It's Kaido, Linlin, and Whitebeard!"
The Pirates exclaimed in surprise, all holding their breath as they watched the epic meeting before them.
The bodies of these three were like giants; among them, Linlin, though the only female, was the tallest, standing over eight meters, followed by Kaido at over seven meters, and Whitebeard also over six meters.
The three stood together, like three towering small mountains.
A terrifying Aura involuntarily emanated from the three, colliding, crushing, and spreading outwards.
Instantly, the waves surged, creating towering tsunamis.
The sky seemed to darken in an instant.
"Whitebeard, you are indeed amazing now that you have returned to your Peak. I wonder if you can kill me?"
Kaido took a step forward, his black hair fluttering wildly, displaying a beast-like ferocity.
Whitebeard chuckled, "Perhaps, Kaido, Linlin, we are not here for that this time. If you want to die, it's not now. I can grant your wish later. Right now, our most important task is to eradicate the World Government and the Marine, which is what we've always wanted to do, isn't it?"
Kaido snorted and said no more.
Whitebeard looked around and said, "What, has Red Hair not arrived yet?"
Charlotte Linlin grinned, "That guy is very arrogant; he won't show up until the very end. What an arrogant fellow!"
"That guy…"
Whitebeard sighed and said, "It's been a long time since I last saw him. I heard that fellow actually lost an arm in a place like East Blue. That's quite surprising."
Kaido sneered, "He used to be a threatening kid, after all, he was on Roger's ship. But now he's lost an arm. Let's just hope he doesn't drag us down later!"
As he spoke, a long laugh approached from a distance, and with the laughter, another Pirate ship quickly sailed in.
A high-flying Pirate flag was incredibly conspicuous; the bloody skull exuded an undeniable Haoshoku.
"Red Force! It's the Red Hair Pirates!"
The surrounding Pirate ships all retreated to make way.
"Kaido, if you don't want to live, perhaps I can help you—"
Another figure leaped from that ship, rapidly soaring through the air, and lightly landed on the shore.
A black cloak, a clear scar over his left eye, a single arm resting casually on the hilt of his sword at his waist. He looked up at the three, and an unbridled Haoshoku swept out around him.
Swish—
A terrifying invisible wave instantly spread out in a circle in all directions. Pirates with slightly lower strength fainted directly before they could even react.
Even some Pirates with a certain level of strength felt dizzy and swayed precariously.
"Haha, Captain is causing trouble again!"
Yasopp sat on the ship's rail, holding his sniper rifle and chuckling. Beside him, Lucky Roux, while gnawing on a chicken leg and patting his big belly, also let out a strange chuckle.
"Enough, Red Hair!"
Whitebeard said grumpily, "Put away your Conqueror's Haki. Not many of these little guys can withstand it."
Facing three giants, Red Hair, with only the height of a normal human, did not appear small at all, subtly giving off a feeling of being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the three.
This person was one of the Four Emperors.
Red-Haired Shanks.
Red Hair smiled faintly, reined in his Conqueror's Haki, and directly sat cross-legged on the ground, calling out, "Let's all sit down and talk, you three. You guys look like you're putting a lot of pressure on people!"
The three didn't mind and also sat down cross-legged.
Thus, the Four Emperors officially met.
This was also the first time in history that the Four Emperors of the New World had united.
A grand alliance worthy of being recorded in history!
"Red Hair, your arm?"
Charlotte Linlin asked with some curiosity.
Red Hair glanced at his empty sleeve, smiled slightly, and said, "Just a minor injury, no need to worry."
"You won't drag us down, will you?"
Kaido sneered.
Red Hair looked askance and said, "At least killing you is no problem."
"Oh?" Kaido, enraged, laughed instead, "I'd love to try!"
Seeing them about to start fighting again, Whitebeard quickly intervened, "Alright, alright, now is not the time for infighting. We need to discuss the specific plan for this attack. The World Government has stood for many years; it's not that easy to deal with."
The four calmed down.
Kaido said, "What's there to discuss in this situation? The number of Pirates from our Grand Line alone is already considerable, plus the little guys who have come from the Four Seas. In terms of numbers, we can completely overwhelm the Marine. Even if they recall all the Marine soldiers scattered across the Four Seas, it won't be enough."
"Heh heh!"
Red Hair sneered, "What a brainless fellow. If it were that simple, then we wouldn't need to unite at all. We could just fight independently and go kill them. Why bother gathering here?"
"Who are you calling brainless?!"
Kaido was furious, "Red Hair, you little brat are getting more and more arrogant. You weren't even born when I was out causing trouble on the seas!"
Red Hair said disdainfully, "So what if you spent a few years on Rocks' ship? Do you really think you're someone important? Don't you know what it means for the new waves to push the old?"
Whitebeard coughed twice, a bit speechless.
Why do these two always fight? He couldn't take it anymore.
At this rate, how could they talk?
"Can you all just be quiet? Control your tempers!"
Whitebeard pounded the ground.
Those who could reach such positions were not benevolent individuals, but rather unruly and defiant, not easily swayed by others' words. Only if Rocks were to reappear could he firmly suppress these individuals.
Even Pirate King Roger couldn't do it.
Suddenly, the Pirates gathered on the sea stirred again, looking up at the sky, their mouths agape and faces full of astonishment.
They saw a huge Pirate ship floating in mid-air, slowly descending. On the bow of the ship stood a man with long yellow hair, looking down at the Pirates below, a cigar in his mouth, and a cold sneer on his face.
"It's him!"
The Four Emperors also looked up at the sky, all showing a slightly surprised expression.
This one-legged man jumped directly from mid-air, yet he descended slowly as if without gravity, like a weightless leaf.
He wore a yellow striped kimono, and his feet were replaced by two long swords.
"Wasn't he imprisoned by the Marine in Impel Down? He actually escaped."
Charlotte Linlin was a bit surprised.
"Jah ha ha ha ha ha—Greetings, everyone, still well!"
The man with long yellow hair slowly landed beside the four, biting his cigar, looking around, and letting out a strange laugh.
"Still well, Shiki!" Red Hair smiled.
This person was none other than the great Pirate who once made a name for himself, Golden Lion Shiki!
Legendary pirates appeared one after another, leaving the surrounding pirates almost numb.
Their faces were dull, and their eyes were full of shock.
Especially for the small pirates from the Four Blues, for them, these people were truly high in the clouds, an unattainable existence. In their daily lives, let alone seeing them, even thinking about them felt incredibly distant.
This massive change in the world caused a huge impact on the entire century's pattern.
The Four Emperors joined forces to stir up trouble, intertwining the lifelines of the entire Pirate World. People who would never have met in a lifetime were now meeting.
This event was later called the Peak War, and also the Pirates' Feast.
Of course, these are all later stories.
—
With the Four Emperors gathering in Wano Country, the Revolutionary Army's actions were relatively much more secretive.
East Blue, a deserted island.
The terrain around this deserted island was rugged and complex. Because of the turbulent currents below and the many hidden reefs, if one was not familiar with the route, ships could easily hit the reefs and cause a shipwreck. Therefore, few people came here.
At this moment, around the deserted island, hundreds of pirate ships had gathered.
This was also one of the Revolutionary Army's main bases.
This time, the Revolutionary Army temporarily gathered all its viable forces here.
On the deserted island, inside a hastily constructed house.
"Bulu Bulu Bulu Bulu —"
The Den Den Mushi on the table suddenly rang.
A large hand picked up the Den Den Mushi and answered.
"Hello?"
A deep voice sounded. The man sat at the table, his back to the sun, casting a deep shadow on the opposite wall.
"It's me."
The Den Den Mushi had now transformed into an expressionless face wearing a bear hat.
"Is there any situation?"
The man asked.
"Yes."
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Bartholomew Kuma, the Tyrant, said in a low voice, "Regarding this operation, there's a change."
The man frowned and asked, "Does the World Government have some unknown trump card?"
Kuma hummed and said, "A very terrifying trump card. I suggest this operation be canceled."
"Canceled?"
At this moment, the curtain was lifted, and a tall figure walked in. He carried a weapon like a water pipe on his back, wore a top hat, a long blue robe, and had a clear red burn mark on his face.
This person was Sabo, the current Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army.
Sabo's tone involuntarily rose a few notches: "What kind of trump card can cancel a joint operation of this magnitude? We are only providing support, not the main force. The ones truly participating in the battle are Whitebeard and his group of madmen."
Kuma's tone was calm, yet it revealed information that chilled the heart: "The World Government and Marine have developed a large number of artificial Devil Fruits, enough to arm more than twenty percent of Marine soldiers. Moreover, they have developed a special humanoid combat machine called Pacifista PX-1, which is immune to pain and has the combat power equivalent to a Rear Admiral. Their number exceeds five hundred!"
"What!"
Both were greatly surprised, and Sabo's face showed an expression of disbelief: "Are you kidding me?"
Kuma said, "I'm not kidding. I just attended the Shichibukai meeting. All the Shichibukai have agreed to join the Marine side and participate in the battle. This time, the Four Emperors' alliance is indeed terrifying in strength, with significantly more high-end combat power than the Marine side. But in a real fight, they might not be the Marine's match."
After a long silence, the man nodded and said, "Okay, I understand. I will consider it carefully. Be careful to hide yourself and don't expose yourself!"
Kuma hummed and directly cut off the communication.
"Sabo... what do you think?"
