Chapter 42: Ohara's Demon-Slaying Decree (Final)

West Sea, Ohara waters.

In the distance, thick smoke rolled and cannon fire raged over Ohara, surrounding Saint Saint Saiwen again with a long-forgotten sense of failure: if only they had arrived sooner, this trip would not have been in vain.

What a failure. Even with the perspective of a god, the course of history still does not bend to individual will.

"Sorry, Mengxiang Yixin, we are late."

Mengxiang Yixin gripped his sheathed sword, Gambler's Firing Line: "Captain, there may still be survivors on the island."

Saint Saint Saiwen nodded heavily: "Prepare for battle."

Even though we are late, every life saved counts.

Anyone opposing the World Government, regardless of motive or chance of success, would receive his support; he, Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, would certainly lend his strength.

The Donghai Dihuang surged in speed, racing from the other side of the Navy warships toward the Ohara coastline.

On the Navy warship, a lookout shouted loudly.

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, an unknown vessel has appeared to the northeast. Should we fire?"

"Fire!"

At Sakazuki's command, ten Navy warships turned their bows and unleashed full firepower toward the direction of the unknown dragon-headed ship with red sails.

Boom~ Boom~ Boom~

Cannonballs as dense as a rain curtain sealed off every direction around the Donghai Dihuang.

On the deck, Mihawk had just drawn the black blade Yoru from behind him, but saw Mengxiang Yixin step forward to volunteer.

"Mr. Mihawk, leave it to me."

Holding his sheathed sword, Gambler's Firing Line, Mengxiang Yixin drew the blade without fully unsheathing it; gravity waves spread out like ripples, dragging the incoming barrage of cannonballs straight into the sea.

Immediately after—

Countless purple gravity rings around Mengxiang Yixin, like a relay race, shot to the sky in the blink of an eye, forcibly dragging two extraterrestrial meteorites downward.

"Captain, Mr. Mihawk and I will hold off the Navy; please bring the survivors from the island onto the ship."

"No need for such trouble."

In the instant Saint Saint Saiwen drew his sword.

Red-black Haki transformed into substantial Lei Ting, originating from Mengxiang Yixin, and with near-lightning speed, covered the entire sea area in an instant.

Mengxiang Yixin: 100% Haki amplification.

Among the three types of Haki, Saint Saint Saiwen's strongest was Conqueror's Haki; amplified by 100%, its power was nothing short of world-destroying and terrifying.

On the ten warships, over ten thousand Navy soldiers all rolled their eyes back, like a tower of cards violently knocked over, and collapsed unconscious in a single breath.

It took only a single glance.

Of the massive Navy fleet that came to Ohara to execute the Buster Call, only Sakazuki and three other Vice Admirals remained standing.

The Donghai Dihuang anchored steadily at the shore; Saint Saint Saiwen looked at Mihawk and the other two.

"Mr. Mihawk, Mengxiang Yixin, I leave it to you."

"Yes, Captain."

Saint Saint Saiwen rushed onto the island to retrieve the books and search for survivors, while Mihawk, flying atop a bamboo dragonfly, lifted Mengxiang Yixin and descended from the deck to the shore.

At this moment, the two meteorites Mengxiang Yixin had summoned earlier broke through the clouds and crashed down toward the Navy fleet.

"Look up at the sky..."

The falling meteorites grew larger as they approached, their massive shadow looming over the fleet, pressing down so heavily it stole everyone's breath.

Mole stood beside Sakazuki, feeling his mouth dry and his throat struggling to swallow twice.

"This... this... meteorites?!"

The Devil Fruits of the Navy's three monstrous Vice Admirals were already enough to defy heaven, but compared to the shock brought by the meteorites, they now seemed almost gentle.

"Great Explosion."

Sakazuki shouted fiercely, not forgetting to warn: "Watch out for flying debris!"

If the meteorites fell, the over ten thousand unconscious Navy soldiers would be completely buried beneath the sea.

Violent explosions erupted; Sakazuki shattered the two meteorites into countless fragments, which splashed onto the sea surface, raising countless waves.

Sakazuki narrowed his eyes, feeling that the white hair just now was so glaring.

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen!"

"Dracule Mihawk!"

"They really are together."

The news from Navy Headquarters had initially seemed to Sakazuki like an alarmist exaggeration.

However, with Barzab alone eliminating over ten thousand soldiers, and with Mihawk on the shore and another purple-robed swordsman provoking him, Sakazuki turned completely red with rage.

"Barzab! You truly deserve to die!!"

Sakazuki directly elementalized his lower body, activated magma propulsion, and launched an attack from the Navy warship toward the shore.

