Meanwhile.
The pressure on the frontal battlefield suddenly surged. Blenheim swung his massive blade and charged out of the white smoke.
"Get lost!"
The massive blade cleaved down, whipping up a heavy gust of wind.
Atmos followed close behind, his two greatswords slashing horizontally from both sides as they smashed into the Marine frontline.
Jozu charged in from the flank, his iron-armored arm sweeping out and striking the air with a dull boom.
The three Whitebeard Pirates commanders led their men in repeated assaults, and every collision made the Marine frontline tremble violently.
"Hold the line!"
"Gun formation, fall back half a step!"
"Don't panic!"
Smoker roared as white smoke poured from his arms.
The billowing smoke coiled around the three men's feet, trying to slow them down.
But Whitebeard Pirates commanders were no ordinary pirates. Just as the frontline was about to be torn apart—
Gion moved.
She took a step forward, drawing Kompira.
"Clang!"
A flash of sword light forcibly knocked Blenheim's massive blade aside.
"Clang, clang, clang—!"
Gion moved lightly, but her swordsmanship was terrifyingly steady.
Kompira struck several times in rapid succession, intercepting Atmos's twin swords and Jozu's sweeping attack.
It was a simultaneous assault by three commander-level Whitebeard Pirates fighters.
Yet she stood at the very front of the line, defusing the commanders' attacks one by one.
Her sword light flowed like water yet weighed like mountains. Every strike seemed to see through her opponents' next move in advance.
Blenheim's face darkened.
"This woman..."
Atmos gritted his teeth and growled.
"Don't let her stop us by herself!"
Jozu was about to charge again when Smoker's white smoke wrapped around him once more, forcibly slowing his steps by half a beat.
That half-beat was enough for Gion's gaze to turn icy.
Rather than continuing to defend,