Van Augur's expression was dark. Although he remained uninjured, he felt he had lost the upper hand. A sniper should be able to destroy their opponent's ammunition, yet he had failed to neutralize the Firebird Star. It was a disgrace; he could not use the unusual shape of the ammunition as an excuse, for a failure to hit the mark was a loss in his eyes. However, as long as he won this exchange, he could regain a temporary tie. He aimed his rifle at Usopp and pulled the trigger, sending a bullet flying toward Usopp's brow at a speed invisible to the naked eye.
"Your bullet has been found!" Usopp smiled, firing three Gunpowder Stars in rapid succession to intercept the projectile. However, Usopp's smile froze as Van Augur's bullet pierced straight through the Gunpowder Stars and reached his face in the next second. Forced to act, Usopp blew the bullet away, but it still managed to graze his hair. "That was dangerous! This guy is truly the sniper of the Blackbeard Pirates; he is incredibly strong!" Usopp thought, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. He had been complacent about his Observation Haki, but reality had nearly cost him his life.
Van Augur's mood improved slightly, considering the exchange a draw. However, he still felt a sense of shame; as someone eight to ten years older than Usopp, the lack of a clear experience gap was troubling. The more he thought about the possibility of meeting Yasopp and being dismissed, the angrier he became, leading him to scout Usopp repeatedly. Usopp, equally unyielding, shot down Van Augur's bullets with his slingshot and launched his own attacks, creating a stalemate.
"Really, you two are bickering like children during a duel," Nami sighed, feeling helpless.
"Little girl, are you a child? You dare to be distracted while fighting me? My sister will not hold back against a little girl!" Catarina Devon, the Crescent Moon Hunter, laughed as she lunged forward, her hands transforming into claws to strike at Nami. Although Nami was the height of a normal girl, Catarina was 3.6 meters tall, and a single swipe threatened to reduce Nami to pulp. The claws swept through the air, but Nami remained completely unharmed. Catarina stared at her own claws in confusion, wondering why they seemed to slip harmlessly across Nami's skin.
"It seems you rarely watch the news, Catarina Devon, the most vicious female pirate in history!" Nami aimed her Sorcery Clima-Tact at Catarina and smiled. "The beautiful navigator of the Straw Hats has the power of the Slippery-Slippery Fruit. How can your claws hurt me without Armament Haki? Wind Thrust!" She activated the staff, sending a hurricane blast toward Catarina's stomach like a spear. Catarina was sent flying but landed smoothly, suffering no damage other than a torn garment.
"Tsk! As expected of a Zoan Mythical fruit user, you are hard to beat!" Nami grumbled, clearly annoyed by the match-up. Catarina was in her Nine-Tails Fox form, a Zoan Mythical model of the Dog-Dog Fruit, and was known as one of the most vicious criminals in existence. Despite her internal fear, Nami stood her ground.
"The little girl did a good job, my sister is very happy, so I can torture you properly!" Catarina said with a cruel smile.
"What 'sister'? I don't have such an old sister, you should be my aunt!" Nami retorted.
"It seems you are tired of living," Catarina growled, clearly sensitive about her age. She covered her face with her cloak, and when she lowered it, she had transformed into Miss Goldenweek, running toward Nami with open arms. "Sister Nami! I'm so scared!" Catarina cried in Miss Goldenweek's voice, attempting to trigger Nami's protective instincts.
"So you don't know anything," Nami said softly. "Marie may have the body of a little girl, but she acts like an old woman who loves tea and biscuits. She never acts like a child. Do you think I will fall for your illusion?" Nami stabbed forward with her staff, releasing a thunderbolt that struck the fake Miss Goldenweek, who exploded into a puff of smoke. Catarina rubbed her brow in frustration; her illusion had been shattered, and she suffered a minor backlash. Despite being one of the most dangerous pirates, her illusions were no match for Nami, whose strength had reached an unbelievable level that ignored ordinary tactics.
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