"A Forest-Forest Fruit... Logia type?"
Standing amidst the raging earth and demonic forest, Sakazuki showed no flicker of surprise. Only disdain.
He didn't take the so-called "New Three Admirals"—assembled by the Five Elders to replace him—seriously.
Indeed, Ryokugyu's capabilities mirrored his own. Dual Haki mastery combined with a top-tier Logia Devil Fruit.
But possessing a similar style didn't mean possessing comparable strength.
What were the Three Natural Admirals?
They were anomalies. Individuals who, despite lacking certain forms of Haki—even lacking Conqueror's Haki—could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Four Emperors. In the old era, Vice Admiral Garp and Fleet Admiral Sengoku contended with the Three Legendary Pirates and the Yonko because both possessed immense Haki.
In contrast, the Three Natural Admirals—Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino—were born with a deficiency. Yet, despite that lack, they achieved power on par with the Emperors. Looking at the history of the Marines, looking at the entire world, only this generation of Natural Admirals had achieved such a feat.
"Replace us?"
Borsalino, hands shoved into his pockets, glanced sideways at Sakazuki before slowly raising his head to track the fiery meteor piercing the clouds. It descended from the sky, intent on destroying Mary Geoise. A hint of contempt flickered behind his sunglasses.
Clearly, as a monster on par with Sakazuki, he didn't take the new replacements seriously. Not before. Definitely not now.
"Ara ara ara."
"In the history of the Marines, there has never been a shortage of people who could become Admirals," Kuzan remarked, running a hand through his hair with an air of stern confidence. "Only a shortage of Admirals who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us."
While Aokiji was arguably the most approachable of the three, that didn't mean he lacked a temper. Internally, he was a monster on par with Sakazuki and Borsalino. Outwardly, he was the Admiral who, even without Conqueror's Haki, could stand on equal footing with the Four Emperors. His approachability was merely a personality trait; his core was a heart higher than the sky and an unyielding pride.
"Great Eruption!"
Faced with the boasts of the "New Three Admirals," Sakazuki attacked first.
BOOM!
A deafening roar shook the earth. His right arm transformed into an explosive, scorching sea of magma. He unleashed a punch.
The explosive power of a volcanic eruption. The raging magma flames consumed everything. The two forces merged, forming a magma fist larger than a mountain, burning the forest and crushing everything in its path, leaving not even a charred log unscathed.
"Kizaru's Laser!"
At the exact moment Sakazuki moved, Borsalino pulled his right hand from his pocket. He raised a finger and pointed it at the meteorite descending upon Mary Geoise.
Whoosh!
A laser beam shot straight into the sky, a golden dragon plunging into the burning rock, piercing through the hard, heavy structure.
BOOM!
A burst of golden light erupted, instantly spreading out and engulfing the entire meteorite. As the dazzling light faded, the sky-covering rock had vanished without a trace, leaving only wisps of sand and dust scattering in the wind.
"The Ice Gauntlet."
Kuzan clenched his right fist. Wisps of freezing energy rose, transforming into a blue, glowing gauntlet that covered his palm.
Thud.
He stepped forward with his right foot, knee slightly bent. His fist flew out like a dragon emerging from the sea, aimed directly at the Elbaf Spear—a shockwave piercing through the air.
Crack!
The instant his fist collided with the shockwave, the attack capable of piercing mountains was frozen into a cylindrical ice sculpture, then shattered into countless shards.
"The new Three Admirals?" Sakazuki crossed his arms. "Is it really that terrifying?"
"Better remember one thing," Borsalino added, hands still in his pockets. "We are indeed just Marine Admirals. But the other Marine Admirals? They are merely the threshold to our ranks."
Kuzan, left hand in pocket, right fist clenched, stood in a line with his peers. They looked down upon the so-called new Admirals.
"Magma-Magma Fruit. Glint-Glint Fruit. Ice-Ice Fruit," Sakazuki growled. "These three Logia-type Superior Devil Fruits made us famous. Tell me, what will you do if you lose them?"
Saint Vochuri's face revealed a chilling killing intent as he watched the three Logia Admirals attack in unison. In his eyes, Sakazuki and his companions were no different from Garp and Sengoku—traitors to the World Government. For traitors, especially after their facade had been torn apart, there was only one option.
Execution.
"What do you mean?"
Hearing Vochuri Saint's words, Sakazuki and his companions' gazes darkened. Before they could speak, the Five Elders had already knelt before the figure cloaked in shadow.
"We implore Lord Im to seal their Devil Fruit abilities," Nasujuro, Saturn, and the others pleaded in unison.
"Very well."
Im nodded slightly. Her right arm, hidden beneath her cloak, extended. She gently waved her hand toward Sakazuki and the others.
The sky, which had cleared after Borsalino's laser shattered the meteor, darkened again at the Red Line's peak after her wave of the hand.
Simultaneously, Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino seemed to sense something. Their expressions shifted drastically.
"You're joking, right?"
Kuzan looked down at his right hand. A flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes. Just a moment ago, the Ice Gauntlet was wrapped around his hand, but after Im's wave, it vanished.
It wasn't just the gauntlet.
