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The Strongest Frost Loli (74)
🕑 Added 2024-06-27 17:02:48 +0000 UTCChapter 74 - The World Pirates
Garp and Sengoku, accompanied by several Marine warships, were on a mission to capture the World Pirates.
It was a direct order from Fleet Admiral Kong, so neither of them voiced any complaints as they sailed towards their destination.
However, both men were deeply dissatisfied. They had been ordered to cooperate with pirates to capture the World Pirates.
“We should be able to handle this ourselves… What is Kong thinking?” Garp grumbled.
“You know how troublesome his ability is. His actions are a direct threat to the World Government. We can’t ignore him… Cooperating with pirates is infuriating, though,” Sengoku replied.
“'A direct threat to the World Government', huh?"
If that was their justification for working with pirates, they should have done the same with Kanata.
Of course, she had declared war on the entire World Government, so there weren't any pirates willing to side with her…
Garp sighed, observing the new recruits aboard the warship.
“…It seems Zephyr has settled into his role as an instructor,” he commented.
“Yes. After what happened, it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had left the Marines… We’re grateful he stayed, even if it means taking a backseat,” Sengoku replied.
“Ever since God Valley, the Marines have been struggling to train new recruits… Honestly, we’re grateful for his help,” Garp admitted.
The God Valley Incident – a time when a man named Rocks had challenged the World Government, wreaking havoc across the seas.
Pirates, who had joined Rocks’ cause, clashed with the Marines, and mountains of corpses – both pirates and Marines – piled up.
Even high-ranking Marine officers weren’t spared.
Powerful individuals like Garp and Sengoku had survived, but few Marines had made it through that battlefield, a conflict that had claimed the lives of even Marine Admirals.
While the number of pirates had also decreased, the former members of the Rocks Pirates – Shiki, Big Mom, and Whitebeard – had gathered their own crews, establishing their dominance in the New World.
Roger, who had fought alongside Garp against Rocks, was also still active.
The Marines were undeniably short-staffed.
“There’s a new Logia Devil Fruit user amongst the recruits on this ship. Apparently, Zephyr is taking a special interest in him,” Sengoku said.
“Oh? That’s good to hear. The next generation is starting to bloom,” Garp replied with a smile.
As they spoke, one of the new recruits approached them – a tall man with a crew cut.
He saluted, his posture stiff and formal, then reported, “Reporting! We’ve arrived at a location where we can visually confirm the target island! What are your orders?”
“Good work.”
“Maintain a safe distance and keep the island in sight. We’ll move when the pirates make their move,” Sengoku instructed.
While they had reluctantly agreed to cooperate, neither Garp nor Sengoku intended to fight alongside the pirates.
It was better to fight separately. They doubted they could even coordinate their actions.
Garp raised his binoculars, scanning the island for any signs of activity. He wanted to know who was targeting World.
He frowned, rubbing his eyes, then looked again.
“Wait… What is he doing here?! He has no grudge against the World Pirates!”
“What? Who’s there?”
Sengoku, puzzled, took the binoculars from Garp.
He saw a massive ship, without a pirate flag, anchored near the island. A familiar figure stood on its deck.
A giant with purple hair. A woman they had fought before.
“‘Giant Shadow’… Does that mean… ‘Witch’ is here as well?!”
“We’re not enemies this time… What is she planning?”
He had no knowledge of any conflict between Byrnndi World and Kanata. They might have met somewhere, but if they had clashed, it would have been reported to Marine Headquarters.
He couldn't fathom Kanata’s intentions, but his gut feeling told him, “This won’t end well.”
And as fate would have it – his intuition was right.
Kanata had joined the pirates who held grudges against the World Pirates. She observed the Marine warships in the distance, a sense of unease settling in her gut.
While her own crew was an exception, ordinary pirates rarely had connections to the Marines.
This meant that the pirate who had gathered them here was likely a Marine informant, or perhaps even a World Government agent.
Capturing the World Pirates was probably their primary objective, but she had no idea what they were planning to do afterward. Worst case scenario, they might even turn on the pirates and force them to fight the Marines.
She had no desire to face Garp and Sengoku.
“We’ll be reaching the island where the World Pirates are stationed soon… What are our orders, Captain?” Scotch asked.
“We’ll observe for now,” Kanata replied.
