"This is a difficult situation!" Looking at the two giants holding sharp blades in front of him, Zephyr's face was solemn. These two giants are very strong! His Observation Haki could sense the powerful aura emanating from these two people.
But… "I am Zephyr the Black Arm!" With absolute determination in his eyes, Zephyr brandished his iron fists and attacked Rhodes and the others again.
"Sun Saw!" Dorry and Brogy raised their weapons at the same time. The two men who had been dueling on this island for nearly a hundred years finally joined forces again, but their movements were not awkward at all. They could almost be said to be the people who understood each other best in the world. Their two weapons crossed and slashed towards Zephyr, making violent whistling sounds as they were swung.
Facing the oncoming attack, Zephyr also showed a smile on his face. He hasn't experienced such an intense battle in a long time!
Boom!!! Zephyr's fist suddenly blasted out, and his powerful Haki was vented without reservation, clashing against the two oncoming attacks. As they fought, Rhodes's body burst out, and the Haki, like flowing fire, flowed through his body, unscrupulously proclaiming Rhodes's strength.
"Six Kings Gun!" While Zephyr was fighting the two giants, Rhodes appeared above them and swung down with a long-accumulated attack. The Haki of his whole body wrapped around Rhodes's arms, and as he released all the strength in his body, the strong Haki also rushed towards Zephyr without reservation. The powerful impact instantly hit Zephyr, causing his face to change, and Dorry and Brogy also seized the opportunity to exert force suddenly. An even more powerful force burst out from their bodies, knocking Zephyr away.
"As expected, he is a born evil little pirate!" The smoke cleared, revealing Zephyr with torn clothes. There was still a trace of blood on his mouth, and it was obvious that the previous blow had caused him considerable damage. More importantly, Rhodes keenly noticed that Zephyr's breathing was a little disordered.
"It's just a courtesy!" Rhodes had no obsession with one-on-one duels, nor did he have any self-restraint against sneak attacks. To him, only fallen enemies were good enemies. At present, the two giant uncles had temporarily recovered some of their physical strength and could join the battle, but it was not known how long they could last. Zephyr's breathing was already a little disordered. As long as they continued to attack him until his asthma attacked, they would be successful.
Splitting Up and Scouting the Navy
"Shall we just leave?" Bepo followed Law toward the shore, looking back frequently at the battlefields.
"Our ultimate goal is not to defeat the Navy, but to leave safely," Law said without turning his head. "How do you think these three Marines got here?"
"Warship!" Robin also followed Law. "However, up to now, we have only seen these three sailors, and we still don't know where they came from, how many warships they have, and where they are parked." She added, "Besides, I am more worried about whether the enemy has discovered our Polaris. If that happens, we will be in trouble."
As he spoke, Bepo pushed aside a bush in front of him.
"Navy!" Behind the bushes were several teams of naval soldiers armed with guns.
"ROOM——" The moment he saw the Navy, Law's ability was activated, and a light blue halo quickly expanded.
"Clutch!" Before Law could make a move, Robin activated her ability. Several arms suddenly grew out of the joints of many naval soldiers. With a series of "crack" sounds, the naval soldiers fell one by one.
"I left two people here, and they should be able to find out some information." Robin pointed to the two Marines who were slumped to the ground in fear. I just want to know some basic information, and this kind of Navy soldier who looks weak is just right for me.
"Good, there's only one Navy ship, and they haven't spotted our Polaris yet." After understanding the situation, Law glanced at his companions. "Gray, Bepo, the two of you take Minina back to the Polar Tang and get ready for sailing."
"Robin, come with me; let's seize the warship!"
"Rob the warship?" Robin questioned. "Of course, this is just my idea. What to do will depend on the situation. In the worst case, the warship must be destroyed."
"Then let's split up."
Tactical Retreat and a Parting Shot
"Ahem…" After another collision, Zephyr's face suddenly turned red, and he started coughing violently.
"It seems that we are the winners!" Dorry and Brogy half-knelt on the ground, leaning on their weapons. The food prepared by Minina seemed to only give them a brief burst of energy. After fighting for a short while, they are tried again. However, compared to before, their condition was much better.
