"Puh !"
A scorching spray of blood, mixed with fragments of internal organs, burst from Shanks' mouth.
"This… how is this possible?!"
He looked down in shock at his empty right shoulder.
His arm, along with his legendary sword Griffin, had been obliterated into nothingness by Hawk's punch.
This was not even on the same level of power.
If Hawk had possessed this strength from the beginning, there was no way Shanks could have fought him this long.
The only reasonable explanation was…
Hawk's power had undergone a qualitative leap mid-battle.
Impossible!
"Cough…"
Shanks coughed violently, blood dripping from his mouth.
He looked at the figure slowly approaching him, the Justice Cloak draped across Hawk's shoulders, and a bitter smile twisted across his face.
"With a monster like you… the future of this sea belongs to the Navy."
Hawk nodded calmly.
Indeed, with two abilities already at their absolute peak, he could easily overwhelm the Red-Haired Emperor himself.
The only real enemy left would be the one hidden deep within the World Government the mastermind known as Im.
He glanced at the system panel, where a new notification had just appeared.
"Just Im…"
Ding. The host has unlocked the final advancement tutorial after elevating two abilities to the absolute peak!
Eternal Justice: Once the host elevates Observation Haki, Armament Haki, Physique, Fist Techniques, and Conqueror's Haki all five core abilities to the absolute peak level:
The host will surpass all living beings in this world, breaking the boundaries of matter and energy.
At that time, the host will be truly invincible, capable of creating or destroying worlds with a single thought, becoming an eternal, indestructible existence!
Hawk still needed to raise Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and the crucial Conqueror's Haki.
A total of 12 million Justice Points were required.
Once he achieved that, no one in this world could stand against him.
Eliminating the Red-Haired Pirates alone would net over one million Justice Points.
With that in mind, Hawk raised his hand and waved lightly.
"Fall back!"
Tat-tat-tat!
Every Navy officer in the vicinity obeyed without hesitation, retreating to clear the stage for Hawk's final display.
"Shwoosh !"
Hawk vanished from his original position.
In the next instant, he appeared directly above the Red Force ship.
He gazed down at the Red Force, the pirates on deck showing nothing but despair.
Slowly, he raised his right fist.
"Fist Principle: All things return to ruin!"
"Boom !!!"
This time, there was no silent erasure.
It was the purest, wildest, most primal release of energy.
A torrent of power erupted from his fist.
Where it struck, the bay that Aokiji had frozen evaporated instantly.
The hard ice and the raging waters beneath were completely vaporized in an instant, leaving a perfect vacuum behind.
Shanks watched the approaching column of destruction and closed his eyes slowly.
His adventures, his crew, everything he had fought for everything would end here.
"No !!"
Onboard the Red Force, every surviving member of the Red-Haired Pirates cried out their final wails.
Light consumed everything.
The ship that had carried the name "Freedom," along with everyone aboard, was utterly annihilated by that overwhelming energy.
Not a single fragment remained.
It was as if they had never existed on this sea.
The Red-Haired Emperor, Shanks.
The Red-Haired Pirates.
Hawk's figure descended slowly upon Marine Headquarters.
Rumble
Rain poured from the lead-gray sky, washing the blood from Marineford clean.
Amid the storm, a clear, measured applause echoed.
Akainu stood atop the carnage, clapping, letting the rain soak him as steam rose from his body.
He grinned, his face glowing with genuine delight and admiration.
Hawk had truly outdone himself!
This was justice in its purest form.
Complete. Absolute. Without mercy.
It burned away sin, and the soil that nurtured it, leaving nothing behind.
With Hawk leading the new generation, the future of the Navy was secure.
The Navy's power was now beyond fear of any force.
Justice would rise, unstoppable!
"Hmph…"
"Aokiji," he muttered, "the ice is shattered again."
Aokiji scratched his head, slightly exasperated as he surveyed the fully liberated bay.
"Looks like it was Hawk who smashed it…"
"Good," he yawned, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Saves me the trouble of thawing it myself."
Kizaru gazed at the now-empty waters and spoke lazily.
"Today's youngsters are really not to be trifled with."
"But… seems I have one more support mission to take care of."
With that, Kizaru's figure streaked upward in golden light, racing toward the New World.
He was going to support the old man who was "playing" with the Beast Pirates.
…
Sengoku's facial muscles relaxed completely.
He popped the last senbei into his mouth, crunching crisply.
The two colossal figures of the old era, along with the chaos they represented, had been crushed by the Navy's new generation.
The future of the Navy could safely be entrusted to the young.
Now he could enjoy tea, snack on senbei, travel the world at leisure…
If there was trouble, he could scold the Five Elders, request military funds…
When the time came to tear down the old guard, he'd lead the charge.
And let the Five Elders learn that even the impact wave of the Great Buddha could be formidable.
"Cough cough cough "
A harsh fit of coughing interrupted Sengoku's musings.
He turned to see Zephyr, clutching his chest, pale and struggling forward.
Sengoku hurried to steady him. "How are you feeling?"
During the battle against the CP0 squad sent by the World Government, Zephyr had forced his declining body to perform at peak strength, striking repeatedly.
This only worsened his already deteriorating condition.
"Hmph, I'm fine."
Zephyr pushed Sengoku's hand away and scanned the battlefield.
Rain washed over his aged face, and with it, the decades of burdens he had carried.
"I still need to watch these young ones forge a new era!"
He turned to Sengoku with solemn resolve. "Sengoku, when Borsalino returns…"
"Tell him I'm giving him half a year's salary. I want to see, as quickly as possible, the fruit Hawk mentioned!"
"I want to witness, with my own eyes, this sea welcoming a true golden age!"
"Hahaha!"
Sengoku laughed heartily, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "Don't worry!"
"With my half-year salary added, there's no way that kid will delay!"