harm Dr. Vegapunk."
Kizaru narrowed his eyes, spitting out his words coldly: "...You think you can just take someone because you say so?"
The next instant—
"SWISH!!!"
The three of them erupted simultaneously!
Conqueror's Haki and the power of light-speed clashed madly. The entire sky looked as if it had been forcibly torn open, electrical arcs and motes of light continuously spewing from the rifts!
The massive booming sound even reached the other side of the island, shattering the laboratory's glass windows piece by piece!
Yasopp, leading the elites of the Red Hair Pirates, was pushing forward frantically. Using the battlefield created by Shanks and Beckman as cover, they forcibly pushed their way all the way to the outside of the research institute!
"Hurry! We don't have much time!"
Yasopp raised his rifle and roared. His sniper bullets accurately bombarded the defense facilities, causing the defending mechanical soldiers to fall row by row!
...
A while later, on the distant horizon, the Marine fleet finally arrived!
Flags snapped wildly in the fierce wind. Countless cannon muzzles on the decks turned in unison, the dark barrels aiming straight at Punk Hazard!
At the very front of the flagship's bow, a tall figure holding a cane sword stood steadily.
His eyes were closed, yet he exuded an unrivaled, oppressive pressure.
"Vice Admiral Issho!"
Beside him, Rear Admiral Law's gaze turned cold as his hand rested on his sword hilt: "Let's go!"
Issho lightly tapped his cane sword against the deck. A gravity field abruptly enveloped the entire warship. The two figures instantly pulled up from the ground, transforming into meteors that tore through the sky, lunging straight for the research institute!
Inside the Research Institute
"BOOM!!!"
The main doors were crushed directly by gravity. Issho and Law rushed into the laboratory.
However, the scene before them made both of them freeze simultaneously—
Although the laboratory was a complete mess, with shattered instruments and mottled sword marks everywhere, the tragic scene of rivers of blood they had imagined was nowhere to be found.
Vegapunk was sitting in front of an experimentation table, his expression bizarre, as if he hadn't yet recovered from the shock.
Kizaru was leaning against the wall. His clothes were slightly torn, but there were no signs of injury.
Sentomaru lay on his side nearby. His breathing was rapid and his aura weak, but he was still conscious.
Law immediately deployed ROOM, bringing Sentomaru to him. With a flash of his scalpel's light, he rapidly repaired the man's internal injuries.
Sentomaru's chest heaved as his breathing finally began to stabilize.
Issho's footsteps were steady and powerful. Tapping his cane sword on the ground, his voice rang out deeply: "Admiral Kizaru... what is the situation here?"
Vegapunk's gaze was fixed on a shattered surveillance screen, his expression complex. He spoke slowly, his voice heavy: "They went through all that trouble to break in..."
He paused, taking a deep breath, an unconcealable confusion and bafflement in his eyes:
"...just to snatch away that 'Black Fatty'?"
Issho's brow furrowed tightly, speaking in a low voice: "Dr. Vegapunk, what exactly is going on? Who did they take?"
After a long silence, Vegapunk finally spat out that name: "Marshall D. Teach."
Speaking up to this point, his eyes darkened slightly as he slowly continued: "He is the very catalyst that led to the collapse of the Whitebeard Pirates."
"After that battle, Roy captured him alive and personally handed him over to me as a research subject."
"Over the years, I have constantly been trying to analyze the abnormal structure within his body...
Especially a certain 'special construct' deep within his brain."
Issho's frown deepened: "Abnormal?"
Hesitation flashed in Vegapunk's eyes, but he ultimately shook his head, his tone solemn and cold: "Apologies, this part involves the highest level of clearance... Even you do not have the authorization to know."
The air suddenly stagnated. Issho was about to press further, but Kizaru raised a hand to stop him.
Kizaru half-squinted his eyes, his lazy drawl carrying an unquestionable oppressive weight:
"My, my~ It's better not to ask any further... Knowing too much isn't exactly a relaxing thing."
Issho's fingers tightened slightly around his cane sword, hesitating to speak.
From Kizaru's casual attitude, he could hear a trace of "Roy's" shadow.
Kizaru suddenly turned his head, looking at Vegapunk, and spoke leisurely:
"Logically speaking, I could have snatched the person back at that time, right? But you suddenly called a halt, Doctor. Why is that?"
Vegapunk took a deep breath and answered slowly: "Because there is no need."
His speaking speed gradually increased, his gaze turning sharp: "Aside from the secret in his brain, which I have still been unable to crack, I have already thoroughly researched the rest of him.
As for his most dangerous potential threat... I have completely eradicated it, and even added multiple layers of safeguards."
"In other words—he can never stir up any trouble again!"
The Doctor's gaze turned cold, his voice like iron: "Furthermore, he can now serve as a 'living surveillance monitor' for us to secretly keep tabs on the Red Hair Pirates."
"If necessary, I can even remotely manipulate him to speak and guide the Red Hair Pirates' decisions. I want to see exactly what it is they are trying to do!"
As his voice fell, he violently waved his hand, his suppressed anger finally pouring out: "But to think the Red Hair Pirates would dare to publicly invade a crucial research facility of the World Government...
Even if they didn't harm me, I will absolutely not let them off easy!"
...
New World · Unnamed Deserted Island
Night had fallen, and a bonfire flickered on the deserted island.
The entire crew of the Red Hair Pirates had returned bearing injuries. Their clothes were tattered and their faces exhausted, yet they still kept a tight guard around the figure sitting by the bonfire.
It was a black, fat man tied up tightly in ropes—
Marshall D. Teach.
His hair was a mess, his beard disheveled, and his face was written full of weariness and despair.
From the moment he was rescued until now, no matter what the Red Hair Pirates asked, he hadn't spoken a single word. He merely kept his head down, acting like a walking corpse.
"Hey, this guy... hasn't been scared stupid, has he?" Lucky Roux, his massive body wrapped in bandages and gnawing on a bone of meat, looked completely puzzled.
"Maybe... we didn't go through all that effort just to rescue an idiot, did we?"
"Speaking of which, that old man Kizaru was really ruthless. If Boss and Beckman hadn't teamed up to hold him off, we definitely wouldn't have been able to handle it..."
Yasopp looked at the bandaged crew members while wiping down his sniper rifle. His gaze, however, remained fixed on Teach, as if keeping a vigilant watch on a deeply hidden viper.
In the firelight, Shanks walked over step by step.
The aura around his entire body remained as sharp as a sword; even though he was injured, it hadn't diminished in the slightest.
He stopped in front of Teach, lowering his eyes to look down at this man who had been crushed by fate.
After a long while, a cold voice spat out: "Teach..."
The bonfire crackled; the atmosphere was oppressive to the absolute limit.
"Do you... still want revenge?"
This short sentence was like a sharp blade piercing into Teach's numb heart.
"...!!"
Those dark pupils shrank violently. Amidst his despairing expression, a trace of sharp light finally flashed. But as if thinking of something, it instantly dimmed once more.
"As long as that man is still around, what right do I have... to speak of revenge?"
...
Early the Next Morning
Newspapers across the world were rapidly delivered to countless sea regions.
The massive, bold headlines on the front page immediately caught everyone's eye: "SHOCKING! Red Hair Pirates Forcefully Invade Punk Hazard!"
"World Government Research Institute Heavily Damaged! Invaders Successfully Escape After Plundering Top-Secret World Government Intelligence!"
In the attached photos below, there was an image capturing the moment Shanks cleaved the port with Gryphon's sword energy, alongside photos of the Pacifista wreckage.
The entire world was instantly thrown into a stormy uproar by this news!
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you