Cold sweat dripped down the faces of the Marine snipers.
They were elite soldiers, hand‑picked for the mission to subdue Grimm, yet all they felt now was absolute, crushing despair.
One sniper, unable to bear the pressure any longer, cried out to Sakazuki, "Vice Admiral… it's impossible to aim! He moves too fast!"
The words had barely left his mouth when a flash of red appeared behind him. Zephyr — his body swollen and engorged with blood — stood directly in front of the soldier.
He kicked him violently, yet before the man could even fly backward, Zephyr's hand clamped onto his head.
Plasma‑like blood slowly wriggled out like tentacles and pierced into the sniper's body.
After a scream of agony, every drop of blood in the soldier was drained and absorbed into Zephyr's frame.
Sakazuki watched in horror as the wounds covering Zephyr's body began to close and heal before his eyes.
"He heals by draining the blood of others…?! Damn it! What kind of power is this?!"
Sakazuki knew there was no choice left — he had to step in himself. He could order a retreat, but they wouldn't be able to escape fast enough.
Worse still… he might very well die here, killed by his own former teacher.
Suddenly, Zephyr raised his left hand high. It too had transformed into a terrifying, blood‑red limb.
Sakazuki's heart sank. He immediately leaped backward. The moment he moved, an immense suction force erupted from Zephyr's left hand, forming a dark red whirlwind.
It pulled everything within a fifty‑meter cone toward him. A dozen Marines, too slow to react, screamed as they were dragged into the very center of the vortex.
At that exact moment, Zephyr swung the blood‑sword in his right hand.
SWISH!
A devastating slash cut through the air, cleaving every Marine caught in the whirlwind in two. Their blood sprayed out, soaking Zephyr completely, and was absorbed instantly through his skin.
"What kind of power is this?!" Sakazuki was stunned. Since when did our teacher learn swordsmanship?
And such destructive slashes… they rival the strength of any Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral!
"But you have strayed from the path of Justice! I hereby place you under arrest… in the name of Justice!"
Sakazuki roared. Ignoring the blinding pain in his shoulders, he transformed both hands into churning magma.
Like a living artillery battery, he unleashed a full‑powered bombardment straight at Zephyr.
Zephyr now was nothing more than a mindless beast, driven only by bloodlust and slaughter.
He completely ignored evasion. Seeing Sakazuki's attack coming, he met it head‑on with his blood‑sword.
CRACK!
GURGLE!
Scorching heat radiated outward. For nearly three seconds, they were locked in deadlock. Sakazuki gritted his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.
He forced his shattered, fractured shoulder to bear the weight, trying to withstand Zephyr's monstrous strength.
After just one exchange, Sakazuki's face twisted in agony. The moment his grip weakened even slightly, Zephyr seized the opening.
Sakazuki was blasted away again. Zephyr pursued instantly, grabbing Sakazuki's head with one hand, intending to drain him dry just like the sniper before.
"I WILL NOT DIE HERE!"
Sakazuki knew exactly what Zephyr intended. The instant he was grabbed, he turned one arm into magma and drove it hard into Zephyr's stomach.
The pain forced Zephyr to let go, giving Sakazuki a momentary reprieve from death.
But his expression changed drastically immediately afterward. Both shoulders trembled uncontrollably. It was clear — he was still at a total disadvantage.
Meanwhile, Zephyr paid no attention to the burn wound on his abdomen.
All the blood spilled on the ground around them flowed upward, gathering and filling the injury, which healed almost instantly.
Watching this, Grimm couldn't help but compare. My Holy Light healing powers seem pathetic compared to this… damn it! Zephyr has practically turned into the True Red Dog! His regeneration is monstrous!
He couldn't help but mock silently: I'd like to see you try claiming the title of 'Akainu' — the Red Dog — in front of this version of Zephyr, Sakazuki!
At the same time, Grimm let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness… otherwise, the Magma Fruit would have gone to waste."
What he meant was simple: if Sakazuki had been absorbed completely, even if Grimm defeated Zephyr later, he wouldn't have been able to bring Sakazuki's corpse back for Kel'Thuzad to study and transform into a Death Knight.
He had almost forgotten that detail. Thankfully, the Fake Red Dog wasn't completely brainless.
Hah… haa… haa…
Sakazuki dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. He had already sent reports about the situation to command through other soldiers, but the idea of stopping this monster was laughable.
When Sakazuki first enlisted, Zephyr had already resigned as Admiral to become an instructor. Sakazuki belonged to Zephyr's very first class of students.
Because of this, he had never actually seen Zephyr fight in his prime, when he held the highest rank.
But surely… surely he couldn't have been stronger than this?
His strength and speed had reached terrifying levels. He possessed instant regeneration. Sea Prism Stone was useless against him. He was literally a monster.
If Zephyr had a single weakness now, it was his head. If Sakazuki could team up with Kuzan and Borsalino, they might be able to subdue him.
But right now? There was no one here capable of coordinating with him. It was hopeless.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki…"
The remaining Marines felt they had reached the end. They had sent word to Vice Admiral Kuzan, the closest reinforcement.
His reply was that he would freeze the ocean surface to speed his travel and come as fast as possible… but even then, it would take over six hours.
Six hours?! They had barely been fighting for less than twenty minutes and were already half dead. Did they need him to come collect their corpses?!
The True Red Dog Zephyr stood over the dying Akainu, raised his blood‑sword, and prepared to deliver the final blow.
The other Marines wanted to stop him, but they were completely powerless.
Sakazuki looked up at his former teacher. Blood poured from his mouth and nostrils.
He wasn't afraid of death… but to die at the hands of his own people? That was just too humiliating.
"NO! PLEASE, INSTRUCTOR ZEPHYR!!"
"STOP! PLEASE, STOP!!"
Zephyr's sword was halfway down when it suddenly froze in mid‑air. His grip loosened, and blood sprayed violently from his right hand. He groaned in pain.
"N… no… damn it…!"
This was the first time since his transformation that Sakazuki and the others had heard Zephyr speak.
It sounded as if two distinct personalities were waging a war inside him, two consciousnesses fighting for control of the same body.
"Can you really bring yourself to strike them down… Mr. Zephyr?" Grimm watched from a distance.
All other "heretics" in Altdimir had already been consumed by the ghouls, so now he could sit back and enjoy the show leisurely.
Whether Sakazuki survived or died… it was entirely up to fate now.
"VICE ADMIRAL SAKAZUKI! RUN! NOW!"
The Marines didn't understand exactly what was happening to Zephyr, but they knew without a doubt — this was their only chance.
__________________
For more advance chapters visit patreon.com/bars45.
For 10$- All advance chapters.
"Schedule"
Monday - Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day
Saturday - Sunday - Off