Chapter 125: 1 Against 3[Announcement] Follow Qidian Reading to get first-hand news on the 515 red packets. For those who haven't grabbed any after the New Year, now is your chance to show your skills.Space BladeA black semi-circular blade formed behind Diamante and Lao G at some unknown point, hidden by the cover of night.This two-meter-wide black Space Blade had gone unnoticed by the three of them. Under Marcus's control, it shot silently toward them from behind.These three were all powerful pirates. With his current strength, it would be difficult to deal with them, but battle was unavoidable.Thus, he could only distract them through conversation while secretly launching a sneak attack with the Space Blade to gain the upper hand in the fight.Although it was somewhat dishonorable, that was the nature of combat. Any Move that could secure victory was fair game; this was a true life-and-death struggle, not child's play.The black Space Blade blended into the darkness. Wherever it flew, it left gashes in the Void Realmthat immediately mended themselves.Diamante and Lao G had fought on the Grand Linefor years and survived countless life-and-death crises. Consequently, they possessed a sensitivity to danger that far exceeded that of ordinary people.As the Space Blade drew near, both felt an extremely ominous sensation overhead—the kind of feeling one only experiences when facing death.Diamante quickly placed his right hand on his sword hilt, while Lao G's hands formed that strange posture resembling the letter 'G'."Diamante, Lao G, duck quickly! Danger!" Gladiusshouted urgently from behind.Having spent years together, the trust between them was deeply ingrained. Especially in battle, they ducked immediately without a second thought.Knowing he had been discovered, there was no longer a need for caution. Marcus instantly accelerated the Space Blade, but unfortunately, it was still just a fraction off.It grazed just over their heads without causing injury, but it wasn't without effect. At the very least, the horn on Lao G's pointed cap was gone, and the hair on Diamante's head was nearly sheared off.Seeing the massive Space Blade flash over their heads, the two survivors breathed a sigh of relief, followed immediately by explosive rage.Diamante roared in fury, "You brat! You actually dared to play us? Just you wait! I'll show you how fierce the wrath of a Donquixote Family officer can be!"Crouching on the ground, Diamante pressed both hands against the earth and bellowed, "Army Flag!"The ground suddenly began to shake violently, fluttering like a piece of cloth in the wind as it rippled up and down.In such an environment, Marcus found it difficult to stand firm and had to exert all his effort just to keep from falling.Sword. Longsword.With a shing, Diamante unsheathed his longsword and slashed at Marcus. A powerful white shockwave hurtled toward him, carving a deep trench into the ground from the sheer sharpness of the strike.Tempest KickMarcus leaped lightly. His right foot kicked the air with incredible speed, sending out a similar pale blue vacuum slash.The two slashes collided with a loud bang and dissipated in mid-air."Lao G, go!"Diamante watched Marcus leap into the air and let out a cold sneer. This was a perfect opportunity to attack. Once the brat landed on the shaking ground, he would lose his balance. He quickly spoke to Lao G.The rippling ground didn't just destabilize enemies; it affected allies too. Among the three, the only one who could close the distance for a melee attack from this far away was Lao G."Back Pain Stance!"Lao G bent forward, his hands forming the 'G' shape. He took a deep breath, and his entire body began to vibrate."Ice Mold!"Just like his previous attack on Marcus, Lao G spun in mid-air and charged toward him.Diamante's plan was indeed sound, but unfortunately, Marcus didn't need to stand on the ground at all. As a Master of Space, he could walk on air.Marcus leaped lightly through the air, easily dodging Lao G's attack.Seeing Marcus actually standing in mid-air, a flash of surprise crossed Diamante's eyes. This brat could actually fly through the air just like the Young Master.Though Lao G missed, Diamante wasn't disappointed. The corners of his mouth curled into a cold smirk."Don't think you can escape Lao G's attack just by going into the air. Lao G's strength is beyond what a brat like you can comprehend!"Lao G stomped his feet hard against the ground. Under his spinning legs, a large pit was carved out.Using this powerful reactionary force, Lao G actually completed a sharp 90-degree turn at high speed, lunging toward Marcus in the sky.The high-speed spinning Lao G moved with a velocity and agility that surpassed human dynamic vision. He lunged in front of Marcus with speed comparable to the Marine Six Powers' "Shave.""Back Pain Stance: Ice Mold!"In mid-air, Marcus was startled to see Lao Gcharging up. Just as he prepared to counter-attack, countless spinning images of Lao G seemed to appear before his eyes."Not good!" Lao G's speed was too fast. The human eye couldn't keep up with such movements, resulting in so many afterimages.Bang! Bang! Bang!A series of impacts echoed from both of Marcus's shoulders. Afterimages flickered in front of him as an unknown number of G-punches rained down on his shoulders.Lao G suddenly slammed his fists together, gathering his full strength, and struck downward toward Marcus's abdomen."Pfft!" A spray of fresh blood erupted from Marcus's mouth.Like an arrow released from a bowstring, he slammed into the earth with an earth-shattering boom. The ground shook under the massive impact.But it wasn't over yet. The other two would not let this golden opportunity slip by."Half-Moon Death Mask!"Diamante raised his longsword and swung it forward. A powerful wave of Sword Qi surged toward where Marcus had fallen.Back in the bar, Diamante hadn't used the full power of this Move. Now, at full strength, the wave of Sword Qi sliced the earth in two like tofu wherever it passed."Catapult Blast!" Gladius raised his right hand, turning the gear-equipped device on his arm to fire over a dozen grey stone-like spheres."Blast Bullets!" Under the influence of his Devil Fruit Ability, these dozen or so stones expanded continuously in size as they plunged into the massive cloud of smoke from the impact.Several more thunderous explosions followed. Bursts of fire flashed where Marcus had crashed, and the powerful shockwaves blew away the smoke from the explosions.The scene within slowly revealed itself to the onlookers.Under such a powerful assault, even if the brat weren't dead, he would be severely wounded. Yet, Diamante and the others didn't lower their guard in the slightest.Marcus's earlier series of attacks and defenses had made the three realize that this brat was more troublesome than the rumors suggested. No wonder the Young Master had sent all three of them.As the smoke dissipated, there was only the mangled, cratered earth. Their eyes quickly scanned the area several times, but Marcus was nowhere to be found."How is this possible? That brat actually vanished! Where on earth is he?" Lao G looked around, searching for Marcus.Diamante suddenly realized something. A flash of panic crossed his face as he shouted urgently, "Gladius, watch out! That brat is coming for you!"Having said that, he rushed toward Gladius's position.Hearing Diamante's warning, the clever Gladiusimmediately reacted. He was alone, making him the best target. If he were that brat, he would also choose the person who was isolated.As long as the isolated one was dealt with, the pressure of facing the remaining two would be greatly reduced.Realizing this, Gladius hurriedly dodged to the side. Although he didn't know where the attack was coming from, his current position was no longer safe.Just as Gladius moved, a pitch-black longsword suddenly appeared at his chest. At the hilt, Marcus's figure emerged.At this moment, Marcus looked like a disheveled beggar, covered from head to toe in dirt and grime, with dried, dark-red blood at the corners of the mouth.His clothes were riddled with holes, through which many bloody welts could be seen. Clearly, escaping that string of attacks had not been without cost.Yet his eyes still shimmered with light, radiating both brilliance and killing intent.Had he not timely deployed several layers of Space Shields and Space Armor, along with his Armament Haki...he wouldn't have survived. However, injury was still unavoidable. The power of Lao G's punch was truly too strong—several times more powerful than when they had clashed earlier.Facing three people was too much pressure, so Marcus decided to take out the isolated Gladius first.How could the killing Move Marcus had prepared while hidden be so easily dodged by Gladius? Just as Marcus was about to pierce his chest...the longsword suddenly dipped, stabbing into the side of Gladius's abdomen. It only wounded him; it wasn't a fatal blow.PS
