Seeing this scene, the villagers on the island, who had been deeply worried just moments ago, stood in complete shock, their mouths agape in disbelief. It was unbelievable!
The attack from the scythe-wielding man had been terrifying, even slicing visible marks into the ocean. Yet, the crewmember from the Straw Hat Pirates, Moonlight, was even more incredible, blocking such a deadly attack with just his body!
"Are they even human?" one villager asked, still trying to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
"No wonder he's a wanted criminal with a bounty of 50 million. His bounty is even higher than their captain's! How is that possible?" the Navy captain's eyes gleamed with shock, trying to process the extraordinary sight before him.
"This… this can't be happening!" Eric, more than anyone, was the most stunned. He had put all his strength into that attack, fully confident in its success. Yet, it had been blocked—without even using a sword! Only using his bare hand! How could this be? Eric was a Scythe-Scythe Fruit user; nothing was supposed to withstand his blade!
"It ends now!" Moonlight's gaze suddenly turned icy cold. With a single motion, he swung his arm.
"Armament Haki!"
Bang!
Eric's entire body was thrown like a cannonball. He flew across dozens of meters and slammed into the Navy's flagship, creating a large hole in its side. As he came to a halt, blood gushed from his mouth—he had been severely wounded, and his internal organs had taken significant damage from Moonlight's Haki-infused attack.
"Fire the cannons!" the Navy captain shouted, his face twisting in shock. He hadn't expected Eric to be defeated so easily. At his command, the twenty Navy ships opened fire simultaneously. In an instant, at least fifty cannonballs were launched through the air.
The flagship's massive, dark cannon aimed directly at Moonlight, and the captain ordered, "Fire the mega cannon!"
A massive iron cannonball, three times larger than the others, hurtled through the air, following the barrage of normal cannonballs.
"Draw Slash!"
Without hesitation, Moonlight swung his sword again, unleashing a crescent-shaped energy slash. The powerful slash cut through the air like a fan, striking down every single cannonball in its path. Even the giant mega cannonball was split cleanly in two, falling harmlessly into the ocean.
His swordsmanship was nothing short of terrifying.
"He cut them! He cut through all the Navy's cannon fire!"
"Is that guy even human?"
"My god!"
The island villagers were once again stunned. This time, their shock was even greater. Moonlight had not only blocked a powerful attack with his body, but he had also cut down the Navy's barrage of cannon fire in a single swing. It was simply unbelievable!
"How powerful is he really? I don't believe he can keep cutting down our cannon fire forever," the Navy captain murmured, his disbelief mixing with cold determination. He now understood why Moonlight's bounty was higher than Luffy's. At first, he thought the bounty poster was a mistake, but now he realized he had underestimated his opponent.
However, the captain was unfazed. They had over twenty cannons and an endless supply of ammunition. No matter how strong Moonlight was, he couldn't keep up this level of defense forever.
"Keep firing! Don't let up until he's exhausted!" the captain ordered.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sound of continuous cannon fire filled the air, the explosions creating towering waves that crashed violently against the ships. The Navy unleashed the full force of their firepower, the area around Moonlight turning into a maelstrom of chaos. It was as though the sea itself was being torn apart by the relentless barrage.
Moonlight continued to parry and cut down each cannonball, but even he could see the Navy's plan. They intended to wear him down with sheer numbers. Back in Loguetown, the rest of the Straw Hat crew had been there to help, but now he was on his own.
"This is bad! The Navy's firepower is too much! Moonlight can't keep this up by himself!"
"The Navy's strength lies in their massive fleet and powerful cannons. No pirate can match them!"
"But I don't want Moonlight to die! He saved Abis!"
The villagers were filled with dread. They were powerless to help as they watched the fierce battle unfold. Their hearts were heavy with fear for Moonlight, who was doing everything in his power to protect the ship and the island.
"Too many cannonballs… are they trying to wear me down?" Moonlight thought to himself, his sword flashing again and again as he intercepted another wave of cannon fire. His movements were swift and precise, but there was a limit to how long he could maintain this. His goal was to protect the Going Merry, ensuring that it wouldn't be damaged by the Navy's bombardment.
But just as the situation seemed dire, a familiar voice echoed from the mountain above.
"Moonlight!"
It was Luffy, sliding down the slope with his crew following close behind. Abis was with them, and behind them, a massive creature—a dragon—descended the mountain!
Moonlight's eyes narrowed as he recognized the creature. It was a thousand-year-old dragon, a legendary being.
"Is that… a dragon?"
"My god, it really is a dragon!"
"Are dragons real?!"
The Navy soldiers, who had been focused on their assault, suddenly paused. Their eyes were glued to the dragon, unable to believe what they were seeing. Even the Navy captain couldn't hide his shock.
"This… this is real! The legends were true!"
"If I can get that dragon's bones, I'll become immortal!" Eric gasped, his eyes filled with greed and desire. Although he had been injured by Moonlight, his recovery was swift thanks to his Devil Fruit abilities. Now, his attention was entirely on the dragon. If he could get his hands on it, he would achieve immortality and become the most powerful being on the seas.
Seeing that the Navy's attention had shifted to the dragon, Moonlight took advantage of the distraction. His eyes glinted coldly.
"Sky-Shattering Draw Slash!"
Moonlight channeled his energy, gathering it into his sword. After a brief moment of charging, he unleashed a massive crescent-shaped slash that tore through the air, growing in size as it traveled.
In a single strike, the immense crescent slash cleaved through the ocean, splitting the sea itself. The wave of destruction reached the Navy's fleet, slicing through all twenty of the ships, including the flagship. The ships were split in two, their hulls broken, masts toppled, and the sailors thrown into the water.
In an instant, the entire Navy fleet was reduced to wreckage, their cannons silenced.
For a moment, there was complete and utter silence, both on the sea and on the island. No one could believe what they had just witnessed. Moonlight had single-handedly destroyed an entire Navy fleet with one attack. The awe and terror that followed his actions left both the villagers and the Navy speechless.