"You bastards!"
A furious roar exploded across the battlefield. Akainu, possessing the most explosive temper of them all, could not tolerate this group of sudden, mysterious intruders trampling upon the dignity of the Marines.
His body transformed into magma in an instant as he charged straight at Yang Yi and the others!
Wherever he passed, the thick ice instantly melted away.
"Hellhound!"
Akainu's figure appeared in the sky above the Kuja Pirates' warship. His magma right arm suddenly expanded, morphing into a terrifying, ferocious giant hound of molten rock.
The magma hound opened its gaping maw, lunging toward the people on the deck.
This single strike was enough to instantly obliterate a large battleship.
However, right at the moment the giant magma fist was about to land, a figure shot up into the sky.
Chu Zihang met the magma hound head-on, throwing out his right fist.
His arm underwent a similar transformation mid-swing. His skin turned into boiling magma, while his muscles and bones were replaced by an even higher density of Lord of Fire.
Although both were magma, his magma was a completely different color from Akainu's.
His right arm glowed much brighter, its temperature several times hotter than Akainu's magma.
*Boom—!*
The two magma fists viciously collided in midair!
The next second, under the watchful eyes of audiences all over the world...
Marine Admiral Akainu was actually blasted away by the sheer force of the punch.
The moment his magma-fied arm made contact with Chu Zihang's fist, it was directly scorched—and even melted—by the far more blistering heat!
Akainu's pupils shrank as a wave of agonizing pain shot up his arm.
He couldn't accept it. Why was the power transmitting from his opponent's fist hotter and more overbearing than his own?!
Chu Zihang did not let up his advantage.
Giving Akainu no chance to catch his breath, he closed the distance once more.
Having spent hundreds of years slaughtering countless demons and xenomorphs in a war-torn world, he had honed his combat skills to an incredibly lethal and efficient degree.
Every punch, every kick, aimed straight for Akainu's vitals.
Coupled with his Armament Haki, which was even stronger than Akainu's...
For a time, the Marine Headquarters' highest military power, Admiral Akainu, was actually being beaten back step by step by Chu Zihang!
The sound of clashing fists and kicks rang out endlessly, while splattering chunks of magma smashed deep craters into the ice below.
This scene was broadcasted to every corner of the world through the lenses of the visual Den Den Mushi.
Countless people dropped their jaws, unable to believe their own eyes.
That was a Marine Admiral! The Marines' ultimate fighting force, standing at the very pinnacle of this world!
And now, he was actually being completely suppressed by an unknown, mysterious man using the exact same ability!
Just what in the world was going on?
...
The Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
Inside the Room of Authority, the domain of the Five Elders.
The five old men stared fixedly at Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei on the screen, their faces filled with unbridled greed.
Saturn spoke up, "This man possesses the same ability as Sakazuki, yet its destructive power is even greater."
"And there's that Glint-Glint Fruit from earlier."
A terrifying gleam burst from Mercury's eyes.
"If one is a coincidence, then two definitely means something is wrong!"
"They must possess the technology to duplicate and enhance Devil Fruits!"
This thought ignited the desires in the hearts of the five old men!
If the World Government could get their hands on this technology, they would be able to mass-produce those powerful Devil Fruits!
When that time came, no one would ever be able to shake the World Government's rule!
At this thought, one of them could no longer hold back. He abruptly grabbed the Golden Den Den Mushi beside him and dialed Sengoku's number.
"Sengoku!"
"Capture them alive at all costs! We must know their secret to duplicating Devil Fruits!"
"But Whitebeard..."
Sengoku was cut off before he could finish.
"Deal with Whitebeard later!"
Sengoku's heart skipped a beat, but before he could reply, the Five Elder on the other end added another sentence.
"Tell them that as long as they hand over that secret, the World Government can make an exception and grant them the status of 'World Nobles'!"
"Let them become Celestial Dragons!"
...
The battlefield of Marineford.
Forcing down the humiliation and anger in his heart, Sengoku announced the Five Elders' conditions to the public.
"Listen up, you people on that ship!"
"The Five Elders have issued an order! As long as you hand over the secret to duplicating Devil Fruit abilities, the World Government can grant you the status of 'World Nobles'!"
This proposal, enough to drive any pirate, commoner, or even king mad with desire, echoed through the skies above Marine Headquarters.
For a split second, even the fierce battles came to a brief halt.
Countless burning gazes converged on the Kuja warship.
However, the response to this proposal was a burst of unbridled, maniacal laughter.
"Hahahahahaha!"
"Pfft... I can't, my stomach hurts from laughing!"
Lu Mingfei clutched his stomach, laughing so hard that tears were welling up in his eyes.
As if he had just heard the most unbelievable joke in the world, he shouted at Sengoku on the execution platform with all his might:
"Hey! Old man, are you out of your mind?"
"Let us be Celestial Dragons?"
"You mean that bunch of pampered, inbred, brain-dead trash that's been festering in the Holy Land for hundreds of years?"
"Those fat, bloated pigs?"
"Did you get your head slammed in a door?"
These words spread across the entire world through the visual Den Den Mushi broadcast.
Countless people watching the broadcast—those who had been or were currently being oppressed and enslaved by the Celestial Dragons—felt an unprecedented, exhilarating wave of satisfaction rise from the bottom of their hearts the moment they heard those words!
And right at that moment, Yang Yi, who was standing at the very front, finally spoke up.
"Oi, Sengoku."
He looked at the ashen-faced Fleet Admiral on the execution platform, the corners of his mouth curling up.
"Why are you so angry? Could it be that we're right?"
"Search your conscience and tell me—are those Celestial Dragons your Marines desperately protect really not a bunch of trash?"
Sengoku trembled all over, whether from anger or from holding back laughter, it was hard to tell.
"You bastards—!"
A massive amount of golden light erupted from his body as he transformed into a giant Buddha statue.
He knew that today, there was absolutely no room left for negotiation.
"All forces, hear my command!"
"Change of objective! Capture all intruders!"
The moment the order was given.
Admiral Kizaru's figure turned into a streak of golden light, attacking Old Tang, who had eaten the Glint-Glint Fruit.
Meanwhile, Admiral Aokiji, radiating a terrifying chill cold enough to freeze the soul, walked step by step toward Xia Mi, who was simply watching the show.
The Whitebeard Pirates also seized this opportunity of chaos within the Marine command system to launch another charge toward the execution platform.
At this moment, the entirety of Marineford erupted into an earth-shattering, chaotic melee!
"Little bro, have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
Kizaru let out his signature sleazy voice, launching a light-speed kick viciously toward Old Tang's head.
He was fast, but Old Tang was just as fast.
Old Tang's figure likewise turned into a streak of golden light. Not only did he easily dodge Kizaru's attack, but he even appeared behind Kizaru at an even faster speed, aiming an even sleazier "Monkey Steals the Peach" straight for Kizaru's nether regions.
"What!"
Frightened, Kizaru immediately elementalized to dodge.
Before he could even react, Old Tang launched a "One Thousand Years of Death" right at him.
Kizaru scrambled to defend himself, horrified to discover that his opponent's speed and Haki were both superior to his own!
Even his level of sleaziness far surpassed his own.