"So, they're finally making their move?"
Bullet licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. His voice was low, eager.
"They're practically begging us to cut loose."
High above, Doringo spread his wings and launched into the air, soaring straight toward a Seraphim modeled after a younger Doflamingo. He laughed as he flew. "Can't let our Admirals take the lead now, can we?"
Beside him, Sabo cracked his knuckles and smirked. "Agreed." As he stepped forward, his body rose a few feet off the ground, transforming into his dragon-man form. Muscles tightened. Heat shimmered. He turned toward Ace and gave a quick thumbs-up. "Ace, I'm going in first!"
Ace grinned. "Hell yeah."
They'd known each other for most of their lives, but fighting side by side like this… it hit differently. A part of Ace swelled with gratitude, not just for the moment, but for the one who made it possible.
Buggy…
He never imagined the three brothers would reunite on a battlefield like this. Outside of Marco and the old Whitebeard crew, Ace had only two brothers: Sabo and Luffy. If Luffy had known they were both here, he'd have crashed the gates himself.
Still, Ace and Marco had come with a clear mission.
But now wasn't the time to act on it, not yet.
"Ihaaaa! Revolutionary Army cadres! Move out!"
Ivankov's voice boomed across the field, his head inflating dramatically before he launched himself at one of the masked Knights of God.
"OOOOOHHH!"
The four Revolutionary Army commanders followed without hesitation, each selecting their targets and charging into combat. Almost instantly, the Knights of God were intercepted, their charge halted mid-step.
Sabo's opponent stepped forward—another Seraphim, this one based on S-Moria, a clone of Gekko Moria. In the distance, the real Moria squinted at the clone with a frown.
"Heh… didn't think they'd bother cloning me of all people."
He gave a hollow chuckle. "If that smug bastard Doflamingo saw this, he'd be so mad he'd rise from the grave just to throw a tantrum. Heeheehee… Well, guess I'd better find someone to fight before the real monsters show up."
"You're self-aware. That's rare," Crocodile drawled, not even glancing in Moria's direction.
He pointed forward. "The Marines are mobilizing. It's turning into a full-scale war."
Moria turned, and sure enough, a squad of Marine Vice Admirals had emerged from the rear. Leading them was Vice Admiral Tokikake—known as Chaton, or "the pink admiral"—with Smoker close behind.
"I'll take Chaton," said a deep voice.
Rob Lucci stepped forward, expression as sharp as a blade.
"He's a Zoan-type. I'll be the better match."
Crocodile gave a curt nod. "Fine. He's all yours."
Without another word, Lucci leapt into the air, blurring through the sky with rapid Soru steps. He closed in on Chaton and, without hesitation, lashed out with a powerful flying kick.
"Rankyaku! Guy Bird!"
Sharp crescent blades shaped like massive birds exploded from his leg, slicing through the air. Seven or eight of them spiraled toward the Vice Admiral.
"Whoa, whoa! Rob Lucci? Already this serious?" Chaton's expression tightened as he wrapped his arms in Armament Haki. He leapt into the air and met each projectile with a series of precise punches.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The massive energy birds were shattered midair, reduced to bursts of wind and sparks.
"Soru!"
In that instant, Lucci reappeared behind him, fangs bared, fingers stabbing forward.
"Shigan: Shi no Madara!"
A flurry of finger strikes—each one as deadly as a bullet—descended on Chaton.
"Porpoise Armor!"
Instead of dodging, Chaton activated his Zoan powers. His body morphed instantly—khaki-colored armor coated his skin like a second hide. His frame thickened, his hair shortened, and twin fangs sprouted from his jaw, glowing with orange flame.
Though Lucci's strike landed, Chaton withstood the hit, skidding backward across the sky—but clearly unharmed.
"You've gotten a hell of a lot stronger since two years ago," Chaton admitted, his tone no longer playful.
Lucci's lips curled into a smile. "And you haven't."
That did it.
Chaton's expression shifted. He inhaled sharply and, with a growl, released a stream of fire from his mouth.
"Beast Transformation—Flaming Dolphin Armor!"
Flames erupted from his fangs, engulfing his body in a wave of searing orange. His form grew leaner, taller, stretching over three meters. A dragon-like tail unfurled behind him, swaying in the air, while his silhouette glowed like a living ember.
