Infinite Anime [182-184] (Patreon)

Chapter 182: Ascending to the Skies

"King-sama, take us with you!"

Snow Wind, seeing chaos about to erupt, hurriedly rushed out, wanting to follow.

But King paid her no mind. Instead, he dashed to Gusion's side, grabbed him, and, along with the two children in Gusion's arms, took off into the air.

They had already prepared to set sail on the White Sea earlier that day. Since the main ship was too large and unwieldy, they had chosen a medium-sized vessel to head to the Sky Island.

King flew with Gusion and the sibling pair, Ulti and her brother, toward the ship. Gusion, looking out for his regular clients, called out, "Bring a few capable hands with me!"

After the Blizzard Adventurer Team were absorbed, they became his direct subordinates, giving him the right to command them.

Snow Wind was delighted to hear this. She quickly called her adventurers to follow, retreating from the main battlefield and boarding the ship together.

True, their goal in the New World was to fish in troubled waters, but even so, they had to know when to back off.

Who in their right mind would try to pick up scraps during a Yonko clash? That's just asking for death. Any of the commanders, All-Stars, or Tobiroppo would be a nightmare to face; if you got caught in the chaos, you'd likely never come back alive.

What they truly wanted was to get to the Sky Island, the perfect place for explorers like them to scavenge in the midst of chaos.

As everyone boarded the ship, the battle on the small island erupted in full force.

Kaido and Big Mom collided like monsters, their clashes sending shockwaves through the island and churning the surrounding seas.

Meanwhile, Issho squared off against Katakuri, the top Sweet Commander, immediately suppressing the Mochi-Mochi Fruit user with overwhelming force.

Thanks to his strength, the Beasts Pirates completely dominated, nearly crushing the Big Mom Pirates.

However, due to a certain tacit understanding between the Yonko crews, no one was going all out to kill—for now. Most of the officers were cautious, waiting to see their leaders' attitudes.

After all, Kaido and Big Mom had a history together, once crewmates on the same ship, and Kaido's Devil Fruit even came from Big Mom. Their subordinates couldn't be sure if their two bosses might patch things up tomorrow after fighting today.

If the crews killed each other's core members and then had to ally later, it would be awkward, to say the least.

Of course, a Yonko war is no children's game. While the top brass avoided fatal blows, the ordinary officers weren't so lucky.

For instance, a typical officer caught by Katakuri would be dead in an instant.

Same for Big Mom's regular officers—Issho and his crew showed no mercy.

So even though the battle had only just begun, there were already casualties.

…

Meanwhile, Gusion and his group boarded the ship. Snow Wind and her people, having sailing experience, immediately set the sails. King stood guard, keeping watch.

In fact, Kaido sent King to the Sky Island for several reasons: to protect Gusion and the others from the battlefield, and to consider King's own wishes.

He knew this old friend always worried about the Lunarian tribe on Sky Island, so if a top fighter was to lead the team, it had to be King.

Moreover, the route to the Sky Island required a flier for protection; otherwise, the path from the Ballon Terminal was almost certain death.

….

"Yare yare, how terrifying..."

As the Yonko clashed, a navy warship approached the port. Watching Kaido and Big Mom's collision, their Conqueror's Haki sent waves surging. Borsalino, in his peculiar tone, commented, "Truly terrifying monsters."

"Borsalino-san, the people over there are preparing to land!"

Aramaki's attention was not on the Yonko conflict. After witnessing Kaido and Big Mom's power, his eyes cleared up instantly.

He realized that trying to take out a Yonko was impossible. Better to go after Gusion.

Borsalino raised a finger, sending out a harmless beam of light to illuminate the ship, seeing who was aboard. "Oh, Gusion is among them. Are you going?"

Aramaki, spotting his target, got excited. That area was away from the main battle, with Kaido tied up by Big Mom and unable to assist. That meant the credit was his for the taking!

"Someone come with me!"

After a quick scan, Aramaki pointed to Rear Admiral Strawberry. "Strawberry, let's go. You handle King, and I'll take out Gusion in one shot."