Chapter 126: Fierce BattleSeeing that Gladius hadn't suffered any major injuries, Diamante, who had remained in place, breathed a sigh of relief.Just a moment ago, Diamante had used 'Army Flag', causing the entire ground to ripple like cloth fluttering in the wind.This was why the sword, originally aimed at his chest, had suddenly dipped and struck Gladius in the abdomen instead, failing to cause a fatal wound.With the attack failed, and with Diamante and Lao G having arrived, staying here would surely result in being surrounded from both front and back.Just as Marcus was about to withdraw his sword and retreat, Gladius suddenly grabbed Marcus's arm."Could he be trying to..." A bad thought appeared in Marcus's mind.But in the blink of an eye, Marcus realized he had guessed wrong; he saw Gladius's arms swelling up, just like the ground had.Marcus inwardly cursed, thinking this was bad. If he guessed correctly, these two arms might cause a massive explosion just like the ground had, but now he was restrained and couldn't dodge."Black Feather Arm Cannon!"Gladius, looking at the struggling Marcus, wore a vicious smile and let out a roar."Boom, boom!"Two massive explosions erupted from Gladius's arms, and Marcus's figure was instantly obscured by the violent blast.Diamante and his companion, who had already reached a spot twenty meters away, were unable to open their eyes due to the intense shockwave, but smiles involuntarily appeared on their faces.Facing such a powerful explosion at close range, even if the brat's ability was strong, he would surely suffer significant injuries. This greatly increased the chances of finishing him off.Diamante didn't notice that, as the battle with Marcus progressed, his perception of Marcus was undergoing an earth-shattering change.From initial indifference and disdain to later slight regard, and now to fear and lack of confidence.A breeze blew, and the smoke began to dissipate. This time, Marcus's figure hadn't disappeared.Yet, looking at the scene before them, the three of them were still incredibly shocked, with a trace of fear lingering in their eyes.Having taken that intense explosion head-on, Marcus had no new injuries on his body. Even his clothes were exactly as they had been, without a single extra tear."Ho... ho... how... how is this possible?" Gladiusstammered.Gladius knew the power of the explosion best. To inflict the greatest damage on this brat, the power of that blast had been more than ten times stronger than what he usually used in combat.Even a Marine warship would have been destroyed by this explosion. How could this brat be completely unscathed? Could he have already reached that level of strength?"Brat, to be fine after such an explosion, the price you paid must not have been low. I'm afraid the injuries you've sustained now are not light either."The shrewd and experienced Lao G pinpointed Marcus's true condition in one sentence.Hearing Lao G's words, Diamante and Gladiusimmediately understood. How could this brat possess that kind of strength? If he did, the three of them would have been finished off by him long ago, and they wouldn't have been able to injure him."Pfft...!"As soon as Lao G finished speaking, Marcus, who hadn't said a word until now, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. His rosy face instantly turned pale after the blood was spat out.Just as Lao G said, Marcus had paid a significant price to evade that intense explosion, but the damage wasn't on the surface; it was internal.Marcus had been forcing himself to endure it, which created the illusion that he hadn't suffered the slightest injury.Gladius's move just now had indeed caught Marcusoff guard. Marcus hadn't expected that he could not only make objects explode but also make his own body swell and explode.Being hit by such a powerful explosion, even with full defenses, would result in severe injuries. So, after weighing his options quickly, he decided to use that move.Marcus had only just touched the surface of that move; using it would come at a significant cost, but it was much better than being blown up like that."Fortunately, although I'm quite injured, the one next to you isn't doing so well either, right? Your combat power should have dropped significantly. By that calculation, I've still come out ahead."He slowly extended his hand to wipe the blood from his mouth, looking at Gladius, who had moved over to them. Although the massive wound on his abdomen had been treated in time, quite a bit of blood was still flowing out.Being ambushed and injured by this brat had already made Gladius unhappy, and now, hearing Marcus's words, his anger can be imagined."Blast Threads!"Gladius's scalp suddenly swelled into a small ball and exploded with a bang. The hair from his scalp, propelled by the intense shockwave from the explosion, shot toward Marcus at high speed.Hundreds of powerful threads, possessing extreme speed, appeared before Marcus in the blink of an eye.Just as these threads were about to reach Marcus, they suddenly stopped, suspended quietly in mid-air.Under the Moonlight, these threads refracted a liquid-like gleam, and a sharp glint flashed in Marcus's eyes.Swish, swish...Under Marcus's control, these threads burst out at a speed even faster than before, producing a series of whistling sounds as they tore through the air."Dodge quickly!"The three of them knew that these threads were poisonous. Seeing them flying back in the opposite direction, they hurriedly dodged to the side."What kind of Devil Fruit did this brat eat? How does he have so many fighting styles?" Lao G said in a deep voice.Gladius chimed in; he was the one who had experienced Marcus's abilities most deeply."Exactly. A black sword, invisibility, controlling objects, flight, that strange defense—we still don't know if he has others.""Never mind that. This brat is no ordinary person. The commotion just now must have alerted the Marines in the Marine base; there isn't much time left. Don't hold back. Let's attack together. Doflamingo values this mission highly, and we cannot let him down."The other two looked at each other and nodded."Attack!"Seeing the three of them charging, a heavy expression flashed across Marcus's face. These three were going to attack together; the real fierce battle was about to begin.He reached out, rummaged in his pocket, pulled out a small, pure white pill, and swallowed it.Don't underestimate this pill. On the black market, it was worth tens of millions and was often unavailable even with money. Just as the saying goes, you get what you pay for; its medicinal effect was remarkable.Although he felt pained, it was time to fight for his life. If he didn't use it now, he might not have the chance to use it at all.As soon as the pill entered his mouth, it immediately melted into a liquid and slid down his throat into his chest. Marcus instantly felt a cool Qi flowing throughout his body, and the pain vanished wherever it flowed.In that instant, a flush returned to Marcus's pale face.Stone Throwing Explosion! Slash!Facing the three charging at him, a look of excitement flashed in Marcus's eyes. He hadn't encountered such a blood-pumping battle in a long time.With a light leap, he kicked his right foot forward, and a pale blue light wave shot out from his toe. That wasn't all; Marcus flicked his ten fingers in succession, and over a dozen small black balls popped out from his fingertips.Boom, boom... A series of loud noises echoed, and a thick wall of smoke and dust stood between the two sides.A spinning figure pierced through the smoke and dust, attacking Marcus at high speed. Without stopping, Marcus instead accelerated and charged forward; in a narrow encounter, the brave one wins.Armament Haki!Two figures, like streaks of light, collided with an invincible Aura.A pitch-black fist and a strange but extremely powerful G-shaped fist, accompanied by the sound of tearing air, struck at each other.Boom!Lao G had been immersed in martial arts for many years; his technique was incredibly refined. Although he was old and his body might not keep up, he was still not someone whom Marcus, who had only learned for three years, could compare to.Especially with his speed that exceeded human dynamic vision, countless afterimages appeared. Even with Observation Haki activated, he could at most dodge, but it was difficult to counterattack.Because Marcus couldn't keep up with Lao G's speed, the gap in their martial arts was a bit too large. Every time Marcus threw a punch, he only hit an afterimage, while Lao G's fists had already landed on Marcus.Lao G seemed to be teleporting, constantly flashing in different places. After landing a hit, he would immediately disappear and reappear on the other side, and every move struck at a joint."Lumbago Style: Pain of the Undying Warrior!"However, Marcus was no slouch either. Having inherited Garp's immense strength, every punch he threw had tremendous destructive power.The two were evenly matched. Their figures constantly flickered, and every collision caused massive commotion and destruction.Marcus didn't use any Devil Fruit Ability either; both sides were using pure martial arts, yet the power was not lacking in the slightest.Lao G did a flip, narrowly avoiding Marcus's fist, then changed his right fist and hammered it into Marcus's chest.Seeing Lao G change his move, Marcus didn't panic; instead, a smile appeared on his face. Marcus had been waiting for this moment after taking so many punches.Opening his fist, he turned it into a claw. Like an eagle's talon, he struck from top to bottom, digging deeply into Lao G's shoulder. A sharp sensation of pain reached his brain, causing Lao G to pause.Armament Haki!This was the moment Marcus had been waiting for. His right fist, which had been charging up for a long time, carried an invincible force, causing the air to
