The 860 Million-Berry Pirate Attacks / Shusui's Righteous Sneak Attack

Offshore waters near the Sabaody Archipelago.

A pirate ship flying Big Mom's Jolly Roger burst up from beneath the sea. The transparent soap bubble coating its surface quickly shattered once it emerged.

Fresh air rushed in, and the man standing at the bow took a deep breath.

"Phew... Seriously, every time I come back to this sea in Paradise, I have to go on an undersea adventure. It's really unpleasant."

Charlotte Cracker was a tall man wearing a horned helmet with a mane. He had a long, pointed beard on his chin and carried a greatsword and a large shield on his back.

With his arms folded, he looked at the Sabaody Archipelago not far away, his mouth twisted in displeasure.

"Lord Cracker, the Vivre Card is pointing straight ahead."

A pirate held out his palm, where a small piece of Vivre Card was slowly moving forward.

"I'm not blind. I can see it."

Cracker snorted. "To think they're hiding in the Sabaody Archipelago. This place is too close to Marine Headquarters. Marines from headquarters will be here in half an hour at most..."

They were only four or five hundred meters from the island ahead, and he couldn't be bothered to wait for the pirate ship to make its way there.

"You stay on the ship. I'll bring Lola back, and then we'll retreat immediately."

With that, Cracker leaped into the air and sped toward the island.

He was no fool, much less a reckless brute.

As one of Big Mom's Sweet Commanders, the moment he showed up here and Marine Headquarters got word of it, an Admiral might already be on the way.

He had to finish this quickly!

As he leaped away, the pirate ship beneath him abruptly sank several dozen centimeters, and the underlings on deck cried out in alarm.

"Lord Cracker, half an hour! Once time's up, we're pulling out first!"

Elsewhere, in Area 70.

Unlike the lawless areas below Area 30, this area was primarily an inn district, with more visitors than anywhere else.

Dimon was staying at an inn here. At the moment, he was sitting in the restaurant, enjoying the Sabaody Archipelago's local cuisine.

Another reason he had chosen Area 70 was its proximity to the Marines. The neighboring Area 69 housed a Marine Base and government offices.

"Master, giant trees 13, 14, and 15 have sent warnings one after another. Someone is approaching the Wave-Breaking Warrior at high speed through the air!"

One of Big Mom's people?

Dimon paused mid-bite and looked around. Only after confirming that no one else was nearby did he ask quietly, "Who is it?"

The next moment, an image appeared in his mind.

The image looked down from high in the air. A figure was already less than three hundred meters from the Wave-Breaking Warrior, plunging diagonally toward its deck like an arrow.

He was expected to reach the ship in just over ten seconds.

"Charlotte Cracker? I remember his bounty is over 800 million."

The corners of Dimon's mouth rose. After waiting so many days, he had finally arrived. "Tell Samael to prepare to meet the enemy. He has half an hour at most. Once time's up, Marine Headquarters will definitely send someone."

"Yes."

Ain relayed the information at once.

Dimon was no longer in the mood to eat. He hurried to his feet and returned to his room at the inn.

Then he shaped both hands like the number seven, touching his index fingers and thumbs together at the top and bottom to frame the room.

"Close-Up Storyboard!"

With a click, the Storyboard Fruit's power recorded the room. Then he pulled a bundle from under the bed, turned, and headed out.

Inside the bundle were the cloak and mask he used as a disguise. He had kept them for precisely this chance to go watch the excitement.

If, by some one-in-ten-thousand chance, Samael couldn't deal with Cracker within half an hour, he would have to step in.

After leaving the inn, Dimon found a secluded spot with no one around and changed into the cloak and mask. Only then did he make his way unhurriedly to Area 14.

[Master's orders: prepare to meet the enemy.]

In the lounge on the Wave-Breaking Warrior's upper deck, Samael lay on the sofa, fast asleep and snoring.

Seeing this, Ain immediately whipped up a gale, making the tables and chairs in the lounge shake violently.

The commotion woke Samael. He jumped up and floated in midair like a will-o'-the-wisp.

"Ain! What are you doing?"

"The enemy's here. It's one of Big Mom's people."

"Who?"

"Charlotte Cracker. According to Master's information, he's a Paramecia Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit user with a bounty of over 800 million."

Still concerned, Ain asked, "Can you handle him?"

Samael flew into a rage. "Who are you looking down on? A mere Zoan dares question me, a noble Logia?"

He could tolerate others looking down on him, and could even magnanimously turn around and mock them.

But not a Zoan!

"Hmph, I'll forgive you this time. How much longer?"

"Three."

"Three more minutes? No rush, then. I'll lie down a little longer."

"Two."

Hearing the number two, Samael was so angry that flames erupted all over him. It was a countdown, damn it. You bastard Zoan.

He had no time to think. He rushed out of the lounge and onto the deck.

