"A Great Swordsman."
Dracule Mihawk's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he felt the immense sword intent radiating from the battlefield.
"The Revolutionary Army truly has hidden talents," he muttered, voice calm yet filled with admiration.
Aokiji froze in place, sensing a critical strike aimed directly at him. Any wrong movement could unleash a devastating attack. This opponent was no ordinary swordsman; this was a top-tier Great Swordsman.
"Who are you?" Aokiji's expression darkened as he studied the figure.
"Revolutionary Army," came the calm, measured reply. Beneath the plain mask, a pair of piercing eyes, sharp yet faintly elegant, stared intently at Aokiji.
"Canine Tooth Scarlet Lotus," the masked swordsman declared.
Before either side could act further, a massive surge of power erupted in an instant. Akainu, who had disappeared from the Admiral's seat moments ago, appeared, his right hand radiating the destructive force of magma as he launched a deadly strike at Dragon.
"Swish!"
Dragon did not flinch, nor did he counter. Yet, in the blink of an eye, another figure emerged, striking Akainu head-on with a punch that reverberated like a thunderclap.
Boom… rumble…
A halo of destructive energy radiated outward, pushing back Akainu and shaking the surrounding terrain. His volcanic power was not just resisted—it was repelled.
"What a monster," murmured the onlookers. Few in this world could withstand Akainu's force head-on.
"Who… are you?!" Akainu's body oozed lava, the ground around him cracking and turning into magma from his sheer presence.
"Revolutionary Army Hercules," the masked figure announced. Pulling his feet free from the scorched, sunken earth, Hercules' eyes met Akainu's with unwavering focus. This opponent was not to be underestimated.
From the execution platform, Sengoku observed the clash. He had anticipated that the Revolutionary Army was full of capable fighters, yet one who could directly confront Akainu was still shocking. Whether Akainu had used his full strength was unknown, but it was clear—Hercules was no ordinary soldier.
Simultaneously, the Great Swordsman's presence rivaled even Mihawk's. Sengoku's eyes narrowed slightly; this was a sword user of terrifying skill.
Dragon moved silently, vanishing from the field and targeting Kizaru. Only he could match the Admiral's speed; Hercules and the masked swordsman might not hold an advantage just yet.
The battlefield erupted into chaos, colliding forces like meteorites striking the Earth. Akainu pressed Hercules, while Aokiji faced the masked Great Swordsman.
Clang…
Aokiji's ice energy clashed violently with the swordsman's weapon. The rampant sword aura forced Aokiji to adapt quickly; fighting sword users was never his preference.
"Two-Thorned Spear," Aokiji muttered. Four ice spears erupted from his shoulders, spinning toward the swordsman with a chilling whistle.
The Great Swordsman responded with a sweeping slash, his blade coated in Armament Haki. Ice chips flew as the two forces collided, and the temperature around them dropped sharply. Flesh could freeze instantly upon contact.
"Ice Age."
The swordsman remained composed, his Haki and sword energy shielding him, yet frost continued to cling to his body.
Whoosh!
He vanished thirty meters away, reappearing to thrust forward with lethal precision. Aokiji could only react, his elemental powers failing to fully guard him. In the next heartbeat, a white light erupted, tearing horizontally through Marineford's headquarters. Revolutionary and Marine soldiers alike were obliterated in the wake.
"Admiral Aokiji…" Rear Admirals swallowed hard, witnessing their comrade pierced by a single, swift strike. Ice condensed around him, his half-frozen body bleeding at the mouth, yet his gaze never wavered as he faced the Great Swordsman.
"One-Sword Style: Iai."
Sword intent radiated bone-chillingly, the invisible energy spanning ten thousand meters and concentrating around the blade. Time seemed to pause as a single white beam shot skyward, splitting the clouds.
"Who is this? This is impossible!" voices rang out from the crowd. "Isn't Dracule Mihawk the world's greatest swordsman? Who is this new threat?"
Every strong fighter turned their eyes upward, where the brilliant white light descended like a sword poised to cleave Marineford in half.
"Super-Large Ice Pillar," Aokiji called. Slamming his hands into the ground, he created a spiraling column of ice that reached the sky, intercepting the descending white light. The beam cut through the ice like a hot knife, scattering shards, yet slowed as it neared the ground before dissipating above Aokiji's head.
Whoosh…
On the other side, a golden light streaked through the air as Kizaru condensed next to Dragon, gripping Ama no Murakumo and striking downward. Dragon's coat flared as he countered, wind blades circling his right hand, reinforced with Armament Haki, forming a claw that gripped the blade. Sparks exploded as the two forces collided, creating a shockwave that shook the battlefield.
"You're still so strong," Kizaru admitted, feigning fear.
Dragon smirked, winking before kicking Kizaru in the chest. The Admiral transformed instantly into a golden beam, shooting diagonally into the Marine headquarters, collapsing amidst debris, spitting blood.
"Kill him." Dragon's voice carried the weight of domination. As he landed, Marines swarmed him, only to be overwhelmed by his Haoshoku Haki. Soldiers foamed at the mouth and collapsed, consumed by Dragon's supreme will.
A whirlwind formed in Dragon's palm as he gazed toward the execution platform. Sengoku, sensing the immense focus, looked up just in time.
Crack… crunch…
The storm above churned violently, hurricanes and tornados finding their path toward the execution and Admiral platforms.
"Be careful… the world's most sinister power is coming," a Marine whispered.
Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning merged into a perfect storm, a raw display of Dragon's abilities. Seas heaved violently, ice torn from Aokiji's frozen section fell like missiles, and torrential rain, hail, and hurricanes smashed down upon Marineford.
"Is this… controlling the weather?" someone gasped. "Impossible… a Devil Fruit that manipulates weather?"
Dragon's power transformed Marineford into a fragile vessel at the mercy of the elements. Marines were crushed by ice, swept away by hurricanes, or struck by lightning. Chaos reigned supreme.
Aokiji, ignoring the swordsman momentarily, glanced at the monstrous weather wave and exhaled a plume of icy mist.
"Truly terrifying power."
Pressing his hands into the ruined harbor, he froze the incoming tsunami once again, though the hurricane and lightning continued unchecked.
Eight Shaku Jewel.
Kizaru appeared mid-air, his body forming a cross-shaped beam of light, raining down infinite golden strikes upon the storm clouds.
"Meteor Volcano."
At that moment, Sakazuki acted, shattering the tempest with sheer power. Yet the frozen sea split in two, a chasm forming as if heavens and earth were sundered. Soldiers on the coastline stared in awe and horror.
"I almost got frozen!"
"That was too close!"
The battlefield had become a perfect storm of elemental destruction, sword mastery, and sheer military might.