[Congratulations, Host, on obtaining the reward:——————————Zoan Type, Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Black Cat!]
[Congratulations, Host, on obtaining the reward:—————————Conqueror's Haki Infusion!!]
Conqueror's Haki Infusion?!
Leo's attention was instantly captured, his eyes blazing with fervor. Haki Infusion was the hallmark of the sea's top-tier powerhouses.
As the mechanical voice faded, the techniques for using Conqueror's Haki Infusion automatically awakened in Leo's mind, as if an innate ability. He clenched his fist, Conqueror's Haki coiling around it, black and red lightning crackling erratically.
"Finally, I've mastered Haki Infusion." A brilliant light shone in his eyes as he nodded in satisfaction. Once they reached Marine Headquarters, he would hold nothing back! If gods block his path, he will slay gods. If Buddhas stand in his way, he will cut down Buddhas!
Storing the Cat-Cat Fruit, Leo focused on piloting the Maxim towards Marine Headquarters.
Impel Down.
Unbeknownst to Leo, shortly after his departure, a resentful Blackbeard had returned with Burgess and the others. Ten years of planning hinged on the criminals imprisoned in the Eternal Hell; they were a crucial part of his scheme. Without those scoundrels, the Blackbeard Pirates would never truly take off. As for finding others? The strong ones looked down on him, and the weak ones he looked down upon.
Thus, with trepidation, Blackbeard's group once again entered Impel Down. Even with some mental preparation, the sight of the piled-up corpses in Starvation Hell made these seasoned killers shiver involuntarily.
"Captain, even Magellan is dead," the usually boisterous Champion Burgess said grimly, looking at the bodies on the ground.
"Hehehehe... Captain, it's a good thing we retreated then. If we had clashed with Leo, we might have..." The sniper Van Augur was filled with retrospective fear. They hadn't even seen the man, only the aftermath of his power.
"Enough talk! Move!!" Blackbeard's face was dark as he urged them on. Delays bred complications; he needed to reach Level 6 quickly.
No one dared hesitate. Remaining vigilant of their surroundings, they moved at full speed. The already half-dead Doc Q was nearly jostled to death by his horse, Stronger.
When Blackbeard entered the Eternal Hell and saw the scene, his heart sank. His worst fear had been realized. The sight was identical to the upper levels; the vast majority of prisoners were dead.
Seeing new uninvited guests, the criminals who had been engaged in heated discussion immediately covered their mouths and shrunk into the corners. They didn't dare speak, barely daring to breathe. After the precedent set by Leo, they were truly terrified. What if this new guy also had some strange quirks? They didn't want to suffer unjustly.
Blackbeard walked through the cells in silence, his face grim. When he saw several of his prospective crew members dead, he felt a pang of heartache. These were all candidates for his division commanders!
"Pizarro?!"
"Captain, Pizarro's dead too!" Burgess suddenly yelled.
"Shut up, I can see that!" Blackbeard glared at him; he wasn't blind.
His fierce gaze swept over the dozen or so remaining criminals. "Catarina Devon, Sanjuan Wolf, Vasco Shot! You three! Are you willing to join my pirate crew?!" he demanded coldly. "Join the Blackbeard Pirates, and I'll release you right now!"
His eyes shifted between the three. Among the survivors, only five were worthy in his eyes. Aside from the three he named, there were the 'Blue Gorilla' and the 'Red Count'. The Blue Gorilla was on good terms with Whitebeard and Ace, so he was out. As for the Red Count, the man gave him a faint glance before closing his eyes, clearly uninterested. In that case, he wouldn't waste his breath. Let the arrogant bastard rot here forever.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Captain, I will follow you!!!"
"Me too! Get me out of here!!!"
"Captain! You are the captain I've been waiting for all these years!!"
Sanjuan Wolf and the other two quickly pledged their allegiance. As long as they could escape this sunless hell, they would do anything.
Without another word, Blackbeard opened their cell doors and led the group away quickly. It wasn't urgency, but fear that drove him. As for the others, he paid them no mind. Useless trash deserved to stay locked up forever.
Although recruiting only three members left him somewhat disappointed, it was still a small gain. After leaving Impel Down, Blackbeard and his crew boarded their Marine warship and set sail swiftly for Marine Headquarters. Only one final step remained for his plan to succeed.
Meanwhile, Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
On the highly anticipated Plaza of Oris, the war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines had erupted in full force. It began with Whitebeard triggering a tsunami, only for Admiral Aokiji to freeze it solid with his Ice-Ice Fruit ability. The sounds of battle, cannon fire, and agonized cries were now continuous.
