Chapter 36: Marineford
"Are you serious?!" Zoro cried out in alarm. Just recently, they had ended up with a crushing defeat by an admiral and those damn robots. Everyone was injured, and at first, Zoro thought they had died. However, when he saw that he had arrived somewhere else, he thought that the rest were similarly sent to other safer places.
Zoro might be someone absent-minded, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew that if this information had already reached his captain, Monkey D. Luffy, then his captain would jump without hesitation into this battle for the execution or salvation of Portgas D. Ace.
They, as a crew, had been through many battles and emerged victorious, but this last one hit them hard. Zoro realized that he was still weak. And in fact, he knew that Luffy was probably taking it the hardest, but hiding it deep down.
"I have to go..." Zoro muttered before gritting his teeth and running towards his swords, grabbing them, enduring all the pain in his body with sheer force of will.
"Wait a minute, you damn idiot! Do you realize how far away Marineford is?! How would you get there?!" Perogan shouted in exasperation and anger.
"I have to go so I can help Luffy!" Zoro shouted with a sharp look. "If I can't even fight by his side! Then I couldn't call myself a powerful swordsman accompanying the future pirate king!"
"Well, wait a minute. I can help you," Rias smiled slightly, catching Zoro's attention.
"In fact, Harry and Naruto can also help you recover. Likewise, we'll accompany you to Marineford."
"Why would you do that?" Zoro asked doubtfully.
Rias just smiled before answering, "Our goal is to defeat at least one admiral. This war is the perfect time for that and to gain some reputation."
"Anyway, it's impossible for all the members of the navy to arrive today, the war will probably start in a day or two. There's still time to get there."
"I can get to Marineford...", Harry said seriously. "But I'd need the money you guys have," he said looking at Naruto and Rias. The two of them nodded without any problems. Taking out their phones, they transferred all their points to Harry's profile.
In the end, Harry ended up with over twelve thousand points, and he would be left with almost nothing after the purchase he planned to make. He had checked the store while they were traveling to Kuraigana Island, so he knew what to buy.
"Naruto...", Rias called out.
"Ou!", Naruto smiled before approaching Zoro and placed his hand on the swordsman's torso. "Relax a little, I'll use a technique to heal you now."
Zoro just nodded, prepared to feel pain. But, all he felt was a warm feeling as Naruto's hand glowed a bluish-green color. By receiving the memories of Senju Hashirama and Ootsutsuki Asura, Naruto learned how to use Iryo-Ninjutsu, even being able to use it without hand seals on himself.
"Amazing!" Zoro exclaimed, grinning like crazy as he felt his wounds heal at an alarming speed. In just under two hours, he was as good as new and could move without problems.
"Come here..." Harry called out to Zoro now.
Zoro just walked over, no doubts. These boys seemed like good people and also incredible potential allies. Plus, being the recipient of Naruto's healing made him trust them more. However, when Harry tapped his forehead with a finger, he cursed in his mind the headache that invaded him.
"What was that?!" Zoro shouted angrily.
"Stir up your spiritual energy a bit so you can use it. In the few hours left, I'll inform you a little about the three powers called Haki. These are used by pirates and marines to be able to fight. In fact, you can use one of them to turn your swords black and not harm them, even harming Logia users."
Zoro blinked before showing his teeth in a crazy, battle-hungry grin.
. . .
The next day
"Aren't you coming, Perona?" Harry asked curiously.
"Are you crazy?..." Perona looked at him like he was a fool. "I have no need to seek my death. I'll stay here quietly."
Harry nodded before inhaling deeply and looking at the others.
"Alright, guys, we're leaving right now."
Zoro, Rias, and Naruto nodded seriously. Even though they were all eager for a good fight, the former was worried about his captain's brother and Luffy himself. As for the other two, they were serious because they were heading to a war. And, as small as its scale was when it came to the territory where it was happening, the powers that would be present would be powerful and worrying, so they knew it was no game.
And, unbeknownst to Zoro, his captain was challenging one of the most powerful men in the world, in the middle of a war. Both Marines and pirates looked at Monkey D. Luffy in surprise, shouting in Shirohige's face how he will become the Pirate King.
"Luffy...", both his grandfather and brother muttered the name of the Mugiwara crew captain. Both men were surprised by his sudden appearance. But, that surprise soon turned to worry.
"You better stay out of my way, brat."
Luffy looked at Shirohige before looking ahead and starting to prepare.
"I'll just do things my way."
And so, the war was back on track, with a new variable, a very unpredictable one. However, as Luffy ran with all his might, punching Marines to break through and fighting in every possible way, no one suspected a shadow approaching in the sky.
At least, not until it was already close.
"Mm?" Shirohige narrowed his eyes before looking up. Sengoku, Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji also looked up at the sky, feeling a strange wind.
"What is this feeling?" Marco the Phoenix commented as he felt a slight chill from the wind that began to pick up and the strange sound in the distance.
Swooossh~
Foowshh~
The wind suddenly swirled and picked up powerfully, creating tornadoes that slowly began to attract marines and pirates alike. However, at the same time as this was happening, Monkey D. Luffy had gotten close enough to the admirals, who moved their gaze towards him.
"Stop Mugiwara no Luffy!!", Sengoku shouted loudly, drawing everyone's attention. Luffy looked at the admirals seriously, but he was sweating profusely from all the running he had to do, the battles he had to fight before arriving at Marineford, and the memory of his previous battle with Kizaru.
Fortunately, an immense pressure surged from the heavens, striking down on everyone on earth in a powerful and merciless manner. The eyes of the vice-admirals, admirals, and pirates of equal or greater power widened as they understood what kind of power and pressure this was.
Supreme King Haki.
But, for a single person, it was too late. The immense pressure exerted by three people using Supreme King Haki and the sheer number of people caused a unique situation…
A single hidden person descended at a sky-shaking speed and a purple line formed behind him and he struck out with all the power of his three swords behind him. The frozen ground split for over a hundred meters and a single arm was cut off as blood sprayed to the side.
This person's eyes were fierce and in his mouth he held a katana. But, even with a sword in his mouth, his words were clear to everyone nearby.
"I hope you like that wound... Admiral-san."
Luffy stared in disbelief at the person in front of him. His eyes nearly popped out before his mouth opened in a huge, happy grin.
"ZOROOOO!!!"
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