Chapter 129: Heavy Injury[Broadcast] Follow "Qidian Reading" to get first-hand news about the 515 red envelopes. Students who haven't snatched red envelopes since Chinese New Year can show off their skills this time..????? One Novel?Under Marcus's full-power punch, Lao G flew backward like a cannonball.He directly cut through the air for hundreds of meters, and with a loud bang, crashed into the ground, stirring up a large cloud of smoke. His life or death was unknown.Marcus, who had unleashed a full-power punch, was also in a very weak state at this moment, and an attack quietly arrived."Half-Moon Burial!"Without knowing when, Diamante, who had suddenly rushed in front of Marcus, raised the longsword in his hand and swung it forward with a backhand. Another powerful Sword Qi wave, possessing immense destructive power, swept towards Marcus.Seeing the Sword Qi wave attacking, Marcus's expression changed. Such a powerful punch was not without its cost; he couldn't withstand this move now.Marcus tried his best to twist his body, wanting to dodge this move, but it was too late to dodge. The Sword Qi still struck Marcus."Pfft…"The Sword Qi sliced across, and a splash of blood bloomed in the air. Under the Moonlight, it was so crystal clear red, like a ruby suspended in the air.Step... step... Marcus took several steps back before he stopped himself, his eyes fixed on Diamante and Gladius in front of him.He was gasping for breath, his forehead covered in cold sweat from the intense pain, and a huge wound appeared on his chest, bleeding continuously.Although the close combat with Lao G's martial arts was only for an instant, in that instant, neither of them knew how many times they had collided, and the physical exertion was much greater than imagined.Especially this wound on his chest, which caused even more severe damage. If he didn't stop the bleeding, his physical strength would slowly decline.But with these two formidable enemies in front of him, how could Marcus have time to stop the bleeding?"It seems I can't keep fighting. I need to find a way to escape. If I keep fighting, I won't even have a chance to escape," Marcus thought to himself."This brat has already been injured by my Sword Qi. His combat power must have dropped significantly. Let's go all out together and try to finish him off in a short time," Diamante said in a low voice."Hmm,"Gladius nodded in response. "I'll go up and restrain him, and you seize the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to this brat."As soon as he finished speaking, Gladius took the lead and charged towards Marcus. Diamante quickly followed.Seeing that it was Gladius who charged up, a hint of vigilance flashed across Marcus's face. After his previous arm explosion move,Marcus could already guess that Gladius's entire body could explode. How could he fight such a person? Once he got close and was grabbed, there would be an explosion, and there was also the even stronger Diamante nearby.Just as Marcus was wondering what to do, Gladiushad already closed in, and a punch, accompanied by a whooshing sound, struck towards Marcus's face.Marcus was equally unyielding, clenching his single hand into a fist and meeting it with full force. With a bang, Gladius was instantly sent flying by Marcus.Gladius, who was sent flying, had an explosion erupt from his arm as he retreated.Just now, Marcus had already thought of a way to deal with Gladius. For Gladius to make his whole body explode, he had to inflate his body, and this process would take a considerable amount of time.With his speed and strength, he could completely open up a safe distance from Gladius before he exploded.Whoosh, a sharp longsword came from the left, stabbing towards Marcus's eyes. The pure white sword body gleamed with a cold light, and it even caused a whistling sound as it cut through the air, showing its sharpness.Black Sword!Marcus gripped the Void Realm. A black sword hilt instantly appeared in Marcus's hand, followed by the rapid extension of a black sword body from the hilt.He swung it horizontally across his chest with a clang, and two longswords, one black and one white, collided. The sword bodies trembled, emitting deafening sword cries.Hiss... hiss... Diamante's strength increased, and the longsword, which had been blocked, once again erupted with powerful force, rushing towards Marcus. The sword bodies rubbed against each other, making a hissing sound.Marcus forcefully flicked the longsword in his hand, and the white longsword's direction shifted, grazing Marcus's waist and striking empty air.Failing in one move, Diamante twisted the longsword in his hand and slashed horizontally at Marcus's waist. This time, the longsword was too close, making it difficult for Marcus to dodge.The sharp blade slashed Marcus's waist, but what came back was not the sound of a blade rubbing against flesh and blood, but a sound like metal clashing.Diamante was startled, but at this moment, Marcus's black sword, carrying an invincible momentum, struck down from above.He had no choice but to hurriedly draw his sword to block, revealing his waist, which was covered by Armament Haki beneath his clothes. With a clang, a powerful recoil passed through the sword body to both their hands, causing their arms to tremble uncontrollably.Clang... bang... a series of clanging metal sounds, interspersed with several thuds of fists and feet colliding, creating booming sounds that even burst the air.That series of exquisite sword moves were casually unleashed from their hands, and streaks of Sword Qialso emanated from the sword tips as the longswords were wielded, causing powerful destruction.The ground under their swordsmanship was covered with countless deep gullies. Gladius, who wanted to come up and help, was forced back by these Sword Qi and dared not approach.But this doesn't mean that Gladius could only stand there and watch without making a move. Gladius's figure flickered."Longsword. Thousand Stabs"Diamante roared, and the longsword in his hand rapidly stabbed towards Marcus's head. In an instant, Marcus was enveloped by countless sword shadows.Facing the rapidly stabbing sword shadows, Marcus's expression remained unchanged, his body constantly flickering. Each time, Diamante narrowly missed him.After so many stabs without hitting, Diamante had to retract his longsword. There was no point in continuing to stab, and it would only waste stamina."I didn't expect you, this brat, to be not only strong in martial arts but also so powerful in swordsmanship. You truly live up to your reputation as the most promising Genius in Marine history," Diamante said, retracting his longsword and looking at him.Don't look at Diamante's calm exterior; in reality, his heart was already greatly alarmed. This brat's martial arts could rival Lao G, and he was unexpectedly just as strong in swordsmanship as himself, not to mention his terrifying Devil Fruit Ability.One must know that this brat was only thirteen years old, while they had already been immersed in these arts for decades. It probably wouldn't be long before this brat caught up to them.Two years, three years, or even ten years from now, how powerful would this brat be? He might even reach the level of a Marine Admiral, or even... This was not good news for all pirates, and today was an excellent opportunity. Diamante had made up his mind that even if all three of them were heavily injured, they had to keep this brat here.Marcus chuckled, not discussing the topic, but instead asked."You may not be able to kill me, and I may not be able to kill you. Since that's the case, why don't we both take a step back and stop fighting?"He knew his own situation. He was already using all his combat power, and his physical strength was rapidly declining due to the continuous bleeding from his chest wound.If he continued to fight, he would definitely be the first to fall.But Diamante had already made up his mind to kill Marcus today, so how could he agree to Marcus's suggestion?Without saying more, Diamante raised the longsword in his hand, and a Sword Qi shot out, indicating his answer."Since that's the case, then let's fight!" Even a clay figure has three parts fire, let alone facing someone who wants his life. Marcus roared.He grabbed the Void Realm with his left hand, and another black sword appeared in his hand. Wielding two black swords, he fiercely shattered the Sword Qi."Brat, do you think two swords can defeat me? I'll show you my true strength."Seeing Marcus actively attack, his tone was full of disdain, but his eyes were extremely cautious.This time, Diamante didn't use swordsmanship. He just flicked his longsword, yes, he flicked it.That incredibly hard sword body, under Diamante's flick, became as light as a strip of cloth, instantly coiling around the two black swords in Marcus's hands.And the sword body, like a snake, moved irregularly, making its specific direction of movement unpredictable.Marcus let go of his longsword, clenched his fist, and punched towards Diamante's abdomen. Clearly, Marcus wanted to force Diamante to retract his longsword by attacking.But for some reason, Diamante didn't retreat. Instead, he stepped forward. Marcus suddenly had a bad premonition, but it was too late to retract his move and retreat.Rip, ripWith a pull and a retraction of the longsword, two bloodstains appeared on Marcus's shoulders. These two bloodstains were very deep, revealing white bone through the wounds.Marcus's dark fist also struck Diamante's abdomen. Under Marcus's powerful strength, Diamanteimmediately spat out a large mouthful of blood.He couldn't even hold the longsword in his hand and flew backward, yet a smile appeared on his face."Why aren't you moving?"A figure darted out from the bushes.
