Super Card System

Chapter 574: Veteran's Strike

As Ian’s words echoed, the Marine soldiers on the opposite side not only didn’t charge forward but subconsciously took a step back.

Marine soldiers were also human, prone to fear, especially when faced with someone like Ian, who took the spotlight as soon as he appeared. Those soldiers lying like fish in a net were still fresh in their minds; they didn’t want to die…

Not to mention the Marine officers, who were also feeling uneasy. The lineup of the Dragon Hunter Pirates was too astonishing, giving the impression that another Emperor’s pirate crew had appeared.

Many people felt this way, so in the face of Ian’s provocation, no one on the Marine side dared to act recklessly.

In contrast to the Marines’ fear, the pirates showed excited smiles on their faces. They licked their blades eagerly, staring fixedly at the Marines opposite them. Especially the convicts who had come out of Impel Down, they harbored the greatest hatred for the Marines.

Among the Whitebeard Pirates’ crew, besides their own members, not many had seen Ian. However, they knew that Ian was highly regarded by their captain, Whitebeard, so naturally, they looked to Ian as a leader. They were ready to charge at the Marines as soon as Ian gave the order.

The morale of both sides instantly flipped, demonstrating the impact of powerful reinforcements.

However, at this moment, a path gradually opened up in the rear of the Marine formation. Fleet Admiral Sengoku, accompanied by Garp and Tsuru, walked towards them. As they passed by, the Marine soldiers were initially stunned, then quickly saluted and made way for them.

Sengoku made his entrance. He could sense the fear among the Marine soldiers and knew he had to intervene.

As they advanced, Sengoku shouted loudly, “Look at yourselves, soldiers! Are you considering retreat?”

Sengoku scanned the soldiers on both sides, but they all avoided eye contact, gripping their weapons tightly.

“Do you want to be cowards!?” Sengoku stopped in his tracks and roared, “Have you forgotten the beliefs you held when you joined the Marines!?”

He grabbed the collar of a Marine soldier to his right and pulled him close, demanding, “Answer me! Soldier! What is the belief of the Marines!?”

The soldier who was grabbed by Sengoku was initially stunned, but under Sengoku’s stern gaze, he closed his eyes and shouted in salute, “In… in the name of justice!”

“That’s right!” Sengoku let him go and surveyed the soldiers around him, shouting, “The enemy is right ahead. No matter how powerful they are, pirates are pirates! Striking down evil and protecting the weak is our duty and belief as Marines!”

With Sengoku’s roar, the Marine soldiers gradually straightened their spines.

Undeniably, many Marine soldiers had joined the Marines because they had been deeply affected by pirates. Sengoku’s words not only revived their beliefs but also stirred up their memories.

“Rally your spirits, grip your weapons, justice will prevail!”

“Ooaah!!!”

With Sengoku’s shout, the Marine soldiers finally rallied, joining in with a roar, raising their firearms and glaring at the pirates.

Meanwhile, Sengoku, accompanied by Garp and Tsuru, advanced to the forefront, standing in front of the Three Admirals, facing Ian.

“Fleet Admiral Sengoku…” Ian looked at Sengoku with a complex expression. He hadn’t expected Sengoku’s few words to rekindle the fighting spirit of the Marine soldiers. The respect that this Fleet Admiral commanded among the Marines was truly exceptional.

“Ian!” Sengoku looked at Ian with a serious expression. “The first time I heard your name, you were still a pirate hunter. But at that time, I had a vague premonition that you would be the one to give me the most trouble. Now, that premonition has come true. If I had known earlier, even if everyone opposed it, I shouldn’t have let you become one of the Seven Warlords. If I had taken you out before that, perhaps we wouldn’t have so much trouble now!”

However, Ian smiled at him and said, “Fleet Admiral Sengoku, please forgive me for being blunt. At least until the incident in Mariejois, I never thought of being an enemy to the Marines. But at that time, for the sake of the Celestial Dragons, you continuously sent troops to hunt me down. From that moment on, our grudge was set. Also, don’t glorify the Marines so much. If the Marines really stand on the side of justice, striking down evil to protect the weak, then why turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the Celestial Dragons? On Sabaody Archipelago, the indiscriminate killing by the Celestial Dragons, you couldn’t have been unaware of it. Why have we never seen you seek justice for those persecuted innocents?”

As soon as this was said, the members of the Dragon Hunters Pirates behind Ian shouted in unison, “That’s right! When we were treated like animals, where were you, Righteous Marines!?”

The foundation of the Dragon Hunters Pirates was these slaves who escaped from Mariejois. Ian’s words hit them right where it hurt the most—anger and vulnerability.

