" RAIN ARROW ! "

Aiming her bow skyward, Aura fired an arrow that shot skyward. Raising his gaze, Marco saw the arrow rising more and more, before finally disappearing.

" Huh ? "

Then, he saw the arrow fall back towards him...while having multiplied into a hundred copies. Seeing this, Marco crossed his wings in front of him, before allowing himself to be hit by the projectiles, which exploded upon hitting him.

Not having finished, Aura aimed her magic bow at the cloud of smoke, before creating an arrow of light.

" GALACTIK SHOT ! "

The arrow of light flew, the moment Marco extricated himself from the cloud of smoke. Seeing the new projectile, he spun around to dodge it, before finding himself in front of Aura, with one leg forward. However, remaining perfectly serene, Aura saw Albedo position herself in front of her, before positioning her arm in front of Marco's foot.

Immediately, the impact caused Albedo's feet to slide back, as the ground cracked behind her. Having struck with force, Marco had managed to further damage the armor that covered Albedo's arm. However, still standing, Albedo used her second arm to grab hold of Marco's leg.

Then, with a powerful gesture, she threw Marco's body to the ground. Feeling his back slam into the ground, Marco let out a moan of pain, as his claw let go of X-Drake's body, inadvertently. Immediately, Albedo's feet struck the former Supernova's body, before throwing Marco into the air.

Then, aiming at it, she created black lightning between her fingers, before sending it towards the phoenix. being unsettled at first, Marco ended up spreading his wings, to stop his race and managed to regain his balance. Then seeing the attack coming towards him, he created a shield of blue flames in front of him, which managed to stop the attack.

"You won't get me with those kinds of tricks."

" Think again, everything is going as we planned. " Albedo affirmed.

Astonished, Marco suddenly felt an explosion hit his back, making him let out a cry of pain. Smiling, Aura explained.

" GALACTIK SHOT is a spell that allows me to target all flying enemies around me! And until this arrow hits a target, it will continue to move forever."

Then, as Albedo flew towards Marco, she fired her bow again.

" RAIN ARROW ! "

Seeing a new arrow fly skyward, Marco nonetheless found himself forced to focus on Albedo, who aimed her halberd at him.

" NASHI NO TSUBUTE! "

Creating balls of fire, he threw them at Albedo. Spinning her weapon in front of her, the succubus managed to stop all the projectiles. However, as blocking Marco's flames created smoke, her vision blurred somewhat, and she was surprised to find that Marco was no longer in front of her.

Having changed his position, the phoenix was right above her, his foot raised towards the sky. Aiming for the succubus' unprotected head, he covered his foot with Busoshoku haki, before lowering it to her skull.

The attack was powerful and managed to hit its target. Gritting her teeth, Albedo felt Marco's foot hit her skull. Having managed to touch her, Marco was to prove to be happy. Nevertheless, he had had the strange impression that Albedo had let herself go. Taken by a strange presentiment, he flapped his wings to get away from her.

Too late. Again, Albedo's arm gripped his foot. Then, making a quick movement with her halberd, she managed to sever his limb. Stunned, Marco saw his severed leg fly past him, before falling to the ground.

However, the trouble was only just beginning as Aura's arrows descended back to the ground.

" GALACTIK SHOT ! "

Firing another Light Arrow, Aura made her attack split in two to target Marco and Albedo. Thus, the pair were trapped by arrows coming from above and below them. But, far from being worried, Albedo simply created a magic shield and, the next second, she took all the attacks that targeted her. Being forced to do the same, Marco's body disappeared in the explosions created by the attacks upon touching him.

Having remained motionless, Galadriel and Pandora saw the guardians take advantage in this fight.

"WUUUUUUNDERBAR!" Affirmed Pandora, clapping. "Simply simply beautiful! Perfect coordination between Aura-chan and Albedo-san! It's nice to see that they are able to work as a team."

"Yes." Galadriel agreed. "Aura doesn't have a very impressive physical strength, just like Albedo's magic level! Working together, Albedo can attack with all his might, while relying on Aura to back her up! Still, I doubt that's enough . "

"Indeed." Pandora agreed, regaining his seriousness. "The fight is far from over."