What!" Marcus exclaimed in shock as he saw the figure rushing over.That figure was none other than Lao G, whom Marcus had punched hundreds of meters away and whose life or death was unknown. It turned out he hadn't been knocked unconscious by Marcus but had been hiding nearby, waiting for an opportunity.At this moment, Lao G had undergone a tremendous change. His stature and volume had increased several times over, and his physique and muscles had grown explosively.He was no longer the frail, short old man; the current Lao G seemed to have returned to his youth, radiating the vigor of a young man."It's a pity, but the same Move won't have the same effect when used again."Observation Haki!The incredibly fast Lao G slowed down in Marcus's eyes. Just as Marcus prepared to reach out his hands to meet the attack..."Sss..." The pain in his shoulders made even the strong-willed Marcus gasp. One could imagine how severe the injury was.This wasn't the worst part; the worst part was that Marcus's hands were ruined. With such large wounds on his shoulders, Marcus could no longer use his hands.Only then did Marcus realize why Diamante had been willing to risk serious injury earlier and still not let go of his long sword. It turned out that this had all been planned.Ruining his hands meant that two-thirds of his combat power was gone. What followed was the full-force strike from Lao G, who had been preparing on the sidelines for a long time, and finally, Gladius.Although he couldn't see where Gladius was now, Marcus was certain he was hiding somewhere, waiting to strike.Realizing everything was useless; if he couldn't survive this series of combos, he was finished.Soru! Soru!Marcus kept using Soru to dash into the sky; clearly, he intended to run away. He was no match for these three even at full strength, let alone now that his hands were temporarily disabled.If not run now, when?And the only place he could run to was the sky.Lao G's speed was much faster than his own. If he stayed on the ground, he would be caught before he could run very far.He could fly, but the three of them couldn't. As long as he ascended to a certain height, the three of them wouldn't be able to reach him with their attacks.But who would have known that plans couldn't keep up with changes. Lao G's speed suddenly surged, increasing several times over compared to before. Before Marcus had ascended very high, Lao G had already flashed in front of him."What, Armament Haki!"A pair of G-shaped fists, possessing great lethality, caused even the air to distort under this punch, striking straight at Marcus's chest. With a cracking sound, the fist paused slightly, then hit Marcus's chest with undiminished power.Not only his speed but also Lao G's strength had increased significantly, completely surpassing Marcus in terms of power."Pfft..."Under this powerful punch, Marcus felt his chest being hit by a giant hammer. Blood surged in his chest, a sweetness rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. His originally rosy cheeks turned pale once again.He couldn't control his body; like a meteorite, he crashed toward the ground at an extremely fast speed. The air seemed to be burning under the violent friction with Marcus's body, leaving a white trail behind.Lao G looked at the downed Marcus with a ferocious expression and flashed. When he appeared again, he was already beside Marcus, stepping on him with both feet."Kid, don't think you're invincible just because you learned martial arts from Vice Admiral Garp in the Marines for a few years. It was only because I was old that you had the chance to defeat me.""In order to be able to fight even when I'm sick, injured, or getting on in years and unable to keep up, I researched a Qigong technique that stores the strength from my prime and preserves it within my body. Today, I'll let you experience what true power is," he said to Marcus."Wong Fist Profound Truth: Battle Preservation Fist!"With an angry shout, the G-shaped fists struck Marcus again. Lao G's speed already exceeded human dynamic vision, and now that it had increased several times over, one could imagine how fast the punches were.Boom... Boom...Countless fist shadows smashed into Marcus's chest. Each punch carried immense power, which was difficult to defend against even with Armament Haki.Watching the kid who was barely breathing from his punches, Lao G also showed a hint of a smile.He had been immersed in martial arts for decades, only to be punched hundreds of meters away by a kid. What a humiliation. Now was the time to end this humiliation."Kid, die. Today is your death day. Witness my strongest Move.""G" Seal!He posed his hands in the shape of the English letter G. The veins on his hands bulged under that powerful force, and he smashed them toward Marcus's abdomen.Seeming to see the scene of Marcus being killed by this Move, the smile on Lao G's face grew even wider.Just as he was hit in the abdomen by the G-fist, Marcus, who had appeared to be in critical condition, opened his eyes, and a flash of sharp light emanated from them."This is the opportunity I was waiting for!""What?"Lao G let out a cry of shock. The smile on his face vanished completely, replaced by shock and fear.He saw the incredibly powerful "G" Seal, upon hitting Marcus's abdomen, seem to hit nothing at all. The fists pierced into Marcus's stomach—yes, pierced in—the fists entered from the abdomen and then came out from the back.At this moment, Marcus didn't seem like a person who truly existed in the world, but rather an afterimage. Yet, looking at the vivid expression on his face, Lao G knew that this person was Marcus, not some afterimage. It was the real person, but this kid had used some unknown method to turn himself into this state.Below, Diamante and Gladius were also incredibly shocked, but the two below were too far away to know the true situation.What shocked them was that Marcus had actually hidden his strength. They thought this was an afterimage formed by Marcus's extreme speed, and the real Marcus had long since hidden somewhere. They hurriedly scanned their surroundings vigilantly, guarding against a sneak attack from this kid.All of this happened in an instant. The extremely fast Lao G had already passed through Marcus's body, his face still maintaining a look of shock. Clearly, Lao G hadn't reacted to everything that had happened yet.Marcus rose into the air, and their positions shifted in an instant. Looking at Lao G under his feet, intense murderous intent erupted from his body.The murderous intent above his head woke Lao Gup. He lowered his head and looked up; Marcus's feet were attacking him. Not good!"You had your fun hitting me, now it's my turn. Die, you dog under Donquixote Doflamingo.""Martial Arts Profound Truth: Star Rain!"With an angry shout, he kicked out with both feet at an extremely fast speed. Under this speed, Marcus's feet seemed to disappear, leaving only countless foot shadows.With every kick, a light blue vacuum slash was emitted from his toes. This was "Rankyaku." Although the power of this level of Rankyaku was much lower than usual, when the sky was filled with them, this shortcoming no longer existed.This was the strongest Move in Marcus's martial arts repertoire. Kicking out countless Rankyaku from the sky toward the enemies on the ground instantly, from a distance, it looked like a meteor shower, so Marcus named it "Star Rain."Looking at the "Rankyaku" filling the sky, Lao Gcouldn't help but feel his scalp tingle. Even though his body had returned to his youth, he couldn't withstand this.Whoosh... Swish...This starry rain filling the sky was so beautiful in the night, making one unable to help but be intoxicated by it. Below, however, Diamante had a heavy expression; this beautiful star rain contained infinite murderous intent....In the distant Marine base, the Marine Soldier in the watchtower also discovered this scene. If they hadn't discovered such a big commotion, the Marines would really be finished."Look quickly, what is that?" a Marine pointed at the blue star rain that had suddenly appeared in the sky and said.The Marine beside him heard this, hurriedly picked up the telescope, and looked up. He vaguely saw a figure suspended in the sky.He hurriedly dropped the telescope and ran downward, shouting back while running."Not good, there are experts fighting outside the base. I'll go inform Rear Admiral Jonathan first, you guys sound the alarm."Woo woo woo...!Red lights, accompanied by sirens, echoed over the base....On the other side, Marcus's "Star Rain" was worthy of being his trump card; one Move left the three people below with no temper.The three could only rely on their speed and powerful perception to dodge those "Rankyaku." Sometimes, when they really couldn't dodge, they would block.But with so many Rankyaku, there were bound to be some that slipped through the net. The first one to be hit was Gladius. Among the three, his lethality might be the greatest, but his martial arts were the worst.He didn't withstand many hits before being struck by a Rankyaku. His figure couldn't help but stop, and immediately after, countless Rankyaku hit him. Being bullied like this by a kid, Gladius was instantly furious."Full Body Explosion!"His whole body swelled up, his entire person taking on an appearance like a balloon. After reaching a certain degree, with a bang, he exploded.An unparalleled explosion occurred, with countless pieces of gravel and thick smoke rising. Whether it was a coincidence or not, these gravel shards kicked up actually blocked Marcus's "Star Rain."However, Diamante and the other one didn't show any joy; instead, they ran toward the opposite direction of the explosion very quickly."Gladius, you bastard, you didn't even look at the situation and used this Move. There were your own people nearby!"
Chapter 131: Critically Injured and Fleeing[Latest News] Tomorrow is 515, Qidian's anniversary, the day with the most benefits. Besides gift packs and book bags, this '515 Red Packet Frenzy' is a must-see. There's no reason not to grab red packets, so set your alarms!Whoosh whoosh... The powerful shockwave stirred up a fierce gale, carrying countless shattered stones and numerous cold-gleaming projectiles, sweeping in all directions."Bullfighting Cape"Seeing the Qi wave catching up, Diamante's body became one with his cape, holding it up as a shield.Don't be fooled by how soft and flimsy this cape looks; it's actually made of hard steel, but Diamante's Devil Fruit ability transformed it to feel like cloth.Lao G on the other side also stopped his body. Due to his extreme speed, his feet made a screeching friction sound against the ground, accompanied by a hint of sparks.However, Lao G didn't turn back to defend; instead, he glanced at the figure in the smoke and then looked up at the sky."Cough, cough, cough, cough," Marcus finally stopped after coughing up four mouthfuls of blood.Dodging Lao G just now came at no small cost, causing significant internal injuries, and Marcusforcefully unleashed his 'Star Rain' move, further aggravating his wounds.In mid-air, Marcus stood dozens of meters high, wiping the blood from his mouth, cautiously observing everything happening below. Although the area below was obscured by the smoke raised by the explosions and Marcus's attacks, he didn't know what was happening inside.But Marcus still didn't dare to relax his guard; he didn't believe his 'Star Rain' move could take care of those three.At this moment, Marcus could finally spare a bit of energy to examine his injuries. The inspection revealed a truly horrific sight, far beyond what'severe injury' could describe.These injuries were the most severe Marcus had sustained in his