Although Zoan have strong vitality and recover quickly, continuous injuries can't be healed even if you recover quickly. Mantis's movements gradually slowed down, his attacks became much weaker, he lost a lot of blood and suffered internal injuries, and he struggled to hold on under Vic's rapid attacks.
" Two-Sword Style White Tiger"
During a defensive lapse in Mantis's defenses, a phantom image of a white tiger enveloped Vic and charged towards Mantis. Two crossed swords, like tiger claws, grabbed at Mantis's body and then quickly crossed over. All anyone could see Vic holding the swords at his sides, his back to Mantis.
Mantis slowly collapsed, two huge wounds appearing on his chest. This was his limit; the loss of life force coupled with this final powerful strike left Mantis with no strength left to stand up.
Mantis transformed back into human form, but he was too weak to continue the transformation. He did not faint; Mantis lay on the ground with clear and calm eyes.
He didn't regret giving up his escape, not because he was confident in his own strength—he knew Zephyr, and he knew he couldn't defeat Admiral —nor did he resent the Navy for disturbing his peaceful life. He had once been young and reckless, doing some bad things with Rocks, and he accepted everything with equanimity.
Vic turned and walked towards Mantis, who was lying on the ground. Vic saw that he was looking at the sky with his eyes open, without despair, pain, regret, or resistance, as if he were not the one lying on the ground with serious injuries. Vic couldn't help but admire him. This man's state of mind was too high. You could hardly tell that he was once a great pirate.
"Aren't you afraid?" Vic swung his right hand, the Blood Wither tip of his blade pressed against Mantis's throat, less than five millimeters away.
"What are you afraid of? Death? Or life imprisonment?" Mantis's tone remained calm. His Adam's apple bobbed as it touched the Blood Wither tip of the knife, leaving a red line and beads of blood seeping out, but Mantis's eyes did not change at all.
"Stop!"
Vic turned and called out to Mantis's charging henchmen. Several henchmen had already rushed forward, ready to fight Vic to the death, but when they saw Vic's knife tip pressed against Mantis's throat, they immediately stopped in their tracks, still holding their weapons above their heads.
"You're not pirates, so we won't arrest you. But if you attack me, the situation changes. You'll be treated as accomplices of this pirate, and you might face life imprisonment!"
Vic's tone was cold, as if he was about to unleash a massacre at any moment, as if imprisonment was just a joke, and what he really wanted to do was kill all the pirates.
"What's there to be afraid of? We're not afraid of death, so why would we be afraid of imprisonment?"
"You dare release our boss? I want to fight you one-on-one, dead or alive!"
"Yeah! You dare? Challenge us one-on-one!"
"Shut up, get back here! I'm not your boss!" Mantis's tone finally changed slightly.
"But, boss, we want to too..."
"Get lost, don't let me see you. You're an eyesore. I've never considered you my underlings; you're just tools I use to hide here." Mantis interrupted the man, his words ruthless.
"Professor Zephyr, what is Vic doing?" Someone from the Elite Camp looked at Vic's actions with some confusion.
"You're all watching, Vic is carrying out his justice!"
Wendy and Barnett were also watching to see what Vic was up to. The pirates had already been defeated, but instead of capturing them, he was just showing off. Rebecca and Frodeku were watching Vic's figure with smiles. Ain was still young and only knew that Vic had won, and she was very happy.
"Boss, we... Waaah..." The henchmen dropped their weapons, knelt on the ground, and wailed, as if some kind of faith of theirs had collapsed.
"How heartless! After following you for so many years, you just kick me aside like that?" Vic wasn't angry at all; instead, he smiled.
"Sir! Please spare our leader! He didn't do anything wrong!"
"Yes, sir! Our captain has been protecting this island for so many years, preventing pirates from stealing a single thing from us! Let him go!"
"That's right, sir, you really need to investigate this thoroughly. Our boss won't even accept the food we send him; he eats what he grows himself. How could someone like that be a bad person!"
The civilians who had been standing on the sidelines all knelt down, recounting all the things Mantis had done on the island, and more civilians kept arriving and kneeling.
The Elite Camp troops were deeply shocked by what they saw; it was something they had never encountered before: a group of civilians kneeling and begging for mercy for a pirate.
Mantis closed his eyes, two lines of tears streaming down his face. His breathing became rapid; he could no longer calm down, and his mind was in turmoil.
" Mantis, if I find out you've done anything to harm civilians, I'll chase you to the ends of the earth and catch you myself!" Vic's voice was calm, but it exuded a strong confidence; he meant it.
Vic sheathed his sword and walked towards the Elite Camp. Mantis, lying on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes, struggled to lift his head, and looked at the figure in shock. He was incredulous. He had heard of pirates letting the Marines go, but he had never heard of the Marines letting go of a pirate with a bounty of several hundred million. This should be punished!
The underlings beside him were overjoyed and rushed forward to bandage their boss. Several people dressed as doctors also rushed out from among the civilians. The other civilians were very happy, not expecting this navy guy to be so understanding. Meanwhile, Vic had already returned to the Elite Camp.
" Vic, you're so cool!"
"Yeah, that's impressive!"
" Vic, well done!"
"Yes, this is what everyone wants!"
When Vic returned to the Elite Camp, he was greeted by a chorus of praise. Rebecca and the others looked at Vic with beaming smiles, while Ain's eyes sparkled.
"Are you really not going to arrest them?" Zephyr asked. He had learned this the hard way; his wife and son were killed by the pirates he had let go, and this time, Mantis was extremely powerful.
"It's alright, I believe he has reformed!" Vic said confidently.
Vic trusted his judgment; his leniency was selective. Some pirates Vic felt were better off dead than imprisoned in Impel Down, and he would kill them without hesitation. But Zephyr was different; he treated everyone equally, which sowed the seeds of future trouble.
"Teacher, let's go back, let's not disturb their happy gathering!" Vic continued, then walked directly towards the warship, followed by Rebecca and the others.
Zephyr glanced back at Mantis, who was surrounded by civilians, then strode toward the warship. The others followed Zephyr and Vic after they left.