New World, somewhere at sea.
Three large Marine warships cut through the waves, sailing steadily across the ocean.
On the bow of one of the warships stood a tall, well-built man.
He wore a hat, had a thick beard framing his jaw, and clenched a cigar between his lips. His eyes were narrowed into slits.
"How long until we reach G-5?"
The man slightly opened his eyes and turned to the officer beside him.
"About an hour, Vice Admiral Yamakaji!"
The officer stood upright and promptly answered.
Yamakaji nodded at his subordinate's response.
"G-5... Vergo..."
Gazing at the calm sea ahead, Yamakaji exhaled a puff of smoke. In his mind, he pictured Vergo and recalled all the intelligence gathered on his abilities.
"A master of Rokushiki, capable of fully coating his body with Armament Haki... And now, he's eaten the Gura Gura no Mi..."
A hint of seriousness flickered in Yamakaji's expression. He turned his gaze toward the warship on his left, barely making out the silhouette of another Vice Admiral of equal rank.
For this mission to G-5, three Vice Admirals had been dispatched.
Their orders consisted of a single line: Apprehend Vergo.
...
New World, G-5 Base.
A formidable Marine base stood solemnly on level terrain.
At its highest point was the office of the base commander, Vergo.
Inside the office, near the window, a rectangular dining table draped with a white cloth was set upon the tiled floor.
Seated at the table, Vergo methodically cut into a steak drenched in a deep red sauce, using a fork and knife.
As the knife sliced through the meat, a trickle of blood oozed onto the plate.
The steak was barely rare, with the blood overpowering even the rich aroma of the sauce.
Vergo lifted a piece of steak to his mouth. As he chewed, his eyes—concealed behind his sunglasses—remained locked on the office door.
Gulp.
The chewed meat slid down his throat and into his stomach.
"Barely palatable," Vergo muttered coldly.
Today was a special day for him—at least, relatively speaking.
So, he had decided to do something different, requesting a rare steak for lunch.
"But not without its charm."
Placing his utensils down, he noted that half the steak remained.
Despite his actions, his gaze had never once left the door.
Thud. Thud.
Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the corridor.
Hearing the noise, Vergo expressionlessly reached for the black gloves on the table's edge. He slipped the right one on first, then the left, as was his habit.
By the time he had finished, the office door was forcefully pushed open.
Bang!
The wooden door slammed against the wall with a heavy thud.
"Vice Admiral Vergo!"
A rough and unceremonious Marine barged in, looking straight at Vergo seated at the table.
"Three unannounced warships are approaching the western harbor! Commodore Overton has already taken a unit to investigate and ordered me to report to you."
"I see..."
Vergo tugged his gloves tighter and rose slowly from his seat, stepping past the table toward the door.
"Vice Admiral Vergo...?"
The reporting Marine hesitated, sensing something different about his superior today.
Vergo remained expressionless and silent.
Then, his body suddenly vanished.
In the next instant, he reappeared behind the Marine, striding toward the corridor.
Slick—!
A crimson spray burst from the Marine's throat.
"Huh...?"
His hands clutched his bleeding neck, his face frozen in shock. Before he could turn to glimpse Vergo's back, he collapsed.
Thud!
As the sound of a body hitting the ground echoed behind him, Vergo left without looking back.
...
Western Harbor.
A group of Marines stood in formation—though their stance was anything but disciplined.
At the front of the group stood a man with a fan-shaped hairstyle.
This was Commodore Overton, the second-highest-ranking officer at G-5.
"Three warships showing up unannounced? What the hell is Marine Headquarters thinking?"
Overton frowned as he watched the approaching vessels.
If the spotters hadn't confirmed the Marines aboard, the undisciplined G-5 troops would've already drawn their weapons, rather than standing idly in formation.
Before long, the three warships docked at the harbor.
Gangways were lowered, connecting the ships to shore.
Leading the disembarkation was Vice Admiral Yamakaji.
