143 Landing in oppressive silence. (1/2)

When Marco breached the tree line, there were a lot of things that he expected to see. His comrade somehow injured, or in some way gruesomely hurt.

What he did see however was Thatch with blood trailing down his forehead with a terrifying array of minute holes on his torso. The Whitebeard stood tall as he held his sword though the way it was held made it expressly clear that he had no way of using the metallic weapon usefully.

His opponent was no better though. Marco could at least take some measure of satisfaction from that.

The Vice Admiral stood stooped as his breath rattled against his chest. His teeth shone out scarily as a scarlet line ran across his otherwise pearly white teeth. He seemed at a glance, so weak that a single breath would topple him. But in his eyes, Marco saw a stubborn vigor that pushed the man forward still.

”Oh would you look at that… The First Division Commander of the great and powerful Whitebeard Pirates has returned to gang up on poor old me!~ Well Then, Come on!” Borsolino roared as his fingers twitched, rays of light coloring his fingertips as an ugly grimace colored his face.

He could flee sure. But in the condition that he was in, where would he go?

He did not know where he was, and within the New World Whitebeard held a multitude of territories within his grasp. He could escape, but the neighboring towns folk would not give him aid. He was too weak to cross the seas with his strength, heck he could barely stand without seeing double!

With a steely look he prepared to jump forward, putting his all in an attack.

Before he did however, he was caught off guard. Thatch had tackled him to the floor!

A rabid look overtook the pirate as he began to ravage the man under him. Unarmed blow after unarmed blow rammed into his person, each colored in a strange hue of black and red, a mixture of his Haki and blood.

Borsolino buckled as a dull pain ran through his head, before he began to struggle too.

”Marco! He is Mine!!” Thatch bit out. His rage turning his usually clear eyes into a clouded red. As he began tearing at the man, his nails digging into the other man's meager clothes that remained, his entire demeanor the very picture of a desperately fighting wild animal.

Borsolino jumped forward, his hands ramming straight at his assailants neck as he attempted to strangle the rabid man.

Thatch growled darkly as he rammed his knee forward, catching the off guard Vice Admiral right in the crotch. Suffice to say that he was satisfied at the flinch that he heard.

But the flurry was soon at its end, with labored breath the pirate brought himself to his full height before shooting the gob smacked Marco a glare with a surprising degree of clarity.

**********

Garp could not help but look at the inert sky with a baleful glare. He smelt a hint of blood in the air, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he despised it with all the bristled hair of his military trimmed beard.