years on the Grand Line; his entire body felt like it was about to be crippled.Whoosh whoosh whoosh... Several continuously expanding gray stone balls burst through the thick smoke, attacking Marcus in the sky."Sure enough, those three are fine and can still launch attacks."Death God!Several Death Gods appeared in front of Marcus, directly meeting the attack.A series of loud bangs and the sparks generated by the explosions illuminated Marcus's pale face, making it flush red.After blocking this attack, Marcus didn't linger. Instead, he immediately turned and flew towards the Marine base. Since those three were fine, he couldn't stay any longer.Anyway, he wasn't a match for those three, especially in his current state. It was better to leave first. Marcus wasn't one of those who would fight to the death without retreating.As soon as Marcus turned around, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him—it was Lao G."What?" Marcus exclaimed in surprise.How could Lao G be here? Marcus had deliberately positioned himself dozens of meters high to avoid being ambushed by the three, so how could he have Advanced to such a high place?Suddenly, with Lao G's dark figure, a flash of insight crossed Marcus's mind, and he immediately understood.It was those expanding stone balls!Lao G made himself dark, then used those stone balls for leverage while obscuring his figure, allowing him to reach such a high position."Brat, it's too late to figure it out. Take my final move, 'G's Imprint!"Bang!Under Lao G's attack, Marcus's body plummeted to the ground like a meteor.After executing this move, Lao G's body immediately reverted to its original state. This was indeed his final and strongest attack.As Marcus fell towards the ground, he barely managed to control his fingers, deploying several layers of Space Shields to cover the entire battlefield.Following that, another Imprisonment was cast upon himself, but his speed was too fast, and his kinetic energy too great. It would shatter upon impact, so Marcus could only continuously cast Imprisonment on himself.Imprisonment! Imprisonment! Imprisonment!Marcus understood that if he truly hit the ground, he would be finished. Diamante and Gladius must have prepared everything below.Once he fell to the ground, a barrage of fierce attacks would be waiting for him, with nowhere to hide.Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!Of the five middle shields, Marcus instantly shattered four. With each impact, the powerful kinetic energy instantly transformed into immense force, transmitting to his chest.Bang!Marcus finally hit the last layer. A series of cracking sounds, like shattering glass, echoed, but ultimately, this final layer held, and Marcus breathed a sigh of relief.Crescent Moon Burial!A several-meter-wide wave of Sword Qi sliced through the thick smoke, rushing towards Marcuslike a sharp arrow, its power immensely strong.Dark Blade Storm!With an angry roar, countless ten-centimeter-long black circular blades encircled Marcus. The rapidly spinning black blades created gusts of wind around Marcus.These circular blades spun faster and faster. Slowly, a powerful tornado formed out of thin air with Marcus at its center. The surrounding thick smoke was instantly blown away, revealing the situation below clearly in Marcus's sight.Diamante, holding his longsword, had exerted a lot of stamina unleashing that attack and was panting heavily.Gladius stood to one side, precisely where Marcuswould have fallen. Around him, several areas of the ground were continuously expanding, like inverted pots on the earth.If he had fallen to the ground, powerful explosions would have awaited him, along with Diamante's attacks.Unfortunately, Marcus was still suspended in mid-air, rendering these preparations a complete waste."Hahaha..." Marcus laughed heartily, "Diamante, it seems you're no good. You keep using the same move. Now watch me."Hearing Marcus's mockery and the contempt in his words, Diamante immediately became furious."If that brat didn't keep floating up, making it difficult to unleash my abilities, and with Crescent Moon Burial being my only long-range attack, that brat would have died long ago. Now this brat dares to despise me!"Crescent Moon Burial!Diamante flew up, swung his longsword, and another powerful Sword Qi wave attacked. The two Sword Qi waves merged, increasing their power by several times over.Dark Blade Storm!Marcus roared, and the giant tornado composed of circular blades, with an equally strong Aura, met the Sword Qi wave head-on.Bang... Rumble... Where the two attacks passed, the atmosphere was torn apart, like meteors colliding. In the collision, flashes of lightning appeared between the two, and the air itself cracked under the force.A powerful shockwave swept in all directions. The ground was scraped away layer by layer by the shockwave until the soil was gone, revealing the hard gray bedrock beneath.Gladius, who was standing nearby, was instantly blown to the ground. He managed to grab a hard boulder just in time to avoid being swept away.Watching the struggle between the two in the air, a look of shock appeared in his eyes."Diamante is one of the Family's only three Advanced cadress, and his combat power is incredibly strong among the many cadress. This brat, even with severe injuries, can still contend with him, not falling behind in the slightest. Just how strong is this brat?"After the shockwave raged for a minute, its energy dissipated. As the Sword Qi wave and the tornado vanished, the fierce shockwave also disappeared.With a pfft, a mouthful of blood sprayed from his mouth. Diamante lost control of his body and plummeted towards the ground. Gladius, who was hiding nearby, watched this scene.His expression changed. He hadn't expected Diamante to be defeated by this brat. He flashed, appearing beside Diamante, supporting him as they slowly landed on the ground.At this moment, Lao G, who had been blown to who-knows-where by the previous shockwave, also rushed over, though his body was covered in wounds, indicating he was also seriously injured."Bye-bye! Donquixote Doflamingo's subordinates, we'll meet again!"The three looked up. A figure was flying through the air towards the Marine base. They could barely make out Marcus waving back at them.Seeing this, the three were furious. Gladius wanted to give chase but was grabbed by Diamante."Don't worry, that brat's injuries from that last move are even more severe than mine. Although we didn't catch him this time, with such heavy injuries, it will be hard for him to recover in a few months, and he might even have many after-effects. He won't be bothering us anytime soon."After a pause, Diamante said gravely, "What I'm worried about now is that if this brat escapes to the Marine base, his teacher, Vice Admiral Garp, will undoubtedly be furious seeing his Disciple so badly injured. If he comes to trouble us, it will greatly impact our current plan.""Exactly," Gladius said with a heavy voice, stroking his chin. "And this time, the three of us attacked together, all got injured, and this brat still escaped. How will we explain this to Young Master?"Leaving aside the worries of Gladius and the other two, Marcus clutched his chest with his right hand in mid-air, trying to stop the continuous flow of blood.As Diamante said, Marcus's injuries were even more severe than his. His chest had been grazed by Sword Qi again, creating a very deep wound. The most serious damage was internal: several ribs were broken from the immense force of the collision, and his internal organs were also punctured.After an intense rush, Marcus appeared above the Marine base in less than a minute. Seeing the Marine base below, his eyes, which he had been forcing open, finally couldn't hold on any longer and closed. His body, like a falling leaf, plummeted towards the Marine base below.
Chapter 132: DissuasionHalf an incense stick later, all of Marcus's injuries had recovered, and even those four massive wounds had healed, though they were too severe and still bore scars."Doctor, his injuries have mostly recovered, so why hasn't Marcus woken up yet?" Garp asked.The doctor, who was checking Marcus's heartbeat, put down his tools, removed his mask, and said, "The patient's heartbeat and pulse have returned to normal levels, and are even stronger than a normal person's.""As for why he hasn't regained consciousness, it is likely due to extreme physical exhaustion. Although I don't know exactly what happened, based on my many years of experience, the patient must have gone through an unimaginably intense battle, resulting in severe physical exertion."Everyone nodded, agreeing with the doctor's assessment. For these combat-hardened individuals, they knew better than the doctor just how much energy high-intensity battles consumed.Gently covering Marcus with a white blanket, the doctor then ordered the nurses nearby to inject Marcus with a series of recovery-promoting drugs.Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he turned to everyone and said, "The patient is fine now, but as a precaution, he still needs to be observed, and he also needs some time to recuperate.""If you have nothing else to attend to, we will take the patient back to the hospital."Jonathan said, "Yes, the medical facilities at this base are quite good. Taking him to the hospital will be a good opportunity for Brigadier General Lin Tian to recuperate.""Very well, thank you, Doctor," Tsuru said before Garp could speak. Garp could only nod in agreement.The doctor waved his hand. Several nurses quickly packed up the medical equipment, and two of them stood by the hospital bed, ready to wheel Marcus to the hospital."Stop. Wait a moment!"At that moment, Marine Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had previously agreed, suddenly spoke up to stop them. She looked around and finally fixed her gaze on Ain.Under the confused gazes of the others, she explained, "The nurses have their own work to do and cannot stay by Marcus's side at all times. We shouldn't interfere with their duties."Marine Vice Admiral Tsuru was indeed more thoughtful than the rest of them.Although Marcus appeared to be healed, he hadn't woken up yet, and no one knew what might happen, so it was better to have someone keep watch."How about this! Ain, you're the only girl here, and girls are more attentive. Could you go and help me take care of Marcus?""Ah, me?" Ain pointed to her nose, her face full of surprise. She clearly hadn't expected Marine Vice Admiral Tsuru to make such a request."Ah, what should I do? Should I go? But I already decided not to... and now I'd be going back? But he's so badly injured and needs someone to take care of him. What should I do?"A look of struggle appeared on Ain's face. She clenched her hands so tightly that her white fingers turned purple, yet she didn't even notice, caught in an intense internal conflict.Seeing the look of struggle on Ain's face, Tsuru assumed she didn't want to, so she said:"If you don't want to, it doesn't matter. In that case, I'll just ask someone else to take care of him.""No... that's not it!" Hearing Tsuru's words, Ainblurted out, stopping her immediately without thinking.Tsuru had intended to call someone else, but she hadn't expected such a strong emotional reaction from Ain. A look of confusion appeared on Tsuru's face; what was going on? Why the sudden change?The others nearby were also extremely puzzled; what on earth had happened?After saying this, Ain's face fell, and she silently cursed herself for being weak, especially with so many Naval Officers watching."W-well, I was just thinking that I haven't learned nursing, and I'm afraid I won't be able to take care of Lin... him