The roar of battle continued over the sea.
The island trembled from these two forces, and the waves went berserk because of it.
The speed of their fist and sword swings grew faster and faster, even though both knew deep down that this head-on clash was time-consuming and exhausting.
But as seekers on the path of Haki, they were in a position where retreat was impossible.
Either advance triumphantly after victory, or stagnate after retreating, so that even defeat was better than cowardly fleeing from the frontal battlefield.
Thus, a destined long contest of will, power, and endurance began.
"Truly frightening… like two monsters~"
Watching the dark and crimson lightning constantly running wild in the sky, a young man in the uniform of a field-grade officer pushed up his glasses.
This youthful body, altered by the user of the Toshi Toshi no Mi, and his new recruit career… all of this made the young man nostalgic. (T/N: Age-Age Fruit.)
If only there wasn't that superior officer behind him, constantly urging them forward.
What an annoying hawk.
Why couldn't he have encountered a more ambiguous superior?
Oh, perhaps it was precisely because he was too ambiguous that the faction belonging to him within the Marines was so small.
"Whatever, I'll just treat it as a rare experience!"
The young man smiled and waved to his superior officer, then shouldered his rifle, jumping from the warship's deck onto the island's sandy beach. He followed the gap in the thorn wall deep into the island's interior.
His Observation Haki spread instantly. Although his strength had declined somewhat due to turning into a child, his precise manipulation of Haki still allowed him to cover the entire island.
"Hmm~, not here? Not on this layer?"
The young man raised an eyebrow, revealing an incredulous expression.
"Bor... mmm mmm!"
A man wearing a sergeant's uniform, breathing heavily, chased after him from behind and stopped in front of the young man, saluting him.
But before he could finish his words, the younger version of Borsalino covered his mouth.
"Hey hey~, Razu, with so many masters of Observation Haki on the island, do you want me to reveal my identity?"
Drawing out his languid tone, Borsalino shot this guy an annoyed glance.
If it weren't for the fact that contacting the Toshi Toshi no Mi's ability required the user's direct involvement, he wouldn't even want to see this foolish observer sent by the World Government.
"Apologies, Sir!"
Razu's expression was solemn as he bowed, no longer calling him by name.
Irritably waving a hand at the man before him, Borsalino began to miss that rigid youngster on Egghead Island who always called him 'old uncle'.
'Sigh, Sentomaru is more interesting!'
The two stopped talking and quickly rushed towards the island cloud elevator connecting the two islands.
At the center of the battlefield outside the thorn wall, Zephyr and Tsuru, seeing that the troops assigned to cover the infiltrators had landed successfully, confirmed whether Borsalino's ability was manifesting on the island.
"Success?" Zephyr muttered, turning to exchange a glance with Tsuru.
Tsuru, in sync with her old comrade, withdrew from the battle with Kuina and Tiger, took a golden Den Den Mushi from her bosom, and pressed the button on it viciously.
Whoo—!
A long siren sounded from the warships surrounding Marian Island.
Under the control of the automated technology developed by Vegapunk-
These ships, following the ocean currents, automatically turned to the appropriate positions, adjusted their angles, and adjusted their direction. One after another, green lights lit up on the indicator panels, analyzing and calculating the shell impact points.
Then, the shipboard cannon launching racks of the entire fleet rose. The ships' anchors were dropped. The assembly line tracks for shell loading turned, aiming at the giant tree supporting the Upperworld. Loaded. Fired!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!....
At this moment, steel shells soared above the storm, looking down upon the earth, tearing through the dark clouds. Dragging long contrails of flame, they carried out saturation bombing on the entire island.
"Hahaha, so you have this trick too?"
Seeing the warships automatically firing without anyone operating them, Sakura was momentarily stunned, then laughed loudly.
But Garp, before her, seized the opportunity. An iron fist carrying crimson lightning smashed into her face.
