Chapter 65 - CHAPTER 65 - Rosen Strikes

Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions and violent clashes erupted across the deserted island. Rending energy slashes and sword auras crisscrossed the battlefield, leaving the ground scarred and shattered. The fight between the two combatants only grew fiercer as they unleashed their full power. To Rosen's surprise, Moris had the upper hand. Despite Vice Admiral Onigumo's overwhelming strength—enough to make Rosen uncertain about fully suppressing him—Moris was holding his own. This man was a true beast. Unlike the hulking brutes Rosen had encountered before, whose strength was mostly for show, Moris' sheer physical power matched his monstrous physique. A single punch from him was enough to shatter a boulder the size of a hill. And once he got in close, the black rending aura coiling around his hands could tear through any defense. Even Onigumo, renowned for his formidable Haki, couldn't fully block it. His body was already covered in wounds—not enough to be fatal, but certainly significant. Considering Onigumo's reputation for exceptional Haki among vice admirals, it was astonishing that the Marines had so thoroughly underestimated Moris's abilities in their intelligence reports. This sea was truly full of hidden monsters. If Moris had been a pirate from the start, he would have easily been on the level of the Shichibukai—perhaps even among the stronger ones. Taking him down wouldn't be easy. Onigumo had realized this as well. His best option was to hold out until Vice Admiral Doberman arrived with reinforcements. Until then, he only needed to focus on defense, not victory. But Moris wasn't about to let him play the waiting game. His attacks only intensified. "Ripper's Claw!" In a blur, Moris appeared behind Onigumo, his arm draping over the Marine's shoulder. The power of his Rending ability surged in his palm. Onigumo's expression darkened. His Haki couldn't fully block this power. If Moris' Rending ability landed, he could very well lose an arm. Damn it. No more holding back. "Spider Hands!" Activating his Life Return technique, Onigumo sprouted multiple jet-black, blade-wielding arms from his back—thin, lethal appendages resembling a spider's legs. With a sudden burst of force, he shoved Moris away before launching a counterattack. "A Devil Fruit user? You were hiding this?" Moris sneered, eyeing the grotesque new limbs. Were they extensions of his hair? Some other material? He wasn't sure. His instinct told him this was a Zoan-type ability. "Die!" A seasoned warrior always keeps a trump card. Onigumo was no exception. Now that his secret was out, he was willing to take severe injuries if it meant taking Moris down with him. If he allowed this fight to drag on, he'd be too weak to handle Doberman's arrival. Death didn't scare him. Each of his spider-like arms wielded a blade identical to the one in his own hand. Whether they were manifested or merely concealed weapons, Moris couldn't tell. Blackened with Haki, the swords began slashing in a relentless flurry. Onigumo charged forward, following his barrage of sword energy. He isn't dodging? A cruel smirk spread across Onigumo's face. Overconfidence. He had defeated opponents stronger than himself before. Raw strength alone didn't decide a battle. Experience and strategy were just as important. "So, you want to go all out? Fine, let's do this!" Moris grinned, bracing for impact. Rosen, watching from a distance, frowned. Moris was fighting recklessly. This felt eerily familiar—like when Daz Bones had been caught off guard. Poison? "Desert Storm!" It was time to act. Onigumo was going all in. Moris wouldn't reveal his true trump card unless he had to. Despite their alliance, Rosen knew Moris would hold back his final ace. The ground trembled violently. A tidal wave of sand erupted, swallowing the battlefield. "What?!" Onigumo had planned to pierce Moris's defenses and inject him with poison—enough to cripple even the toughest fighters. The plan was simple. One: His numerous arms allowed him to attack relentlessly. Two: Minor injuries wouldn't be a cause for concern mid-battle. Three: His opponents wouldn't immediately realize they had been poisoned. If Moris had fallen for it, the fight would have been over in seconds. But then the sandstorm erupted. Sand?! Onigumo's eyes widened in shock. The Marine Headquarters had extensive records on the abilities of every Shichibukai. There was no way they would let someone join their ranks without fully understanding their powers. And Crocodile's abilities were well-known among his generation of Marines and pirates. Damn it! "Armament Iron Defense!" With no time to counter, Onigumo pushed his Haki to the limit, reinforcing his entire body with Iron Body. Boom! The swirling sands engulfed him. Massive, dense sand formations slammed into him, grinding away at his defenses. Buried within the storm were countless Sand Blades and Desert Sabers—deadly constructs waiting for the right moment to strike. Rosen emerged from the storm with a long spear of hardened sand, aiming for the perfect opening. Blood splattered. "Rending Web!" Moris seized the opportunity, unleashing a massive grid of black energy slashes. The razor-sharp net tore through the sandstorm and carved deep into Onigumo. As the dust settled, the Marine vice admiral stood bloodied and battered. His eyes burned with fury. A trap. A goddamn trap. Crocodile and Moris were working together. But that didn't make sense. According to Marine intelligence, these two should have been bitter enemies. Had everything from the battle in Sake City been an act? Impossible! Onigumo's breathing was ragged. Though he had barely survived the ambush, he was now critically wounded. Moris alone was already stronger than him. Crocodile wasn't weaker either. Together, with one attacking head-on and the other striking from the shadows, they were unstoppable. If Onigumo hadn't possessed such formidable Haki, he would already be dead. "Cough... cough..." He spat out blood. If he received proper treatment, he could still survive. But looking at the two men standing before him, he knew they had no intention of letting him go. This was a death trap. "Crocodile... are you insane?" Even now, Onigumo couldn't believe it. Crocodile had everything to lose. Did he not fear losing his Shichibukai title? Did he not fear Marine Headquarters hunting him down? Why? Weren't he and Moris supposed to be enemies? Had everything been staged from the beginning? "All you had to do was make sure he didn't escape," Moris grumbled. "I could've handled him myself." "His spider arms might be coated in poison. If you let your guard down, things could have gone south," Rosen replied casually. Moris blinked, momentarily surprised. Poison? He hadn't even considered it. Not that it mattered. If you had strong enough defenses and fast enough reflexes, poison was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. "Crocodile... you're a madman," Onigumo growled, his gaze darting around the battlefield. He needed an escape route. Fighting on was suicide. But more than escaping, he needed time. Stalling might change the tides. "Let's just kill him already," Moris said, forming a blade of energy in his hand. "No. Leave him to me." Rosen's voice was calm, but his intent was ice-cold. "This is between me and him." Before Onigumo died, Rosen had one last question. "Tell me... was it Marine Headquarters that ordered you to test me? Was that why you went after my men?" The swirling sands around them grew even thicker, obscuring everything from view. (End of Chapter) ========================================================= DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS PAT REON . 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