[i am gonna drop bonus chapters today so make sure to drop those powerstones!]
When they saw the gigantic green wall rising from the sea—
and the familiar face standing upon the crimson flower—
Kong, Garp, Sengoku, Akainu, Aokiji, Kizaru, and every Marine who had participated in the God Valley Incident…
all froze.
Their pupils shrank violently as they stared blankly at the man atop the red flower.
"Rōmu… is actually alive?"
Kong seemed as if all the strength had suddenly been drained from his body.
His expression wavered slightly.
For forty years, that name had lingered in the depths of their hearts.
Even though the man was believed to be dead—
the shadow he left behind had never faded.
But now…
the man who was supposed to have died had appeared alive before them.
In that instant, every detail of the God Valley battle surged back into Kong's mind like a tidal wave.
The terrifying scene that had haunted his dreams for decades—
returned vividly.
And the man standing before them now…
seemed even more terrifying than he had been back then.
"How is this possible…?"
"How could you still be alive?"
Not only Kong—
Sengoku beside him was also overwhelmed with shock.
Over the past several days he had carefully arranged Marineford's defenses.
The island had been turned into an impregnable fortress.
To ensure nothing unexpected would happen during this world-wide broadcast—
the number of troops, weapons, and top-tier fighters assembled here
had even exceeded those present during the God Valley battle.
But there was one thing Sengoku had never anticipated.
Rōmu… was still alive.
And he had chosen this moment to appear.
Sengoku had personally fought Rōmu during the God Valley battle.
He knew exactly how terrifying that man was.
And he knew what Rōmu's presence meant.
One man—
equal to an entire Marine Headquarters.
That wasn't an exaggeration.
"You want me dead?"
"Just the likes of you?"
Rōmu spat the toothpick from his mouth.
He sat cross-legged atop the massive red flower, speaking casually.
There was a playful expression on his face.
But when that calm expression entered Akainu's eyes—
his body suddenly began to tremble uncontrollably.
His Devil Fruit power burst forth instinctively.
In an instant, his entire body turned into molten magma.
"Akainu!"
Standing beside him, Kizaru and Aokiji called out simultaneously.
Their own shock was no less than Akainu's—
but their Marine discipline still allowed them to maintain control.
What they never expected was this:
The Admiral who always upheld Absolute Justice and remained completely rational—
had lost control.
Akainu ignored their voices.
"Rōmu… didn't die…"
he muttered.
Whitebeard.
Golden Lion.
Kaido.
Those so-called legendary pirates—
Akainu never cared about them.
But Rōmu was different.
"If Rōmu is still alive…"
"Then what was the justice I've upheld all these years…?"
Suddenly, Akainu raised his head.
His eyes locked onto Rōmu.
He roared.
"Rōmu!!"
The moment he shouted that name—
Marineford fell into absolute silence.
The sizzling sound of magma dripping from Akainu's arm onto the ground
echoed clearly.
After several seconds of silence—
an uproar exploded across the battlefield.
Everyone stopped fighting.
Weapons lowered.
"Did Admiral Akainu just call that man Rōmu?"
"That's Rōmu?!"
"But… didn't he die decades ago?"
"What is going on?!"
The Marines clutched their weapons tightly.
Fear spread across their faces.
The man whose name had been buried by history—
was alive.
On the execution platform—
Ace stared at the man who seemed like a god descending upon the battlefield.
"So that's Rōmu…"
"The man who fought nine of the Navy's strongest alone…"
"Of course someone like that wouldn't die so easily."
The shock in his heart was overwhelming.
For a moment, he had almost forgotten his own execution.
The aura Rōmu radiated—
was something even Whitebeard didn't possess.
On the Moby Dick.
Marco's eyes widened again.
He immediately flew beside Whitebeard, disbelief written across his face.
"Old man… is that really Rōmu?"
"The brother you always talked about when you were drunk…?"
Beside him, Jozu and Vista also stared intently at Whitebeard.
The man who had stunned the world during the God Valley battle—
fighting nine top fighters alone—
was still alive after forty years.
Even though Akainu had already spoken his name,
they still wanted confirmation from Whitebeard himself.
"Gurarararara!"
Whitebeard burst into thunderous laughter.
"I knew it!"
"Forty years!"
"I knew that bastard wouldn't die so easily!"
"He's Rōmu after all!"
Blood continued to flow from the wound in his chest—
the one inflicted earlier by his own betrayed son.
But Whitebeard didn't care in the slightest.
After hearing his words,
Marco and the others finally confirmed it.
The man the World Government had deliberately erased from history—
had truly returned.
On the fortress walls—
the Seven Warlords reacted in different ways.
"So the Navy lied earlier."
"They said Rōmu was already dead and posed no threat."
"This just got interesting."
Gecko Moria muttered nervously.
He was already thinking about how to escape.
Because if Rōmu really could fight nine top fighters alone—
the Navy's overwhelming advantage would disappear instantly.
After all, Moria was only a Warlord.
He had no intention of risking his life for the Marines.
Whitebeard Jr. had similar thoughts.
But beside them—
Blackbeard Teach suddenly grinned darkly.
When Sengoku mentioned Rōmu earlier,
Teach had already decided that one day he would surpass that man.
Now that Rōmu had appeared alive—
instead of fear, it only ignited his ambition further.
"Rōmu…"
"You'll become the stepping stone for my domination of the world."
Among the remaining Warlords—
Dracule Mihawk, Boa Hancock, and Donquixote Doflamingo all reacted differently.
Mihawk's eyes gleamed with interest.
Doflamingo's grin widened slowly.
But the most dramatic reaction came from Boa Hancock.
When she saw Rōmu descend upon the battlefield like a god—
her eyes sparkled.
She clasped her hands together.
And instantly fell into a dreamy fantasy.
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