In the chaotic battlefield, one man's actions instantly drew the attention of both sides. He was one of the Warlords, and also the World's Greatest Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk!
"Fufufufufufu~ What's this? Even you can't hold back anymore?" The seated Donquixote Doflamingo let out a strange laugh, the corners of his mouth nearly reaching his ears.
Mihawk glanced sideways at Doflamingo. "I merely wish to measure the distance between myself and the World's Strongest Man!" With a resonant hum, his black blade, Yoru, was drawn. A terrifying sword intent shot into the sky. Mihawk's eyes sharpened, and he swung the blade!
A hundred-meter-long emerald green slash distorted the atmosphere, crossing most of the battlefield as it shot straight towards the World's Strongest Man, Edward Newgate, standing proudly at the prow of his whale ship!
Facing the oncoming slash, Whitebeard's gaze remained calm and unmoved.
"HAHAHAHAHA! The World's Greatest Swordsman's slash?! Let me be your opponent!!" A loud laugh rang out as the 3rd Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Diamond Jozu, flashed into position, shielding Whitebeard. With a crunch, he shattered the hard ice underfoot, activating his Shimmer-Shimmer Fruit. Most of his body encased in diamond, Jozu grinned, and with a great heave, he intercepted the slash and sent it skyward.
"So arrogant! What do you take this place for?!" A cold snort came from the second level of the execution platform.
Admiral Kizaru rose to his full height. His usually nonchalant face held less of its typical laziness and more ruthlessness. If not for Aokiji's Ice-Ice Fruit being the perfect counter to the tsunami, he would have been the first Admiral to act.
"Acting so soon?!" Admiral Akainu looked at Kizaru in surprise. This... wasn't like Kizaru's style.
"Don't you want this to end quickly?!" Kizaru retorted irritably before dissolving into golden particles and vanishing.
Akainu twitched the corner of his mouth, snorted, and continued observing the battlefield.
The golden light streaked across the sky like a meteor. When Kizaru's form solidified again, he was directly above Whitebeard.
"Die, Whitebeard!!!"
"Yasakani no Magatama!!"
As if receiving a command, a storm of light pellets rained down towards Whitebeard.
Shoom~
At the critical moment, a streak of blue flame roared across the sky.
"Kizaru! The battle has just begun! Did you really think you could reach Pops so easily?!!" A booming laugh filled the air as Marco the Phoenix, the 1st Division Commander, transformed into a great phoenix, closing the distance with a beat of his wings.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Kizaru, tell me, who was it that cut off your arm?! How come the Whitebeard Pirates haven't heard a thing about it?!" While blocking the golden light pellets, Marco didn't forget to employ his taunting skills.
"Phoenix Brand!!!"
Seizing the opportunity, Marco flared his blue wings, approaching Kizaru. His right foot swiftly transformed into a bird's claw, slashing fiercely at Kizaru's chest.
Struck in his sore spot, Kizaru's face turned as black as ink. His gloomy face lifted slowly, his voice laden with meaning as it echoed in the sky.
"Marco, what gives you the right to run wild in front of me?!!"
Kizaru raised his right hand. A light arrow shot from his fingertip, instantly piercing Marco's chest. Marco was forced to halt his attack, his expression shifting.
"Armament Haki Infusion?!" Looking at the blood flowing from the wound on his chest, Marco's face turned grave as he used his Devil Fruit ability to rapidly heal. Wasn't Kizaru known as the Marine Admiral who always slacked off?! What nerve had been struck today to make him fight so seriously?
"All you scum of the sea shall die!!" Still not venting his anger, and unable to kill Leo, Kizaru took it out on the Whitebeard Pirates. It was their own fault for crossing his path at a time like this!
Looking down at the massive Whitebeard Pirates force of 50,000, a cruel smirk curled on Kizaru's lips. The next second, he flew to the center of the battlefield. Nine clones materialized, standing back-to-back, forming a circle.
"Kizaru..." On the third level of the execution platform, Sengoku watched this and let out a soft sigh. He knew the pain of losing an arm had affected Kizaru, but he hadn't realized it was to this extent.
Under the watchful eyes of all, the ten Kizarus moved in unison, each forming a finger gun gesture.
"Bastard! Stop him!!!"
"Dammit! He's using that move again!"
"Marco, do something!!!"
The Whitebeard Pirates members watched the dense mass of golden light pellets forming above, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. If all those fell, the Whitebeard Pirates would suffer heavy casualties.
"Kizaru! I won't let you succeed!!!" With a sonic boom from his blue wings, Marco the Phoenix shot forward like lightning, determined to interrupt Kizaru before he completed his attack. Otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable.
