Chapter 332 - 153-165

Chapter 153: Execution is about to begin; the Navy is ready for battle."Pfft!"

Barrett spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward. The power of space made it impossible for him to dodge, and the force of the splitting attack left him defenseless.

This attack would have instantly killed anyone else, but even Barrett was severely injured and collapsed to the ground after being hit.

The spectators were already stunned, especially when Lake unleashed his final move. Everyone present was a renowned pirate from the previous era and knew Roger's signature move.

Even Crocodile and Jinbe had heard of it. Barrett lay on the ground, staring blankly at the sky, until Lake approached and reached out to him.

"Hey~ how long are you planning to lie there? We don't have much time left."

Barrett chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Failed at this move again, Roger. I never thought this era would produce someone stronger than you."

As he spoke, Barrett reached out and grabbed Lake's hand, standing up and looking at Lake seriously, saying, "Don't die before I defeat you, Lake."

Lake smiled in response, then looked at the remaining group, none of them jumping around. Bondi Waldo looked dejected, head bowed, while the others were preoccupied.

Seeing this, Lake was very satisfied. His efforts hadn't been in vain. Lake then briefly explained the upcoming events to everyone. When he heard that Whitebeard and the Navy were going to war...

Barrett's pupils visibly dilated, and his newly bandaged wound reopened with excitement, showing just how thrilled this battle maniac was.

The others naturally knew who Whitebeard was. Red Earl and Bondi Waldo were contemporaries of Whitebeard, Crocodile had a grudge against Whitebeard, and Whitebeard had been kind to Jinbe.

Everyone present had some connection to Whitebeard, but surprisingly, the least familiar was Lake. After a brief introduction, Lake smiled and said,

"There's another helper coming with you. Just listen to him about when to appear and what to do."

Upon hearing that he had to listen to someone else, Barrett was the first to object, but before he could finish his rebuttal, he heard a voice he knew all too well.

"You're still the same, Barrett."

Barrett turned sharply. He would never forget the silver-haired man's face. There were two people Barrett could never forget:

One was the man he could never defeat, the Pirate King Roger; the other was the equally powerful Pirate King's first mate, Rayleigh, who comforted him after every defeat.

Seeing Rayleigh again, Barrett was overwhelmed with emotions. He wasn't one to hide his feelings, so Rayleigh could see the fluctuations on his face.

Rayleigh slowly walked forward, placed his hand on Barrett's shoulder, and said with a smile, "No matter what happens, face it with a smile!"

These words stunned Barrett, making him freeze on the spot. For a moment, he felt as if he were back on Roger's ship, when he was still a defiant young man.

Finally, Barrett looked down at Rayleigh and said, "Rayleigh... First mate, long time no see."

Rayleigh laughed heartily at Barrett's awkwardness.

"Hahaha! Don't call me that, just call me Rayleigh. It's been a long time indeed. I never expected that our reunion would be with you. What a strange coincidence!"

Pluto Rayleigh, a legendary figure, was known to everyone present, even those who hadn't recognized him. His appearance silenced even the most vocal critic, Barrett.

Bondy Waldo, who had been eager to stir up trouble, dared not speak further. Rayleigh then greeted Red Earl, a former friend from the sea.

Under these circumstances, no one expected to meet like this, especially since the person who had gathered them was a mere teenager. Lake's authority had been proven by his actions.

Lake then instructed Rayleigh to arrange things for the group. Looking at the time, he knew it was time to prepare for his departure. Marineford was already bustling with activity.

Marineford—

The city above, originally home to most of the marines' families, had been completely evacuated. Large numbers of people from the Sabaody Archipelago gathered in front of a large screen, intently watching the situation in Marineford.

Reporters from all over the world have gathered here, cameras and reports ready to broadcast the news to the world immediately.

The Navy's surveillance ships would be sunk instantly upon departure, so they currently have no way of pinpointing Whitebeard's location.

The tension in Marineford intensifies; less than three hours remain until the execution. The Navy's deployment is complete.

A total of 100,000 Navy personnel are involved, with 50 warships circling the crescent-shaped bay and the entire island, the shore lined with countless heavy cannons.

From the port, the Navy's giant vice admiral is visible at the forefront of the army, his massive size particularly striking, and those at the very front are all familiar faces.

