Gar stood atop the head of the massive gray mist-formed bird, his sharp senses sweeping across Navy Base No. 2 below. A trace of disappointment slipped into his voice as he spoke.
"It's only one?"
From what he could perceive, there was just a single Vice Admiral stationed at the base. The absence of additional high-level combatants made the situation feel almost anticlimactic.
Nelson, standing beside him, smiled faintly, his tone relaxed yet calculating.
"It looks like the others were dispatched to reinforce different bases. That works in our favor. It makes things much simpler."
Rubert gave a small nod, his expression calm and composed.
"Then let's proceed. There's no need for elaborate tactics this time."
After their previous cooperation, the three of them had already developed a seamless understanding of one another's abilities. Against a lone Vice Admiral, unless the opponent possessed exceptional strength, there was little chance of resistance.
Below, Base No. 2 had already entered a state of alert. The soldiers had noticed their approach, yet Gar and his companions made no effort to conceal themselves.
There was simply no need.
In the face of overwhelming power, concealment was meaningless.
The Vice Admiral stationed below was Klausbe, a veteran Marine from the same generation as Garp and Sengoku. His combat power had long since reached the level of an elite Vice Admiral, and his experience on the battlefield was immense. His mere presence brought a sense of stability to the soldiers under his command.
Yet against Gar and his team, even he was nothing more than a temporary obstacle.
"Destroy this war base."
Gar's voice carried a sharp edge. Having been suppressed by the World Government's coalition forces for so long, frustration had been building within him. Now that the momentum had shifted, he had no intention of holding back.
While the coalition possessed greater overall strength in terms of numbers and top-tier combatants, that advantage did not extend to the mid and high tiers. Among the pirate factions gathered at Jaya, every major cadre was a notorious powerhouse.
Ordinary Vice Admirals simply could not compete.
For Gar, facing two or even three at once was entirely manageable. Only elite Vice Admirals could pose any real threat, and even then, only briefly.
With the heavy casualties suffered by the Marines, the overall quality of their Vice Admirals had declined. That reality made Gar even less concerned.
Previously, the World Government had maintained the initiative. One Admiral alone could restrain Kronos for a period of time, forcing the pirates to divide their strength to counter the remaining Admirals. That imbalance had led to their suppression.
Now, the situation had reversed.
Three Admiral-level combatants were tied down by Kronos and Marco, leaving the pirates with a decisive advantage elsewhere.
Klausbe stood below, his gaze fixed on the descending gray giant bird. The moment he saw it, a chill ran through him.
He had already received reports. Other war bases were under attack. Base No. 4 had confirmed the presence of "Mist Killer" Rubert, and this massive gray bird was unmistakably his signature.
If Rubert was here, then Base No. 5 had already fallen.
The thought alone placed immense pressure on Klausbe's shoulders.
And now, Base No. 2 had only him.
His eyes sharpened as he sensed another presence. Gar's aura was unmistakable. They had clashed before, and there was no mistaking that savage, predatory energy.
Before he could react further, the giant mist bird dove.
Gray fog erupted outward at a visible speed, swallowing the battlefield whole.
Gar leaped from the bird's back.
Midair, his body had already transformed. White fur surged across his form, crimson pupils gleamed with feral intensity, and silver lightning crackled violently around him.
In Moon Lion form, Gar descended like a falling comet.
His speed increased rapidly, his entire body wrapped in compressed air currents and powerful Armament Haki. Lightning intertwined with his blade, turning his hunting knife into a streak of blinding silver.
Klausbe felt the crushing pressure instantly.
There was no time to think.
His body moved on instinct, executing Soru from Rokushiki as he attempted to evade. His figure flickered, appearing dozens of meters away.
But the moment he reappeared, his expression changed.
An invisible domain had already spread.
Nelson had acted.
The power of the Steal-Steal Fruit activated instantly. Klausbe's movement was forcibly overwritten, his position swapped against his will.
In the next instant, he found himself directly beneath Gar's descending strike.
There was no time to defend properly.
He could only rely on instinct, activating Tekkai and Armament Haki simultaneously.
Boom!
Gar crashed down onto him with overwhelming force. His claws and blade pierced straight into Klausbe's shoulders, halting just short of severing them completely.