Following close behind were Vice Admiral John Giant—a towering giant—and Vice Admiral "Pursuer" Maynard, distinguished by his long black ponytail.
"Vice Admiral Yamakaji, we received no prior notification from Headquarters—neither verbal nor written. So... kindly state your purpose immediately."
Overton stepped forward, arms crossed, his expression cold as he addressed the higher-ranked officers. His tone was laced with hostility.
But that was the G-5 way—unapologetically brash, which was precisely why they remained a force to be reckoned with in the New World.
Yamakaji squinted at Overton, preparing to speak, but John Giant cut him off.
"A mere Commodore dares demand answers from us?"
Perhaps irritated by Overton's attitude, John Giant showed no courtesy in his words.
"Stand aside quietly, or don't blame me for what happens next."
"Heh."
Overton sneered, then spat at John Giant's feet.
"Hahaha!"
The G-5 Marines burst into laughter at their superior's audacity.
"Oh, I'd love to see you try!"
"Yeah, go ahead! Right on my ass!"
The rowdy G-5 Marines jeered and heckled, making a complete mockery of Marine rank and discipline.
John Giant's face darkened, while the Marines accompanying him scowled at the display.
Bolstered by his subordinates' support, Overton smirked. "If you refuse to state your purpose, we have the right to deny you entry."
"..."
Even Yamakaji, usually calm, looked visibly annoyed as he slightly opened his eyes.
"They're here for me."
Just as the tension peaked, Vergo's voice rang out from the distance.
All eyes turned to him.
The Headquarters Marines immediately shifted into battle readiness.
Meanwhile, the G-5 Marines moved toward Vergo without hesitation.
"Vice Admiral Vergo, are they really here for you? Are they planning to replace you? If so, we won't stand for it!"
"Wait—Vice Admiral Vergo, are you hurt? Why are you covered in blood?"
Their concern for Vergo starkly contrasted with their earlier hostility toward Yamakaji's group.
"It's not my blood."
Vergo fixed his gaze on Yamakaji and the other Marines, who stood ready for battle. Meanwhile, he answered his subordinates' questions.
"It's not your blood? Then whose blood is this?"
"..."
Vergo did not reply. Instead, he slowly raised both hands.
The G-5 Marines watched him in confusion.
Under their wary stares, Vergo clenched his raised fists.
Then, in an instant, he swung them to either side, striking only the air.
—CRACK—
A piercing sound of shattering echoed through the air, and cracks of light spread out from where his fists had landed.
"Huh?"
The Marines of G-5 stared dumbfounded at the cracks before them.
Before they could react, an overwhelming shockwave crashed into them.
"Waaah!"
The force struck them hard, sending them flying backward as they spat blood. Even Commodore Overton, caught in the blast, was hurled away like the rest.
The residual shockwave tore through their bodies and continued on, smashing into the buildings behind them.
—BOOM!—
Walls exploded as if struck by an invisible hammer, collapsing into rubble within moments.
The immense shockwave even shook the entire harbor.
Those closest to the impact were left sprawled on the ground, their fate uncertain.
"The power of the Gura Gura no Mi..."
Yamakaji's eyes narrowed to a slit, his expression heavy as he watched Vergo bring down every G-5 Marine with a mere gesture.
That signature destruction—it was as if he were looking at Whitebeard himself.
The other Marines, including Vice Admirals Maynard and Lonz, were equally grim.
Though Vergo was not Whitebeard, the might of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit was enough to instill fear in them all.
Lowering his hands, Vergo regarded the approaching Marine officers from Headquarters with an impassive expression.
"I deliberately stayed at this base for two extra days to wait for you."
"Oh?"
Yamakaji furrowed his brow at Vergo's words.
From that single sentence, he gleaned a wealth of information.
Most notably—Vergo had known their mission and movements.
That was a troubling revelation.
