Chapter 343: Chapter 344: Battle Against Marco
"Looks like it hasn’t..."
In the distance, a strange bird, its body engulfed in blue flames, flew swiftly through the air.
Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, the walls of the Mermaid Cafe shattered, sending countless bricks and stones exploding outwards. A surge of powerful force kicked up clouds of dust, and two dark figures shot out from the smoky haze, slamming hard onto the street.
"Commander Atmos!"
"Commander Namur!"
From the gaping hole, a group of people poured out, rushing frantically into the street.
Thump-thump~
A few pebbles fell as Aeridar and Oliver walked out of the cafe side-by-side, stepping into the open.
"Oh dear~ Trouble has still found us. What a pain-yoi!" The strange bird, still burning with blue flames, let out a frustrated sigh as it witnessed the scene from afar.
At this moment, Atmos and Namur stood up, clutching their chests, a trickle of blood at the corners of their mouths. Both were somewhat startled; in the cafe, during their two-on-two fight, they had been sent flying in the second round, and their chests ached.
"Damn it, Aeridar! Are you truly declaring war on the Whitebeard Pirates?!" Atmos gripped his two large swords, his face grim as he bellowed.
"Stop spouting such spineless words. You lot started this," Aeridar tilted his head, his expression twisted into a savage grin.
"Hm?!"
Suddenly, as if sensing something, Aeridar and Oliver both looked skyward.
A strange bird, burning with blue flames, descended rapidly from the sky. When it landed, it transformed into a man with a punk hairstyle and lifeless, fish-like eyes. A tattoo of the Whitebeard Pirates’ symbol adorned his chest.
"Whitebeard Pirates First Division Commander, Marco the Phoenix!"
Aeridar’s pupils contracted sharply. He recognized the newcomer almost instantly. This immediately signaled trouble for both Aeridar and Oliver. Who was Marco?
"Another truly important figure has arrived!" Oliver’s expression also grew serious. His left hand slowly began to draw Yubashiri.
Marco the Phoenix’s name was legendary in the New World. As the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and the second-in-command, second only to Whitebeard himself, he was effectively a vice-captain. His strength rivaled that of a Marine Admiral. Neither Oliver nor Aeridar were confident they could defeat such a person, unless they teamed up.
"Commander Marco!"
Seeing Marco’s arrival, the Whitebeard Pirates immediately cheered in surprise and relief.
Marco glanced at Atmos and Namur, then scratched his head, frustrated. "So, a fight broke out after all. This puts me in a bit of a difficult spot-yoi."
"To think that a mere Fish-Man Island would draw three Whitebeard Pirates commanders, one of them being Whitebeard’s second-in-command, Marco the Phoenix! A pleasure to finally meet you!" Aeridar’s lips curled into a meaningful smile.
"Aeridar of the Golden Ring, Oliver the Slayer... What is your purpose for being here-yoi?" Marco didn’t seem bothered by his identity being recognized. After all, he had traversed the New World for so many years; it would be strange if they didn’t know him.
"It’s an honor to be recognized by the renowned Marco the Phoenix!" Oliver’s lips curved, a faint smile on his face.
"I say, you guys are being far too nosy. Do I really need to report my whereabouts to your Whitebeard Pirates? How ridiculous!" Aeridar scoffed, clearly annoyed.
"Huh~ Well, I suppose that’s true-yoi!"
Marco blinked, looking as if he’d just realized something, but then he frowned. "However, Fish-Man Island is still our Whitebeard Pirates’ territory. For you to go through the trouble of coming here at a time like this, of course, I need to understand your true intentions."
"Besides, you injured our men. Don’t you think you owe us an explanation?!" As he spoke, Marco glanced at Atmos and Namur, who were wiping blood from their mouths.
"So, how do you want to settle this? A fight?" Aeridar’s eyes narrowed, and he licked his lips, speaking softly. "Actually, I’d like to see if you’re truly immortal!"
"This madman..."
Marco’s heart grew cold as he saw the madness and bloodlust in Aeridar’s eyes. The most troublesome people in the world were these unpredictable madmen, with Kaido being a prime example—constantly challenging others, impossible to kill, utterly annoying.
However, compared to Aeridar, it wasn’t that Marco was afraid to fight. As Whitebeard’s second-in-command, he would even confront a Yonko. But the key here was that they were 10,000 meters beneath the sea, and his opponent was also a monster-level great pirate. If they were to somehow rupture the island, the consequences would be unpredictable.
The pressure at 10,000 meters beneath the sea was, needless to say, terrifying. Furthermore, both parties were Devil Fruit users and couldn’t survive underwater. More importantly, if something went wrong, it wouldn’t just be one or two people who died.
"I don’t have immortality, I’m just hard to kill. If you’re truly interested, I don’t mind throwing down-yoi." After all, Marco had his own pride; how could he back down from a junior pirate?
"Hahahaha~ As expected of Marco, so magnanimous."
Aeridar roared with laughter, his expression growing even more savage. With a thunderous cry, he bellowed, "Then let’s fight!" His voice, like a clap of thunder, echoed in all directions.
Then, Aeridar’s figure flickered, instantly appearing before Marco, and he threw a direct punch.
Whoosh!
The punch whistled, carrying a fierce gale.
"So fast!" Marco was startled. He’d only seen such speed from Admiral Kizaru.
However, Marco was a great pirate who had traversed the New World for many years. His dynamic vision, enhanced by his Observation Haki, and his reaction speed, far exceeding that of ordinary people, allowed him to track Aeridar’s rapid movement. He immediately swept his leg out.
Thump!
Boom!
Fists and feet collided, and a terrifying burst of force exploded. A ripple of white energy instantly erupted like a shockwave, sweeping in all directions and knocking everything within dozens of meters flying.
"Nani!!!"
The eyes of the Whitebeard Pirates almost bulged out of their sockets. When did he get there? We didn’t even see him!
"I think I’m getting a little excited!" Aeridar grinned, his arm muscles bulging. It was just a single punch.
Fist Style: Impact Punch!!!
Marco’s eyes widened. Blue flames ignited on his right leg, instantly transforming into a phoenix claw, and he struck without hesitation.
Thump!
Another explosion. The street churned with rolling air currents once more, turning into a raging gale.
Marco’s eyes were wide. He felt an unstoppable, immense force radiating from his leg. His feet left the ground, and his body uncontrollably flew backward.
"What kind of monstrous strength is this?"
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