Chapter 52 - 52 - The Battle Begins! Magnus vs Marine Admiral!

"Puhahaha! Seven colossal battleships and fifteen large warships—aren't you overestimating me a bit?" Magnus stood tall atop the highest point of the harbor, hand gripping his blade, staring down the Marine fleet several kilometers away. The Navy's colossal battleships were the most durable and destructive vessels they had, all constructed by the legendary shipwrights of Water 7. Even Magnus's own Black Pearl had been built in Water 7. Each Marine battleship carried 1,000 soldiers, while the large warships carried 500 each. All in all— Nearly fifteen thousand Marines had mobilized for this operation. It was almost equal to the number of pirates packed into the harbor town. And these weren't your average grunts. Their strength was comparable to Rocks a year ago. As things stood now, even Newgate might not be able to handle two or three at once. Not to mention the officers aboard. "Ten Vice Admirals, and... two taishou (Admirals)? All this for one old man like me?" With his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), Magnus saw the Marine lineup clearly—no effort was made to hide it. As long as they confirmed Magnus was still on the island, the Navy's mission was simple: obliterate Sphinx and eliminate every pirate there. Every pirate in Sphinx had now been pulled into Magnus's storm. Either fight the Navy at his side, or surrender and be thrown into Impel Down. Escape? Ask the twenty-plus Marine warships first. "Puhahaha! Looks like we're not so lucky today! That many Marines surrounding us? Forget running." Standing atop a rooftop, Magnus unleashed his Haōshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki)—a mighty pressure rising like a pillar into the sky. "So if you've got guts, follow me—and carve a bloody path!" With that, Magnus led the charge toward the Marine fleet. "MAGNUS!!!!" Before Magnus could leave the harbor, another wave of Haōshoku surged from the Marines. That familiar presence made him laugh wildly. "Puhahahaha! Sebas, you idiot, still alive?!" "Magnus, I should be asking you that!" Blazing flames erupted on a Marine warship. Magnus watched as a fiery figure stepped forward, and with a punch, unleashed a massive column of fire stretching thousands of meters toward him. "If you're gonna die, don't go causing others trouble!" BOOOOOOM— The pillar of fire clashed mid-air with chilling frost. Within the heat-distorted air, Magnus could vaguely see a figure covered in growing scales, its form both horse and lion. Marine Admiral Sebas, codename: Crimson Steed. A Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit user—the Fire Komainu form. Yes, even though he was engulfed in flames, Sebas was not a Logia user. Like Magnus, he was a Zoan-type. And his flames directly countered Magnus's icy abilities. Magnus's fur thickened as he prepared to go all-out. He had sensed who the opponent was and raised his power to its peak. Fire vs Ice. Crimson steed vs White wolf. Both leapt into the sky and collided, the impact echoing across the harbor. Initially, Admiral Kong had wanted to take point, being the younger of the two, but Sebas argued that he'd fought Magnus countless times and knew him better. Kong didn't mind. Two taishou-kyuu fighters—either could go first. Their target was just an old pirate. If they both attacked, they might even bolster Magnus's legend. To stand against two Admirals—even in defeat—would be glorious. If that story got out, even if they captured Magnus, Sebas wouldn't be satisfied. They were both old men. How could he lose to this one? In Sebas's eyes, Magnus had always been the loser. A pirate was a pirate. When facing the Marines, they should tuck tail and run. "Sebas, you're old now too. Why come just to die?" Magnus's voice rang by Sebas's ear. "I may be a pirate, but let me be honest—" "I've always hated you." He caught a glimpse of Sebas's ship—two slave girls chained by the neck stood in plain view. Disgust flashed in Magnus's eyes, unhidden. "Playing noble while keeping slaves like the Celestial Dragons? You're trash. Even dressed in Marine white—you're still trash." "MAGNUS!!!" Fire and frost collided once more. But both were only secondary effects of their Mythical Zoan powers. At their core— Magnus and Sebas were close-range monsters. Beastly strength. Master swordsmen. Supreme martial artists. Sebas unleashed a level of force befitting a Marine Admiral. Each clash with Magnus sent fiery clouds surging upward as if to burn the sky. Even Magnus's frost was temporarily suppressed. Seeing this, Kong relaxed. There was no doubt—Magnus's current strength rivaled theirs. Even Kong himself might not have the upper hand in a one-on-one. But Sebas, a veteran Admiral, still held the edge in short bursts. Magnus was currently being overpowered. Yet... something felt off. The two fighters clashed repeatedly in mid-air, Geppō (Moonwalk) carrying them ever higher—but gradually, their battle shifted toward the island. They were drifting too far! Kong leapt from the warship and chased after them—not to interfere, but to prevent any accidents. Then— A vision flashed through his mind. Kenbunshoku Haki – Future Sight! Kong, who had reached Admiral-level through physical prowess and mastery of all three Haki types without a Devil Fruit, possessed some of the highest-tier Kenbunshoku—enough to glimpse into the future. And what he saw— "Admiral Crimson Steed!!" "Too late!" Magnus had skillfully baited Sebas into underestimating him, using that chance to separate from Kong. Suddenly, Sebas found Magnus's speed and strength surging. Even his Haki perception turned hazy. Advanced Kenbunshoku always suppresses weaker ones. Sebas also possessed Future Sight. But Magnus's foresight stretched further. "Down you go!" Magnus shattered Sebas's defense with a slash, grabbed him, and like a falling star, hurled him toward the ground—far from Kong. DOOOOOOM— The earth shattered. The sound thundered across the entire island. (End of Chapter) [Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome] [Thank You For Your Support!]