At the same time, a figure descended from the sky.

Boom!!

The heavy impact cracked the deck and sent the entire ship sinking lower.

"Huh? What are you?"

Cracker couldn't help staring when he got a clear look at Samael. A will-o'-the-wisp with a human face?

"I'm your grandpa, grandson. I've been waiting for you for a long time!"

Samael grinned viciously and conjured a huge flaming hand that shot toward him.

Suddenly, a shrill cry rang out.

"No! Don't wreck the ship! Are you trying to kill me? Samael, I'm telling Master on you!" Ship Zuizui shouted, trying to stop him.

Samael's attack halted, and an awkward expression crossed his face.

Bastard! If you can't speak properly, don't speak at all. You'd even tattle on me? Are you human?

The flaming hand quickly dissipated.

Cracker stared blankly at the sight before him. Behind the human-faced will-o'-the-wisp, a mouth had appeared on the cabin door.

It was that mouth that had made the cry.

"Interesting. What are you? Devil Fruit Users?"

Cracker couldn't be bothered to puzzle it out. He took the greatsword from his back and said mockingly, "Well, it doesn't matter who you are. You dared to kidnap someone from the Charlotte Family. How do you want to die?"

Before he had even finished speaking, he charged at Samael and thrust his greatsword.

Armament Haki coated the blade, turning it pitch-black, and the strike pierced straight through the human-faced will-o'-the-wisp.

"Trash. Are you trying to tickle your grandpa?"

Samael's form twisted, and after his flames scattered, he rapidly rose higher.

Cracker frowned. What the hell was this thing?

If he was a Devil Fruit User, even a Logia user, the sword strike he had just delivered had been coated in Armament Haki. It should have been enough to strike the user's real body.

He looked up and stared at the human-faced will-o'-the-wisp, only to hear him shout toward the island:

"Number 14, lend me a hand. Get him off the ship."

"You have an accomplice?"

Cracker held his breath, focused, and spread out his Observation Haki to probe the presences nearby.

Lola's presence was the first he detected, right on this ship. Before he could make his next move, a slender branch suddenly descended from the sky.

Cracker whirled around and swung his sword.

But the branch split into two at a tricky angle, bypassed the slash from both sides, and quickly wrapped around Cracker's arms. It then gave a fierce swing, flinging him off the deck toward the island.

"Another Devil Fruit User!?"

Cracker was startled.

A human-faced will-o'-the-wisp, a mouth on the cabin door, a branch descending from the sky...

That was at least three Devil Fruit Users!

Chapter 38: Shusui's Righteous Sneak Attack

An organization that dared to kidnap a member of the Charlotte Family and demand a ransom from Mama was presumably no group of small fry that could be dealt with easily.

Even so, running into three Devil Fruit Users right off the bat really did catch Cracker off guard.

The branch descending from the sky had wrapped around his arms and flung him off the Wave-Breaking Warrior's deck. In midair, he steadied himself and swung his sword again, severing the branch and landing firmly on the shore.

No sooner had he found his footing than flames flashed before his eyes, and the human-faced will-o'-the-wisp came close behind.

"Jie jie jie, don't even think about rescuing Lola. That woman lost her shadow. The moment she's exposed to sunlight, she'll die."

Cracker couldn't tell whether that was true or not, so he treated it as true for the time being.

It made no difference to him. The task Mama had given him this time was not only to bring Lola back alive, but also to severely punish the Seven Deadly Sins and force them to reveal the identity of their so-called master.

But stealing shadows...

Why did that ability sound so familiar?

"Is your master the Shichibukai Gecko Moria?" Cracker said coldly. "I've heard the rumors about him. That fool once challenged Kaido without knowing his limits, got beaten half to death, and escaped by sheer luck."

Hearing this, Samael's face filled with anger.

"Is he worthy? A mere human? My master is a god!"

As he uttered the word "god," a ball of scarlet flame burst forth. In the blink of an eye, it crossed more than ten meters and reached Cracker.

Cracker's heart tightened. His opponent's fireball had been launched almost instantly, yet its power appeared considerable.

The thought lasted only an instant. The scarlet fireball reached him and expanded rapidly, and amid a thunderous explosion, flames soared into the clouds.

In an instant, everything within several dozen meters became a hell of fire.

Looking pleased, Samael folded the two flaming arms he had conjured and laughed.

"Trash grandson, are you still alive? Grandpa's a little worried about you."

Flames blazed at the center of the explosion, and a figure was faintly visible within them.

The burly figure's body seemed to be falling apart, its arms and head melting away.

The moment the towering figure collapsed completely, a sword slash suddenly tore through the flames. Immediately afterward, Cracker shot out like an arrow.

"Huh?"

Samael froze for a moment.

It wasn't that he was surprised his opponent could withstand his attack. Rather, the Cracker who had emerged was a completely different person from the one before.