On the deck of the command warship, Kong's face twisted in fury as he suddenly shouted, "Damn it!"
Just moments ago, through that eerie projection floating before his eyes, he had seen that even Impel Down's strongest forces—Magellan and Shiryu, their two aces—had been defeated!
The other guards were retreating step by step under the assault from the Ninja Alliance's shinobi, and quite a few prisoners had been released from their cells, joining the fray.
Impel Down was on the verge of total collapse!
"Blub blub blub..."
The Den Den Mushi in Kong's pocket rang, causing his expression to shift. This was the special line for contacting the Five Elders.
Without hesitation, he picked it up, and soon a voice with a long beard came through. "Kong, no matter what it takes, you must prevent Lin Xuan from leaving Impel Down within the next half hour!"
Kong was stunned for a moment but quickly recovered, replying gravely, "Understood!"
He didn't know what the Five Elders had in mind, but if they wanted him to stall Lin Xuan, it must mean they had some plan targeting the Ninja Alliance!
Still, Kong couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Stalling Lin Xuan for half an hour—did they really think that highly of him?
With that monster's power, if he was determined to leave, did Kong really have a way to hold him back that long?
Deep down, he had no confidence at all.
Nearby, Sengoku noticed his frustrated expression and felt a pang of empathy, mixed with a bit of relief.
Thank goodness Kong was taking the heat upfront; now Sengoku didn't have to face Lin Xuan himself, which lightened his load considerably.
By now, the fleet was drawing close to Impel Down.
The mood aboard the warships grew increasingly tense, as everyone knew a brutal battle awaited them.
The three admirals stood ready, especially Akainu, whose face was darkened to the extreme.
He hadn't been faring well lately. In the recent battles at Sabaody Archipelago and Marineford, he had suffered the most among the admirals—first accidentally killing three Celestial Dragons, then getting beaten to a pulp by those black-robed figures.
Those two fights had utterly humiliated him as an admiral, turning him into a laughingstock.
Even the World Government was starting to question his abilities. If he didn't pull off something impressive soon, his position could be snatched away in no time.
After all, Green Bull and Fujitora were waiting in the wings for their chance!
"Lin Xuan!" Akainu growled through gritted teeth.
Just then, someone on the deck cried out in alarm, "Lin Xuan!"
"Where?"
Akainu reacted sharply, his piercing gaze snapping toward the lieutenant who had spoken, startling the man badly.
"The... the projection—there's a new one!" the lieutenant stammered nervously.
Instantly, everyone's attention returned to the projections in front of them.
A new image had appeared, showing a young man smiling directly at them, as if he were looking right back.
The young man was none other than Lin Xuan.
Then, someone noticed his location—it wasn't inside Impel Down; it looked more like he was at the Gates of Justice.
Kong frowned and quickly grabbed a telescope. Sure enough, there was Lin Xuan standing atop the Gates of Justice.
"What the hell is he up to?"
A jolt of unease hit Kong, a bad feeling stirring in his gut.
In the projection, Lin Xuan spoke up: "First off, I want to thank everyone for your support—dropping everything to watch my live broadcast."
Hearing this, more than a few people rolled their eyes. As if they had a choice?
This projection that had suddenly appeared couldn't be dismissed, and even closing their eyes didn't help—it was like it was etched directly into their minds. They couldn't avoid it even if they wanted to!
"I figure you've all gotten tired of just watching fights," Lin Xuan continued. "So, to show my appreciation, I've decided to put on a little show for you!"
Aboard the World Government warships, Kong and the others paled, a wave of dread washing over them. They had a sinking feeling that something big was about to happen.
"Stay alert!" Kong bellowed.
Everyone went on high guard, with soldiers quickly scanning the surroundings, but they found no signs of an ambush.
At that moment, atop the Gates of Justice, a massive golden giant suddenly materialized.
Kong and the others' pupils contracted in shock, because the giant before them was far larger than any they'd seen before!
In the past, Lin Xuan's complete Susanoo had usually been controlled to around a hundred meters or so.
But this time, the Susanoo he unleashed towered at a full five hundred meters, like a colossal golden statue!
Abruptly, between the golden giant's hands, a blinding orb of light began to form, the surrounding air swirling wildly.
"Damn, what is that?"
On the World Government side, everyone's hearts skipped a beat, an overwhelming sense of danger gripping them.
"Kamehameha!"
A booming voice echoed across the sea, shaking the waves. The piercing orb shot out, hurtling straight toward them!
Boom!
A terrifying explosion erupted, vaporizing the seawater in an instant and exposing the seabed below. The ocean surface split apart as if cleaved in two, unable to reform for a long while.
Everyone watching the broadcast was left utterly dumbfounded!
Was this guy really human?!
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T/N:
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