The aftershock of the Gura Gura no Mi rippled outward, like a dragon rising from the earth, surging straight at the metal ark.
But it slammed into an invisible barrier, erupting into a column of dust that shot skyward.
Whitebeard raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing.
As the smoke cleared in the sea breeze, a massive crack stretched from the front of the Moby Dick all the way to the far end—jaw-dropping in scale.
At some point, the Ark had already landed. It was twisted, its frame warped.
A tall, upright Vice Admiral stood at the front of the crowd, one arm still raised. His gaze was calm, and the wide cloak of justice behind him billowed in the wind.
Like an unshakable rock, he blocked the entire shockwave from outside.
"His strength has grown this much..."
"He's projecting Armament Haki..."
"Damn it!"
"How the hell did he train?!"
Marco and the others looked grim.
Even though Oyaji hadn't struck at full strength—just a shockwave from the original attack—it was still something no ordinary person could have casually blocked.
"Looks like you've improved quite a bit, brat."
Whitebeard slammed his naginata into the deck, his tone icy.
Daren smiled faintly.
"Otherwise, how would I dare stop the 'Strongest Man in the World'?"
He turned toward the distant mountains, where smoke and dust still swirled, and sighed with some exasperation.
That reckless Bullet had completely thrown off his plan.
"Go, Doffy."
Daren suddenly said.
"Fufufufu... Turning this place into a hunting ground? That really gets the blood pumping..."
Doflamingo laughed maniacally, lifting one hand high.
Snow-white threads burst from his palm like a fountain, surging skyward.
"No!"
The moment he saw the threads, Marco didn't know what Doflamingo was planning—but an intense sense of unease hit him.
He stomped on the deck, and his entire body ignited in "Immortal Blue Flames." His arms transformed into blazing blue wings as he launched into the air.
He shot forward at blinding speed, the phoenix diving toward Doflamingo in a near-vertical plunge!
But just as he was about to reach him—
"Desert Spada!"
Shhh!
A razor-sharp blade of yellow sand pierced through the phoenix's body, bursting open a mass of blue fire. Marco's attack faltered mid-air.
"Kuhahaha... I might not be up for Whitebeard yet, but taking out his right-hand man works too."
A mass of sand surged above Marco's head, forming the large silhouette of a man with a slicked-back hairstyle.
Crocodile's sharp golden hook sliced through the air, stabbing down toward Marco's back like a bolt of lightning!
"Damn you, Crocodile!"
Marco cursed under his breath. The slash from the Desert Spada hadn't injured him, and with a flap of his wings, he twisted mid-air and countered with a powerful kick.
Clang!!
A shockwave exploded outward. But Marco had no time to deal with Crocodile—his eyes caught the rising white threads above the island, and he gritted his teeth, shouting:
"Stop Doflamingo!"
Before he could even finish—
Rose petals drifted down from the sky like a tragic dream.
An elegant figure flashed across the ground like a mirage, twin blades glinting as they closed in with lightning speed!
Twin swords struck down!
Clang!!
The clash of steel erupted with a sharp crack, sending sparks flying in all directions...
"Flower Sword" Vista stared in disbelief at the black broken blade firmly holding back his twin swords.
"...'Hawk Eyes' Dracule Mihawk!"
A pair of sharp, dull-yellow eyes slowly opened before him, radiating a cold and detached aura.
"So you're the strongest swordsman in the Whitebeard Pirates."
Mihawk held his blade in one hand, his black cloak billowing with lethal grace.
He glanced at Whitebeard, who stood unmoving across from Daren, and said with a touch of regret,
"I would've liked to witness the might of the world's strongest fighter myself... but if I stepped in, Daren-san probably wouldn't be too happy."
Daren...san?
Vista was momentarily stunned by the title.
Weren't the Shichibukai supposed to despise Rogers Daren, to the point of hatred?
Why did Mihawk's tone carry a faint hint of respect?
And why did it seem like the entire group of Shichibukai had silently accepted Daren's commands?
Weren't they known for being unruly, the type who wouldn't even give a Marine Admiral like Sengoku the slightest respect?
"You've got time to get distracted? Looks like I overestimated you."
A sharp glint flashed in Mihawk's eyes. Yoru let out a piercing hum as it vibrated, forcing Vista back several steps.
His pupils contracted. While shocked by Mihawk's overwhelming swordsmanship, he quickly drew both blades and clashed head-on with the sudden onslaught from the young Hawk Eyes.
