Izumi's sudden appearance left the girls stunned.
"Huh?"
"Izumi-oniichan, when did you get here?"
Enju Aihara blinked in confusion, completely unaware of his arrival.
The others were just as surprised.
None of them had sensed him at all.
Izumi simply smiled.
"I've been here for quite a while."
"And while I was at it… I already collected all the Devil Fruits here."
He glanced toward Rita with a faint grin.
"She probably noticed me long ago."
"Otherwise, she wouldn't have suggested blowing this place up the moment we arrived."
Understanding dawned on the girls.
Ah… so that's how it was.
If it was Rita—
Noticing Izumi wasn't strange at all.
After all, her senses were exceptionally sharp.
His presence must have given her away immediately.
And that was exactly the case.
The moment Rita arrived—
She had already caught Izumi's scent.
That was why she had proposed such an extreme plan.
Izumi waved his hand casually.
"You all should head back first."
"This place has already been discovered."
"Rita—go ahead."
With that—
He vanished.
Rita nodded.
Her expression turned cold.
Looking down at the city below—
She raised her rifle.
The Third Eye.
Magic circles formed around the barrel.
She aimed—
At a single droplet of water beside a building.
And pulled the trigger.
In the next instant—
She disappeared.
From deep within the Red Line—
A furious roar erupted.
But—
It was too late.
A blinding white light swallowed everything.
A massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
The so-called rulers of the world—
Were erased before they could even react.
No resistance.
No escape.
The earth trembled.
The sky split apart.
The Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons—
Was consumed entirely.
The roar vanished into the explosion.
Countless lives—
Erased in an instant.
Even someone like Kizaru—
Would likely not have escaped.
The attack—
Was simply too fast.
From afar—
The explosion was visible.
Sabaody Archipelago.
Marineford.
A towering mushroom cloud—
Clear as day.
Silence.
The entire world fell silent.
Even Whitebeard stood frozen.
Wasn't the plan to steal Devil Fruits?
Then why—
Blow everything up?!
The scale of destruction was overwhelming.
And worse—
It was broadcast to the entire world.
No one could comprehend it.
Whitebeard swallowed hard.
Then decisively—
"Children…"
"We're leaving!"
Staying here now?
That would be suicide.
This—
Was beyond war.
This was the beginning of chaos.
The era of the Celestial Dragons—
Had ended.
What came next—
No one knew.
But one thing was certain.
The world would fall into turmoil.
Until a new order emerged—
There would be no peace.
Whitebeard clenched his fist.
If that was the case—
Then he would act.
Izumi needed Devil Fruits?
Then he would gather them.
Exchange them for points.
Grow stronger.
Protect his family.
Perhaps—
One day—
He could even bring his sons into that other world.
...
Meanwhile—
Izumi had already returned.
Back to his own domain.
The girls who had participated in the war surrounded him, chattering excitedly.
Clearly—
They wanted rewards.
Izumi sighed softly.
Just then—
Midori Fuse stepped forward shyly.
"Um… Izumi-oniichan…"
"I think I… got something extra."
She removed her shrine maiden hat—
And took out—
A crimson fruit.
Izumi blinked.
"…Where did you get that?"
"That's… the Magma Fruit, isn't it?"
The others were just as shocked.
She had been with them the entire time—
So how?
Midori lowered her head, embarrassed.
"Um… it was my apple…"
Silence.
Izumi's expression turned strange.
"…You hid an apple in your hat…"
"And after the battle… it turned into a Devil Fruit?"
She nodded.
"…It was supposed to be my lunch…"
Izumi didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
This luck—
Was ridiculous.
She went out with an apple—
And came back with one of the rarest Logia fruits.
He gently patted her head.
"Alright."
"I'll take this fruit."
"So—what would you like as a reward?"
"Anything you want."
Midori closed her eyes slightly, enjoying the touch.
"Izumi-oniichan…"
"I want…"
"…to go shopping with you…"
Her voice grew quieter—
Until she lowered her head completely.
Instantly—
The others exploded.
"That's not fair!"
"I want to go too!"
"You can't hog Izumi-sama!"
Enju clung to Izumi, protesting loudly.
The others joined in, complaining all at once.
Midori shrank back.
"Uuu…"
She was on the verge of tears.
Izumi chuckled.
"Alright, alright."
"Don't bully her."
He looked at all of them.
"How about this?"
"I'll take all of you out these next couple of days."
"What do you think?"
The girls lit up instantly.
"Well… it's not a private date…"
"But I suppose I can accept that!"