Michael played the role of an arrogant, reckless pirate to perfection.
Then, before Shu could react, he charged straight at him.
Of course, there were no Wings, no Holy Light—only pure physical combat and Haki.
Yet, even so, the aura radiating from Michael instantly tightened the string of tension in Shu's mind.
This was undoubtedly a powerhouse!
A top-tier powerhouse!
Though after awakening the Rust-Rust Fruit, there were very few threats left on the seas that could unsettle him, this man before him was absolutely one of them!
Those fists, carrying terrifying speed and power, shot straight for his face.
"Rust Tide!"
Shu swiftly retreated while simultaneously summoning rust from the earth, transforming it into a surging tide that engulfed the Golden Thief before him.
In an instant, the man was submerged.
But Shu's expression didn't change in the slightest.
Because he knew—an opponent exuding such an aura wouldn't be defeated so easily.
Sure enough, the moment this thought flashed through his mind, the Golden Thief had already dispersed the rust ahead with a single overwhelming punch.
Then, with even greater speed, he charged forward again.
Shu sighed...
He could now confirm—this was no mere "rookie pirate who had just set sail."
Whether it was combat experience or fighting skills, this man was practically flawless.
He didn't even know which direction to attack from...
It felt like no matter which angle he chose, he would face a counterattack he absolutely couldn't withstand.
But...
"This ends here."
A faint smile curled at the corners of Shu's lips.
Because...
Was the Rust-Rust Fruit really so limited?
Turning steel into rust was child's play.
Through continuous study and research, he had discovered that the human body was also permeated with "iron elements."
In other words, after awakening his powers, he could even affect the human body.
For example... rusting bones or joints solid.
Or... turning someone's heart into rust.
Though he hadn't yet used the latter in actual combat.
After all, in a place like Enies Lobby, capturing pirates and criminals was the priority, not killing them.
"Golden Thief... you'd better surrender... if you still want functioning joints."
Michael froze for a moment before immediately sensing the abnormality in his joints.
Then, beneath his mask, his expression shifted to one of satisfaction.
Shu truly lived up to the potential Michael had seen in him years ago.
His ability to develop his Devil Fruit powers far surpassed others of his caliber.
Even among the monstrous talents of the SWORD Classified Special Forces, he was the fastest at honing his abilities.
However...
Trying to play this game with Michael? He was still a bit green.
The next instant, Michael's Armament Haki surged from within, spreading across his entire body.
The effects of the Rust-Rust Fruit were instantly dispersed by the Haki.
Shu's face paled.
After awakening, his control had become precise down to every single rust particle.
The moment his power failed, he received the feedback.
The opponent's Armament Haki was this strong too?
Even advanced applications like Ryuo came effortlessly to him!
T-Bone had been Shu's partner for over twenty years, and their synergy had long reached a level beyond ordinary comprehension.
So the moment Shu's expression flickered, T-Bone had already drawn his massive Ship Cutter blade, Garuda, from his back.
With both hands, he unleashed a slash from the flank aimed straight at the Golden Thief's body.
"Right-Angle Flash—Bon Clay Cut!"
The peculiar sword technique carved a right-angled Flying Slash through the air, then swung again to complete a perfect rectangle.
This rectangular Flying Slash, brimming with sharpness and righteous energy, came slicing toward him.
Yet Michael didn't even spare it a glance. His hands, emerging from his wide sleeves, were already covered in shifting purple-black patterns, like living tattoos.
When it came to Haki, Michael had his own philosophy.
He had always scoffed at the approach of someone like Vergo from Doflamingo's crew, who transformed his entire body into a hardened state.
Even in his earliest days of mastering Armament Haki, Michael had disdained such a wasteful use of his power.
Unless he was completely cornered, he would never resort to it.
Now, the intricate, ever-shifting patterns on his body were the ultimate fusion of Armament Haki hardening, emission, and Ryuo.
Dynamic defense—precise and efficient.
Michael's hands simply reached out and caught T-Bone's rectangular slash.
Then crushed it into fragments.
"Wha—?" T-Bone gaped.He had never seen someone who could grasp another's slash in their hand before!
"What's the matter? Is this level of combat power too hard for you to comprehend?"
Michael didn't press his advantage.
He was just deliberately teasing his subordinates a little.
He wasn't planning to shatter their fighting spirit outright...
In the Pirate King World, "confidence" and "willpower" were very real forces that existed.
One could even say that a strong warrior, even on the day before their natural death, could theoretically unleash their peak combat power as long as their confidence and will remained unbroken.
"Everyone! Fall back! You're no match for him!"
Shu immediately roared at the surrounding soldiers.
After the Golden Thief crushed T-Bone's slash, Shu actually felt somewhat relieved.
Though the opponent talked big... it was clear he was holding back his strength.
Otherwise, with just the physical power and Armament Haki he'd shown, he should have been capable of severely injuring Shu in their first exchange.
But why... would he do this?
Could he really just be here to retrieve his comrade?
"Mi—Golden Thief! Are you here to rescue someone or to fight?!" A booming voice came from the pirate ship.
"Grab our man and let's go!"
Shu looked up to see an absurdly muscular... old man?
The old man's face was covered in scars, clearly a veteran of countless battles.
But... he looked strangely familiar.
That stance, that voice, that aura...
Especially those massive fists that made Shu involuntarily shiver...
Though it was hard to believe...
Shu couldn't shake the feeling that this old man...
was the goddamn Marine Hero Garp!
And once this thought occurred to him, he couldn't unsee it.
Yes! It had to be Garp!
Back when Michael first recruited them into the SWORD Special Forces, they'd endured daily special training from Marine legends!
And the most brutal, most sadistic instructor... was this old bastard!
But as this realization hit, Shu's gaze locked onto the Golden Thief.
'Then... just who are you?!'