"Can you still move, Brogy, Dorry?" Rhodes asked.
"Of course!"
"Then come with us. The Navy already knew about this place."
The two giants looked at each other. "Ga ba ba ba, since it's a friend's invitation, then we won't be polite!" Brogy roared. "However, we cannot sail with you. We need to return to Elbaf."
"Of course!"
"Little devil, I haven't fallen yet!" Hearing that Rhodes and the others had already discussed how to leave, Zephyr glared at them.
"When you get older, just stay at the Navy Headquarters and enjoy your retirement!" Rhodes looked at the old Marine opposite him. This is a Navy man worthy of admiration. However, his life was not happy. In the original timeline, his later years were not peaceful either.
"Our captain has told you not to move." Penguin and Shachi came over, protecting Binz on the left and right. "After all, you don't want anything to happen to your lovely students."
"Although he has nothing to do with cuteness…" Shachi muttered.
"You!" Taking a look at the held-hostage disciple Binz, Zephyr's mind flashed back to the scene three years ago, and his heart suddenly tightened. Is what happened back then going to happen again? Zephyr looked at Penguin and Shachi with a fierce look, which made them both tremble slightly in their hearts.
"Don't move!" Penguin warned Zephyr. "I am the bomber who ate the Bomb-Bomb Fruit. I have placed special bombs all over his body. I can detonate those bombs at any time."
"That's right, I'm the Explosive Man who ate the Pop-Pop Fruit. If you make any unusual moves, I'll make all his clothes explode!"
"Hateful!" Zephyr was furious, but there was nothing he could do. The asthma attack made it impossible for him to continue the high-intensity battle.
"It looks like we have won a great victory." Genos came over carrying Ain.
"Ain!"
"Don't worry, she just fainted." Genos put Ain on the ground, took out a cigarette, and lit it for himself. This woman is not only a swordsman, but also a Devil Fruit user. If Nia hadn't come to support him later, if he had only relied on himself, there was no telling how long it would take him to exhaust her strength.
"What should we do, Rhodes?" Neru still held his black gun tightly in his hand. There were no visible scars on his body, but there was a trace of fatigue in his eyes that was difficult to conceal.
Seeing Neru's eye signal, Rhodes shook his head slightly. They didn't have enough strength now. Even though Zephyr was not in good condition, Rhodes did not dare to kill him easily. After all, the current Zephyr is not the Z in the movie who wanted to destroy the New World, but the former admiral of the Navy Headquarters who trained countless outstanding naval generals. If Rhodes killed Zephyr here, there was no telling what kind of pursuit he would face from the Navy next. And killing the only two disciples of Zephyr who were left after the attack three years ago, just for the possible acquisition of the Retro-Retro Fruit and the Flourishing Fruit, was not a wise decision.
"Old man, you lose this time!" Rhodes looked at Zephyr and threw both Ain and Binz in front of him. "But you won the battle between us. Next time we meet, I will take off your prosthesis and keep it as my trophy!"
Rhodes turned around and walked towards the shore with his companions.
"That's right!" Rhodes suddenly turned his head. "You Navy guys, hurry up and give me a new nickname! Bastard!"
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Rhodes, with the temporary assistance of the revitalized Brogy and Dorry, successfully combines his Six Kings Gun with Haki, inflicting significant damage and disrupting Zephyr's breathing. Meanwhile, Law leads Robin and the rest of the crew to investigate the arriving Navy forces, discovering a single warship. Law devises a plan to either seize or destroy the ship, splitting the crew to prepare for departure. With Ain and Binz captured and Zephyr incapacitated by an asthma attack and the threat to his students, Rhodes issues a taunting farewell, leaving the former admiral defeated but alive, and demanding a new nickname from the Navy.
What will be the immediate consequences of Rhodes's decision to spare Zephyr and his disciples? How will the capture of the Navy warship impact the Rhodes Pirates' journey and their reputation? And what new nickname will the Navy bestow upon Rhodes after this daring escape?