Even Jinbe sighed and spoke up, “Your Excellency Fleet Admiral, on this point, we Fish-Men are also deeply resentful. The centuries of racial discrimination against the Fish-Men are countless…”

Sengoku was left speechless by Ian’s words. He was well aware of the issues surrounding the Celestial Dragons, but as a Fleet Admiral, he was effectively restrained by the World Government. Even he couldn’t do anything about these issues.

Seeing Sengoku’s silence, Ian snorted and continued, “The Marines and the Celestial Dragons wanted to eliminate me back then at any cost, so we are enemies. Then the Whitebeard Pirates helped me, so I stand with them. It’s about repaying kindness and avenging grievances. Don’t talk about justice and evil; no one represents true justice!”

“Hahahaha!” Doflamingo heard Ian’s words and couldn’t help but smirk, licking his lips. He whispered to Moria beside him, “Although I really want to take him down, I have to admit he’s right. Why does justice prevail? Because only the victorious side has the authority to claim they are righteous!”

“Huh! Sharp-witted kid!” Akainu, hearing Ian’s words, felt extremely displeased. Ian’s statement clashed too much with Akainu’s beliefs. For Akainu, he firmly believed that the side he belonged to, the Marines, was the side of justice. Anyone who opposed the Marines, regardless of the reason, was evil. Simply put, everything the Marines did, in his view, was right. He was convinced that he had always walked the path of justice!

Boom! Akainu’s arms erupted in thick smoke once again, turning into dark-red magma. He didn’t want to listen to the conversation between Sengoku and Ian. Any obstacle in the way of justice just needed to be eliminated by any means necessary!

So the next moment, his arm transformed into a massive magma fist and struck out fiercely towards Ian!

Akainu’s action naturally served as the signal to start the battle. After this punch was thrown, Kizaru and Aokiji immediately moved, charging towards Ian at the same time.

Fujitora and Enel rushed forward immediately, each blocking Kizaru and Aokiji, while Marco also flew in from the side, transforming his body into a phoenix, kicking towards Akainu’s fist to intercept it, protecting Ian.

The pirates shouted loudly, charging towards the Marines, while on the Marine side, gunfire erupted, bullets raining down like a storm upon the pirates.

“Let’s move!” Seeing this scene, Sengoku didn’t say anything more. He simply nodded to Garp and Tsuru beside him, then his entire body began to transform.

His body continued to expand, soon becoming towering like a giant, while his skin shimmered with golden light.

A round-shaped mole appeared on Sengoku’s forehead, and his hairstyle turned into an explosion-like afro.

Some Marine officers who knew the inside story couldn’t help but excitedly shout, “It’s here! Admiral Sengoku’s Buddha Devil Fruit!”

The Zoan-type Mythical Zoan fruit, Great Buddha Form! This was Sengoku’s Devil Fruit ability. Since becoming a fleet admiral, Sengoku rarely intervened personally, to the extent that only some older officers in the Marines had seen Sengoku’s Devil Fruit form. The younger ones, seeing Sengoku’s transformation, almost popped their eyes out.

Ian also nervously watched Sengoku. As a transmigrator, he indeed knew about Sengoku’s abilities, but this was the first time he had seen it in person.

According to Ian’s estimation, Sengoku’s true strength was probably even stronger than that of the Marine Admirals!

Why say that? It’s because Sengoku is from the same era as Pirate King Gol D. Roger! How formidable Gol D. Roger was, Ian hadn’t seen or known, but there was someone who could be compared to him, and that was Rayleigh, the Dark King!

Ian didn’t know if Uncle Rayleigh had ever fought Sengoku, but it was likely. Who won or lost was unknown, but the two were definitely on the same level.

After the transformation, Sengoku immediately towered over, slamming a fist down toward Ian’s position!

As an elder, it was quite embarrassing to make a move against a young man, but now he couldn’t care less and just wanted to take Ian down as soon as possible.

Due to his transformation into a Great Buddha, Sengoku’s body had grown enormously, and along with it, his fist was also huge. As the fist came crashing down, Ian felt like the sky above his head was being covered and didn’t dare to resist, immediately jumping away to avoid it!

Boom! The ground trembled, Sengoku’s fist struck the ground, directly creating a huge crater where Ian had been before, countless cracks spreading out in all directions like a spider web.

Meanwhile, Ian, jumping in mid-air, crossed his arms in front of his face, blocking the flying rocks and ice. Under the tremendous impact, these rocks and ice became like bullets.

Before he could descend, a black figure suddenly rushed out from the side, throwing a punch at Ian in mid-air!

It was Vice Admiral Garp! Iron Fist Garp!

Ian hadn’t expected these two legendary veterans to join forces against him. Caught off guard, he was hit in the face by Garp’s fist, and his entire body plummeted from the sky like a cannonball…