Chapter 64 - CHAPTER 64 - Battle on the Deserted Island

"The Marines are following us," Bet said, watching Moris, who was brimming with fighting spirit. "Of course they are. Right now, we look like a bunch of beaten dogs, don't we?" Moris laughed. "Try not to die. I'll go entertain the vice admiral." At this distance, boarding the enemy ship was effortless for Moris. He tore off a wooden plank from the ship's railing, flung it forward with great force, then leaped onto it like a drifting leaf, propelling himself toward Vice Admiral Onigumo. "Something's flying toward us!" "How arrogant!" Onigumo roared in fury. A mere criminal daring to board his ship so boldly? He had heard of "Bounty King" Moris, but to him, it was just an empty title used to hype up a mere bounty hunter. Onigumo had never believed that a man obsessed with money could ever stand on equal footing with a Marine vice admiral. With that thought, he drew his sword to meet the challenge. As Moris landed, he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, instantly knocking out a handful of lower-ranking Marines. Most, however, were strong enough to resist, as one would expect from the crew aboard a vice admiral's warship. "Conqueror's Haki!" Onigumo's expression darkened, but he didn't hesitate. He swung his sword, enveloped in Haki. "Marines, hand over my treasure and my men!" Moris roared, his hands crackling with Haki as he lashed out with a claw strike to meet Onigumo's blade. With a resounding clang, the collision sent sparks flying, and static energy crackled around them. Both fighters were forced back several steps. "Not bad. But if this is all you've got, I'm going to be seriously disappointed. Rending Slash!" Moris formed his hand into a claw and slashed the air, sending black energy blades hurtling forward like bolts of lightning. "A Devil Fruit power?" Onigumo instantly realized this was neither a normal air slash nor pure Haki. If it were a regular air slash, it wouldn't be this color. And if it were just Haki, it wouldn't take this form unless it was at an extraordinarily advanced level. "Surrender and come with me to Impel Down, and I might spare your life," Onigumo declared, countering with a series of sword slashes that intercepted Moris's black blades. Amid the resulting explosions, he used Soru to vanish from sight and reappear behind Moris in an instant. "Cross Slash!" "Rending Web!" Moris spun around, both hands forming claws, and slashed downward. In an instant, a web of black energy blades spread out like a deadly laser grid. Onigumo's sword clashed against the web, and he prepared to cut through it with brute force. Then he heard it—a faint cracking sound. His expression changed. His prized sword, one of the 21 Great Grade Blades, now bore a tiny crack along its edge. Impossible. Even though it wasn't one of the Supreme Grade Blades, it was still among the finest swords in the world—unimaginably tough and sharp. He had acquired it at great cost, but now, after just one clash, it had been damaged. Realizing the danger, Onigumo quickly withdrew. "This must be the power of his Devil Fruit." "A wise choice. My Devil Fruit ability is Rending. Anything I strike—whether with my body or my Rending Blades—is torn apart. But is this really the strength of a vice admiral? How disappointing. Black Tempest!" Moris laughed maniacally and slashed at an incredible speed, his hands becoming a blur. In an instant, thousands of black energy blades erupted in every direction like a raging storm. "Shit!" The surrounding Marines had no time to react. The sheer density of the blades made them unavoidable, cutting down anyone too close. Even the steel edges of the warship cracked apart—not just a single slash, but entire sections shattering like broken glass. "Enough!" Onigumo unleashed a devastating slash, cutting through friend and foe alike. Screams filled the air as Marines were caught in the attack. "Sword energy can be torn apart too," Moris sneered. He coated his claw with Haki and grabbed Onigumo's sword slash, crushing it into nothing. But the moment he did, Onigumo appeared beside him like a specter, launching a Rankyaku kick. The blade of wind slammed into Moris's stomach, sending him flying. Meanwhile, on a rocky outcrop, Rosen observed the battle through a telescope and frowned. "That idiot Moris isn't thinking straight. If he doesn't lure him onto the island, this whole plan could fail." Fortunately, his worries didn't come to pass. After exchanging blows for a while, Moris started to show signs of struggling. Using a cannonball fired toward his own ship as a springboard, he leaped back onto his vessel and made a break for the island. With both ships now alongside each other, hand-to-hand combat erupted. As Moris fled toward the island, he taunted Onigumo with a mocking gesture. "Dead man walking!" Onigumo's expression darkened. Even without the provocation, there was no way he would let Moris escape. Using Geppo, he leaped into the air in pursuit. From above, he swung his Western-style sword, sending a barrage of slashing energy down in a meteor shower of destruction, covering over a hundred meters. Moris didn't turn back—he simply ran faster. Explosions tore through the barren island, shaking the ground. Onigumo was now fully committed, determined to either capture or kill his target. "A veteran vice admiral, huh? Looks like he's even stronger than Bam," Rosen thought, hidden within a pile of sand. This was precisely why he had allied with Moris. The battle had now reached the predetermined location. As long as Onigumo didn't leave this island alive, Rosen would have nothing to worry about. If the vice admiral survived, however, then Rosen would soon be facing an admiral's wrath—a risk he couldn't afford. He remained perfectly still, waiting for the right moment to strike. "You're going to die here," Moris declared. While he preferred one-on-one fights, this wasn't a matter of honor—it was about rescuing his crew and reclaiming his fortune. "A mere criminal dares to boast so boldly?" Despite his scorn, Onigumo took the threat seriously. Moris had already proven himself a formidable opponent. He would fight with everything he had. "This island will be your grave!" With that, Moris covered his entire body in Haki. Instead of launching more energy slashes, he dashed in close, unleashing a brutal melee assault. Bam! Onigumo failed to dodge in time and took a direct hit. The sheer force was greater than before—far stronger than the blows from their earlier fight on the ship. "Don't just focus on my abilities. Pirates call me the Demon of Superhuman Strength. Even with your durability, take a few more of these punches, and we'll see who's still standing!" Moris grinned viciously. It was time to hunt a vice admiral. (End of Chapter) ========================================================= DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS PAT REON . COM / TurdTranslations (Just remove the space).