"What is ... justice?"
Repeating this question, which seemed to have a very simple answer, Drake could only open and close his mouth without making a sound.
" This question is impossible to answer. " Yuri affirmed. "Because this question is not a mathematical problem, with an already predefined answer! In this world, everyone has their own definition of justice! For some, it symbolizes equality! For others, it is the peace! For the rest, it can be revenge, slavery or manipulation! Truth be told, no one can claim that his justice is better than another! However, what is shameful is not to respect one's own righteousness, and to alter it for personal or selfish reason."
"Who wouldn't respect their own justice?" Drake asked.
Suddenly, he groaned, thinking back to the Navy of his world. It always told the rest of the world that it protected the weak and oppressed. However, he knew full well that any pretext was used to take down anyone suspected of being a threat to the World Government, and the Cipher Poll were specialists in killing people and making up crime scenes in order to accuse someone else.
Without forgetting all the privileges that the Tenryubitos have, which can transform any person into a slave, or order their death.
Justice in his world was wrong.
"Do you understand?" Yuri questioned him. "We don't want you dead! Truth be told, just tell me you're willing to cooperate with us and I'll make sure you can have a friendly talk with Galadriel-sama."
However, no sooner did she say that than the pair heard a strange noise and jumped aside to dodge a sharp gust of wind. Gripping her ax with both hands, Albedo was now spinning like a spinning top, and with each rotation it created many gusts of wind, the cutting edge of which could gouge the rock.
Being close to her, Marco was the main target of this attack and was forced to slalom between attacks to avoid being sliced.
"You won't run away." Albedo assured.
"Do you want to bet?" Asked Marco.
Taking advantage that Aura no longer participated in the fight, Marco flew high into the sky, not afraid to meet her arrows. Then, stopping, he ends up dropping towards Albedo. Flying faster and faster, he covered himself in blue flames, to look like a blue comet.
Seeing a real ball of fire hurtling towards her, Albedo stopped spinning. Instead, creating four magic circles, at the level of her wings, she began to move them with all her might. Thus, she created four powerful currents of air, which merged together, to create a tornado, which headed towards Marco.
However, far from being frightened, Marco continued to gain speed, to find himself in front of the attack.
"Do you think I'm afraid of a little wind? The phoenix doesn't just control the fire! It's the master of the sky that rules the wind."
And, proving it in an instant, he crashed into the attack, before entering it, while ejecting the gusts of wind around him. Yet, despite seeing him walk towards her, Albedo flashed a wicked smile, while declaring.
"The phoenix may be the ruler of the sky but... you're only human! You're acting exactly as I wanted you to."
" What ? "
At that moment, while he was in the center of the tornado, Marco suddenly stopped and was unable to continue moving forward. Then, a gust of wind hit him hard, spinning him inside the tornado. Gritting his teeth, he tried to fly into the center of this current of air. Unfortunately, he felt another current hit him from the front, stopping him again.
"What...? Why does this tornado have winds moving in two different directions? It's illogical. "
Simply smiling, Galadriel nodded.
"It's been a long time since I've seen Albedo use this technique."
"Albedo can create this attack with a single pair of wings." Affirmed Pandora. "Nevertheless, the difference is that each of her pairs of wings make different movements! And these movements which are not synchronized allow her to create a tornado which has the particularity of being formed by air currents going in two different sides.
"Normally, it would already be difficult to get out of a tornado, the wind of which only blows in one direction," Galadriel added. "But getting out of a tornado formed by two different air currents ... it's almost impossible."
Looking like a baby bird trapped inside a storm Marco was being swept around in all directions, with no chance of getting out of the tornado. Seeing him thus in danger, Albedo tightened her ax, while affirming.
" And it's not over. "
Spinning again, she created new sharp gusts of wind, which charged towards the tornado, before disappearing inside. Initially, Marco saw no difference. Then, suddenly, he felt a large gash create on his abdomen, causing him to cough up blood.
" What the ... ? "
Finding themself also thrown in all directions, Albedo's attacks were now all around Marco and some started to hit him. Unable to avoid them, the phoenix keep getting slashed and couldn't defend itself. Albedo had him completely at her mercy.
"What now?" the succubus questioned, putting on an arrogant face. "Did you finally realize that you had no chance against me? Do you think you can get out of this mess? You have no chance! And that means I won."
At that moment, Galadriel heard a word in her head.
" MESSAGE ! "
"Yes, Demiurge?" She asked, accepting the message.
" Excuse me if I disturb you, my Lady! But I would like to announce to you that we have in our possession a prisoner of the greatest importance and... "
"Thank you, Demiurge! Sorry to be brief, but I would like to ask you to lock up this prisoner in the dungeons of Nazarick and hear you return to report to me! to a fight that might allow us to capture another prisoner."
Immediately there was a long silence. "
"Demiurge...?"
" Are you out of Nazarick? " Demiurge panicked. " Who is with you? Who are you fighting? Was it the people who defeated Shalltear? Do you need reinforcements? I can turn the prisoner over to my men and come with Cocytus to protect you. "
Heaving a sigh, Galadriel still couldn't get used to the fact that her subordinates sometimes treated her like a child and were often against the idea of her walking around alone without any protection.