The man turned around, his face emerging from the shadows, revealing his true appearance.
The blue Texture made the already resolute middle-aged man's face appear even more ferocious and authoritative.
This person was Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army!
He was also the biological son of Marine Hero Garp.
This was also a very ironic situation: his father was a great hero of the Marine, but his son was the leader of rebels who wanted to overthrow the World Government.
Sabo took a deep breath, furrowing his brows, and said, "It's no longer up to us. War is imminent, and the Four Emperors are the crucial factor dominating this war. Even those unknown small pirates from the Four Blues have already gathered in the Grand Line. Even if we reveal this news to Whitebeard and his crew now, with their personalities, they would absolutely not agree to cancel this operation."
Dragon nodded, looking at Sabo with approval, and said, "That's right. From what I know of those old guys, even if they know they will pay an extremely heavy price, they will not retreat, especially in the current situation."
"Having reached the position of a Four Emperor, sometimes they are no longer their own masters. Their names echo throughout the entire Pirate World. A strong person standing in the clouds would rather die in battle than have his crown taken away due to cowardice."
Sabo sighed, "But now it seems this battle is completely without suspense. If the information Kuma provided is true, then the World Government's combat power will see a terrifying increase. High-end combat power might not be bad, but this is war, not just about having more strong individuals to win. Facing that number of Devil Fruit Users and the so-called Pacifistas, it will be a devastating blow to lower-tier pirates!"
Dragon's fingers tapped lightly on the table, constantly contemplating countermeasures.
Originally, the Revolutionary Army wanted to use this opportunity to completely dismantle the World Government and Marine, making their ideals a reality. But the World Government, as a terrifying existence that has stood for thousands of years, had an incredibly deep foundation.
"If I'm not mistaken, this kind of thing must have been created by that madman Vegapunk!"
Dragon snorted coldly: "If I had known, that time more than ten years ago, I should have tried everything to kill him!"
Of course, he was just saying that. More than ten years ago, his strength had not yet reached its Peak, let alone that Vegapunk was surrounded by many experts at the time, making him impossible to approach.
Let alone kill him.
"Now it seems there's no other path to take."
Dragon sighed: "Since the battle cannot be stopped, then let it continue. Let the glory of revolution spread throughout the world. After this, the world's pattern will undergo huge changes. Even if the World Government wins, its Origin Qi will be severely damaged. Being able to achieve this much is enough."
Dragon smiled, looking at Sabo: "It's the pirates and the Marine who will die. Ordinary civilians won't be too affected. The World Government, however, will be severely hit. At least most of the Celestial Dragons will die or be injured, after all, our target is the Celestial Dragons! Such an evil race should not exist in this world."
"This is the meaning of our revolution, isn't it?"
At the same time, in Wano Country, on the Moby Dick.
Zhou Li, sitting on the deck, was cradling Blackie and lying on a sun lounger, basking in the sun, a stark contrast to the excited pirates around him.
"Hey, Zhou Li, don't you want to admire the presence of the Emperors?"
A pirate, quite familiar with Zhou Li, glanced at the leisurely Zhou Li and asked with some surprise.
Zhou Li lazily changed his posture, waved his hand, and said, "Those big figures won't even spare a glance for people like us. He doesn't pay attention to me, so why should I pay attention to him?"
This strange thought left the pirate opposite speechless, so he simply ignored Zhou Li and ran to the side of the ship to stare intently at the five legendary pirates, after all, such an opportunity was rare.
Suddenly, Zhou Li, who had been lying on his side, his eyes flashed, and he abruptly looked in one direction.
Not far from the Moby Dick, a pirate ship was docked. This pirate ship was not large, and its pirate flag was unfamiliar, clearly indicating an unknown pirate crew.
"Has this guy appeared as well…?"
Zhou Li murmured, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth: "It's getting more and more interesting. Coming out this time has really been a good show!"
At this moment, on this pirate ship.
A young pirate, who had been staring at the five Emperors, suddenly rolled his eyes back, and his whole body twitched as if he had been electrocuted, falling directly onto the deck.
His companions next to him were stunned for a moment, then became somewhat panicked: "Soro, what's wrong with you?"
The young pirate named Soro couldn't respond at all. Something seemed to be slowly awakening within his constantly twitching body. A black mist welled up in his pupils and rapidly expanded.
Soon, the twitching stopped.
Soro's eyes suddenly snapped open, reflecting an incredibly sharp sensation that startled his companions who were close to him.
"It actually succeeded!"
Soro looked around, gazing at the sea that was incredibly familiar to him, and slowly got up from the ground, with complex emotions in his eyes: "What a nostalgic world…"
"Soro, you haven't gone crazy, have you? Ship doctor! Ship doctor! Come quickly and take a look, Soro seems to have gone crazy!"
His companion became anxious.
Soro glanced at his companion, then suddenly reached out and patted his shoulder, laughing: "Kid, I have high hopes for you!"
His companion was stunned, his cheek twitched, and he said, "I think you really have gone crazy. I'm the First Mate, you're just a little deckhand, I don't need you to have high hopes for me!"
Soro was noncommittal, his gaze passed over him, and he looked at the five people gathered on Onigashima at this moment, a deeply emotional smile on his lips.
"What's going on? Why are these guys gathered together? That Red Hair kid… such a familiar feeling!"
After speaking, he suddenly soared into the air, lightly tapping the ship's rail, and his body shot out like an arrow from a bowstring, heading towards Onigashima.
"Holy crap, you really are crazy! Those are the Four Emperors!"
The First Mate's face was filled with shock, then he turned pale: "Damn, when did this guy get so strong? Has he been hiding his strength all this time?"
Another companion beside him was even more flustered: "Carl, he's actually so strong, if he finds out that I secretly peed in his flask yesterday, won't I be beaten to death?"
Soro, in mid-air, swayed and almost fell. He turned his head and glared at the latter with a twitching expression, then the air beneath his feet exploded, and his figure soared again, continuing to glide towards Onigashima.
"Who is this guy? How dare he go there, isn't he afraid of being killed by those old guys?"
"Could it be another big shot has arrived?"
"Big shot, my foot! I know this guy, he's a small pirate from the East Blue, he doesn't even have a bounty, just a small officer, and his Captain only has a bounty of a little over ten million!"
"Then he really is crazy, those five big figures could probably make him kneel with just a glance!"
The surrounding pirates naturally also noticed this audacious fellow, and a clamor immediately broke out.
"Hmm?"
The Four Emperors and Golden Lion, who were exchanging pleasantries, also noticed someone approaching and all turned their heads to look.
They saw a young man with black hair and black eyes, and all were stunned.
"Kid, this isn't where you belong. If you don't want to die, then get back!"
Kaido barked unceremoniously, a hurricane-like invisible sound wave sweeping towards the other party.
If an ordinary pirate in mid-air were hit by an attack of this magnitude, he would be crippled if not killed.
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes. At this moment, it was not good to kill indiscriminately, as it would dishearten the other pirates and shake their resolve to follow and fight.
He was not a brainless brute like Kaido, and just as he was about to make a move, he paused.
He saw that this unremarkable young man, in mid-air, simply waved his hand lightly, and the sound wave and strong wind were casually dispelled. His figure swayed as he landed directly in front of the five of them.
"You…"
All five were slightly surprised.
This little guy's strength isn't bad!
Judging from his actions just now, he had at least the strength of a Marine Admiral.
However, such an unknown small figure was not qualified to speak with them at all.
"It's been a long time, you guys!"
Soro laughed heartily, sizing up the group, his gaze finally settling on Red Hair's face, his smile growing wider: "Shanks, you truly live up to my expectations, little brat. Have you grown to this extent now, sitting on equal footing with Newgate? Or rather, Newgate, have you grown old?"
Whitebeard's expression changed, somewhat angered. Ever since he used the Time Potion, he felt like he had a second spring, and he was very sensitive about people mentioning his age: "Who are you calling old… Wait a minute…"
His gaze changed, becoming somewhat surprised and uncertain.
Red Hair's eyes widened even more, and he couldn't help but take a step forward, coming in front of Soro, and asked uncertainly: "You are…?"
Soro smiled at him, his eyes seemingly filled with admiration and relief: "What about that straw hat I gave you back then? You didn't lose it, did you?"
At these words, the entire scene was shocked!
The five legendary pirates all looked at this unfamiliar young man in front of them with horrified expressions.
Red Hair was incredibly excited: "You… You are… Captain Roger?!"
Soro's lips curved upwards, and he nodded slightly.
"It's me… I'm back!"
The voice was not loud, but it instantly swept across the entire sea. Everyone heard these words and showed expressions of disbelief.
"Ro… Roger? Pirate King Roger?"
"Is it real or fake? That man, has that man returned?"
"I don't believe it, wasn't Roger publicly executed by the Marine and died a long time ago?"
Soro spread his arms, facing thousands of pirates, and shouted with raised arms, announcing his return with great fanfare: "I! The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, have returned!"
Three days later.
Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Inside a large reception hall.
Five elderly men, with white hair and beards, were either sitting or standing, all silent, and the hall was momentarily quiet.
These five were precisely the highest power holders of the World Government, the Gorosei!
A piece of today's latest news was placed on the table, having just been delivered by a Communication Bird.
"Roger, that guy… he's back!"
The long-haired elder, Zo Masutani, was the first to break the silence.
