One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

"Hit!!"

"As expected of the artillery chief!!"

"A perfect shot, look at that precision cannon fire!!"

"Yeah, if it were me, I'd only dare aim for the sails or some large target. Didn't think the artillery chief was this steady!!!"

Seeing the circle of artillerymen around him gazing at him with admiration, the artillery chief twitched his mouth subtly, unable to admit the truth — it was all sheer dumb luck.

Such words… just couldn't come out. I was clearly aiming at the rigging!! Maintaining his silence, the artillery chief decided to keep up the act. He glanced around and smiled proudly: "Back in the day, I was known as the Human Mobile Cannon."

"Mobile Cannon? What's that?"

"Doesn't sound impressive… who cares, as long as he hits the target!" The gunners whispered amongst themselves.

Sakazuki personally took the helm, steering the warship to chase the pirate ship, whose speed had significantly decreased, aided by the wind. He roared loudly, ensuring his voice reached every soldier on the deck: "Officers, step forward!"

Two rows of soldiers clad in coats of justice emerged from the neatly arranged ranks. Though fewer in number than the masses of marines behind them, each officer exuded an aura of iron and fire — a demeanor forged through countless battles against pirates.

"Today, your mission is different. You are not the vanguard fighting pirates. Your task in the boarding battle is to ensure the survival of the soldiers and to guide them as their instructors.

Rear Admiral Onigumo will be the secondary commander, staying on the ship. Meanwhile, I will lead you into the boarding battle. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Vice Admiral!!" The officers responded in unison. They found the mission rather novel. Normally, they were responsible for assaulting key points and commanding troops, fighting on the front lines against high-bounty, high-threat pirates.

But this time, although they were dealing with a small-time pirate crew with a bounty of around 20 million berries, it still posed a considerable challenge to the ordinary marines.

The warship closed in from behind, aligning itself to sail parallel to the pirate ship.

"Prepare for a boarding battle! Start firing from the port side!!"

This top-tier warship of Marine Headquarters, judged by the standards of the 18th century in the old world, was nearly equivalent to the "Sovereign of the Seas" in rank. The three-deck ship was outfitted with 18-pound cannons on the rear upper deck, 38 cannons ranging from 24 to 32 pounds on the main deck, and, most shockingly, 26 monstrous 42-pound carronades on the lower deck.

These 42-pound carronades, typically used as small coastal defense cannons in branch bases, were brought aboard this top-tier naval warship by its designers for a vice admiral's command.

"Boom!" The thunderous artillery fire struck the fragile body of the pirate ship at close range, resembling a strong man pummeling a small child. The pirates' return fire could only inflict minor damage on the steel-reinforced warship. Meanwhile, the navy's 42-pound cannonballs easily pierced through the wooden planks of the pirate ship, destroying their cannons and taking out their crew.

After just two volleys, the left side of the pirate ship was shredded to pieces, rendering them incapable of further resistance. To prevent the pirate ship from sinking outright, Sakazuki gestured for Onigumo to contact the artillery chief via the Den Den Mushi and order a ceasefire.

"Attack!" Receiving Sakazuki's authorization, Colonel Lindemann drew his handguard-equipped saber, pointing its tip forward to signal the charge.

"Roar!!"

"Let's go!!"

"For justice!!"

While the pirate ship was suppressed by the warship's firepower, countless grappling hooks and ropes were thrown by the marines. Many others set up boarding planks along the pirate ship's railing.

The marines of Marine Headquarters, compared to the pirates, were still considered well-trained. Under the leadership of the officers, they organized themselves into dozens of small battle groups, attacking the pirates who fought back with desperate resistance.

A sergeant raised his musket, aiming at a pirate charging toward him, but failed to notice the curved blade slashing at him from the side—clang!

The curved blade was blocked by a military saber. Lindemann had stepped in, parrying the lethal strike with a side slash and, with a single motion, slit the throat of the sweat-soaked pirate.

"Th-thank you, Colonel," the sergeant stammered, cold sweat dripping down his face as he adjusted his aim toward the approaching pirate. Bang! The pirate fell to the deck.

Lindemann frowned and loudly reminded him, "On the battlefield, always stay alert to your surroundings. The enemy can come from any direction."

Unlike previous boarding battles, where officers quickly and overwhelmingly crushed resistance, the Marines still held the upper hand but were displaying quite a few flaws this time. The warrant officers and lieutenants weren't prioritizing targeting pirate officers as usual. Instead, they focused on ensuring the safety of the marines under their charge while providing real-time instruction.

Several marines surrounded a pirate first mate. Towering over the average man, his body was covered in intimidating tattoos, and his muscles radiated menace. The marines lunged at him simultaneously, attempting to overwhelm him with a flurry of sword strikes. But the seasoned first mate crouched low, raising his blade upward to block the five incoming sabers.

With a powerful burst of strength, he deflected the blades above his head, spinning his body to deliver a sweeping strike aimed at the marines who had lost their balance. Pushed back by his force, the five marines momentarily struggled to steady themselves.

Just as the first mate's blade was about to rip through their abdomens, a gloved hand suddenly reached into the fray, gripping the first mate's blade tightly.

Akainu stepped into the skirmish, calmly instructing, "Don't rush blindly into an attack. Pay attention to your angles and coordinate with your teammates. If one person strikes downward, the others should attack from different directions—thrusts, diagonal cuts, horizontal sweeps. Don't just mindlessly slash downward. Try again!"

"Yes, sir!" the marines roared with renewed determination, lunging once more. The pirate's first mate, held in place by Akainu's iron grip, listened to the impromptu lesson and burst out in curses, "Damn it!!!"

Releasing the first mate's blade, Akainu stepped out of the fray, surveying the chaotic battle between the marines and pirates. A flicker of resignation crossed his face. Allowing these somewhat experienced warrant officers and lieutenants to teach on the battlefield was a desperate measure. While they were skilled fighters, expecting them to provide coherent battlefield instruction and rescue tactics was asking too much.

There were still injuries among the marines, though fortunately, no fatalities had occurred yet.

A blood-curdling scream suddenly erupted from behind Akainu, the anguished cry unmistakably belonging to the pirate's first mate. Akainu turned to see a marine had landed an exceptionally low strike from a blind spot, slashing upward into the pirate's groin. Despite his towering physique and imposing strength, even he couldn't withstand such a ruthless blow.

The surrounding pirates finally realized they were being used as live training tools for the Marines, and their fury boiled over.

"If we're going to die, we'll die with dignity!"

"Take these navy scum down with us!"

"Damn it, they're using us to train their men!"

Akainu responded with a sneer, punching a hole through the loudest of the protesting pirates. "Dignity? You think you're worthy of that?"

He raised his voice to remind the Marines, "Don't lose your composure! Stay calm at all times, watch for any changes in the pirates' tactics, and adapt accordingly!"

Lindemann chuckled softly. "The Vice Admiral is right. Soldiers, be cautious of the pirates' attempts at desperate, suicidal attacks. Only in this kind of life-and-death combat can you achieve the most growth."

Another bold colonel shouted, "Don't be afraid! These scoundrels are the perfect training dummies. With us colonels and officers here, it'll be hard for you to die even if you tried!"

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