"Whoa!"
In the emerald-green space, Roa stared, dumbfounded, at the gigantic sphere of light that suddenly bloomed in the distant sky.
Even though they were at least several hundred kilometers away from that location, visually, the fireball generated by the explosion still took up a good portion of the sky.
"Looks like we made a very good decision!"
"Is this the power of the Ancient Weapon!"
Golden Lion Shiki, puffing on a cigar, had eyes filled with shock.
Just as Roa had said, they really had made the correct decision.
If Roa hadn't discovered the World Government's intentions early on, allowing their scheme to succeed, then everyone here would currently be at the center of that explosion.
The thought alone was enough to make one's scalp tingle.
With such astonishing firepower, even a monster like Roa would find it difficult to survive, right?
If that was the case for Roa, let alone the rest of them. They would probably be instantly vaporized the moment the explosion occurred.
"But now,"
Katakuri looked back, gazing at a massive ship shrouded in dark clouds in the nearby sky, "no matter how powerful the firepower that ship possesses, it is completely useless."
Through the ability of the Door-Door Fruit, they could enter the interior of that large ship directly. In that case, no matter how startling the power of the fully revived Ancient Weapon was, it would be futile. They couldn't very well fire upon their own internal structure, could they?
"Mama-mama! What are we waiting for!"
Charlotte Linlin was already hoisting her large sword and laughing loudly. "Let's hurry up and give them a big surprise!"
Roa turned his head, surveying everyone. The corner of his mouth gradually curled up. "So, is everyone ready?"
"Next, we are going to seize this world."
"Worororo!"
Kaido raised his spiked club, his face completely contorted with excited laughter. "Our dream is now, in this very moment!"
"At this point, is retreat even an option?"
Redfield's mouth curved slightly. "Regardless of the outcome, a brand new history is about to be born by our hands."
"Outcome?"
Teach burst into loud laughter. "Ze-ha-ha-ha! There can only be one outcome! Boss will lead us to victory, just as in all times past!"
"Naturally!"
Bullet and King nodded simultaneously.
"Leave the others to us,"
Katakuri said with a smile, "But Roa, if you can't deal with Imu, then even if all of us win, it will be useless."
"Don't speak nonsense,"
Roa chuckled. "From the very beginning, failure has never been possible."
"Then stop with the idle talk!"
Bonney grinned, hoisting her large sword. "Let's hurry up and take down those guys!"
"Then,"
Roa slightly twisted his neck, his eyes narrowing, his brows curved in a smile. "Let's go. Let's go take back the world that belongs to us."
Almost at the exact same moment.
Inside the gigantic floating ship, Uranus, which was shrouded in dark clouds and suspended in the sky.
Imu silently watched the image projected by the Den Den Mushi.
Everyone below the steps, however, did not share his calmness.
Forget the Marines; even the Holy Knights and the Five Elders, the people closest to Imu, involuntarily paled dramatically.
The explosion shown in the image was simply too astonishing.
It was as if another sun had bloomed in the sky.
The intense light, even through the Den Den Mushi broadcast, still stung everyone's eyes.
It was hard to imagine the horrific scene one would face if one were truly within that explosion.
Is this the power possessed by the Ancient Weapon?
Zephyr unconsciously clenched his fists.
This level of firepower was simply beyond what humanity could contend with!
It was ridiculously, overwhelmingly powerful!
Good thing, good thing Dragon had an unexpected harvest!
Otherwise, with this ship, there would be no one in the world capable of resisting the World Government!
It's not over. Even if Roa is truly dead from this attack, everything is not yet over!
There is still a chance to turn everything around!
"Is it over?"
Aokiji looked at the gradually dissipating explosion and couldn't help but ask.
Did it just end like this?
Has Roa, the one who shook the world and gave them all such headaches, died in this bombardment?
No one dared to speak.
Did it really end just like this?
Did Roa, that monster, really die silently in that cannon fire?
No one could be sure.
Even Imu remained silent.
Success or failure? Which is it?
"The Vivre Card has been reduced to ashes."
Vegapunk's voice sounded through the broadcast again. "It is impossible to confirm whether Roa and the Pirate Alliance have been annihilated, but the owner of the Vivre Card was indeed killed in the bombardment just now."
Sengoku gritted his teeth in agony once more. Tears glistened behind his spectacle frames.
Rosinante—
My child, may you rest in peace.
Your death was not meaningless. This world will head towards a better future because of your efforts—
"Click."
It was the sound of a door opening.
A door made of air slowly opened before everyone's eyes.
A figure stepped out from within.
Everyone instantly fell into a daze.
"Yo, everyone's here. Shouldn't I say 'long time no see' now?"
Roa smiled as he surveyed everyone present. "Honestly, where have you all been hiding lately? I've been looking for you so hard."
Everyone simply stared at him blankly.
Until.
"ROA!!!"
Sengoku's cry was almost a desperate shriek.
The Marine Fleet Admiral, who had led the Marines for decades, had tear-filled, bloodshot eyes now. "Why aren't you dead yet!!"
If this bastard was still alive, didn't that mean Rosinante's sacrifice was in vain!!
Did that child, whose heart was always full of righteousness and passion, risk his life only to accomplish nothing?
"Oh, Fleet Admiral Sengoku,"
Roa's gaze was drawn to the Fleet Admiral. He was instantly delighted, gripping Sengoku's hand and shaking it enthusiastically up and down. "Thank you very much, Mr. Sengoku!"
"If it weren't for you, and for Rosinante, it really wouldn't have been easy to find this place."
"..."
Cold, fine sweat broke out on everyone's forehead and backs in that instant.
What happened?
What did Roa just do?
No one noticed how Roa instantly appeared in their formation, even grabbing Sengoku's hand and shaking it up and down.
Such speed!!
Didn't this mean that if Roa wanted to kill someone, they wouldn't even realize how they died, let alone resist?
But Sengoku was focused on something else.
Sengoku instinctively reached out to grab Roa's shoulder, roaring loudly at the same time, "You said Rosinante! Roa, what did you do to that child!!"
He was exposed!! Rosinante was exposed to Roa a long time ago!!
Sengoku realized this in that instant.
So, he was exploited by this bastard instead?
"Hey, thanks are thanks, but no touching, okay?"
Roa gently lifted a finger. From its tip, a black ray effortlessly pierced through Sengoku's chest.
The Fleet Admiral's face instantly went ashen. His body stumbled backward, and he fell heavily onto the ground, blood spraying uncontrollably from his front and back.
"SENGOKU!!"
Garp and Zephyr simultaneously stepped forward to shield Sengoku in the next moment.
Even Zephyr, the man who had had major disagreements with Sengoku for over twenty years, gritted his teeth now, shielding Sengoku behind him without taking a single step back.
He stared intently at Roa.
Just how much stronger has this monster become in the last two years?
He defeated Sengoku with just a flick of a finger?
"Hey, hey, hey, what kind of monster is this guy?"
Aramaki, a newcomer to the Holy Knights, couldn't help but be drenched in sweat.
That was the Marine Fleet Admiral, whose strength was slightly greater than his own!
And yet, such a powerhouse couldn't withstand a single finger from this monster?
Even a man as fiery-tempered as Sakazuki had his muscles fully tensed right now, yet he dared not take a step forward.
This is not the enemy they should be fighting!
This is not an opponent they are qualified to face!
"Step down, all of you."
Thus, Roa's true enemy rose from the throne.
The Shadow King, who had ruled this world from behind the scenes for eight hundred years, looked down from above at the relaxed Roa.
"What did you do?"
"Well, naturally, I knew from the start that Rosinante was your operative,"
Roa chuckled. "And then, just as you can turn people into Devils, I turned him into my familiar spirit."
