Paramount War (12) / Paramount War (13)

"Who on earth are the people on that ship?!"

"It fell right into the lake Commander Jozu made. What incredible luck!"

The towering column of water turned into a torrential downpour. The sailing ship that had come from the sky had, by sheer coincidence, fallen right into the area Jozu had created.

Before they had even seen the people aboard, they were already marveling at their luck.

"So they came after all?"

Arthur, facing an attack from both Marco and Jozu, glanced at the lake hidden behind the curtain of water. The three of them had silently agreed to stop fighting for the moment.

Arthur unleashed his Observation Haki (A++), and everything aboard the ship appeared in his mind.

The curtain formed by the towering column of water dispersed, revealing a sailing ship with a lion figurehead bobbing violently up and down on the sea.

On deck, more than a dozen figures clung tightly to the railings or mast. Their pale faces were filled with panic, fear, lingering dread, and other twisted expressions, as though they had received a terrible fright.

"'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy, and 'Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro. Why are this generation's Supernovas here?"

"'Crocodile' Crocodile, 'Okama King' Emporio Ivankov, 'Knight of the Sea' Jinbe, and that red nose... Good heavens! What kind of group is this?!"

"Wasn't Crocodile locked up in Impel Down? Why are a former Shichibukai and a Revolutionary Army officer together with this generation's Supernovas?!"

"..."

As the many people aboard the Thousand Sunny gradually came into view, similar cries rang out across the entire battlefield and all over the world once their faces were recognized.

Unlike Arthur, the bounty hunter, they were a genuine third party.

Yet this third party that had suddenly entered the fray was a motley assortment.

There were quite a few people in prison uniforms aboard, too. That meant the ship carried former Shichibukai, a Revolutionary Army officer, prisoners from Impel Down, and this generation's Supernovas.

Such a small ship carried so many people with complicated identities.

Were they really sent flying by Bartholomew Kuma on the way? But why is Franky aboard? Could it be that he didn't scatter them, but sent them all to Amazon Lily together? Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly and turned to look at the high wall behind the harbor. Boa Hancock of the Shichibukai still looked utterly aloof, and the waves of his Observation Haki (A++) detected no fluctuation in her emotions.

There was no excitement, only surprise and curiosity.

She was not forcing herself to remain calm; it was as though she were looking at a stranger.

If the Pirate Empress had really fallen for Luffy, her emotions could not possibly have been so calm.

That power to restore itself is truly impressive! Arthur thought, finding himself puzzled for once.

Chapter 98: Paramount War (12)

That power to restore itself is truly impressive!

Arthur had never expected that, after he had done such severe damage to the plot, it would still return to its original course.

The Celestial Dragon had not been sent flying by Luffy, but killed by Arthur.

Arthur had also blocked Kizaru while in disguise, allowing Luffy and the others to leave the Sabaody Archipelago safely without being separated.

From Boa Hancock's emotional fluctuations, Arthur could tell that the Pirate Empress and Luffy did not know each other.

Even without Hancock's help, Luffy had still taken part in the Paramount War.

And just like in the original, Crocodile, Emporio Ivankov, Jinbe, Buggy the Clown, and the prisoners from Impel Down were with him.

Because the Straw Hat Pirates had not been separated, Zoro, Sanji, and the others had also joined the war this time. Among the prisoners, Arthur also spotted the three Supernovas he had defeated in the Sabaody Archipelago: "Mad Monk" Urouge, "Roar of the Sea" Scratchmen Apoo, and "Red Flag" Drake.

For once, Arthur was curious. Just how had Luffy and the others infiltrated Impel Down and successfully broken through it?

Had they broken through head-on?!

Arthur did not think that was possible. There had to be some chain of events behind it.

"Ace!"

The Thousand Sunny had survived by sheer luck. Luffy soon spotted Ace on the Execution Platform and let out a shout.

"I'm here to save you, hahaha!"

His loud voice mingled with delighted laughter as the Thousand Sunny activated its paddle wheels and headed for shore.

At that moment, the third party led by Luffy officially joined the Paramount War.

"Luffy!" Ace roared, disbelief filling his trembling eyes.

Why?

Pops, Oars, everyone, and now Luffy... Why had they all come to save him?!

It was because he had refused to listen to their warnings that things had turned out this way.

Why had everyone come to save him without regard for their own lives?!

Regret churned endlessly in his heart.

"Fuffuffuffu~~ Crocodile actually got out of Impel Down. And there's Jinbe, a Revolutionary Army officer, and the super rookie who made a name for himself by turning Enies Lobby upside down. Hehehehe~~~ What a terrifying group." Watching the third party join the war, Doflamingo smiled wickedly, as though something interesting had happened.

"I never expected you of all people to be working with Straw Hat. Is this your answer, Jinbe?!" On the Execution Platform, Sengoku looked at the group in prison uniforms standing behind Luffy. They were clearly prisoners from Impel Down. Then he turned his gaze to Jinbe, who stood beside Luffy, and shouted.

"That's right. I'm done being a Shichibukai!" Jinbe answered decisively.

Whoosh—

At that moment, the Thousand Sunny reached shore. Before Luffy could jump off, Crocodile transformed into a wave of sand and flew low toward one part of the battlefield ahead of him.

Bang!

A forceful collision rang out. Arthur raised his foot to block the golden gauntlet smashing toward him and smiled. "Long time no see. I didn't expect you to come over so eagerly the moment we met again."

"Hmph! Didn't expect us to meet again so soon, did you, brat?!" Crocodile bared a savage grin around his cigar.