well," Ain quickly lowered her head and explained.Tsuru smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I'm not asking you to perform nursing duties. I just want you to keep an eye on him and notify us immediately if anything happens.""Oh, if that's the case, I should... be able to do it."Stealing a glance at Marcus lying on the hospital bed, Ain said softly."In that case, thank you, Ain," Tsuru said.Ain gave a soft hum, then quickly trotted a few steps to the hospital bed, held onto the side, and followed the rest of the medical staff toward the hospital.After watching Marcus being taken away, a look of rage instantly appeared on Garp's face, and he turned to walk away.But before he had taken a few steps, a figure slid into view and suddenly blocked Garp's path.Being suddenly blocked, Garp, who was already angry, became even more furious. But after seeing who it was, his anger subsided."Tsuru, what are you doing? Why are you blocking my path?" Garp roared in his booming voice."Why are you asking me?" Tsuru glared at Garp and said, crossing her arms, "I should be asking you that. You walked off without a word; don't tell me you're going to sleep."Garp was about to use that excuse, but Tsuru cut him off. Thinking about it, with Tsuru's intelligence, she had probably already guessed what he was planning to do, so he might as well be honest with her."So you've guessed what I'm planning! That's right, I'm going to get revenge for Marcus. My Disciplewas nearly beaten to death, even crippled, and as his teacher, I can't just let those pirates get away with it."After a pause, Garp said in a deep voice, "If he had been beaten like this because his skills were inferior, I wouldn't say a word even if he were killed; I could only blame Marcus for not being good enough.""But you know Marcus's strength; I don't need to say more about what it takes to beat him like this. This time, I will let them know that they can deal with my Disciple, but if they disregard their status and attack a junior, then they shouldn't blame me.""Ah!" Before Garp could finish, he let out a scream, covering his ears and asking in confusion, "Tsuru, why are you twisting my ear?"Letting go, Tsuru said irritably, "You're really something. Your Disciple gets beaten up, and the teacher goes out to settle the score.""Do you think this is some kind of gang vendetta? We are Marines, do you understand? We are Marines!"Garp whispered, "It's precisely because we are Marines that we should go deal with the pirates."Seeing Garp dare to talk back, Tsuru made a move to strike again. Garp quickly retreated a few steps to what he considered a safe distance.Kuzan also spoke up to persuade him, "Vice Admiral Garp, now is not the time for you to act. If you do, Fleet Admiral Sengoku's plan will be very difficult to carry out."Just a moment ago, Garp had been puzzled as to why Tsuru and Kuzan were stopping him from teaching the pirates who hurt Marcus a lesson. So, this was the reason.Garp smiled slightly and waved his hand, saying, "So that's what you're worried about. Don't worry, I won't make a big scene and it won't affect Sengoku's plan.""We are only stopping you because we are worried about you. Every time you get excited, you never make a small scene. If you get worked up, I'm afraid Korode will be destroyed by your hands."Glancing at the smiling Garp, Tsuru said nonchalantly. Having spent so many years together, she understood Garp's temper perfectly.Hearing the words of Marine Vice Admiral Tsuru, the other Marine Vice Admirals also nodded secretly. Most of the Marines had fought alongside Vice Admiral Garp and were well aware of his behavior.It wasn't over yet; Tsuru suddenly said with a serious expression, "Furthermore, do you really think doing this is good for Marcus?"Faced with Tsuru's question, Garp couldn't help but calm down and think: if he did that, would it really be good for Marcus?"Not to mention anything else, this situation is a warning for Marcus—a warning not to act recklessly in the future. This time, he nearly died, which should make him understand the dangers of acting on his own, or at least help him restrain himself in the future."Hearing Tsuru's analysis, Garp couldn't help but nod. Besides, with the temperament of that Stinky Kid Marcus, having been beaten like this, he definitely wouldn't let others interfere later and would want to settle the score himself.Forget it. Since that's the case, I'll just go eat. But being beaten like this is really embarrassing. I've lost face, and if Sengoku and the others find out, they'll definitely say I'm a poor mentor who doesn't know how to teach students.Those people have long been drooling over Marcus. It seems I need to increase the intensity of his training; that Stinky Kid has been a bit lazy these past few months."Furthermore, after seeing the scars on Marcus's body earlier, I already have a pretty good idea of who the people who hurt him are."Tsuru rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought with a serious expression. She hadn't expected Marcus to have encountered that group of pirates.
Chapter 133: Cali? Ain?Inside the hospital room, Marcus slowly woke up, his tightly closed eyes not yet fully adjusted, and everything before him was blurry.Smelling the pungent scent of medicine in the air, Marcus immediately realized that he must be in a hospital; only a hospital would have such a pungent smell."It seems I managed to escape to the Marine base; I must have been saved. I wonder how the Stinky Old Man will react when he sees me like this; he'll surely be furious," Marcus thought with a wry smile.Who would have thought that Mingo would be even more decisive than he had imagined? After discovering his identity, and failing at the bar, he didn't hesitate to send people to kill him the moment he stepped out. He even valued him enough to send three powerful subordinates.In that great battle, if he hadn't left quickly, he might have capsized in the gutter. However, while he was severely injured, those people probably weren't much better off.But that wasn't what Marcus felt sorry about. Having suffered such severe injuries, the tenryuubito tribute was completely out of his reach; let alone participating, he couldn't even stand up right now."Huh?" A sound of surprise escaped Marcus's lips.Just having lightly twitched his index finger, Marcusdiscovered that he didn't feel as weak as he had imagined; instead, his whole body was filled with strength, and he could move his arms freely.There wasn't even any pain in his body. Considering he had suffered so many injuries and had so many wounds, how could there be no sense of pain at all?"What exactly happened while I was unconscious?" Marcus thought in surprise.If he weren't still wearing clothes, Marcus would have wanted to take them off to see what changes had occurred in his body."Clang!" The sound of an object hitting the floor echoed in the empty hospital room.At this moment, Marcus realized that besides himself, there was someone else in the room.Looking to the side, he saw a metal cup that had fallen to the floor, rolling toward the edge of his bed before stopping.Scanning upwards, a light blue cape appeared before his eyes, followed by a head of long, wavy hair as blue as the ocean.Marcus couldn't see anything else because the girl had her back to him, so her face was unclear.Looking at her curvaceous figure, one could guess that she was surely a beauty.Of course, one couldn't rule out the possibility that she was a "back-view killer."In front, Ain was absent-mindedly tidying up things, constantly thinking in her mind about what she should say and how she should face Marcus when he woke up."If I had known, I wouldn't have agreed to Vice Admiral Tsuru's words. That way, I could have just hidden and avoided seeing him, but now I can't leave even if I want to," Ain thought nervously.Marcus's sound of surprise instantly startled Ain. She suddenly didn't know what to do—should she stay, or should she go out immediately to notify Vice Admiral Tsuru and the others?Finally, after struggling in her mind, Ain gritted her teeth, put down the white cloth in her hand, and prepared to run outside.But the incredibly nervous Ain, upon taking a step, accidentally knocked into the water cup with her retracting right hand, causing it to fall heavily to the floor with a crisp sound, splashing water all over the ground."Hey, um, hello, excuse me," finally unable to bear this atmosphere any longer—it was just too oppressive—Marcus spoke up.But the nervous Ain, hearing Marcus speak, didn't wait for him to finish before hurriedly lowering her head and turning around, not wanting Marcus to see her face."I'm sorry, I was thinking about something just now and accidentally knocked this cup of water over. I'll pick it up immediately, and I'll mop up the water on the floor as well."As she spoke, Ain quickly took a few steps, crouched down, and grabbed the slowly rolling cup.Watching the girl keep her head down, her actions filled with panic, an odd expression couldn't help but appear on Marcus's face. Was his voice really that terrifying?Just as Ain grabbed the cup and was about to stand up and leave, a question came from the front."May I ask, where am I now, what time is it, and how did you find me?"Ain paused for a second and then answered Marcus's questions one by one. "It's around eight o'clock in the evening. This is the Marine base hospital. You fell from the sky and were sent to the hospital."After hearing the girl's answer, Marcus had a general understanding of the situation. It seemed he must have startled quite a few people."Thank you for taking care of me here; it's really been hard on you," Marcus said with a smile."It's nothing, it's nothing; this is just my duty. If there's nothing else, I'll head out now; there are other patients nearby who need me."The incredibly nervous Ain, in order to leave quickly, couldn't help but lie.The moment Ain stood up, Marcus swept his gaze and finally caught sight of the face of the woman who had been keeping her head down.She was indeed a beauty, with bright, expressive eyes that revealed a hint of panic, a beautiful face, wearing a light purple top and a pair of very short shorts."Well, thank you.""You're welcome."Before she had finished speaking, Ain turned around and hurriedly walked toward the back.Seeing that Marcus hadn't recognized her, Ain let out a sigh of relief, but a trace of disappointment appeared on her face. Even from this close, he didn't recognize her; it seemed he had really forgotten her."Stop."A heavy voice suddenly rang out behind her, so loud in the quiet hospital room that it gave Ain a start. She didn't know what to do.Before Ain had enough time to struggle intensely in her mind, Marcus had already made the choice for her."Cali, what is going on here?"That heavy voice came from behind again, the tone filled with confusion, surprise, and blame, with all sorts of emotions wrapped within it.Hearing that she had been recognized, Ain knew she couldn't hide anymore. She turned around and looked at Marcus expressionlessly, but her eyes couldn't dare to meet his, constantly darting away.She gritted her teeth and spoke, a flash of determination on her face as she met Marcus's deep gaze directly."Patient, you must have recognized the wrong person. My name is Ain. Who is Cali? I've never heard of her. You must have mistaken me for someone else.""Is that so?" Marcus lowered his head, wondering what he was thinking, then suddenly raised his head, a trace of anger on his face as he looked at Cali."I know my own situation. Although I was severely injured, my eyes are not blind, and my brain is not damaged, right, Cali?"Marcus roared out the last