"Meteor Volcano!"

Magma fists, like a shower of meteoric fire, continuously fell from the sky, launching an all-around assault.

Mengxiang Yixin swung his sword to meet the enemy, layers of gravity waves clashing fiercely with the raging magma.

"Gravity Blade: Tiger."

On the other side, the other three Navy Vice Admirals, led by Mole, used Soru to step onto the moon and arrived at the shore, surrounding Mihawk.

"Dracule Mihawk, a man like you, why do you ally with thieves?"

Though they had just parted, Mihawk already missed Captain Saint Saint Saiwen; if the Captain were here, he would surely retort with fierce words on his behalf.

What I do does not require Navy permission!

Unlike now, where he could only respond with his sword; a cultured man retorting with words would be undignified.

Unlike the fierce battle on the shore.

Another Navy Vice Admiral, Kuzan, sat on a rock, chatting with a pitch-black, tear-streaked little girl with black hair.

"Absolute Justice..."

"... sometimes turns people into weapons."

"I originally prepared a ship for you, wanting to see what kind of tree would grow from the seed Sauro protected with his life."

"Now... follow him and go."

As the words fell, crackling electricity instantly coalesced into a human silhouette.

Gazing at the silhouette before him, Kuzan's eyes, covered by sunglasses, revealed no clear emotion.

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen."

"Hurry and leave. The World Government and the Navy have received news; the one coming to support us will surely be the new Navy Admiral, Kizaru."

Kuzan was already resistant to executing the Buster Call, and Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen had once reached the Final Island, making him the pirate with the weakest intent toward the Ohara scholars among all pirates.

For the little girl, it could be considered a good destination.

"Thank you."

Saint Saint Saiwen had just picked up the pitch-black little girl when he heard Kuzan ask a question.

"What is your pirate crew's name?"

"The Morning Star Pirates. The captain is me, the first mate is Mihawk, and the official crew member is Tenghu Ichi."

"Morning Star?" Kuzan pondered: "The brightest star in the night sky before dawn?"

"Yes." Saint Saint Saiwen said casually: "The star that disappears from the sky after dawn."

"See you later."

After delivering the little girl to the Donghai Dihuang, Saint Saint Saiwen made several more trips back and forth, bringing back a few Ohara scholars who were still breathing from the island.

Then, several flying slash attacks covered Sakazuki.

"Misan, Ichi, retreat."

Mihawk unleashed a flying slash attack, crushing three Vice Admirals, and shot straight into the sky, while Ichi, taking advantage of the gap while Sakazuki was under attack, stepped on broken stones and flew into the air.

On the shore, Sakazuki's face turned iron-green, and even the cigar in his mouth was bitten in half.

"Naturally evil pirate brat!"

Saint Saint Saiwen treated Sakazuki's outburst as mere impotent rage; it was just trash talk, after all. He had never lost an argument in his life: Come on, hurt each other!

"Heh, Red Dog, is this how the Navy slaughters civilians to display so-called Justice?"

"Being someone's dog and still feeling superior."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk."

"If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to wear the cloak of Justice. It must be your thick skin; even I, a naturally evil pirate brat, can't stand to watch."

In mid-air, Mihawk pressed his lips and said nothing.

That's the flavor. Continue, don't stop.

Ichi looked utterly shocked; the captain's other side... that mouth... was truly infuriating.

Sakazuki laughed in extreme anger.

"If you have the guts, don't run."

"Fine."

Saint Saint Saiwen drew his sword from his waist, unleashed a flying slash attack at extreme speed, and simultaneously signaled Mihawk to set sail and leave first.

The Magma Fruit's explosion was too terrifying; they had to wait until the Donghai Dihuang was far enough from Sakazuki's range to truly retreat.

Saint Saint Saiwen did not want the newly purchased Donghai Dihuang to be damaged by magma on its maiden voyage; it wasn't about the 100 maintenance points, but rather bad luck.

At this moment, Kuzan, who had disappeared for a long time after the Buster Call, finally arrived.

"Sakazuki, I will block them."

Although some small accidents occurred during the execution of the Buster Call... the surface work still had to be done, otherwise, would he still be an Admiral?

As Kuzan and Ichi moved away from the two fighting, they also moved further from the Donghai Dihuang. Sensing the other's intent, Ichi silently remembered this cold-outside, warm-inside, righteous Navy Vice Admiral.

Unlike the health-preserving duel between the two.

In another battlefield, Sakazuki fought with near-mad desperation, seeking only to kill Saint Saint Saiwen as quickly as possible.

