Chapter 1597 Blackbeard's Movements

Kisame Hoshigaki used his water transformation technique to merge into the sea. In his heart, the information that the Blackbeard Pirates were lurking in the Devil's Triangle and that they possessed a terrifyingly powerful figure like Akaza needed to be reported immediately.

Instead of returning directly to the front lines of the fiercest battle, he reassembled himself at a relatively secluded, dilapidated dock in Marineford and set foot on the island.

Without the slightest delay, Kisame quickly formed hand seals with one hand, unleashing the "Water Clone Technique"!

A water clone identical to his original body instantly formed, then transformed into a transparent stream of water, silently rushing towards the core command tower of the naval headquarters fortress, following the shadows and gaps of the buildings.

Knight King Artoria remained standing, her holy sword planted firmly on the ground, radiating a steady glow. However, her gaze would occasionally drift towards the area behind her from which ominous tremors were emanating, and the changes there seemed to stir her emotions.

Just then, Kisame's water clone seemed to flow out from the shadows of the castle wall and recombine beside Sengoku.

This sudden appearance caused the officers and soldiers guarding him to tense up and grip their weapons tightly, but they relaxed slightly after recognizing Kisame.

Kisame's water clone spoke in a low voice, "On the edge of the Devil's Triangle, we have confirmed that Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach and some of his subordinates are infiltrating."

"One of them is named Akaza. He is suspected to be a non-Devil Fruit user, but his physical skills and the use of a certain kind of ki are extremely dangerous. Teach should be taking action soon," he said succinctly, conveying the most crucial information.

The name Blackbeard was like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in Sengoku's heart.

The fragmented intelligence sent back by the Sword Squad from Alabasta mentioned a dangerous pirate crew led by Teach, but the assessment of their threat level was based more on Teach's unknown Dark-Dark Fruit ability and his heinous act of betraying Whitebeard.

The message Kisame brought not only confirmed that Teach was nearby, but also pointed out that he had Akaza, a powerful figure whom even an admiral would have to treat with great respect.

This means that the strength of the Blackbeard Pirates may have been seriously underestimated!

They were by no means a ragtag bunch hastily assembled by Teach, but a truly ambitious group with top-tier combat power, lurking in the shadows.

A martial arts master who doesn't rely on a Devil Fruit, yet Kisame gives him such high praise. Teach, where did you find these monsters?

Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit is Blackbeard's open target, but if Teach's ambitions don't stop there, is the Buddha Fruit within Sengoku also on his hunting list?

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached, and a pale-faced, panting female naval officer under Vice Admiral Tsuru rushed up the city wall and ran straight to Sengoku.

She lowered her voice and urgently reported the tragedy that had occurred at the field hospital in the rear, confirming that Marshal Steelbone had fallen, that General Zephyr had betrayed them and displayed a terrifying inhuman form, and that he was currently fighting to the death with Vice Admiral Garp.

The details match Drake's account, and are even more horrifying!

The two pieces of bad news piled up and hit Sengoku's heart hard. Even with his composure, Sengoku's body swayed involuntarily.

Anger, grief, and a deep sense of powerlessness intertwined in Sengoku's heart.

But he knew that he absolutely could not afford to panic at this moment!

Sengoku took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging emotions, and looked at Kisame's water clone with a resolute voice: "Kisame, immediately go to the rear to support Garp, and you must capture Zephyr. We must see him alive or dead. We cannot let him escape and continue to cause trouble."

"Yes!"

Kisame's water clone nodded, then with a bang, it turned into a puddle of water and disappeared. Almost at the same time, below the city wall, Kisame's main body and water clone instantly switched positions.

Kisame looked up and took one last look at the golden, radiant Artoria on the castle tower. Their eyes met briefly, and a complex and unfathomable emotion flashed in Kisame's eyes.

He felt a sense of recognition for her strength and beliefs, and perhaps a touch of sympathy for those who were different yet had embarked on the same path, but he had no time to delve into it. He turned and followed the female naval officer who had come to deliver the message.

On the way, the female marine suppressed her grief and fear and told Kisame everything that had happened behind them, how Zephyr had transformed into Night Demon, how he had cruelly devoured his comrades, and how he had fought Garp, as clearly as possible.

When Kisame heard that Zephyr had even preyed on fish-men, the muscles on his usually indifferent shark face twitched slightly, and the last trace of possible hesitation in his eyes completely disappeared, leaving only a cold killing intent.

Regardless of Zephyr's past achievements or hardships, when he turned his teeth against his own kind and extended his claws to the innocent, he was no longer the respectable Black Arm General, but a monster that had to be eliminated.

A few minutes later, they arrived together at the ruins of the field hospital area.

Scattered among the ruins were countless pale, drained skeletons and tattered naval uniforms. A heavy stench of blood and an indescribable stench of decay permeated the air.

Lieutenant General Tsuru stood a short distance away, her face pale, her fists clenched tightly, her body trembling slightly with anger and sorrow, but her eyes were fixed on the center of the battlefield, where two figures were colliding at a speed that was difficult for the naked eye to perceive.

The loud noises continued, and the shockwaves shattered and tore apart the surrounding rubble. It was Garp and Zephyr, but they were two completely different people from Kisame's memories.

Garp, the former naval hero, was now like a mad tiger. The bandages on his head had long since disappeared, revealing a hideous wound, and blood stained half of his face.

He was shirtless, and every punch he threw carried terrifying power capable of shattering mountains and splitting seas, along with endless grief and indignation. Dark Armament Haki swirled around his iron fists, and there were even faint flashes of dark red lightning, signs of Conqueror's Haki.

This old man is burning the last of his life and glory in a desperate battle to purge his own family.

As for Black Arm General, is that still Zephyr?

Is that the old soldier with a missing arm, haggard and full of justice, yet repeatedly tormented by fate?

No, what's before us is more like a demon crawling out from the deepest part of hell!

Zefa's body was taller and stronger than he remembered, and his skin had an unhealthy, metallic dark purple color, as if it were covered with a biological carapace.

From the previously empty left sleeve, an arm as thick as the right arm, covered with hideous black armor, grew out, its five fingers being sharp black claws.

From the tailbone of his spine extended a nearly three-meter-long tail, also covered in black armor, with a sharp, spear-like tip.

This tail (the tail kagune) is incredibly agile, sometimes lashing out like a steel whip, sometimes thrusting out like a spear, causing great trouble even for Garp, who has extremely rich combat experience.

The only thing that could still connect him to that Black Arm General was perhaps his still striking short purple hair.

Vice Admiral Tsuru's physical strength is insufficient to keep up with the reaction speed of the two monsters. Rashly participating in the war would only cause trouble for Garp.

As a clever woman, the chief of staff immediately thought of Zefa's two students, who had not been seen since the start of the war and needed to be temporarily detained.

As people close to Zephyr, these two students might know some inside information about why Zephyr suddenly turned into Night Demon.

Night Demon has only appeared recently, so there must be some secret the Navy doesn't know about.