two words, shouting out his confusion and anger, as well as the pain in his heart.Before this, Marcus hadn't recognized that Ain was Cali. It was just that he hadn't seen Cali for three years, and she had changed too much; she was completely a different person. Her hair, face, and clothing—her entire appearance had changed drastically.This change caught Marcus off guard. What made Marcus most angry was that she clearly knew his identity, yet she pretended not to know him."Marcus, there are many people in this world who look alike. It's possible you've mistaken me for someone else. I am not Cali; my name is Ain, an ordinary Marine."Marcus laughed. "People who look alike? Ain, since you are a Marine, why would you address me like that? Only acquaintances address me that way.""Marcus—Brigadier General Lin Tian—I just misspoke earlier, actually..."Unfortunately, Marcus already understood that this person was Ain. Before Ain could say anything, Marcus waved his hand to interrupt her."These past three years, Cali, what exactly have you been through?"A comfortable sea breeze came from the ocean, making the windows rattle, and the white curtains fluttered in the wind. The sea breeze didn't slow down, passing over Marcus and blowing toward Ain, her sea-blue hair floating in the air.In the entire hospital room, the two remained in silent stillness. Marcus just wanted to know what had happened to Cali, and why she had become like this.Under Marcus's gaze, Ain lowered her head more and more. Ain wasn't afraid of Marcus's gaze, but rather didn't know how to face him."Cali died years ago. The only one who survived is Ain, the Marine Ain," Ain said in a low voice, and anyone could hear the sadness in that tone."Tell me, what exactly happened?"His eyes sank. Although he knew Cali had unspeakable hidden suffering, Marcus still pressed her. Some things were not meant for a girl to bear alone; he had to understand everything that had happened."Tell you? Tell you what? I've already said that Cali is dead. This means that I have no relationship with you. We are just strangers, and now, we are only in a superior-subordinate relationship, Brigadier General Lin Tian."For some reason, Ain's tone suddenly became urgent, carrying a hint of anger and sarcasm.Hearing the sarcasm in Cali's tone, a hint of confusion appeared in Marcus's eyes. Could it have something to do with him? But ever since they parted, he had been drifting on the Grand Line and had never returned.Marcus said calmly, "In my heart, no matter what you have become, inside you are still that same Cali.""No, people change. That Cali has already disappeared. Now there is only a reborn Ain."After thinking for a moment, Cali gritted her teeth, as if a girl throwing a tantrum, and said indignantly, "Besides, besides, what right do you have to demand that I tell you everything? You, you are not anything to me."After speaking, Cali carefully and quickly snuck a glance at Marcus. Unfortunately, there was no expression on Marcus's face, which couldn't help but make Ain feel a trace of disappointment, but it instantly vanished from her face."You tell me, do I have the chance to know these things? Cali, you tell me," Marcus said, taking out the jade pendant Cali had given him, pressing her step by step."Don't force me, okay? Marcus, really, I beg you, don't force me." Cali's eyes were filled with tears, making Marcus feel incredibly heartbroken. This girl was bearing things in her heart that she shouldn't have to bear; these things should be borne by him.
Chapter 134: The ReasonAfter some questioning, seeing that Cali still would not answer, Marcus did not care about all that and grabbed Ain in a hug."Sob, sob... thud, thud..."Their lips pressed tightly together. As their cold lips collided, they both felt as if they had been electrocuted, their bodies trembling involuntarily.Whether in his past life or the present, Marcus could count the times he had held a girl's hand on one hand, let alone an intimate act like kissing, which had always just been in his imagination.Today, in a moment of impulse, he didn't know why he had kissed her. Those cold, pink lips were so soft, and the breath exhaled from her nostrils felt so warm against his face.The kiss came so suddenly that Ain was caught completely off guard. In that instant, Ain was stunned.The sensation on her lips and the electric current flowing through her body made Ain tremble unnaturally.She wanted to speak, but unfortunately, her lips were blocked by Marcus. She could only make sobbing sounds, her hands balled into fists, constantly pounding on Marcus's back with thudding noises, hoping that Marcus would let go.With lightning speed, Marcus's tongue rapidly explored Ain's mouth, touching her tongue, intertwining with it, and tasting the fresh, moist tip of her tongue—a flavor that one couldn't help but be intoxicated by.The sudden kiss was as overwhelming as a storm. As their tongues slid and rubbed against each other, Ain's mind went blank. She didn't know what to do and instinctively followed the movement of Marcus's tongue.Her eyes were unfocused, and her snow-white skin was instantly flushed with a deep crimson. It was so moving, and heavy breathing escaped from her nose.Regaining her senses, Ain looked at Marcus, who was right in front of her, and the tongue still rampaging in her mouth, her cheeks flushing incredibly red.Instinctively, she bit down hard. Suddenly, a scream rang out, and the offending object finally left her mouth, followed by a metallic, bloody taste in her mouth.Releasing her hands that had been tightly clutching Marcus, and not knowing where the strength came from, she pushed hard with both palms against Marcus. With one shove, she pushed Marcus away.Coming back to his senses, Marcus only heard the sound of sobbing and looked in the direction of the crying.He saw Ain, who had pushed him away, hugging her knees. Leaning against the headboard, her head was buried deep between her knees, and her sea-blue hair was draped loosely, covering her. All he could hear was the sound of her crying.Her whole body radiated such a desolate, sorrowful, and heartbreaking aura, like a Little Girl curled up alone in a corner, without any support.At this moment, Ain suddenly stopped crying. She raised her head, wiped the tears from her face, and with a completely expressionless face, moved toward the edge of the bed and stood up. During this time, she did not look at Marcus once and said with her back to him."Brigadier General Lin Tian, I won't hold what just happened against you. I hope you can forget what happened today. Also, I am only Ain. Cali died years ago; there is no such person as Cali in this world anymore."After speaking, Ain walked away without looking back. She had just taken one step, but before she could take a second, a hand firmly grabbed Ain's shoulder.That hand just gave a light tug, but with the immense power in the arm, Ain had no strength to resist. She was spun around and thrown heavily back into Marcus's embrace.Before Ain could struggle again, Marcus had already held her tightly in his arms. He lowered his head, resting his chin firmly on her soft hair, and said softly, though his tone carried an air that brooked no argument."Why did you join the Marine? Why did you pretend not to know me? I want to know everything that happened in the last three years. Don't think about avoiding this. You have been in the Marine for a while; you know that if I am determined to investigate, I can still find out the general idea."Hearing Marcus's incredibly domineering declaration, Ain, who had been struggling constantly in his arms, stopped, as if lost in thought. But what Marcus received was not an answer, but pain from his chest.This time, Ain showed no mercy. She bit down so hard, with such heartache, with such sadness... as if she wanted to vent everything buried in her heart over the past two years through this bite.Marcus neither retreated nor made a sound. He just silently endured the pain, gently stroking her sea-blue hair, because from this pain, Marcus felt that the pain in Ain's heart was ten times heavier than this.If such a weak girl in his arms could endure that pain alone for two years, could he not even endure this moment?"Thud...!"Ain waved her hands, slapping Marcus's solid back, released her mouth, and sobbed softly in Marcus's arms."Why! Why! Why did you have to run into me again? I had already forgotten you, forgotten the things from back then.""I'm sorry, it's all my fault.""Why did you make me remember? Why do I have to endure that kind of pain? Why?""I'm sorry.""Marcus, you are a bastard, you are a huge bastard, a huge bastard."Feeling the coolness on his chest, and within those repeated "whys," came the unfairness of fate, the helplessness of life, and the disappointment in living...All of this caused a flood of words to be stifled in Marcus's chest; he could only keep using 'I'm sorry' to express his guilt and apology....Why Cali became Ain, all of this has to start from two years ago. Marcus and Cali often corresponded, but one time, the carrier pigeon met with an accident.The letter happened to be obtained by a group of pirates. That letter mentioned some memories between him and Cali, and therefore contained information about a Treasure Trove. Consequently, this group of pirates used this letter to come to the island where Cali was. The result can be imagined.The pirates asked the residents about the whereabouts of the Treasure Trove, but except for Marcus, how could those residents know? Thus, a massacre arrived, and countless people died there.Under the pursuit of the pirates, Cali was separated from her father and sister. In the end, Cali was the only one who successfully escaped the island. Cali, who was drifting on the sea and unconscious, was saved by the former Admiral Zephyr.When Cali returned to the island with the Marineagain, everywhere was a ruin. Except for some who were lucky enough to survive, everyone else had died. There were also many bodies burned to ashes, making it impossible to identify them, and Cali's father and sister were not found; they had likely died....To be honest, when Marcus heard the sequence of events, it felt a bit like listening to a story. This event was too bizarre; it was completely like a joke played by fate.This wasn't even the worst part. When Marcusheard the name of that pirate group, the thought he had at that moment was simply impossible to describe in words. That group of pirates was actually the crew of Captain Fack from the bar.Now, even if Marcus wanted to take revenge, there was no way, because that group of people had already been killed by Mingo. Logically speaking, Mingo was still his benefactor; how ironic this was.These thoughts just drifted lightly through his mind. What truly made Marcus feel guilty was Cali—no, the current Ain.Everything was placed on Ain's heart: the pain of losing her loved ones, the guilt and remorse in her heart, and the struggle of how to face him... Marcuscould hardly imagine how damaged Ain's heart must be to carry all these things.If he had been able to spend the time to seek out the sequence of events himself back then, instead of sending people to request an investigation by the intelligence personnel of the Marine Headquarters, he wouldn't have found out under these circumstances now.In fact, the Marine intelligence department had long ago investigated the process of how Cali had become Ain, but in the end, this information, at Ain's request, was suppressed by the former AdmiralZephyr. This was why Marcus had never had any news about Cali. If Marcus had actively searched for her himself, the situation would have been different. (To be continued.)