Strawberry hesitated, wanting to say, "Me, fight King?"

But on this ship, Aramaki and Borsalino were equals, and Borsalino had no intention of intervening. He couldn't refuse Aramaki's order.

Strawberry looked pleadingly at Borsalino, hoping for help from his usual faction leader.

Borsalino sighed, "Aramaki, King is a Yonko's right hand. That's a tough ask for Strawberry."

Aramaki frowned. "Then I'll handle King. You take out Gusion, and I'll share the credit."

Strawberry hesitated, but as an ambitious officer, the lure of promotion was too strong. If he succeeded, he'd be promoted for sure.

"Roger!"

He saluted, decision made.

"Strawberry..." Borsalino frowned, wanting to say more, but stopped.

He was a slacker, but he couldn't expect others to do the same. He had hoped his colleague understood the unspoken rules, but seeing the ambition in Strawberry's eyes, he knew not everyone wanted an easy life.

Strawberry would risk anything for power, justice be damned.

With the Five Elders' top order before them, anyone who succeeded would be promoted—too tempting to refuse.

Seeing Strawberry determined, Borsalino didn't try to talk him out of it. If Strawberry really succeeded, he'd do what he could to hold Kaido back.

As soon as Strawberry agreed, Aramaki raised his hand, creating a wooden bridge from the warship to the island, sprinting toward the Ballon Terminal.

"You damn navy! Dare to attack the Yonko!?"

A Beasts Pirate officer yelled in warning.

But Aramaki and Strawberry didn't pause, heading straight for Gusion. At their speed, less than a kilometer was covered in the blink of an eye.

On the just-departed ship, King sensed danger, soared up, and slashed behind him, sending a giant fire dragon at Aramaki and Strawberry.

Boom—

The fire dragon collided with a wooden dragon, flames soaring, wood splinters flying.

Through the fire, King's eyes showed a hint of surprise—not at the navy's audacity, but at the number of strong opponents he had recently faced.

First, Issho, whom he'd never heard of before. Then this unremarkable navy vice admiral.

King wondered if the man was simply too low-key, or if he was a recent addition to the navy. Either way, he'd never heard of such a powerhouse.

This man could control wood, yet King's flames couldn't suppress it. Clearly, his mastery over his fruit was terrifying, far beyond a typical vice admiral.

A formidable foe, not much weaker than Issho!

"Mr. Gusion, set sail!" King shouted, urging Gusion to go.

The enemy was too strong for King to split his focus; he had to go all out, undisturbed, to have a chance.

"So this is the Calamity? Impressive indeed."

Aramaki, halted by King's fire dragon, wore a grave expression.

He realized he had underestimated the world's powerhouses. Not just the Yonko—their right hands were no easy targets either.

"Strawberry, go."

Aramaki used his Mori Mori Fruit powers to create a massive gust, opening a safe passage for Strawberry to flank the ship, while he confronted King directly.

He didn't expect to defeat King quickly, but as long as he held him off, Strawberry would finish everyone on that ship.

According to intelligence, Gusion was a civilian, a strategist, not a fighter worthy of a top post.

Strawberry, though only a rear admiral, was a renowned dual-blade swordsman with many victories at sea—even the Sun Pirates had suffered at his hands.

Seeing Aramaki send Strawberry around, King tried to cut the wooden bridge, but Aramaki was ready, blocking with more wood and counterattacking as a giant tree-man, striking at King.

King had no choice but to meet him head-on. "Damn navy, do you know who you're fighting? By attacking me, you're declaring war on the Beasts Pirates!"

Aramaki was unfazed. He was bold, unafraid of the Yonko. If not for the fleet admiral's orders to be cautious, he might have targeted King himself.

King was the infamous Calamity, Kaido's right hand; killing him would guarantee promotion.

Besides, both he and Borsalino had a secret order from Saturn: kill Gusion, and all consequences would be handled.

If Kaido wanted to start a war with the world government over a new subordinate, they were ready to take him on and show the world that, even in this pirate era, the world government was still supreme.