"Hmm…"
The bald elder in a green suit, Ogata Kenichi, nodded, his brows slightly furrowed: "That guy, who clearly died many years ago after being publicly executed by the Marine, has resurrected. How troublesome!"
Hirano Masato, with a curly mustache and a black suit, snorted: "If we could kill him once, we can kill him a second time. Pirate King… Hmph! What an unpleasant title!"
"That's not the troublesome part!"
The blonde elder in a dark red suit, Noda Keiichi, tapped the newspaper on the table and shook his head: "Roger isn't the problem. Three of us rank higher than him on the Golden Rankings. The most troublesome thing is his prestige among the pirates!"
"Many years ago, his speech on the execution platform directly shook the entire world, thus ushering in the Great Pirate Era. Now that he has resurrected and returned, for all pirates, he is a belief!"
Noda Keiichi took a breath and said: "Belief is a power that can make people fear!"
Sonobe Keiichi, dressed in a white Dao robe with a long sword at his waist, sneered: "It's simple. Then we cut off their belief! Let this dishonest guy return to Hell. I don't mind going myself…"
His hand on the scabbard twitched slightly, and a bloodthirsty gleam appeared in his eyes: "It's been a long time since I've made a move. This guy should be able to give me a satisfying fight!"
"Don't be rash, Sonobe!"
Noda Keiichi frowned: "The current situation isn't that simple. The pirates have now gathered, wanting to destroy our World Government and Marine. This is a calamity, but also an opportunity."
A cold light flickered in Noda Keiichi's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "An opportunity for a great cleansing!"
"Indeed!"
Ogata Kenichi nodded in agreement: "The pirates of the Four Seas were originally scattered across the world, and the Grand Line had the so-called Four Emperors entrenched. Even if our Marine and World Government had the strength, we were spread too thin and couldn't wipe them all out. As long as there were remnants, they could never be completely killed!"
"A single spark can start a prairie fire, and now that they are gathered, this is a rare good opportunity! Our World Government and Marine have Vegapunk's research results as support, and we can completely use this opportunity to thoroughly eliminate them and unify the entire Pirate World!"
Noda Keiichi showed a sly smile: "This is our World Government's long-cherished wish, and the appearance of these mysterious Golden Rankings has also shown us a broader stage. Although Imu was severely wounded this time, Imu is still paying attention to the changes in the situation. Unifying the Pirate World is just the beginning. Our goal is the entire Three Realms!"
The other four nodded one after another.
"Imu's injuries…"
Hirano Masato was somewhat worried.
"Those Golden Rankings are indeed terrifying. With Imu's strength, Imu was severely wounded in just one encounter. If not for that, if Imu could have ascended the Golden Rankings and received the Golden Rankings' reward, Imu's strength would undoubtedly have risen to another level!"
"At that time, unifying the entire Pirate World and even advancing into other worlds would not require too much effort!"
Ogata Kenichi snorted: "Since Roger could resurrect, it was also thanks to the mysterious Golden Rankings' reward. His own strength hasn't improved much, but Imu exists in the world, and the treasures received will definitely boost Imu's strength by a large margin!"
At this point, the Gorosei all felt a bit regretful.
The five of them had a deep understanding of the Golden Rankings' rewards.
Precisely because they had received these mysterious treasures, the strength of the five of them had already made a leap.
At their level, it was actually very difficult to make progress, but these Golden Rankings easily accomplished it.
They were both surprised and fearful of these inexplicably appearing Golden Rankings.
For ambitious strong individuals like them, the unknown always made them uneasy.
The mysterious golden annunciation in the sky, before its secrets were fully understood, was like a Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any moment.
"I heard that that young fellow Kizaru encountered the legendary gold list number one and had an arm severed!"
Hirano Masato changed the subject.
"With that little monkey's strength, to encounter that gold list number one and still manage to escape is quite good!"
Ogata Kenichi shook his head: "I heard that guy didn't even make a move; it was just a casual strike from the pet by his side that nearly cost him his life. This level of existence makes one uneasy!"
Suddenly, the conference room abruptly darkened, and a shadow, whose appearance was unknown, appeared behind the five, towering and with an unclear face.
"What's the situation with the pirates now?"
The Gorosei were immediately startled. They all turned their heads to look, then bowed and knelt: "Imu!"
Ogata Kenichi said: "According to the latest intelligence, the Four Emperors have almost finished gathering and are advancing towards the Holy Land. They are estimated to arrive within three days. As for the Revolutionary Army, it's very strange; they have remained inactive, and we don't know what it means."
"Oh?"
The towering figure let out a soft sound of surprise and said: "Given Dragon's personality, he shouldn't miss such an opportunity. Could it be that someone on our side leaked information?"
Hirano Masato said: "We also considered that. The soldiers currently undergoing artificial Devil Fruit modification are all under unified supervision, so a leak is impossible. The research base is also unlikely. The most probable source would be the Shichibukai; they are still an unstable factor."
The towering figure was silent for a moment before saying: "These guys are not worth worrying about. As long as we deal with those annoying pirates, this world will belong to us, the Celestial Dragons. Revolutionary Army? Hmph, just a bunch of clowns!"
"Imu is right!"
The five bowed in agreement.
"Although we have the advantage in this matter, we cannot be careless. No one knows what other trump cards they might have. Those annoying guys are crazy and tyrannical; their desperate counterattack before death can still be very troublesome. Try to preserve the high-level combat power as much as possible. As for the ordinary Marine…"
Imu's words were unfinished, but the Gorosei understood what Imu meant.
If it can be filled with the lives of ordinary soldiers, do not hesitate. They can continue to manufacture artificial Fruits. For people at their level, human lives are like weeds, not worth mentioning.
That's enough. My injuries haven't fully healed yet. I'll leave this war for you all to lead. Don't disappoint me…"
The majestic figure gradually faded, and light returned to the conference room.
The Gorosei let out a sigh of relief, the heavy pressure in their hearts dissipating.
"Imu's strength is unfathomable. Even we, who are all ranked in the top twenty on the Golden Rankings, feel insignificant before Imu. If there were a ranking, Imu might contend for the first or second place."
Hirano Masato sat back on the sofa, stroking his beard.
The other four also nodded.
Regarding this mysterious being, even they had never witnessed Imu unleash full power.
Just then, a crisp sound of breaking glass rang out.
The five instantly turned to look, only to see four figures smashing through the conference room's large French windows and directly barging in.
"Ah ah ah, it's here! I feel that powerful Qi…"
A bald young man looked left and right, jumping down from a strange man with flames spurting from his feet.
"Saitama, can you stop making decisions on your own? Didn't we agree to wait and see? Can you please respect my opinion?"
Standing beside them was a beautiful woman with a fiery figure, looking at the bald young man with a displeased expression.
"I say… let's just go. This is Holy Land Mary Geoise!"
Standing furthest behind them was a red-nosed man in a Captain's uniform, his face crumpled, almost on the verge of tears: "Your Excellencies, you need to pick your spots for your shenanigans. Even if you want to mess around, don't drag me into it, okay?"
These four were Saitama, Genos, Hellish Blizzard, and Buggy the Clown, who had come from the One-Punch World.
The five Gorosei were completely bewildered.
What was going on?
Someone dared to trespass on Holy Land Mary Geoise?
And even dared to come to the Gorosei's conference room?
Were they tired of living?
Ogata Kenichi frowned, sizing up the group. His eyes immediately fell on the most conspicuous red nose. He furrowed his brows, thought for a long time, and then recognized him: "This red nose… he used to be on Roger's ship… what was his name again…"
Normally, important figures like them wouldn't know such small fry.
But because of Roger's revival, they had pulled out Roger's information again.
And Buggy the Clown's appearance was quite peculiar, naturally leaving a deep impression.
When Buggy the Clown heard someone call him Red Nose, anger immediately welled up in his heart, and malice rose in his guts.
Damn it, it was one thing for those big shot to call him Red Nose; he was weaker than them and dared not retaliate. But now, others dared to call him that?
He instantly turned his head and saw five old men looking him over.
"Hey, old man, who are you calling Red Nose?"
As soon as Buggy the Clown saw they were five old men who were almost in their graves, he immediately relaxed. He swaggered over with an arrogant gait, imperiously saying: "You're truly courting death. Do you know who I am? I used to be a crewmate on Pirate King Roger's ship, Captain Buggy!"
"Oh, Buggy the Clown!" Ogata Kenichi nodded: "I remember now. This Red Nose was apparently tricked by Red Hair and accidentally ate a Devil Fruit, becoming a landlubber."
"You still call me that!"
Buggy the Clown flew into a rage, rolling up his sleeves, ready to teach the old men a lesson: "You're truly courting death! Do you think Captain Buggy is a sick cat because I haven't shown my power?"
Saying that, he had already arrived in front of Ogata Kenichi and threw a punch towards his face.
Ogata Kenichi didn't move.
But Sonobe Keiichi, who stood beside him, moved. A flash of light appeared.
Buggy was cut into more than a dozen pieces.
The light dissipated, and Sonobe Keiichi still stood in place, as if he hadn't made a move at all.
"Ah ah ah ah ah—"
The more than a dozen sections of his body floating in mid-air recoiled in shock, letting out screams.
Buggy never expected that these old men were actually big shots, and he had accidentally run into a brick wall. If he wasn't a Chop-Chop Fruit user, that one blow would have sent him to meet his former Captain.
Of course, at this moment, he didn't know that Roger had already been revived.
