"BOOM!" The giant sword, carrying the force of ten thousand pounds, slammed heavily onto the spherical object. The swampy sphere split in two, scattering in all directions!
"Hmm?" The female giant Vice-Admiral frowned, letting out a soft sound of surprise.
After the swampy sphere was cleaved open, it was completely empty inside. Only the swamp itself remained, flowing slowly and aimlessly across the ground.
On the battlefield, some of those who had been watching were shaken, a mixture of surprise and doubt in their hearts.
"How is that possible? I'm sure I saw people in there!" A giant Vice-Admiral on the high platform wore a look of stunned confusion.
"Heh... Interesting. But do you think you can escape so easily?!" The female giant Vice-Admiral's face broke into a cold smile. Her massive sword swept out horizontally, sending a slash of energy towards a spot behind her.
"BAM!" It was unlike a typical sword slash; instead, it looked more like a cannonball exploding. With a resounding boom, the spot behind her erupted in a geyser of cold air. Ice shards flew, and an irregular crater appeared in the ice, surrounded by a swirling white mist that obscured the scene within.
"As expected of a giant Vice-Admiral! What an incredible slash!" A Marine captain, seeing this, was filled with admiration.
But his expression quickly froze. On the ice, the mist dissipated, revealing the scene within the crater. White ice chunks were scattered around, but the crater itself was empty.
Cannons roared, swords clashed with bullets, and flames and smoke filled every corner of the battlefield. War was cruel; every moment, someone fell, never to rise again.
Although the situation with the female giant Vice-Admiral had drawn some attention, most were completely engrossed in the battle. The crimson glow of bloodshed reflected in the sky above Marineford. The fighting had reached a fever pitch.
On the high platform, Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha watched the battle below with an impassive expression. Behind his round-framed glasses, his eyes shone with the light of wisdom.
By now, even Vice-Admirals had joined the fray, clashing with the commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates. At the same time, the various captains under Whitebeard's command engaged in fierce battles with Marine Vice-Admirals and Rear Admirals.
"...Are you going to make your move?" On the platform, a flamboyant figure clad in pink feathers gave a low chuckle, his eyes filled with excitement.
Beside him, a pair of sharp, hawklike eyes stared at the towering figure standing on the Moby Dick. Without so much as a glance at the pink flamingo beside him, he took a step forward, slowly entering the battlefield.
"I want to see just how far we are from that man."
A calm yet piercing voice rang out. The hawkeyed man looked up, his sharp, predatory eyes, like those of an eagle, locked onto that man, his fighting spirit burning fiercely.
The black blade known as Yoru was slowly drawn from his back. Even before the edge was revealed, a palpable sharpness filled the air, instantly blanketing the battlefield.
"That's… Hawkeye Mihawk! What is he…?" Someone noticed the hawkeyed man entering the battlefield, a mixture of apprehension and vigilance on their face.
"Swish…" The black blade Yoru was fully drawn. The hawkeyed man's face was calm, only his sharp eyes betraying the ever-growing fighting spirit within!
Without realizing it, those around them fell silent. The surrounding air, the temperature itself, seemed to drop. Some people paused, their expressions grave as they watched.
"What's he planning?" someone muttered, frowning.
"Whoosh!" No sooner had the words left his lips than a blue-green blade of energy flashed across the entirety of Marineford!
Hawkeye Mihawk had attacked without warning. He simply swung the great black blade! It was simple and direct, devoid of any technique, but in an instant, a blue-green sword energy erupted from the blade.
Vast and towering, the sword energy surged forward like a razor-sharp tidal wave, aimed directly at the man on the Moby Dick.
The ice that the blue-green energy passed over shattered, a great fissure reflecting the blue light, forced open by the immense sword energy. Ice shards scattered and flew, then dissipated into vapor!
"BOOM!" A deafening roar echoed, long and drawn out. The blue blade rushed forward. On the Moby Dick, a sturdy figure leaped down. White light flashed, and diamond appeared, coating his arm.
"BOOM!" An even louder roar erupted. The immense blue-green sword energy's forward momentum drastically slowed before the Moby Dick.
"Ghhh!" A furious roar sounded. Whitebeard's Third Division Commander, "Diamond" Jozu, was being pushed back by the sword energy, his feet digging deep into the ice. His expression was fierce, and the massive arm made of diamond seemed to possess endless power, somehow managing to block the terrifying sword slash!
"BOOM!" The sword energy began to distort. The immense force pushing it gradually diminished its power. Then! The blue-green energy began to tremble violently! Its original forward momentum shifted upwards, until with a final roar, the sword energy shot into the sky, twisting like a curling wave before finally dissipating in the air.
Hawkeye Mihawk gave Diamond Jozu a deep look, sheathed his black blade, and turned, his face as calm as when he had arrived.
...
"Bururururu… Bururururu…"
In an office within Marine Headquarters, a Den Den Mushi rang.
"Kacha!"
The receptionist picked up the call: "This is the Marine Headquarters Fleet Admiral's office."
"Cough, cough… This is Magellan, from Impel Down…"
...
As the voice on the other end spoke, the receptionist's pupils slowly contracted. His body seemed to freeze, and the Den Den Mushi slipped silently from his grasp, falling to the floor.
...
"Escaped again?! Tsk… What a slippery little rat." On the battlefield, the female giant Vice-Admiral's face was grim. Her grip on her longsword tightened, and her brow furrowed as she looked at the empty crater.
Hawkeye Mihawk returned to the high platform, his expression unchanged.
The pink flamingo's smile had vanished, his eyes shifting to the battlefield.
The Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, gave Hawkeye Mihawk a brief, thoughtful glance, her expression showing a hint of seriousness, before turning her attention back to the battle.
"Found you!" The female giant Vice-Admiral suddenly turned, her massive sword slashing down!
"BAM!" Ice exploded, and another crater appeared. The hole was, again, empty.
"Damn it! Is he a speed-type rat?!" The female giant Vice-Admiral gritted her teeth, her eyes blazing with killing intent!
Although her opponent hadn't shown himself even once, she could sense him. He was nearby. Her Observation Haki told her that a beast was lurking beneath the ice.
Though she kept calling him a "little rat," the giant Vice-Admiral knew in her heart that her opponent was no weakling.
...
The battle continued. On the inner bay of Marineford, the pirates were gradually pushing forward.
Just then, the female giant Vice-Admiral let out a scream, a sound filled with a hint of terror. The enormous cry drew everyone's attention. At the same time, a Marine soldier rushed out of a Marineford office and hurried to Sengoku's side on the execution platform.
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