"Hmph hmph hmph, as expected of Sengoku. To think he'd amass such a large naval force here." Zavia's ship slowly approached Raijin Island, the sea before him bristled with Marine warships.
"Wow—so many ships—" Arthur stood beside Zavia, gazing at the spectacle with wide-eyed wonder.
"What's happened here?" Even Mihawk's interest was piqued by the impressive display.
"Well, who knows? According to Crocodile, there's been some unusual activity on Raijin Island. Why it requires this many Marines, I have no idea." Zavia shrugged, feigning ignorance. He was, unknowingly, the catalyst for the island's current state.
"Hey, big brother, is it alright to just sail straight in?" Arthur asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"No problem. If the Marines dare to attack, I'll cleave their ships in two. As for Kizaru… I can't say for certain. He's incredibly fast." Zavia considered the situation before responding.
He wasn't being overly confident; it was simply the truth. If any of the warships dared to fire upon them, they would be met with a seven-meter wide Azure slash.
As for cannon fire, Zavia could easily deflect it with a spatial barrier. His current physical strength could withstand a full barrage without breaking a sweat.
One might argue that some of the Marine officers could use Geppo (Moonwalk) to launch aerial attacks.
Indeed, there were numerous vice-admiral class ships present, their commanders capable of using the Six Powers technique.
But as Zavia had stated, if they attempted such a tactic, he would choose a "lucky" ship and slice it in half.
Having been a Marine himself, Zavia knew that over ninety percent of the officers valued the lives of their crew.
If someone foolishly attacked him against orders, they risked the lives of everyone on board their ship.
Yes, risked their lives. One might argue that with so many Marines nearby, reinforcements would arrive swiftly. But Zavia wouldn't be so merciful.
He would imbue his slash with spatial cutting power. If a ship was struck, the space around it would be instantly cleaved, creating a momentary void.
And that brief void would be enough to erase everyone on board.
Nothing could exist within a void, not even for an instant. Even a spirit, unless powerful enough to resist the nothingness, would be erased.
Such a loss was unacceptable to any Marine officer. They might sacrifice themselves, but they wouldn't endanger the lives of their crew or those on other ships. It would violate the very principles of Marine justice.
Even if they wanted to, they couldn't. An admiral was present. They wouldn't be foolish enough to disregard the lives of their comrades in front of him.
If such an act were reported and recorded, that officer's career would be over.
Of course, this was a generalization. Whether Kizaru would care was another matter. Akainu, on the other hand, would likely condone it. Sacrificing a few subordinates to capture a dangerous criminal? Akainu would wholeheartedly support such a decision.
As for Aokiji, Zavia suspected he wouldn't be so forgiving.
"Hmm? Is that…? No way—!" On one of the outermost Marine ships, a lookout stared through his telescope, looking grim.
This was a vice-admiral class ship, commanded by Onigumo. His task was to patrol the outer perimeter, acting as an early warning system.
Any pirate who dared approach would be met by the outer fleet. If the enemy proved too powerful, they would request reinforcements from nearby ships.
If the enemy was exceptionally strong, they would alert the entire fleet and request the admiral's intervention.
Essentially, they were the gatekeepers.
The lookout lowered his telescope and hurried down the ropes to the deck. He needed to inform Vice-Admiral Onigumo of the impending trouble.
"Vice-Admiral Onigumo!" He reached Onigumo and saluted sharply.
"Yes, what is it?" Onigumo nodded.
"Sir! I just spotted the 'Sword Demon's' ship!"
"What? The 'Sword Demon'!? Where!?" Onigumo's face hardened. Clearly, the "Sword Demon" was not well-regarded by the Marines.
"Northeast, sir!"
"Northeast? Alert the crew! Prepare for battle! And warn the other ships! Also, request support from Admiral Kizaru!" Onigumo, a seasoned Marine, quickly regained his composure and issued his orders.
The Marine saluted and rushed off to relay the message. Soon, the entire outer fleet was on high alert.
Onigumo stood at the edge of the ship, gazing towards the northeast with a worried expression on his face.
"Hmm? Something's not right with those Marines." Zavia sat at the bow, observing the distant warships. He was puzzled.
He noticed the ships maneuvering, their bows aligning, all pointing in one direction – his direction.
"It seems the lookout spotted us and alerted the fleet." Mihawk approached, stating the obvious.
"Perhaps. Unless they received prior warning, that's the only explanation." Zavia stood, gripping the Yamato. While he had suspected as much, it didn't concern him greatly.
He instructed Arthur to continue their approach, testing the Marines' intentions.
If they attacked, he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate. If not, there was no need to provoke them. He wasn't one to seek out trouble.
So far, all his troubles had come looking for him.
As their ship neared the Marine perimeter, a yellow flash of light suddenly appeared at the bow of the nearest warship.
As the light subsided, a man in a yellow and white striped suit, with a sleazy grin, stood there, looking down at Zavia and the others.
"Oh my, this is quite terrifying. Isn't this the infamous former Rear Admiral Zavia, with a bounty of 550 million berries? And… Dracule Mihawk, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea? Why are you…" Kizaru, the admiral, stared at them in shock.
"Fancy meeting you here, Kizaru. While we never met during my time at the academy, I've certainly heard of you." Zavia ignored Kizaru's greeting.
"…" Kizaru's casual demeanor vanished.
He had assumed he would be facing Zavia alone. Dealing with one man, even someone as powerful as Zavia, was manageable.
But Mihawk's presence complicated matters.
He knew Mihawk's strength. Anyone who held the title of "World's Greatest" was no pushover.
He could handle Zavia, but with Mihawk involved? If the swordsman intervened, the situation would become precarious.
Both were swordsmen. In the world of One Piece, sword masters were among the most formidable opponents. Shiki was a prime example.
Mihawk's title as "World's Greatest Swordsman" spoke volumes about his skill.
While Zavia's swordsmanship might not be on par with Mihawk's, he possessed other abilities to compensate – spatial manipulation, Haki, and so on.
If Zavia fought seriously, his entire being was a weapon. He wasn't foolish enough to rely solely on his sword. Swordsmanship was important, but so was physical combat!
Even Kizaru, as powerful as he was, couldn't simultaneously defend against two master swordsmen, especially when one possessed spatial abilities. The damage inflicted by spatial manipulation wasn't something he could simply phase through with his Logia powers.
"So, Kizaru, are you and your fleet planning to engage us?" Zavia asked.
"This is quite terrifying. What's a dangerous criminal like you doing here?" Kizaru evaded the question.
"Hmph hmph hmph, what else would a pirate be doing in the New World?" Zavia chuckled, uttering words even he didn't believe.
"You seek the One Piece?" Kizaru's expression twisted in disbelief.
"What do you think, Kizaru? If you want a fight, I'm happy to oblige. But be warned, the price you'll pay will be steep." Zavia didn't care whether Kizaru believed him or not.
"…" Kizaru stared at Zavia with a dark face. He weighed the risks and rewards of apprehending Zavia.
If a battle ensued, over eighty percent of the Marines present would perish. But if he didn't fight…
After a long pause, Kizaru finally spoke.