Held captive by Saitama and the others, he hadn't had time to read the communication newspapers.
"Such terrifying old men!"
Buggy's body reassembled, and he dared not step forward again, instead shrinking behind Saitama and the others.
"If you don't have the strength, why are you showing off?!"
Hellish Blizzard scoffed, then her delicate brows furrowed as she looked at the Gorosei, whispering: "These old guys are not simple at all. I didn't even see them make a move."
Genos glanced at her, thinking, you're a B-class hero, and you expect to see their moves? You're dreaming.
He was a cyborg, and the information on these five old men had already been retrieved instantly.
They were all terrifying existences ranked in the top twenty on the Golden Rankings.
Genos was also a bit surprised, not expecting that they would encounter so many big shots just by casually entering a room.
Saitama, however, was still looking around, completely disregarding the five men, muttering: "That's not right, why is that Qi gone?"
Genos pointed at the Gorosei opposite and asked: "Teacher, aren't you looking for them?"
Saitama glanced at the five men and shook his head: "No, no, these five old men are too weak. Only that Qi just now could pique my interest a little!"
The Gorosei were stunned.
Oh my god, since their debut, this was the first time they had been so despised.
They were too weak?
They were at least in the top twenty on the Golden Rankings, for goodness sake!
"It's him!"
Sonobe Keiichi's expression suddenly changed, and he exclaimed: "The guy ranked third on the Golden Rankings, Saitama!"
The other four also recognized him. After all, Saitama had a common face, and if you didn't look closely, you really wouldn't recognize him.
"I was wondering who had such a big mouth. So, it's the third-ranked powerhouse on the Golden Rankings. My apologies, my apologies!"
Hirano Masato stepped forward with a fake smile: "May I ask, Your Excellency, what brings you here?"
The Gorosei all became a bit wary.
In the current situation, for the third-ranked on the Golden Rankings to appear made them involuntarily nervous.
If a powerhouse of this caliber intervened, it would definitely cause a huge reversal in the situation.
"It has nothing to do with you."
Saitama waved his hand, and seeing that his search was fruitless, he said unhappily: "Old men, I ask you, was there a powerful guy here just now? Let him come out, I want to spar with him."
"Are you talking about Imu?"
Sonobe Keiichi's face darkened slightly: "With all due respect, you are not qualified to see Imu!"
Saitama wasn't angry, and asked curiously: "Then what makes one qualified?"
Sonobe Keiichi adjusted his glasses, glanced down at the sword at his waist, then looked up with a fake smile and said, "Whether I'm qualified or not, you'll have to ask the Demon Blade in my hand first!"
The other four elders all showed strange smiles.
Sonobe Keiichi's sword, one of the Supreme Grade Great Swords, a cursed blade, is one of the strongest weapons in the Pirate World.
It could be said that every enemy who had witnessed the First Generation Demon Blade drawn had already gone to Hell.
The Gorosei had controlled the World Government for many years, dominating the entire Pirate World. Apart from Imu, they had never met their match. Now, having received the Golden Rankings rewards, their self-confidence was extremely inflated.
Even with the gold list third in front of them, they didn't show any fear. Instead, they felt an urge to challenge him!
What if he was the gold list third?
Within the Three Realms, there were too few top-ranked powerhouses on the Golden Rankings, and it was rare to encounter them.
Today, Saitama delivered himself to their doorstep, and the five of them didn't mind joining forces to take him down, claim the position of gold list third, and enjoy the rewards that would surely be very generous!
After defeating the gold list third, the gold list number one didn't seem so distant anymore!
The five of them always believed that if the Golden Rankings hadn't stripped Imu of his ranking rights, the gold list number one would definitely have been him!
"Demon Blade?"
Saitama tilted his head, looking at the sword at Sonobe Keiichi's waist, a little curious: "Is this sword very powerful?"
Sonobe Keiichi sneered, "Whether it's powerful or not depends on the wielder. Since you hold the position of gold list third, you must have something extraordinary about you. It just so happens that I recently received a Golden Rankings reward and my hands are itching. Originally, I wanted to find Roger, but since you've come today, I don't mind using you to Matsuri my blade!"
He himself no longer remembered how long it had been since his First Generation Demon Blade had been drawn!
As soon as his voice fell, his figure had already vanished from its original spot.
The next moment, he had already appeared behind Saitama, his body low, his right hand on the hilt, and he drew his sword suddenly!
Swish—
A flash of bright sword light erupted, carrying today's Sword Qi, and descended directly towards Saitama's head!
Around them, a faint, shrill ghost wail echoed, as if it could snatch a person's Soul.
Genos, Hellish Blizzard, and Buggy the Clown instantly stared blankly, falling into a dazed state.
The surrounding air was instantly sucked dry, as if to cleave the entire space in two!
Saitama still had his back to Sonobe Keiichi, seemingly also in a dazed state.
"Heh…"
The corner of Sonobe Keiichi's mouth curled up slightly: "The gold list third is nothing more than this…"
Ding—
However, the next moment, his smile froze.
The expressions of the other Gorosei also stiffened.
The blade of the First Generation Demon Blade only made a crisp sound when it struck Saitama's bald head. Saitama's bald head was completely unharmed, not even his scalp was broken.
"This, how is this possible?!"
Sonobe Keiichi looked as if he had seen a ghost, his eyes wide, his Face full of disbelief.
Saitama turned around expressionlessly, looked up at the First Generation Demon Blade on his head, then looked at Sonobe Keiichi and asked, "Is this your sword?"
Sonobe Keiichi, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his pupils constricted, suddenly retracted his sword and retreated, moving to the center of the Gorosei, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Ogata Kenichi swallowed, turned his head and said, "Sonobe, what's going on? Did you hold back?"
All of them felt a chill in their hearts. Although the event had happened before their eyes, they still couldn't believe it.
Sonobe Keiichi nodded, then shook his head.
Although there was an element of probing in his previous move, he had still used eighty percent of his strength. Combined with the indestructible First Generation Demon Blade, he hadn't even broken the opponent's scalp.
This… was this guy even human?
"All together!"
Hirano Masato's scar on his temple twitched, and he narrowed his eyes and shouted, "I don't believe that if all five of us attack him together, he can still be this arrogant!"
The other four nodded, all showing serious expressions, and simultaneously assumed attack stances.
"Oh?"
Saitama raised his eyebrows, somewhat displeased: "You guys are too weak, you're not my opponents. Hurry up and call out that guy from before. I don't have time to mess around with you."
The Gorosei's Faces twitched. They had seen arrogant people, but never anyone this arrogant!
Facing the five Gorosei of the World Government attacking simultaneously, he actually mocked them for being too weak.
This was unbearable!
Ogata Kenichi roared, "Kill him for me!"
The five figures simultaneously surged forward, all pouncing towards Saitama. Their bodies were instantly covered in Armament Haki, with the unique pinkish energy either circling their palms or swirling around their blades.
"Die—"
Five enraged shouts rang out simultaneously, accompanied by surging power.
"Sword Domain · Sky Kill!"
Within ten meters of Saitama, countless translucent Sword Qi condensed, their tips pointing directly at Saitama in the center, with boundless Killing Intent.
Noda Keiichi's body transformed into a towering giant in mid-air, instantly bursting the conference room ceiling. With a roar, his fist slammed down fiercely.
Ogata Kenichi circled to the rear, his hands crossed to form a unique hand seal, framing Saitama within it, and he whispered, "Five Senses Reversal—Demon Possession!"
Hirano Masato and Masutani Yasunori also simultaneously flanked Saitama from both sides, each employing their methods. One's eyes glowed with an eerie light, the other's upper body burst open, bones creaking, his entire body swelling, transforming into a tall giant ape, pulling out a long staff from behind and smashing it fiercely towards Saitama's head.
"Escape!"
Genos's whole body was blaring alarms, feeling an unprecedented sense of crisis. Fortunately, the opponent wasn't targeting the three of them. He instantly grabbed the still-dazed Hellish Blizzard and Buggy the Clown with both hands, shot into the sky, and frantically fled through the broken ceiling.
"A little interesting…"
Saitama still had no major change in expression, but a golden gauntlet appeared on his right hand!
God-Slaying Gauntlet!
"Since you're treating me with such importance, I'll give you some Face too!"
Saitama completely ignored the Sword Qi that was almost upon him, and punched out.
Bang—
The surrounding space seemed to freeze at this moment.
The Gorosei's figures paused in place, and then each of them was struck by a punch wind. Their entire bodies instantly spat blood and flew backward, losing consciousness and fainting in mid-air.
Boom boom boom boom boom—
All five of them were smashed into the ruins, the entire conference room rumbled and trembled, and the next moment the entire building began to collapse.
With the power of one punch, all the Gorosei were defeated!
"Teacher!"
Genos's figure reappeared in the sky. Seeing his teacher completely unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief, sighing in his heart that his teacher was still so invincible.
With him around, nothing seemed to be a problem; no matter how powerful an opponent, they couldn't withstand the power of his teacher's single punch.
Just now, he was utterly terrified. The five old men exuded an Aura of destruction that could shatter the heavens and earth. Within a radius of ten zhang around them, it was all a land of ruin.
Even as a cyborg, he felt every cell in his body trembling.
Not to mention Hellish Blizzard and Buggy the Clown; they were completely paralyzed with fear, held by Genos, looking as if they were about to die.
