One Piece: Burning the Sun God to Ash

The repaired warship finally emerged from the Calm Belt.

The gentle breeze blowing in brought an especially pleasant mood.

The soldiers training on deck were full of energy and enthusiasm.

On this day—

"Ou! Ou!"

A different kind of seagull flew overhead.

It wore a white cap and had a small red satchel hanging from its neck.

News Birds don't appear inside the Calm Belt.

They had been cut off from outside information for nearly half a month.

Sakazuki waved his hand, and the News Bird descended.

The adjutant beside him pulled out 100 Belly and handed it to the News Bird.

The News Bird nimbly accepted the payment, passed over a newspaper, and then flew away.

Sakazuki took the newspaper and flipped through it.

The chaos in the New World continued.

Eighty percent of the newspaper's front page was all about the pirates of the New World.

"Sky Pirates recruit three new captains again!"

"Whitebeard seizes the Krini Archipelago!"

"Marine Hero Garp battles the Roger Pirates for three days!"

"BIGMOM's twenty-first son is born, another addition to the Charlotte family!"

"Beasts Pirates stun the world..."

"Blizzard Pirates..."

"Steam Sea..."

Each headline was followed by a brief summary of the event.

In general, the turmoil in the New World was only growing more intense.

Rustle!

The sound of turning pages.

One entire page was taken up by a huge wanted poster and a glaring blood-red headline that caught Sakazuki's attention.

"World Destroyer! Byrnndi World!"

"Bounty: 200,000,000"

"Dead or Alive!"

After a moment of thought, Sakazuki remembered who this was.

Byrnndi World, user of the More-More Fruit.

He could multiply the speed, strength, volume, and weight of anything he touched, up to one hundred times.

He always carried a musket with him.

A bullet magnified one hundred times could destroy a warship with a single shot.

His overwhelming Devil Fruit powers made him swell with arrogance.

He would destroy everything in his path, whether pirate, Marine, or innocent civilian.

Thus, he was branded the "World Destroyer."

Later, he was captured by a CP agent planted by the World Government through underhanded means.

He was frozen at the bottom of Impel Down for thirty years until Blackbeard released the prisoners and he escaped.

During those thirty years, one of his old crewmates built a massive ship the size of a small island.

It had a giant cannon, and during its first test run, World destroyed an entire island.

Looking at Byrnndi World's wanted poster, Sakazuki fell into thought. The World Government... frozen...

"...."

"...."

Rustle!

He handed the newspaper to the adjutant.

There was nothing else of value in it.

Ahead, the faint outline of an island appeared, and more and more small black dots dotted the sea surface.

All of them were heading toward the island.

The adjutant took the newspaper and stored it away before asking:

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki."

"We're approaching the island ahead. Should we resupply?"

Sakazuki nodded slightly, his voice indifferent:

"Full speed ahead."

...

As the warship accelerated.

The outline of the island gradually became clearer, and more ships appeared around it.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Boom! Boom!

...

"Hmm?"

The faint sound of explosions rang out. Sakazuki looked toward the direction of the sound.

He could barely make out two small black dots slowly getting closer, water splashing around them.

He reached out and took the telescope handed over by the adjutant.

A pirate ship and a Marine warship were exchanging cannon fire while charging at each other.

Seeing this, Sakazuki put down the telescope and said to the adjutant:

"Turn the ship. Head over there."

Receiving the order, the adjutant passed it down. The warship turned and charged toward the two vessels.

In the distance.

The two ships accelerated, charging at full speed.

Boom!

They collided directly.

The ships rocked violently.

But clearly, the warship was sturdier.

Its bow smashed through the pirate ship's front and embedded itself into the deck.

Gunfire and the clashing of blades broke out, intertwining with each other.

"Kill them all!!!!!!"

"Charge!!!"

"Slaughter these Marine bastards!!!"

"Eliminate them!!"

"For justice!!!"

"Kill!!!"

Countless Marines leapt onto the pirate ship, and both sides shouted and battled in a chaotic melee.

Leading the Marines was a Captain who had his sights set on the pirate captain—Scythe Dobin, with a bounty of 94 million.

Swish!

The leading Captain vanished in an instant, appearing behind Scythe Dobin.

His fingers were shaped into a dragon claw, coated in Armament Haki.

The blackened clawed hand reached for Dobin's neck.

Dobin spun around, both hands transforming into steel scythes to block the claw.

He gave a ferocious grin. The strange mantis, about half the size of a head, that was on his hat vanished and appeared above the Captain.

The mantis's sickle-like forelimbs stabbed viciously toward the Captain's head.

Clang!

The Captain's head was coated in Armament Haki. He kicked Dobin away.

As his form disappeared again, the strange mantis lost its footing and began to fall through the air.

The Captain reappeared and reached out with his dragon claw, aiming to crush the mantis.

Buzz!!!

The mantis's six wings vibrated rapidly.

Whoosh!

It vanished mid-air in a flash.

It reappeared above the fallen-back Dobin.

Clang!

The Captain's limbs, coated with Haki, clashed against Dobin.

Scythes collided with Haki, sparking endlessly. Those nearby retreated to avoid being caught in the shockwaves.

Dobin's legs turned into long, straight scythes that swept outward, sending a crescent-shaped blade of energy flying.

Just as the Captain was about to dodge, he furrowed his brows.

Both of his hands, coated in Armament Haki, grabbed the slash.

Dragged backward by the force of the blade.

Boom!

The blade shattered in his hands.

The Captain looked at his opponent with a serious gaze. He had to finish this quickly.

That blade just now—if he had dodged, it would've split some Marine soldiers in half.

And there weren't just Marines over there—there were also Dobin's subordinates.

Cruel, without limits. If this wasn't resolved fast, who knew what would happen?

Clang!

Sparks flew!

Using the momentum of Soru, the Captain charged at Dobin, dragging him toward the edge, slamming into the railing.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!...

Seeing the tide of battle begin to turn in the Marines' favor—

A strange sound came from Scythe Dobin's mouth, and the mantis above his head buzzed its wings.

BZZZZT!!!

It charged left, while Dobin lunged to the right.

Man and insect each targeted ordinary Marine soldiers mid-battle.

The Captain instinctively moved toward Dobin.

But thinking of the soldiers on the other side, he hesitated for a split second—and just then—

BANG!

The flying mantis suddenly exploded without warning, turning into a mist of blood.

"What...!!!"

"Ugh!!!!"

Dobin's pupils shrank suddenly. A massive shadow appeared in front of him.

A giant black hand pressed directly down toward his head. He tried to dodge, but it was too late.

The hand landed on his face.

Crack! Crack!

The sound of bones shattering rang out, but the scream of pain never emerged.

CRACK!!!

With a burst of force, the owner of the black hand crushed Dobin until he stopped moving.

Casually, he flung the corpse aside, turning to the Captain.

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki."

The Captain breathed a sigh of relief after seeing both Dobin and the mantis eliminated. He stepped forward and saluted.

"Hmm."

Sakazuki nodded in response.

The more he looked at this Captain, the more familiar he seemed:

"What's your name?"

Snap!

The Captain stood at attention and saluted.

"I am a Captain of Marine Headquarters, based in Marineford."

"Monkey D. Dragon."

"Awaiting your orders."

---

read +100 chapters on Patreon tambeerg