At this moment, the smoke dissipated, allowing to see Albedo, who was still protected bad state. Indeed, as if the attacks had managed to pierce him, Marco now had holes in the left side of his face, in his right shoulder and in two parts of his abdomen. Not to mention that he only had half of his right leg left.

However, despite all these wounds, Albedo didn't see the slightest trace of blood. instead, blue flames covered Marco's wounds, as they seemed to close them.

"Huh? Do you use your flames to heal yourself?"

"Did you not know that the phoenix is a legendary animal that always rises from its ashes? No matter how much you hurt me, I will always rise again,-yoi."

Simply standing still, Albedo saw Marco's wounds disappear completely. However, sensing a strange phenomenon, Albedo noticed that the flames on Marco's leg took much longer to heal Marco's wound, while taking on the appearance of a new leg. Even though the regeneration of his leg was working, it was taking much longer than healing a simple injury.

Understanding that Marco's immortality was only a myth and that his regeneration had some weak points, she took advantage that his leg was only half regenerated to rush at him. Dodging her halberd again, Marco flew backwards to put the gap between him and Albedo, who continued to swing her ax around him, slicing him.

Slowed down due to his ongoing regeneration, Marco couldn't counterattack while healing himself. However, in a few seconds, he will be able to use his offensive power, as soon as his leg is fully healed.

Unfortunately, sensing a silhouette behind him, Marco rose higher into the sky, to avoid being pierced by a huge hooked beak. On an animal's back again, Aura was smiling as she rode a huge gryphon.

"Since you defeated Razim, you will have to fight against Miratino."

"I don't see any difference." Marco retorted, about to throw more flames.

However, taking advantage of Aura's diversion, Albedo positioned herself in front of Marco and threw her arms behind him. Thus, Marco found himself prisoner in an embrace, while his arms were pressed against his ribs.

" That ... ? "

"It's the end." Albedo assured, before increasing the pressure.

Immediately feeling the bones in his ribcage begin to crack, Marco intensified the power of his flames and looked like a human torch. Feeling the flames burn her arms, as well as the front of her body, which was no longer covered by her armor, Albedo closed her eyes in pain. Gritting her teeth, Albedo continued to grit him nonetheless. Then, opening her eyes, she began to stare at Marco.

" SUCCUBUS EYES ! "

Immediately, the phoenix stopped moving, while his eyes had the misfortune to meet those of Albedo. He didn't know if he was the victim of a curse, or charmed by her eyes, but, in any case, he felt frozen.

" What's happening to me? "

Suddenly, Albedo pushed him away from her and sent him towards Aura. Still unable to move, Marco suddenly coughed up blood, feeling an arrow pierce his body.

"This time, you won't run away." Aura assured, with a wicked smile.

Unable to speak, Marco then saw Albedo flying towards him, while holding her halberd above her.

" DIE ! "

Showing a shocked face, Marco saw the weapon pointing at his skull. Doing all he could to move his body, he finally felt the fingers of his left hand move slightly. Immediately, he created flames in the form of a thruster, which shifted him somewhat to the right.

Surprised, Albedo saw Marco's head deviate from the trajectory of her weapon. But, unfortunately, it was his wing that she struck and cut in half.

Groaning, seeing that Marco was in trouble, Drake straightened up and scrambled to his feet.

" Damn it . "

Then, staring at Galadriel, he growled.

"What does this person want from us?"

"I advise you to lie."

Turning around, Drake saw Yuri, just behind him.

"Grrr! What do you want from me?"

"Galadriel-sama has asked us to capture you alive! So please, be quiet! It will do everyone a favor."

"Tsss! Don't make fun of me."

Then getting into a combat stance, he assumed his hybrid form, while asserting.

"I may no longer have my weapons, but, in any case, I refuse to allow myself to be captured, without a fight."

"Are you stupid? Do you believe you will defeat me in your state?"

"No idea! But me, what I find stupid is lying on the ground, while someone who saved me is being killed! If I let him be killed, never my honor cannot forgive me."

"I see. "

Then, putting herself in the same position as a professional boxer, Yuri moved up to Drake, before giving him a punch. Unable to dodge it, Drake crossed his arms in front of him and took the attack. Pulling back immediately, he felt that Yuri's punch was less powerful than Albedo's.

