"We can't let Roy continue to slaughter like this!"
A furious roar came from the other end of the battlefield.
The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
It carried an unquestionable authority, and a resolute determination to go all out.
Roy stopped and turned to look in the direction from which the sound came.
A short man was walking out of the naval formation.
His height stood out among the group of tall naval officers; he was a head shorter than everyone around him.
But the imposing aura he exuded caused even the taller officers to involuntarily make way for him.
Chaton.
Admiral candidate at the Marine Headquarters.
He was wearing a standard naval uniform, with a cloak of justice draped over his shoulders.
A long sword hung at his waist, its scabbard adorned with several inconspicuous black beads.
His steps were not fast, but each step was steady. The ice beneath his feet rose slightly where he stepped, as if the earth was actively supporting his weight.
"All Vice Admiral, listen to my command! Stop fighting individually!"
Chaton's voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Assemble around me! Encircle and annihilate Roy!"
His orders gave the Vice Admiral, who were still fighting their own battles, a sense of direction.
The four figures almost simultaneously withdrew from the battlefield and moved toward Chaton at top speed.
The Momonga was the first to arrive.
Despite bearing multiple injuries, the Headquarters Vice Admiral, renowned for his speed, held his sword with unwavering steadiness.
He stood to Chaton's right, his long sword already drawn, the blade wreathed in thick Armament Haki.
Doberman followed closely behind.
Half of his face was covered in blood, and his left eye was so blood that he couldn't open it, but his remaining right eye burned with undisguised murderous intent.
He stood to the left of Chaton, his two swords crossed in front of him.
The Onigumo staggered over.
He had a deep, bone-revealing knife wound on his chest, inflicted by a cadre from Hachinosu; the bandage was soaked with blood.
But his eight spider arms still firmly gripped the eight long swords, their blades reflecting a cold light in the sunlight.
Dalmatian Dalmatian was the last to arrive.
His Zoan Devil Fruit ability had been pushed to its limit, and his entire body was covered in black and white fur.
The fingernails transformed into sharp claws, and the breath exhaled from its mouth condensed into white mist in the cold air.
Five people surrounded Roy.
Roy stood in the center of the encirclement, tilting his head to look at the five familiar faces before him.
Chaton, Marine Admiral Candidate appears very rarely in the original work.
She was in the same cohort as Momousagi Gion, but because she looked too much like a yakuza boss, she couldn't rise through the ranks. However, her strength was definitely no weaker than that of an ordinary Admiral.
A user of the Mythical Zoan Pork-Pork Fruit, Cloud Boar Form, who is said to be able to manipulate earth and air.
Onigumo, Akainu, is known for his brutal fighting style.
With the Eight-Sword Style swordsmanship combined with Life Return, his close combat ability is almost invincible below the level of Admiral.
Doberman, also a Akainu vice Vice Admiral in Akainu's faction.
His Two-Sword Style swordsmanship, combined with his ferocious fighting style, earned him a fearsome reputation on the high seas.
The Momonga, a veteran Headquarters Vice Admiral, is a master swordsman with extensive combat experience and has distinguished himself in numerous major battles.
Dalmatian Dalmatian, Zoan Devil Fruit user, possesses both speed and strength, and is loyal and brave.
Five Vice Admiral and one Admiral candidate.
This lineup is enough to dominate anywhere.
"Oh?"
Roy's lips curled up slightly, revealing a half-smile.
"Finally, some decent opponents have arrived."
His tone was relaxed, as if he had met an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.
"Damn pirates—stop with that nonchalant attitude!"
Onigumo was the first to lose his temper.
With all eight of his spider arms working together, he transformed into a blur as he charged toward Roy.
Eight long swords trailed eight silver-white trajectories in the air, slashing at Roy simultaneously from eight different angles.
This strike was something he learned from Akainu —leaving no room for retreat, leaving no way out; every strike was aimed at killing.
The full-force attack of the Eight-Sword Style sealed off all of Roy's possible escape routes.
Roy stared at the eight flashes of light without moving.
Just as the first longsword was about to strike his shoulder, his right hand moved.
Shusui are drawn from their sheaths.
"Bite--!!!"
A crisp metallic clang rang out.
Onigumo's eight long swords were all blocked by a single Black Blade.
The power of the eight swords combined, but the feeling of pressing down on Shusui was light and airy, as if it were striking a mountain.
Onigumo gritted his teeth, desperately activating his Life Return, causing all the muscles in his body to swell.
But it can't be pressed down, not even a millimeter.
Roy held his sword in one hand, parrying Onigumo's eight longswords, his expression remaining relaxed.
Is this all the power you have?
Roy's voice wasn't loud, but every word reached Onigumo's ears clearly.
"That's a disservice to your earlier boasting."
" Marine Vice Admiral."
The Onigumo's pupils contracted sharply.
He tried to draw his sword and retreat, but it was too late.
Roy exerted force with his arm, Shusui swung upwards sharply.
The eight long swords of the Onigumo were all knocked out of his hand by the shock, his tiger's mouth was torn open, and blood spurted out.
He was thrown backward by the immense force, his front door wide open.
Roy seized the opportunity and slashed back.
The Shusui flowed upwards in a diagonal slash.
The blade was very thin, as thin as a sheet of paper.
But when the blade flashed through the air, it even cut a tiny crack in space itself.
The Onigumo's body froze.
A long, slanted knife wound appeared on his chest, extending from his left waist to his right shoulder.
The knife wound started as a thin red line, but then it quickly expanded, and blood gushed out of the wound.
The sound of his sternum cracking echoed, and his body slumped down as if all the strength had been drained away.
His tall body crashed onto the ice with a thud, and blood quickly pooled beneath him.
One strike.
Just one strike.
Onigumo, considered a top fighter even by the Marine Headquarters, was defeated by Roy with a single strike.
A brief silence fell over the encirclement.
Doberman's fingers tightened around the twin swords.
He heard with his own ears that the Onigumo's breathing was rapidly weakening, from heavy panting to faint groans, and from faint groans to barely audible breaths.
Don't let your guard down!
Chaton's voice broke the silence.
His tone was more serious than before, and he emphasized each word.
"This is the Heavenly Dao Emperor! Let's attack together!"
"I'll take the lead!"
Chaton crossed his hands in front of him, activating the Mythical Zoan Ton-Ton Fruit - Cloud Boar Form.
The surrounding air began to flow around him, and the ice beneath his feet began to bulge and deform.
Earth elements, under his control, surged up from beneath the ice, forming a thick layer of rock armor on his body.
The armor was grayish-white with faint cloud patterns flowing across its surface. It looked light but actually had an astonishing defensive capability.
More importantly, a semi-transparent layer of airflow surrounds the armor.
That's the ability of the Cloud Pig Fruit to manipulate the air.
It can be used to speed up a surprise attack or to buffer enemy attacks.