Chapter 434: Dragon Claw
Countless fierce-faced pirates charged at Kuzan with weapons drawn.
At the same time, a group of people rushed over to Buggy, lifted him up off the ground, and began running toward the harbor with him.
Buggy, suspended in the air, was momentarily stunned as he looked around at the people seemingly protecting him. His mind went blank.
"Who's the Pirate King's crew member?"
One voice of confusion rose after another.
But when they saw Buggy being carried at the front of the crowd, everyone began gathering around him.
"The Pirate King's crewman!"
Crowds surged forward.
The pirates, who had been scattered and fleeing from the Marines with no leader to rally around, were now miraculously gathering around Buggy.
And against the encroaching Marines, they somehow began fighting back in an organized manner.
Kuzan looked at the wave of pirates charging him, then at Buggy, who was being carried farther and farther away.
"Damn... miscalculated."
He cursed under his breath, then resumed his attack on the surrounding pirates.
Meanwhile, the Marine encirclement was closing in.
"Damn it!"
Crocodile, now surrounded and no longer as arrogant as before, was fighting back furiously.
The harbor still seemed out of reach.
Then his expression changed.
He paused, noticing the gathering crowd of pirates.
"They're shouting something about a crewman of the Pirate King... Could it be a former Roger Pirates member? But isn't this timing way too late?"
Crocodile was full of doubts.
But the Marines swarming him gave him no time to think.
He slowly shifted his route, moving toward the pirate crowd.
Whoosh!
Waves of sword energy slashed out toward the surrounding Marines.
Many Marines fell instantly.
"You're cornered, pirate!"
Three Marine Vice Admirals surrounded a figure.
"Boring."
The youth with the black blade glanced around, then also began heading toward the pirate cluster.
"Retreat! Head in the opposite direction!"
Doflamingo, battered and disheveled, his pink coat torn in the earlier fights, fled toward the weaker side of the Marine perimeter.
"Hehehehe! Boys, fall back!"
Even Moria could no longer hold on. The more they fought, the more Marines arrived. At this rate, his men would all be wiped out.
He too began retreating in the opposite direction of Buggy's position.
And so—
A bizarre scene unfolded on the battlefield.
Nearly all pirates gathered around Buggy, forming layers of protection around him as they slowly moved toward the harbor.
The Marines, scattered across the town, had trouble converging. The pirates began breaking through.
"Pirates! You're not getting away!"
Sakazuki (Akainu) saw what was happening and leapt forward—aiming directly for Buggy, who was at the center of the crowd.
To him, this red-nosed clown was the root of the problem.
Kill him, and the rest would collapse.
Suddenly—
His Observation Haki detected something.
He paused in surprise.
"Desert Grand Sword!"
A cold voice rang out.
Before Akainu could move, a massive sand sword intercepted him at the waist.
He turned to see Crocodile approaching.
"Tch. Quick reaction, huh?"
Crocodile had somehow found another cigar, which he now bit down on as he walked over arrogantly.
Akainu's body of magma began to reform at the waist.
"Crocodile of the Desert! Your fate ends here!"
Akainu turned fully to face Crocodile.
"Try me."
Crocodile sneered.
Akainu raised a magma fist and attacked.
"He—He's Crocodile! The guy who challenged Whitebeard and lived!"
Some pirates recognized him and were stunned.
"Even Crocodile is protecting the Pirate King's crew?! Boys, let's carve a path through for him!"
Someone shouted.
"Yeah!"
A thunderous roar echoed through the town.
On the other side of the island—
"Dragon! Come back with me. The Marines can pretend none of this happened."
Sengoku, who had been absent from the main battle, now stood before a cloaked man.
"Marines? There's no going back! Even if they don't care, what about the World Government?"
Dragon's voice came from under the cloak.
"Does it have to be this way? We had high hopes for you."
Sengoku clenched his fists, staring at the man cloaked before him.
"I want to try a different path."
Dragon replied calmly.
"Then I guess there's no reasoning left."
Sengoku sighed.
His fists became coated in Armament Haki.
"Then I'll take you to Impel Down myself!"
Sengoku charged forward.
"Dragon Claw!"
Dragon's right hand formed into a claw and collided with Sengoku's incoming punch.
BOOM!
The clash sent shockwaves through the area, shattering roof tiles and shaking the air.
"You've clearly kept up your training."
Sengoku shouted and launched a palm strike.
BANG!
Both stepped back three paces.
"Sengoku, you can't stop me."
The cloak fell away—
Revealing Monkey D. Dragon.
Sengoku's expression turned complicated.
Years ago, nearly every Marine saw Dragon—Garp's son—as the next Fleet Admiral.
Even Kong kept Dragon by his side, letting him attend high-level meetings and record decisions. He even had Vice Admiral Tsuru mentor him in handling Marine affairs.
But ever since he was stationed in Mary Geoise, something changed drastically.
Sengoku had his suspicions… but couldn't voice them.
Now, their battle erupted behind Loguetown, ferociously intense.
"Ara ara... quite the hassle."
Kuzan had finally cleared out the wave of pirates who tried to block him and was now approaching the harbor.
"I can't just let you go."
"Ice Age!"
Seeing the pirates had already gotten Buggy aboard a ship, Kuzan's eyes flashed cold.
He unleashed a tide of freezing cold, racing across the harbor and out to sea.
"Not good! The ocean's freezing over!"
People shouted in panic.
But just then—
A brilliant green flash descended from the sky, cutting through the cold.
Kuzan snapped his head toward the ship.
There stood a lone swordsman.
"Dracule Mihawk—the Marine Hunter!"
Mihawk sheathed his sword, gazing coldly at Kuzan.
His hawk-like eyes sent shivers down everyone's spine.
Why was he here?
Even the surrounding pirates backed away from Mihawk.
In the first half of the Grand Line, he was one of the most feared rookies.
The name "Marine Hunter Dracule Mihawk" was known by all.
Especially after his battle against the World's Greatest Swordsman—Rockefeller Sharo—rumors spread that Mihawk had earned Sharo's recognition.
In this region of the Grand Line, his fame had soared.
After all, their battle had taken place right at the entrance of the Grand Line—at Whiskey Peak—with many witnesses.
To be continued...
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