However, being too weak to face the pleiad, he continued to retreat, while Yuri chained a series of punches, which hit Drake's arms. Not targeting any other part of his body, Yuri heard the bones in his arms begin to crack, and continued to punch them to render them useless.

" GALACTIK SHOT ! "

Raising his gaze, Drake saw Aura readying another Light Arrow and targeted Marco, who was now defenseless.

"It's over! SAYONARA!"

Aiming her fist at Drake, Yuri was suddenly surprised to see him jump up to dodge her attack. Then, his two feet rested on the arm of the pleiad, while he leaned on it to perform a second jump.

" What ? "

Launching himself into the air, Drake headed for Miratino. Unable to use his arms, he came up with only one plan to save Marco. Taking on his dinosaur form, he opened his huge jaws.

"AURA! BE CAREFUL!" Yuri yelled.

"Huh?" The dark elf wondered, lowering her gaze.

Screaming in pain, her gryphon felt Drake's jaws bite down on one of its paws. At first trying to struggle, it eventually felt the weight of the dinosaur pull it down. Unbalanced, Aura moved the end of her bow and her arrow was fired. Passing by Marco, the projectile missed him and headed straight for Albedo.

Trying in vain to create a magic shield, the succubus was unable to form it in time and was hit by the arrow, which exploded.

"SHIT!" Aura shouted, seeing Albedo disappear in the explosion.

Moving its paws, Miratino ended up scratching Drake's muzzle, who let go of his grip. Seeing him fall to the ground, Aura glared at him angrily, before targeting him.

"You're going to pay for it."

Unfortunately, a sphere of fire slammed into her gryphon's back, burning it and the dark elf on top of it.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Just about able to get his body moving, Marco was able to stabilize his flight, despite the absence of one of his wings, which was slow to regenerate. Breathing harder, he declared.

"Do you understand? A phoenix is immortal."

"Immortal? Don't laugh at me."

Blowing away the smoke that surrounded her, Albedo showed herself again. Since the start of the fight, a few more streaks of blood had appeared on her face, as she bled from one of her nostrils. Her armor was half destroyed, while her abdomen and arms had been burned. Even if she had already fought a few adversaries who had tried to attack the tomb of Nazarick, she would never have doubted that a human could put her in so much trouble.

She felt angry. Her hatred for humanity only intensified. Still, looking at Marco, she wanted to know he was . Usually, she didn't care about humans' first names or their pasts. All he cared about was killing them because none of them deserved to live alongside Galadriel.

But this human was different. He was the most powerful human she had encountered. No, he might even be the most powerful human Nazarick had ever known. But who was he? Where did he come from? Why was his strength so different from other humans in this world? What was his secret?

"Human bastard." Aura roared, managing to extinguish the flames that covered her gryphon's back.

However, to her surprise, she saw Albedo lower her axe, before asking Marco.

" Who are you ? "

"Marco! Former commander of Whitebeard's crew and current member of the alliance to liberate the country of Wano Kuni."

" Wano ... Kuni ? Whitebeard ? "

"Don't try to understand! This doesn't concern your world."

"Our world?" Repeated Albedo. "Are you claiming that you are not from this world either?"

"Huh? You too?"

"Hey, what does that mean?" Aura asked. " Where are you from ? "

Completely completing his regeneration, Marco retorted with a small smile.

"If you want to know, you'll have to beat me."

"As if that scared us." Aura retorted, aiming at him again.

"Aura...back off." Albedo suddenly ordered her.

" What ? "

Standing still, Albedo cast a quick glance to his right, to see Galadriel watching her fight. The succubus seemed to fight calmly. But, inside, she raged at the thought of being deeply disappointing her beloved.

" I refuse! I refuse to be beaten by an inferior being! I am Albedo, the supreme guardian of Nazarick! It is out of the question to be beaten by this man, just because his strength is greater than that of a other human. "

Finally, concentrating her magical power behind her back, she summoned a second pair of wings, identical to the first.

"Huh?" Marco wondered.

Seeing this, Aura looked frightened.

"Oye, are you serious? Usually, you only use this technique to calm your sister down, when she gets out of hand."

"Stand back!" Albedo ordered her simply. "This time, it will only take me a minute to defeat him."

