"This place... is off limits."
The Vice Admiral's voice was calm, yet in that moment, it struck like thunder in everyone's ears—carrying with it an unshakable sense of certainty and confidence.
Especially with those four legendary Meito—Enma, Ame no Habakiri, Oto, and Kogarashi—locked on from four directions, their blades hovering like death's own claws above the Whitebeard Pirates, the weight behind his words became undeniable.
The aura was overwhelming!
The six newly appointed Shichibukai instinctively looked toward the tall figure standing at the front. Every one of them had a complicated expression in their eyes.
To block the Whitebeard Pirates with just one man...
On this vast sea, perhaps not even Garp or Sengoku could do such a thing.
In that moment, staring at Rogers Daren's confident, domineering back, a strange feeling rose up in each of them.
Was it fear? Ambition? Or exhilaration?
They couldn't say for sure.
But what they did know—deep in their bones—was that this kind of miracle could only come from Rogers Daren.
"To declare this place off limits"... what kind of resolve did that take?
That rising emotion sparked a sudden wave of gratitude in their hearts.
Grateful that they were now part of the Shichibukai.
Because if they weren't, how else could they be standing here—overlooking the infamous Whitebeard Pirates from above, staring down at the so-called "Strongest Man in the World," Edward Newgate?
The very thought stirred a feverish excitement in them. Some began to tremble unconsciously, eyes burning red with anticipation.
...
While these complex emotions surged among Daren's side, the Whitebeard Pirates stood in stark contrast—tense, grim, their eyes filled with vigilance and caution.
Weapons were drawn in silence as they stared coldly at the seven notorious figures on the metal ark.
There was no need to speak of Rogers Daren. The "King of the North Blue" had already dealt them a crushing blow once before. He had even maimed Oyaji's sworn brother, Kozuki Oden.
That defeat was one of the greatest humiliations in the history of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Not even against Roger or Shiki had they ever suffered such disgrace.
And now, the Marine who ended the Golden Lion in the North Blue—whose power, reputation, and authority were at their peak—stood before them once more.
This time was nothing like the cautious probing of their last encounter. His presence now was suffocating, overwhelming.
The sheer pressure he exuded made Marco and the others feel like they were facing the invincible Flying Pirate of old—Shiki the Golden Lion himself.
And this time, he wasn't alone.
He'd brought with him six newly appointed Shichibukai—each one a beast in their own right.
At some point, the wind had died down.
The island's coastline fell into a deathly silence, the air so heavy it was hard to breathe.
"...Rogers Daren."
Whitebeard slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse as gravel.
His piercing eyes calmly scanned the Vice Admiral above, then the six figures behind him. A cold smile tugged at his lips.
"So the Marines have fallen this far... consorting with pirates now."
"But you really think just a handful of arrogant brats like you..."
His eyes snapped wide open. Veins bulged on his forehead as he let out a thunderous roar:
"—can actually keep me here?!"
Crack... crack...
A horrifying sight unfolded.
Crocodile and the others watched in disbelief as thin cracks began spreading through the air around Whitebeard—as if even the very atmosphere was shattering under pressure.
BOOM...
A deep, thunderous tremor rippled through the air. Sound came from all directions at once, like the heartbeat of the earth itself.
The ground beneath them began to split. The nearby sea erupted into monstrous waves, and a fierce wind roared to life across the island!
Crash!!
The earth groaned, belching clouds of dust.
The ocean heaved as wave upon wave surged upward, building into a colossal tsunami that climbed higher and higher—its sheer force enough to shake the soul.
The earth trembled.
The sea raged.
The fury of the world's strongest had been unleashed!
"This... just from getting angry, he caused a tsunami?!"
Crocodile's face twisted in shock, and he couldn't help but shout.
Fisher Tiger looked even more stunned.
"How is this even possible..."
As a fish-man, attuned to the sea itself, he could hear it wailing in agony—as if even the ocean couldn't bear the weight of Whitebeard's fury.
"Fufufufu... This pressure is so overwhelming, I'm actually tempted to run!"
Doflamingo laughed manically, his entire body trembling.
"This is the power of the 'Strongest Man in the World!'"
Mihawk's eyes blazed with rising fighting spirit, his gaze fixed on the towering figure that loomed like an enraged god of war.
To him, Whitebeard looked like an unconquerable mountain—while he was just a lone traveler daring to climb.
An irrepressible surge of battle lust filled his chest.
"Kishishishi!! This is terrifyingly strong!"
A sickly flush spread across Moria's pale face. The twisted shadows behind him looked like they might collapse under the sheer weight of the pressure.
At that moment—
"Kahahaha! Save the tough talk for after you've killed us, Whitebeard!!"
BOOM!!
A massive wave of aura exploded from Bullet's body. Purple-black lightning surged and crackled across the sky, tearing through the void.
The wind screamed louder. Before Daren or anyone else could react, Bullet leapt from the ark with a twisted grin, launching toward Whitebeard like a cannonball.
With a sharp swoosh—
A strange purple-black sheen spread from the center of his forehead, instantly enveloping his entire body.
Devil Form!
"This isn't your era anymore, Whitebeard! You're just an old relic!"
In Devil Form, Bullet's speed exploded. In an instant, he crashed onto the deck of the Moby Dick and hurled a brutal punch packed with bone-shattering force!
"Gurararara! Cocky little punk—show me what you've got!"
Whitebeard let out a thunderous laugh, gripped his naginata in a reverse hold, and slashed upward with a roar!
Zzzzztt!
Black and red lightning erupted in jagged arcs, streaking skyward in bursts.
BOOM!!
Fist and naginata collided with a thunderous explosion.
A howling tempest surged from the point of impact, spreading out across the island like a shockwave from hell.
The storm of crimson and black lightning radiated outward in waves, ripping through the clouds and sky. A massive rift formed between the two of them, splitting the very heavens.
Bullet's arm went numb. He grunted from the impact.
Conqueror's Haki—pure and unrestrained!
"With power like that, you're not worthy of leading any 'new era'!"
Whitebeard bellowed, a flash of scarlet fury in his eyes.
Swish!
A milky-white aura coiled around his left fist. As he lowered his stance, the captain's cloak behind him flared upward, and the muscles of his arm surged like boulders.
He slammed his fist directly into Bullet's face!
BANG!!
CRACK! CRACK!—
The milky-white aura exploded outward. Crocodile and the others flinched at the sight—Bullet's face twisted grotesquely, blood gushing from his nose and mouth.
And then—
"You're a few centuries too early for this, brat!!"
Whitebeard roared, following up with a brutal haymaker!
BOOM!!
Bullet's body rocketed backward—twice as fast as he'd charged in. Like a meteor, he blasted through the forest, smashing down countless trees before finally crashing deep into the distant mountains.
A thunderous boom echoed from afar. The peaks wailed and crumbled under the force.
At the same time—
The sheer force of Whitebeard's punch unleashed a devastating shockwave that tore through the land. Deep, yawning chasms split the ground, threatening to consume the entire ark ship where it stood!