"It seems you are the final obstacle, Zephyr-sensei!"
Sakura, riding Leviathan, did not put away her axe, as she had no time to delay now.
The processed clouds produced by the Cloud Dials in the sky had completely gone out of control and could erupt at any moment, taking them all away.
And Zephyr before her clearly knew this, which was why he intended to hold Sakura back, forcing her to deal with the aftermath.
"Don't even think about leaving! Put everything back in order properly!"
With a Geppo, Zephyr lunged towards Sakura like lightning.
Already in a fight-with-your-back-to-the-river situation, Zephyr could no longer afford to worry about the risk of being 'ganged up on by evil'.
"Hahaha, come on, Zephyr-sensei!"
Sakura closed her eyes, spreading her Observation Haki, and also used Geppo to meet Zephyr mid-air.
Boom!
Fist and axe collided, a shockwave radiating out in all directions, splitting the thick lightning falling from the sky into an arc.
Then two blurry shadows flickered and clashed at high speed in mid-air, breaking free from gravity's shackles, moving so fast even the lightning couldn't keep up.
"Get down!"
In a fleeting flash of phantom light, Sakura's fist slammed down hard towards Zephyr.
But he twisted his neck using Kami-e, bending his head at nearly a ninety-degree angle.
Evading Sakura's heavy punch while also adjusting his posture, a Rankyaku infused with Armament Haki slashed upwards.
"I won't let you escape!"
Amidst a roar, Zephyr had already concentrated all his power into his legs through Life Return.
In the future glimpsed by Observation Haki, Sakura would be slashed by this attack, and he would seize the opportunity to close in and capture her with the Seastone handcuffs he carried.
'It's possible. Victory is assured!'
The shimmering dark green slash danced, curving back from the side like a boomerang, about to strike Sakura.
Snap!
Before that, a pair of hands wrapped in frost gently rose, fingers spread open, blocking the path of the slash.
Her Haki, pushed to its limit, broke through another layer, finally catching a glimpse of a brief future during the twelfth hour of continuous, arduous battles on the island.
"What?" Zephyr gasped in shock.
He saw Sakura in the sky look up, her arm exerting force to crush the Rankyaku slash in her grip.
Her emerald eyes sparkled with amusement, emerging from the shadows.
It was as if she was whispering in Zephyr's ear...
'Got you, Zephyr-sensei.'
'Not good, can this girl also see the future now?'
Zephyr's face turned ashen, all his senses contracting, only able to experience the same heart-wrenching agony Garp felt after his son set sail to start a revolution.
Having taught Haki to the Marines his whole life, his three most outstanding students relied on their Devil Fruits one after another.
Now, in his old age, about to retire, he actually taught a pirate on the high seas who surpassed the master?
"Where are you looking, Zephyr-sensei!" Sakura's voice rang out again.
In an instant, a kunai marked with a cherry blossom emblem grazed past Zephyr's cheek. A phantom light of space-time flickered, allowing the girl to cross the vast distance to appear behind him at a staggering speed.
It turned out that during the earlier pursuit, their battlefield had moved outside the spatial interference zone set up by the World Government.
Sakura could now sense the aura of her Space-Time Anchors again through Chakra and use Flying Thunder God Technique.
She spread her five fingers.
And clenched!
Thus, the roar of the axe bloomed from the girl's hand. At the moment the endless dark thunder erupted in the sky, within the shadow of the tree-like lightning, the black axe blade drew a lunar arc.
"Farewell, Zephyr-sensei!"
In the fleeting ten-thousandth of a second, Zephyr, every hair standing on end, saw the future where he was cut down. Every cell in his body, driven by the will to survive, transmitted the brain's command.
Even under circumstances where his muscles couldn't react, he forcibly contracted half his body using Life Return.
However...
Squelch!
Amidst the splattering blood, an arm that couldn't be retracted in time was severed cleanly at the shoulder.
"Ugh!"
Zephyr let out a grunt of pain, falling into the sea along with his severed arm.
Behind him, Enies Lobby's main island disintegrated along with the dazzling thunderlight.
The collapse of the island stirred up immense clouds of dust, even causing tremors throughout the giant waterfall's abyss. The surrounding currents became chaotic, the remaining warships colliding with each other in the turmoil before vanishing into the maelstrom.
In the sky, a bundle of white roses tied with vines was gently tossed down, falling into the sea.
Then, the Night Sparrow Leviathan, shrouded in darkness, swiftly flew out of Enies Lobby's waters.
…
A night passed, the light of dawn spilling over at Marine Headquarters.
"What did you say?!"
Sengoku's roar made the entire fortress tremble. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
The wooden desk in the office was smashed to pieces by his slap. Sengoku stepped over the fragments, snatching the report document from Brannew's hands.
His eyes rapidly scanned the text, then the document crumpled in his grip as Sengoku slumped onto the sofa as if having lost all strength.
[Enies Lobby Buster Call Incident Result Report: Current Marine Admiral Akainu severely injured and unconscious. Former Marine Admiral Zephyr, arm severed.] [Headquarters Staff Officer Tsuru and five accompanying Vice Admirals missing along with the collapsed Enies Lobby. Sixteen Marine Headquarters 100-meter-class battleships destroyed.]
"It's over. The situation is about to spiral out of control!"
Brannew, standing before Sengoku, was too terrified to speak. Since joining the Marines, it was the first time he had seen his superior so distraught.
Those sharing Sengoku's distress included the five at the pinnacle of Mary Geoise.
"What in the world are those Marine fools doing!!!"
Nusjuro threw the newspaper onto the tea table.
Seven high-ranking officers, sixteen large warships.... This wasn't just a loss of combat power, but shining, golden Berry!
"Higanbana has grown stronger. We received word earlier that she also won an island from Shiki."
Marcus Mars flipped through monitoring reports from islands across the four seas. "Once she enters the New World, a new Pirate Emperor will be born in an instant."
Shepherd Ju Peter leaned back on the sofa with a light sigh. "According to CP intelligence, she has gained the ability to manipulate plants. Food and energy resources can no longer restrain her either."
"We cannot rely on the Marines anymore. Quickly finalize the last Warlord position. Find pirates with suitable abilities and let them fight each other!" Topman Warcury, glancing at the final person.
"Good news from Vegapunk. It seems one case of the gene-modified clone experiment has succeeded."
Jaygarcia Saturn nodded, gripping his cane. "For now, assign 'her' to the Warlords. It can also serve to undermine Higanbana's prestige!"
"It seems that's the only option for now!"
"Seconded!" x3
Unlike the heavy atmosphere in the Room of Authority, an island in the New World was filled with cheerful excitement.
"Ahahahaha, to have such information!"
The bird-man in a light blue shirt and yellow bow tie happily rolled on the ground.
Before him lay a photo of a girl riding a black night sparrow, with a News Coo in front of him extending its wing, demanding a reward.
"Ah, such exquisite beauty! Future Emperor Candidate, Miss Haruno Sakura!"
Morgans, hearts practically popping out of his eyes, paid no attention to the News Coo's actions behind him.
Until those little hands demanding a reward gradually grew disappointed, and finally, pupils burning with anger, it began pecking at him with its beak.
Chased all over the place, Morgans finally snapped out of it, tossing money to the News Coo.
"Really, I don't know what you guys need so many Berries for!"
Snorting coldly, Morgans straightened his bow tie, then picked up the photo again, gazing at it obsessively.
After a good while, he sprang up, shouting at the staff behind him.
"Hurry! Emergency special edition! Spread Miss Sakura's heroic figure across the entire world!!!"