"You stayed here just to wait for us? What do you mean by that?"
Yamakaji's right hand gripped the hilt of his sword, his aura surging forth.
"As you can see, those worthless weaklings on the ground weren't enough to showcase the power of the Gura Gura no Mi I recently acquired. That's why I stayed—to greet you properly."
Shrugging off his coat, Vergo spoke coldly:
"Besides, Headquarters deliberately withheld information, keeping these fools in the dark because they weren't sure who they could trust. I've done you a favor and sorted that out. Now, don't hold back against me."
"What?!"
Many Marines' faces darkened at his audacity.
"Vergo, overconfidence will be your downfall!"
Before his words fully settled, Yamakaji unsheathed his blade and swung, unleashing a massive, pale-red flying slash at Vergo.
Facing the incoming attack, Vergo bent his right arm and punched forward.
—CRACK! CRACK!—
The atmosphere split apart, streaked with fractures of light as a violent shockwave surged forward.
The red slash crashed into the shockwave but was instantly shattered, breaking into countless fragments that scattered in all directions.
"He's had the Gura Gura no Mi for less than ten days..."
Yamakaji's eyes widened in shock as the raging shockwave swallowed him and his fellow officers.
—BOOOOM!!!—
Wherever the shockwave reached, the ground split, buildings crumbled, and the sea roared with towering waves.
In mere moments, the entire harbor was in ruins.
Nearby warships were violently rocked by the turbulent waves, nearly capsizing.
When the shockwave finally dissipated, the port was reduced to rubble, with dust and smoke lingering in the air.
The Marines from Headquarters had been devastated.
Some had fallen into the sea, struggling to stay afloat. But most lay scattered across the shattered ground, unconscious or worse.
The only ones still standing were Yamakaji, Lonz, and Maynard.
However, aside from Yamakaji, both Lonz and Maynard had blood trickling from their lips, clearly unable to withstand Vergo's tremor-infused punch.
"Only three Vice Admirals came? Honestly..."
Vergo slowly lowered his fist, his voice indifferent. "I'm very disappointed."
"!!!"
The three remaining Vice Admirals grimaced.
Typically, Devil Fruit users required time to adapt to their abilities. It was rare for anyone to master a fruit's power so soon after consuming it.
They had assumed Vergo would still be in his adaptation phase.
But in just ten days, he had already wielded the Tremor-Tremor Fruit with precision—his attacks both seamless and devastating!
"My 'warm-up' has only just begun. Don't collapse on me so soon."
Vergo casually adjusted his gloves.
"Enough arrogance!"
The giant Vice Admiral Lonz gripped his massive double-edged battle axe in both hands, leaping high into the air before bringing it down toward Vergo with tremendous force.
Vergo stood unmoving and simply threw another punch.
—CRACK! CRACK!—
The battle axe struck Vergo's fist but could not advance an inch further.
Once again, the air fractured, sending cracks snaking across the axe before traveling up Lonz's arms and engulfing his entire body, as if reflected in a shattered mirror.
—CRACK!—
The massive axe shattered instantly, and Lonz's face paled as he coughed up blood, his enormous frame sent hurtling through the air.
"What a beautiful sight."
Vergo smiled in satisfaction before glancing down at his own fist.
"So this... is the power of the world's strongest man."
Ten minutes later.
G-5's base and the western port lay in complete ruin.
Standing atop a massive slab of stone, Vergo watched a distant ship bearing the flag of the Donquixote Family approach across the sea.
Behind him, amidst the wreckage, the fallen Marines lay motionless.
Even Yamakaji, the strongest among them, was among the casualties. His face was bloodied, his blade broken into several pieces beside him—a truly wretched sight.
Half an hour later.
Vergo boarded the ship and departed.
Twelve hours later.
Several Marine warships arrived at the devastated port.
Chaton, Smoker, and Hina, along with other high-ranking officers, stood in stunned silence as they took in the scene before them.
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