Onigumo turned towards his subordinates as he gave an order. "Don't interfere here! Kill the strawhats!" he shouted as his subordinates scattered to follow it.
He knows that he will really lose if he just keep holding back. He cursed because if Nolan wasn't his opponent and instead the two from the back, he would've dealt with them more easily.
"Don't worry boy, I'll secure you the greatest treatment in the headquarters" Onigumo said as he steeled himself to the following fight.
Unbeknownst to him, Nolan is currently not paying attention to him. Why? It is because he is analyzing the panel in front of him.
[Ding! Host gained an epiphany...!]
Just those words are enough for Nolan to be excited, expecting something from this. His system never failed from things like this after all.
[Analyzing the strange force coming from the enemy...!
Detected to be Armament Haki!
Initiating to understand...]
Nolan's face gained a lazy smile as took a deep breath.
[Ding! Host gained the attribute: Armament Haki!]
There it is.
[Ding! Congratulations for successfully triggering 600x critic...!]
[Attribute: Void Armament Haki.
Description:
Your Armament Haki has ascended beyond mortal limits, transforming into a living force of absolute domination. The usual black sheen is gone—now, your body radiits a void-like aura, warping light around it like a singularity. Even the ground cracks beneath your footsteps, unable to bear your weightless yet world-crushing presence.
Abilities:
1. "Unbreakable Edict"
- No Force in Existence can pierce your skin. Swords shatter, bullets vaporize, and island-splitting punches feel like raindrops.
- Passive Effect: Your mere presence weakens enemy weapons—blades dull, gunpowder refuses to ignite, and Devil Fruit powers flicker near you.
2. "Reality Anchor"
- You ignore all spatial/dimensional attacks:
- Law's Room? His blade phases through you.
- Kuma's repulsion? Your Haki erases the force before it touches you.
- Kamui warping? Your fist follows the target into the void.
3. "Impact Without Touch"
- Your punches land before you swing. The air itself hardens into a 500-meter crushing wall ahead of your strikes.
- "Flick of the Wrist" – A casual backhand splits the sea like a tectonic shift.
4. "Haki Erosion"
- Anything you touch for more than 3 seconds starts dissolving into black ash—including living flesh, seastone, and even other Haki.]
Without even hesitation, Nolan quickly tried his new haki. He stood still as Onigumo launched towards him. His devil fruit pulsing violently to some reasons he doesn't know about.
He gripped all of his sword and slashed them at Nolan with determination. His eyes shrunk into thin needle when he saw the kid not dodging.
The strawhats also witnessed the same scene as they tightened their bodies from impact. They are scared of what will happen to Nolan. Why did he not dodge?!
The answer revealed itself when Onigumo's swords clashed with Nolan's body and it shattered on impact. Onigumo was shocked to his core at this showcase.
Onigumo's arms twitched as he stared at the remains of his shattered swords. The reinforced steel blades—crafted by the Marines' finest smiths—lay broken like cheap pottery against the deck. His mind raced to comprehend what stood before him. That wasn't normal Armament Haki. The way space itself bent around the boy's form defied all known martial principles.
With a snarl, the Vice Admiral discarded his ruined weapons and raised his eight limbs into combat position. The joints hissed as they locked into place, each arm now crackling with deep purple Armament Haki. "Fine then," he growled. "Let's see how your fancy Haki handles this!"
He launched forward with terrifying speed, his augmented limbs becoming a blur of hardened steel and Haki-enhanced strikes. The deck splintered under the force of his movement.
Nolan didn't flinch.
The first fist came crashing down—only to stop dead an inch from Nolan's forehead, as if hitting an invisible wall. The shockwave from the arrested motion sent cracks spiderwebbing through the surrounding deck. Onigumo's eyes widened as he felt his arm's scream in protest against some unimaginable resistance.
Then Nolan moved.
