Chapter 233: Jōraku Fūgetsu Appears! A Legend from the Old Era
At the same time, the battle between the Navy and the Dragon Hunter Pirates had taken a dramatic turn.
Each member of the Dragon Hunters wasn't just powerful—they possessed monstrous recovery and self-healing abilities. It was as if any damage taken was immediately shrugged off. Attacks that should've been game-changers? Practically free trials against them.
Ryuunosuke's meteorite barrage rained down faster than even Admiral Fujitora could clear them. Escanor pushed the pressure even further, completely overpowering Sengoku. In fact, Sengoku privately admitted that had Ryuunosuke not ordered Escanor not to kill him, the golden giant might've unleashed a level of power capable of annihilating even him.
But the one suffering the most… was Sakazuki.
The fleet admiral was being completely manhandled by Ban. Each strike from Ban carried enough force to feel like his very Devil Fruit was being knocked out of his body.
No—was being knocked out.
Sakazuki's magma-based powers were beginning to falter under Ban's relentless blows. For the first time in years, he felt fear. But it was far too late to ask for help. As the Navy's leader, his pride wouldn't allow it.
The battlefield clearly tilted in favor of the Dragon Hunters.
Suddenly, in the middle of his fight, Ryuunosuke paused, gaze shifting toward the distant sea.
"All members of the Dragon Hunter Pirates—withdraw!" he ordered sharply.
Without hesitation, his crew disengaged. The Navy, bloodied and weary, didn't bother to chase. It was a rare reprieve—and they needed it.
"Huh?"
"Did he... sense me?"
A lone man on a small boat drifted into view, smiling with unsettling amusement.
Soon, the Navy noticed him.
"It's him!"
"He's still alive?!"
"He disappeared for decades—why is he here?!"
Even Garp looked confused. Meanwhile, the Dragon Hunters had no idea who this man was. Even Ryuunosuke, whose knowledge of the pirate world was unparalleled, came up empty.
"Long time no see... Garp-kun, Sengoku-kun, Tsuru-chan."
The man stepped off his boat, a long blade strapped to his back, his tone light and playful.
"...Kun? Chan?"
Everyone stared at him, dumbfounded. He looked barely thirty.
Yet, he called the highest-ranking veterans of the Navy kids—and not one of them refuted it.
Who the hell was this guy!?
"You brats over there—"
"Bang!"
Before he could finish, Meliodas appeared in a blur, blade drawn, and struck with full force—an attack meant for Garp, now redirected at this unknown man.
BOOM!
Their weapons collided, splitting the sea in all directions.
But neither moved.
"Not bad," the man said calmly.
"But you're not qualified to call us 'brats,'" Meliodas replied, magical energy surging wildly as he prepared to strike again.
On instinct, both Escanor and Ban prepared to join in—after all, to them, the Dragon Hunter Pirates were more than a crew. They were a conviction.
"Stand down."
"Meliodas, don't engage," Ryuunosuke said firmly.
Both Madara and Escanor withdrew their power immediately. Meliodas flashed back to Ryuunosuke's side without complaint.
"Smart move," the stranger praised.
"Had you not stopped him, your man would've died right here."
He casually placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Name's Jōraku Fūgetsu. You could say I was one of the strong ones before the old era faded."
A chill ran down Ryuunosuke's spine. That name... it sounded familiar.
Wait—wasn't the world's strongest swordsman called Dracule Mihawk? Jōraku... Dracule... Could this man be related?
Possibly Mihawk's predecessor? Or even his father?
"What's your goal here?" Ryuunosuke asked coldly. "You shouldn't be getting involved."
Garp narrowed his eyes. "Your appearance here... it doesn't bode well. Your kind was supposed to stay out of this."
"Garp, you already know why I'm here," Jōraku said simply.
"Just help me end this battle. I won't interfere beyond that. But for now—this fight is over."
As he spoke, a terrifying aura radiated from his body.
Purple-gold Haoshoku Haki—Conqueror's Haki—burst from his palm. Even the air seemed to avoid it.
"The Conqueror's Haki... coated and refined?"
"No excess power leakage… no delay… perfect control…"
Ryuunosuke's expression darkened.
This man was not just strong—he was elite. Perhaps even beyond what this era had produced.
And it reminded Ryuunosuke of something critical: his understanding of the One Piece world had been through the lens of Luffy. Luffy, for all his bravery, saw very little of the true scale of power in the world.
There were people—monsters—that existed outside the spotlight.
If Ryuunosuke wanted to reach the true peak… the Four Emperors and the World Government were only stepping stones.
"We refuse," Garp said flatly.
"And you don't get to decide when our battles end."
"I can," Jōraku replied.
"And if you insist on continuing, I'll destroy the battlefield itself… and seal all your Devil Fruit powers."
A heavy silence fell.
The Navy officers stiffened. The idea of losing their Devil Fruit abilities—especially in the middle of a warzone—was horrifying.
For the Dragon Hunters? It wasn't as disastrous. Their top fighters—Ryuunosuke, Madara, Escanor—weren't reliant on Devil Fruits at all.
But for the Navy? It would be crippling.
"You seem to forget one thing," Ryuunosuke said coldly.
He drew his blade—the Blue Blade—and stabbed it into the ground. An unnatural frost spread out instantly, chilling the air.
Even Aokiji, the Ice Admiral himself, flinched from the cold.
"I'm Ryuunosuke—the most dangerous pirate alive," he declared.
"My crew isn't just an Emperor-class pirate group. We're above it."
"I don't need your permission to fight."
Jōraku smiled faintly. "True. I can't stop you."
He stepped forward.
"But… do you want to continue?"
He swung his blade in a flash.
In an instant, Ban—who had been preparing a sneak attack—was cleanly sliced in half and kicked aside like a rag doll.
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