"Ah... it is a little unexpected. As for that gauntlet of yours, I remember it used to be a Golden Hook." Arthur looked at Crocodile's golden gauntlet, which Excalibur had melted down to a mere stump, and reopened an old wound.

"Even without it, I'll still drain you into a dried corpse this time," Crocodile said, his face dark.

Arthur's smile faded slightly. He looked Crocodile seriously in the eye and said in an unquestionable tone, "Anyone who has lost to me is destined never to defeat me!"

"Stop getting so cocky, damn brat."

Unsurprisingly, Arthur's words immediately stirred Crocodile's anger.

Looking at Arthur, the man who had ruined the three-year plan he had devised back then, Crocodile felt old and new grudges surge up together. His face twisted, his right hand turned into a blade of sand, and he slashed at Arthur. "Desert Spada!"

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not the same man I was back then!"

Arthur lowered the right foot he had used to block, then raised Excalibur in one hand and swung it forcefully at Crocodile.

Swish—

A tremendous golden sword force roared out like a wave. It not only broke apart Crocodile's incoming sand blade, but engulfed Crocodile himself, leaving a deep, straight furrow in the ground that stretched for hundreds of meters.

"H-he defeated a former Shichibukai in one hit... You've got to be kidding!"

"Has the 'Knight of Knights' really grown this strong?"

"..."

The sight left everyone profoundly shocked.

Those familiar with the story of the "Knight of Knights" and Crocodile understood perfectly why Crocodile had gone after Arthur the moment he appeared.

After all, the two were enemies, and the "Knight of Knights" owed his present standing in no small part to Crocodile.

But less than half a year had passed since the events in Alabasta.

When Crocodile and the "Knight of Knights" fought again, the former had been sent flying in a single blow.

In less than half a year, the gap between them had grown so wide.

Naturally, they did not think Crocodile had grown weaker. Without a doubt, the "Knight of Knights" had grown stronger.

"You brat..."

After the golden sword force dispersed, yellow sand appeared out of thin air and formed Crocodile's upper body in midair.

Floating there, Crocodile gritted his teeth as he watched Arthur holding his sword in one hand, looking perfectly at ease.

At the same time, however, his eyes filled with shock and wariness.

That sword force just now had almost matched the golden light from back then.

Did that mean a casual slash from this brat was now nearly as powerful as his trump card back then?

Had he grown this strong in such a short time?!!

Chapter 99: Paramount War (13)

"Hey... Crocodile..."

"'Phoenix' Marco, first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and 'Diamond' Jozu, third division commander. Do you two want to fight me?"

Crocodile was still reeling from how quickly Arthur had improved.

A voice suddenly reached his ears. He looked in its direction and saw Marco and Jozu.

Looking at the two of them, Crocodile, unaware of the situation, spoke in a low voice.

"I don't like you much, but if you don't mind, let's join forces!" Marco's eyelids were half lowered, and his gaze remained fixed on Arthur. He extended the invitation without even looking at Crocodile.

"Join forces? You..." Crocodile looked at Marco and Jozu's expressions, then glanced at Arthur, whom they had locked onto with their presence. Even his expression changed slightly, and he looked utterly shocked.

Could it be that the brat was fighting two division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates at once?

Although Crocodile had not fought Marco and Jozu when he challenged Whitebeard back then, he knew their strength very well.

One was a Mythical Zoan Phoenix with the abilities to fly and come back to life; the other was a diamond man who could simply ignore his Sand-Sand Fruit's power to dry things out.

Though it was somewhat disparaging of himself, Crocodile had to admit that he was not confident he could defeat either of them.

And now, the knight brat who had risen to prominence by stepping on him was fighting both of them at once.

Damn it!

A surge of resentment rose in Crocodile's heart, and a series of shadows appeared over his eyes.

"Get lost. I don't need to join forces with anyone. Watch out, or I'll kill you," Crocodile said, furious with embarrassment.

"Is that so!" Marco did not mind in the least. He had only offered to join forces with Crocodile on a whim.

His sole aim was to get Arthur out of the fight quickly.

"Jozu, we can't drag this out. Go all out!"

Blue flames burst around Marco as he began transforming his entire body, becoming a phoenix wearing glasses and charging furiously down at Arthur.

Boom!

Boom! Boom!

At the same time, Jozu obeyed the order below. His heavy footsteps thundered, and his entire body became covered in brightly gleaming diamonds. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he shot straight at Arthur.

This time, they were no longer probing or launching sneak attacks. Both men were fighting head-on with everything they had.

With any thought of conserving stamina cast aside, even an Admiral would feel tremendous pressure facing a pincer attack from two of Whitebeard's powerhouse commanders.

Even Arthur's gaze turned grave. Holding Excalibur in his right hand, he reached into the air with his left. Golden light gathered and formed a slender, silvery-white Holy Lance.

A straight sword in one hand, a long lance in the other.

Mana Burst (A)—

Armament Haki (B)—

The power systems of two worlds strengthened his body and weapons once more. Arthur parted his lips slightly and breathed out a puff of hot air.

Whoosh—

The next instant, Arthur vanished like a bolt of lightning, leaving a white afterimage where he had stood and a huge crater beneath his feet.

"Clang, clang... clang!"

Amid sounds like metal striking metal, the Holy Lance in his left hand became a blur, thrusting out streaks of white lightning. Its sharp tip scraped showers of sparks from Jozu's body. At the same time, Arthur's Instinct (A) foresaw the future. His body shifted constantly as he nimbly and deftly dodged Jozu's successive punches.