It wasn't a punch so much as reality itself bending. His fist never actually connected, yet Onigumo's body folded inward as if struck by a giant's hammer. The Vice Admiral flew backward, crashing through three successive bulkheads before coming to rest embedded in the ship's main mast. Blood trickled from his lips as he struggled to breathe.
All around them, marines froze in terror. Their fearless commander, one of the Marine's strongest, had been dealt with in a single motion.
Onigumo forced himself to stand, his arms sparking from the damage. He wiped blood from his mouth and glared at Nolan. "What... what are you?" he rasped.
Nolan tilted his head slightly, that same lazy smile playing on his lips. He took a slow step forward—and the wooden deck beneath his foot turned to black ash in a perfect footprint-shaped void. The effect spread outward like creeping frost, disintegrating everything it touched.
Panic spread through the marine ranks. Weapons began failing inexplicably—flintlocks refused to fire, blades crumbled to rust in their scabbards. Even the ship itself seemed to groan in protest at Nolan's presence.
On the Going Merry, the Straw Hats watched in stunned silence. Everyone could not believe their eyes. Luffy's usual grin was absent, replaced by rare seriousness. Zoro's grip on his swords tightened until his knuckles turned white. They'd always known Nolan was strong, but this... this was something else entirely.
Onigumo realized the truth then—this wasn't a battle. This was survival. With a hoarse shout, he rallied his remaining forces: "All hands! Emergency retreat! Signal Admiral Akainu immediately!"
They quickly escaped in the area.
The marine ship grew smaller in the distance, its engines working overtime in their frantic escape. Nolan watched them go with half-lidded eyes, his gun still raised toward Onigumo's retreating figure. His finger hovered over the trigger - one shot was all it would take to end the Vice Admiral's retreat permanently.
Just as he was about to fire, a rubbery hand clamped around his wrist. Nolan turned to see Luffy shaking his head, his usual carefree expression replaced with unusual seriousness.
"Let them go," the captain said simply.
Nolan studied Luffy's face for a long moment before shrugging and lowering his weapon. If the captain said so, he'd obey. He raised his hands in mock surrender, the void-like aura around him fading like morning mist.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the crew. Usopp collapsed onto the deck, mopping his forehead with a trembling hand. "Thank the seas that's over! I think I aged ten years in ten minutes!"
Chopper flopped down beside him, his fur matted with sweat. "I need a nap... and food..." His stomach growled loudly at the mention of food, reminding everyone of their lost supplies from the sky island.
Sanji kicked at the railing in frustration. "Damn it all! We lost all those rare sky ingredients!" His eye twitched as he imagined the gourmet dishes he could have prepared.
Zoro leaned against the mast, arms crossed. "Tch. Should've raided their kitchen before they ran off."
As the crew lamented their empty stomachs, Nolan floated back to his nimbus cloud with an amused look. "I'd say... I worry about them," he murmured, nodding toward the vanished marine ship.
The others turned to him in confusion - until Nami stepped forward with a devilish grin. Her eyes swirled into the pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan, the air warping as she activated Kamui. With a dramatic flourish, she opened a portal to her dimensional space.
An avalanche of supplies came tumbling out - crates of fresh fruits, barrels of salted meat, even an entire roasted boar still steaming hot. The deck nearly buckled under the sudden weight of their stolen feast.
"Hehe, how's this?" Nami announced proudly, hands on her hips. "I swiped all their rations while they weren't looking!" She conveniently left out the heavy marine treasure chest now safely hidden in her Kamui dimension - some secrets were best kept between her and her growing fortune.
Luffy's eyes turned to stars as he launched himself at the food pile. "NAMI'S THE BEST!" he cheered through a mouthful of meat, already making the roasted boar disappear at alarming speed.
Nolan chuckled as he watched the chaos unfold, floating just out of reach of the feeding frenzy. Some things, he mused, never changed, no matter how powerful they became, the Straw Hats would always be the Straw Hats.
----
Sorry, just woke up..