"Five Elders!"
Raiver snorted coldly and stood up from his throne.
Xingmian and Xingwan immediately understood his intention.
Xingmian quickly walked to the clothes rack, picked up the Supreme Robe with both hands, and draped it over him.
Xingwan stood up, took the Black Dragon pants, knelt before him, and helped him put them on.
The Supreme Robe and Black Dragon pants were Raiver's new attire, crafted with expensive materials. The fabric was comfortable, fitting snugly, with a delicate and smooth texture that felt incredibly skin-friendly.
He was extremely particular about his lifestyle, always adhering to one principle: no one should suffer, especially himself.
Once fully dressed, Raiver raised his right hand and lightly swiped in front of him.
A Space Gate silently opened.
He stepped in, and his figure vanished.
...
Ohara, Library of the Tree of Omniscience.
Dr. Clover had just hung up the phone, his face still carrying an excited smile.
"Dr. Clover, have we completed the task assigned by His Majesty Raiver?" a scholar asked.
Dr. Clover nodded:
"It's done. Now we can focus on researching other directions."
The task given by Raiver naturally took priority.
Everyone's faces showed relaxed smiles.
Just then—
"It's terrible!!"
A scholar suddenly rushed into the room, his face pale and sweating profusely:
"Something terrible has happened!"
Everyone looked at him.
The scholar gasped heavily, his voice trembling:
"I spotted a large number of Navy Warships along the coastline!
I counted with a telescope—there are about ten warships! And they're rapidly heading toward our Ohara!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces changed drastically.
"The Marines? What are the Marines doing here?"
"Could it be..." Dr. Clover's heart sank, instantly realizing:
"Not good! It's a Buster Call!"
"It seems our previous research on the Void Century has been discovered by the World Government!"
Buster Call—the highest-level military operation of the Marines.
Led by five Headquarters Vice Admirals commanding ten Giant Battleships, it launches indiscriminate destructive strikes against targets.
Over the past few years, the World Government frequently initiated Buster Calls, each time widely publicized to showcase the military might of the World Government, serving as a warning to others.
Everyone knew what a Buster Call meant.
"Dr. Clover, what should we do now?!"
All scholars looked at Dr. Clover, their eyes filled with fear and despair.
Dr. Clover took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
He raised his hand and removed a pendant from his neck.
It was a red bead, about the size of a quail egg, dark red throughout.
He held the bead up to everyone:
"Don't worry. His Majesty Raiver once bestowed this treasure upon us.
He personally said—when Ohara faces imminent destruction, crush this bead. Everything will turn out safe."
Everyone looked at the small bead, doubt flickering in their eyes.
"Dr. Clover... can this bead really work?"
"They have ten Giant Battleships and five Headquarters Vice Admirals!"
Dr. Clover said solemnly:
"Don't forget—he is the world's strongest man!"
The world's strongest man.
This title was never baseless or self-proclaimed.
It was earned by Raiver through solid achievements that astonished the world, recognized by everyone.
Upon hearing these words, everyone calmed down.
"Let's go," Dr. Clover strode outward, "We'll go meet those Marines."
The scholars followed behind him, leaving the library and heading toward the shore.
On the distant sea, ten massive warships were lined up in a row.
On the flagship's deck, Akainu stood with his arms crossed, his expression icy.
"Reporting to Vice Admiral Sakazuki, sir!" A Marine soldier hurried over and saluted. "Ohara is within artillery range!"
Akainu's gaze swept over the island, showing no trace of emotion.
"All warships, hear this—aim all cannons at Ohara and await the order to fire."
The command was given, and the ten warships swiftly took action.
All heavy cannons adjusted their direction, with hundreds of artillery barrels simultaneously targeting the peaceful island.
On a nearby warship, Aokiji stood by the railing, frowning slightly as he looked at the island.
He picked up a Den Den Mushi and dialed Akainu's channel:
"Sakazuki, there are still innocent civilians on the island.