"This is so boring, Genos…"
Saitama looked helpless, glancing at the God-Slaying Gauntlet in his hand: "With this thing, it seems I'll have even more trouble finding an opponent!"
He looked around again, a bit unwilling.
"Logically, that guy should have some connection with these old men, right? They've all been beaten, shouldn't he come out for revenge?"
After beating the younger ones, the older ones come out—this should be the expected plot device!
But after a long while, there was still no movement.
The Gorosei were buried under the rubble, and it was unknown whether they were dead or alive.
In the distance, a commotion could already be heard; it seemed the surrounding guards were rushing over.
Genos said, "Teacher, we should go!"
Saitama said, "The strongest guy hasn't come out yet. I came here specifically for him!"
Genos said helplessly, "Teacher, we've already torn down their house and made too much of a ruckus. What if they ask us for compensation later? And it's been so long, I think that person has probably already left."
Saitama's eyes widened, and he instinctively patted his pocket, saying alertly, "Genos, you're right, that person should have already left, so let's hurry up and go!"
Genos was a bit speechless; when it came to money, his teacher was quite nervous.
Saitama's body glowed with a golden Holy Light, and a handsome set of armor emerged from within him. A pair of golden wings unfurled behind him, and he floated into the air, grabbing Genos. With a flap of his wings, the four of them transformed into a golden streak of light and instantly vanished into the sky.
"Ah, this, this, this… What on earth happened?"
When the Captain of the Holy Land Mary Geoise guard 隊 arrived with his soldiers, he stared at the vast ruins before him, dumbfounded.
"Could it be that the pirates have already attacked?"
The soldiers were immediately startled, holding their weapons and looking left and right.
"It's terrifying!"
At this moment, a towering black shadow appeared above the ruins, looking up in the direction where Saitama and the others had disappeared, muttering to itself, "Is this the existence of the gold list third? This guy is actually this powerful. I can't imagine how strong that mysterious gold list number one must be!"
After a moment of silence, he whispered, "I am still severely injured and cannot confront him head-on. Once my injuries heal, I will repay today's grudge twofold!"
There was a hint of bravado in his words.
Immediately after, he turned his head to look at the guard soldiers below, and said in a low voice, "Return to your positions! No one is allowed to approach without orders!"
The guard soldiers were stunned; they had never seen this person before.
Normally, the Gorosei held all the power, and Imu rarely showed his face.
But the guard Captain was very quick-witted. He could tell this was a big shot, and even though he hadn't seen him before, he knew he couldn't afford to offend him. He quickly nodded and said, "Yes, sir!"
Then he quickly led the guard soldiers away.
The black figure reached into the ruins, which then split open. Five figures flew out and floated before him—it was the Gorosei!
At this moment, all five were unconscious, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths, their bodies limp. Their bones were shattered, but fortunately, these five old men had extraordinary Physiques and had not yet drawn their last breath.
"Damn it!"
The black figure cursed under his breath: "All five of them are severely injured. We've lost five of our strongest combatants in one go. The upcoming battle will be much more difficult! However, the scales of victory still tip in our favor; it won't affect us, as long as no other variables appear…"
After speaking, the black figure soared into the sky, sweeping towards the distance, with the five figures floating closely behind him.
…
At this moment, on the vast ocean.
An endless pirate fleet sailed across the sea, heading directly for Holy Land Mary Geoise.
It gathered pirates from all over the Grand Line, as well as pirates from the Four Seas.
They were all excited, singing and dancing on their ships, fully enjoying this final feast.
Perhaps, this was their last frenzy.
At the very center of the numerous pirate ships was the fleet of the Four Emperors.
At this moment, on the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard, Kaido, Big Mom, Red Hair, Golden Lion Shiki, and the returned Roger were gathered here, each holding a wine cup and sitting cross-legged, surrounded by their important subordinates.
"Come, a toast to our impending victory, to the freedom of the sea, cheers!"
Golden Lion Shiki was extremely excited.
He had been imprisoned in Impel Down for many years. He had just escaped thanks to the Golden Rankings reward and then heard such exhilarating news, which made him incredibly thrilled.
No one could truly understand his hatred for the Marine and the World Government.
And no one knew what kind of Hellish life he had endured in Impel Down, the Great Deep Sea Prison.
That's why he rushed to support them the moment he escaped. He didn't care about anything else; his biggest goal now was to overthrow the World Government. Even his former dream of becoming the Pirate King and the overlord of the seas could take a back seat.
"Shiki, don't celebrate too early!"
Roger glanced at the Golden Lion and said lightly, "The World Government has stood for many years; it's not that easy to deal with."
As the only recognized Pirate King, Roger understood the World Government much better than anyone else present.
"Who cares!"
The Golden Lion said indifferently, "As long as we can kill them and overthrow the World Government, even if I die in this war, it doesn't matter!"
"The most difficult ones to deal with are actually those five old men!"
Whitebeard spoke, his tone somewhat solemn: "The strength of those five old men is terrifying. Even Captain Rocks couldn't withstand their combined efforts back then and died with regret on the spot."
"That's indeed the case."
Kaido also nodded. All of them had once been crew members on Rocks's ship, but at that time, Kaido had not yet eaten the Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan type, Dragon Form Devil Fruit.
His strength was not yet this powerful.
"However, with our current strength, even if we can't defeat them, holding them back shouldn't be a problem. As long as we hold back their high-end combat power, with so many of us, we can completely sweep away all the other Marines!"
Big Mom sneered, "A general without soldiers is just a bare commander. The World Government will cease to exist! Then we can slowly deal with these old guys together!"
At the same time, at Marineford.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat on his chair, his brows deeply furrowed.
He had just received orders that the Gorosei were severely wounded by the gold list third, and their lives were unknown. The war, which was originally to be led by them, was now entirely in his hands.
This made Sengoku uneasy.
The Gorosei were the most crucial combat power in this war, and also a significant high-end force to contain Whitebeard, Roger, and others.
Now, all five of them had fallen into the hands of the gold list third, which inevitably led to terrifying conjectures.
What did this gold list third mean?
Invading Holy Land Mary Geoise at such a time and severely wounding the Gorosei.
It was practically an indirect way of helping the pirates.
If he intervened in the battle between the two sides, with his strength, he could completely turn the tide of the war.
What Devil Fruit Users, what Pacifista, were simply not enough in front of such a person.
"What are you worrying about, Sengoku?"
Garp mocked, munching on a senbei, "Didn't news already come from Mary Geoise that the gold list third is just a battle maniac? His goal should be Imu, and dealing with those five old geezers was just an afterthought. He probably won't interfere in the battle between the Marines and the pirates."
Sengoku narrowed his eyes and said irritably, "Who can say for sure about such things? If he makes a move then, who can stop him? Imu is still recovering from severe injuries. If he appears, the situation could instantly reverse! In front of such a strong person, any number of people would just be sending themselves to their deaths."
Kizaru deeply agreed, "This mysterious Golden Rankings is definitely not randomly ranked. That black cat was terrifyingly strong, and that was only the gold list second. If the gold list number one made a move, I'm afraid we could just give up directly."
"If that's the case, we can just run away. As long as Marineford is safe, as for Mary Geoise…"
Garp sneered. He actually had no good feelings for those so-called Celestial Dragons.
The reason he was reluctant to be promoted to Admiral and remained in the position of Vice Admiral was that he did not want to be commanded by the Celestial Dragons.
Once one reached the position of Admiral or Fleet Admiral, they would already be directly subordinate to the Celestial Dragons of Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Sengoku glanced at Garp, sighed, and remained silent.
For a time, the office fell silent.
The Marines and the World Government, who had originally held an absolute advantage, now became somewhat uneasy due to the inexplicable intervention of the gold list third.
But with the arrow on the string, it had to be fired. Three days later, the pirate army was going to attack Holy Land Mary Geoise.
This war, they had to fight whether they wanted to or not.
Just then, the office was interrupted by a series of urgent knocks.
"Come in!"
Sengoku was a bit displeased. Who was so tactless as to disturb him at such a time.
A Marine Lieutenant Commander walked in, saluted the several high-ranking officers in the office, then walked to Sengoku's side and whispered a few words.
"What did you say?"
Sengoku's eyes instantly widened, and he stood up from his seat in surprise, frowning, "Are you sure?"
The Marine Lieutenant Commander nodded, "It's true. The people are at Sabaody Archipelago. Our Marine brothers stationed there saw them with their own eyes."
"Alright, I understand. You may leave!"
Sengoku pondered for a moment, then waved his hand.
After the Marine Lieutenant Commander left, the several high-ranking officers immediately cast curious glances at Sengoku.
Garp asked, "What kind of situation makes even an old guy like you react like this? Has another strong person made a move?"
Sengoku took a deep breath, and after a long while, said, "No, they haven't made a move, but indeed strange people have appeared. I just received intelligence that individuals suspected to be the gold list number one and gold list second have appeared at Sabaody Archipelago!"
At these words, everyone was shocked.
"The gold list number one and gold list second?"
Kizaru at this moment was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, almost jumping out of his seat. He subconsciously touched his empty sleeve and swallowed, saying, "Are you sure?"
Sengoku shook his head, "Not entirely sure. After all, the existence of the gold list number one is too mysterious. No one has truly seen his appearance, not even you, despite your close contact with him. So it's just a suspicion."
Kizaru asked suspiciously, "Then why are you so sure it's them?"