" They keep saying humans are insignificant, but they're always scared when I walk around among them."
"Don't worry, Demiurge! I'm with Albedo, Aura, and Pandora! And the person they're fighting is already nearly defeated."
His body completely covered in gashes, Marco had stopped moving, while he was still inside this tornado that now looked like a chainsaw.
" So this is where I'm going to die? In a world that's not mine? "
Gritting his teeth, Marco moved his head a little, as he gritted his teeth.
" No…no way…I have to avenge Oyaji! And I won't die until I kill Blackbeard! I have to find a way out of here. "
Continuing to struggle, he noticed that nothing seemed to allow him to fight these currents of air which constantly changed direction. As a result, he stopped moving and preferred to close his eyes.
" Calm down and think! A phoenix's wings can allow it to ride through any wind. "
"Huh?" Albedo wondered. "Hey, what are you doing? Do you think it's time to sleep? Giving up, is that it? HAHAHAHA! Finally, you're getting smart."
Ignoring her taunts, Marco faced her attacks, still concentrating. Using Kenbunshoku Haki, he attempted to predict the trajectory of Albedo's next attacks. However, instead, he finally sees the movement of the winds around him. It was difficult, because their flows were like two whirlwinds that collided. They seemed to form a huge stalemate that would prevent Marco from leaving.
However, he eventually sees a light. At the end of the tornado, where Albedo was, there was a tiny opening. This opening was where the winds merged with each other and where they were forced to stop for a short time, in order to blend together. This place, he was the only one where Marco could run to have a chance to get out of this trap. But, to get there, there was only one way. Only one path among these winds that allowed him to descend to Albedo.
It was almost impossible, but it was his only chance. Stretching out his arms, Marco made his phoenix wings reappear. But, instead of using them, he only increased their temperature.
"What is he doing?" Pandora wondered. "Impossible to know if he gave up or if he continues to fight."
Beside him, Galadriel had a strange feeling.
"He still won't..."
"It's over! Over! Over!" Affirmed Albedo, creating new sharp gusts of wind. "You can do what you want, you can never..."
Suddenly, she stopped, while looking at her tornado. Her attack didn't seem to be any different compared to before. However, the succubus had the impression that the drafts began to change.
" What is happening ? "
Being in the middle of the tornado, Marco continued to increase the temperature of his flames. And, finally, instead of hitting him, the air around him began to flow around him, before wrapping around his wings.
" Perfect. "
Being able to see a real ball of fire inside the tornado, Aura couldn't understand what was going on.
"What's up with this guy? What is he trying to do?"
Suddenly, Miratino stepped back, without her permission.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
Then, Aura felt the wind hit her on her back. Like being sucked into the tornado, more air currents rushed in and began to surround Marco's entire body. This time he was surrounded by an armor of flames and winds.
"How does he manage to do that?" Pandora asked.
"The resonance." Galadriel affirmed.
" Huh ? "
"In a tornado, the best way to foolishly lose energy is to try to face its violent air currents! Nevertheless, this guy does the opposite! Instead of fighting the winds of Albedo, this guy uses his flames to alter their trajectories and make them harmless to him! However, that's not all."
Seeing part of the tornado begin to waver, she realized that the attack was losing power.
"Instead of destroying the tornado, he manages to tame it and he is covering himself with its winds! Thanks to this, he is able to double his striking power. "
" What ? "
at this moment, Marco opened his eyes, before shouting. *
" LET'S GO ! "
Then, resuming his flight, while taking his phoenix form, he began to take the path that could lead him to Albedo. Like a bird hovering on a current of hot air, he had no trouble gaining speed, without using the slightest ounce of energy. instead, he was going to take advantage of all the power accumulated around him to hit Albedo.
"That's impossible." Albedo shouted, seeing him disperse her tornado as he got closer to her.
"ALBEDO, BE CAREFUL!" Galadriel shouted.
Yet, instead of pulling away, the succubus showed anger on her face, before pointing Ginnungagap at Marco.
"Like I'm going to let a human ridicule me." She roared, letting her silver specter absorb her power.
Then, as soon as the last winds of her tornado disappeared, while Marco was in front of her, she attacked him with a powerful beam of destruction. Hit by the attack, Marco found himself stopped. Yet, protected by his armor of wind and flame, the attack didn't knock him back, no matter what explosions it created as it slammed into him. On the contrary, Albedo even saw him continue to advance. Slowly but surely.
"This is how I fight." Marco affirmed. "Like the golden eagle, I use my wings to overcome obstacles in my path and I fly to victory."
At that moment, seeing him in front of her, the succubus froze. Then, for a delay that lasted only a quarter of a second, she felt a feeling she had never felt in front of a human: fear.
" I'm going to...lose? "
"ALBEDO ! " Shouted Galadriel.
Coming to her senses, Albedo managed to take a quick step to the right. Saved by this reflex, she escaped Marco's trajectory. Yet, brushing her right side, one of Marco's wingtips slammed into the armor that still covered that part of his body, and managed to disintegrate it in an instant.