At the same moment, two streams of orange flame erupted behind Chaton, blazing through the air like twin comets. Seeing this, Rob Lucci narrowed his eyes, then grinned.
"So, you've awakened your fruit. Everything in the world responds to will. Let me show you the true power of an awakened Zoan."
Ka-ka-ka—
Lucci's body surged upward, his form growing larger until he stood over three meters tall. Smoke-like tendrils of black mist coiled around his back and under his arms—signs of a full Zoan awakening.
"Zoan Awakening…?"
Shock rippled across the battlefield. Even the veteran fighters turned to watch.
Among all Devil Fruit awakenings, Zoans were said to be the most volatile. Awakening could grant immense physical power and regeneration, but the danger was deeper. Every Zoan had its own will, and if a user couldn't dominate it, they risked becoming a mindless beast.
In Impel Down, there were failed Zoan awakenings—guards who now existed as obedient monsters, stripped of humanity.
Lucci, however, had succeeded.
And the realization left many stunned.
Aside from Commander-in-Chief Kong, no known figure within the Marines or World Government had ever mastered Zoan awakening to this level.
"As expected of you, Rob Lucci," Chaton said with a grin. "Then let's make this fight count."
Without another word, the two shot into the sky again, their figures vanishing in a blur as they clashed above, each strike ringing out like cannon fire.
While they fought, another surge of energy rippled across the battlefield. One of the World Government's elite made his move.
"White Blow!"
As his voice rang out, the ground trembled. Within seconds, the trees, soil, and air over a hundred meters were consumed by thick, rolling white smoke that spread rapidly in every direction, stretching out like a storm cloud, trying to envelop Buggy's entire squad.
But before it could finish, a sharp hiss split the air.
"Sables Sever!"
Shhhrrkk—
In a flash, the white smoke warped and twisted, then was ripped apart by towering blades of yellow sand. Each one slashed through the fog like a scythe, carving massive holes through the encroaching mist.
Crocodile's laughter echoed from within a spinning sandstorm.
"Hahahaha! Another fruit awakener? A Logia, too, no less. Let me guess, you're Smoker. Trying to trap us with that smoke of yours?"
He stepped from the whirlwind, his cloak fluttering behind him, eyes gleaming with confidence.
"Seems a little greedy, don't you think?"
Smoker landed with a heavy thud, his gaze locked on Crocodile.
"You made the first move. I'm just here to make up for the mistake I didn't fix two years ago. I'll bring you down myself."
Crocodile grinned, licking the corner of his mouth.
"Two years ago, I could've crushed you. Two years later, nothing's changed."
He raised a hand, fingers curling as the ground began to tremble.
"Awakening? You're not special."
"Desert Erosion: Sandstorm Burial!"
The ground beneath Crocodile turned to shifting sand across a hundred-meter radius. He lifted both arms, and a towering sand wave rose behind him, ready to consume everything in its path.
Smoker's eyes narrowed. He didn't hesitate. Clenching his fists, he channeled Armament Haki into his arms and charged directly toward the tidal wall of sand.
"White Impact!"
His fists, wrapped in smoke and Haki, collided with the wave in a blinding clash.
BOOM!
The resulting explosion shook the battlefield. Smoke and sand were scattered in every direction, ripping into the terrain. White and yellow energy streams battled for ground, each refusing to yield, both struggling for elemental dominance.
As this battle raged, Little Hancock watched from a distance, arms crossed and lips pursed.
"Tch. All the strong ones are taken. These weaklings aren't even worth stepping on."
Nearby, the young Dracule Mihawk rested one hand on his sheathed blade and smirked.
"Relax, Snake Princess. The World Government still has cards left to play. The real fun hasn't started yet."
"Let's hope so," she replied, shifting her stance impatiently.
Marco and Ace stood nearby, watching them with amused expressions.
"Same as ever," Marco muttered, shaking his head.
Ace chuckled. "Yeah. Just like old times."
The rest of their crew broke into laughter.
As the battlefield roared behind them, Buggy, Redfield, Shanks, Hawkeye, the Empress, Dragon, and the others didn't stop to engage. Without hesitation, they stepped onto the road ahead—the path carved out by the Tree World's awakening.
All around them, the land was overtaken by towering flora. Twisting vines had already absorbed hundreds of the World Government's elite into mummified husks, turning them into grotesque monuments of the so-called "God's Punishment Stars."
