Cut Off the Tail to Survive / Are There This Many Pirates in the New World Lately?

Severing a Tail to Survive

Bang, bang, bang!

In her Nine-Tailed Fox form, Catarina Devon plunged into the vast forest. She snapped countless thick trees in half along the way, carving out a broad clearing by sheer force.

Pfft!

Catarina Devon scrambled to her feet and glared viciously at Atlas in midair. She spat a mouthful of bloody foam onto the ground.

Her body rapidly shrank into an... ugly beast-eared woman. A few whiskers jutted from her cheeks, her hands and feet remained claws, and nine thick tails swayed behind her.

Her hybrid form!

She could tell now that staying in her full beast form only left her helpless against that man.

That form gave her a huge boost in strength and toughness, but being used as a punching bag felt anything but good.

"Marine, don't push your luck."

She bared her fangs as she spoke through clenched teeth.

She had never imagined he was this strong. He had sent her flying even in her full beast form, knocking her clear out of the battlefield.

Her earlier threat seemed laughable now.

Shing!

Atlas's expression remained cold as he drew Futsu-no-Mitama from his waist once more. A clear, chilling gleam flashed through the air amid dancing arcs of electricity.

"One Sword Style Secret Art..."

Catarina Devon's face changed. She cursed wildly in her heart.

This lunatic! He's a complete fucking lunatic!

She suddenly regretted coming to this wretched place just because she refused to believe the rumors.

She had heard plenty about him since escaping prison, but she had never witnessed his power firsthand.

As for defeating Whitebeard?

True, Whitebeard had been called the World's Strongest Man.

But that title had only gained widespread acceptance among pirates after she had been locked up in Impel Down. She had never crossed paths