Water Release: Hard Vortex Water Blade!

"Phew... phew..."

The two men who had returned to the surface gulped down air.

"That brat's speed in the water is terrifying." T-Bone said, "No wonder he's so fearless."

T-Bone considered himself quite fast, yet that brat was even faster underwater!

"Just a little trick." Strawberry said, "Find an opening and break his ninjutsu!"

Strawberry guessed that the reason the other side could move so terrifyingly fast through seawater was likely due to the unique nature of his ninjutsu.

Once he was out of the seawater, killing him with their speed should not be difficult.

"That may be true..."

T-Bone stared at Xi Yan, who was taunting them from the water, with a headache. It was precisely because the other side was so fast that breaking this ninjutsu would not be easy.

It was not as though they had never tried cutting through seawater with slashes before, but the water sphere quickly returned to normal. It was completely pointless.

Bang!

The distinctive sound of Geppo rang out, drawing both men's attention.

Seeing Momonga return, Strawberry was first delighted, then puzzled. "Why did you come back alone?"

Where were those two?

Although Doberman had lost an arm, he should not have lost his fighting strength immediately. After all, he was a Hawk Faction officer ruthless toward everyone!

Even if he could not fight, Onigumo should still have been able to!

"You two should prepare yourselves mentally." Momonga took a deep breath and said, "The enemies we're facing this time are extremely vicious!"

Under their puzzled gazes, Momonga recounted what had just happened.

Then he looked down and discovered that Xi Yan was no longer pursuing the ordinary Marines. Instead, he crooked a finger at them.

That gesture seemed to say: Come down. I won't kill them.

"He really is... vicious enough..." T-Bone gritted his teeth. "That despicable bastard!"

He did not choose to fight them head-on, nor did he use those ninjutsu of his to launch attacks. Instead, he used... poison as his final method.

That bastard!

"No wonder they couldn't break free from the water sphere..." Strawberry said calmly. "You two, from now on, keep your Observation Haki at its limit. Do not let his attacks hit you."

"At the same time, remember not to inhale seawater. Once you run short of oxygen, go up for air before coming back down to continue fighting."

After speaking, Strawberry paused before continuing, "I don't know whether he has poisoned such a vast body of water, but... we cannot afford to gamble."

Two vice admirals had already lost their combat capability. If this dragged on, they might even die.

So they could not make another mistake. Otherwise, it would truly be over.

"Then let's keep fighting him!" T-Bone said. "At the very least, we need to buy the others time to escape."

The Marines in the seawater had long realized the problem. If they remained here, drowning was their only fate.

So from the very beginning, they had been doing their best to swim outward, though some had been caught and taken down by Xi Yan.

The stronger ones, meanwhile, tried to take their companions with them.

But taking everyone away was basically impossible. This time... some people were destined to be left behind in the sea.

"To be honest, I really want to cut them down." Momonga glanced toward the Straw Hat Pirates, the veins in the hand gripping his sword bulging.

But he knew he absolutely could not make a move now, or there would be irreversible consequences!

"Leave them to those men." Strawberry said. "Not everyone who came with us this time is an ordinary Marine."

"That bastard brat will understand sooner or later just how resolute the will of our Navy is!"

Once the Marines escaped this massive body of water, they would have a chance to capture the other Straw Hat Pirates, and that... was also one of the reasons they were holding the enemy back!

"Geppo!"

Strawberry shouted softly and swiftly dove down, heading straight for Xi Yan!

The other two said no more and quickly followed.

But this time, all three had pushed their Observation Haki to the limit, ready at any moment to use Armament Haki to protect their bodies. At the very least, they could not let him strike them with poison.

Brat, die!

Intense killing intent burst from Momonga's eyes. Before he even drew close, a Flying Slash shot out!

Whoosh!

The slash shook the seawater, stirring up waves.

But unfortunately, Momonga's Flying Slash could not hit Xi Yan even outside the water, much less underwater.

Slash!

The Flying Slash tore through the current and struck a navy warship in the sea without obstruction. With one blow, it split off part of the warship, leaving it directly damaged.

Momonga: ...

Looking at his handiwork, Momonga went numb.

T-Bone came over and patted Momonga's shoulder, signaling him not to care about such things.

From the moment the warship had been engulfed by the waters, it had effectively already been considered damaged, because the enemy could destroy it at any time!

The reason he had not done so was probably only because he did not want to waste his stamina.

Two Sword Style: Extreme!

Strawberry's speed suddenly surged. Like a swordfish, he charged toward Xi Yan at extreme speed.

The instant he closed in, Strawberry raised the two swords in his hands and slashed down!

Die, brat!

Cold killing intent flashed in Strawberry's eyes as his Haki-clad weapons mercilessly cut through Xi Yan's body!!

Splash!

Did he succeed?! The two behind him rejoiced inwardly.

But Strawberry was not feeling so good, because he realized that what he had cut down was not the real body. The sensation was completely wrong!

Boom!!

The cleaved Xi Yan did not dissipate. Instead, he exploded directly.

Strawberry's pupils shrank at once as he shouted inwardly, Damn Ninja, do you think I'd fall for this move?!

With Doberman and Onigumo's lesson from the past, how could he allow the enemy to trap him in a water sphere again?!

With that thought, Strawberry swiftly retreated, intending to first leave the target's attack range.

Yet before he could fly very far, his Observation Haki sensed something flying toward him, precisely cutting off his retreat.

Damn it, I can't dodge...

Armament Haki, hardening!

With no time to think, Strawberry swiftly covered his body with Armament Haki, planning to take this attack head-on.

The next moment...

Boom!!

A water spear struck Strawberry's body, transforming at the instant of contact into an incomparably terrifying Giant Water Dragon.

An incredibly dreadful force tore at Strawberry's body, leaving him unable to relax for even a moment. Armament Haki remained wrapped around his body.

In the end, he was swept away by that terrifying force and smashed viciously into the sea, forcibly blasting open a patch of vacuum!!

Boom!!

A moment later, seawater rushed back in, burying Strawberry within it.

Blood trickled from the corner of Strawberry's mouth, making his expression extremely grim.

Without Armament Haki protecting his body, that move could have taken his life!

Water Release: Hard Vortex Water Blade!

Xi Yan, still holding his throwing stance, calmly watched this scene.

Then he shifted his gaze to T-Bone and Momonga, his eyes seeming to say: You're next.

Damn it...

T-Bone was furious. This guy simply refused to fight them at close range.

If that was the case... then even if they had to destroy the warship, they would split open this damned stretch of water!!

He turned and made several hand signals to Momonga, telling him to attack together with him.

Momonga did not hesitate after receiving the signal, rushing to the surface alongside T-Bone.

Then the two launched their slashes together!

One Sword Style: Water Severance!

One Sword Style: Blazing Flame!

Boom!!