Chapter 85: Battle Erupts on Punk Hazard

“Who’s there?”

Long Yi and Long Er stopped in their tracks. Dozens of children behind them clung together in fear.

The next second, several pirates burst out of the nearby woods.

They didn’t bother with words—just charged at them with blades drawn.

“We’re here to take your lives.”

“Get them!”

Long Yi eyed the pirates ahead of him, then glanced toward the jungle.

He knew for sure there were more people hiding in those trees. He quickly turned to look at Long Er.

“Yeah!”

Long Er gave a quick nod—no words needed between them.

They’d known for a long time that danger could strike this island at any moment.

With Karl gone for so long, it was only a matter of time before someone took the risk to attack them. After all, they were carrying huge sums of Berries.

“Heaven and earth, primordial origin, unending vitality, bear witness to my divine power. Among all realms, only the Dao prevails. Wrap my body in golden light, shield me completely!”

With solemn faces, Long Yi and Long Er instantly cloaked themselves in the Golden Light Spell and charged to meet their enemies.

“Eight-Level Fist—Collapse!”

Long Er dashed off to the left, while Long Yi immediately stepped up to block the pursuers.

But enemies from behind seized their chance, swinging a blade right at Long Yi’s back.

“Clang!”

Luckily, Long Yi had mastered the Golden Light Spell. It stung a little, but the blade couldn’t break through his defense.

Watching Long Er get farther away, Long Yi’s gaze grew determined. He spun to confront the rest of the pirates head-on.

From within the jungle, a hidden mastermind saw Long Er running off to the left and sensed things were going south.

He couldn’t let Long Er find help, so he led the remaining pirates after him.

“Quick, after him!”

Worry clouded Long Yi’s face, but there was nothing he could do for now—he had to deal with the enemies in front of him first.

He just hoped Long Er could reach the others first. Not far ahead to the left lay Charlotte Linlin’s camp.

……

Punk Hazard!

“Wave Slash!”

“Side Kick!”

Watt was getting overwhelmed fighting both Brown and Hunter. Blood streaked all over his body.

“Heh, pirates.”

Watt dodged Brown’s sword energy and shouted at them in anger.

“People like you are the reason so many are left homeless at sea.”

He launched a kick, clashing with Hunter’s leg.

“Bang!”

After the collision, both men staggered backward.

Brown kept sending out sword energy, blocking off Watt’s escape while closing in.

“No need for speeches! Without the Celestial Dragons, do you think half these people would ever turn to piracy?”

“The Navy’s nothing but a lapdog for the Celestial Dragons!”

Watt hesitated at those words—he knew they weren’t wrong.

“You…”

“Whoosh!”

“No—this is bad.”

Davis had been watching him for a while from the sidelines.

With his Observation Haki, he’d seen that among all the Navy vice admirals here, Watt was the weakest—easy prey.

And pirates never bother with one-on-one honor.

The moment Watt let his guard slip, Davis seized the opportunity and fired a kill shot.

“Thwip!”

A bullet, wrapped in Armament Haki, grazed Watt’s heart. He barely managed to cover the wound with his left hand.

A second later—

“Argh!”

Watt let out a scream of pain.

In that instant the bullet tore through his chest, Brown arrived and sliced off his right arm.

Far off, Navy soldiers saw Watt gravely wounded and rushed over.

“Damn pirates!”

“Vice Admiral Watt!”

“Bang bang bang!”

But it was no use. Davis calmly picked off the rushing soldiers—one by one, they dropped to the ground.

The Navy troops behind them grew fearful, holding back from charging forward.

Watt looked around and knew—there’d be no reinforcements.

As Brown and Hunter closed in, Watt realized exactly what was coming.

He clenched his teeth and charged at Brown, hoping to at least take one down with him.

But with his wounds, he didn’t stand a chance against Brown anymore.

As he rushed in, Davis fired two more shots, each one hitting Watt squarely in the legs.

Watt’s charge faltered. He fell to his knees.

“Swoosh!”

With defiant eyes, Watt watched as Brown beheaded him. Watt’s head hit the ground, wide-eyed and unblinking, blood spurting from his neck.

“Thud!”

“He really lived up to being a Navy vice admiral. The two of us together still couldn’t take him easily.”

Brown stepped forward, staring into the dead, unyielding eyes of Watt’s severed head.

“So, you finally admitting it?”

The fight over, Hunter lit a cigarette and shot Brown a teasing look.

Brown waved him off and grinned, pointing to himself.

