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"Flame Commandment: Fire Pillar!"
A pillar of fire erupted, sending a dozen Marine soldiers flying.
Seeing the Marines clashing with Ace, Vergo's brow furrowed.
'That Yarisugi bastard...'
'If he arrests Ace, he'll bring Whitebeard's wrath down on all of us. Does he want us all wiped out? Stop him, now.'
"Sir!"
Yarisugi was one of the base's unit commanders. He'd made an appearance during the Punk Hazard incident in the original story—a brutish, unreasonable officer who was known for falsifying reports to cover up the truth. He had dismissed the mass kidnapping of children as a mere "accident" to placate their parents.
He was the very definition of a thug in a Marine uniform.
Vista's belief that the Marines were just another large-scale pirate organization was, in part, due to the rotten culture of the G-5 base.
Jin glanced at the island where G-5 was stationed. It was a decent foothold for entering the New World. The Marine Headquarters had chosen this location for its strategic value—it was close to the New World's entrance, and not too far from islands like Punk Hazard and Dressrosa.
The moment he'd laid eyes on the island and the G-5 Marines stationed there, a plan had begun to form in Jin's mind.
Take it.
He had scouted several target islands before entering the New World, but the Four Emperors were an insurmountable obstacle. The remaining options were all less than ideal. The good spots had long been claimed, and what was left were impoverished backwaters.
This island, however, was perfect.
But first, he had to deal with the G-5 Marines.
Of course, given his status, he couldn't just attack them outright. Some things had to be done... indirectly.
And for that, he needed a scapegoat.
'Time to shine, Whitebeard.'
Jin's eyes narrowed.
Blood sprayed through the air, followed by a scream.
On the deck of the ship, Vista's slash sent Doma flying, a gash on his chest so deep that the bone was visible.
The difference in their skill was clear.
With Doma out of the way, Vista spun and lunged at Jin, the sword-ki from his twin flower blades tearing through the air.
Hm?
He had only struck an afterimage.
Then, a shadow fell over him from behind.
"My turn."
Vista's pupils contracted. He saw a silhouette, blade raised, descending upon him. Panic flickered in his eyes. He tried to dodge, but it was too late. He twisted, raising his twin swords to parry.
It wasn't enough.
The blade flashed, and a long, narrow wound opened on his body. Blood spurted, and he stumbled backward.
"Commander Vista!" one of the crewmen shouted in alarm.
Vista, gritting his teeth against the pain, tried to get up.
A foot planted itself on his chest. The tip of a blade pressed against his throat.
"Don't move," Jin said calmly. "I just wanted you to help me make a phone call. Why get so worked up? But now... I suppose that's no longer necessary."
"Vista, sometimes your good intentions just make things more complicated. Like now. With their commander captured, Whitebeard's code of 'honor' won't let him stand by and do nothing."
Vista glared at him, his breath ragged. "Why? You're not a pirate. Why leave your kingdom in Paradise to get involved in the mess of the New World?"
Jin smiled. "The world is a vast place. But when you factor in humanity's endless desires, its power struggles... it starts to feel a little small."
With Vista captured, the rest of his crew were no match. Jin called out Robin, Law, and Wyper, letting them get a taste of the strength of a New World pirate crew.
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"Vista's been captured??"
"By who?"
"Is he challenging Whitebeard?"
On the island, the news spread like wildfire, becoming the talk of the town. The implications were massive. Vista was a commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, one of the Four Emperors. His defeat was a direct slap in the face to Whitebeard himself.
And given Whitebeard's strict code of honor, he would never let it stand. The very foundation of his crew was built on that code.
Every Yonko crew, every truly cohesive organization, has a core belief.
Freedom.
Honor.
Family.
Justice.
To challenge that belief was to challenge their very existence.
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"Dammit..." Vergo was sweating, his face a mask of anxiety. He saw the king's ship approaching the harbor, preparing to dock.
"Report! Sir! A call from the Winter Blossom Kingdom! They are requesting permission to dock and resupply! They're asking us to lower the sea fence!"
"No! Stop them—! Tell them the gate is broken." Vergo was desperate. He knew what kind of monster the capture of Vista would attract. He had to keep that ship out of his harbor.
"They're refusing?" Jin stood at the prow of his ship. The island's harbor was a U-shape, with high cliffs on the other sides. The cliffs had been hollowed out and fortified by the Marines. Two lighthouses stood at the entrance to the harbor, and between them, a massive, spiked iron net could be raised from the seabed, blocking all entry.
Jin didn't bother trying to break the net. He simply used the Kilo-Kilo Fruit, combined with a Wind Dial, and floated the ship right over it.
The Marines and the pirates on the island could only stare in stunned silence.
As the Empress docked, Ace, pursued by a group of Marine soldiers, burst onto the pier.
"You bastard!" he roared. "Let Vista go!"
He, too, had seen Vista's capture and had come to the rescue.
"Great Flame Commandment: Flame Emperor!"
A massive spiral of fire coiled around him, coalescing into a sun-like fireball that he hurled at the ship.
Jin raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
"Barrier."
The demonic carrier projected a shield. The fireball dissipated, leaving the ship completely unharmed.
"I'll handle him," Wyper said, leaping from the ship. He zipped across the pier on his wavers, raised his silver bazooka, and took aim at Ace.
A shell shot out. It wasn't an ordinary shell; it was a custom rocket from the Munch-Munch factory, faster and more powerful than a standard round. The tip was made of Seastone, and the warhead was laced with Seastone powder. Upon detonation, the powder would disperse, neutralizing any Devil Fruit user.
Ace, unaware of the trap, met the rocket with a Fire Fist. The shell was obliterated in a massive explosion.
But the Seastone powder from the blast rained down on him, and he was instantly weakened. The flames dissipated, and his strength left him.
Wyper was on him in an instant.
"Reject Dial!"
A ten-fold shockwave sent Ace flying.
Having awakened his Armament Haki, Wyper was now much more durable and could use the Reject Dial more frequently.
Wounded and weakened by the Seastone, Ace was out of energy. Wyper easily captured him with a pair of Seastone cuffs.
The sound of shuffling feet approached. Commodore Yarisugi and his men arrived on the scene.
Seeing the captured Ace, Yarisugi, eager for a promotion, bared his teeth. "Hey! Hand him over!"
Wyper just stared at him.
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