"He seems to truly have urgent business."
Beckman watched the retreating snowstorm and murmured softly.
No one would believe that a man possessing such Haki would avoid battle without reason.
...
Shanks scratched the back of his head awkwardly: "That kid's eyes really wanted to kill me... We might have caused trouble."
"I hope it's not something like needing to rescue a comrade... If it were, he should have said so earlier..."
"Never mind, let's wake the unconscious crew first, then we'll go see what happened over there."
"This time, let's get the full story before acting..."
——
——
——
New World, G-14 Branch waters.
Zephyr and Weevil were locked in fierce combat aboard a dilapidated pirate ship.
Amid the battle, Buckingham Stussy quietly climbed onto the Navy warship and threw several smoke bombs from her bosom onto the deck.
As thick smoke spread, she cackled sharply and manipulated a chain that shot out from the smoke, accurately wrapping around a rookie Marine's ankle.
"Hehehe, that old man still has some fight left in him. Weevil alone isn't enough, let Mommy help you!"
Stussy knew not only Zephyr's whereabouts but also intelligence about his accompanying members.
A ship full of rookies who had recently joined the Branch - they'd make perfect hostages!
Whoosh—
A sharp air-tearing sound ripped through the smoke!
Being a veteran pirate, she still maintained basic combat awareness.
Buckingham jumped back to avoid the kick, looking at the tall female Marine who had stepped on her chain on the deck.
"Who are you?"
The intelligence said everyone besides Zephyr were rookies!
This person with Armament Haki wrapped around her foot doesn't look like a rookie at all!
...
Sweeping her Justice Coat to disperse the smoke, Doll removed the cigarette from her mouth with two fingers and assumed a combat stance:
"Current Base Commander of West Sea 179 Branch, Navy Branch Colonel Doll."
"I'll be your opponent!"
...
"A mere Branch Colonel, do you know who I am!!"
Buckingham shouted angrily, then grinned coldly: "I'm not some crude combatant. As for your opponents..."
"Let them deal with you."
Tap... tap... tap...
Doll frowned deeply, watching the rookies approaching her with swords: "What are you doing?"
The rookies moved like manipulated puppets, their motions stiff, faces filled with terror: "I don't know... I don't know! My body won't listen to me at all!"
"I clearly wanted to attack that old hag!! Why is this happening!!"
He roared, swinging his sword at Doll.
As Doll sidestepped to avoid it, another Marine stabbed at her from behind.
She leaped up onto the mast, glaring angrily at Buckingham Stussy: "What did you do!!"
Buckingham chuckled coldly, spreading and shaking her ten fingers, sending out ripples of invisible waves.
"I am the Inversion Human who ate the Opp-Opp Fruit!"
"Anyone who holds malice toward me will have it transformed into goodwill!!"
"When this ability is used on others..."
Her sinister smile grew increasingly wild.
"It makes them attack the person they least want to attack!! Hahahahahahaha!!!"
Doll turned her head and saw a large group of Marines charging toward the pirate ship, their distorted faces streaked with tears and mucus.
"Stop... stop moving!!"
"Why is this happening!!!"
"Make it stop!!!"
...
"Bastard!!" Doll gritted her silver teeth and turned to attack Bakkin.
This type of Paramecia ability could only be lifted by defeating the user.
Bakkin's voice echoed like a nightmare.
"It's useless..."
"Can you really bring yourself to harm me when you look at me?"
"You're lucky I can't control those with Armament Haki, but you can't ignore my ability either!"
"I told you, my ability turns malice toward me into goodwill..."
"Heheheheha! You must be starting to like me a little now!!"
Bakkin pointed her cane at the Marines below and sneered.
"Let me teach you how to stop them!"
"Kill them!! That'll make them stop, heheheha!!"
...
Doll clenched her fists tightly, but truly...
She couldn't bring herself to strike that face she should despise!
Zephyr also noticed the commotion on the warship. Seeing the pained expressions of the recruits, he quickly realized what was happening.
He roared with eyes wide in fury.
"Stussy!!!!"
...
When Zephyr had pursued the remnants of Rocks' crew back in the day, Bakkin wasn't a Devil Fruit User.
If he had known this would happen, he would have made Doll take the others and leave first.
I was too careless!!
Clang—
Distracted, the massive blade came whistling toward him.
The blade cut into Zephyr's shoulder, sinking half an inch deep. Weevil shouted: "Don't shout Mom's name so loud! You'll scare her!!"
Zephyr gripped the back of the blade, grinding his teeth.
"Damn you!!"
Several recruits had already boarded the pirate ship, crying and slashing at Zephyr.
Zephyr had to deal with Weevil while protecting them, going from complete dominance to barely defending.
Swish—
A flash of blade light.
A recruit was cut in half at the waist by Weevil.
His upper body fell to the ground, his distorted face becoming peaceful.
"So good... it stopped..."
"Teacher Zephyr... I really... didn't want to..."
Thud—
Thud—
Looking at his student who had completely lost all vitality, blood vessels instantly covered Zephyr's eyes. His breathing became heavy, his heart pounding wildly.
Desperate cries echoed in his ears.
"Why..."
Bang— Bang— Bang—
Several Marines on the pirate ship were kicked flying.
Doll's gaze was firm as she immediately grasped the key to the situation amid the chaos: "Teacher Zephyr! I can't muster killing intent toward that person! It's up to you!"
"I'll deal with this guy! You must stop her from using her ability!"
"No! You're not—"
"No time! Go now! Teacher Zephyr!!"
Zephyr forcibly suppressed his pounding heart that felt like it would explode, staring fixedly at Stussy.
For the first time in his life...
He felt uncontrollable killing intent toward a pirate!
...
...
"A woman now? Whatever, Mom said to kill them all anyway."
Weevil swung his massive blade down.
The force alone, before even touching her body, vibrated through her skin into her organs. Doll's hairs stood on end.
Only now did she understand what kind of enemy Zephyr had been facing!
In that split second, Doll raised both arms to block, her blackened arms colliding with the snow-white blade.
Crack—
A crisp sound accompanied by heart-rending pain.
Doll's arms, coated in Armament Haki, were twisted and deformed under the pressure of the giant blade, her bones shattering.
...
"Huh... didn't cut through? Do you have the same thing as that old man?"
"This is too strange! I'm Whitebeard's son! My strength is naturally the greatest! How come there are so many guys I can't cut through!!"
Doll desperately held back the blade's edge, blood beads seeping from her arms transforming into a curling smirk at the corner of her mouth.
"What's so strange about it..."
"How could mere innate strength ever compare to a body tempered through thousands of trials!!"
Boom!!
Pushing the great sword away, Doll leaped high and clenched her fist, knuckles cracking, Armament Haki spreading across her limbs.
Bang!!!
Her right fist wrapped in Armament Haki descended like a falling meteor, smashing violently into Weevil's face!!
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