Why had Hawkins's sword thrust gone wide? Drake absolutely hadn't had time to dodge; he had practically been waiting for death with his eyes closed. Yet with Hawkins's skill, that attack had actually missed?
It was simply unbelievable.
After Hawkins missed with his sword, Drake finally clawed his way back from the brink of death. Once he caught his breath, he forcefully shoved forward with his weapons crossed in both hands, unleashing a cross-shaped slash. Hawkins hurriedly swung his sword back to block, but at such close range, Drake's tremendous strength sent him flying.
Drake was in a miserable state, facing danger at every turn. Urouge's situation aboard the Konoha was no better. Kid was harassing them head-on, while countless nearby pirates took every opportunity to launch sneak attacks. Urouge and several Devil Fruit users had already suffered minor injuries.
If the battle dragged on like this, they would sooner or later be worn to death by Kid's pirate alliance.
"Pfft! Why hasn't the Alliance Leader come back yet?" Drake had several wounds on his body, and Apoo's attacks had caused him considerable internal injuries. After spitting out a mouthful of blood, the burning pain in his chest eased somewhat. He spoke with reluctance in his voice.
"Hmph! Your Alliance Leader isn't coming back!" Kid sneered. "I've already informed the nearby pirates and had them hold Uchiha Hikaru back. As long as we take the Konoha, they'll get a share of the treasure aboard. No matter how strong Uchiha Hikaru is, getting through so many pirates will probably take him some time!"
Kid's words startled Drake. He had not expected that they not only wanted to plunder the Konoha, but had even dared to make a move against the Alliance Leader. These lunatics truly did not know the meaning of