Building debris whistled down from the sky.
Zhao Hai raised his right arm, his azure dragon scales gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
He unleashed powerful punches, their pressure blasting the falling chunks of stone apart in midair.
The rubble disintegrated into clouds of dust that sifted down onto the marble paving.
Unscathed, Zhao Hai stepped over the rubble and kept advancing.
Blackbeard clutched his crushed nose, the fat on his body trembling violently.
His bloodshot eyes were fixed on the azure dragon scales covering Zhao Hai, and fear gripped him.
If this keeps up, I'll die here unless I use every last trump card I've got.
This is Marineford. Elite Marines are everywhere.
If I show my hand, Sengoku and Garp will never let me leave alive.
Blackbeard made his decision instantly and dropped to both knees with a thud.
"Wait! Stop!"
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku! I'm not here to cause trouble!"
Blackbeard bellowed at the top of his lungs, his cries carrying across the plaza.
"I've brought you a great gift! The Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander!"
"Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace is on my ship!"
Those words brought the entire plaza to a standstill.
Sengoku's hand abruptly tightened on the windowsill.
On the breakwater nearby, Garp's arm froze in midair, a rice cracker still in his hand.
Zhao Hai stopped and regarded the kneeling Blackbeard with an amused look.
"Burgess! You stupid dog! Hurry up and bring him out!"
Blackbeard turned toward the ruins and unleashed a torrent of curses.
Burgess struggled out of the crater where he had landed and limped toward the small boat at the pier.
Before long, Burgess returned, dragging a heavy sack made of coarse burlap.
Thick seastone chains wrapped around the sack, clinking sharply.
Burgess untied the ropes and tipped the sack upside