One Piece: The True Codex

When his attack was blocked, William withdrew his blade and prepared to channel his energy for another strike, this time using his Iron-Cutting Swordsmanship to break through Roy's "Iron Body."

But before he could act, Captain Roy leapt backward, landing beside a Marine officer who emerged from the cabin, holding a pair of Seastone handcuffs.

Taking the handcuffs from the officer, Roy stomped on the deck repeatedly with incredible speed. His movements were so fast that an ordinary person's eyes couldn't follow them. However, thanks to his Lightning Reflexes, William could see everything clearly, though it made Roy's actions appear almost comical to him.

Shave!

Using the explosive speed generated by the Rokushiki technique Shave, Roy closed the distance between himself and William in an instant.

William's Lightning Reflexes allowed his mind to process the attack in time, but his body couldn't keep up to mount a counterattack. He could only shift his body into steam form to avoid being restrained.

Roy's handcuffs snapped onto empty air as William reformed behind him, slashing at Roy's exposed back.

Iron Body!

Roy's body stiffened as he activated the Rokushiki technique Iron Body, hardening his skin to the toughness of steel. William's strike, hastily executed with a curved saber instead of his usual katana, failed to break through Roy's defense.

Even so, William's eyes gleamed with realization, and he sneered. "So, you can't move while using this technique."

Roy's face darkened. He hadn't expected William to react so quickly.

As the two clashed, the seven ships of the Morgan Pirates gradually encircled the Marine warship.

Roy seemed momentarily distracted by this development, and William wasn't about to let the opportunity slip. Focusing his energy, he increased the temperature of his steam, which began to radiate uncontrollably from his body.

In the next instant, William lunged at Roy again.

Roy's eyes sharpened, and he shifted slightly to the side. William's blade, radiating intense heat and force, struck Roy's shoulder.

This time, the blade wasn't stopped entirely by Roy's skin, but even with the immense power behind it, the saber only cut shallowly into Roy's muscle, getting stuck.

Feigning distraction and then using Iron Body to tank William's strike, Roy endured the searing pain and swiftly clamped the Seastone handcuffs onto William's wrist, the one holding the saber.

"Got you!" Roy snarled, his face twisted into a triumphant grin.

But William merely grinned back, just as ferociously. His wrist suddenly tensed, and Roy felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. With a roar, William used the embedded blade to slice down through Roy's shoulder, severing the entire arm.

Roy screamed in agony, losing his balance and collapsing onto the deck.

William casually removed the so-called "Seastone handcuffs" from his wrist.

"Did you really think I wouldn't tamper with something that could seriously threaten me, especially when one of your subordinates is my informant?"

"Nezumi!" Roy spat the name through gritted teeth, his hatred for his incompetent ally surpassing even his hatred for William.

William tossed the handcuffs into the sea. A few brave Marine officers tried to rush forward to rescue their captain, but William dispatched them with ease.

Roy, clutching his fallen saber with his remaining left hand, propped himself up against the deck and slowly retreated.

Meanwhile, the seven ships of the Morgan Pirates braved the cannon fire and closed in on the Marine warship. Grappling hooks flew from all directions, latching onto the Marine vessel. From a distance, the warship looked like an insect ensnared in a spider's web.

The Marines continued their desperate struggle, fighting back with all they had.

However, William's weapon production capabilities were still limited. The technological level of the East Blue was relatively backward compared to other seas, where some nations had achieved significantly higher levels of development. Though William had read about these advancements in newspapers, his own weapon designs were constrained by the local environment.

The submachine guns and shotguns he had developed barely reached early 20th-century standards. After a year of effort, fewer than thirty units had been produced, many of which were handcrafted and unsuitable for mass production. Apart from the ten guns sent to Zeff, the remaining weapons had been given to Harden, intended to quickly secure victory and prevent the Blue Sapphire Pirates from escaping.

As a result, most of the pirates aboard the seven ships were only equipped with revolvers and bolt-action rifles.

But even without the advanced weapons, the outcome was inevitable. With their commanding officer gravely injured and their numbers at a disadvantage, the Marines' defeat was only a matter of time.

Roy finally managed to stand, leaning against the mast. Blood poured from his severed shoulder, yet he clung tightly to his saber, his pale face fixed on William.

"You should've fled the moment you realized it was a trap," William said coldly. "Nezumi works for me. Gin works for me. Even Kuro works for me. You should've suspected as much back then. If you didn't run, you were courting death."

"When Marines and pirates meet, it's the pirates who flee!" Roy spat blood as he spoke. "I just didn't expect Kuro to be your man. All the intelligence he passed to us was fake. Arcadio, that fool, he'll die at your hands for sure!"

"Arcadio treats Kuro like a dog. I see him as a talent. Who do you think he'd choose?" William said, slashing down a Marine soldier who tried to ambush him. "If you teach me the training methods for the two Rokushiki techniques you know, I'll grant you a quick death."

Roy drove his saber into the deck to steady himself, then tore off his shirt, revealing a muscular body covered in scars. He sneered disdainfully. If he wouldn't bow to the Navy's high command, why would he submit to William, a pirate?

"Pirate, you talk too much!"

William lunged forward. Roy weakly raised his saber to strike, but William didn't even bother dodging.

Roy's saber struck William's body, but it failed to harm him. Meanwhile, William's curved saber pierced through Roy's chest with ease, pinning the small yet proud Marine captain to the mast.

"One Piece:The True Codex"Target Eliminated: Captain Roy of the 16th Marine Branch (Deceased) (2/3)

The notification from the Plaza of Fate appeared before William once more, but this time, it came with a difference. Cheers and whistles erupted in his ears, only to vanish as quickly as they had come. His vision blurred, and for a fleeting moment, he felt as if he were standing on the Path of Fate. In the distance, he could faintly see the garden-like plaza. But the vision lasted less than a second before his consciousness returned to reality.

With Roy, the strongest Marine on the battlefield and the only one who could pose a threat to William, now dead, the outcome of the battle was no longer in doubt.

On the other side, the Blue Sapphire Pirates were also dealt with by Harden and his men. The only unexpected discovery was a civilian hiding in the lower deck of the Blue Sapphire Pirates' ship. Upon revealing his identity, it was discovered that he was an agent of Count Pere from the Goa Kingdom, much like Kuro had once been—a spy for the count.

William, already fed up with the Goa Kingdom nobles repeatedly defying his demands, gave Harden a subtle nod. Without hesitation, Harden dragged the struggling spy away.

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