The pirates who had gathered here weren’t particularly strong. Kanata and her crew could easily wipe them out.
Of course, they had reached the New World, so they weren’t weaklings, but… Most of them had been defeated by the World Pirates previously. They weren’t reliable allies.
If they could defeat these pirates and escape from Garp and Sengoku, forming an alliance with World might be worth the risk.
If not, they would have to fight Garp and Sengoku and steal World’s Devil Fruit ability.
“We need to be assertive. Fighting Garp and Sengoku will be a burden.”
“Some of them are itching for a fight… Well, that’s Junshi for you. We can ignore him,” Scotch said, glancing at Junshi.
The weather was clear. The World Pirates weren't stupid. They would have lookouts, and they might have already noticed them.
Kanata scanned the area with her Observation Haki. She sensed several moderately strong auras, and a few stronger ones. Nothing that posed a threat.
“They’ll attack soon. Be careful of the cannons,” she warned.
She would handle any other long-range attacks.
They waited at a distance, observing the situation.
The other pirate ships surrounded the World Pirates, and a barrage of cannon fire erupted, echoing across the sea. Explosions and screams filled the air.
The World Pirates, as expected of those called “World Destroyers”, weren’t weak.
Massive cannonballs, likely enhanced by some Devil Fruit ability, rained down on the surrounding ships, sinking them one by one. At this rate, they wouldn't be able to weaken World significantly.
The Marine warships joined the fray, but unless Garp and Sengoku personally intervened, they were at a disadvantage.
Then, the tide turned.
“…The attacks stopped? What happened?”
The World Pirates’ counterattack ceased.
They hadn't given up, but something was wrong.
Kanata raised her binoculars, observing the situation. She spotted a man who seemed to be World, surrounded by his own crew, guns pointed at his back.
Then, they opened fire. World had been betrayed by his own crew.
“A mutiny…? In this situation…? Did someone instigate this?”
“A mutiny?! What happened to World?”
“He was shot, but it wasn’t fatal. He’s killing his own crew now… but his crew is falling apart.”
They couldn't capture World or steal his Devil Fruit ability from this distance.
They had to board his ship.
Kanata prepared to secure World’s Devil Fruit, just in case, then handed the binoculars to Scotch.
“I’ll go get World. I’m going to create some cover.”
“The fact that you can change the weather so easily scares me…”
“It’s only temporary.”
Dark clouds gathered, the temperature plummeted, and snow began to fall.
Leaving Dragon in command of the ship, Kanata approached the World Pirates’ ship, careful to avoid being spotted by the Marines. She walked across the sea, a method that was unlikely to be noticed unless they were specifically looking for her.
Reaching the edge of the ship, she listened to the commotion. She heard men in black suits talking to World and his crew.
“You bastards… are you Cipher Pol?!”
“Huh?! What’s that?!”
“They’re the World Government’s intelligence agency… To think they infiltrated our crew…”
“Indeed. We’ve enjoyed our time as your comrades, but our mission ends here.”
Cipher Pol.
They had infiltrated the World Pirates and destroyed them from within.
Kanata narrowed her eyes, then made her move.
“──?!”
The Cipher Pol agents, caught off guard, were no match for her. Ice spears impaled them, freezing them to the deck. Necks snapped, chests caved in, and one by one, they fell silent.
One of the agents, realizing the situation was dire, attempted to fight back, using Rokushiki and Haki, but Kanata easily overpowered him.
They were skilled at espionage, but their combat abilities were lacking. Of course, perhaps it was simply because their opponent was Kanata.
She stood before the giant kneeling figure – World – and spoke, “You’re Byrnndi World, I presume?”
“…Who are you?”
“The ‘Witch of the Dragon Slayer’…! What do you want with us?!” a small man with an IV drip attached to his arm exclaimed. He seemed to be the one who had recognized the Cipher Pol agents.
He was likely the brains of the World Pirates.
World, his body bloodied from the gunshots, glared at her.
“You’ve come to take my head…?!”
“If I was seeking fame, I wouldn’t bother with a mere 200 million berry bounty. I was considering forming an alliance to take down the ‘Golden Lion’… but…”
“Hah… You’re here to mock me, while I’m dying, betrayed by my own crew…”
She hadn’t thought his wounds were fatal, but the gunshots had clearly taken their toll. Perhaps the betrayal had also weakened him.
There were still a few crew members who were protecting him.