"Pirate, do you know who you're fighting?"

Aramaki sneered. "It's the navy's duty to hunt pirates, isn't it?"

With that, he unleashed his Mori Mori Fruit's ultimate move, transforming into a giant tree over thirty meters tall, wrapped in fire-resistant wood to counter King's flames.

This move combined strength and flexibility, blocking most shockwaves and slashes.

As a Logia user, he could also split his body to dodge fatal attacks.

Aramaki's punch, wrapped in advanced Armament Haki, hammered King's sword and sent him flying. If not for King's wings, he'd have been plunged into the White Sea.

Chapter 183: Secret Sword Technique—Mountain Collapse

"King, don't worry about us! Focus on your fight—we'll meet again on Sky Island!"

Gusion shouted, seeing King fall back.

Gusion was surprised to see Aramaki. In the original story, Aramaki would become Admiral Green Bull years later, so he shouldn't even be in the navy yet. Clearly, some explorer was altering events behind the scenes—though whether or not it was the same one spreading rumors remained unknown.

Regardless, they were in trouble. With King tied up by Aramaki, and another navy rear admiral pursuing them, the group would have to sail up on their own.

King could only focus on his battle. As long as King didn't have to protect them at the same time, Gusion judged that he'd be safe. Aramaki was still young, not yet as strong as he would one day become. This fight should be even.

"Instead of worrying about your friends, you should worry about yourself!"

A figure leapt along a vine, springing toward Gusion's departing ship.

This man was tall, in standard navy uniform, with an exaggeratedly tall hat, looking somewhat comical.

As he lunged at the ship, his two swords flashed, slashing in an X toward the deck.

Strawberry's plan was simple: destroy the ship. If the ship sank into the White Sea, the crew would be helpless, especially if any were Devil Fruit users. Even if Gusion wasn't, falling into the White Sea would leave him unable to fight back.

As a navy officer, Strawberry was skilled in the Six Powers. He could use Geppo to hover and launch attacks from above; it would be easy pickings.

He jumped from the wooden bridge, using Geppo to adjust his trajectory, his twin swords coated in black Armament Haki, unleashing a deadly energy slash.

On board, Snow Wind's face grew grim. In the anime, rear admirals often seemed weak, but in reality, they were the navy's backbone, comparable to Yonko officers.

Strawberry was a named character with a solid record—his personality left much to be desired, but his strength was real. Snow Wind's scouting skills sensed just how dangerous he was.

She'd brought her adventurers to escape Kaido's battlefield, never expecting to be hunted by the navy.

She drew her greatsword, ready to fight. But before she could act, Gusion moved.

A sonic boom ripped through the deck as Gusion charged, shattering the planks beneath his feet even with his cloud-walking ability. Without that, he would have destroyed the entire ship just by launching himself.

As he sprinted, a smile spread across his face—the thrill of a true life-or-death battle. After months as a strategist, this was what he'd missed.

Strawberry, rushing in, was shocked. According to navy intel, Gusion wasn't supposed to be a fighter. Yet now, in motion, Gusion's presence surged, fierce as a typhoon.

Lightning crackled around Gusion, a dark violet mist trailing from him at high speed.

With his shikai and Demon God skill active, Gusion's stats had soared to 54!

His black hair bristled, muscles bulged, threatening to burst his coat.

Gusion gripped his sword, Mazuko, and slashed horizontally, meeting Strawberry's attack head-on.

Boom!

Dark-red Haki enveloped Mazuko Blade as it collided with Strawberry's twin blades, the impact making the White Sea dip and clouds scatter.

The ship behind Gusion shuddered violently, pushed forward by the blast.

The blades didn't spark—the flow of Haki around Mazuko acted as a buffer, absorbing the clash.

Strawberry stared in disbelief as he was hurled backward, smashing through floating clouds, his hands numb.

Gusion, using the recoil, gracefully flipped and landed at the stern, Mazuko at his side, eyes locked on Strawberry as he stabilized midair with Geppo.