...
As the two locked into a fierce duel, a sudden roar cut through the air.
"Diamond" Jozu leapt from the Moby Dick, charging across the battlefield like a raging bull, aiming straight for Doflamingo.
Half of his body had turned into a dazzling, crystalline diamond, gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight.
"Brilliant Punk!"
"Kishishishi! Leave that one to me!"
Seeing that Bullet, Crocodile, and Mihawk had already made their moves, Moria couldn't hold back his excitement and let out a cackling laugh, swinging his hand forward.
A twisted black shadow shot from beneath his feet, morphing into a pitch-black spear that launched straight at the charging Jozu!
"Tsuno-Tokage!"
"Diamond" Jozu roared,
"I'm the hardest diamond in the world!"
Without dodging, he smashed his thick right arm into the incoming spear!
The next moment—
Clang!!
The once-imposing Tsuno-Tokage was knocked away by Jozu and drooped uselessly to the ground.
Moria's grin froze in place. Under Fisher Tiger's strange gaze, his face flushed red with embarrassment as he gritted his teeth and drew a massive serrated blade.
"Then I'll be the one to cut you down!"
Purple lightning danced along the edge of the blade as he slashed down viciously!
Boom!!
The two collided like cannonballs, unleashing a turbulent shockwave in every direction.
Their clash seemed to signal the start of all-out war.
The other members of the Whitebeard Pirates leapt from the deck, weapons drawn, charging straight at Doflamingo.
"Fish-Man Karate: Gosenmaigawara Seiken!"
With a thunderous crash, several pirates were sent flying by the surging shockwave. Fisher Tiger had already slammed into the crowd, launching into fierce combat.
Shouts and cries echoed along the coast as the white threads shooting into the sky finally reached their peak. Like snow-white volcanic meteors, they rained down, embedding deep into the edges of the island.
A massive white birdcage formed, enclosing the entire island.
"Damn it! Oyaji... the signal's gone!"
"This birdcage is jamming communications!"
"We can't get out!"
"These threads are insanely tough!"
Some pirates tried to slice through them, only to be shocked when their blades failed to leave so much as a scratch.
"So that's how it is."
Whitebeard's expression remained unchanged. He quietly watched the Marine Vice Admiral and spoke coolly,
"This is your setup, Marine brat…"
"You sure I'm the one you should be facing?"
Daren smiled.
"How would I know if I don't try?"
"Besides, right now, I'm the one calling the shots."
Their eyes locked, and sparks and lightning burst through the air between them.
Bang!
Bang!
In the next instant, both roared and charged forward from where they stood.
"Then let's see what you've got!!"
Whitebeard suddenly laughed, swinging his naginata down with explosive force, cloaked in crackling black and red lightning!
At the same moment, Daren entered his devil form, letting out a savage grin as he slammed a punch forward.
Boom!!!
A towering shockwave blasted skyward, and black-red lightning flooded the skies.
The ground quaked. The mountains trembled.
...
At the same time.
Atop the Red Line, in the Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons—Mary Geoise.
Under the silent gaze of ghostly pale figures, Fleet Admiral Kong, wearing his Marshal's cloak, stepped solemnly onto the Celestial Stairway and arrived at the World Government headquarters.
A warm breeze swept past, rustling the golden wheat insignia on his shoulders.
Kong took a deep breath, lifted his head, and pushed open the doors to the government's heart.
Inside the council hall.
Five aged figures emanated a chilling, oppressive presence. Some stood, others sat, all wearing cold expressions. None even bothered to look up.
"Kong, you've arrived."
Saint Saturn, wearing a black flat cap, calmly poured himself a cup of tea, not raising his eyes.
Kong stepped forward with firm strides, standing tall as he spoke with solemn respect.
"Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, Kong, reporting to the Five Elders."
"How's the war progressing?"
Kong nodded, a proud smile on his face.
"Sengoku's fleet has already entered the Sea of Miracles and is preparing to encircle the Miracle Island. This time, Roger's crew won't escape."
"As for Vice Admiral Daren, word just came in—he and the Shichibukai he leads have successfully intercepted the Whitebeard Pirates."
Saint Topman Warcury let out a satisfied smile.
"That brat Daren is certainly impressive. He hasn't let us down once."
Kong nodded again and took the chance to present the thought he'd been holding.
"Precisely because of that, I wish to formally recommend... Vice Admiral Rogers Daren for promotion to Admiral of Marine Headquarters!"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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