Two flowers bloom; each tells its own tale.
Before Douglas Bullet completely transformed into a giant beast, the other members of the SWORD Secret Special Force, led by Rosinante, had already begun fighting Ochoku.
Although Ochoku had always used calculation and treachery to deal with his so-called "allies" and the SWORD Secret Special Force…
His strength was undeniable.
Even Blackbeard, a dual-fruit user, had personally admitted that without help, he would have struggled to defeat Ochoku.
That alone proved that Ochoku was at least someone close to Yonko-level.
At most, various limits in talent had kept him from truly standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Yonko monsters.
But the moment he attacked, Rosinante immediately sensed something was wrong.
"You… you're this strong?"
Rosinante jerked aside, narrowly dodging a slash.
"This… isn't quite the same as the intel!"
"Intel? If you think I would let the outside world get accurate intel on me, aren't you being a bit naïve?"
A faint smile appeared on Ochoku's face.
"People like Kaido don't care whether their intel leaks. People like Michael don't care either… But I'm different. I possess a very clear understanding of myself. I'm strong, but I will never reach the realm of 'the strongest.' So I'll use every means available to secure my safety and wealth on this sea."
Ochoku talked a lot.
And while he was speaking, the other SWORD Secret Special Force operatives had already closed in.
Besides Rosinante, there were also Jack, Hina, Shu, T Bone, Sandersonia, and Marigold.
"You're running your mouth because you've reached a dead end and want to stall for time to find a breakthrough, right?"
Jack rolled his shoulders and sneered.
"Either way, we're not exactly your audience for a pity speech."
"I should be asking you. A Revolutionary Army member, mixed together with the Marines…"
Ochoku raised a brow, obviously implying something.
"Could it be that Michael has never forgotten his entanglement with the Navy? A man with such wavering resolve—Is that really someone worth following?"
"Wavering resolve? Unstable stance?"
Hina looked at him in genuine surprise.
"Hina is shocked. It seems you really know nothing."
"If he wants to stay ignorant, let him. Letting him die confused is the mercy we offer."
Inside the cabin next to Shu, all metal components instantly turned to rust and surged toward Shu.
"ORAA ORAA! Let's take this guy down already and then go support the others!"
Marigold shook her fists excitedly.
"I still want to see that giant robot up close! If Stella and the others defeat it before we get there, it'll be too late!"
"Marigold… taking down a strong enemy quickly is good! Don't make it sound like a regret!"
Sandersonia brushed back her long green hair.
"And… the enemy in front of us is no simple opponent. Aren't you all underestimating him a bit?"
T Bone looked around.
Seeing that all the fodder on Ochoku's ship had already been wiped out, he said nothing and simply launched his attack.
Brandishing the Kalavinka, one of the 21 Great Grade Swords, T Bone slashed toward Ochoku—using his signature technique right away.
A right-angle flying slash shot out, and at its front was clearly the shape of a bird's head.
"You really think… you've got me cornered, huh?"
Ochoku swung his sword, meeting T Bone's strike head-on.
With a surge of Armament Haki, the flying slash was split cleanly in two and vanished.
And with that signal, everyone else charged in as well.
Though Ochoku possessed overwhelming personal strength, the SWORD Secret Special Force was Michael's handpicked Marine elite.
Nearly all of them now held the rank of Rear Admiral or Vice Admiral, and their individual combat power was unquestionable.
Ochoku was not their match.
But just as the battle reached its peak—everything changed.
The gigantic robot created by the Clank-Clank Fruit and the hundred-fold amplification of the More-More Fruit—two awakened Paramecia powers—instantly tilted the scales of victory.
Even Ochoku's pirate ship was effortlessly knocked aside when the enormous robot collided with it after being magnified a hundredfold.
A single light graze was enough to reduce the ship to splinters on the sea.
And Ochoku happened to be directly in the path of the impact.
The fusion robot's size rivaled Zunesha, and with it came unprecedented force.
Zunesha had instantly killed Drought Jack with a single trunk swing.
But the awakened Bullet, clad in all three Haki types simultaneously…
Though not as large as Zunesha, his combat power far surpassed it.
"Holy sh—"
Rosinante only had time to shout before being blasted away by the shockwave.
Fortunately, he reacted mid-air. He activated his ability, turned into gold, and extended golden ropes to pull the other airborne members back together.
Then he stepped on Geppo, stabilizing himself in mid-air.
He looked toward the monstrous presence below…
"So that's the thing fighting Stella and the others… What a monster."
"Rosinante, should we go support them now?"
Hina asked quietly.
"Ochoku has disappeared…"
"Of course!"
…
"Thunder Bagua!"
"Judgment Flame!"
"Thunder Bagua!"
"Judgment Flame!"
"Thunder Bagua!"
"…Are you f***ing kidding me—IS THAT LITERALLY THE ONLY MOVE YOU KNOW!?"
Michael stared at Kaido, still in human form, swinging his lightning-wrapped kanabo over and over again.
He knew this move all too well.
To train Yamato, he had sparred with her many times. And "Thunder Bagua" was Yamato's specialty.
After all, father and daughter…
Even though Yamato had already severed their familial bond, the mark of bloodline could never be erased.
But…
Using ONLY this move…
Wasn't that way too boring!?
"Of course this isn't the only one."
Kaido gripped his kanabo tightly, eyes filled with surprise.
The lightning wrapped around the attack did more than enhance its power—it stimulated the body, pushing its activation to the limit and granting near-teleportation speed.
Even someone with Katakuri-level future-sight Observation Haki couldn't fully evade it.
But Michael not only blocked it every single time…
The recoil traveling back through the kanabo told Kaido one thing—
Michael's strength was absolutely not beneath his own.
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg