BOOM!!!
In an instant, Whitebeard roared, and his right-hand naginata swept outward.
RUMBLE!
Aeridar was instantly sent flying like a shadow, slamming hard into the ground a hundred meters away. A terrifying force exploded, shattering bricks and sending debris flying. The ground instantly collapsed into a hollow, forming a crater nearly ten meters wide. Dense cracks radiated out from the edges of the crater, and a gray blast of air mixed with dust swept out like a shockwave, flipping and scattering a massive number of Marines and pirates.
"Dai Funka!!!"
Before Whitebeard could catch his breath, three huge, high-temperature magma fists attacked him from the side.
"You didn't die after all!"
Whitebeard twisted his waist, using the momentum to sweep his naginata horizontally.
POW!
The blade sliced into the gigantic magma fists, cutting them apart. Large gushes of lava splattered down.
"If I let you continue rampaging like this, what will become of the Navy's prestige? Whitebeard!"
Sakazuki, covered in blood, had his arms transformed into rolling lava. Imitating a volcanic eruption, he continuously fired magma fists at Whitebeard.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
More than a dozen high-temperature magma fists, like erupting volcanic bombs, engulfed Whitebeard's entire body, staining the air with scorching heat.
"Gurararara~ Then you better guard it well! Hah!"
Whitebeard roared, his three hands quickly gathering in front of him.
CRACK—
RUMBLE!!!
The air fractured, lines of cracks appearing like a mirror. The invisible tremor instantly passed through the air. The dozen-plus magma fists stalled in mid-air, then, along with the ground beneath them, were smashed to pieces, transforming into large gushes of lava.
"Whitebeard! Today is your day to die!" Sakazuki clenched his fist and rushed forward to kill.
"Gurararara~ Come and try if you have the power!" Whitebeard laughed with robust confidence.
"My, my~ How frightening."
Suddenly, a bright light shone. Countless light particles converged, and Borsalino stood behind Whitebeard. A laser beam shot out from his index finger.
SHING!
"Hm!"
Whitebeard noticed someone behind him and quickly dodged, but a dazzling flash instantly cut through the air, piercing his shoulder.
"Kizaru, is it?" Whitebeard covered his charred, wounded shoulder and glanced sideways at Borsalino behind him.
"You're hurt, Whitebeard!"
Borsalino pouted, his voice slow and deliberate.
Elsewhere, aside from Marco being punched by Garp while attempting to attack the execution platform from the air—a feat that greatly shocked the pirates—Aeridar climbed out of the distant crater, covered in dirt and looking disheveled.
"Golden Ring Aeridar!"
"It's a Warlord!"
The surrounding Marines and pirates were all startled to see Aeridar emerge from the crater.
"Peh~"
Spitting out a mouthful of bloody phlegm, Aeridar wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His expression was savage as he said, "Directly damaging my internal organs... you truly are the World's Strongest Man, worth killing!"
"Wait! Iva-chan, watch out for that man ahead!"
Just then, Luffy and a strange, tall figure with an enormous face and an extraordinarily massive, deep-purple exploding afro rushed over from the distance.
"Hmm? Straw Hat Luffy, and the Revolutionary Army Executive, Emporio Ivankov."
Aeridar glanced at his opponent. The individual had long, dense eyelashes, light blue eyeshadow, and purple lipstick, and their attire was extremely bizarre: fishnet stockings, a cloak, and a form-fitting, ultra-low-cut bodysuit that exposed a large skull tattoo on the abs. It was unclear whether they were male or female.
"I know. A dangerous guy who challenged Whitebeard and can use the same power as him. A Warlord!" Ivankov's expression was serious, and he said solemnly, "But such a young man... it seems he rose to prominence after I was locked up. Who is he?"
"His name is Golden Ring Aeridar. He was born in the East Blue, just like me, and he's the 'Ruler of the World Neutral Zone.' He once knocked me down with a single punch!" Luffy stared at Aeridar, answering quickly.
"Ruler of the World Neutral Zone?! What a major player!"
Ivankov's eyebrows shot up. Unlike the simple-minded Luffy, he naturally understood the significance behind the title 'Ruler of the World Neutral Zone.'
If a person could be crowned with that title, the faction they controlled would likely be no weaker than the Revolutionary Army itself.
"Oh~ How do you two plan on getting past me?" Aeridar watched Luffy and Ivankov charging towards him, a hint of playful mockery appearing on his face.
"Straw Hat-boy, I'll block him. You seize the chance to rush through!" Ivankov turned to Luffy beside him.
"Iva-chan, be careful!" Luffy nodded, deciding not to boast or fight recklessly.
"Hee-haw! Let me be your opponent! Death Wink!"
Ivankov accelerated, blocking the path in front of Luffy. His eyes, with their long, dense lashes, were bloodshot as he stared at Aeridar, then began to blink rapidly.
BEEP!
A fierce, explosive wind suddenly rushed out.
"Heh heh~ I hope you can withstand a few more of my attacks."
Soru!
Aeridar smiled faintly, stomping his foot. He instantly vanished from his spot.
Boom!
The ground exploded, and countless fragments of rock scattered.
"Where is he?"
Ivankov was stunned, quickly looking left and right, but he couldn't find Aeridar.
Swoosh~
Suddenly, Ivankov felt a powerful gust of wind rushing from above his head. He quickly rolled out of the way.
FZZZ!
CRASH!
A blue-white crescent moon instantly slashed a long, deep fissure into the ground.
"I knew he was in the sky! Hee-haw!"
Ivankov stood up, looking toward the sky and laughing with his arms raised.
But the next moment, Ivankov froze. There was no one in the sky.
"Is that so… Too bad you guessed wrong."
A chilling voice sounded in front of him. Aeridar stood right before Ivankov, smashing a heavy punch into his chest.
THUD!
With a dull sound, Ivankov's chest caved in. He spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward at high speed, slamming violently into the ground dozens of meters away. The immense airflow kicked up billowing dust, and his huge body was left sunken into the broken earth.
"Iva-chan!" Luffy cried out in alarm.
"Don't look away. You should be worrying about yourself, Straw Hat Luffy!" Aeridar tilted his neck, his face contorted into a frantic, maniacal expression.
'Kill him! Kill him! If you don't kill him now, he'll become a major threat sooner or later! Kill him!'
A frenzied killing intent surged repeatedly in his mind. Aeridar's entire body was leaking murderous aura, causing the surrounding temperature to drop by more than ten degrees.
It was the murderous desire born from spending a whole decade on a beast-infested island—fueled by nothing but fighting, killing, and surviving—that now flared up. As the war raged on and the battle intensified, this thirst for blood only grew stronger, and if not for his iron will, he would have long since gone on a rampage.
"T-This… What terrifying bloodlust!" Even the usually carefree Luffy felt a sense of danger, feeling as if he had been targeted by an incredibly terrifying, savage beast.
"Don't panic, Straw Hat-boy! We're here to help you!"
Suddenly, Sai and Boo of the Happo Navy, along with dozens of their subordinates, surrounded them.
"Aeridar! You will pay for everything you did to my Happo Navy today!" Sai raised his naginata, leaping up and slashing down at Aeridar's head.
Aeridar abruptly looked up, his eyes utterly frigid.
"Chinjao wasn't my match. What do you think you are?"