The government has summoned the Seven Warlords of the Sea, but only five have been chosen. Jinbe refused to participate in the war and was imprisoned in Impel Down, but has since been rescued by Lake.

Blackbeard, Crocodile's replacement, has already gone to Impel Down to cause trouble. The remaining five are: the world's strongest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk, and...

Gecko Moria, defeated once by Lake and his crew. Donquixote Doflamingo, the Heavenly Demon. Boa Hancock, the world's most beautiful woman and Empress.

And Bartholomew Kuma, the seemingly completely transformed but still possessing some hidden strength. Then, the three guards positioned directly below the execution platform.

The three Admirals, the highest-ranking combatants of Marine Headquarters, were in position. The largest-ever preparation for battle by the Marines was underway, and all the Marines shouted in unison.

Moments later, Ace was forced onto the execution platform. Sengoku and Garp arrived shortly after, but Garp clearly didn't want to face it all and went down alone.

Sengoku then prepared to announce Ace's identity to the world. Although Ace resisted, Sengoku eventually revealed the whole truth.

The bloodline of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger was still alive—this news was enough to shock the entire world. Those on Sabaody Archipelago who received the news first were stunned.

"That notorious villain even has a child?!"

"The legend of Gol D. Roger continues!"

"I'm so relieved he's been caught. The Pirate King's kid is bound to be incredibly brutal!"

"How much would he be worth at an auction?"

"Hahaha~ This execution was the best show ever! You commoners, get out of my way!"

"Is Fire Fist's strength inherited from his father? Is he also searching for ONE PIECE?"

"Anyway, he's finished. Soon he'll disappear from this world!"

...

Chapter 154 The War Begins, the Straw Hat Crew Makes a Dazzling Appearance"Hmm... They're here! They've appeared! Everyone, prepare for battle!"

The Marines, binoculars in hand, spotted the ships and immediately sounded the alarm. Instantly, everyone tensed up. One ship, two ships...

"A massive pirate fleet has appeared!"

"Quickly confirm Whitebeard's location!"

"Ranger Knight, Doma, Raikou, Mackey, the Deckard brothers!, Whirlpool Spider, Squard... a total of 43 pirate ships, all major pirates from the famous towns of the New World!"

"We haven't spotted Whitebeard or the division commanders, but there's no doubt they're all under the Whitebeard Pirates!"

The Marines didn't immediately attack, as they hadn't yet located their main target. Just then, a column of water suddenly erupted from the center of Crescent Bay.

Sengoku stared grimly at the location. Moments later, the main force appeared—the Moby Dick. Marineford erupted in jubilation.

Whitebeard, the world's strongest man, stood at the forefront, behind him all fourteen division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates.

"Gurarara~ It's been decades since we last met, Sengoku. Is my dear son alright?"

...

Meanwhile, hidden in the clouds above Marineford, the Ark Maxim, its body crackling with electricity, was giving everyone final instructions.

Luffy's main task was to rescue Ace, and his crew's task was to help Luffy hold off any obstacles in his path, making the most of their abilities.

Finally, when it was time to retreat, his recruited helpers would appear to clean up the mess. He believed that if the Marines dared to continue at that point, they would be in for a rough time.

After giving the instructions, Lake used his Ultra Wide Observation Haki to assess the situation on the battlefield. The battle at Marineford had already begun.

It was much as expected; the scene appeared grand, but in reality, the high-level fighters were just going through the motions. Seeing that the time was right, Lake directly manipulated the Ark Maxim to begin its descent.

Suddenly, the sun disappeared over the war-torn Marineford, casting a vast shadow over the sky. Marines and pirates alike looked up in alarm.

When they saw a massive golden ship descending from the sky, panic gripped them, and everyone scrambled to escape.

Boom!

With a deafening crash, the golden ship slammed into the ice, shattering the thick surface. The war seemed to freeze for a moment.

Then a slightly mocking voice rang out: "Ahem~ Hey, can you hear me? You should be able to, so I'll just say it...

The Straw Hat crew has joined the battle!!!"

Those who frequently interacted with Lake immediately recognized the voice. Lake's final, heart-wrenching shout plunged Marineford back into shock.

Lake and his crew emerged, Luffy standing side-by-side with Lake, the others flanking them in a line, exuding an air of superiority.

Reporters in the Sabaody Archipelago were busy once again, and the chatter of the crowd was incessant.

"The Straw Hat Pirates?! The leaders of the new era of pirates!"

"They're involved in the battle too? Why? Do they know Whitebeard?"

"This is an unprecedented spectacle! The first meeting between the Emperor of the Sea and the Sovereign of the Sea!"

"Idiot! It should be their first meeting, a cooperative fight against the Marine Headquarters! My god, if they win, will the world end?!"

"Is that ship made of pure gold?!"

"Weren't the Straw Hat crew fighting the Marines in Sabaody? How did they suddenly end up in Marineford?"

...

On the battlefield, even the most knowledgeable spectators began discussing this group that had suddenly appeared.

Moria gritted his teeth, glaring at them as he shouted, word by word, "Straw! Hat! Crew!"

Hawkeye's gaze remained fixed on Lake. Since their last meeting, Hawkeye had witnessed Lake's growth to the fullest, and now he only wanted to test his skills against him again.

Although Doflamingo was meeting the Straw Hat crew for the first time, this wasn't their first encounter; from Bellamy to the human auction.

The people behind them were all Doflamingo, so although they seemed like strangers, their feud had already reached a point of no return. Doflamingo looked at Lake and said.

"That kid must be Lake, right? Fufufufu~ I've finally met the real deal! The trendsetter of this era, we'll settle our score sooner or later!"

The Empress's gaze was also fixed on Lake, her expression very complicated as she muttered to herself, "Is that the man who auctioned off the Celestial Dragons in Sabaody Archipelago...?"

Because of Lake, many things in Sabaody Archipelago didn't go as planned, and the crew didn't get sent flying to different parts of the world.

Luffy naturally didn't meet with the Empress either. Hancock's understanding of the Straw Hat crew was limited to the newspapers, especially the recent ones, which shocked her.

However, because she hadn't seen them in person, she wasn't sure if the information was true. She never expected to encounter them here today.

Kuma remained calm and silently standing in place, and no one found it strange, because Kuma was now in a robot-like state.

After a dashing entrance, Lake glanced around before fixing his gaze on Ace on the execution platform. The next second, the calm sky suddenly filled with dark clouds.

This scene caused the three admirals to frown, Sengoku's expression turning grim. Lake slowly floated into the air and then softly murmured,

"Purple Lightning - Thunder Beast Kirin!"

As he spoke, a massive thunderous Kirin emerged from the clouds with a raised hand. Its purple appearance was imbued with Lake's domineering aura, and all the Marines felt fear upon seeing the colossal creature in the sky.

Aokiji, looking helpless, approached the execution platform and said, "Let's attack together. You've all fought him; you should understand."

Kizaru and Akainu nodded, and the three lined up, attacking simultaneously as the massive thunderous Kirin charged.

"Great Fire Breath!"

"Bang!"

"Lightning Kick!"

Sizzle!

Boom!

The instantaneous collision emptied the center of the battlefield, the terrifying shockwave blowing people below away like toys; the sky was filled with flying figures.

Such a collision hadn't even occurred between Whitebeard and the Marines earlier. No one expected that the Straw Hat crew's arrival would be met with such a massive attack from Lake.

The attack was blocked, but Lake simply chuckled and gestured for Merry to retract the Proverb. Then, with a wave of his hand, he activated the Door-Door Fruit ability, and everyone appeared beside Whitebeard.

As for why he didn't use the Door-Door Fruit to save Ace directly, unless Lake wanted to get beaten up, opening a door to save Ace in front of Sengoku would likely have resulted in a shockwave hitting Lake on the head.

Chapter 155 Surpassing the Peak, Lake Without Limits"Ace! I'm here to save you!" It was Luffy's voice, loud enough for everyone on the battlefield to hear. Ace, recovering from his initial shock, immediately responded to Luffy's call.

"Kid, your hat looks a lot like Shanks'."

"Uncle, do you know Shanks? Shanks asked me to keep this for you."

"Are you here to rescue your brother?"

"Of course!"

"Do you know who the enemy is? Kids like you will be killed!"

"Enough talk! This isn't your business! I know you want to be the Pirate King, right? Let me tell you! I'm the one who will be the Pirate King!"

"Heh~ Pretty arrogant, huh? If you dare to hold me back, I won't let you off!"