Meanwhile, having fallen back to the ground, Drake was sitting cross-legged, after his broken arms and three slashes to his face. Again in front of him, Yuri questioned him.

"Do you understand that you can't do anything?"

Stoic, Drake simply lifted his face before asking her.

" Why ? "

" Huh ? "

"At first I thought you wanted to attack us because of an attack by Eustass or Trafalgar! However, that's for another reason, right?"

Looking at Galadriel, he asked.

"Your lady, she wants to eliminate the strongest fighters to can destroy this world, doesn't she?"

Hearing this, Yuri chuckled, before affirming.

"What you say is both hilarious and incredibly stupid."

" Sorry ? "

"Don't you think what you're saying is a bit cliche? Galadriel-sama is meant to rule this world! What good would it do to destroy it and just rule a planet without any inhabitants? That would be completely stupid. "

"Tsss! Between destroying a world or reigning a tyranny, I see no difference."

"Who spoke of a tyranny? For your information, know that Galadriel-sama wants to create a better world where humans can live happily and equally! Despite the fact that you are only selfish and abject beings, our lady wishes your happiness. "

"Our happiness? Are you kidding me? Then why did you attack us?"

"If I remember correctly, I gave you a choice! You refused to follow us."

"Grrr! Kill me because I refused your offer? I don't call that giving me a choice."

"Sorry! To be honest, I hate to pick on innocent people! But keeping the peace sometimes requires acting in a brutal way to destroy potential threats or enemies in Galadriel-sama's future world."

"Tssss! I, working for the Navy, can tell you that this is nothing like justice."

"Justice? Do you even know what that means?"

" What ? "

"I just want to ask you a question: in the history of mankind, which kingdom or country has never known war?"

" Sorry ? "

"None!" Yuri assured. "No matter where this country is located or its history, every country has always known war! And do you know why? It is because man has always thought selfishly and always sought any pretext to invade another country."

"Tsss! And what difference will it make if your lady decides to control this world?"

"It's simple! In the history of mankind, many people have taken control of a country, without having anything different, compared to a peasant of this same country! anyone could have considered them as some underlings, rather than seeing them as kings! It makes no sense! How many selfish and unscrupulous scum do you think have become kings? How many innocent and pure in heart died at the hands of these pseudo-kings, when they could have become better kings?"

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm just trying to describe to you the dumbest thing about humanity! Yet it's a common occurrence for you to put all the power of a country in the hands of incompetents. , who does not possess the slightest ounce of power or intelligence! And many of them have become kings only because of their connections or their kinship! Admit that it is completely stupid. "

Silent for a few seconds, Drake finally confessed.

"Yes, this is ridiculous! Nevertheless, I still don't see the difference between your lady and those incompetent people."

"Why does the war continue? Why does it never end? It's easy to understand ! Ordinarily, humans are as strong as each other and none of them had ever really gone down in history because they got powers from a god! So when a war breaks out for one cause or another, when it ends, the two warring countries find themselves weakened and are immediately targeted by other countries! A war therefore never ends, since a war can be considered as a series of battles between the countries of this world! And it will only end when all countries are defeated by the same adversary! Unfortunately, no human has had the strength or the will to chain enough war to dominate the world! And it is because of this that other people have replaced him and we are starting these wars again from the beginning, causing countless deaths.

"So what? Since when should we encourage war? Only peace will allow the citizens of this world to be able to live without always having to live in fear of being killed."

"This is false! When two countries, which have different kingdoms, are next to each other, peace never exists! It is only a facade! Because two countries having different laws people can never live together forever!There will always be a time when a dispute begins and no matter how many years pass, a war will follow that dispute! Peace will never waver until people think not in the same way! For peace to be present, the whole world must be governed by one and only one person."

"And for you, a demon would be a better king than a human?"

"Of course it is! Galadriel-sama is more powerful than any human in this world! And what is a human's best defense when they feel in danger? the most powerful person he knows! By protecting the weak from the strong, Galadriel-sama will have no trouble bringing true peace to this tense world."

Hearing her, X-Drake opened his mouth. However, no sound came out. Seeing him standing still, Yuri questioned him.

"For you, what is justice?"