Alucard existed everywhere, yet nowhere.
He could dwell within the dreams of others, within their consciousness, and even within their imagination. However, it was not his physical body that existed in these places, but rather his essence assimilating with the environment. In dreams, he merged with the dreamscape; in consciousness, he unified with the will; in imagination, he became one with the void.
While this allowed him to persist, the drawback of this "void state" was his inability to launch attacks. After all, killing someone within a dream was an impossibility.
Yet, this alone placed his enemies at a severe disadvantage.
Take his current battle against the Gorosei and the three Celestial Dragon patriarchs. If Alucard chose to remain within their consciousness indefinitely, they would be utterly powerless to stop him.
"If we convert the Mantra into a spiritual essence and inject it into our own bodies, would it affect him?" Nedseo speculated. "Both are internal interference attacks. This technique might actually work."
"Useless."
Suddenly, Nedseo felt a hard, icy sensation at the back of his head. Alucard's voice drifted into his ear, not from within his mind, but from directly behind him.
"As you've aged, your comprehension has clearly suffered. The existence of the 'will' and the 'soul' are not the same thing." Having said his piece, Alucard prepared to pull the trigger.
On the opposite side, the crescent-mustached Gorosei and Meinfini reacted instantly, striking at Alucard from both left and right.
However, by the time their attacks landed, Alucard had already vanished. The figure that had just disappeared from their physical sight reappeared instantly within their minds.
"What's wrong? Out of tricks already?"
Alucard's silhouette loomed in their consciousness, a taunting reminder that they currently had no way to touch him.
"Alucard! You are hailed as the strongest in the world! Do you not dare to come out and face me?!"
Oseinofica was so enraged he was nearly spitting blood. He wildly swung his Supreme Grade blade, Oodenta Mitsuyo, shearing off an entire corner of the palace. The power was immense, arguably surpassing that of "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk, but it was futile, he couldn't touch Alucard at all.
"The power of the National Treasure is fading. If this continues..." The expressions of the Gorosei were grim beyond measure.
"What's the matter? The battle has only just begun. Why so irritable?"
Alucard sat perched upon his coffin lid once more, baring his teeth in a manic laugh. "The night is still young, and we have plenty of time. Come, think of a new plan. Before the National Treasure's power is spent, try and evict me from your bodies!"
Just as the Gorosei and the three Celestial Dragons were agonizing over how to deal with Alucard in this state, he vanished from their minds again. This time, he manifested directly in front of the crescent-mustached Gorosei, delivering a savage hand-swipe. In that split second, before the others could react, the targeted Gorosei jerked his head back to dodge.
He was a fraction of a second too slow. Alucard's hand sliced across his face, shearing off half of his crescent-shaped beard. Blood sprayed across half his face, and the resulting asymmetry gave him a look that was as ridiculous as it was gruesome.
"ATTACK!!!"
Oseinofica roared, his blade reflecting a flash of murderous intent. The other six launched a synchronized assault at their maximum speed.
But they were still too late. In less than a heartbeat, Alucard had vanished from the spot.
The six men had attacked with such momentum that four of them actually collided with one another.
BOOM!!!!
Four attacks of Yonko, or even "Beyond-Yonko," caliber slammed together. The resulting cataclysmic explosion caused the ground beneath Kong and the others in the distance to heave and crack.
"Retreat! Fall back, now!!"
Kong bellowed, leading the tens of thousands of Government soldiers away from the Holy Land toward the docks. He thought to himself: There is no room for us to interfere... With that kind of destructive power, the opponent is definitely Alucard.
Kong assumed the massive tremors were the result of a clash between Alucard and the Gorosei; he had no idea it was actually a "friendly fire" blunder caused by the Gorosei and the Celestial Dragons hitting each other.
…
A moment later, on the scarred and unrecognizable surface of the Red Line, the aftershocks subsided. The eight men surveyed their surroundings. Half of the crescent-mustached Gorosei's face was ruined from Alucard's earlier strike. The other seven looked disheveled; the long-bearded Gorosei and the patriarch Meinfini bore light injuries from their own accidental collision.
"Even 'teleportation' isn't enough to describe that man's speed..."
The long-bearded Gorosei's whiskers trembled with fury. "He has reached a level where he can appear anywhere he wishes at will."
The others looked no better. They scanned the area. "Where did he go this time?"
"He doesn't seem to be in my consciousness."
"I don't feel his presence in my mind either."
…
Directly beneath the location of Mariejois, in front of the third path connecting the New World and the first half of the Grand Line...
The Kuja Pirates led by Hancock, the Black Thorn Pirates led by Fallon, Law's Heart Pirates... Sanjuan Wolf, Kuzan, and the others had all arrived.
Then, another ship sailed slowly into view: the Red Force, the former ship of the Red Hair Pirates, now serving as a battleship for the Golden Hair Pirates.
"Captain, Ivalis and the others have arrived."
The captains of the various pirate crews received reports from their subordinates.
Meanwhile, the staff of the World Economy Newspaper, led by their kidnapped President Morgans, swallowed hard as they looked at the surrounding fleet.
"Besides the Golden Hair Pirates, there's the Kuja, Black Thorn, Iron Arm... as well as the fallen Admiral Aokiji, and Sanjuan Wolf..."
Morgans muttered the names of these great pirates, his throat dry. "No wonder they didn't collapse like the Whitebeard Pirates during the two years their captain was missing. With this many powerhouses present, it would be impossible."
"I'm a bit thirsty. Hancock, bring me some red wine."
Suddenly, Alucard's voice drifted down from the Kuja ship, causing everyone to snap their heads around in shock.
In the middle of a world-shaking showdown with the Gorosei and the Celestial Dragons, he had actually run off to have a drink.
One had to admit, Alucard wasn't treating this battle for the fate of the world with any gravity at all. He was insulting the fight itself, and by extension, he was insulting the Gorosei, the Celestial Dragons, and everyone else involved.