Chapter 127: A Chance Encounter with the Ship-Crusher

The next day, two warships set off from Marineford.

One was Karl's original Seastone warship, and the other was the Marine warship remodeled from the *Salamander*, which Karl renamed the *Holy Light*.

The *Holy Light* was a steam-powered warship with Seastone installed at the bottom. Other specifications were similar to a standard warship, and the word "Karl" was painted on the sails, clearly indicating his identity.

Karl, of course, chose to stay on the new ship; after all, men are always fond of the new and tired of the old, so the old ship was left to Nelson.

"This ship is really fast!"

Karl nodded and glanced at Ain. Today she was wearing a white Marine uniform, a short skirt, and black stockings, creating a sense of uniform temptation. Karl couldn't help but take a few extra looks.

To sum it up in two words: very moist.

"After going to the New World this time, I might be stationed there for a long time. Facing even more vicious opponents, are you afraid?"

Ain turned to look at Karl, bit her lower lip, and reached out to straighten Karl's collar before saying: "With you here, I'm not afraid."

Karl revealed a faint smile: "You trust me that much, huh!"

"*Heehee*, of course. You're the man who went deep into Totto Land alone and repelled the head of the Sweet Commanders!"

Karl showed a strange expression: "That's just what those news writers are saying. Katakuri didn't have much stamina left to begin with, otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to defeat him."

"That's still impressive, alright. Huh! What's that ahead... a pirate ship!"

"Let me see!"

Karl immediately signaled his subordinates to bring him a telescope to observe the situation on the sea ahead.

Coming into view was a massive mammoth head with long tusks on both sides. The sails were blood-red, with a skull pattern that looked Move Move Like tusks.

"Jack! It's actually this guy?"

On the other side.

"Boss, a Marine warship has appeared ahead. According to the name, it should be Marine Vice Admiral Karl's ship. This guy just defeated Big Mom's Katakuri; he's very troublesome! Should we run away?"

Karl—that's the pretty-boy Marine. He had seen him when he was captured last time.

If he remembered correctly, that pretty boy had said it was best not to run into him on the sea, because once they did, he guaranteed he would die a miserable death.

*Heh*, today, we finally met!

Jack's eyes widened, and he slapped the subordinate who was urging him to run away, roaring: "Who do you think I am? Just a Vice Admiral, I can kill him easily!"

"Hey! You guys, steer the ship over! I want to meet this guy!"

Not long after, Jack's ship moved rapidly toward the *Holy Light*.

"This guy is charging at us. Everyone, prepare for battle."

"Report, sir, should we open fire?"

Karl stroked his chin: "Notify Nelson, once they enter range, both ships will begin a volley."

"Yes!"

Karl looked at Jack's ship with interest, thinking that this kid was indeed reckless; there weren't many pirates as brave as him left.

Then again, he had dared to approach a ship carrying Sengoku, Tsuru, and Fujitora in the future; he was just a Vice Admiral, so what was there to be afraid of?

"Ain, if they want to engage in boarding combat later, you come with me onto their ship and fight there."

Ain nodded: "Understood. Do you know that guy?"

"Yeah! One of the All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates, Jack the Drought. Ancient Zoan type, Mammoth form, thick-skinned and sturdy."

"Oh... in that case, he shouldn't be very fast! Or rather, not very agile?"

Watching Jack's ship get closer and closer, already approaching cannon range, Karl drew *Shusui* and *Raiu* and twisted his neck: "Correct. To be precise, other than being durable, he has no other advantages."

"FIRE!!!"

*Bang bang bang!

Both warships fired a volley, and cannonballs filled the sky, smashing toward Jack's ship.

Suddenly, a massive mammoth appeared on Jack's ship, swinging its long trunk to intercept the cannonballs, even scooping them up and throwing them back at Karl's ship.

"What are you all standing there for? FIRE!"

*Bang bang bang!

The pirates also quickly began to counterattack. Countless cannonballs flew into the sky, falling around the *Holy Light*, but not a single one could hit the warship.

Because Karl's flying slashes were not to be trifled with.

"That's enough, Ain, let's go!"

Ain nodded, and her figure vanished along with Karl's, stepping on *Geppo* to charge toward Jack's ship.

"Boss, two Marines are flying toward us!"

"I can see! You don't need to tell me!"

Jack had just finished roaring at his subordinates when Karl and Ain arrived on the deck. Karl looked at Jack with a smile: "Yo, isn't this Jack the Drought? Long time no see!"

"Hmph, pretty boy, you've got guts, daring to run onto my ship. That saves me the trouble! Men, kill him!"

*Bang bang bang*, several *shamate*-style pirate grunts immediately raised their guns, aiming at Karl and Ain.

*Bang bang bang bang~*

Countless bullets shot out. Karl slowly extended his hand, releasing his Haki to form an invisible barrier, blocking all the bullets.

"Ain, leave those grunts to you. Don't leave a single one."

*Swish~* Short swords popped out from Ain's sleeves, and her figure suddenly vanished, appearing in front of a pirate grunt and killing him in one strike.

"Jack, looks Move Move Like your luck isn't very good! You ran into me so soon. What did I tell you?"

"Hmph! Pretty boy, don't think I'm afraid of you. I am Jack the Drought!!!"

Jack the Mammoth charged at Karl, attempting to ram him away. However, Karl used *Soru* to easily dodge Jack's impact and backhanded him with a slash.

"AH!! That hurts Move Move Like hell!"

Jack immediately turned back into human form. Reckless as he was, he wasn't stupid; the mammoth form was too clumsy. To deal with a guy Move Move Like Karl who had flexible footwork, he had to fight in human form to have a chance of winning.

"I heard your bounty is 600 million now. I think 500 million of that is just for the tusks! Hey, speaking of which, why did I just discover a business opportunity?"

"Look, your tusks are so valuable, and they grow back after being cut. Why don't we cooperate?"

"You provide the tusks, I sell them for money, and we split it 30-70. Everyone makes a profit, how about that?"

The enraged Jack pulled out the two tusk-shaped scimitars from his shoulders and slashed viciously at Karl, roaring: "GO TO HELL!!!"

*Soru.

Karl dodged Jack's attack and looked up at him, gripping *Shusui* and *Raiu* tightly: "Two-Sword Style: Raven Feather."

*Bang!

Karl stomped his left foot on the deck, instantly leaving a footprint, and his figure vanished instantly, leaving only a purple and a red blade light extending behind Jack.

Jack stood there blankly, looking down at his chest.

*Sss~* Blood exploded...