Sabaody Archipelago, the gateway to the New World, was usually a busy and lively place.
But now, a giant beast had destroyed everything.
"Evacuate!"
The navy was closing in from the nearby islands, evacuating civilians outside the lawless zone while heading straight into it themselves.
The World Government might be rotten at its core, and plenty of navy branches were full of scum, but at least here in Sabaody, so close to Marine Headquarters, these men followed their sense of justice.
Large numbers of marines were struggling to maintain order on the islands that were on the brink of collapse. Something like this had never happened before. No one had ever dared to provoke the World Government like this. Not even the most arrogant pirates of the New World would go this far.
Sabaody was just a short distance from both Mary Geoise and Marine Headquarters. Reinforcements could arrive in an instant. And now, the one leading the headquarters' battleship here was none other than Admiral Sengoku of the Buddha!
"Of all times, it had to happen right after I became an Admiral. What a pain."
Even from a distance, Sengoku could see the Nine Tails unleashing its power across the islands. His face was grim. This thing had caused such a massive disaster—how was the navy or the World Government supposed to save face after this?
That's why Fleet Admiral Kong had sternly warned him before he left: handle this cleanly. To make sure of that, two other old friends came along on his ship.
Vice Admiral Garp. Vice Admiral Zephyr.
Sengoku was an Admiral. They were Vice Admirals, but their strength was close to Admiral level. Sengoku was the oldest of the three, one year older than Garp and five years older than Zephyr.
Garp had refused a promotion to Admiral because he didn't want to become a bodyguard for the Celestial Dragons. Zephyr was still considered a little young, but Fleet Admiral Kong planned to promote him to Admiral in two years when he turned 38.
A 38-year-old Admiral would still be one of the youngest in history. For now, though, Sengoku bringing these two proved just how serious Marine Headquarters was about this.
"So that's the 'Nine-Tailed Fox' they reported about? Is it a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit form?" Garp stood at the front of the battleship, eyes locked on the massive creature, his expression turning serious.
This guy…
It's almost like it's going to be more powerful than those lawless pirates in the New World.
"It shouldn't be. The Devil Fruit guide does list a Nine-Tailed Fox under Mythical Zoan, but judging from its powers, it's completely different from the monster in front of us."
Zoan · Mythical Type · Dog-Dog Fruit · Nine-Tailed Fox form — this Devil Fruit really exists. As the world's ruler, the Marines naturally have information on these fruits, but according to what they know, that fruit's mythical beast is definitely not the monster before their eyes.
"Faster!"
Almost there…
But just as they were about to reach the Sabaody Archipelago, Zephyr suddenly noticed someone.
"Someone's standing on the sea?"
Zephyr frowned. Looking closely, he saw a person in a black robe, a hood pulled low, and even a mask with a spiral pattern covering his face.
"Looks suspicious…"
Garp followed Zephyr's gaze, rubbed his chin, and muttered.
Covering himself up so tightly, he clearly didn't look like a good person.
"Leave him for now. What matters most is dealing with that Nine-Tailed Fox." Sengoku also felt uneasy about this stranger, but at this moment he had no mind to chase after someone suspicious.
As the admiral leading the mission, he had to put an end to the chaos caused by the Nine-Tails.
Right now, every movement of the beast shook the ground and the sea. Cracks split the land beneath its feet, and one strike of its claw crushed both the auction house and its audience stands.
Under Genichi's control, the Nine-Tails ignored the slaves, but every guard and wealthy merchant taking part in the auctions was torn apart.
The Marines who tried to block its path weren't spared either.
Maybe some of them weren't bad people and were good at heart, but they served the very core of this corrupt world. Their so-called justice worked for the wrong masters, so Genichi showed no mercy.
Countless bullets rained down from Marine rifles, but to the Nine-Tails such attacks weren't even a scratch. One swing of its claws sent waves of screams ringing out, but those cries didn't slow it — it only kept advancing.
In such a short time, it had already destroyed nearly all of Islands 1 through 29. The entire lawless zone was crumbling under its power. Gangsters, rich merchants from the auctions, Marines who stood against it, even Celestial Dragons who had come here — all of them became corpses beneath its claws.
Its blood-red eyes turned toward the next island, number 30. From there, it was no longer the lawless zone. Many ordinary visitors and tourists lived there, but the beast showed no sign of stopping. It raised a claw and was about to step forward.
"Shockwave!"
But just as it moved, a furious roar came from afar. In the next moment, a tall figure shining with golden light appeared in front of the Nine-Tails. Caught off guard, the beast was struck hard by the newcomer's palm!
Sengoku had arrived! Just as the Nine-Tails was about to destroy the world outside the lawless zone, the Marines' reinforcements finally came. As the fleet admiral, Sengoku instantly transformed into his Mythical Beast form!
Boom!
A wave of white energy burst from the golden Buddha's hand. Although his figure was huge, compared to the several-hundred-meter-tall Nine-Tails it looked small. But strength wasn't always about size.
That full-powered strike from Sengoku immediately forced the Nine-Tails back. Its massive body, which was about to cross into Island 30, was knocked back to the very edge of the island instead!
"We can't let it move forward another step! If it does, the face of justice will be lost completely!"
Sengoku shouted, his voice booming. The Marines behind him roared with fighting spirit. Garp leapt straight into the air, his arm turning pitch-black. A powerful Armament Haki wrapped around his fist, gathering immense force.
Then…
He smashed his fist right into the Nine-Tails' head!
"What a tough one!"
That terrifying punch slammed into the retreating Nine-Tails' head, making it turn to the side for a moment, but then…
"!"
Garp stared at the massive head he had knocked off balance, and in the very next instant…
The monster fox forced its way back, pushing against his strength!
In those crimson eyes burned endless rage and violence.
"Roar!"