Sengoku tapped on the table, his face a bit gloomy, "These two guys killed three Celestial Dragons at Sabaody Archipelago!"
Hiss—
The several high-ranking officers present couldn't help but gasp.
The status of Celestial Dragons in the Pirate World was well-known. To dare to attack and kill Celestial Dragons was simply audacious, as if they were tired of living.
However, in the current situation, it was not entirely incomprehensible.
Firstly, the pirates were now gathered to attack Holy Land Mary Geoise. If the Holy Land fell and the World Government collapsed, then killing a few Celestial Dragons would not be a big deal.
Furthermore, if they were indeed the gold list number one and gold list second, let alone killing a few Celestial Dragons, even if one person attacked the Holy Land and Marineford, no one would be surprised.
But looking at it now, killing Celestial Dragons was still a major event, and if they were truly the gold list number one and gold list second, they couldn't be left unchecked.
Sengoku paced back and forth in the office with his hands behind his back, thinking of a countermeasure.
Garp said carelessly, "Sengoku, don't hesitate. So what if it's the gold list number one? Let's go and see first. What kind of Fleet Admiral are you, being so timid!"
Sengoku glared at him fiercely. This old guy was getting more and more presumptuous.
However, crude as his words were, the reasoning was sound. Whether it was true or false, they had to go and see first, after all, the world was still controlled by the World Government and the Marines.
"Kizaru, you come with us!"
Sengoku directly called his name.
Kizaru immediately shook his head repeatedly, "I'm not going. There are so many of you, you don't need me! Marineford needs someone to look after it. What if the pirates launch a sneak attack?"
This guy was scared out of his wits by the gold list number one and gold list second. Even if he didn't know if it was true, he didn't dare to go.
Sengoku squinted at him, "Enough with the nonsense. You don't have a choice at a time like this. Only you have seen the two of them. Although you haven't seen their true faces, you at least have some idea. Usually, you can joke around and slack off all you want, but for something like this, be serious, you bastard!"
This scholarly Admiral had been driven to the brink by recent events, swearing repeatedly.
Kizaru knew he couldn't escape, so he could only sigh. His usual playful expression also disappeared.
The group quickly arrived at the port. Fleet Admiral Sengoku personally took charge, leading a group of Marine Admirals to Sabaody Archipelago.
At the same time, no one noticed that a golden pupil on the golden list in the sky suddenly opened wide, looking down at Sabaody Archipelago.
In the northern part of the Three Realms, in the former Pirate World, lay the Sabaody Archipelago.
This was originally the convergence point of the Four Seas and the starting point of the Grand Line.
Generally speaking, there were only two ways to enter the Grand Line.
The first was to coat one's ship at the Sabaody Archipelago, then enter Fish-Man Island ten thousand meters beneath the sea, and from there proceed into the New World of the Grand Line.
The second was to pass through the Calm Belt, but there was no propulsion force there, requiring ships to advance on their own. Moreover, the Calm Belt was teeming with Sea Kings, making it very risky. Generally, only Marines with special skills would take this route.
At this moment, on Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 16.
Within the Sabaody Archipelago, Groves 1 to 29 were lawless areas where all sorts of illicit dealings thrived, and they were also a favorite gathering place for pirates.
In front of the Human Auction House.
Three figures now lay in pools of blood, each with a transparent bubble helmet covering their heads.
This was the symbol of the Celestial Dragons, used to distinguish themselves from ordinary people and to show their lofty and unique status, as they disdained breathing the same air as these people.
Around these three corpses, a large crowd had gathered.
There were civilians, some pirates unwilling to participate in the war between the two major powers, and most numerous were the Marines.
These Marines, having received orders from above, merely surrounded the area tightly, each holding a flintlock, their expressions tense, but they did not advance.
Encircled in the very center, standing beside the corpses, was a strange Black Robe Man, holding a black cat in his arms, which was lazily stretching its body.
"You all… don't intend to let me leave, do you?"
From beneath the black robe, a peculiar voice, neither male nor female, emerged, as a hand as white as jade reached out to gently stroke the black cat's back.
The leading Marine general, steeling himself, took a step forward and said, "I'm sorry, sir, but you have wantonly killed here. We cannot simply let you leave. Please cooperate with us!"
This Marine general wore a great cloak, with a star on his shoulder, identifying him as Marineford Rear Admiral Tarfa. He was also a rare Devil Fruit User of the Mythical Zoan type, with no low strength, yet he still dared not act rashly.
Because he had received intelligence from above that this individual before him was very likely the mysterious gold list number one. If he angered the other party, not only would he and his men be in trouble, but it was also highly probable that he would implicate the entire Marineford and the World Government.
In the current situation, a single move could affect the whole, and no one dared to act recklessly.
"Cooperate?"
The Black Robe Man chuckled, "Alright, how do you want me to cooperate?"
Rear Admiral Tarfa hadn't expected this individual, suspected to be the gold list number one, to be so agreeable. He looked at the other party with some suspicion and said, "If Your Excellency is willing to cooperate, that would be excellent. If possible, please accompany me to Marineford."
The Black Robe Man tilted his head, "I really want to go with you, but I haven't explored this place enough yet. I want to play around for a few more days."
"This…"
Tarfa was in a bind.
What did this guy mean?
Cooperate or not cooperate?
"Also."
The Black Robe Man pointed at the surrounding Marines and said indifferently, "These guys surrounding me make me feel very uncomfortable. When I'm uncomfortable, I do things I don't even like myself. Do you understand what I mean?"
Tarfa's hair stood on end. He could neither withdraw his troops nor easily defy the other party's wishes. While he was hesitating,
Suddenly, from the sky above, a bolt of lightning struck down, illuminating the sky even brighter.
Boom!
Following that was a tremendous roar.
A massive hammer crashed to the ground, sinking deep into the earth, with only half of its handle exposed. Blue electric arcs still danced on it, and the surrounding ground cracked inch by inch.
A figure slowly descended, landing on the hammer's handle. He was tall, with an arrogant and domineering gaze, and a hint of curiosity.
"Oh… so this is the Lower Realm…"
Everyone around was greatly astonished, and Tarfa was also somewhat surprised and uncertain.
The Aura displayed by the other party was absolutely beyond his own. Just looking at that huge hammer, as tall as a person, was awe-inspiring.
Where did this strange fellow come from now?
Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted.
"It's him, the Sky Island ruler, Eneru, ranked fiftieth on the Golden Rankings!"
"So it's him!"
"That guy who calls himself 'God' on Sky Island!"
"Such terrifying power. Is that hammer the Golden Rankings reward, the 'Thunder God's Hammer'?"
"Why is he here?"
The crowd immediately began to chatter, and many people had already started to retreat.
Tarfa looked at the man standing on the Thunder God's Hammer with a long staff on his back, his expression surprised and uncertain. He asked, "Are you Eneru?"
Eneru glanced at him and said indifferently, "Call me Lord Thunder God!"
Tarfa's expression twitched. Another madman!
He remembered Akainu saying that this guy was extremely arrogant, had a terrible personality, and was not someone to be easily appeased. There was virtually no possibility of recruiting him. Once he appeared, even if he wasn't a pirate, he would absolutely not become an ally.
Tarfa looked at the Black Robe Man in the arena, then at Eneru, and a slight smile suddenly appeared at the corner of his mouth as he asked, "Is Your Excellency also here to admire the demeanor of the gold list number one?"
At these words, the entire place was shocked.
Everyone looked at Tarfa in astonishment.
What?
gold list number one?
Who?
That Black Robe Man?
Everyone suddenly realized.
No wonder the Rear Admiral had brought so many people but had been hesitant to act. It turned out this guy was the legendary mysterious gold list number one!
Yes, yes, that mysterious guy with a black cat. Only such an existence could make the Marine and the World Government so wary, not even daring to hold him responsible for killing a Celestial Dragon.
"gold list number one?"
Eneru's eyebrows immediately shot up, his expression becoming somewhat excited. His figure flickered, turning into a blue electric light that appeared directly in front of Tarfa. He grabbed the other party's neck and lifted him, asking with a cackle, "Who is it?"
Tarfa felt his breathing become difficult and subconsciously used his Devil Fruit power. His entire body swelled, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a three-tailed red fox. His three tails coiled towards Eneru.
"Behave!"
Eneru waved his hand unceremoniously, and a bolt of lightning struck the other party's body.
Tarfa's body twitched, emitting scorched smoke, almost being electrocuted unconscious. His three tails drooped limply, and his body slowly returned to its original state.
An existence ranked fiftieth on the Golden Rankings was terrifying!
A Marine Rear Admiral, a Devil Fruit User, was no match for a single move from him!
The entire place was in an uproar, and the Marine soldiers also subconsciously took two steps back.
"It's him!"
Tarfa, dispirited, waved his hand and pointed at the Black Robe Man in the arena, speaking with some difficulty.
"Oh?"
Eneru turned his head to look at the arena, threw Tarfa aside, and extended his right hand. The Thunder God's Hammer, which had crashed into the ground, vibrated with a hum, transforming into a bolt of electricity that shot out and was caught in his hand.
The Black Robe Man looked at Eneru with interest, then let out a strange chuckle and glanced at Tarfa, who had been thrown aside: "Shifting the blame? A bit interesting!"
Cold sweat poured down Tarfa's forehead as he retreated repeatedly.
He couldn't afford to provoke either of these two guys.
