The Den Den Mushi was quickly answered.
The captain immediately reported, "Fleet Admiral, this is Captain under Vice Admiral Akainu. Currently, Vice Admiral Akainu is engaged in battle with a cloaked monster."
"Is it that mysterious man?"
"No, the mysterious man is watching from a distance. This one is built like a small mountain—incredibly strong!"
"So there are two mysterious individuals?! And Akainu just charged in without knowing anything?!"
When Sengoku had dispatched Akainu, he'd had some reservations.
He was afraid Akainu's rigid principles would lead him to act recklessly.
That's why he had emphasized caution before Akainu's departure.
Yet, he hadn't expected Akainu to still act so independently.
"What's the current situation?!"
The captain glanced at the sky and said, "Vice Admiral Akainu seems to be trying to end the fight quickly, but the opponent's recovery ability is insane. Every injury Akainu inflicts heals almost instantly!"
Hearing this, Sengoku, still in Marineford, felt a surge of fury rising in his chest.
Most importantly, he now knew there wasn't just one cloaked figure—there were others.
This might even be an entire organization!
BAM!
In his rage, Sengoku slammed his palm down, shattering the desk in front of him.
He was being held up by others, and that mysterious man was still lurking in the distance, watching like a predator.
Had Akainu completely disregarded his orders and the Marines' discipline?
Was he just delivering himself to the enemy's doorstep?
Truth be told, Akainu was also struggling.
After undergoing hellish training, his strength had improved dramatically.
In his mind, he should've been strong enough to rival Roya now!
Not to mention, he still had his trump card up his sleeve.
But who would've thought this monster had such insane regenerative abilities?
No matter how severe the wounds he inflicted on Weevil, they healed in moments.
And his stamina seemed limitless—how was he supposed to fight this?!
Retreat? That was never an option in Akainu's mind.
Justice could never lose to evil!
But Sengoku didn't see it that way.
"I grant you command authority for this operation. Begin preparations for an immediate retreat. Also, warn Akainu—once he disengages, he must withdraw immediately. We're leaving Ohara alone for now!"
With that, Sengoku hung up the call.It must be said that the news conveyed by the Den Den Mushi alone was giving Sengoku a massive headache.
There wasn't just one mysterious figure—there might even be an entire organization involved.
This meant Ohara was in grave danger. But right now, the New World was in even greater chaos, and the Marines simply couldn't afford to handle so many matters at once!
Moreover, the Marines' prestige, which had been gradually recovering thanks to Roya's actions, had once again been tarnished by Akainu's reckless assault this time.
"That damn Akainu! He's more of a liability than an asset!"
——
Meanwhile.
The Marines in the waters around Ohara had already begun coordinating an orderly retreat.
Akainu, still engaged in battle in the sky, clearly noticed this.
Having just been punched by Weevil, Akainu's already volatile temper finally exploded at this moment.
"You're deserting your posts! Anyone who dares retreat will be punished under military law!"
At this point, the Marine captain on the warship finally snapped.
Summoning all his courage, he shouted at Akainu, "Even if we're violating military law, you did it first! Besides, Fleet Admiral Sengoku just granted me command of this operation, and I order you to retreat immediately!"
As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted from the soldiers on the warship.
They had all had enough of Akainu.
Now, a mere captain had openly berated Vice Admiral Akainu in front of them.
Such a scene was utterly unheard of—unimaginable, even.
Today had truly been an eye-opener.
And not just for them.
Even Roya, Robin, and Olvia were left astonished.
Olvia even teased Roya beside her, "Roya, is your Marine organization always this chaotic?"
"Who knows? Sengoku's intentions might have been good, but he underestimated Akainu's temperament. Akainu's been waiting for this day for a long time—there was no way he'd take it slow. So the fault lies entirely with him."
"Thanks to Akainu, this entire operation has turned into a joke. But it's a pretty entertaining one, don't you think?"
Robin's eyes curved into crescents as she nodded vigorously beside Roya.
"Still, I've had my fill of the show. Since the Marines are retreating, let's give them a parting gift. We can't let them leave empty-handed, can we? After all, in my current identity, I'm standing firmly against the Marines!"
As he spoke, Roya slowly drew Flowing Blade Like Raging Fire.
"Weevil, fall back!"
Roya lowered his voice, making it sound muffled.
Upon hearing Roya's command, Weevil immediately turned and left, no longer paying any attention to Akainu's attacks.
He simply let them land on him before beginning to regenerate.
Akainu's brow furrowed deeply.
Weevil had withdrawn, yet he could sense an overwhelmingly powerful presence locking onto him.
Danger coiled around him like a serpent.
Akainu turned his gaze to Roya, thinking to himself: Is he about to make his move?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, towering flames erupted into the sky.
An arrogant, terrifying Spirit Pressure, akin to Conqueror's Haki, bore down on Akainu.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
"His Conqueror's Haki… it feels even stronger now!"
Only at this moment did Akainu finally realize the truth.Not only was he growing stronger, but this guy was also getting stronger, damn it!!!
Akainu's tightly clenched teeth were already oozing blood!
Yet his unyielding principles would never allow him to turn his back and flee.
He would rather die than bow beneath evil!
With this resolve, Akainu prepared to stake his life on one final gamble!
"Awakening—Meteor Volcano!"
In an instant, the sky's clouds transformed into brilliantly translucent fiery hues.
The power of his Devil Fruit began altering the surrounding weather.
Scorching heat pressed down relentlessly from the heavens.
Akainu pushed his Devil Fruit abilities to their absolute limit.
"Let me show you the results of my relentless training—Fruit Awakening!"
As Akainu's words faded, the sky above instantly condensed countless meteor-like fireballs.
These flaming meteors morphed into colossal magma fists, crashing down toward Ohara.
Witnessing this, the retreating Marine soldiers froze in shock.
None had imagined Akainu hadn't even been fighting at full strength earlier.
No wonder he'd been so confident, daring to challenge both mysterious figures alone.
"This level of destructive power is downright absurd!"
"Even though it's a wide-range attack, the energy contained in each magma fist feels terrifying!"
"If this is Akainu's current power, he might actually stand a chance against both of them!"
The Marines had already distanced themselves from Ohara, feeling only the oppressive heat.
They remained oblivious to the terrifying pressure radiating from Roya—otherwise, they'd never have spoken so boldly.
Beneath his cloak, Roya's lips curled slightly as flames gradually condensed around him. Then...