Once the Going Merry returned with Sanji and Zoro, the rest of the Starry Sky Pirates gradually boarded the ship.
The crew immediately set off from the lower bridge of Bridge of Hesitation, heading straight for the massive Gate of Justice.
The thick, imposing metal doors towered so high they seemed to hold up the very sky itself.
The sturdy Gate of Justice was the final bulwark of the World Government's dignity.
And today, the chaos was about to begin here…
The colossal doors slowly split apart, revealing the emblem of the World Government, separated perfectly in the middle.
Ten heavily armed warships emerged from the opened gates, moving deliberately into the open sea.
On the first five ships, five Marine Admirals stood proudly at the fore, their expressions grim as they gazed toward the horizon.
After a brief pause, a Marine ran up.
"Vice Admiral Momonga! We've reached the firing range! Please give the orders!"
Hoo…
As the supreme commander of this extermination order, Vice Admiral Momonga exhaled deeply.
If it were up to him, he would never have given this order.
Every historical extermination order had left a bitter stain within the Marines.
The countless innocent civilians killed, lands erased, nations vanished…
Reports piled up endlessly, reminding high-ranking officers of the Marines just how inhumane such commands were.
Yet an extermination order—allowing free command of the Marine—was the World Government's ultimate demonstration of control.
It also symbolized the Marine's power being entirely under the government's authority.
Thus, as the highest commander of this operation, Momonga had no choice but to obey.
"Target: Judicial Island!"
"Open fire with full force!"
"Yes, sir!!!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A deafening volley of cannon fire erupted.
Waves, smoke, fire, and thunderclaps filled the air.
Amidst the billowing black smoke and crimson heat, five admirals stood tall, their arms crossed over their chests.
Momonga, Onigumo, Doberman, Yamakaji, and Strawberry!!!
Each was a cornerstone of Marine strength, rivaling or equal to the power of the Warlords of the Sea.
Aside from Garp, these were the five strongest Vice Admirals dispatched.
One purpose: to ensure the success of the extermination order, a campaign of immense importance.
Another: to demonstrate the Marines' loyalty to the World Government.
Thousands of cannonballs soared simultaneously toward Judicial Island, where tens of thousands of ordinary Marines lay prostrate, beaten by Luffy and the crew.
Fireburn Mountain, usually smiling with a cigar, now wore a serious, tense expression.
His squinted eyes widened, the cigar trembling between his lips.
He whispered softly, filled with complex emotion:
"Are we really going to ignore all those Marines and government soldiers…?"
At the bow of the warships, the five admirals stared out to sea, their hearts like a wintery hell, bleeding yet powerless to act.
A soldier's duty was to obey orders.
Vice Admiral Momonga remained expressionless, a pillar of unyielding authority, eyes fixed on the trajectory of the cannonballs.
He was the highest-ranking officer present, the only one allowed no wavering.
If even he faltered, what would his subordinates think?
Thus, he had to be ruthless. Cold-blooded.
It was part of his mission.
The fiery cannonades roared across the sea.
Under specially designed Marine artillery, each shell smelled of gunpowder, pouring down upon the government's judicial stronghold.
Tens of thousands of soldiers remained oblivious, asleep under the oppressive aura of Conqueror's Haki.
At this moment, the admirals even dared not close their eyes, mourning their own flesh and blood.
Thankfully…
In this world, there existed a species called protagonists.
Under the will of the Great World, they always appeared in the direst moments, with the most defiant stance…
And there she was, a cold, intelligent voice suddenly piercing the chaos:
A small ship, leisurely sailing, emerged from behind the pillars of Bridge of Hesitation.
The flag on board fluttered in the wind.
Amidst the tense, anxious scene, the Going Merry appeared, strikingly out of place.
It was a presence that didn't belong to this moment.
Onboard, Robin's eyes remained tightly shut, her gaze unlike the joyful eyes of old.
Her arms crossed over her chest, fingers spread before suddenly clenching into fists.
With the activation of Robin's powers, the strength of her Hana Hana no Mi fully erupted.
A single purple spark ignited in the crystal at the center of her bracelets.
In an instant!
Surging violet flames shot into the sky!
The fire rapidly expanded, blanketing the heavens.
Whoosh!
The rolling purple flames parted the clouds, funneling the sunlight into a spectacular, radiant display.
The sun, filtered through the violet blaze, cast the ocean below in a shimmering purple veil.
The world itself began to change.
Pink flower petals began to fall from the sky, drifting down like the dreams of a maiden's heart.
These ethereal petals symbolized the awakening of the Flower-Flower Fruit.
NICO ROBIN
Stamina: 3126
Strength: 3985
Agility: 4028
Mental Power: 5001
The haunting memories of the extermination orders that destroyed her family, friends, and homeland pushed Robin's spirit attribute past 5000—meeting the threshold for fruit awakening.
Her Observation Haki now covered the entire Judicial Island.
Cannonballs plummeted like meteors, their paths slowly altered by the awakened Flower-Flower Fruit.
Violet petals swirled around each shell, defying physics, as if whispering tenderly like a wife to her husband.
The shells slowed in obedience, hovering midair.
Then suddenly!
A burst of violet flame disrupted the tranquility, reigniting the shells' fury.
Flame-formed petals transformed into powerful arms, restraining the furious cannonballs midair—neither allowing them to proceed nor fall.
Thousands of shells remained suspended, bound by Robin's white, powerful arms.
Her eyes snapped open, radiating an overwhelming aura.
She spread her arms, fists opening into palms, commanding the sky with a single cry:
BOOM!!!!!!
A massive shockwave erupted, crimson light engulfing the sea.
Thousands of cannonballs detonated simultaneously, boiling the waters around Judicial Island.
The ocean itself caved in under the impact, forming a massive whirlpool.
Even the ten Marine battleships were tossed like leaves in the current, helpless against this force.
"Ah!"
"The hull is shaking too much!!!"
"Hold on! Grab something!!!"
Tens of thousands of elite Marines struggled to survive amidst the whirlpool.
Meanwhile, the lone Going Merry sailed through effortlessly, as if walking on solid ground.
Luffy and the crew laughed lightly, passing dangerously close to the Marine ships.
Vice Admiral Momonga's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched the crew, smiling calmly atop the Going Merry.
"St… Starry Sky Pirates!?"
At that moment, he finally understood why the extermination order had been launched against Judicial Island.
From his position, he had heard whispers of hidden intelligence.
Luffy, pointing at the Gate of Justice ahead, smiled brilliantly:
"Thanks, friends of the Marines, for opening the gate for us…"
"What!?"
Momonga's shock was immediate. He looked at the remaining Gate of Justice, still standing behind the warships, and opened his mouth to respond.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him shook violently.
The Going Merry surged forward, skimming the sea as if flying.
In a blink, it vanished from the whirlpool, beyond Momonga's control.
"Damn! This is bad!!!"
With the ship spinning, he had no chance to pull out a Den Den Mushi and contact headquarters.
All he could do was watch the Starry Sky Pirates approach the Gate of Justice.
…
"Ha, this is too easy…"
Onboard the Going Merry, as the Gate of Justice drew closer, Usopp remarked, impressed with how smoothly things were going.
Then a lazy voice suddenly echoed:
"Ice Age!"
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Completed version available on P@treon(.)com/Veltoria