"There are plenty of things you haven't thought of! Get to know them slowly in Impel Down!"
Garp's entire body's muscles bulged. He carried Sakura, like a meteor, plummeting towards the sea directly below.
Plop!
A dozens-of-meters-high spray shot up. The figures of the two were swallowed by the surging waves. Icy seawater engulfed them continuously.
Garp couldn't even care about his hand being burned by the scorching high temperature Sakura released. He simply held on tightly to her neck, quietly waiting for her to lose the ability to resist.
"Hmph!"
Contrary to Garp's expectations, Sakura, being submerged, turned her head and smiled at him.
She grabbed Garp's arm with her right hand. A blue sealing formula pattern instantly spread from Sakura's arm.
Immediately after, freezing air condensed to the extreme was released from the seal, causing the entire surging sea to instantaneously freeze, transforming into a pure white, flawless ice field!
The freezing air continuously spread, making the Underworld, already covered in never-melting snow, even colder. A biting wind blew from the seaside towards the giant tree at the island's center.
It stung the cheeks of the petite ship spirit sitting on the edge of the giant tree's branches.
"Heiya~, Sakura sure knows how to make a ruckus!"
Leviathan stuffed all the rice crackers in her hand into her mouth and finished her hot tea before it froze. "This household really can't function without me~"
Inside a factory in the Underworld, amidst the desperate gazes of a group of captive pirates-
A pitch-black Night Sparrow resolutely spread its ferocious wings!
The darkness between the islands suddenly surged, erupting in the void with the ability user's will to destroy everything.
Thorns condensed from shadows expanded between the supporting giant trees, forming an impenetrable thorn net.
All the shells fired by the Marine's shipboard cannons were intercepted before reaching the pillar. The roar of explosions followed the rushing flames. Amidst the rolling black smoke, the still sturdy figure of the giant tree gradually revealed itself.
"Failed?"
Using his crusher to smash the water shockwave Tiger threw at him, Zephyr looked towards the giant tree wrapped in darkness in the distance, his expression grave.
"Now we can only hope for the final contingency!"
Tsuru used her ability to wash away the death aura carried in Kuina's sword techniques, then a Rankyaku kicked her away, retreating back to Zephyr's side.
Around them, Marine officers and Wing tribe soldiers were locked in combat, the two greatest sea powers entering a war of attrition of evenly matched forces.
On the other side, outside a hospital in the Upperworld.
Borsalino, following the guidance of his Observation Haki, arrived here and stopped before the main gate.
"Sigh, what the hell are they doing down there?"
He glanced helplessly behind him, seeing that the sea behind them was completely frozen, cutting off the Marines' retreat.
Borsalino knew that the time left for him was running out!
His body moved. Using Geppo, he flew towards one of the hospital rooms.
After confirming Bonney playing inside, he raised his hand to cover his face.
Below, Razu timely released his Devil Fruit's ability. Borsalino in mid-air directly reverted to his tall figure.
"!!!"
Ginny inside the room sensed the piercing murderous intent and whirled around.
Her light purple pupils reflected the yellow figure draped in a Justice coat outside the window.
Having worked in intelligence for the Revolutionary Army for many years, she immediately recognized the visitor: "Marine Admiral, Kizaru?"
Without hesitation, Ginny rushed forward, hugged her daughter tightly, and fled outward.
"Hey hey~, madam, could you please step aside? After all, you're... not within the mission scope!"
A languid and frivolous voice accompanied the shattering of the hospital's window wall as he burst into the room.
"Don't even think about it, you government lackey! I won't let you hurt my daughter until I'm dead!"
Fleeing, Ginny completely ignored the tearing of her wounds. She simply used her body single-mindedly to shield Bonney in her arms.
"Well, that can't be helped~"
Kizaru still didn't dare to take his hand away from his face, but his voice carried a bit more tremor.
The next instant, the fierce light from the World Government illuminated within this peaceful hospital.