After a brief silence, Vista's and McGuy's subordinates had mostly retreated, following Vista's discreet orders to withdraw, including McGuy himself.
"Now there's nothing holding you back, right?"
Hearing Vice Admiral Wright's words, Vista let out a subtle sigh of relief. This Vice Admiral wasn't like Akainu—a ruthless extremist.
Now that the skirmish had ended, Vista finally had the attention to observe the ordinary Marine troops engaged in battle.
"There's something off about them…"
Vista noticed the Marines beneath Wright's command were standing on smaller versions of the glowing halo that Wright himself used.
"Isn't that Vice Admiral Wright's unique ability? Can it also be shared with others? No wonder these Marines were so hard to deal with!"
"Even if we're retreating this time, the probing mission has been fruitful. Vice Admiral Wright has hidden his cards well…"
"Since his rise to fame, there's been no intelligence about this ability of his!"
"This is a divine technique on a legion-level scale!"
"Take this, Vista!"
A loud roar interrupted Vista's thoughts. Wright pointed his blade forward, blazing with holy flames that made Vista squint.
"You know why I'm stationed at G-5. If you can withstand this, you may leave. If not, join me at my base for a cup of tea."
Vista took a deep breath and burst into laughter.
"Alright! Vice Admiral Wright, you're every bit the Marine Vice Admiral I expected!"
"Come at me!"
Smoker lit two fresh cigars and took a long drag, crossing his arms as he stood in front of the mast. Hina and Ain busied themselves reorganizing formations and managing the battlefield.
"Wright's grown so strong. He's suppressing the likes of Vista, the great swordsman of the Whitebeard Pirates' Fifth Division. Even Vice Admiral Momonga can't match that," Smoker remarked.
"I've got to get stronger too."
The standoff between Wright and Vista became so tense it felt suffocating.
"Ashes Awaken!"
With a dramatic flourish, the deck widened. Wright unleashed his blade, "Ashes," in its ten-meter form. Vista's pupils shrank in shock.
"The three-meter blade from earlier was just a warm-up?"
The holy flames roaring along Ashes transformed it into a blinding golden-red blade. Gritting his teeth, Vista steeled himself.
"I'll meet power with power!"
"Blossom Dance: Storm of Roses!"
"Holy Judgment!"
The massive golden-red blade swept forward with a brutal and swift horizontal slash. The rose-petal storm Vista summoned managed to hold it off for a brief moment before being utterly shattered.
"That Armament Haki…?"
Vista barely raised his twin swords in defense before being sent flying off the Dawn's deck, landing far out at sea.
The powerful slash from "Holy Judgment" didn't stop there. It continued to fly forward, cutting the mast of Vista's Fifth Division flagship in half before disappearing into the distant ocean.
"If I weren't worried about damaging the Dawn, I would have used a vertical slash for maximum effect," Wright mused.
"Vista truly lives up to his title as Whitebeard's Fifth Division Commander. He managed to adjust at the last moment to avoid being completely overwhelmed."
"Fine. I'll consider that as you having taken my attack," Wright muttered with a faint smirk.
"Alright, men, regroup and set sail for home!"
Wright unleashed several flying slashes, shattering the icy bridge created by Whitey Bay. He then issued a loud command.
Taking a deep breath, he felt the significant depletion of his Holy Light energy. With his blade sheathed, he maintained an air of casual indifference.
"Vista!"
"Captain Vista!"
"Hurry! Rescue Captain Vista!"
On her icebreaker ship, Whitey Bay bit her lip. She and McGuy had hoped that bringing Vista would teach the Marine Vice Admiral a lesson. Instead, they had been thoroughly schooled.
"This Vice Admiral… gave us quite a lesson," she sighed.
If she had disregarded Vista's orders to hold back and instead committed all her forces, not only would defeating Wright still have been uncertain, but her crew would have been decimated.
"In that case, it would have escalated to all-out war…"
"But now, it's clear he was holding back. Vista managed to play it smart."
"We've found Captain Vista!"
"The Captain's exhausted! Help him up!"
Luckily, Vista wasn't a Devil Fruit user. Though drenched and battered, he managed to stay afloat. Otherwise, even a swordsman of his caliber would have suffered greatly.
Amidst the clamor, Whitey Bay created massive ice chains to link Vista's flagship to her icebreaker. With the sails destroyed, towing was the only option.
Under the watchful eyes of three pirate ships, the Dawn sailed away triumphantly.
In this battle, Wright had soundly defeated Vista, the strongest swordsman of the Whitebeard Pirates' Fifth Division.
Smoker demonstrated the formidable control of a Logia-type Devil Fruit user. He had managed to hold off "Thunder Lord" McGuy, a powerhouse who could challenge Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals.
Hina and Ain showcased their exceptional teamwork and support capabilities, with their combined battle formations proving once again that the Marines excel in coordinated warfare.
The greatest surprise for all G-5 personnel, however, was the Dawn itself. Despite enduring a fierce battle, the new warship had suffered minimal damage.
Thanks to its weakened version of the "Holy Shield*," the Dawn's defensive capabilities were astonishing. Casual combatants couldn't even scratch its deck! On top of that, its constant healing effect for allied personnel made it a formidable asset. While the barrier's enemy-detection feature only worked under Wright's direct supervision, the ship's defenses alone made boarding attempts by pirates futile.
"Defeating Vista should make Whitebeard's subordinates think twice about provoking us," Smoker remarked as he stood beside Wright, puffing on his cigars.
That slash Wright used was rumored to be the same one that had struck Kaido into the ground—his most powerful attack technique. Yet it was clear he had held back. The 30-meter form of "Ashes" had been used before, and everyone present knew its destructive potential.
"As long as the other commanders don't band together for revenge, our show of force should deter them," Smoker added.
The sea breeze ruffled their justice coats as Wright felt a rare sense of satisfaction.
"You did well, Smoker. Holding off McGuy was no small feat. If he and Vista had teamed up against me, it wouldn't have been as effective as this display."
Smoker grunted. "Still not enough… I need to be able to overpower him outright before I'll be satisfied."
"Shapeshifting" still drained his stamina too quickly, and without Wright's support replenishing his strength, he wouldn't have lasted as long.
"You'll get there. Stamina is the foundation of all strength." Wright chuckled, then added with a mischievous grin, "But, with your outstanding support and assassination skills, why insist on direct confrontation? Have you ever considered more subtle methods—like asphyxiation, silicosis, or internal explosions as forms of attack?"
Wright grinned mischievously. "That guy Rosi, for instance, always targets critical areas like the heart and throat. The two of you together would be an unstoppable force in group battles!"
Smoker's face twitched. This guy looked upright and proper, so how could he come up with such devious ideas?
"I'm not some assassin!"
"Those kinds of abilities are far too underhanded! Rosi's methods don't suit me!"
"But..."
"Hmm?"
"If it comes down to a critical moment, I won't be stubborn about it!"
"Now that's what makes a real man!"
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