The sea wind howled, the warship's canvas billowed, and the soldiers were busy weighing anchor and setting sail, with the sound of neat footsteps and clashing metal coming from the deck.
"I wonder if Zephyr will find this 'answer sheet' of mine satisfactory..."
Gern stood at the stern, his gaze indifferently fixed on the gradually receding island. black blade eight desolations hung quietly at his waist, its bandages fluttering slightly in the wind.
Suddenly, in the next moment, Gern's pupils contracted sharply.
"Whoosh!" Continuous, sharp whooshing sounds tore through the air as several pitch-black bullets shot from the direction of the island towards Gern's position.
Each one was wrapped in solidified Armament Haki, gleaming with a cold metallic luster under the sunlight.
Gern tilted his head slightly from side to side, the bullets whistling past his ears, the strong wind they created ruffling a few strands of his hair.
His movements seemed casual, yet he precisely dodged all fatal attacks.
"Armament Haki bullets?" Gern turned his head, his gaze like a hawk, locking onto a giant tree on the east side of the island.
Immediately after, his Observation Haki was fully activated, instantly capturing the hidden figure in the treetop.
It was a tall, thin man wearing a top hat, holding a slender sniper rifle, its barrel still emitting faint smoke.
At the same time, the soldiers, who had just realized what was happening upon seeing the smoking bullet marks on the steel plate, cried out in alarm.
"Enemy attack!"
"All hands, prepare for combat!"
"Don't move." Gern raised his hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet, his voice terrifyingly calm.
After all, having followed Zephyr for two years, he basically knew all the famous pirates of this era.
Like, for example, the guy currently attacking him...
"The Gold Lion Flying Pirates' Third Division Captain, 'Death Knell' David, bounty 800 million Berries."
As he spoke, Gern's gaze never left the figure. "It seems Doge's allegiance has brought his master to greet us personally."
The soldiers, who had stopped their movements, instantly turned pale upon hearing this.
A bounty as high as 800 million Berries meant that the opponent was a true New World powerhouse, far beyond the likes of Doge.
Meanwhile, in the treetop on the east side of the island, David narrowed his eyes, his heart filled with shock.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Is this for real?!"
One should know that the title "Death Knell" wasn't given for nothing; his sniping had never failed.
Let alone with the advantages of attached Armament Haki and a surprise attack...
But, even so, the opponent easily dodged it while his back was turned.
"Is this Marine's Observation Haki that strong...?" David gritted his teeth, his finger once again on the trigger.
However, before he could fire, Gern on the warship had already raised his right hand, his index finger pointed directly at him.
"Sneak attacks are not a good virtue!"
"And..." As he spoke, a pale, high-energy vibrating particle condensed at his fingertip. The air around the tip of his index finger produced tiny ruptures due to the high-frequency vibration.
"I see you."
"Whoosh!" A spiraling, pale ray shot forth, leaving clear air vibration patterns in its wake, moving too fast to be caught by the naked eye.
The ray was silent, yet it contained terrifying penetrative power and internal destructive force.
Immediately, David, also a master of Observation Haki, his face changed drastically, and his body instinctively rolled to the side.
"Boom! Crack!" The next second, the treetop where he had been standing was instantly pierced by the ray.
A muffled explosion then echoed from inside the tree trunk, and the entire giant tree was shattered from within, wood chips flying everywhere.
At the same time, David, who had flashed to another tree, knelt on one knee, his top hat long gone, revealing his pale and sinister face.
Although he had predicted and avoided a direct hit, David was still shaken by the spreading aftershocks of the vibration, a trace of blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth.
"Damn it, what kind of Devil Fruit ability is this...?" He wiped the blood from his mouth, a hint of dread flashing in his eyes.
On the warship's side, Gern stood at the stern, his Marine cloak fluttering in the sea breeze.
"Did he dodge it?" He coldly watched David's direction, a cold smile on his face. "Looks like his strength is decent."
David slowly stood up, his sniper rifle twirling in his hand before he re-shouldered it.
At the same time, he bared his teeth, revealing a ferocious grin: "Young Navy brat, do you think defeating a third-rate pirate means you can swagger through the New World?
You haven't even witnessed the terror of the Flying Sky Pirates yet!"
As he spoke, a fierce glint flashed in the enraged David's eyes, and just as he was about to act, a harsh Den Den Mushi ringtone suddenly interrupted his offensive.
"Buruburu buruburu..." The sound came from his waist.
He hesitated for a moment but still pulled out the Den Den Mushi.
The Den Den Mushi mimicked a gloomy face, and as its lips opened and closed, a hoarse voice came through:
"David, Fleet Admiral has ordered an immediate retreat.
We've encountered the Whitebeard Pirates."
David's expression instantly became respectful: "Understood, I'll return immediately."
After speaking, he put away the Den Den Mushi. When he looked at Gern again, his eyes were filled with venom: "Consider yourself lucky, Marine.
Next time we meet, I will personally ring your 'Death Knell'." With that, David said no more, his figure flashing and disappearing into the depths of the jungle.
The soldiers on the warship, seeing that the opponent made no further moves for a long time, finally breathed a sigh of relief, but the fear in their eyes had not yet dissipated.
"Lieutenant Gern." A Marine officer, worried that Gern might act impulsively, cautiously said,
"We don't have the right to conflict with the Flying Sky Pirates."
"I know." Gern shook his head. "The mission is complete, no need to create extra trouble.
Besides..." He looked towards the distant horizon, his gaze deep. "The Golden Lion now is not someone I can provoke."
With that, he turned and walked towards the ship's cabin, leaving a calm order: "Continue at full speed back to base, and report everything that just happened to Headquarters."
"Yes!!" The soldiers exchanged glances, feeling both relieved and shocked.
They knew that this brief skirmish they had witnessed today would become new fodder for conversation at Marine Headquarters.
Lieutenant Gern, in his first mission, not only arrested 'Island Splitter' Doge,
but also single-handedly forced back the Flying Sky Pirates' Third Division Captain, the 800 million bounty great pirate 'Death Knell' David.
The sea wind grew stronger, and the warship cut through the waves, speeding towards Marineford.
Gern stood on the deck, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the hilt of his sword, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, his thoughts drifting to the more distant future.
"Golden Lion... Flying Sky Pirates..." he murmured to himself.
To be honest, he really wouldn't chase 'Death Knell' David, or rather, he wouldn't engage in conflict with the Flying Sky Pirates.
After all, the Golden Lion, without a ship's rudder stuck in his head yet, was truly unparalleled in strength.
The Float-Float Fruit ability, top-tier Three Haki, and a dual-wielding swordsman!
This peak strength, coupled with a host of powerful subordinates...
Even in this era, Gern couldn't help but subconsciously believe, or rather, couldn't shake the perception,
that the Flying Sky Pirates at this moment were more terrifying and powerful than the Roger Pirates....
After all, the Edd War, which would happen a few years later, wasn't just a few large ships surrounding Roger's single small ship.
It was at least no less than a group of great pirate captains with bounties of 1 billion or more, along with the Golden Lion, jointly besieging the Roger Pirates!!
"It seems the New World is more interesting than I imagined."