Chapter 294: Chaotic Battle (Part 3)
"For Vice Admiral Darrin!"
Watching their leader die, the remaining marines, fueled by a sense of justice and gratitude, surged forward with reckless abandon.
Although Darrin had been corrupt and negligent during his tenure, he had still treated his subordinates well. Through bribes and favoritism, he had secured loyalty, and his soldiers felt indebted to him.
But seeing their commander die like that pushed them over the edge, and they charged at Caesar without fear of death.
"Heh! How interesting!"
Seeing the wave of marines rushing towards him, Caesar grinned. There was a spark of excitement in his eyes.
Instead of retreating, he let his body swell and transform into his full dragon form, stretching a hundred meters in length.
Those charging marines faltered, their momentum broken by sheer terror.
When faced with such a colossal creature, even the most hardened soldiers couldn't suppress their primal fear.
"Heat Breath!"
A scorching pillar of flame erupted from Caesar's maw, sweeping across the battlefield.
"No—!"
Their desperate screams were cut short as the fire engulfed them, incinerating everything in its path.
When the flames died down, all that remained was charred ground and melted weapons. Not a trace of the marines remained.
"You little brat! You're looking for death!"
Zephyr's eyes turned bloodshot as he witnessed the massacre. Fury overtook him, and his aura surged violently.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Nicely done, Caesar!"
In stark contrast to Zephyr's rage, Charlotte laughed heartily, proud of his son's ruthless efficiency.
"You'll pay for this, Charlotte! You will atone for the deaths of those marines!"
Zephyr roared and lunged at Charlotte with his fist wrapped in Armament Haki, unleashing a powerful shockwave.
Charlotte responded without hesitation, using his signature move.
"Demon Sword - Overlord Slash!"
His blade, enveloped in Conqueror's Haki, collided with Zephyr's punch. The sky split in two, and the ground beneath their feet shattered as the sheer force of their clash sent shockwaves throughout the battlefield.
---
During the fierce clash, onlookers watched from a distance.
"This... is the power of top-tier fighters?"
Doflamingo squinted at the distant battlefield, astonished by the devastating exchange.
"It's been four days and three nights already, and they still haven't settled it."
The chaotic battle between Charlotte and Zephyr had lasted for days, with no sign of either backing down.
Meanwhile, the fight between the two sides had gradually come to a halt.
The marines had suffered overwhelming losses—out of the two thousand soldiers brought to the battlefield, barely a hundred remained. Those survivors had retreated under the protection of Rear Admiral Sakazuki (Akainu), forming a makeshift defensive line.
The three Marine Headquarters vice admirals that had joined the battle were killed in action. Even Onigumo, the ambitious lieutenant commander who faced Estes, had been critically injured and only survived thanks to Akainu's intervention.
At the last moment, Akainu had launched a Magma Fist to force Estes back, seizing the opportunity to grab Onigumo and retreat to a warship.
Akainu's resolute and merciless demeanor had unnerved even Caesar, prompting him not to pursue.
With the marines' morale broken and their fighting forces nearly decimated, the battle came to a temporary pause.
Everyone, both pirates and surviving marines, turned their attention to the center of the battlefield where Charlotte and Zephyr were still locked in combat.
---
As the island trembled and cracked beneath their onslaught, the duel between Zephyr and Charlotte showed no signs of abating.
Both men were battered and bruised, but neither would give an inch. Zephyr's chest bore numerous cuts, and his uniform was tattered. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he tried to catch his breath.
Meanwhile, Charlotte seemed almost unscathed, his resilient body showing barely any signs of fatigue.
"You... monster!"
Zephyr panted heavily, anger boiling within him. To think that even after all this time, he couldn't bring Charlotte to his knees.
"Hahahahaha! Zephyr, if you really think you can take me down without Garp and Sengoku joining forces, you're out of your mind!"
Charlotte's boisterous laughter echoed across the battlefield.
Though they had been fighting for days, Charlotte knew he had the upper hand. If the battle dragged on for another few days, he was confident he could overpower Zephyr.
Killing him, however, was another matter entirely. Top-tier fighters like Zephyr wouldn't fall so easily, and if Zephyr truly intended to escape, Charlotte wouldn't be able to stop him.
Zephyr's fists trembled with frustration. He knew Charlotte was right. Though he hated to admit it, he couldn't take him down alone.
"Damn it... even at full strength, I still can't subdue you."
Zephyr gritted his teeth. The burden of his defeat weighed heavily on his shoulders, and the thought of returning to Marineford in disgrace sickened him.
Charlotte lowered his sword and smirked.
"Give up, Zephyr. You're not my match anymore."
For the first time, Zephyr hesitated. Part of him wanted to keep fighting, to push through no matter what, but his rational mind knew that continuing would only lead to further losses.
Gritting his teeth, Zephyr finally relented.
"This time, you win, Charlotte. But don't think this is over!"
He turned and called for the surviving marines to retreat. They scrambled to board the remaining warships, leaving behind the broken island and shattered pride.
As the marines withdrew, Charlotte watched with a mocking grin, waving his sword in a dismissive gesture.
"Run along now, Zephyr! Go back to your base and tell them—North Blue belongs to the Rockefeller Pirates now!"
Zephyr clenched his fists, suppressing his urge to charge back. But his rationality kept him grounded. He knew he had lost this round.
As the marine warships pulled away from the island, the surviving members of the Rockefeller Pirates erupted into celebratory cheers.
"Victory! Victory!"
"Captain Charlotte is invincible!"
The sound of triumph resounded across the remnants of the island, while Charlotte stood in the midst of it all, confident and unchallenged.
Watching the marines disappear beyond the horizon, Charlotte sheathed his sword and looked to his crew.
"Prepare to move out. We're done here. Let the world know that Rockefeller Charlotte has claimed North Blue!"
Cheers erupted once more as the pirates set off, their spirits high and confidence unshaken.
Despite the intensity of the battle, Charlotte remained steadfast, knowing that this victory had cemented his dominance over North Blue.
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