Each of the Shichibukai held privileges granted by the Marines—a title pirates across the seas fought desperately to claim. Only those with true influence and power could ever hope to bear that name.
As one of the three great powers of the world, the Shichibukai were never to be underestimated. Morgans, observing the battle from above, muttered to himself with excitement.
"I thought the Shichibukai would side with the Marines, but it seems I was wrong. The Whitebeard Pirates might actually win this war!"
His eyes gleamed as he continued, "If that's the case, this battle will mark the dawn of a new era. This is history in motion!"
The entire crew of the World Economic Journal, stationed within Morgans' airborne news fortress, erupted into cheers at the thought of such exclusive coverage. Cameras flashed, Den Den Mushi clicked, and reporters shouted in excitement—everyone except for one woman.
Ally, the assistant who had just served Morgans his coffee, paused with a strange expression. She quickly composed herself but continued watching him in silence, lost in thought.
…
On the battlefield below, Ashveil advanced through the wreckage with a faint smile.
"You guys can take your time, Shichibukai," he said casually. "I'm going to destroy the Marine Headquarters myself."
A confident grin curved across his lips. "The real battle starts now."
He had no interest in the small fry Marines from before. But after breaking through the Shichibukai's line, the resistance had grown stronger—their aura, their presence, their strength—all several times what it had been earlier.
It seemed it was finally time for him to move in earnest.
Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.
The ground trembled violently. From the smoke ahead, eight Giant Vice Admirals appeared, each towering over the battlefield. Some carried massive swords, others axes and hammers, while one female giant wielded a gleaming spear.
Ashveil's eyes glimmered faintly. Since he had expanded the range of his Conqueror's Haki across several kilometers, the pressure it exerted had weakened slightly over distance.
But if he had focused it within a few hundred meters, none of these Vice Admirals would even be standing—they would be crushed to their knees before him.
"Boy, you're not going any further!" roared one of the giants. "We won't let you destroy Marineford!"
Far in the distance, the Marine base still stood amid the fires of battle. The proud symbol of the seagull flag—the emblem of the World Government—fluttered in the wind, representing peace in an age of chaos.
"The Marine Headquarters is the pride of the World Government! I won't allow a brat like you to approach it!" another giant bellowed, their weapons shaking the air.
The massive figures loomed before Ashveil like mountains, completely blocking his path.
He merely chuckled, his tone dripping with disdain. "Just a bunch of puppets brainwashed by the Government."
He tilted his head back, neck cracking softly, his smirk widening.
"Oh, and one more thing," he said coldly. "I don't like talking to people I have to look up to."
The pressure in the air shifted instantly. The wide-spreading Conqueror's Haki compressed back around him, growing denser and heavier, surging upward like a storm ready to burst. The aura took on a tangible weight, pressing down with crushing force.
Before the giants could react, their bodies convulsed as if mountains had been dropped onto their shoulders.
Boom!
The ground beneath them fractured and collapsed. Cracks spread outward like spiderwebs, and the Giants' knees buckled. One by one, they sank into the earth, their enormous legs driven deep into the ground.
A low, buzzing sound echoed through their skulls. Their organs twisted and churned, blood pounding in their ears. The primal terror rising within them stripped away every ounce of their courage.
"Such power…!" gasped one of them, trembling. "That Conqueror's Haki… it's suppressing all eight of us!"
Ashveil didn't bother responding. His expression remained calm—almost bored—as he walked forward.
With each step he took, the pressure intensified, and the Giants behind him screamed as their massive bodies were forced deeper into the ground.
Boom!
Eight massive craters, each nearly a hundred meters wide, opened across the battlefield as the Vice Admirals collapsed completely.
Their eyes rolled back, their massive frames sinking into the mud, unconscious.
Ashveil lowered his gaze, flexing his fingers as a satisfied smile tugged at his lips. His Conqueror's Haki was even stronger than before.
He couldn't help but wonder—when it reached ten thousand points, would he be able to wipe out Vice Admirals as easily as flies? Would a single pulse of his Haki be enough to clear an entire battlefield?
It would be convenient, he thought with amusement. No more tedious clashes, no need for prolonged fights—just a wave of pressure, and his enemies would fall.
…
In the sky above, Morgans adjusted his camera, his wings rustling with excitement.
"Incredible… utterly incredible!" he exclaimed. "With one burst of Conqueror's Haki, Ashveil just took out eight Vice Admirals!"
He turned to his crew, shouting, "Listen up! I'll personally cover the Whitebeard Pirates' Zero Division Captain! This is the face of a new era!"
Morgans adjusted his lens again, desperate to capture the perfect close-up of the man who had become the center of the world's attention.
In his mind, the next issue's cover was already set—not Whitebeard, not Garp, not even the Red Count or Douglas Bullet.
It would be Thorne Ashveil, the man who had repeatedly shaken the seas and turned the world's headlines upside down.
…
On the battlefield below, Ashveil's aura continued to ripple outward, clearing everything in its path. Few Marines dared step within a kilometer of him.
Behind him, the Impel Down escapees from Level 6 followed closely, their killing intent thick in the air.
In the distance, Doberman, Onigumo, Momousagi, Yamakaji, and the Admiral candidate Tokikake struggled to hold the line, fighting desperately to prevent Douglas Bullet and the other Level 6 prisoners from overwhelming Marineford entirely.
But even they were being pushed back. Against monsters of that caliber, all they could do was stall for time.
With no small-fry distractions left, Ashveil raised his hand. The air trembled as his Conqueror's Haki condensed above him, forming a massive black-and-red fist.
His expression turned cold.
"It's time to end this," he murmured. "Marineford… prepare yourself."
The colossal Haki construct rippled through the air, ready to strike the very heart of the Marine Headquarters.
____
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