If Albedo hadn't dodged him, very bad consequences could have taken place for her.
"This human..."
At that moment, seeing Marco continue to fly, despite having missed her, she saw him losing altitude and seemed to aim at a precise target.
" What is he doing ? "
Observing him too, Yuri noticed that Marco headed straight for Drake, and this was confirmed when the bird called out his name.
"DRAKE! Get ready! We're leaving here."
Understanding his plan, the man immediately ran in his direction, before jumping. Nevertheless, not letting him, Yuri rushed towards him.
"You're not going anywhere."
Unfortunately, with a simple flapping of his wings, Marco created balls of fire, which hit the ground in front of the pleiade, stopping them. Then, aiming his talons at Drake, Marco managed to grab hold of his shoulders.
Then, taking advantage of his speed, the phoenix rushed towards the invisible barrier.
" It's now or never. "
"He will..." Galadriel noted.
"He can't break it." Pandora retorted.
Yet, wanting to prove otherwise, Marco let his beak turn purple, just like the air that made up his armor. Using Ryou haki, Marco ends up hitting the invisible barrier and immediately, sparks are created.
Behind him, feeling gusty winds from the impact, the two Guardians and the Pleiad did not move, as they saw the phoenix facing Galadriel's creation. More reactive than them, their lady suddenly teleported and appeared in front of the transparent barrier, just in front of Marco.
" DEFENSE IMPROVEMENT ! ARCANE V ! "
A magic circle appeared in his hand and the barrier in front of Marco began to glow as his solidity increased tenfold. There was immediately a real titanic fight, while Marco drew all his remaining power and used his flames as thrusters. Arm still outstretched towards the barrier, Galadriel was surprised to see the wall begin to deform.
" What ? "
Then, in an instant, spinning to turn his beak into a spin, Marco focused his energy in one point and hit the barrier with such force that it snapped. Standing still, Galadriel saw a huge hole forming in front of her, as transparent chunks flew around her. Seeming to barely understand the situation, she made out Marco's silhouette coming out of the combat zone to rush towards her.
Frozen, she didn't move an inch. Yet, compared to Albedo, she didn't move because of fear. In fact, Galadriel felt a strange sensation inside her. Thinking, she wondered when was the last time she had found herself in this situation. In a situation of real danger. In truth, in the other world, boredom had often won her over and she hadn't known a real challenge for ages.
That was why, seeing Marco rush towards her, like an unstoppable ball of fire, she couldn't help staring at him with admiration.
" Sugoi ... "
Nevertheless, before being hit by Marco, Pandora's arm wrapped around her waist, before creating a magical shield in front of them. Hitting it, Marco created an explosion that encompassed the foursome.
Seeing the smoke blanket the area, Albedo felt her whole body start to shake.
" Galadriel ... sama ? "
Seeing no one come out of the explosion, she immediately rushed to the impact area.
" GALADRIEL-SAMA !"
However, she stopped, seeing Marco emerge from the smoke before flying away, taking Drake with him. Then, when the smoke cleared, Pandora and Galadriel were visible, inside a crystal dome.
Pandora's protection had not taken the shock. However, having come out of her trance, Galadriel had created this new protection, which had stopped Marco, and which had finally convinced him to take advantage of the explosion, to flee.
Shaking off her protection, Galadriel remained motionless, and just stared at her arms.
"My lady?" Pandora wondered.
Ejected to the side, he let Albedo fly to Galadriel and hug her.
"My lady you are safe and sound! I was so scared."
Finding herself with her face wedged between her breasts, Galadriel declared.
"I appreciate this situation and the fact that you are worried about me, but I need to breathe in order not to die."
Seeming to ignore her, Albedo stared at the direction Marco had taken to flee, before gritting her teeth. Unleashing a dark aura, she let the irises of her eyes crack as she roared.
"That human bastard dared to lay hands on you? It's not gonna happen like that! To say that I was kind enough to just kill him and that's how he thanks me? I WILL... I'M GOING ... "
Yet, feeling Galadriel's hand rest on her head, she immediately calmed down, as her lady declared.
"Forget him! For now, let him think he's gotten away with us."
"What? But, my lady...?"
Simply smiling, Galadriel nodded.
"It will all depend on the prisoner that Demiurge has brought back to us! But, if he has the information I need... this phoenix will no longer pose any problem for us."
Feeling the wind sweep across his face, Drake was silent. Yet, in his head, he couldn't stop thinking about Yuri's words. Galadriel didn't seem like a trustworthy person at all. But, is it really different compared to the Navy of his world? Didn't what Yuri said have a real grain of truth? Was Galadriel the answer to permanently ending the wars of this world? Suddenly, something warm ran down his face.
"Huh?" He wondered, raising his face.
At that moment, he opened his eyes, seeing most of Marco's body covered in blood, while his regenerative power seemed to have reached its limit.
"Oye! What do you have?"
In response, Marco lost altitude and came dangerously close to the ground.