"Great Eruption."

Whenever Sakazuki attempted a ranged attack to shatter the Donghai Dihuang, it was always blocked by the slash of the Black Blade Yoru in Mihawk's hand.

"Dog Bite Red Lotus!"

Sakazuki's magma-fused arm formed a ferocious dog's head, carrying scorching magma and an aura of destruction, and fiercely lunged to bite Saint Saint Saiwen.

Clang~

The sharp sound of the collision pierced the air.

Saint Saint Saiwen raised his sword and slashed rapidly, the blade precisely blocking atop the magma dog's head, deflecting this fatal strike.

The next second, Conqueror's Haki Observation Kill suddenly erupted, powerfully suppressing Sakazuki's Observation Haki, causing his perception to instantly fall into blankness.

In a flash of lightning, Saint Saint Saiwen's other fist, wrapped in Conqueror's and Armament Haki, precisely smashed toward Sakazuki's side of the face.

Boom~

The dull sound of the heavy blow was deafening.

With a single strike, Sakazuki's cheekbones caved in and the corners of his mouth tore, with magma-like blood splashing out along his twisted face,

his entire body like a marionette with cut strings, blasted dozens of meters away, crashing heavily to the ground.

From the start of the duel, Saint Saint Saiwen's held-back Observation Kill finally revealed its strategic power.

"Pity." Saint Saint Saiwen felt a slight regret.

If he could master Old Man Garp's Limitless Fist Bone, that single punch just now would have at least laid Sakazuki out for half a year, rather than leaving him merely injured as he is now.

While Sakazuki was still shaking his head, Saint Saint Saiwen had already unleashed dozens of Flying Slash attacks.

Pfft~ Pfft~ Pfft~

The Flying Slashes landed in succession; though he looked almost like a blood-soaked man, Sakazuki still rose as if nothing had happened and continued to fight Saint Saint Saiwen to the death.

On the distant sea surface, Mihawk piloted the Donghai Dihuang, casually unleashing Flying Slashes to intercept the pursuit of three Navy Vice Admirals.

Having been invited to become the First Mate of the Morning Star Pirates just two years ago, he had already clashed with the Navy's three Vice Admirals: Borsalino, Sakazuki, and Kuzan.

Captain Saint Saint Saiwen, truly worthy of being a crewmate of the Pirate King Roger; you certainly have guts.

A life as a combatant... is not bad at all.

Of the three crewmates of the Morning Star Pirates, Mihawk had the time to comment on the battle, Yisheng sparred with Kuzan in a health-preserving duel, while Saint Saint Saiwen fought Sakazuki until his eyes turned red with bloodlust.

This battle grew ever more intense; after a full day and night of fierce fighting, even though Saint Saint Saiwen had not suffered critical injuries.

Yet maintaining the Conqueror's Haki coating, the Conqueror's Observation Kill, and the Haki consumption multiplied, left Saint Saint Saiwen still panting heavily.

Moreover, though he did not know why the Huang Yuan had not arrived yet, he could not gamble that the Huang Yuan would never come.

Seeing this, Sakazuki grinned with his blood-red mouth.

"Kid, can't keep up with stamina?"

Saint Saint Saiwen smiled brilliantly, took out a Senzu Bean from his System Space, and while wiping his mouth, subtly tossed the Senzu Bean into his mouth and swallowed it.

"Red Dog, Grandpa is coming."

Saint Saint Saiwen instantly returned to full status.

The Dream Mengxiang Yixin, coated in Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, carrying Flying Slashes wrapped in an electromagnetic storm, became even more ferocious than before.

Sakazuki gritted his teeth; without the support of Observation Haki, he relied on combat experience to forcibly block wave after wave of assaults.

"Such thick blood!" Saint Saint Saiwen muttered.

No wonder he could fight so long during the Summit War.

Sakazuki was like an indestructible cockroach; every time he was knocked away by Saint Saint Saiwen, he almost immediately climbed back up to continue the slaughter.

A blood tank like this is truly annoying.

With blood so thick it's deadly and attack power ridiculously high, he's practically a hexagonal warrior.

A moment's carelessness means either injury or crippling.

Throughout the fight, Saint Saint Saiwen had been using lightning to stimulate his body, pushing his senses and Observation Haki to the absolute limit; this was because his attacks could only wound Sakazuki, but the opponent's attacks... were deadly.

Moreover, Saint Saint Saiwen was already enjoying the fight.

Continuing to drag on with the young and vigorous Akainu, neither could harm the other; it would only waste more Senzu Beans.

The goal has now been achieved.