Gusion grinned. "Taking down a rear admiral should earn me a hefty bounty, right?"

"Damn Pirate!"

Strawberry, enraged, charged again. He blamed the earlier setback on momentum: Gusion had jumped from a stable platform, while he'd been running in midair.

But he was a seasoned officer, on the verge of promotion to vice admiral. He wouldn't back down—if he couldn't handle a pirate barely in his twenties, he might as well retire.

Anger surging, Strawberry's Haki darkened to purple. He slashed again at the ship.

"Two-Sword Style: Twin Moons Fall to Sea!"

With a battle cry, Strawberry's blades unleashed crescent-shaped energy waves at the vessel.

Gusion, surrounded by lightning, exhaled steam, lowering his stance. The sword hilt creaked in his grip.

Power gathered from his feet, flowing upward, culminating at a single point.

Veins bulged on Gusion's arms, muscles knotted, lightning crackling like a thunder nest.

But in the instant he stepped forward, all phenomena vanished—calm before the eruption.

"Gu—"

Snow Wind tried to call out, seeing Strawberry's attack about to destroy the ship, but Gusion hadn't moved. Anxiously, she readied her sword to defend.

But before she finished his name, Gusion struck.

Even with her sharp eyes, Snow Wind couldn't see his blade—only the image of a mountain collapsing, an overwhelming force.

Gusion slashed horizontally:

Secret Sword Technique—Mountain Collapse!

The clash sent a shockwave outwards, splitting the White Sea into a cross.

The ship sailed along the single safe lane, deep chasms opening on either side.

Strawberry had gone all-out, but facing Gusion's overwhelming force, he was forced back.

And as he flew, he saw—his twin swords, both famed blades with Haki reinforcement, had faint cracks down the middle.

Impossible!

Before he could check his swords, pain shot through his waist. Looking down, he saw a thin, bleeding line across his side.

Gusion stood on the stern railing, most of the deck behind him destroyed.

He gazed at Mazuko, savoring the moment. Mountain Collapse wasn't a traditional technique—it was Gusion's own invention, inspired by ancient martial arts legends, now made real thanks to his supernatural powers in this world.

A move that poured all his strength into one blade, blending force and sharpness—enough to topple mountains!

"Not bad. You make a good test subject."

Seeing Strawberry's fighting spirit undimmed, Gusion smiled.

His stats, seen through his scouting skill, were around 60. Stat-wise, Strawberry had the advantage, which explained Snow Wind's earlier fear.

But combat wasn't just about numbers—Strawberry's skills were less refined.

Gusion's Haki was of the advanced flowing type, ahead of Strawberry's version. On top of that, Mountain Collapse multiplied his attack power, allowing him to outmatch Strawberry's aerial assault.

"How did you do that?"

Strawberry approached warily, not attacking yet, finally sensing the threat Gusion posed.

He'd been wounded! And he didn't even know how.

"Oh? You're confused how I cut you through your sword?"

Gusion grinned. He stepped forward, standing unsupported in midair, his ship sailing on.

"Is that even harder to understand?" he teased.

Strawberry stared, mouth agape—Gusion clearly wasn't using Geppo!

Chapter 184: Beheading a Rear Admiral

Strawberry knew Geppo's principle: continuous, skillful kicks against the air for propulsion.

But Gusion stood there, unmoving, not using any such technique.

It felt like the Float-Float Fruit, but Golden Lion was still locked away. Besides, intelligence said Gusion wasn't a Devil Fruit user.

So how was he doing it? Who was he really?

Snow Wind was equally stunned. Seeing Gusion's sword and his feet, she realized—he was a Shinigami!"

This was a high-level use of the Shinigami's flash step: creating footholds from spiritual particles to stand in midair. Compared to Geppo, it was a skill on another level.

"Snow Wind, stop gawking and set sail. I'll catch up after I finish testing my sword."

Gusion's authority was unquestionable. Without the navy's interference, this Sky Island trip would have been easy. But with Kaido's orders to protect Ulti and her brother, he had to consider their safety. Luckily, Snow Wind's team could help.

