Obstructing the Break-In: Battle with the Marines

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!!"

"Everyone, hurry inside—"

Faced with this terrifying poison gas, the navy and base guards forgot about fighting and scrambled into the testing base, but:

"Block the gate immediately!"

"The poison gas is coming!"

A group of marines and base guards frantically tried to prop up the gate that Zoro had broken open to plug the gap, but Zoro's sword... cut very cleanly, resulting in a very large gap.

"Look what you've done! The poison gas is about to get in—"

While a group of marines and grunts were crying and wailing, Nami stepped forward, opened her palm, and faced the door with peace of mind.

"Get out of my way!"

Although Nami is hesitant to use Major General An's signature weather-related abilities due to her 'identity', it doesn't mean she can't use other abilities:

"Candle Master - Candle Wall!"

The surging candles rushed towards the gap in the gate like ocean waves, quickly blocking the opening Zoro had created! Then they instantly solidified into the hardness of steel.

"We're saved!"

"I didn't expect this beautiful young lady to be an ability user? But..."

Isn't this the candle power of one of the subordinates of the Shichibukai, "Clown Emperor"?

In any case, after they were safely settled, the group of people who had just fled split into three groups:

The base's defenders, who had the largest numbers of troops, were in a state of near collapse in morale: unless they were deaf, the sudden sound of the Den Den Mushi had clearly told them that they had been abandoned by their 'master'.

Although the Marines's discipline was not bad, they were in an awkward situation: on the one hand, they had just been rescued by the Straw Hat Pirates, and on the other hand, it was obvious to everyone that they were no match for the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Let's go,"

While the other two groups were still looking at each other in bewilderment, Luffy had already taken the lead and sprinted towards the base. The Straw Hat crew immediately followed, much to the relief of the Marines.

"What are you all slouching for? Are you still the navy? Get yourselves together and stay alert!"

Taking advantage of the base guards' demoralized state, the Navy easily disarmed and tied them up. Smoker, however, tightened his grip on his weapon. Although he knew he was no match for the Straw Hat crew, he still...

Even so, I cannot allow them to do whatever they want!

Brush--

Smoker, turning into a wisp of smoke, chased after the Straw Hat crew in the direction they had left, while simultaneously issuing orders to the others.

"Keep up!"

His intuition told him that the Straw Hat crew were the ones who would cause a bigger commotion than the base guards who had already lost their fighting spirit. After all, the Straw Hat crew's past was basically all about triggering earth-shattering conspiracies wherever they went.

"Caesar! I'm going to beat you to a pulp!!"

Despite the complex experimental base, Luffy possessed an astonishing intuition. He charged straight towards the control room where Caesar was! Along the way, he encountered other enemies:

"Get out of my way!"

Sanji kicked a man in a biohazard suit flying, Sanji around:

"The White Knight—?!"

Where are they?

The pure white armored knight, who should have been the most conspicuous member of the Straw Hat crew, had somehow disappeared.

"Tsk, that guy actually got lost."

Usopp was the first to disbelieve Zoro's words.

"No, no, no, how could the White Knight get lost? -- It's more surprising that Zoro is still with our main force!"

????

"Don't worry, he must have his reasons for leaving."

Nami waved her hand.

"Let's go find the candy that poisoned the children first. We can't rely on that 'Shichibukai' we just allied with."

"Miss Nami is right,"

Sanji nodded. Everyone in the team would never stand idly by while what happened to those children; the only difference was whether they kept it to themselves or expressed it openly.

"It's a pity we didn't bring Chopper along, and the White Knight isn't here either—"

Robin smiled slightly at Usopp's words.

"If you're just looking for something, leave it to me."

Although Roman has always handled all the reconnaissance for the Straw Hat crew, don't forget that there's actually another person in the crew who is very skilled at reconnaissance:

"A dazzling world!"

In an instant, countless arms with eyes and ears sprouted out of thin air throughout the entire base: walls, ceilings, pipes, rooms, and even various hidden secret rooms and locked cabinets! They were everywhere and nowhere to hide.

With each blink of her eyes, a flood of information poured into Robin's mind, causing the intelligent beauty with her eyes closed to frown slightly. —However, she quickly obtained the information she wanted.

As for what Robin just happened to see:

That figure in the naval officer's overcoat...

"Come this way, the candy is next to a room that looks like a 'kindergarten'. After all, the presence of a bunch of candy meant for children among a bunch of high-tech experimental equipment is the biggest suspicious point."

Laboratory D area,

SAD manufacturing plant.

"So you were here after all, Luo."

On the platform amidst the densely packed SAD raw material extraction tanks, Vergo calmly watched Trafalgar Law, who had infiltrated the area.

"Did you go to such lengths to curry favor with the Navy and obtain the position of 'Shichibukai' just to get close to this room?"

Only Shichibukai simultaneously possesses the identities of both a pirate and a 'naval' member is qualified to cooperate with Caesar and stay on this island for an extended period of time.

"Let me guess, you want to take this opportunity to smash this place to pieces and then kill Caesar..."

"ROOM - Chaotic Space!"

However, Luo Ke had no time to listen to his analysis. Instead, he immediately used his ability to hook his finger.

"Come back, my heart—"

Previously, in order to gain Caesar's trust, Law used his ability to give his own heart to Caesar, while he himself possessed the heart of Caesar's 'secretary' Monet —a method of mutually holding each other's leverage. Now that the facade has been torn off, he naturally wants to reclaim his heart as soon as possible.

