Boom!
Iron Fist Wrapped in Armament Haki slammed into Drake's head, making his nearly reptilian vertical pupils contract as he staggered back several steps in a daze.
"Damn it... even without using swords, I'm still no match for this guy!"
"And he was holding back just now. Both his strength and speed have risen to another level. Damn it, who the hell is this guy?"
Perhaps someone in the New World paid attention to Minos's bounty poster, but to this group of Marine cadets, there were countless pirates with bounties under a hundred million. Unless they were assigned to the New World, they naturally would not care about a pirate from there with a fifty-million bounty.
Drake wildly swung the axe and longsword in his hands, but Minos moved like a flash of light, effortlessly evading his attacks before kicking him in the stomach. The kick sent the massive Drake flying dozens of meters, nearly knocking him straight off the Floating Island.
Although Minos was more of a speed-oriented fighter, under the combined boosts of Yokai, Dragon Blood Ritual, Kirin Mad Blood, and more, his strength still surpassed Drake's current level. Drake had assumed his Half-Beast form, but that merely allowed him to endure a few more punches.
"Urgh, cough, cough..." Drake could not stop himself from coughing up blood, his expression utterly grim. Although Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit Users were known for their tough hides and immense defense and vitality, after being beaten by Minos for half an hour straight, he was already exhausted, covered in wounds, and at his limit.
That was only because Minos had not used his sword. Otherwise, Drake might have been cut down in just a few moves.
"An Ancient Zoan, huh? Your vitality really is impressive." Minos stared at Drake with his three blood-red eyes. "But I've more or less gotten used to my power in this state. Time to finish this quickly!"
The moment he spoke, Minos's skin faintly darkened, and dozens of eyes grew across his body—Evil Eye King Mode.
With the dual enhancement of Mad Blood and Evil Eye King, his strength had increased no less than that of a top-tier Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit User after transforming. One punch sent the already exhausted Drake spraying blood from his mouth before he was knocked unconscious completely.
"Finally over." Glancing at the Marines sprawled all around him, Minos casually piled them together. Then he sat atop the largest Marine cadet and looked toward the battlefield opposite him.
Golden Lion had split the Floating Island in two. He was dueling Zephyr alone, while Minos dealt with these Marine cadets. Minos had already won a complete victory here, but Golden Lion's side was still locked in a fierce battle.
Of course, Golden Lion was not the only one on the other battlefield. Judge's people were there too, but the king of Germa 66 had not joined the fight. On one hand, he was somewhat lacking in strength. On the other, he was still hesitating, wanting to play both sides.
Of course, whether he joined the battle or not made little difference. Even if he suddenly lost his mind and chose to help Zephyr, he likely still would not be a match for Golden Lion at his current peak.
However, although Zephyr could be considered near the bottom among Marine Admirals, while Golden Lion was at the very pinnacle of the Emperor-level ranks, their battle was not something that could be decided in a short time.
After all, fighters at the top tier of the seas possessed astonishing stamina. Golden Lion would need to fight for at least several days and nights before he could truly defeat Zephyr.
Seeing that the sun was nearly setting, while the battle across the way remained as lively as ever and no one had even come to pick him up, Minos finally lost patience. He grabbed a Den Den Mushi and called Judge.
"Hello, Vinsmoke Judge? Stop standing around over there. I've got a huge pile of prisoners here. Bring people over to take them away."
Judge was in an awkward position at the moment. If he fled, he feared Golden Lion would settle accounts with him afterward. But if he helped Golden Lion, he was reluctant to damage his reputation as the ruler of a Member Nation. The moment he received Minos's call, it was like being granted a pardon. He had Flight Ability, so he immediately flew over with his children.
Then he saw Minos sitting atop a mountain of bodies, with Marine cadets lying all over the ground beneath him.
Judge was terrified on the spot. He thought Minos had slaughtered every cadet in this Marine class. If that were true, he figured he could forget about remaining a World Government Member Nation and should just pack up and head to the New World with Golden Lion to form a Pirate Crew.
Only after inspecting them did he discover that they were merely seriously injured. With proper treatment, they would not even suffer any lasting effects. Only then did Judge breathe a sigh of relief.
Naturally. Minos was not stupid. Leaving aside the issue of Karma Points and his own feelings, if he slaughtered an entire class of Marine cadets, would the Marines not hunt him down like mad?
He was not Whitebeard II, who could even chop off one of Zephyr's arms. Whitebeard II could remain alive and kicking after killing an entire shipload of Marine officer candidates because he was tough enough that the Marines genuinely lacked the manpower to go after him.
Judging from Whitebeard II's record, even sending a Marine Admiral would not be safe. Not to mention whether the Marine Admirals could defeat Whitebeard II, but if Whitebeard II truly wanted to flee, even a Marine Admiral could not stop him.
With Minos's limited abilities, a few veteran Vice Admirals—or a single Marine Admiral—would probably mean certain death.
"Fine, I know what you're thinking, you fence-sitter." Minos sneered. "Treat them first, then lock them up! Oh, and these three are Devil Fruit Users. Remember to use Seastone Handcuffs."
"I understand." Judge did not waste words at this point. Germa's technology was indeed comprehensive. He and his children first took out some medicine from their Battle Suits to administer emergency treatment to the Marine cadets, then began moving the unconscious cadets around like busy little bees.
Minos also asked Judge for a pair of Jet Boots. Although he knew Geppo and could move through the air, he did not want to waste the effort. To prevent storms from causing collisions, the floating islands were quite far apart.
This newly raised island was an uninhabited one whose ecosystem had not been disturbed, so there was nowhere to rest. Using the Jet Boots, Minos quickly returned to the main island.
Minos did not bother worrying about Golden Lion and Zephyr's battle. With Strengthened Golden Lion's current strength, defeating Zephyr was only a matter of time.
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