Pluton Came Knocking!
[Bang! Bang! Bang!]
A series of rapid gunshots rang out from behind Rayleigh and the others.
The next moment, several glowing red shells were detonated one by one in the dense barrage of bullets. The violent explosions and flames engulfed the other shells around them, causing an astonishing chain reaction. In an instant, nearly 70% of the shells were destroyed.
"Well done, Petermoo!"
"Truly worthy of being called the World's Strongest sniper!"
"That's incredible! He fired dozens of shells all by himself!"
On the deck of the Oro Jackson, a fat man dressed in a black tuxedo and a white top hat watched the spectacular explosion and smugly blew out a puff of gunpowder smoke from the muzzle of his rifle. The praise from his companions around him made him even happier.
As for the claim that he's the World's Strongest sniper, although it's just an assessment from within the crew, he believes it to be true, with only the 'Gentleman' from the Flying Pirates being a worthy opponent in this regard.
"Keep a close eye on the ship. Mr. Rayleigh said that 'Ryokugyu' Vidal's ability could destroy our ship instantly," Petermoo said with a smile, touching his long, curly hair that had been ruffled by the blast.
"Don't worry, with Sambel and I here, no one can harm the Oro Jackson!"
Norzton, the largest member of the group, comparable to a small giant, raised his strong arm and looked confidently at the distant battlefield.
Beside him stood Sambel, a Fish-Man Race wielding a trident, only two heads shorter than him. Their combined Haki presence was second only to the three leaders in Roger Pirates.
"Okay, I'll leave it to you."
On the other side, Vidal, whom the opposing side feared greatly, did not rush to make a move, but instead stood on the mast and observed the situation.
Following the unspoken rule of fighting kings against kings and generals against generals, Garp and Roger consciously occupied the central area, while the others went around to the sides to engage in fierce battles.
On the left, Rear Admiral Bogard blocked Spark Gaban, who was wielding two steel axes. The flashing blades and axe shadows completely covered the airspace on that side, forcing the others to continue moving away from the center of the battlefield.
Lieutenant Vice Admiral Edwin, the base commander of the G-1 Branch on the right, was about to rush towards Rayleigh, who was launching a surprise attack, when he was entangled by a Swordsman whose hairstyle resembled a Yutou.
Meanwhile, his adjutant, Lieutenant Vice Admiral Humphrey, was engaged in a fierce fight with a boxer wearing boxing gloves; that must have been Eye Dragon from Roger Pirates.
"Great Eruption!!"
At that moment, on a warship not far from Vidal, a burst of lava that instantly boiled the surrounding air erupted, blasting CB Golan, who was wearing an infantry helmet, was also three meters tall, and dressed like a general from some country.
"Lava, huh? That's quite a powerful ability, haha!"
But then a bearded old man wearing a Nordic-style horned helmet rushed up and laughed wildly as he charged toward Sakazuki.
[Boom!!]
He swung his heavy meteor hammer, which collided with the lava fist that was attacking again, sending large amounts of lava flying everywhere. This caused the other marines on the deck to panic and scatter.
Seeing this, Vidal frowned.
Sakazuki's Devil Fruit ability, while incredibly powerful, inevitably leads to situations where he cannot distinguish friend from foe in such large-scale warfare.
The key issue is that Roger Pirates only has about ten people, while our side has nearly ten thousand troops, which will definitely have a greater impact on the navy.
"Truly worthy of being called the Roger Pirates; though small in number, each member possesses the strength of Rear Admiral or higher."
At the same time, he snapped his fingers, and immediately the warship where Sakazuki was located widened!
The deck area was no longer limited to the railings; larger planks extended beyond the railings, effectively doubling the warship's battlefield area.
"Well done!!"
Sakazuki was overjoyed, after all, if possible, he didn't want the battle to spread to other naval forces.
What he didn't know was that this was Vidal's work out of desperation, inspired by the future 'floating restaurant' Baratie.
Because Roger Pirates chose to fight and retreat, both sides were in a state of flux, so techniques like the 'Nine Pillar Domain' that create large-scale battlefields were no longer applicable.
You create a 'ground' in the middle.
Roger Pirates on the other side could easily slip away while the 'ground' forces were blocking the fleet. They wouldn't be foolish enough to stay in place and then disembark to confront the navy head-on.
However, Vidal found that this approach was also effective, as it did not hinder the fleet's pursuit, expanded the battlefield area, and reduced damage to the warships themselves.
Without saying a word, he equipped each warship with an extra deck area!
[Call out!]
Just as he finished doing all this, a sharp whooshing sound approached. Vidal's expression changed, and without even glancing at his opponent, he unleashed a burst of green flames and punched in the direction his Observation Haki had detected.
[Duang!!]
A deafening metallic clang rang out, and the top of the mast beneath Vidal's feet exploded, unleashing an immense force that sent him flying.
Fortunately, although the strike was fierce, it only shattered the green light gauntlet on his hand and did not cause any serious damage. Vidal quickly stopped in mid-air and regained his balance using Geppo.
"I never expected that the renowned 'Pluton' Rayleigh would take the initiative to approach me. Should I consider myself honored?"
Vidal looked down at Rayleigh, who was surrounded by hundreds of marines, but had a big smile on his face.
At this moment, Rayleigh's appearance was quite different from the unkempt old man he remembered.
Not only was he wearing a clean and tidy purple shirt, but his short golden hair was also styled into a neat slicked-back look, and the glasses on his nose added a touch of gentle and scholarly air to his appearance.
"Your abilities are too troublesome; I'd like to try keeping you here."
Rayleigh met his gaze gently, his eyes devoid of any murderous intent, but his words were anything but polite.
The repeated actions of Vidal just now made him feel that he could not let him continue to perform. Whether it was the ability to accelerate the warship or the possibility of dismantling the Oro Jackson remotely, the vice-captain of Roger Pirates felt a strong threat.
"Perfect timing! I've been wanting to find someone to fight for a while now, and you're a good opponent!"
Vidal wore a smile similar to Rayleigh's, and the green aura around him solidified, transforming into a magnificent set of phantom armor.
[Duang----]
The next moment, without exchanging greetings, the two collided violently in mid-air, each leaving a long trail of golden-green light behind them.
The moment the gauntlet and the Black Blade made contact, they emitted a deafening buzzing sound that made everyone around them dizzy. Instantly, an incomparably powerful shockwave erupted, pushing the warships on both sides sideways for more than ten meters.
A beam of green light shot out from the center of the collision, shattering a series of explosive bursts along its path.
[Call out!]
At the same time, the golden light that Rayleigh had transformed into caught up with them.
"Another Great Swordsman, what a hassle."
As he flew backward, Vidal frowned, repairing his damaged gauntlets while activating the power of the Woods-Woods Fruit within him.
"The Red Tree World Advent!"
With a whoosh, as the Devil Fruit's power was activated, one after another, thick and tall trees suddenly emerged from the sea. They stood in front of Vidal like the most loyal warriors, launching a massive, legion-sized offensive against Rayleigh. The sharp branches that shot forward were like a crossbow volley, covering the sky and forming a continuous mass.
"However, this battle has only just begun."