He wasn't very old, yet he had already ascended to the position of a Marine Rear Admiral, and he had been extremely complacent. Now, he realized that with his strength, he was nothing in this world.
Eneru held a staff in his left hand, and the enormous Thunder God's Hammer rested on his right shoulder. Electricity flickered all over him, and he slowly floated up, looking down at the Black Robe Man below.
"If I kill you, will I get the strongest Golden Rankings reward?"
Eneru asked.
The Black Robe Man chuckled noncommittally: "Perhaps, you should try!"
Eneru nodded seriously: "Okay, then I'll try!"
With that, he raised the Thunder God's Hammer, electric arcs danced in his eyes, a terrifying Aura brewed, and dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, with lightning flashing continuously within them.
"Ten Thousand Thunders · Two Hundred Million Volts!"
Eneru waved his hand, and ten thousand dense bolts of lightning were suddenly released from the dark clouds, completely covering the area below.
"Run away—"
"This... what kind of existence is this!"
"Devil! He's a Devil!"
The crowd below immediately let out cries of alarm, scattering and fleeing in all directions.
Eneru laughed wildly, spreading his arms and shouting: "No! I am a God!"
"God?"
The Black Robe Man sneered: "You? Worthy?"
After he spoke, the space around him suddenly twisted, and he seemed to collapse inwards before disappearing.
Ten thousand bolts of lightning all missed their target.
But the surrounding onlookers suffered.
The lightning field covered too large an area; most of them didn't have time to escape. Some were directly struck by lightning, instantly turning into charcoal, and then crumbling into a pile of black powder.
Screams of agony made people's scalps tingle. Those who had escaped beyond the lightning field looked back, their scalps tingling, feeling sympathy for them while also filled with fear for the figure floating in mid-air.
God?
This was clearly a complete and utter devil.
However, Eneru didn't care about his actions at all; death, to him, was a kind of blessing.
To die by his hand was an honor.
"Only running away? Coward!"
Eneru, finding he had lost his target, immediately grew angry, looking around for the Black Robe Man's trace.
"What are you looking for..."
Suddenly, behind Eneru, space twisted again, and the Black Robe Man emerged, stepping out of the Void Realm, letting out a mocking laugh.
Eneru's pupils suddenly contracted. He swung his arm fiercely, and the life-sized Thunder God's Hammer felt as light as nothing in his hand, moving as if an extension of his arm. The wind howled, and in the blink of an eye, it was above the Black Robe Man's head.
But in the next moment, he was shocked again.
His Thunder God's Hammer passed right through the opponent's body, as if it hadn't touched anything.
The opponent's figure transformed into a phantom the moment it came into contact with the Thunder God's Hammer.
Boom!
The Black Robe Man casually waved his hand, and Eneru was sent flying backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood in mid-air.
"How is this possible?!"
Eneru's face was filled with disbelief: "A Logia Devil Fruit User?"
However, he didn't even have time to think further, as the Black Robe Man moved again.
Behind him, a majestic blue giant suddenly rose, surging energy pulsating within it. A huge hand, like a mountain, pressed down towards Eneru.
At this moment, Eneru was covered in cold sweat, as if enduring immense pain, trembling uncontrollably, his pupils losing focus. He was indifferent to the colossal hand above his head, instead seemingly trapped in some kind of illusion.
Pfft!
Eneru was slammed down to the ground by the giant hand, then scooped up and held in its palm.
"No—"
Eneru suddenly let out a piercing, inhuman scream. His pupils refocused, but he was horrified to find that he was already severely wounded and in the enemy's hands.
He looked extremely miserable at this moment; the Thunder God's Hammer lay discarded, the taiko drums on his shoulders were shattered, blood hung from the corner of his mouth, and he appeared utterly disheveled, completely devoid of his previous arrogant, self-proclaimed divine appearance.
"Surrender, or die!"
The Black Robe Man floated at the chest of the energy giant, looking coldly at Eneru, issuing his final warning.
Eneru narrowed his eyes and remained silent for a long time before dejectedly saying: "Surrender!"
"Good!"
The Black Robe Man chuckled lightly, waving his hand. The energy giant dissipated directly into the air, and Eneru fell straight down, but was supported by a surge of energy just before hitting the ground.
Immediately, a gentle green force enveloped him, and his injuries began to heal at a visible rate.
"This power..."
Eneru was once again shocked.
He could now confirm that the opponent was definitely not a Devil Fruit User, possessing so many miraculous abilities.
In front of this Black Robe Man, he was like a child, completely powerless to fight back.
He now believed that the opponent was indeed the mysterious gold list number one.
Soon, Eneru stood up again. Although still disheveled, his injuries had mostly recovered.
"My Lord!"
Eneru knelt on one knee, showing his submission to the Black Robe Man.
The Black Robe Man hummed in response, raising his hand. The black cat, which had previously run off to who knows where, darted out from the corner and into his arms, letting out a lazy "Meow" cry.
"May I ask the purpose of your trip, My Lord?"
Eneru asked.
The Black Robe Man said: "No particular purpose, just wandering around idly. Who knew I'd encounter a few ignorant fellows who ruined my mood, so I killed them casually, which then attracted these people..."
Mid-sentence, he suddenly tilted his head and looked north.
Not far away on the street, a group of people rapidly approached, all wearing white Marine uniforms, draped in cloaks, with the two large characters "Justice" printed on their backs.
The leader wore round-rimmed glasses, was tall, and had a long, braided beard on his chin, exuding a dignified Aura.
It was the Marineford Fleet Admiral—Fo Zhi Sengoku!
And behind him were his subordinates.
Marineford Vice Admiral Hero "Iron Fist" Garp.
Marineford Admiral "Kizaru" Borsalino.
Marineford Admiral "Akainu" Sakazuki.
Marineford Admiral "Aokiji" Kuzan.
Marineford Vice Admiral and Chief of Staff Tsuru.
Former Marineford Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr!
And behind these Marineford officers, the Shichibukai followed, and behind them, ten burly Pacifista, each with a solemn expression, looking at the already chaotic and messy environment, as well as the charred, inhuman, curled-up corpses on the ground, their brows furrowed.
Their gazes simultaneously turned to the two figures in the arena.
"It's that kid from Sky Island!"
Although Eneru looked a bit disheveled now, Akainu quickly recognized him.
The ruler of Sky Island, Golden Rankings number fifty, Eneru!
Looking at the two men's positions, the Marines couldn't help but guess the relationship between them.
"Are you the Marine of this Lower Realm?"
Eneru saw Sengoku and his group, walked directly up to them, and spoke on behalf of the Black Robe Man.
"Lower Realm?"
Sengoku frowned; this kid's tone was incredibly arrogant. Did he really think he was a god?
Akainu stepped forward, staring at Eneru, and roared, "Did you kill these people?"
They had all seen Eneru's Golden Rankings information: a Logia-type Lightning-Lightning Fruit user, who had also received the Golden Rankings reward, the Thunder God's Hammer. The victims on the scene had clearly been burned to death by lightning.
Eneru was not so polite to others. With the Thunder God's Hammer on his shoulder, he squinted and said, "That's right, it was I!"
Akainu was furious. His right fist instantly turned into scorching magma, emitting intense heat, and he shouted, "How dare you indiscriminately kill my Marine soldiers! You damned bastard, I'll show you Marine's Justice right now!"
Eneru was not afraid of him at all.
With his talent, coupled with the Heaven-Defying Logia-type Lightning-Lightning Fruit, and having obtained the Thunder God's Hammer, which was perfectly suited to him, Eneru's strength had advanced by leaps and bounds.
"Even when beating a dog, you must look at its owner…"
Suddenly, a faint voice sounded from behind Eneru.
The Black Robe Man, holding a black cat, slowly strolled to Eneru's front, facing the Marine bigwigs, and said with a smile, "He is my person. Would Your Excellencies please give me some face?"
Sengoku and the others' pupils suddenly constricted, and they subconsciously took a step back.
Kizaru was so startled that his hair stood on end, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, almost using Yata no Kagami to run away.
"Who is Your Excellency?"
Sengoku's forehead broke out in a fine cold sweat as he forced himself to ask.
He was still praying in his heart, hoping it wasn't him.
Such an existence appearing on Sabaody Archipelago at such a critical juncture already indicated many problems.
The final battle between pirates and the World Government was imminent; this was a very sensitive period.
First, the Gorosei were inexplicably severely injured by Saitama, the gold list third, and now there was an existence suspected to be the gold list number one or two. Sengoku, as the Fleet Admiral, was overwhelmed.
The Black Robe Man seemed to be completely enveloped in shadow by his black robe, making his face impossible to discern. However, the black cat in his arms was very well-behaved, dozing with its eyes narrowed, resting in the crook of his arm.
He stroked the black cat's back and said faintly, "You can call me 'Zetsu'!"
This was clearly a fake name.
Sengoku and the others were somewhat hesitant and uneasy.
They still couldn't be sure whether the other party was truly the gold list number one.
Sengoku secretly glanced at Kizaru, giving him an inquiring look.
Kizaru, on the other hand, stared intently at the Black Robe Man, but couldn't see the face inside. In fact, even if he had seen it, it wouldn't have mattered, because he hadn't remembered the face when he encountered that person at sea.
But when he looked at the black cat, his pupils constricted.
It was this black cat that had suddenly erupted and severed one of his arms. If he hadn't had a Breakthrough during the battle and was already a Glint-Glint Fruit user known for his speed, he would have probably died on the spot.
