Issho let out a low growl, and the purple, spherical gravity field around him expanded instantly, pulverizing the Conqueror's Haki-coated projectile into dust.
He then lowered his gaze toward Beckman and the other wary members of the Red-Haired Pirates below, muttering softly:
"This is truly troublesome..."
Since Shanks was already engaged in battle with Dragon, the observation Haki suppression Issho had been enduring weakened, allowing him to perceive the situation below with clarity.
From within the hurricane, Shanks' voice rang out:
"Beckman! Capture that Issho guy—don't kill him!"
Beckman chuckled slightly at the command and shouted back,
"Understood, Captain!"
The moment he finished speaking, Beckman's grin vanished. He crouched slightly, and in the next instant, launched himself like a cannonball toward Issho in midair.
Issho furrowed his brows and swung his sword-cane, sending out another gravity wave slash.
Beckman's eyes narrowed slightly, and a tidal wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body. Lightning-like sparks danced in the air around him, a manifestation of his immense Haki.
The collision between Conqueror's Haki and the gravity wave created a stalemate, but only briefly. The gravity wave soon disintegrated into specks of purple light.
With rapid footwork, Beckman propelled himself forward, creating multiple sonic booms as he closed in on Issho.
In one swift motion, he reversed the grip on his flintlock rifle, coating the butt of the gun in Armament Haki, and swung it forcefully at Issho.
Who said gunners couldn't excel in close combat?
As the second-in-command of the Red-Haired Pirates, Beckman was undoubtedly the strongest among the vice-captains of the Four Emperors' crews. Though labeled a vice-captain, his strength was unquestionably of emperor-level caliber.
Even as Issho raised his sword-cane to block, Beckman's blow sent him flying.
Amidst the floating debris of shattered ships, Issho landed on a piece of wreckage. Before he could catch his breath, Beckman was already charging toward him again.
On the way, Beckman single-handedly aimed his rifle at Issho. His other hand deftly loaded bullets into the chamber while simultaneously pulling the trigger in rapid succession, his movements so swift they created afterimages.
In an instant, flames burst from the barrel as seven bullets, each enveloped in Conqueror's Haki, were fired almost simultaneously. Encased in crackling black lightning, they formed a dark beam streaking toward Issho.
"Seven Stars!"
This close-quarters shooting style was truly astonishing.
Fake Sniper: Usopp.
True Sniper: Beckman.
As the deadly bullets streaked toward him, Issho's Observation Haki flared in alarm. Realizing the danger, he quickly activated his Devil Fruit power, forming a gravity shield around himself just as before.
The bullets struck the shield, causing it to tremble violently. The purple glow dimmed significantly under the assault.
Issho's expression changed drastically. He hastily poured more energy into the shield, augmenting it with Armament Haki.
But the seven bullets, fired in a straight line, possessed immense single-point penetration power. Only the Barrier-Barrier Fruit might have been capable of defending against such an attack purely through Devil Fruit abilities.
The gravity shield was soon pierced, and Issho had no choice but to concentrate all his Armament Haki on his chest. The bullets struck with explosive force, sending him hurtling backward.
Below, the others showed no intention of stepping in. They were well aware of their vice-captain's strength. If they had chosen to attack en masse, Issho would undoubtedly have been overwhelmed.
When they saw that Issho's body hadn't been pierced through by the "Seven Stars," they couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment:
"This Issho guy is tough! He actually withstood Beckman's attack!"
"His Armament Haki is exceptionally strong. He's not just relying on his Devil Fruit."
"How have we never heard of him before? Someone this powerful staying under the radar until now?"
"The world is vast. With even the Revolutionary Army stepping into the spotlight, it's not surprising for a few obscure powerhouses to emerge."
Above, Issho clutched his chest, his face pale as paper.
"Ugh!"
He spat out a mouthful of blood. Though it seemed like he had withstood Beckman's attack, the internal injuries he suffered were severe.
Beckman returned to the deck of the Red Force, resting his rifle on his shoulder. With his free hand, he pulled out a cigarette. Lucky Roo, ever attentive, approached and lit it for him.
Beckman cast Lucky Roo a look of approval, taking a long drag before exhaling a plume of gray smoke.
Before the smoke could dissipate, Beckman's figure vanished from the deck once again.
Meanwhile, within the hurricane, two figures—one clad in red and the other in green—clashed repeatedly, each collision producing violent Conqueror's Haki lightning.
However, the green figure was clearly at a disadvantage.
A massive burst of Haki-infused energy, laced with countless wind blades, erupted forward. The battle momentarily paused as the two figures faced each other: Shanks and Dragon.
Shanks, ever composed, stood with his saber Griffin, black and red lightning occasionally flickering along its blade. The surrounding winds, manipulated by Dragon's powers, could not even touch him.
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