Since consuming the Ice-Ice Fruit, his Devil Fruit power—seemingly innate—had vanished without a trace. It was as if completely sealed away by Seastone. No matter how he manipulated his will, he couldn't generate even a wisp of freezing air.
"Gone?"
Not only Kuzan, but Borsalino was also stunned. At this moment, it was as if he had experienced a reversal of time, returning to before he ate the Light-Light Fruit. That Logia-type Superior Devil Fruit, the Light-Light Fruit that had accompanied him on his conquests, earning him the name Kizaru, had seemingly sprouted wings and flown away, departing completely.
"Is something like that even possible?"
Sakazuki was horrified. With a wave of Im's hand, he, Kuzan, and Borsalino had lost their Devil Fruits. Im's methods were far more terrifying than the Dark-Dark Fruit.
"What?" "Lost their Devil Fruit abilities?" "Is it that thing?" "After it appeared in the sky, we couldn't use our Devil Fruit abilities..."
Noticing the three Admirals had simultaneously lost their powers, Sengoku, Garp, and the others wore expressions of disbelief.
"Something has appeared in the sky above Mary Geoise," Gion reported, looking up. "It's unclear whether it's a creature or a weapon. The clouds are too thick to see clearly."
"Then destroy it!"
Kake's eyes flashed. Having made his decision, he immediately drew his pistol, aimed at the huge shadow in the sky, and pulled the trigger.
"100x Multiplier!"
A bullet pierced the air, soaring hundreds of meters into the sky before plummeting vertically.
Clang!
Kake's pupils constricted as the bullet struck the ground, harmlessly bouncing off the stone. He was a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user, having consumed the Momo-Momo Fruit. That shot had been amplified 100 times in size and velocity. In terms of power alone, it should have been enough to pierce a mountain in half. But now, it was no different from a bullet fired from a regular handgun.
"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit is useless now," Gion said, gripping her sword, Kinpira. She intended to transform into lightning and soar into the sea of clouds, only to find her body refused to transform. She remained stubbornly flesh and blood.
"Of course it's useless," Vochuri Saint sneered. "No matter who it is, before Lord Im, Devil Fruit abilities are utterly meaningless. That was true for Joy Boy 800 years ago. And it is the same for you now. Standing before you is the Creator of the World."
The Five Elders rose one after another, speaking with an air of certainty to Sakazuki, Kuzan, and the others.
Why did they worship Im as a god? Firstly, because Im granted them immortality and immense power. Secondly, because Im held their lives in his hands. Thirdly, they simply didn't believe anyone could defeat Im. Just like Joy Boy 800 years ago, possessing power surpassing even the Four Emperors and legendary pirates. What did it matter if he wielded Ancient Weapons? What did it matter if he was the Sun God? Before Im, even the Sun God would lose all his luster.
"Now you should know what kind of being you're trying to defy," the Five Elders' gaze swept over every Marine present, finally settling on Rosen. They looked at this man who dared to challenge a god with the eyes of someone looking at a dead man.
"This is the Celestial Dragons' national treasure, isn't it?"
Rosen ignored the Five Elders. Instead, he drew his Zanpakutō from his waist.
"Bankai!"
"Tensa Zangetsu."
He activated the power of his Arms-Arms Fruit and shouted the name of his blade. However... the Zanpakutō in his hand, instead of releasing and transforming into Tensa Zangetsu, was slowly disappearing as a creation of the Devil Fruit's power.
Clearly, even the Arms-Arms Fruit was sealed before the Celestial Dragons' national treasure.
"Even Rosen can't escape it?"
Seeing Rosen's Zanpakutō gradually vanish, Gion, Garp, and the others couldn't help but show expressions of horror. If the loss of their own Devil Fruit powers was shocking, the loss of Rosen's Zanpakutō was horrifying.
A trace of unease settled over them. The World Government—no, the Celestial Dragons' resources—far exceeded their expectations. They had thought this world war would be a contest of the number of Emperor-level warriors on both sides. Unexpectedly, at the very first clash, all the Devil Fruit users on the Marine side had lost their powers.
"Give up, Rosen," Vochuri Saint looked down at him with the air of a victor. "Unless Lord Im agrees, even you, hailed as invincible, cannot wield any Zanpakutō. Do you understand? You absolutely cannot defeat Lord Im."
Nasujuro, seeing the once invincible Rosen unable to even hold his blade, wore a smug smile. As if to prove his words were true, he transformed instantly.
Right before Rosen's eyes—now devoid of his Arms-Arms Fruit powers—Nasujuro became a skeletal horse wreathed in black flames. Similarly, the other Five Elders transformed in succession.
Shepard X. Pitt became a gigantic, hideous sandworm wrapped in flame. Saint Saturn transformed into a bull-like demon shrouded in darkness. Saint Marcus Mars became an Itsumade. Vochuri Saint became a Fengxi.
"Rosen," the combined voices of the monsters boomed. "This time, you have lost."
Five colossal monsters stood in a line, radiating a Conqueror's Haki so immense it threatened to change the very fabric of the world, causing the clouds above Mary Geoise to sink and crush the atmosphere.
—-
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