"It was actually..."
Even Fujitora, who was usually calm and composed, could not help his expression changing when he heard those two names.
Then realization dawned in his heart.
"If it was those two monsters, then it is not so strange."
"They possessed the two strongest Paramecia Devil Fruits in the world, the Teleport-Teleport Fruit and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. No wonder they could shatter this entire supermassive island."
Fujitora's Observation Haki swept across the area.
From the broken layout of the surrounding sea, he could faintly sense just how terrifying that battle must have been.
Even knowing it had been caused by two of the strongest Devil Fruits, no one could remain unmoved before such a godlike feat.
The Marines quickly completed their deployment around the island. Warships anchored between the gaps of the archipelago.
Boxes of ammunition were transported one after another.
Cannons were raised high.
"This is the fastest route from Fish-Man Island into the New World. With the warships deployed across this area, we will definitely be able to intercept Sadgeo."
On the surging sea, the Marines stood ready, constantly preparing for battle.
Only Fujitora and Lucci, as commanders, could stand there with some composure, gazing toward the Red Line.
Fujitora tightened his grip around his cane sword.
One of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades, Gambler's Fireline.
A cold gleam reflected from its blade.
He only hoped that not too many people would die in this war.
...
The Marines made their preparations at full speed.
Around the third day, Admiral Fujitora was slurping noodles and preparing to ask for another bowl when his heart suddenly stirred.
He handed the bowl to an orderly.
"Thank you for the meal."
Carrying his cane sword, he walked to the bow of the flagship.
Lucci was already there, draped in a white cloak, gazing into the distance for unknown reasons.
Perhaps he was simply trying to look cool.
Sensing Fujitora approach, Lucci turned his head.
"Is something wrong?"
Fujitora did not stop. Instead, he walked straight to the very front of the deck.
His pale eyes opened slightly, facing the distant sea.
"Something very large... is coming."
"What?!"
Lucci's expression changed at once.
Then, as if he had realized something, his figure vanished from the spot.
The scene pulled back.
Like a chain reaction, the densely packed naval fleet instantly shifted from resting mode into battle readiness.
Piercing alarms began to ring.
Fujitora, however, continued staring ahead, his face grave and beaded with cold sweat.
"To think it would be this enormous..."
After Fujitora gave the warning, everyone stood ready.
The first abnormal sign everyone felt was an inexplicable tremor.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
Shelves in the supply cabins began to shake, and items toppled left and right.
Ripples spread across the sea. Then they became waves.
The waves grew larger and larger, eventually turning into tsunami-like walls of water.
"Something has appeared!"
Among the Buster Call fleet were many veterans who had participated in the Summit War two years ago.
Looking at the disaster-like scene before them, their pupils trembled.
"What is this? Whitebeard is already dead!"
Massive waves surged into the sky, ready to crash down.
At that critical moment, one figure remained calm.
He slowly drew the cane sword in his hand.
A purple glow began to gather along the blade.
With several graceful swings, layered rings of purple light flew out.
"Gravity Blade: Reversal."
The purple glow projected into the seawater.
In an instant, the tsunami that had been about to crash down froze in midair.
Then it rapidly fell back, pouring into the sea.
The seawater receded.
In its place, what appeared on the surface was an enormous ship that blotted out the sky.
Its body was made of wood. Many parts were damaged. It was as large as a small island.
The Marines stared at the appearance of this "monster," their mouths hanging open.
"How can there be such a huge ship in the world?!"
The coating around Noah's hull began to break apart, gradually revealing its true body.
Just the aftershock of it stabilizing on the sea stirred up waves dozens of meters high.
"It's here!"
Fujitora tightened his grip on his sword.
His Observation Haki instantly locked onto the giant ship in the distance and every figure aboard it.
Lucci arrived at his side as well. Under the wild wind, he pressed down on his hat, his eyes fixed firmly on the enemies ahead.
He spoke coldly.
"So we really did intercept you here, Dark Sun Sadgeo."
Under the tense gazes of countless Marines, a giant wearing a straw hat appeared at the bow of that absurdly massive ship.
A smile hung on his face.
"Hehehe... so you're the people from the World Government. You really are annoying."
Some fish-man warriors who had followed him aboard struggled up to the railing and poked their heads out.
With just one glance, their faces turned green with fear.
Ahead of them, across the archipelago, an endless stretch of Marine warships had sealed off the surrounding sea completely.
Using the terrain of the scattered islands, they had lain in wait to snipe this giant ship.
But Sadgeo seemed not to notice the countless cannons and warships at all.
His gaze even skipped past the vice admirals of Marine Headquarters and landed directly on Fujitora.
As for Lucci, Sadgeo only glanced at him in passing.
That look instantly infuriated Lucci. Blue veins bulged across his forehead.
"Do you still not understand?"
Lucci's eyes were cold.
"Dark Sun, pirate rookie with a bounty of 1.1 billion berries. You and those fish-men under you..."
"As long as Fujitora and I are here, all of you will die!"
"Is that so?"
Sadgeo heard those words, but he did not seem to take them seriously at all.
He held down his straw hat, still smiling broadly.
Just as Lucci was about to say more, Fujitora stepped forward first.
"An enemy of this size will cause too many casualties if we fight at close range."
"Allow this old man to end it quickly."
As he spoke, he swung Gambler's Fireline with force.
Several rings of purple light shot straight into the sky.
Before long, a burning light began to grow larger and larger above them.
"W-What is that?!"
It grew bigger and bigger.
What descended from outer space was a flaming meteorite.
The soldiers following Fujitora for the first time saw this move, a meteor falling from the heavens, and many of their legs nearly gave out from fear.
Sadgeo, however, simply looked up at the sky without hurry.
"That's kind of bright. Shirahoshi!"
"I... I understand, Lord Sadgeo."
Shirahoshi, who had a bubble ring around her waist, panicked for a moment when she heard his call.
Then she clasped her hands before her chest and began to pray.
Immediately after, a terrifying scene appeared.
A giant mouth, thousands of meters wide, opened like an abyss.
Slowly, it rose from the sea toward the sky.
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The tides are shifting, and secrets linger in the dark... Step into the shadows early on P@treon, where the next chapter awaits before the world sees it.
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