The Donghai Dihuang had long vanished from perception; Saint Saint Saiwen used the momentum to hover in mid-air, single-handedly activating the electromagnetic storm to sweep over ten Navy warships and destroy their power systems.

"Bye-bye, Red Dog."

Saint Saint Saiwen shot straight up into the sky.

In a few instantaneous flashes, he arrived at another battlefield, unleashed several Flying Slashes toward Kuzan, then grabbed Yisheng by the scruff and chased after the Donghai Dihuang.

Leaving Kuzan behind in place, gazing at the direction where the two had vanished, wondering what state of mind he was in.

The Navy, which should protect civilians, recklessly activated the Buster Call, which was already extremely abnormal; the pirates rescuing several people from the Navy's artillery fire made the situation even more abstract.

"This world is truly chaotic."

When Kuzan returned to the shore, Sakazuki was staring blankly at the ten warships on the sea surface that had completely lost power.

"Notify the Navy Headquarters..."

Kuzan cut in: "I'll do it."

West Sea, Donghai Dihuang.

Saint Saint Saiwen waved to stop the Ohara scholar who wanted to speak up in gratitude, instantly flashed to the captain's cabin, and immediately pulled out a Den Den Mushi.

Fighting Sakazuki for a day and a night.

Consuming only one Senzu Bean, he successfully invited Yisheng aboard, plus an extra bonus: four learned Ohara scholars.

If Saint Saint Saiwen were already an adult at this moment, with his body fully developed, he wouldn't even need this single Senzu Bean.

Who asked that he is only seventeen years old.

While the opponent is thirty-three, in the prime of youth and vigor.

But because of this, he has torn up his face with the World Government directly; he must first notify his family to be careful.

"Uncle Lei Li, I need a favor."

"Tell the crew to hide quickly; I've taken down the Navy's Buster Call fleet. The World Government will very likely come to settle the score with you."

"Nani?!" Lei Li's Expression Grows Serious.

"Kid Saint Saint Saiwen, you really did it!"

Sabaody Archipelago, Shabondy Bar.

Lei Li hung up the Den Den Mushi and hurriedly leaned close to Xia Qi's ear to whisper a few words.

Xia Qi was dumbfounded, not even smoking the lady's cigarette burning at her fingertips: "I think... I need to go out and hide with you for ten or eight days."

Lei Li didn't hesitate for a second: "Haven't seen Jabba in quite some time; let's head back to Amazon Lily for a few days first, then go to Elbaf for a vacation."

The Lei Li couple didn't hesitate in the slightest; after seeing off the guests, they traveled light and departed Sabaody Archipelago by boat.

The Shabondy Bar closed its doors during the day, a rare occurrence.

On the other side, aboard the Donghai Dihuang.

Saint Saint Saiwen lay soaking in a bath; although the battle with Sakazuki held a clear advantage, that was the result of stimulating his essence, energy, and spirit to the limit, plus popping a Senzu Bean to restore full status.

If we keep fighting, neither of us can defeat the other.

Sakazuki... is indeed formidable.

Buzzzzzzz~

After pressing the phone-worm's answer button, Saint Saint Saiwen pulled the receiver away from his ear: "Moxi, Moxi."

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Saint Saint Saiwen stared at the phone-worm and asked his soul-question: "Who are you?"

Phone-worm: "Five Elders Wochuli Sheng."

Saint Saint Saiwen realized: "Hello, hello."

Phone-worm: "Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, you obstructed the Shumō Command—what exactly are you aiming for?"

Saint Saint Saiwen climbed out of the bath.

"First, I offer my deepest apologies, but I did not interfere with the execution of the Shumō Command—Ohara is already in ruins."

"Second, you know—

I have no interest in history, and I took only one little girl. Rest assured, I guarantee she will remain by my side for the next thirty years."

Phone-worm: "Your guarantee is meaningless. Hand her over, and we can pretend this never happened. Otherwise, prepare for endless pursuit by the World Government and the Navy."

Saint Saint Saiwen rubbed his temples and sighed.

"If that's how it is, I'll have to reveal the existence of that my lord to this entire sea."

Red Land, Sacred Land Mary Geoise.

Inside the Pangu City, the Five Elders stared at each other, sweat pouring from their foreheads.

Phone-worm grinned: "How about a deal?"

Wochuli Sheng: "Speak."

The Five Elders were gambling: betting that Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen did not know of that my lord's existence, and that his earlier words were merely bluffing.

Phone-worm stretched out his voice: "I..."

"Done!"

Wochuli Sheng glared and scowled: "Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, this matter is settled."

"Thank you."