Boom! Boom!
Violent winds swept in, carrying a large amount of dust and sharp gusts strong enough to cut through steel. Had it not been for Tsuru's timely intervention, many of the Marines would have surely perished in the aftershocks of the battle between the two.
"So strong! Both Vice Admiral Zephyr and Charlotte Linlin!"
Standing behind Tsuru, Seira struggled against the headwind, which blew so fiercely that her figure was clearly outlined beneath her Marine uniform.
But at this moment, no one had the time to admire such a graceful sight. Everyone was exerting their full strength just to stay safe amidst the shockwaves of the clash.
Some of the Marines, who had originally hoped to gain experience from this peak-level duel, now found it difficult even to stand steady, let alone observe and learn.
As a Marine who had followed Tsuru for many years, Seira had participated in many missions to capture Great Pirates, including those with bounties worth hundreds of millions.
However, in the past, they would only enter the field to clean up the aftermath after those Great Pirates had been defeated by powerful Marine generals like Tsuru.
This was the first time she had felt the clash of top-tier powerhouses from such a close distance.
At this moment, she finally truly understood what it meant to be a Great Pirate with a bounty exceeding one billion, and what a true "monster" was—the mere aftershocks of the battle made one lose even the thought of resisting.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The fierce battle between Charlotte Linlin and Zephyr lasted from noon until sunset.
By now, Zephyr's upper garment had long since been shredded, revealing his lean and solid upper body muscles. However, his aura had not weakened much, and the power of his punches, wrapped in Armament Haki, remained undiminished.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Linlin, clad in her Thunder God divine equipment, perfectly avoided the embarrassment of shredded clothes. Compared to half a day ago, she showed almost no change, aside from a flushed face from the intense combat and a few strands of hair stuck to her face by sweat, which only added a touch of moving charm.
Bang!
Pitch-black fists clashed once more with Haki-wrapped weapons, the resulting shockwave forcing both of them to retreat.
Charlotte Linlin glanced sideways at the Marines, who were already exhausted from trying to survive the aftershocks. By now, the fire wall surrounding the Marines had dissipated, and many of them were gradually withdrawing from the combat range.
She no longer had any intention of continuing the fight. She had already stalled these Marines for half a day for those Slaves, and her Armament Haki had reached a limit after countless clashes; there was no longer any need to keep fighting.
Moreover, if she didn't return soon, she felt Gloriosa would definitely come looking for her. There was no need to waste more time.
As the Seven Thunders of Purification between her lips dissipated, Charlotte Linlin looked at Zephyr, whose body glistened in the sunset due to sweat, and said:
"purple-haired, haven't found your answer yet?"
"As for the answer, the most direct way is to beat it out of your mouth! Also, my name is Zephyr!"
In the next instant, Zephyr vanished from his spot.
Boom!
A heavy punch slammed into the spot where Charlotte Linlin had been standing. The earth wailed, and countless rocks flew as another deep crater was added to the already ravaged ground.
"Tch... predicting the future is such a pain." The Haki on his fist dissipated as he clicked his tongue in annoyance.
As the smoke cleared, Charlotte Linlin's figure appeared nearby, completely unharmed.
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