Those attuned to Observation Haki could feel it: a river of raw life force being drawn into the earth and channeled directly into Buggy's body. It surged through him from his very footsteps, as if the land itself had bowed to feed him.
He walked calmly, shoulders relaxed, as though he were taking a casual stroll rather than draining the vitality of an entire army.
Even Redfield and Shanks, marching at his sides, glanced at him with unconcealed surprise. They had both seen enough in their lives to know what uncontrolled absorption of life force could do to a body. If anyone else had taken in that much energy, they'd have exploded on the spot.
But Buggy kept walking, unbothered, untouched, unshaken.
Neither of them asked. The timing wasn't right. But the unspoken question hung in the air between them.
Across the world, viewers stared at the live broadcast with their mouths open.
New World — Waters near Totto Land. Supernova Alliance Outpost.
The broadcast crackled above the firelight, the massive transponder snail projecting the war in brutal, silent clarity. Trees twisted like serpents across the screen. Soldiers—hundreds of them—vanished in an instant beneath blooming crimson flowers. At the center of the carnage, Buggy walked forward. Not laughing. Not flailing. Just calm. Cold. Devouring everything in his path.
No one spoke.
Smoke curled from the campfire, rising between three pirate captains. Each was dangerous in its own right. Each now sat frozen, forced to watch.
Kidd leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, metal fingers twitching like the gears inside his skull had jammed.
"Is this some kind of joke?" His voice was low and raw, almost guttural. "That clown just wiped out a hundred thousand of the God's Punishment Army with a damn forest?"
Across from him, Hawkins sat cross-legged in the dirt. A tarot card danced between his fingers as if moved by fate itself. He didn't glance down.
"There's no joke here," he said quietly. "Only inevitability."
Apoo was draped over a log nearby, mouth ajar, a half-eaten meat skewer dangling forgotten from his hand.
"Yo, yo... what are we even watching?" he blurted out. "That's Buggy! Buggy! Back in East Blue, his bounty was just fifteen million! He used to blow up his own ship just trying to fire a cannonball!"
On the screen, the lens panned closer. Gabban launched into the air, clashing with a Marine Admiral in a clash of shockwaves. Ace and Marco tore through the sky, fire and frost colliding against magma. Bullet shattered a wall of ice like it was made of sugar glass.
And Buggy kept walking.
"They haven't even used half their crew yet," Hawkins murmured. "Gabban, Bullet, Boa, Crocodile… Sun Juan… all just watching."
Kidd's jaw tensed. His eyes glinted, sharp and molten.
"And the World Government?" he spat. "Thrown everything they've got and still can't land a damn hit."
Apoo gave a dry laugh. "Cloning the Shichibukai. Knights of God with Logia powers. Who knows what else they've cooked up in those Mariejois labs?"
"It doesn't matter," Hawkins said. He looked up at last, his expression unreadable. "Buggy didn't just win the battle. He flipped the board."
Kidd stood up. Sparks flew as he kicked a stone into the flames. "And we're just sitting here. Watching it all on a damn screen."
They fell silent again as the camera panned wider. Kong barked orders from the high platform. Admirals fell one after another. The colossal shadow of Pluton drifted overhead like an omen of extinction. And beneath it all, Buggy advanced, step by step, without slowing.
Apoo leaned forward, elbows on his knees. The disbelief was still there in his eyes, but something colder had taken hold beneath it.
"You feel that?" he muttered. "That's not just power. That's the world ending right in front of us."
"No," Hawkins said. He drew a card and placed it in the firelight. The Death card gleamed as if smiling back. "It's the beginning of a new one."
Kidd's mechanical arm hissed, the claw flexing open like it was searching for something to tear apart. He brushed ash from his coat.
"Then this new world better be ready," he said. "Because I'm not sitting on the sidelines for long."
And as the fire crackled in their silence, the three captains of the Worst Generation sat in the dark. They stared not at a man, but at a movement. A myth unfolding in real time. A world that once laughed at a clown
It wasn't just shock anymore. It was a realization. Buggy's crew had shown a level of power that no one expected—raw, overwhelming, and terrifyingly coordinated.
Kong had committed every available high-level combat asset to halt their advance. And it wasn't enough.