It could be said that this black cat gave him more of a shadow than the gold list number one.
He almost had a black cat phobia now.
"It's him!"
Kizaru Borsalino nodded heavily, secretly pointing at the black cat in the Black Robe Man's arms, and affirmed, "I recognize this cat. It must be the one that severely injured me back then. So this mysterious Black Robe Man must be him!"
Sengoku eyed Kizaru suspiciously.
Don't all black cats in this world look alike? How are you so sure?
However, he didn't delve deeper.
The other party's identity could now be more or less confirmed.
They had seen the great battle from afar when they were at the port.
That colossal, towering energy giant was somewhat similar to Sengoku's Great Buddha form, but its strength was even greater.
As for how much stronger, he couldn't be sure, because he hadn't had close contact with it.
But the fact that this guy who came down from Sky Island was subdued so quickly in such a short time meant that his strength was at least undeniable.
And on the current Golden Rankings, apart from the mysterious gold list number one, the basic information of everyone else was public. They hadn't found an existence that matched this guy in front of them.
Carrying a black cat, with unfathomable strength, who else could it be but the gold list number one?
"Lord Zetsu!"
Sengoku immediately lowered his posture and respectfully said, "May I ask if you have any business here?"
He was afraid that the other party would say he also wanted to participate in the war of pirates against the Marine and the World Government. If that were the case, they would just give up; there would be no suspense at all.
The Black Robe Man seemed to see through his thoughts and chuckled, "Don't worry, I'm just passing by and not interested in your affairs. It's just that I seem to have killed a very important guy just now, and your people surrounded me and said they wanted to arrest me…"
Sengoku's forehead was sweating, and he quickly said, "Those are subordinates who don't understand. Please do whatever you want. We will never interfere without authorization!"
"That's good!"
The Black Robe Man nodded, then waved directly, "That… Eneru, right? Let's go!"
Eneru acknowledged, walked past Sengoku, and glanced at these Marine bigwigs, most of whom were stronger than him, feeling a surge of satisfaction in his heart.
It seems there are benefits to following this adult, after all.
Even if these old guys, ranked above him, were displeased with him, and he had just killed many of their people, even so, they dared not touch him!
Eneru licked his lips, pondering whether, after their relationship improved, he could ask this adult to help severely injure a few higher-ranked guys so he could finish them off. He wondered if this would allow him to displace higher-ranked powerhouses and receive rewards.
Watching the two gradually walk away, Sengoku and his group all breathed a sigh of relief.
"This person… is very strong!"
Hawkeye remained silent for a long time before uttering this single sentence.
Everyone rolled their eyes.
No kidding, we all saw it. Did you need to say it?
Gekko Moriah was the first to state, "Old man Sengoku, I'm telling you in advance. If this guy participates in the war, I'm directly fleeing. I absolutely will not continue to fight!"
Doflamingo also cackled, "Me too. If someone of this caliber participates, none of us will survive. We are not Marines; there's no need for us to die for you!"
Akainu immediately became furious, "Do you bastards want to be deserters?"
Saying that, he raised his scorching fist.
He wanted to kill these two unstable factors on the spot.
Sengoku waved his hand and said, "Forget it, Akainu, we can't blame them. The deterrent power of the gold list number one is too strong. If he really intervenes in this war, I'm afraid even we would only have two outcomes: either die on the battlefield or immediately flee. There would be no room for maneuver."
He still had one thing he hadn't told everyone present, which was that the Gorosei had actually been severely wounded by the gold list third, and even Imu had not dared to show up.
Of course, the report didn't mention that Imu hadn't dared to show up, but with Sengoku's mind, he could still guess it.
If Imu's strength was comparable to or stronger than the opponent's, how could he not show up?
It could only mean that the strength of the gold list third was already so powerful that Imu was extremely wary of him.
Since the gold list third was so powerful, then the gold list number one...
Sengoku dared not say it. Once he did, the morale of the army would waver. Not to mention the Shichibukai, even the Marine side would probably have deserters.
There was a moment of silence among those present.
Especially the Shichibukai, who had originally planned to defect and help the World Government fight against the pirates, were now wavering after witnessing the appearance of the gold list number one.
They were not loyal supporters of the World Government; there was no need for them to fight to the death for them.
If something really happened, they would definitely save themselves and run away.
As long as there are green hills, there will be wood to burn. The Pirate World changing hands wouldn't have much impact on them. Even if they really couldn't stay, with the Three Realms now in Fusion, they could completely go to other worlds.
With their strength, as long as they weren't too ambitious, it would be no problem to occupy a territory and become kings.
Aokiji suddenly said, "Marshal, I remember the Golden Rankings previously issued a bounty order. As long as some information about the gold list number one could be found, a reward would be given..."
Sengoku's eyes lit up, and he nodded: "I wonder if what we found counts as information about the gold list number one. This is a good opportunity to verify the authenticity of this gold list number one!"
Aokiji's words reminded Sengoku.
Immediately, the group entered the live broadcast room and disseminated the information they had obtained.
[Fo Zhi Sengoku: "We found a suspected gold list number one on Sabaody Archipelago. We don't know his purpose. He is wearing a Black Robe, and his face is unclear, but his strength is extremely strong. He subdued Eneru, the 50th on the Golden Rankings who had just descended from the Lower Realm, with a single move. His abilities are unknown, but we saw him release a giant energy giant, and with a flip of his hand, the world changed color..."]
[Whitebeard: "What? You found the gold list number one? You're not trying to scare us because you're afraid we're about to attack Mary Geoise, are you? Or is it to trick the Golden Rankings into giving you a reward?"]
[Saitama: "The gold list number one appeared? Sabaody Archipelago? Is he still there? I'm going immediately!"]
[Sengoku: "...He said he would stay for a while longer. You still have a chance to see him if you go now."]
Sengoku harbored resentment towards the gold list third. If he hadn't severely wounded the Gorosei, his side wouldn't have lost so many top-tier combatants, and he wouldn't have been so passive.
But he couldn't say it. Saitama himself hadn't said anything, so how could he reveal such important information to Whitebeard and the others?
After waiting for about ten minutes, the Golden Rankings finally showed some activity.
[Information about the gold list number one has been obtained. Rewards are now being issued to the following individuals:]
[Fo Zhi Sengoku]
[Golden Rankings Reward: Invincible Golden Body (Consumable, grants an invincible state for ten minutes, making the user unkillable, and increases attack power by 300%)]
[Garp]
[Golden Rankings Reward: Heroic Soul Lamp (Can collect the heroic souls of those who died in battle and refine them within the lamp. Releasing them again can transform them into Heroic Spirits to participate in battle, with 80% of their original combat power.) (Note: Heroic Spirits will Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering if they die again. Please use with caution.)]
[Akainu]
[Golden Rankings Reward: Golden Crow Sacred Body (Possesses True Sun Fire, increases personal fire power by 200%, and can transform into a Golden Crow form)]
[Kizaru]
[Golden Rankings Reward: Golden Light Clone Technique (Can conjure countless Golden Light Clones with no attack power, but their authenticity cannot be discerned. Wherever there is light, there is your shadow.)]
[Aokiji]
[Golden Rankings Reward: Spatial Freeze (Extreme freezing power can freeze space, freezing time for three seconds. Within the frozen space, only thoughts can move; everything else is immobile. However, if the power gap is too large, one can forcibly break free.)]
...
A series of Golden Rankings rewards was simply dazzling.
Whether it was the Marine generals, the Shichibukai, or even Eneru who had left with the Black Robe Man, everyone received rewards.
Streaks of golden light descended from the sky and were delivered into the hands of the respective individuals.
The world immediately erupted into chaos.
Everyone was so envious they were almost going mad.
Good heavens, simply discovering the whereabouts of the gold list number one and obtaining some trivial information could actually earn such mysterious Golden Rankings rewards. How could this not excite people?
Everyone was speculating, and their hearts were incredibly shaken.
What kind of existence was this gold list number one that even the Golden Rankings was so wary of him?
Just to get his information, so many rewards were given, and a bounty order was even issued. Some people were already guessing whether this gold list number one could rival the mysterious Golden Rankings.
At the same time, on the Moby Dick, the pirate army was on its way to Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Whitebeard and a group of bigwigs sat together in silence.
After a while, Whitebeard sighed: "I didn't expect that at a time like this, those guys would get Golden Rankings rewards again. Their combat power needs to be re-evaluated. This is going to be a tough fight!"
Roger said, "Why do I feel like this Golden Rankings wants to make things bigger and bigger? Is this gold list number one really that strong, to make the Golden Rankings so wary?"
Golden Lion narrowed his eyes and said, "Perhaps. The gold list number one has such strong power, yet he hasn't shown it for so many years. No one in the Three Realms knows of his existence. This is evident."
Kaido snorted: "Afraid of what? So what if they got rewards? What needs to be killed still needs to be killed! I want to see how much longer they can last now!"
...
Zhou Li, sitting on a chair by the ship's rail, stared at the surging sea, stroking Blackie's smooth fur, and murmured to himself.
"Even if it's fake information, rewards are given. This Golden Rankings is really interesting. Is it afraid that the high-end combat power gap in this war is too large and cannot achieve your Gu-raising goal...? Issuing a bounty order, you're really going to great lengths to find me..."
"Master!"
A figure silently appeared behind Zhou Li. It was Thatch, the division commander who had been resurrected.