Only the scholars are researching the Void Century. There's no need to wipe out the civilians as well, is there?"
Akainu replied coldly:
"The World Government's orders are clear—destroy everything on Ohara. Every person, every object.
Remember, I am the commander of this operation."
Aokiji fell silent.
He put down the Den Den Mushi, his eyes flickering with complex emotions as he gazed at the island.
At that moment, Akainu raised his right hand and then swung it down sharply:
"Fire!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom—!!
Hundreds of cannons on the ten warships fired simultaneously!
Flames erupted from the barrels, and smoke instantly filled the air!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!!
Hundreds of cannonballs, like a black meteor shower, traced arcs through the sky, roaring straight toward Ohara.
On the shore of Ohara.
The scholars had just arrived when they saw the sky filled with cannonballs.
"It's an artillery barrage!"
"Run!"
Everyone instantly panicked, scattering in all directions.
Only two people remained standing in place.
Dr. Clover and Nico Olvia.
They did not run.
Not because they were unafraid, but because they trusted.
They trusted that man.
Dr. Clover raised the red bead in his hand toward the sky, toward the countless cannonballs, toward the distant Marine fleet.
He shouted loudly:
"Let us show you... the power of the world's strongest!!"
With that, he crushed the bead forcefully.
Crack.
A faint sound.
And then—
Zap, zap, zap—!!
Countless crimson Conqueror's Haki Lightning bolts erupted, tearing through the sky!
In an instant—
The sky turned blood-red!
The sea churned violently!
Everyone's attention was drawn to this spectacle!
Whether the scholars on the island or the Marines on the warships, they all looked up, staring dumbfounded at the unbelievable scene.
Immediately after—
Countless crimson Haki Lightning bolts, like thunderous serpents, spread out, heading straight for the Marine fleet!
In mid-air, the hundreds of roaring cannonballs, upon encountering this Conqueror's Haki, dissipated into nothingness!
No explosions, no flames.
They simply vanished into thin air.
As if they had never existed.
Before the Marines on the warships could even process their shock, something even more terrifying happened.
The space around the Marine fleet began to twist, tear, and shatter!
Those crimson lightning bolts contained Raiver's Spatial Power, tearing apart space itself!
One after another, black spatial rifts appeared out of nowhere, like the gaping mouths of demons, devouring everything around them.
Any Marine who came into contact with this Haki instantly lost consciousness and collapsed!
Immediately afterward, their bodies were swept into the nearby spatial rifts!
Some were torn apart, their blood blooming in the void!
Some vanished into the depths of the rifts, transported to unknown places!
Vice Admiral Marigold desperately resisted the mental assault of the Conqueror's Haki, gritting his teeth:
"Such unprecedented, overwhelming Haki! It's... even causing spatial turbulence!"
Vice Admiral Yanshu was also struggling to resist, veins bulging on his forehead:
"Damn it... who... could possibly unleash such power..."
As soon as he spoke, both ultimately failed to withstand it, instantly losing consciousness before being swept into the spatial rift.
One after another, Marines on the warships fell in droves!
Then their bodies were dragged into the rifts, their fate unknown!
At this moment, only two people remained standing across the entire Buster Call fleet.
Akainu.
Aokiji.
Both stood on their respective warships, desperately resisting the terrifying onslaught of Conqueror's Haki.
Akainu clenched his teeth, muscles tensed throughout his body, Armament Haki enveloping him completely.
"Damn it—!!"
He roared, trying to resist the assault with sheer will!
But the next moment, he too was swept into the spatial rift!
Aokiji followed immediately!
Two figures vanished into the black rift!
Then the entire fleet!
Ten massive warships, along with everyone aboard, were all swallowed by the spatial rifts!
As if this Buster Call fleet had never existed at all!
The sea lay empty, only shimmering waves remaining.
With no targets left to attack, that overwhelming Conqueror's Haki slowly dissipated into the world.
The sky brightened once more.
The sea returned to calm.