Across the seas, hearts were stirring. Old grudges and suppressed anger began to burn anew. Especially in those weighed down by the Heavenly Tribute system—the oppressed, the exploited. They were only waiting for a spark.
And Buggy had just become a wildfire.
Atop the central command platform, Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
Commander-in-Chief Kong stood rigid, hands clenched. His expression was dark, jaw tight with disbelief. He hadn't anticipated this. Not this scale. Not this depth of power.
Buru buru buru...
The den den mushi in his coat suddenly rang.
He grabbed it with a swift motion. "This is Kong."
Vice Admiral Tsuru's voice came through, low and grim.
"Commander, we've got a critical problem. The Marines can no longer deploy reinforcements. All our ships have been sunk by Sea Kings. Marineford is cut off."
Kong's eyes widened in disbelief. "What did you just say? All Marine vessels destroyed by Sea Kings? Tsuru, this isn't the time to joke!"
"I'm not joking," she replied sharply. "I just received the report from headquarters. Not long ago, when the naval fleet began to gather, a swarm of Sea Kings went berserk and sank every single ship."
"We didn't even have time to mount a defense. As quickly as they attacked, they withdrew. Calmly. As if it was coordinated."
There was silence on the line.
Then she added, voice colder than ever, "And if that was coordinated... then I think we're dealing with something even worse than a destroyed fleet."
A cold chill ran down Kong's spine.
There was no room for doubt. This incident could only be the work of Buggy's forces. And if they truly could command the Sea Kings, then the tides of the sea itself would rise or fall at Buggy's command.
The implications were terrifying.
The fleet stationed at Marine Headquarters numbered in the thousands. Just how many Sea Kings would it take to sink every single one of them?
But it wasn't just the scale of destruction. It was the precision. The Sea Kings had withdrawn in perfect formation, without chaos, without hesitation. That level of control was no accident.
Kong's eyes shifted upward, locking onto the massive black warship hovering above them. Pluton, the Ancient Weapon, cast its shadow over the battlefield like the omen of an age's end.
And if Buggy had already claimed Pluton, then Poseidon couldn't be far behind.
Kong's jaw tightened. He couldn't wait any longer. The frontlines were collapsing, and the only chance of recovery lay in buying time.
He would stall them himself if needed, until the Five Elders could act.
"Fujitora! Akainu! Aokiji! It's time. Move out!"
"Understood!"
All three Admirals responded in unison, their eyes cold with resolve. Without hesitation, they launched into the sky, streaking toward the approaching enemy.
"Gravity Blade: Fierce Tiger!"
"Meigō: Great Eruption!"
"Ice Age: Pheasant Beak!"
The moment the three Marine Admirals unleashed their techniques, tension spiked across the world. On every screen broadcasting the war, people held their breath.
The Admirals were finally making their move.
"Fujitora's mine."
Gabban rose swiftly into the sky, wind and air bending to his will. He raised his hand, and in the distance, the atmosphere condensed into a ten-meter-wide war axe. With one clean motion, he hurled it toward the incoming gravity wave.
"Buggy! Akainu's ours!"
"Fire Fist!"
"Phoenix Seal!"
In an instant, Ace and Marco rocketed into the air, their bodies ablaze with fire and wrapped in vibrant blue flames. Twin shockwaves, one fiery orange and the other glacial blue, hurtled toward Akainu's magma onslaught from opposite angles.
Their collision lit the sky.
Boom!
A thunderous shockwave cracked through the heavens.
"Then I'll handle Aokiji."
Bullet crouched low and launched himself like a cannonball. His body became a blur of motion, blue energy streaking behind him. With a single punch, he shattered Aokiji's icy storm, then twisted midair and charged straight for the former Admiral.
The live broadcast caught everything.
The three Admirals, or four if one counted Fujitora, had been intercepted before they could even reach Buggy.
Viewers around the world watched in stunned silence.
Buggy's commanders weren't just strong. They were overwhelming.
Kong watched from the high platform, beads of sweat forming at his temples.
And Buggy didn't stop walking.
Step by step, he approached the platform with unhurried ease, as if he were taking a stroll through his kingdom. His eyes never left Kong.
A slow, amused smile crept across his face.
"Well now," Buggy said, his voice loud enough for the world to hear. "Looks like you're the last one standing, Commander Kong."
He took another step forward.
"Still planning to fight? Don't expect me to hold back just because you're over a hundred."
---
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