The resistance surprised Gar for a fraction of a second.
Klausbe's body, tempered through countless battles, combined Tekkai, Armament Haki, and Life Return in an instant, reinforcing his defense to its absolute limit.
Even so, it was not enough.
Violent electricity surged through Klausbe's body, invading his nerves and paralyzing him from within. Blood burst from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth as internal damage accumulated instantly.
The two slammed into the ground together.
The impact shattered the earth across dozens of meters. The ground collapsed, cracked, and surged upward in jagged waves as debris and shockwaves blasted outward.
Nearby soldiers were thrown into the air like ragdolls.
The force drove Gar's blades deeper into Klausbe's shoulders. Bone met steel with a sickening crunch as fractures spread.
Klausbe clenched his teeth, enduring the unbearable pain. Any attempt to resist would only worsen the damage.
Gar, on the other hand, showed no intention of letting go.
The mist spread rapidly, engulfing the battlefield and cutting off visibility. Within seconds, the entire base was swallowed.
Klausbe's heart sank.
He was not facing Gar alone.
Nelson and Rubert were still there.
The footsteps came slowly.
Each step felt like a death knell.
Nelson's figure emerged from the mist, calm and composed, his eyes carrying a faint glint of cold amusement.
"Heh… another easy one."
He glanced at the shattered ground, then at Klausbe, who was pinned helplessly beneath Gar.
"Gar, your strength is getting excessive."
There was a trace of envy in his voice, though it was quickly masked. In just a single coordinated strike, Gar had completely subdued an elite Vice Admiral.
Gar grinned, tightening his grip slightly. Klausbe's struggles were already weakening under the constant assault of electricity.
"Shouldn't we call this a pleasant cooperation?"
Rubert appeared as well, his figure emerging silently from the mist. His gaze lingered on Nelson for a moment, a hint of caution in his eyes.
Nelson's ability was too dangerous.
Against such power, even strong opponents could be reduced to helpless prey if caught off guard.
"Why not just finish him?" Rubert asked.
Nelson shook his head slightly, his tone casual.
"Let Gar enjoy himself a little. He's not going anywhere."
Before Klausbe could react, Nelson moved.
A flash of steel.
Both of Klausbe's feet were severed instantly.
Blood sprayed outward as Klausbe convulsed in agony, his body trembling violently. Yet he remained completely restrained under Gar's grip.
Hope vanished.
Gar's eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched his prey struggle. The scent of blood only heightened his predatory instincts.
Nelson's actions were deliberate.
This was not cruelty for its own sake. It was insurance.
Vice Admirals were dangerous opponents, especially those who had mastered Life Return. A desperate counterattack could still pose a threat if given the opportunity.
By eliminating that possibility, Nelson ensured absolute control.
At the same time, it revealed something else.
He had changed.
Years at sea had turned him into a true pirate.
"Next," Nelson said calmly, glancing at Klausbe's distorted face, "we clear the rest of the island."
He paused, then added with a faint smile that sent chills down the spine.
"I hope you can hold on a bit longer. It would be a shame if you weren't the last to die."
Klausbe could not respond.
His tongue had already been severed. His mouth hung open, torn and useless, only producing broken, guttural sounds.
Gar glanced at Nelson, his expression slightly strange.
"You're starting to resemble Laffitte."
Nelson chuckled softly.
"Not quite. I just understand the appeal now. In moderation, it's… interesting."
Gar said nothing more. People changed, and on the sea, that was inevitable.
"Let's move."
Nelson turned to Rubert.
"Your stamina will hold?"
Maintaining such a massive mist field continuously placed a heavy burden on Rubert.
Rubert hesitated for a brief moment, then nodded.
"It should be enough."
"Good. Then we conserve it for the next target. We focus on high-level threats and leave the rest for efficiency."
Nelson's mind was already planning ahead.
Rubert was their only reliable means of sustained aerial movement. Preserving his stamina was essential.
"And don't forget the warships," Nelson added.
Rubert gave a short nod.
The two moved at once.
Behind them, within the suffocating mist, the screams of soldiers began to rise, only to be swallowed by the fog.
And at the center of it all, Gar continued his hunt.