However, in the very next second...
"HAHAHAHAHA! Kizaru, even with one arm missing, you're still going all out?!!"
A voice, laced with undisguised mockery, reverberated across the skies of Marineford...
"LEO!!!!"
"It's you again! DIE!!"
As Kizaru roared, he swung his right arm, directing all the golden light pellets towards the Maxim in the sky.
"Still using these outdated tricks." Leo shook his head, bored. He abruptly clenched his fist.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
Under the utterly stunned gazes of the countless people below, a silver sea of lightning and a golden storm of particles collided mid-air. Immediately after, deafening explosions rang out incessantly. A sea of fire erupted in the sky, and powerful shockwaves swept outwards. Some unfortunate souls who couldn't escape in time were instantly pulverized into dust without even a chance to scream, vanishing on the wind.
The Maxim tore through the wall of fire, reappearing before everyone.
"He blocked it?! He blocked all of Admiral Kizaru's attacks?!"
"Leo! Is that the Leo with the 4 Billion Berry bounty?!"
"What?! He's the one who killed a Celestial Dragon?!"
"Damn it! Why is Leo here?!"
"Everyone, be careful! He must be here for us, the Marines!!"
As Leo's identity was recognized, the 100,000 elite Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates alike buzzed with discussion.
Hmm?!
On the Warlords' platform, a sharp gleam flashed in Mihawk's hawk-like eyes. He looked up at the familiar figure at the ship's prow, murmuring softly, "Leo... I never expected you to have reached this level..."
"Leo~" Looking at the tall, imposing figure that made her heart swoon, Boa Hancock clenched her delicate fists, her heart fluttering nervously.
"Captain." Gecko Moria shot an almost imperceptible glance at Leo before quickly looking away.
"Fufufufufufu~ So this is Leo?!!" The only one who had no prior connection with Leo, Donquixote Doflamingo, looked up at him, a curious glint in his narrow eyes behind his sunglasses. He had heard plenty of news about Leo recently. One could even say this man above them was the current eye of the storm raging across the seas. As for Ace, he was merely riding on Roger's coattails. But Doflamingo wasn't particularly worried. Not only was he backed by Emperor Kaido, unafraid of Leo, but he also had no prior dealings with him. Their wells held different water.
"Ara ara~ Another formidable fellow has arrived!!" On the ice, Aokiji looked towards Leo's figure, slowly exhaling a breath of frost. When he saw Robin beside Leo, he couldn't help but sigh. From having to live in the shadows to now daring to appear openly at Marine Headquarters... was all this confidence given to her by Leo?
"LEO!!"
On the third level of the execution platform, Sengoku's face was so dark it seemed ink could drip from it. Leo's sudden appearance was completely beyond his expectations. How could there be someone so insane in this world?! Charlos had just died, and now Leo dared to show up at Marine Headquarters so brazenly?! Had he, the Fleet Admiral, fallen behind the times, or had the whole world gone mad?!
"So that's Leo?!! He doesn't look that special. Why are so many women willing to follow him??!!" Amidst the crowd, a Marine Ensign with orange hair similar to Nami's, a tall figure, and a Marine justice cloak—"Nail-Hand" Isuka—muttered in confusion. Compared to Leo's strength, she was more puzzled by his charm.
"Isuka! What are you thinking about at a time like this?!" A Marine Captain with light pink hair, smoking a woman's cigarette, Hibari, scolded her from the side. "You're on a battlefield! Defeating the enemy is your primary goal!"
"Sorry, Ma'am!" Isuka straightened up, her expression turning serious.
"Leo~" At the whale ship's prow, Whitebeard narrowed his eyes slightly, examining Leo with interest. Although the Whitebeard Pirates had been busy searching for Ace, the name 'Leo' was like thunder to their ears. Even without seeking it out, he knew of this brat who had turned the seas upside down. Killing a Celestial Dragon!! Whitebeard's mind suddenly conjured the image of that overwhelmingly domineering figure from the past. Aside from his former captain, the Sea Freak Rocks, no one had ever dared to actively lay hands on a Celestial Dragon until now.
Setting aside his thoughts, Whitebeard shifted his gaze from Leo back to the despondent Ace kneeling on the platform. No matter the cost today, he would rescue Ace!!!
"LEO!"
"LEO!"
Just as everyone was casting varied looks at Leo, two voices filled with killing intent roared simultaneously from the center of the battlefield and the second level of the execution platform.
Meeting an enemy, one's eyes turn red with fury!
Garp's veins bulged. His entire person shot towards Leo like a cannonball fired from its chamber.
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T/N :
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