What to do…?
He was a powerful fighter, especially with his Devil Fruit ability. She had hoped he would be strong enough to fight Shiki’s executives, but… in his current state, forming an alliance was impossible.
“Do you still want to fight Shiki?”
“…Is there even a point in asking that now? I’m about to be killed.”
“We can treat your wounds. I can fend off Garp and Sengoku. But in return, you’ll work for me. You choose.”
His crew was practically destroyed. They wouldn’t be able to escape from Garp and Sengoku. If they wanted to survive, joining Kanata was their best option.
Die here.
Or abandon their pride and live.
World looked at his brother, Byojack, then at the crew members who hadn’t betrayed him.
He made his decision. He stood up, glaring at Kanata.
“Don’t underestimate me. I won’t bow my head to anyone!”
“…I understand. I respect your decision.”
World, his brother, and the remaining crew members prepared to fight.
Kanata raised her ice spear, ready to face them with the respect they deserved as warriors.
“Byrnndi World, the ‘World Destroyer’ – I’ll be taking your heart.”
“Try it if you can! I… We, the Byrnndi brothers, won’t end here!”
World was a Paramecia Devil Fruit user who had eaten the More More Fruit, granting him the ability to multiply his speed. He was also skilled in Rokushiki. In a battle of speed, even Kanata would struggle to keep up.
He understood his strengths. He coated his body in Armament Haki, crouched low, then – charged.
His speed was literally blinding.
Even Garp and Sengoku would struggle against him. But Kanata, calm and composed, stood her ground.
“Die!!”
“Amateur.”
The fight was over in an instant.
Even with his enhanced speed, World couldn’t land a hit. Kanata countered his speed, piercing his heart with her spear.
It was a fatal blow. She stepped back, blood splattering on her clothes, and tried to withdraw her spear.
“Gah…!”
“World!”
Hearing his brother’s cry, World’s collapsing body found renewed strength. He grabbed the spear, gathering all his remaining strength into his fist, imbuing it with Armament Haki.
“You’re strong… 1.5 billion berries… But I won’t die without taking you with me!!”
He knew his crew, including his brother, would be annihilated. But he would take her with him to the grave.
At this distance, she couldn't escape or dodge. He would land this blow – but Kanata effortlessly deflected his fist.
His attack, unable to penetrate her Haki, was nullified. She let go of the spear, her gaze fixed on him.
“You seem confident in your Armament Haki, but you’re still lacking. But I acknowledge your spirit.”
It was his unwavering will to fight to the very end that had granted him such strength.
That’s why Kanata wouldn’t hold back. She would finish him.
She created another ice spear, imbuing it with Haki, and before World could react, she decapitated him.
“What a waste.”
He was a powerful fighter, worthy of his bounty, perhaps even stronger.
He would have been a valuable ally against Shiki… She would have to find another way.
At least, they had acquired a Devil Fruit.
“You bastard! How dare you kill our captain!”
“We’ll avenge him, dassu!”
The two crew members who hadn’t betrayed World attacked her, seeking revenge.
Gairam, the engineer, and Nightin, the doctor. They had believed in World’s dream of conquering the world.
Gairam, a Devil Fruit user, compressed air into cubes, launching them at her with a hammer. Nightin, a martial artist, attacked from the side, coordinating his movements to avoid interfering with Gairam’s attacks. They should have fought alongside World, but… World’s ability relied on speed. Having allies nearby would have only hindered him.
They were both weak. They had no intention of joining her.
Leaving them alive would only create more trouble. It was best to eliminate them here.
She swiftly cut them down, then approached Byojack.
“…What will you do?” she asked.
“I… I fought in this sea because of World. I have no desire to live without him.”
“…I see.”
Byojack and World had set sail together, aiming to reach the edge of the world.
They had become pirates, destroying everything in their path. Their ruthlessness had earned them the title of “World Destroyers”.
But those achievements were all thanks to World. Byojack, the strategist and first mate, couldn’t have done it alone.
“Perhaps our downfall was making too many enemies… You should be careful as well, ‘Witch’.”
“I’ll heed your warning.”
They had both challenged the World Government. They had witnessed Cipher Pol’s ruthlessness.
Byojack’s journey was ending, but Kanata would likely make more enemies in the future.
“Then… farewell.”
Another pirate crew was annihilated that day.
