One Sword

At this time, Morgans had yet to suffer that crushing defeat at the hands of Hundred Plans Kuro. His jaw was still made of flesh, and his arm had not been replaced with a giant axe-shaped prosthetic. Yet his entire presence was far more imposing than it would be in later years.

It was because his mindset, will, and convictions were all at the peak of his life. The strength born from those convictions was even greater.

Morgans gazed into the distance.

Flames soared into the sky on the Deserted Island. A Marine in charge of reconnaissance hurried to Morgans's side. After giving a military salute, he began his report:

"A Pirate Ship has been discovered in a bay on the island. Judging by its flag, it is undoubtedly the Gawain Pirates."

"However, something is strange. The ship has been split in half down the middle, and the cut is incredibly smooth. It does not look natural—it looks man-made."

Morgans paused slightly, then raised his telescope and looked toward the distant bay.

Just as the scout had reported, a Pirate Ship split in half was stranded on the beach.

Morgans had seen wounds like that before.

It had been several years ago.

When Garp returned to the East Blue to wipe out the pirates in the surrounding waters.

There was a silent man named Bogart who had always followed at Garp's side.

At the time, everyone had thought he was merely Garp's attendant.

Until he cleaved a Pirate Ship in two with a single slash, his formidable Sword Qi nearly cutting through the sea itself. Then, everyone fell silent.

How could someone who had followed Garp for decades truly be a nobody?

The cut Bogart had left behind back then was almost identical to the one before him.

So with a single glance, Morgans could tell that whoever had acted was an expert swordsman.

"Did Knight Gawain do this?"

"No. A swordsman capable of leaving such a clean slash would be a notable figure even on the Grand Line."

"I know Gawain's strength. He absolutely could not do something like this. Did they run into other pirates?"

Morgans frowned slightly, growing wary of the mysterious person who had acted. A powerhouse capable of splitting a ship with one sword strike should not have been an unknown figure in the East Blue.

Even in his memory, only a few Officers from Headquarters could accomplish such a feat.

"Still, it looks like they must have fought the Gawain Pirates. Heh, unlucky bastards."

That thought greatly boosted Morgans's confidence.

In his memory, Gawain had never been his match.

Now that he had been attacked by a mysterious powerhouse as well, there was no need to verify anything. The Gawain Pirates must have suffered devastating losses. That ship was the best evidence.

Several more rounds of cannon fire rained down from the Warship. Scarlet meteors filled the sky and set the entire island ablaze. Flames soared high, yet not a single sound came from the forest.

Seeing that more than half the shells on the ship had been used up, Morgans called off the bombardment.

He decided to personally take Gawain's head.

Looking at the Marines behind him, who were rubbing their hands in anticipation, Morgans grinned savagely.

"Brothers, tonight is the night we make our names!"

"For justice!"

As Morgans's resolute voice fell, the emotions of the Marines were completely ignited. Some were even trembling with excitement.

This was not their first clash with the Gawain Pirates. Every time before, they had beaten them until they fled in panic, while their own side had paid no more than a few minor injuries.

And now, Gawain was on the island. He was living merit, and a walking Fifty Million Berries!

"It is not just the Marines who have put a Bounty on Gawain. The Goa Kingdom royal family's bounty in the underworld has reached Fifty Million Berries!"

"As long as we take him down, it will all be ours! Besides, we are carrying out justice!"

"Absolute Justice!"

Their belief in justice erased the last traces of hesitation from the Marines' hearts. The blades in their hands and the wax-paper-wrapped ammunition gave them unprecedented confidence, turning them into truly cold-blooded executioners.

They seemed to see the day they achieved fame and success.

"Kill!"

Morgans roared, then took the lead in leaping from the Warship and racing toward the cave. The Marines aboard wore fanatical expressions as they followed close behind.

They moved swiftly, with Morgans leading the charge. In just a few minutes, they had crossed nearly a thousand meters.

Soon.

Gawain, sword in hand, appeared in Morgans's sight with dozens of pirates behind him.

He watched the fanatical Marines before him with an indifferent expression.

Their eyes were no different from those of the peers his predecessor had killed. They were equally fanatical and greedy.

The battle between Marines and pirates erupted in that instant.

A burst of dense gunfire rang across the Deserted Island. Within a few breaths, several corpses had already been left on both sides.

Even those aboard Gawain's ship who had shrunk back in fear forgot what fear was under the rush of adrenaline.

They picked up their weapons and fought the enemy.

Bloody and savage.

For the Marines, this battle was for fame, profit, and a stepping stone to advancement. For the pirates, it was purely a fight for survival!

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Amid the dense gunfire.

Gawain swung his sword, cutting apart several bullets flying toward him. Then he raised his eyes toward Morgans, who had also yet to move in the distance, a faint smile curling at his lips.

"Rather than a Marine, you are more like one of my kind."

"You sharp-tongued brat!"

Morgans grinned viciously. Looking at Gawain before him, he had no interest in wasting words.

He stomped down hard, nearly shattering the ground beneath his feet, and shot toward Gawain like an arrow.

At the same time, the battle axe in his hand swept sideways, unleashing a terrifying force. Even if this strike hit solid rock, it would easily crush it to pieces!

He had suppressed Gawain completely with sheer strength several times before. Now that they were fighting again, he did not believe the outcome would be any different.

There was no shortage of people in these seas who could undergo a complete transformation within a month. A Devil Fruit, technological enhancement, or the awakening of Haki could all drastically increase a person's combat power in a very short time.

But Gawain was clearly not one of them!

The next instant...

Boom!

The violent force shattered the rocks in the ground, but Morgans's brow furrowed slightly.

"Missed?"

"No, you are too slow..."

Gawain's teasing voice sounded beside Morgans's ear, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

For no reason, the ship stranded on the beach appeared in Morgans's mind once more.

The next moment.

Bone-chilling killing intent swept toward Morgans from behind, nearly freezing the surrounding air solid. An indescribable terror rose in his heart.

A guess he had rejected surfaced in his mind again, making his pupils contract violently.

"That ship... you were the one who cut it in half? Impossible!"

"Only mediocrities say something is impossible. The strong always find a solution. That is the insurmountable gulf between you and me!"

Gawain looked at Morgans with little interest. The man who had once crushed his predecessor so thoroughly could no longer stir any fighting spirit in him.

He said calmly:

"One sword to kill you, and sever all karmic ties with the past!"

"I—!"

Before Morgans could finish speaking, he felt a chill pass across his neck. When he turned around, Gawain had already vanished.

After a dizzying whirl of the world around him, a headless body appeared before his eyes...

Is that me?

That final thought flashed through Morgans's mind before he sank into utter darkness.