After unleashing such overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, quite a few knowledgeable figures in the pirate world were shaken.
Although people often said that in the latter half of the Grand Line, those with Conqueror's Haki were "as common as carp crossing a river," that was clearly an exaggeration.
True top-tier Conqueror's Haki users could be counted on two hands.
Among them were Edward Newgate and Shanks.
"I didn't expect that brat to reach this level," Whitebeard muttered. "The Conqueror's Haki Buggy just displayed… it's not inferior to yours, Shanks."
Even he hadn't expected to misjudge someone. After all, anyone who had sailed with Gol D. Roger couldn't be underestimated.
Shanks was equally stunned.
"A Devil Fruit user… who isn't afraid of seawater or Seastone? If I hadn't seen it myself, I'd never believe it."
He suddenly felt that Buggy—the man he had known for years—was becoming strangely unfamiliar.
On Roger's ship, most of the top fighters hadn't eaten Devil Fruits. They didn't want to burden themselves with weaknesses. Shanks had inherited that philosophy.
But now… if someone told him Devil Fruits had no drawbacks—even he would be tempted.
"Next time, I'll invite him aboard for a drink," Whitebeard laughed. "I wonder if that brat would like to be my son—Gurarara!"
Shanks rolled his eyes. This old man really dared to think big.
Back on the battlefield, the clash between Buggy and Admiral Sakazuki raged on.
"Captain Buggy, you've become so tall!"
"Even magma can't do anything to you!"
Alvida crossed her arms, still a bit tsundere. "If you came out any later, that magma would've ruined my skin."
Buggy had grown to over four meters tall. His clothes had been torn apart, revealing a powerful, muscular body. Even his clown makeup had changed—his aura now closer to the "future self" shown on the mysterious screen.
"You're all just too useless," Buggy said coldly. "If I hadn't stepped in, you'd all be dead in that prison."
As magma fists rained from the sky, Buggy raised one hand.
"Split Net!"
An invisible web spread above his crew. When the magma fell, it was instantly torn apart at the atomic level, the scorching heat dissipating into harmless dust.
Sakazuki watched everything carefully. "Warships—follow the plan. Gunners, fire!"
Hundreds of cannons roared. Shells rained down toward the Buggy Pirates. Not every shot needed to hit—so long as it drained Buggy's stamina, it was worth it.
After all, without Buggy, the rest of the crew was insignificant.
Buggy smirked. "Multi-Split."
All incoming shells were sliced into countless fragments midair. No explosions—only debris falling harmlessly.
Another barrage followed. Buggy countered again. But this war of attrition wasn't sustainable.
"I wonder how much a warship costs…" Buggy muttered.
Then he vanished.
In less than two seconds, he appeared within five meters of the Marine formation.
"Split Cannon!"
He compressed his splitting power into his fists, increasing both speed and impact.
"I won't let you get close—Hellhound!"
Sakazuki charged forward, his arm turning into blazing magma. The two attacks collided.
Splitting power versus endless magma—neither side gained the upper hand.
Sakazuki unleashed multiple magma strikes in succession, forcing Buggy into a direct clash.
Eventually, it became a contest of Armament Haki. Blackened fists collided, each impact ringing like steel.
Sakazuki frowned. He had underestimated Buggy.
A man who had developed his Devil Fruit to this extent was equally formidable in close combat. Even with Observation Haki, he couldn't gain an advantage.
After dozens of exchanges, he still couldn't defeat him.
"I will leave you here in Loguetown… Great Eruption!"
A massive surge of magma erupted like a volcanic explosion, engulfing Buggy entirely.
"You really underestimated me…"
Buggy's voice echoed.
"Split World."
The massive wave of magma was torn into hundreds of smaller streams. Not even his clothes were touched.
Sakazuki's eyes narrowed. This was the first time he had encountered someone capable of disintegrating magma itself.
Before, his enemies relied on Haki to resist. But this… was on another level.
"Sakazuki… let me show you how Conqueror's Haki is used."
Buggy stepped forward.
"Divine Split!"
He broke through the magma blockade, his fist coated in Conqueror's Haki, and struck Sakazuki directly in the face.
Even though Sakazuki tried to turn intangible, it was too late.
The punch landed.
A clear fist mark appeared—his nose shattered instantly.
Yet as an Admiral, he did not fall.
"Hell Pillar!"
Sakazuki grabbed Buggy's arm, his entire body transforming into magma. A towering pillar of lava erupted, engulfing both of them completely.
The battlefield was swallowed by fire.
The outcome remained unknown.
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