It wasn't just the viewers watching the live broadcast who were shocked.
The crew members of the Beasts Pirates were equally stunned.
When they saw their revered Governor-General, Kaido, rushing toward that man named Rōmu without hesitation—and even calling him Captain—
they all froze where they stood.
"Rōmu… is Governor-General Kaido's captain? This… how is that possible?"
The masked man wearing a black double-breasted coat muttered in disbelief.
Even though his face was hidden behind a helmet and goggles, the shock in his voice was obvious.
He was fiercely loyal to Kaido.
Yet the usually imposing Governor-General now looked almost like a subordinate in front of Rōmu.
It completely overturned his understanding of Kaido.
"Governor-General Kaido seems to respect that man named Rōmu very much…"
"I wonder what exactly happened forty years ago."
The tall man with a long ponytail and two braided strands—Jack—said thoughtfully.
Although he was equally shocked, his eyes were filled with curiosity about the past.
"Hahaha! If Rōmu is our Governor-General's captain, then that means Rōmu is on our side!"
The fat man with purple lips and goggles laughed excitedly.
He was none other than Queen.
Timid by nature, Queen had felt immense pressure when the Five Elders stepped onto the battlefield earlier.
For a moment he had even felt like he might die at Marineford.
But now—
if Kaido had such a relationship with Rōmu—
then having such a terrifying powerhouse backing them meant there was nothing to worry about.
"Didn't Sengoku say Rōmu fought nine top fighters alone?"
"He can definitely defeat these Marines by himself!"
Queen excitedly sheathed his weapon.
Hearing this, King and Jack both looked at him speechlessly.
"Damn it! You coward!"
King snapped.
"The Beasts Pirates don't need anyone else's help to win!"
Even Jack couldn't help adding,
"Other people's strength means nothing. Only becoming stronger yourself truly matters."
Queen's yellow beard trembled angrily.
"You idiots! What do you know?"
"I'm not scared!"
"Then why did you put your weapon away?" King asked coldly.
"You sadistic maniac, you—!"
Queen immediately turned away, unwilling to continue the argument.
Instead, he looked up toward the enormous plant wall.
King and Jack followed his gaze.
At that moment—
Kaido stood beside Rōmu.
Compared to Rōmu's lean frame, Kaido looked like a massive tower of muscle.
Yet in terms of presence—
he seemed noticeably smaller.
Looking at Rōmu, Kaido had countless things he wanted to say.
But in the end, he chose silence.
Because he knew—
this was not the time.
Below them, the Five Elders were still watching Rōmu closely.
"You five old bastards…"
Rōmu looked at the Five Elders standing together and sneered.
"I didn't expect you to crawl out of that dog kennel this time."
For decades, the Five Elders had never left Mary Geoise.
So when Rōmu first saw them appear in Marineford through the broadcast earlier—
even he had been slightly surprised.
The kimono-clad elder ignored Rōmu's ridicule.
His eyes remained fixed on Rōmu.
Deep within them was overwhelming shock.
And hidden even deeper—
fear.
But he concealed it perfectly.
The moment Rōmu appeared, his aura had locked onto the five of them.
The pressure they felt was thousands of times stronger than what anyone else experienced.
The other four elders looked exactly the same.
None of them had expected this.
The man who had left an indelible mark on their memories—
the man they believed had already died—
had suddenly appeared before them again.
For forty years they had received no information whatsoever about Rōmu.
The level of secrecy was unbelievable.
"Rōmu!"
The elder with white curly hair growled through clenched teeth.
"Why are you still alive?!"
"Why?!"
He had anticipated many unexpected developments at Marineford.
But never this.
Rōmu's return.
He knew better than anyone how terrifying this man was.
When Rōmu was barely in his twenties—
he had already suppressed even Rocks D. Xebec with his overwhelming strength.
Now forty years had passed.
No one knew how powerful he had become.
But judging by the terrifying aura Rōmu was currently releasing—
it was obvious that his strength had grown far beyond what it once was.
The battle that had originally been one-sided—
was now beginning to move in a completely different direction.
"You think…"
"those so-called Thirteen Purple-Gold Kings could bury me at God Valley?"
Rōmu said calmly.
Green light flowed across the strange markings on his face.
An overwhelming energy radiated from his body.
The next moment—
his aura exploded outward.
A terrifying pressure surged in all directions with Rōmu at its center.
Within moments it had spread across the entire crescent bay.
The sea churned violently.
Invisible waves of force swept across the battlefield.
"What terrifying pressure…"
Near the execution platform—
Kong, Sengoku, Garp, Akainu, Aokiji, Kizaru, and the other top fighters were all inwardly shocked.
The stronger a person was—
the more clearly they could feel Rōmu's pressure.
Ordinary soldiers barely sensed anything.
But for the strongest fighters—
the pressure was overwhelming.
The Five Elders felt it the most.
They silently exerted their strength to resist the crushing wave of force.
The tight furrows in their brows revealed how difficult it was.
"This isn't Conqueror's Haki."
The kimono-clad elder said in a low voice while gripping the First Generation Kitetsu.
They were extremely familiar with Conqueror's Haki.
If this were Conqueror's Haki—
the weaker soldiers would already have collapsed.
Yet the countless soldiers across the battlefield were still standing.
"Then…"
"Is this simply pressure released by his presence alone?"
The blond elder exclaimed.
"A king-like aura… focused specifically on us!"
His words shocked the other elders.
Concentrating pure aura into targeted pressure?
What kind of technique was that?
And if Rōmu's mere presence already produced such terrifying pressure—
what would happen if he actually unleashed Conqueror's Haki?
Had Rōmu's strength truly reached such an absurd level?
But unlike the reactions of the world's strongest fighters—
the Marines and pirates elsewhere on the battlefield were confused.
Because they were all thinking about the same thing.
The words Rōmu had just spoken.
"Thirteen Purple-Gold Kings?"
"What is that supposed to mean…?"
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