"That was close..."
Zephyr wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, staring at the shattered earth before him. In that split second, if he hadn't evaded just in time, his right arm would have been severed for the second time.
Looking down, Zephyr was shocked to see a jagged, finger-thick crack gouged into the mechanical Smasher—left by a single blow from Whitebeard Jr.'s blade.
On the sidelines, Ain finally exhaled a shallow breath of relief seeing Zephyr dodge the strike. However, the sheer peril of the situation left the faces of Ain, Binz, and the others deathly pale, their hearts racing with terror. That moment had made them believe history was truly repeating itself.
Is there any way... any way at all to help Master Zephyr?
Ain bit her red lip, her face etched with worry. She didn't even notice the faint trace of blood seeping from where her teeth sank in. She combed through a thousand ideas in her mind, but she couldn't find a single way her current strength could assist her teacher. Panic began to claw at her heart.
The overwhelming sense of powerlessness grew. This was the second time she had felt this inadequate.
If only... if only I were stronger...
CLANG!
Back on the battlefield, another thunderous clash of metal rang out. This time, as their weapons collided, Zephyr—whose arms were already trembling with exhaustion—was sent skidding backward. His boots carved two deep furrows into the ground as he fought to stabilize himself. Ain could clearly see that his breathing was becoming ragged and heavy, and sweat was pouring off him like rain.
In stark contrast, Edward Weevil stood on the opposite side with a look of effortless ease on his dim-witted face.
"Master Zephyr, you have to win!" Ain clenched her fists, praying in her heart.
She desperately wanted to rush in and fight by his side. But she knew that with her current level of power, charging in would not only fail to help him but would likely disrupt his rhythm and make his situation even more desperate.
"Ain... cough, cough... You... cough... You should take the others and leave first. If Master Zephyr truly falls, the scene left behind is not one he would want you to witness."
A heavily wounded Binz, supported by a medic, limped over to the tree where Ain stood. He forced the words out with agonizing effort.
"Binz..." Ain bit her lip, looking down at his pale face. It was clear she had no intention of following his advice and leaving her teacher's side.
"Don't worry about me. It's enough for me to stay here with Master Zephyr. In this state, I'd only be a burden to you anyway. Go! Do as Master Zephyr ordered and take them all away! If you keep being this stubborn, everyone here—including Mr. Rowan, whom the Master respects so much—will die! Do you really want Master Zephyr to see that happen?" Binz roared.
"But—"
"No more talk, Ain! Execute the order! Do it while the Master still has the strength to hold that monster back!" As Binz finished, he coughed up another gout of blood. If the medic hadn't brought blood bags matching his type, Binz would have likely died from blood loss long ago.
"Binz..."
Ain's heart was in a state of violent turmoil. In this moment, she had lost the decisiveness expected of an instructor. She was just a girl who wanted to save her teacher. She wanted to follow the orders and lead everyone away, but she wanted to stay even more.
Why?! Why is there no way to help him beat that guy?! Why! If only I were stronger...
Ain's heart wept. If she had the choice, she would gladly trade her life for Zephyr's. But she had no choice. She could only loathe her own weakness. As the chilling despair began to swallow her, she collapsed weakly against the trunk of the tree.
Exhale—
Just then, a long, leisurely exhale reached her ears. A thick cloud of tobacco smoke drifted into the air beside her, slowly dissipating.
Smelling that pungent scent, Ain suddenly recalled the concentrated, absolute killing intent she had felt back on the warship. A towering, majestic silhouette began to form in her mind.
"Wait... Mr. Rowan!"
Ain whipped her head around and fixed her gaze on Rowan. She scrambled to her feet and rushed to his side, grabbing his arm. Tears began to stream down her face. "Mr. Rowan, you're Master Zephyr's mentor! You must have a way to help him, right? Please... please save Master Zephyr!"
She didn't know why she was treating this hundred-year-old man as her final lifeline. Logically, she knew him only as an elderly veteran whose strength wasn't anything special. Yet, in this moment, she firmly believed that this man—who had remained perfectly calm through the entire ordeal—could truly save her teacher.
"Girl, I know you're anxious, but take a breath. As long as the Old Man is here, I won't let that little guy come to any harm."
Rowan calmly patted Ain's head, his voice soothing. Hearing his steady tone, Ain felt like a spring breeze had just washed over her. The crushing weight on her chest began to lift.
She turned her eyes back to the battlefield.
CLANG!CLANG-CLANG!
The sharp, screeching sound of metal clashing rang out repeatedly. Each time it echoed, the hearts of the Marines watching shuddered.
"Cursed bastard!"
Seeing Edward Weevil charging at him with unstoppable momentum, his blade gleaming under the sun as it aimed for his head, Zephyr grit his teeth and thrust the mechanical Smasher forward to block.
CLANG!!!
The violent collision rang in Zephyr's ears, causing a sharp pain in his eardrums. He used the impact to leap backward, putting several dozen meters between himself and Weevil. He stayed in place, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. He was reaching the end of his rope.
Why hasn't Ain taken the Master and left yet?! Glimpsing Rowan and the others still standing nearby, Zephyr's brow knit with frustration. But he had no time to dwell on it, because Edward Weevil was already roaring and charging again with his naginata raised high.