Snap,

The heart was instantly teleported into Law's hand by his ability, but in the next instant, Vergo, who had already used Shave to charge at high speed, delivered a knee strike covered in Armament Haki, slamming it hard into Law's stomach, causing the heart he had just obtained to fall into the opponent's hands once again.

"Waaah~~"

Despite the excruciating pain from the heavy blow, Luo extended his thumbs to the sides and retracted the rest of his fingers, making a gesture resembling a "thumbs up" as he instantly stabbed Vergo in front of him.

"Pulse Shock!"

Law unleashed a high-frequency electric shock, similar to an automatic stun gun, from his thumb towards Vergo's body—a move directly targeting Vergo's heart! Capable of causing organ damage, rendering the opponent unconscious, or even killing them, this was an incredibly dangerous technique! However:

"The Joker asked me to pass on a message to you."

No effect?!

Regardless of the type of Devil Fruit ability, its Armament Haki is applied beforehand. And Vergo happens to be a master of Armament Haki.

He said, "It's a pity."

With a sudden exertion of force, Vergo's heart was instantly crushed and deformed, and as the owner of the heart:

"Aaaaaaaahh..."

He screamed and fell to the ground.

········

"Can't you see I'm dealing with 'family matters'? Vice Admiral Smoker."

"It really was you. When I heard from the Straw Hat crew about people experimenting on children here, I immediately thought of the child abductions in the G-5 area. Now, a base commander has appeared at this secret base..."

"I really don't want to tell your true colors to your subordinates, you pirate Vergo!"

The fact that they tracked them down here so quickly shows that Smoker truly lives up to his name as the 'White Hunter'.

"It's alright, anyway I don't plan to let anyone leave here alive."

"Demon Bamboo!"

There was a group of Marines outside, and the Straw Hat crew were causing chaos everywhere, so Vergo had no time to waste talking to Smoker.

The bamboo pole in his hand was instantly coated with a layer of Armament Haki, and he swung it at high speed, suddenly sweeping it towards Smoker!

Simple and unadorned, yet with this strike, the air was violently displaced like liquid, and the bamboo pole, originally covered in Armament Haki, began to bend! The immense power, speed, and Haki made this ordinary bamboo pole even surpass the Great Grade Swords!

Click—

With a crisp sound, Smoker's weapon 'Jitte,' which was also covered in Armament Haki, exploded instantly, and Vergo swept both of them away with their weapons with a single blow!

Although both were Vice Admiral, the difference in their abilities was obvious.

"No matter how much you want to kill me, the one who fools the Navy, you must have the corresponding strength."

"Courage alone isn't enough—?!"

Vergo instinctively reached into his pocket and suddenly turned around! In his hand was a white dove fluttering its wings, but the heart that should have been in his hand, Trafalgar Law's heart, had vanished without a trace!

"Is this what you're looking for?"

A handsome figure in a navy coat walked through the gate, holding a heart in his hand. Around him, pigeons fluttered about.

"'White Dove' Roman!"

Vergo had been calm all along, suddenly changed his expression! He wasn't worried about his own life, but rather about the impact of the other person's presence here:

The Navy already knows the secret here, and the SAD manufacturing plant will soon be shut down. Then, the 'young master' will face questioning and even attack from Kaido of the Four Emperors...

"In the name of justice: Marine traitor Vergo, you are under arrest."

"So--"

Roman glanced at Vergo, whose face was ashen, and took off his navy coat and threw it aside: the coat immediately transformed into dozens of white doves flapping their wings and flying around him.

"Are you going to resist?"

"... a mere brat, candidate Admiral power through 'connections'..."

In response to Vergo's words, Roman turned his head with disdain to look at Luo lying on the ground beside him.

"I have a heart here that I can use to replace the one in your body that belongs to Vice Admiral Smoker. What do you say?"

"Shichibukai - Law".

"Ah, it's an honor."

Call out--

In that instant, a fist coated in Armament Haki slammed towards Roman!

Visible circular impacts, like waves, spread rapidly outwards from the tip of the fist! Wherever the fist struck, the ground seemed to be sliced in half as if by a knife, and the huge extraction tanks around it dented and shattered at a visible speed.

A muffled buzzing sound filled the air, reverberating throughout the enclosed Underground Factory. Immediately, Inazuma- fast forked cracks appeared on the smooth metal surface!

This punch was the result of the opponent restraining their power.

However, facing this fist that could blast the most solid warship into iron scrap, Roman simply stepped aside calmly, causing Vergo's charged attack to miss on the spot!

Roman's movements weren't fast, yet he perfectly dodged Vergo's punch. The contrast between movement and stillness, ferocity and agility was breathtaking.

"Don't rush,"

While effortlessly dodging the opponent's punch, Roman tossed the heart in his hand toward Luo.

After receiving the heart, Law immediately and without hesitation stuffed it into his chest, while simultaneously pulling out another heart and tossing it to Smoker. This caused Vergo's expression to change once again.

The heart in Law's body belongs to Smoker, that is:

Whose heart was in Caesar's hand?

Unfortunately, he no longer had time to think about these things because:

Bang!

A fist imbued with Armament Haki slammed into his face, shattering his sunglasses instantly. He was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through more than a dozen massive metal extraction tanks before finally coming to a stop.

Brush,

"Stand up and let me see you—"

Just as Vergo's flying figure came to a stop, a voice rang out in front of him.

How strong is your Armament Haki?