Chapter 135: The Meeting"Stinky Kid, what's going on?!"Garp, who had been stunned for a long time before reacting, looked at the two people holding hands in front of him and asked, puzzled.The others nearby were also bewildered, perking up their ears and quietly listening to Marcus's answer. What exactly happened in just over an hour? Were they slow to react, or had the world changed too quickly?Marcus had already anticipated their expressions, so he ignored their gazes and spoke casually."Stinky Old Man, have you forgotten? This is Cali.""Cali? Who is Cali?""It's the girl I met on the island where I first encountered pirates when I went out to sea, the one I asked to send you a message," Marcus said, patting his head helplessly."Cali...!" Garp murmured a few times, and with Marcus's reminder, he suddenly remembered, "Cali! So it was her! I wondered why she felt so familiar before, but I just couldn't place her."After a careful look, Garp pointed at Ain and asked, puzzled, "But what's going on now? Three years, how could she have changed so much? Not only her appearance, but even her name has changed.""It's nothing. A lot can happen in three years, so such a big change is normal. Don't make such a fuss, everyone."Marcus didn't want to explain the full story in front of so many people, so he just vaguely said a few words and moved past the topic.Garp also understood Marcus's concerns. A hint of confusion flashed in his eyes, but he didn't ask further. Marcus must have his own reasons for saying that; this kid definitely had something he didn't want others to know.At the same time, Garp felt very strange. Since Caliwas Ain, why did Ain show no reaction when she saw Marcus earlier? And when Tsuru asked her to take care of Marcus, she looked worried and acted a little abnormally.It wasn't just Garp; Tsuru and Kuzan were also very curious. Some Naval Officers might not know, but those two had some understanding of Ain due to certain matters.Both of them had spent some time with Ain and had never heard her mention anything about Marcus. Something must have happened between these two.Especially Kuzan. His former teacher, Zephyr, had once asked him to cover up the investigation into Ain.Kuzan found it strange at the time, but since it was his teacher's instruction, Kuzan didn't say much.Instead, he used his position to suppress the matter. Now it seemed that incident was very likely related to Marcus.However, after roughly understanding what happened, Garp couldn't help but exclaim, "I never expected you two to meet again under such circumstances! I remember at the time, Marcus was worried for a long time because of that message."Hearing Garp's words, the Marine Vice Admirals present couldn't help but burst into laughter. Everyone was familiar with Marcus, so they had fewer reservations. Their gazes swept over the two of them, revealing a meaningful smile.Marcus's head instantly filled with black lines, and he felt terrible. The Stinky Old Man actually brought up such a thing; this was blatant revenge, revenge!"Xiao Tian, how are your injuries? Do you feel unwell?" Tsuru asked with concern."Yes, yes... Stinky Kid, how are you feeling?"Marcus slightly bent his arm and said with a relaxed expression, "I feel pretty good. All the wounds have scabbed over, and there are no major problems. I don't have that suffocating feeling in my chest anymore, and I feel full of strength."Seeing that Marcus was fine and his complexion was good, everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone had been worried about potential side effects of the medicine, as Vice Admiral Tsuru herself hadn't used it, so she didn't know the exact outcome.Marcus smiled and said, "However, I really have to thank Grandma Tsuru this time. If it weren't for Grandma Tsuru using that medicine, I don't know what the consequences of my injuries would have been."Marcus knew better than anyone how severe his injuries were. The external wounds were fine, but the internal damage was significant, having used too much of his power. The backlash was truly very serious.It was fine during the battle, but these consequences emerged after the fight. Otherwise, Marcus wouldn't have had the stamina to unleash such a powerful move before disengaging from battle, only to fall unconscious less than a minute later."That's nothing," Tsuru said, shaking her head slightly with a smile, then suddenly became serious and stern, reprimanding, "However, Xiao Tian, you handled this situation poorly.""Although your strength is good, this 'tenryuubito tribute' incident gathered so many powerful pirates, and you actually went to Korode City alone to investigate intelligence. Do you know how dangerous that is?""This incident is the consequence. You suffered such serious injuries. If I hadn't just snatched that medicine from a group of pirates, you wouldn't be able to recover for several years. Let alone fighting, you wouldn't even be able to do slightly strenuous training."Marcus made a bitter Face, a warm current flowing through his heart, and lowered his head, saying, "I know, Grandma Tsuru, please don't say anymore. I know I was wrong, and I'll be more careful next time."Bang!Garp punched Marcus's head, making smoke rise from it, and said angrily, "Stinky Kid, you still want a next time? Your injuries aren't even healed yet, and you're already thinking about a next time!"Marcus rubbed the large bump on his head, a pained expression on his Face. "Stinky Old Man, you hit my head again! How can you even say that? If you hadn't stopped me, would I have acted alone?"Everyone was already used to this scene; they had seen it many times. Ain looked at the large bump on Marcus's head and felt distressed, but with so many Marineford Naval Officers around, Ain was too shy to touch it."Stinky Kid, you dare to talk back? It seems I haven't taught you a good lesson in a few days. You actually dare to contradict your teacher!" Garp rolled up his sleeves, making a gesture to strike.Although he couldn't win, he couldn't lose Face in front of so many people. He released Ain's soft little hand and also rolled up his sleeves, showing no weakness."Alright! Can you two just talk properly? It's always about fighting. This teacher and student are both the same!" Tsuru really couldn't stand it. This pair of master and disciple always acted on impulse. They were discussing serious matters, and these two were about to start fighting.Since Tsuru had spoken, the two quickly stopped their actions. In fact, Marcus and Garp wouldn't really fight; Tsuru's words just provided a good excuse to stop.Marcus said with a grin, "But, Grandma Tsuru, I didn't expect you to come this time. I've been thinking about you all along."Tsuru gently tapped Marcus's forehead and said with a smile, "Don't try to sweet-talk your way out of it. I won't stop scolding you. You really messed up this time."Marcus said with a bitter Face, "I know. Actually, I didn't intentionally cause any trouble this time. Who knew I'd be so unlucky as to encounter a powerful Pirate Crew there, and then they recognized my identity? As a result, they sent out three cadres to ambush me outside the Marine base, which led to a big battle.""Marcus, what's the name of the Pirate Crew you encountered? They have such high combat power, and their cadres alone could injure you like this," Kuzan asked, puzzled.Kuzan had some understanding of Marcus's strength. Although Marcus was currently only a Commodore, his true combat power should be above that of a Rear Admiral, though still a bit weaker than a Vice Admiral.While this strength wasn't exceptionally high, it was already quite good in the first half of the Grand Line. For a Pirate Crew's cadres to nearly kill Marcus, how could such a powerful Pirate Crew still be in the first half? Logically, they should have already gone to the New World."Oh, right!" Garp suddenly remembered that Tsuru had mentioned she knew, and asked, "Xiao Tsuru, didn't you know who the Pirate Crew that injured Marcus was?"Tsuru nodded, turned her head to look at Marcus, and said solemnly, "Xiao Tian, the Pirate Crew that injured you should be the Donquixote Family Pirate Crew, right? The ones who attacked were a few of Mingo's cadres, including one named Lao G.""Huh? Grandma Tsuru, how did you know?" Marcusasked in surprise. He hadn't said anything, and there were no other people present during the battle.Hearing Tsuru's answer, everyone's Faces showed a hint of realization. Everyone had heard of this notorious Pirate Crew, only Garp looked confused; he had never heard of this Pirate Crew.Tsuru explained, "I've been pursuing them and fought them many times, so I'm very familiar with their fighting style. When I saw that 'G' shape on your body, I roughly guessed it.""I see," Marcus said."But I remember this Pirate Crew is in the New World. How could they be here?" Vice Admiral Moleasked, puzzled."This is the latest intelligence obtained by the Marine, and it will be explained during the meeting, along with the plan.""There's still a meeting?" Hearing the word "meeting," Garp felt completely better. (To be