The enraged Bull of Heaven pawed twice at the clouds with its hooves, then charged, tearing free of the storm and ramming headlong into the colossal beast Bullet had become on the island!
The monster, unwilling to yield, swung its massive arm and met the charge with a punch.
That single clash above the island unleashed chaos. Gale winds howled, and thunder split the sky.
As the saying goes, the loudest sound is silence, the greatest form has no shape. The instant their powers collided, blinding lightning erupted, flooding everything in a white haze that stole away the sight of all who watched.
A moment later, a faint crack of thunder could be heard—but it lasted only an instant before everything fell into absolute stillness.
Then, as the white brilliance faded, fire consumed everything. The island became a powder keg, ignited and detonated. A massive explosion erupted, sending a towering mushroom cloud into the sky, scattering the heavy black clouds above.
The shockwave ripped across the island, lifting smoke, dust, and rubble in a torrent that spread in every direction, spilling over the shores and onto the sea in an instant.
The ocean itself buckled under the force. The waters around the island sank three or four meters, pressed down by invisible force, revealing reefs that had no place on the surface.
Then the sea roared back with fury. The displaced water surged violently upward, like a panicked crowd fleeing in chaos, rushing outward in every direction.
Foam rose in layers, waves clashed and fused into currents, those currents compressed and lifted into massive swells, and those swells joined together into a tsunami.
The once-calm sea shattered. Towering waves, tens of meters high, rose like walls and swept outward from the island. The devastating might of the clash was laid bare.
"That brat really is something..." Newgate said with a laugh, his face calm even as the tsunami bore down on the Moby Dick.
But in his massive hand, a translucent aura had already gathered—the power of the Gura Gura no Mi.
Before the waves could swallow the ship, Newgate threw a punch.
A sharp crack rang out, like glass breaking, as fractures spread through the air itself. In the next moment, the violent power of tremors exploded outward. The oncoming tsunami split apart instantly, leaving a vast opening. The Moby Dick slipped through the gap with perfect precision, untouched by the raging sea.
High above the island, Ortoren hovered like a thunder god, his gaze shifting to the sea. He saw the broken tsunami and the Moby Dick sailing through unscathed.
Even at that distance, his eyes met Newgate's, as though the two giants were measuring each other.
"Whitebeard..." Ortoren murmured, staring at the towering figure.
That hulking frame, the crescent-shaped mustache, the cascade of golden, wavy hair falling to his shoulders... Tch. Seeing him now, Ortoren couldn't help but sigh in awe. Golden-haired Whitebeard—this was truly his prime, the world's strongest man.
Even just watching from afar, Whitebeard's presence pressed down on him.
Ortoren knew his current strength was nothing to scoff at. Even if he faced Newgate directly, he wouldn't back down from a real fight.
But he had to admit—unlike with Bullet, when it came to Newgate, he didn't feel that same absolute certainty of victory.
Meanwhile, Newgate was also studying Ortoren, musing to himself, "The Marines really struck gold with that one..."
After a pause, he waved his hand. "Weigh anchor. We're leaving."
"Oyaji, we're not going to watch the fight to the end?" Marco asked in confusion.
"You idiot!" Newgate's massive hand ruffled Marco's hair roughly as he chuckled. "The fight's already over. That Marine brat's the winner..."
"Really?" Marco wasn't surprised, just puzzled. He hadn't seen Bullet's condition yet.
But since Oyaji had spoken, all he could do was shrug. "Got it..."
Soon, the Moby Dick pulled away, circling once on the sea before turning around and sailing off with calm confidence.
Watching the Moby Dick fade into the distance, Ortoren let out a small sigh of relief.
"Wait, why am I sighing?" He caught himself, rubbing his chin. A moment later, he muttered with a wry smile, "So this is the deterrence of the world's strongest? Even from this far, I was unconsciously intimidated by his aura?"
It truly puzzled him. He had never felt that way when facing Roger, Shiki, or the Red Count.
Only with Whitebeard. That man hadn't done a thing—just stood far away and watched—yet Ortoren still felt the oppressive pressure of being treated like prey.
Strange.
Shaking the thought from his head, Ortoren turned his gaze back toward the island's center.
The heart of Frania Island had once been a mountain. He'd even soaked in the hot spring hotel halfway up its slopes before.
But Bullet's power had consumed that mountain, and the colossal beast had stood in its place.
Now, both were gone.
In their place lay a massive crater, easily dozens if not hundreds of meters deep. Around its rim, the ground had been scorched into molten rock by searing lightning, the earth charred black, waves of heat rising into the air.
And it wasn't just here. From above, the entire island looked like hell on earth—smoke rolling, flames raging, the ground scorched and half-melted.
"The Bull of Heaven's power... maybe even stronger than I thought. Definitely an 'island-destroying' attack," Ortoren clicked his tongue, appraising his own might.
Good thing back at Marineford, Admiral Sengoku and Garp-san had joined forces to neutralize it in the sky. Otherwise, Marineford's bastion of justice would have been obliterated, and Sengoku's "New Marine Headquarters Plan" would've been put into action on the spot.
Still, he wondered—how would the papers have reported it? That Shiki destroyed Marineford? Or that the Marines blew themselves up?
Maybe something like: The great pirate Golden Lion Shiki attempted to annihilate Marineford. To stop him from destroying the fortress, the Marines preemptively destroyed it themselves.
As he thought this, Ortoren's Observation Haki locked onto the bottom of the crater, where Douglas Bullet lay motionless.
He had originally planned to go down and drag him up, but sensing that the alloy within Bullet's body hadn't yet dissipated, Ortoren simply raised his hand. Electromagnetic force crackled outward, sparking in the air.
Using the field, he tugged at Bullet. Slowly, the man's body floated up from the crater and landed heavily on the ground nearby.
Ortoren descended beside him, taking in his miserable state.
Bullet's entire body was charred black. His once-black uniform was completely shredded, only scraps of fabric clinging to him, occasionally sparking as if about to ignite. His body was covered in severe burns and scalds. Some places that had clearly been muscle were now carbonized, brittle enough to crumble with the slightest touch.
He was clearly unconscious. Ortoren bent down, checking his breath. Hmm... faint, but still there. He was alive.
"You look tough, but you're really nothing special. Even Shiki, with a ship's wheel stuck in his head, is stronger than you..." Ortoren muttered, slapping him twice across the face. When Bullet didn't stir, he sighed and shook his head.
Back at Marineford, that old lion Shiki had taken the Bull of Heaven, then Sengoku and Garp's combo attack, and he still managed to stand and curse them out. It wasn't until Ortoren blasted him with a 'Lightning Self-Bomb' that he finally collapsed like a baby.
But this guy? Bulkier than Shiki, yet one Bull of Heaven and he's out cold. Pathetic.
As expected—only after twenty years of nonstop training in Impel Down did Bullet truly reach his peak. Right now... he simply hadn't matured yet.
Seeing that he was finished, Ortoren pulled out his Den Den Mushi and made a call.
Before long, Spandine's concerned voice came through. "Vice Admiral Benn, how are things on your end?"
"Handled. Thought he was something big, but turns out he's just average. Come pick him up," Ortoren replied, sounding almost disappointed.
After all, there were still some ability applications he hadn't had the chance to test on Bullet... a real shame.
The moment Spandine heard his firm reply, his tone shot up with excitement. "As expected of you, Vice Admiral Benn!!!"
Yes, following a big shot like this meant a seat at the table every time. Spandine knew it—befriending him had been the best move of his life!
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