Chapter Fifty: Breaking Free

An extremely terrifying sight. The already thin clouds were directly torn open, and a colossal object plummeted from above.

Big! Big! Big!

The field of vision seemed to be completely filled. The only thing visible to the eyes was this one thing! Big, unimaginably big, like a small island. Compared to the magma bomb from before, it was like comparing a giant to an infant. The sky, which had just begun to clear, became overcast once more due to this thing's descent.

"It's, it's,"

Snake looked as if he had seen something utterly unbelievable. "Admiral Golden Lion's flagship!!!"

The lower part was made of earth, and the upper part was a wooden hull. This was Golden Lion's flagship, which had been floating in the sky all along.

"It's falling, did the ability fail?"

Sword said with difficulty, "Admiral Golden Lion, was he defeated?"

"The outcome is decided."

Louis took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions a bit. "Did Roger win?"

"However, there's no time to marvel now!! Turn! Turn!! Hard to starboard!!"

Louis shouted, "Don't get close!!"

Given the current speed and direction of their small ship, they would be smashed into the sea by the massive wave kicked up by that giant ship and swept to the seabed. There was absolutely no other choice.

"Get away from here!"

The people on the deck immediately began to scramble, and the ship began to change direction.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!!"

The Navy's cannon fire continued, but it was no longer their biggest threat. With world-shattering momentum, the terrifyingly large ship crashed down heavily.

"No! It's too late!"

Louis roared, "Grab onto the hull!! Don't get thrown off!!!"

"Boom!!!"

The giant ship plunged into the sea. This crash marked the end of an era. Golden Lion's hegemony in the New World ended here.

"Whoosh!!"

The immense impact created monstrous waves that surged in all directions.

"Here it comes!!!"

Louis desperately clung to the ship's side as the giant wave swept towards them.

"Boom!!!"

The ship began to roll violently. Louis was instantly submerged, but he still didn't let go, desperately gripping the ship's side. A force like an overwhelming tide battered everything. The small ship was helplessly swept away by the powerful current.

"Ugh."

In the water, Louis's hand had sunk deep into the ship's side, and his hair was tightly tangled in the deck's seams. If he were swept away by the current, he wouldn't know where he'd end up.

"Damn it! I can't hold on!"

Louis gritted his teeth. He couldn't resist such terrifying power with his body alone. His hair felt like it was being ripped out, and the ship's side was almost shattering under his grip.

"Boom!!"

Fortunately, at this moment, the ship violently shook, was thrown into the air, and then crashed heavily to the ground, shattering completely.

"Ugh."

Louis collapsed on the ground. With a roll, blood mixed with seawater surged from his mouth.

The ground?

Louis blinked. He was lying on an ice surface. It seemed the ship had crashed into the ice surface frozen by Aokiji and was flung upwards. Otherwise, he didn't know where the waves would have taken him.

"Hey! Is anyone still alive?"

Louis gasped for breath and looked back. The small ship had been completely destroyed in the previous impact and fall.

"Cough, cough, cough, I'm still alive for now!"

On the ice surface in the distance, Shak sat up. There was blood at the corner of his mouth, but he was still alive.

"What luck! Should we thank the Navy for this?"

From the wreckage of the ship, Snake and Sword crawled out.

The casualties from this massive wave were quite severe. Out of the original thirty people, only fifteen remained, including Louis. The others had vanished without a trace.

In the sky, more objects were falling. Intact, broken, the ships that Golden Lion had brought into the sky were now all plummeting. The airborne pirate fleet had completely collapsed.

"Hoo."

Louis stood up and looked back. "The Navy also suffered considerable impact! Although they froze the giant wave, it actually blocked their path?"

To the rear, the pursuing Navy was blocked by an iceberg – the very giant wave that had swept towards them. Aokiji's ability was indeed quite convenient on the sea.

"What should we do, Mr. Mario?"

Shak clutched his chest and approached. "The ship is destroyed."

"Are we going to escape along the ice?"

Sword frowned, "Running to the end like this will still leave us nowhere to go."

"We need a ship."

Snake said, "Before the Navy destroys that iceberg."

"As for a ship, we have one under our feet."

Louis stomped his foot.

"Under our feet?"

Shak looked down, his eyes lighting up, "Genius! Truly a genius! Mario!"

