Amidst the raging flames of war and billowing smoke,
Oni Island now appeared to be cleaved in two from afar.
The island, shaped like a giant skull, had become utterly unrecognizable.
Captain John stood panting amidst the ruins, his face a mask of sweat and dirt.
He gripped his sword tightly, his hands trembling slightly.
"You... how can you be... so resilient?"
He stared at Jin-an across from him, his tone filled with bewilderment and anger.
Jin-an's figure flickered in and out of sight in the smoke and dust. His clothes were tattered, his body covered in blood, but his eyes remained as sharp as knives.
Hearing John's question, he smirked, a hint of self-deprecation in his expression.
"You haven't seen the full extent of my abilities..."
As soon as the words left his mouth, his gaze darted around, searching for Tian Yue Shi, who had been knocked down by Captain John.
Even as the exhaustion weighed him down like heavy shackles, Jin-an struggled to stand tall, his eyes piercing through the smoke of the battlefield, trying to find the target that had disappeared somewhere.
Tian Yue Shi was only supposed to be providing support, but in such a fierce battle, she seemed so fragile, as if she could vanish into the flames at any moment.
Captain John watched Jin-an, his doubts growing.
He knew very well that the man before him was at his limit, yet he still stood there stubbornly.
This tenacity filled him with an inexplicable fear.
If he couldn't clearly sense Jin-an's weakness, he would almost suspect that he was being toyed with.
Suddenly, Jin-an's eyes lit up. He finally spotted the Yanling Blade.
The blade lay quietly among a pile of rubble, glinting with a faint, cold light.
His heart tightened, knowing that it was his only hope of defeating Captain John.
He never expected that his saber would be stored by Kaido on Onigashima; truly, when Heaven closes a door, it opens a window.
An inch of length is an inch of strength. If he could get his hands on that blade, he might be able to turn the tide of battle.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the sharp pain in his chest, and refocused his gaze on Captain John.
"Captain John," Jin-an said in a deep voice, a glint of determination in his eyes,
"This battle is far from over."
He suddenly burst forth, charging towards the location of the Yanling Blade. Although every step felt like treading on fire, he did not flinch, as if challenging the limits of fate.
Captain John was stunned, never expecting Jin-an to still possess such momentum.
Watching the other man's determined back, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
Yes, against absolute power, numbers were useless.
However, if there were opponents among the enemies who were equal in strength to him, then the outcome would not be so certain.
Captain John raised an eyebrow and directly chased after Jin-an, slashing out with his sword.
"Bang! ! !"
Jin-an's attention was focused on the Yanling Blade, and he was completely unable to resist such a sneak attack.
His entire body crashed into Onigashima, making intimate contact with the ground.
Just as Captain John was about to chase after him to finish him off,
Suddenly—
"Rumble! ! !"
The dull sound of cannons suddenly came from the coast of Onigashima.
Captain John stopped in his tracks in an instant, his brow furrowed, a premonition of disaster rising in his heart.
Continuous explosions echoed across the island like thunder. The already raging fire now raged even more, thick smoke billowing, and the firelight dyed half the sky red.
"What's going on!?"
Captain John's eyes were sharp as he looked around, trying to find the answer.
However, the answer soon found him.
"The Navy is here!"
A pirate shouted in panic.
The voice exploded like a bombshell in the chaotic crowd.
"Hurry to the coast!"
Another pirate shouted, his voice filled with a trace of despair but also mixed with hope,
"If we surrender to the Navy, maybe there's still a way out."
The arrival of the Navy instantly reversed the pirates' emotions, from despair to ecstasy. They cheered as if they had seen a life-saving straw.
Rather than being burned to death, it would be better to surrender to the Navy. This way, they could not only escape the scorching flames but also leave this Onigashima that had become a purgatory.
Most of the pirates on the island had not done anything that harmed the natural order, and they had not even had time to start their evil deeds.
Kaido had been busy building various facilities in Wano Country, and the expansion plan had not yet begun.
All of them could only build various facilities according to Kaido's arrangements.
They were more like bricklayers than pirates.
Captain John looked at the fleeing pirates, his heart filled with mixed feelings.
They had once been so loyal, but now they had instantly abandoned him because of life and death.
He clenched the sword in his hand, feeling the cold touch of the sharp blade, and a sense of inexplicable anger and powerlessness rose in his heart.
"Damn Navy..."
He cursed in a low voice, but reason told him that the arrival of the Navy was inevitable.
The sound of explosions on the coast was getting closer and closer, as if an invisible giant hand was pushing him to the brink.
He took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the distance.
Jin-an's figure was still flickering in the fire and smoke, and that tenacity and persistence made him feel a little troubled.
"Jin-an," Captain John murmured in his heart, a trace of complicated expression flashed in his eyes,
"It seems our battle must be put on hold for now."
He knew that the most important thing now was survival, not continuing a pointless fight.
Faced with the oppression of the Navy, he must calmly respond and find a way out.
Captain John took a deep breath, turned and ran towards the coast, secretly deciding in his heart that if he could survive this time, he would re-examine his fate.
As Captain John fled, a tall figure suddenly stood in front of him.
He stopped abruptly, looking at the front in surprise.
The man was tall and imposing, making people shudder.
"I didn't expect to not see that brat Kaido, but instead meet you."
The man's voice was low and powerful, with a hint of mocking smile,
"Long time no see, John."
Captain John's eyes widened, and a man with short purple hair stood before him.
The man crossed his arms, his eyes under his sunglasses staring at him.
In the strong wind, the white cloak fluttered behind him, as if declaring his invincibility.
"Zephyr! ! !"
A cry of surprise escaped from Captain John's mouth.
His heart tightened suddenly. The person in front of him was the current Navy Admiral Zephyr, and all of this was beyond his expectations.
Why would Zephyr personally lead a team to Wano Country?
Captain John felt an unprecedented pressure, and sweat dripped down his forehead.
He recalled his old friendship with Zephyr. This man had once chased him all over the world. He never expected to meet him here.
Zephyr slightly raised the corner of his mouth, revealing a sneer,
"John, you are still as impulsive as before. What, are you still thinking of running away?"
Captain John gritted his teeth. He knew that he had no way out now. The Zephyr in front of him was extremely powerful, and he could never match him alone.
"Zephyr, I'm not here to cause trouble," Captain John tried to calm his voice, but he still couldn't hide the tension in his heart.
Zephyr's smile was cold, and his eyes under his sunglasses were as sharp as an eagle's.
"We have our mission, and you pirates are just our stumbling blocks."
"Now, tell me where Jin-an is, otherwise—"
His words were full of threat, and his whole body exuded an irresistible aura.
Captain John felt a chill rise from his spine. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.
"Jin-an is not here," he said in a deep voice, but his eyes drifted to the ruins of Onigashima.
He slowly retreated, his eyes fixed on Zephyr, not daring to relax in the slightest.