"Everyone, set sail!" Snow Wind called, trusting Gusion's strength.

As long as they entered the current zone leading to Sky Island, even the navy couldn't catch them.

Gusion hovered above the White Sea, watching the ship recede, eyes on the distant battle.

King and Aramaki were locked in a fierce fight. Though Aramaki was strong, the White Sea's floating islands made it hard for him to use his powers fully. King, meanwhile, could fly unrestricted, giving him the advantage.

But as a Logia user, Aramaki was tough and resilient, able to recover from almost any injury. He was determined to kill Gusion for a shot at promotion.

Their battle kept moving upstream, drawing closer to the Gusion-Strawberry duel.

"You want to test your sword on me? I'm not like other rear admirals!"

Strawberry was shaken by Gusion's air-walking, but not afraid.

He was puzzled—he'd blocked Gusion's slash, and both their projectile attacks should have canceled out. With Haki, the aftershock shouldn't have hurt him.

But Gusion had left a cut on his waist. Not serious, but puzzling.

"I haven't met other rear admirals, but as a Beasts' All-Star, I should be able to kill one easily, right?"

Gusion's secret: his Soul Devourer ring inflicted true damage—3% of the target's soul capacity with every hit. Upgraded, it boosted the effect by 50%, for 4.5% per blow. Even in the tough One Piece world, this would wear anyone down.

"Your Haki is impressive, but I can do the same," Strawberry retorted, coating his swords in advanced, dark-purple Haki.

"My teacher was Admiral Zephyr—of course I know this trick. Prepare to die, pirate!"

He advanced with Geppo, though not as confidently as he sounded.

Gusion sensed Strawberry's advanced Haki was unreliable—sometimes it worked, sometimes not. He wasn't a natural talent; it would take him years to master what Luffy and Gusion picked up in days.

No more words. Gusion took a breath and used flash step—far faster than the navy's Soru.

Strawberry tensed, blocking with crossed blades, crouched like a bull about to charge. In a flash, he launched his own cross-slash with advanced Haki.

"Two-Sword Style: Cross Kill!"

Going all out, Strawberry banked on his superior physique to overpower Gusion.

This time, his advanced Haki worked perfectly.

Gusion shot forward, but strangely made no sound—no sonic boom, just a ripple on the White Sea.

Rather than dodge, Gusion met the attack head-on, switching to a single-handed grip and drawing a smooth arc in the air, his sword's force stirring a whirlpool below and clouds above.

Where he stood became a vortex, sucking in water and clouds alike.

Secret Sword Technique—Gathering a Hundred Rivers!

Strawberry's blades, compelled by a strange force, were drawn off course, nearly torn from his grip. Forced to choose, he let go of one sword, body pulled sideways.

Gusion didn't let up. As soon as the blade finished its arc, he spun and kicked Strawberry in the waist.

Boom!

Strawberry, exposed and unable to dodge, was sent flying, organs churning even through Haki. The true damage effect ruptured his kidney.

Gusion had activated the Soul Devourer ring's active skill, dealing an extra 15% of Strawberry's soul capacity as real damage—enough for a serious internal injury.

No chance for respite—Gusion followed up, sword flashing. Strawberry barely managed to block with his remaining blade, but was knocked away again, crashing through floating islands.

Before he could catch his breath, Gusion was already above him, twin hands gripping Mazuko, lightning flashing, face marked with ghostly patterns—like a demon descending.

He slashed down, even before the blade landed, carving a gash in the White Sea.

Secret Sword Technique—Earth Splitter!

Strawberry, terrified, could barely lift his sword in defense. The clash shattered his named blade—one of the 50 Skillful Grade Swords—while Mazuko, wreathed in crimson Haki, kept descending.

The blade cut flesh and bone, severing Strawberry's right arm and shoulder.

"Strawberry!"

Aramaki, fighting nearby, cried out in disbelief. How could a strategist defeat a rear admiral?

But Gusion did not hesitate. As Strawberry fell, Gusion flashed downward, slicing through his neck—ending him for good.