Wasn't the ice block under their feet the best ship? It could float on the sea and was quite sturdy. With Kuzan's strength, it probably wouldn't melt in three to five days. It was a very qualified tool for short-distance travel.

"So, are we going to escape directly across the ice?"

Snake asked, "And build an ice ship at the end?"

"No,"

Louis shook his head, "We don't know what we'll face next. I think we need more power. Of course, as members of the Golden Lion Grand Fleet, let's also try to find other survivors."

"Mr. Mario,"

Sword looked at Louis in shock, "What magnanimity!"

"Where is the Golden Lion Grand Fleet anymore?"

Snake shook his head, "The fall of that large ship just now was probably the end. However, since it's Mr. Mario's decision..."

"Then, everyone,"

Louis said solemnly, "Let's move out!"

He walked to the edge of the ice surface, cut a huge ice block with his sword, inserted the mast of the small boat into the center of the ice block, dug a hole on the other side of the ice block, thinned a smaller ice block, left a protruding part, and inserted it into the small hole. The thinned part was placed in the sea, which served as a simple rudder. A simple ship was thus made. Then, they moved the supplies from the small boat onto it, and the ice ship set sail.

Louis finally understood why in the original work, the Navy mobilized its entire force but couldn't do anything to either the Golden Lion or Roger's side. The iceberg blocking the Navy was simply too massive. Even if it shattered, it would break into small pieces, obstructing the Navy's advance. Even if Akainu were to melt it, it would take a lot of time. Moreover, the splashing magma bullets would also be a threat to the Navy itself. The Navy was also blocked behind the iceberg.

"Are you still alive? Your chest is still rising! You're not dead yet!"

Several pirates occasionally floated by on the sea, and Louis directly pulled them aboard. The dead were thrown back, the living were desperately revived, and those who couldn't be saved were thrown back again.

Soon, dozens of panting pirates were on the ice ship. Fortunately, the ice ship was built large enough, otherwise, it might not have been able to carry them.

"Collect more wood and food,"

Louis said, "We don't know how long we'll be drifting at sea. It's always good to prepare more."

"Yes! Lord Mario!!"

They were already calling him "Lord."

"Hey! That, that's..."

Suddenly, Shak exclaimed, "Roger Pirates!!"

Not far ahead on the sea, a large ship was speeding forward.

"Lord Mario?"

The pirates looked at Louis.

"Ignore them! Charge!"

Louis shouted, "The battle is over! Roger isn't that kind of man!"

Although he said that, Louis couldn't deny that he was uneasy. However, the more he was in front of such important figures, the more he couldn't show any fear.

"No, as expected of Lord Mario!!"

"So spirited!!"

"Charge, charge! What can the Roger Pirates do!"

The ice ship charged forward bravely.

"Hey!! Hey!! You bastard Shanks! Look, it's that bastard! That guy is still alive!"

On the Olga Jackson, at the stern, the red-nosed brat shouted loudly, "This is a good opportunity! Take them down!"

"It's that guy!"

Red Hair touched his left ear, which was missing a small piece, and smiled, "Forget it, the battle is over."

"Huh?"

Red Nose looked incredulous, "What are you talking about! You bastard, that guy almost killed us! Hey, Mr. Rayleigh, sink them!"

"No, Buggy, ignore them,"

Roger walked over unsteadily, covered in wounds, with a scar running across his chest, revealing his bones. Despite his injuries, he was the victor. "You dare to come over when you see us, ah ha ha ha, brave brat! Shiki has such guys under him. They survived the battlefield, and it would be a waste to die here! Let's consider it a reward for their tenacious will! I'm more looking forward to his future!"

"I will defeat him."

Red Hair smiled, "Fair and square."

"You bastard!"

Red Nose could only fume in silence.

"Alright! Hahahaha, stop spacing out, the Navy is catching up!!"

Rayleigh's voice carried, "Prepare to fight back!!"

On the other side, Louis, who had just brushed past the Roger Pirates, broke out in a cold sweat. The pirates cast admiring glances at him, believing he possessed extraordinary courage, unafraid even of Roger.

"Charge!! Thoroughly escape this battlefield!!"

Louis roared, and a single slash blasted away an incoming cannonball.

"Ooooh ooh ooh ooh!!!"

The Aethelwold Sea Battle drew to a close.