One Piece: From Ninja To Pirates

This time, the slashes from the two men unsurprisingly split the massive body of water apart, creating a vast vacuum below.

The cost, however, was two Navy Battleships destroyed by their attacks.

"Ah!"

Some Marines who couldn't retreat in time were caught in the crossfire, swiftly plummeting from midair.

Had it not been for the ocean below, they would have surely died from the fall.

Momonga and Doberman wasted no time, diving down the moment they split the sea, seizing the opportunity without hesitation.

"Damn pirates, die already!"

The two roared in unison, their blades mercilessly slashing toward Meiser!

"Thud!"

The ferocious slash not only tore through Meiser's body but also cleaved the battleship beneath him in half!

Clearly, neither of them held back—their attacks were launched with the intent to kill in a single strike.

"Did we finally get him...?"

A Marine on the battleship, who had barely managed to gulp down some air, muttered.

He was one of the unlucky ones who hadn't escaped in time, though his breath-holding ability was slightly better than the others.

"Unfortunately... not quite~"

A man's voice whispered in his ear, instantly freezing him in place.

"N-Not dead...?"

Meiser paid him no mind, walking past with an amused smile as he gazed at the two Navy Vice Admirars in the distance.

"Even if you split the water, so what?"

"Are you really sure you killed my real body?"

"Or... are you certain I'm even the real one right now?"

"Hmm?"

As he spoke, the parted waters surged violently on either side, yet refused to merge—as if mocking their futile efforts.

"The situation... is truly as bad as it gets..." Doberman muttered, his expression grim.

He had thought Observation Haki would allow him to track Meiser's presence, but it proved meaningless—they couldn't distinguish between the real body and the clones!

Momonga remained silent, but his face was no less troubled.

Now he understood what Meiser had meant by, "I don't necessarily have to fight you head-on."

Their enemy had never given them a chance for close combat, instead bombarding them with all sorts of bizarre Ninjutsu.

And they still had to watch out for poison—otherwise, they'd end up like Onigumo and the others, with Doberman still foaming at the mouth over there!

"Bastard, what the hell do you want?!" Momonga snarled.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to stop the Buster Call."

Momonga: "..."

That was the reason?

"Then your goal is already achieved," Doberman said.

Of the ten battleships, only a few remained functional, and all the ammunition had been soaked in seawater. Completing the Buster Call mission was impossible now.

"Not necessarily." Meiser grinned. "What if I feel like killing a few more Marines?"

"You really... are insufferably arrogant!"

"Calm down and think. His clones can't just appear out of nowhere," Doberman reasoned. "Even if their presence is identical, his real body must still be nearby."

Based on past experience, releasing an ability requires the user to be nearby for it to take effect.

Even if the opponent isn't an ability user, it should be similar.

"Is that so..." Momonga frowned, scanning the waters before glancing at Meiser standing near Onigumo, then finally looking at the sea beneath the warship.

Where... exactly is he?

"BOOM!!"

The massive body of water began churning violently before reforming into a complete sphere, marking the failure of their plan!

"These guys are truly terrifying..." Sanji remarked as he observed the scene.

Being able to split the waters showed the Navy Vice Admiral's considerable strength, but it seemed Meiser's Ninjutsu was superior.

"Damn pirates, you still have time to watch others?!" a Navy captain who had climbed onto a lifeboat from the sea roared. "Just wait, we'll wipe you all out soon!"

They wouldn't waste the time the Vice Admirals had bought them—they would definitely kill every last pirate here!

"Tch, looks like we're in for a defensive battle now," Zoro said. "Everyone... don't die on me!"

"Right!"

They had to hold this position until Luffy and Meiser's battle was over!

"Wait, why has Luffy's side gone quiet?" Usopp suddenly spoke up.

As if sensing something, he immediately ran toward the distant broken bridge.

Due to Meiser's attack and Luffy's subsequent kick, the long bridge had completely collapsed, leaving Usopp no choice but to stand at the edge and observe the situation from afar.

The moment he saw Luffy's condition clearly, Usopp froze—Luffy was lying on the ground.

"Hey!"

"Luffy, what are you doing?!"

"Get up!!"

Hearing Usopp's shouts, Luffy struggled to turn his head and saw Usopp yelling at him.

"Usopp... you're here..."

"You idiot, what the hell are you doing?!"

"..."

Hearing Usopp's furious voice, Meiser, standing atop a Sea King, instinctively turned to look at the battlefield between Rob Lucci and Luffy—only to see Luffy lying defeated on the ground.

"Luffy was actually taken down?"

This man, who never fell no matter the hardship, had been defeated?

Glancing at Usopp, who was wildly taunting Rob Lucci, Meiser frowned. What was this kid trying to do?

Was he planning to use his own life to provoke Luffy into standing back up?

"Kid, you done talking?" Rob Lucci coldly stared at Usopp, ready to kill this fool who didn't know his place.

Though the distant giant water sphere had surprised him, killing a long-nosed weakling was no issue.

"Hey, stop!"

"Usopp, don't provoke him—he'll kill you!"

"Shut up! I don't need advice from someone who can't even stand!" Usopp roared.

"Then stop looking half-dead and get up to beat him!!"

"We've got all the keys, Robin has been rescued, and Meiser successfully held off the Buster Call..."

"This isn't hell—get up already!"

"Finished talking, pirate?" Rob Lucci coldly stared at Usopp. "You've made your resolve, I presume."

Yet before he could strike, he noticed the distant boy's expression change, followed by a sound from behind that instantly halted his movement.

"Still refusing to stay down?" Glancing back at Luffy rising once more, Rob Lucci's face twisted into something vicious.

"Beat him, Luffy!!" Usopp roared. "We're all going home alive!"

"Like I need to be told!!!" Luffy bellowed.

"Why won't you just stay down quietly..."

"I never said I surrendered," Luffy growled, locking eyes with Rob Lucci. "I won't fall again until I've taken you down!"

"Then let's see who dies last!" Rob Lucci shouted.

"Shave!"

"BOOM!!"

"Seems things are under control..."

Seeing the two clash again, Meiser averted his gaze, turning instead toward the side of Enies Lobby.

"The real main course... is still coming..."

In his line of sight, a lone figure rode a bicycle across the distant sea, speeding straight toward them!