"Like this."
Roa glared at the Holy Knights nearby.
Instantly, the eyes of several of the people who had newly become Holy Knights in the last two years began to reverse to black and white.
Then, in the next instant, black energy was withdrawn from their bodies, and their bodies began to crumble, quickly turning into a pile of dry bones on the floor.
"Tch, what's going on!"
Roa looked at the scene, suddenly annoyed. "I was trying to conceal my ability! Why did you take their lives so quickly?"
"..."
Aramaki's pupils dilated dramatically.
No way?
No way can this man now easily take his life, just as he took the lives of those Holy Knights?
Doesn't that mean he's completely screwed?
Rosinante!
Sengoku closed his eyes in pain.
In what state of mind did that child die?
"It is no longer necessary."
Imu did not want to hear Roa review his failed operation.
The King of the World merely walked down the steps from the throne, one step at a time. "Since you dare to appear before me, that means you, Roa, have indeed prepared yourself for death, correct?"
Roa lifted the corner of his mouth. "I was truly underestimated. You really made a mess of things back in Mariejois when you bullied me for being underage."
"I think you completely misunderstand what two years of training means in our worldview!"
"Now, allow me to demonstrate to you, Imu, what power I possess as an adult."
Almost everyone present twitched at the mouth simultaneously.
This man had, at the age of sixteen, crossed twenty-five years of time and traveled two years into the past.
So, he was legitimately eighteen years old now; the term 'youthful prime' was insufficient to describe him.
A genuine monster, completely beyond human imagination!
"You are indeed adept at making people laugh. I hope you remain so optimistic until the moment of your death."
The black robe on Imu's body began to rustle without any wind.
However, in that very instant, Roa took a step back.
Just then, the air door opened, and Roa stepped inside.
"Don't even think about running!"
Imu, who had been moving slowly just moments before, instantly became anxious.
Did he pretend to show up and talk tough, only to try and escape in the end?
Roa, you bastard, you are truly despicable now!
Imu raised a hand, and a tempest of overwhelming Haki surged forth.
Then, Roa also raised a hand.
A black substance flowed forward like water, forming a wave-like barrier in front of Roa.
Boom!!
Amidst the violent roar.
The spreading Haki shockwave made almost everyone unstable on their feet. Many ornaments in the spacious room even blew up with sharp cracking sounds.
But Roa was not obstructed at all. He leisurely retreated into the Door-Door dimension.
"Don't fight inside Uranus,"
Roa chuckled as he closed the spatial door. "Don't break my spoils of war. Let's take this outside."
Click.
The air door closed tightly.
The Five Elders looked at Imu-sama, who was standing silently, almost trembling.
He blocked it!!
Nusjuro's face was ashen.
That bastard Roa didn't even use a Devil Fruit ability; he blocked Imu-sama's Haki shockwave using only Haki!
How is this possible? How can such a thing happen?
It was at this moment that Imu raised his head.
Many people looked up as well.
Because above them, at the very top of Uranus, powerful presences began to appear.
Everyone looked back at Imu.
"They have challenged me! What are you waiting for? Engage the enemy!"
The top floor of Uranus.
This place was literally a wide-open deck.
The shape of this large ship resembled a naval vessel more closely than the City of Calamity.
The top layer was essentially a vast, plain-like platform.
And now, here, air doors opened one after another, and figures stepped out from them.
The final air door opened, and Roa walked out lazily with his hands in his pockets.
"Here we go."
After a short moment, Roa said with a smile.
Not far ahead, a door suddenly opened on the towering front of the ship's cabin, which resembled a city wall, and figures poured out from behind it.
Imu's broad black robe flapped violently in the sky's strong winds, outlining his slender figure.
Behind the King of the World, all of the World Government's high-level forces followed closely.
Roa spread his hands and grinned wantonly, "This is going to be the most climactic battle in history!"
"And the most goddamn climactic battle in all of history!"