“Alright, alright, I admit it. I must be the weakest here.”

“Hahahahaha!”

Both of them headed over to Davis, their fight finished.

They didn’t bother helping the other three because those guys were obsessed with fighting and hated outside interference.

“Boom!”

“Clang!”

“Speed up!”

“Let’s go ahead!”

After a frantic ten-minute dash, Garp finally neared Punk Hazard.

They were still a ways off, but the sounds of battle from the island barely reached their ears.

Knowing Sengoku desperately needed backup, Garp wasted no time. He led four vice admirals airborne, racing toward Punk Hazard with Moonwalk.

Punk Hazard!

By now, the Navy base at Punk Hazard port was in ruins.

Jeremy and Notty were fairly evenly matched.

But Upton was barely holding on after Fields’ brutal assault.

If backup didn’t arrive soon, Upton would be beaten to death.

The vice admirals stationed in the New World were all strong, but their opponents had been handpicked by Karl—none of them were weak either.

And after eight months of hellish training, their combat ability had soared.

Luth and Watt were both covered in wounds but could still hang on a while longer.

The Navy soldiers had already retreated deeper into the base. The battle’s shockwaves alone could have killed any ordinary soldier who tried to get close.

“Advanced Conqueror’s Haki—Falling Star!”

Sengoku, body golden, stretched out a massive palm bathed in both Advanced Conqueror’s Haki and Shockwave energy.

“Now this is a real fight! Come on, Sengoku!”

“Let’s see if you can keep me here!”

Karl stood where he was, raised his head, and roared at the sky before reaching out his right hand.

“Daoist Thunder Magic—Thunderbolt Barrage!”

What had been a clear sky suddenly filled with storm clouds.

Karl looked up at the darkened sky, feeling the massive power gathering in the clouds. He let out a maniacal laugh.

“So they say the Elder Heavenly Master’s an immortal cultivator… I’m starting to believe it!”

Karl unleashed a torrent of lightning from his right hand like an Olympic javelin, hurling it at Sengoku.

“Crackle!”

Where the lightning passed, the earth charred black. Karl could sense meters-deep scorched ground left in its wake.

“Rumble!”

As both powers clashed, a massive mushroom cloud exploded into the air.

“Hahaha, now this is a thrill!”

“Fight! I need a real fight!”

Halil, witnessing a clash of such top-tier powerhouses for the first time, felt blood rush to his face. He was desperate to battle these monsters himself, even if it meant dying.

Halil quickened his duel with Luth, wanting to free himself to watch Karl and Sengoku’s fight up close and personal.

“So that’s our captain?”

“That’s some unreal strength!”

Davis, Jennifer, and the others were already resting on a piece of rubble near the port.

“Wow, that’s insane!”

“When will I ever get that strong?”

Brown pulled a goofy face and said to the group.

“Just wait your turn.”

Hunter rolled his eyes, immediately dousing Brown’s hopes with a cold bucket of reality.

“Tsk, you’re no fun.”

Brown waved him off and kept his focus on the battlefield.

“Sengoku, hang in there—I’m almost there!”

From the air, Garp saw the massive golden Buddha fade away and realized things were getting desperate. He sped up, pushing himself to the limit.

“Whoa…”

“Sengoku, you’ve got to hold on!”

Sengoku had been battered so badly he dropped out of his Buddha State, propping himself up with his left hand, wiping blood from his lips with his right.

“Garp, if you get here any slower, we’re both finished!”

“Thump thump thump…”

As the smoke cleared, Sengoku looked at Karl standing before him.

“With your abilities, why become a pirate?”

Sengoku knew Karl wasn’t like the other pirates—he didn’t go on killing sprees or loot wherever he went.

To be honest, Sengoku was curious. With that kind of strength, why would Karl choose to be a pirate?

Standing where he was, Karl stroked his chin and answered thoughtfully.

“Maybe because being a Navy man just feels suffocating.”

“And I have no interest in being the Celestial Dragons’ dog.”

Sengoku had to admit—the Navy really had become lapdogs for the World Government.

“Even so, I still believe I can steer the Navy back onto the right path with my own hands.”

Sengoku wasn’t about to let a few words shake his resolve.

“Well then, let’s just see how things turn out.”

Sure, after Sengoku took over as Fleet Admiral, things for the Navy had improved a little. Still, it didn’t change the fact they served the Celestial Dragons.

And no matter what, they were still lapdogs for the Celestial Dragons.

“Iron Fist—Meteor!”

……