Chapter 27: Soul Severing Shadow Stone, You Cannot Die Yet
There were no pre-battle taunts, nor any exchange of angry curses. Countless Marines leaped down from the harbor, while densely packed pirates charged forward. When the two sides were only a few dozen meters apart, bullets flew everywhere, and within less than half a minute of charging, they were locked in close combat.
Sharp blades cut through flesh and bone, cannonballs landed on the ice, sending shards flying in all directions. The smell of blood mixed with gunpowder—this was the scent of the battlefield.
By this point, most of the Marines and pirates had lost their fear. Their adrenaline surged, the smell of blood stimulated them, and their thoughts became simple: kill everyone on the other side.
*Puchi! Puchi!*
A pirate wielding a wide-bladed sailor's knife was hacking at a Marine, blood splattering all over his face. In the distance, a young Marine with goggles on his forehead witnessed this scene.
Blood stained the ice, steaming intestines spilled out, and a rib bone was sent flying. After seeing this, the young Marine's legs began to tremble.
"How rare."
A scrawny pirate appeared behind the young Marine without warning, his blade hook, covered in shredded flesh, aimed at the boy's side of the neck.
With a *puchi*, blood spurted high into the air. The scrawny pirate's headless corpse took half a step back and fell straight backward.
"Recruit, whose unit are you under?"
A rear admiral with a head of curly brown hair spoke, casually flicking blood off his blade as he talked, unconcerned that a head had landed by his foot.
"I am..."
The young Marine named Koby was about to say, "I am under Vice Admiral Garp," but the words caught in his throat. His performance earlier had been truly pathetic; seeing a comrade hacked into minced meat had frozen him in fear.
"Hmph."
The curly-haired rear admiral had just let out a cold snort when he suddenly froze in place. Blood oozed from his forehead, dripping down his chin.
With a *thud*, the Marine rear admiral collapsed. Koby's expression gradually went blank. Just moments ago, he had seen a blue streak pierce through Rear Admiral Yuchimura's head. This rear admiral, known as the "Thousand-Man Slayer," had died just like that.
Koby stiffly turned his head and saw a weapon shaped like a hiltless rapier, covered in red patterns, hovering nearby. It floated in midair, blood dripping from its tip, proving that this was what had killed Rear Admiral Yuchimura.
Fear seemed to consume Koby. As the unknown weapon aimed at him, his body began to stiffen.
*Boom!*
A sonic boom rang out, and tears welled up in Koby's eyes.
A force appeared in front of Koby, followed by a blinding golden light. When the explosion and golden light faded, Koby saw a tall figure standing before him.
"Ad, Admiral Borsalino!"
Koby stammered. Kizaru ignored him, instead scanning the surroundings for something.
"That guy is here too? What a headache."
Kizaru's voice was as lazy as ever, dragging out his words. From start to finish, he paid no attention to Koby, even though he had seen this young man beside Garp before.
Kizaru walked toward another part of the battlefield. Koby collapsed to the ground, covered in cold sweat, gasping for air.
On the deck of the Moby Dick, Su Xiao was closing his eyes, sensing something. The next moment, Banishment flew back to his side.
"Too far."
Banishment split apart, attaching itself to Su Xiao's sleeve in the form of fragmented blades. The Summit War had begun, and the highest-reward plot event in the Pirate World had been triggered.
[The Hunter has triggered the large-scale plot event: Summit War.]
[The War Merit System has been activated.]
[During the plot event "Summit War," the Hunter cannot obtain World Source by killing plot characters. After the event ends, World Source will be settled uniformly.]
[Due to the activation of the plot event, killing enemies will no longer yield chests below the Epic rank. Such rewards will be converted into War Merits.]
[After the plot event ends, War Merits can be used to purchase items in the "War Shop." The War Shop is open to all contractors. Available items are as follows.]