"I have something I want to do, and I'll save Ace!"

Luffy really isn't afraid of anyone except Garp. His confrontation with Whitebeard is enough for other pirates to brag about for a lifetime. After their conversation, Whitebeard's eyes met with Lake's.

Neither of them spoke, and for some reason, a strange tension began to spread, and the surrounding crowd felt an invisible pressure.

"Kid, this was all your idea, wasn't it?"

"Uncle, congratulations on guessing right."

"Gurara~ Youth is great, even your words are more interesting than this old man's. Since we're both working towards the same goal, let's cooperate."

"Ah, that's exactly what I was thinking, but you're getting on in years, old man, I'll take the lead."

"You're all so arrogant! Let this old man see what this brat, hailed as the new era's emperor, really has up his sleeve."

"You won't be disappointed."

With that, Lake shouted across the battlefield, "Hey! We're all old friends, do I need to invite you?!"

As soon as Lake finished speaking, the three admirals stepped forward to the center of the battlefield. Lake, a smile playing on his lips, leaped in front of them.

Whether it was his previous conversation with Whitebeard or his current actions, Lake's behavior was shocking to the world. Whitebeard had actively sought cooperation.

One man against the Navy's three highest-ranking admirals—the emperor of the new era, just how strong was the original sin, Lake?! These were the thoughts in the minds of the spectators.

Whitebeard's side wouldn't act rashly, because the three admirals were only the Navy's strongest force on the surface; the truly powerful old man hadn't even made his move yet.

If Whitebeard intervenes, Garp will definitely join the fight. Sengoku might refrain from direct action because of Ace, but the final outcome will only put Lake at a greater disadvantage.

Therefore, the best option now is to wait for an opportunity. That's the difference between top-tier combatants. Is Lake really that strong to take on three opponents at once?

To be honest, if Lake used all his trump cards, he could easily take on three, but he might also pay the price with his life. Fortunately, this time the priority is saving lives.

The fight is just a way to buy time. Lake took a deep breath and immediately drew Tensa Zangetsu, his usual wind and thunder power gathering and exploding within him.

"Wind and Thunder Dual Extremes - War God Stance!"

Lake at his peak appeared before the world. Marco, seeing Lake's appearance from behind, couldn't help but exclaim.

"That stance was even more powerful than Big Mom's! I can't believe the new generation is this strong."

With wind and lightning empowering his body, and space and splitting enhancing his techniques, this was Lake's strongest form, but it wasn't enough to deal with the three before him.

Lake, after a long absence, met with his other self. Such a grand scene naturally required him to get some fresh air. Suddenly, Lake plunged Tensa Zangetsu into his heart.

"Roar!"

Accompanied by a monstrous roar, a terrifying spiritual pressure erupted from Lake, instantly engulfing the entire battlefield. The black spiritual pressure spread like tangible Conqueror's Haki.

Both Marines and pirates felt the threat of death and quickly retreated to their respective sides. Only with the help of powerful figures could they barely withstand the attack.

Lake's appearance changed again. A white mask appeared on his face, with scattered red stripes. The power of wind and lightning still surrounded him.

"Alright~ Let's begin!" Lake's voice was now incredibly magnetic, and the oppressive aura emanating from him made those nearby feel suffocated.

The three admirals were seeing Lake like this for the first time. Knowing his strength and various unpredictable methods, none of them dared to be careless.

"Extreme Wind - Lightning Blade - Crescent Moon Sky Slash!"

Lake suddenly unleashed a sword strike. A black crescent-shaped sword aura, crackling with lightning, hurtled towards the three admirals at incredible speed. Aokiji was the first to react, placing his hands on the ice and shouting.

"Ice Crystal Gate!"

Boom!

Crack!

The massive, thick ice crystal was instantly shattered. When the smoke cleared, the three admirals were nowhere to be seen, leaving only a crescent-shaped mark where even the seawater had been cut open.

"Eight-Foot Aurora Flash!"

"I won't make the same mistake twice, Kizaru!"

At his peak, Lake's wind and lightning power, along with his intangibility power, had enhanced his physical strength to an incredibly terrifying level, making him even faster and stronger.

Therefore, Lake moved the instant Kizaru's attack landed, blocking it with his sword. During the stalemate, Lake felt a strong sense of danger.

"Ice Block - Two-Spiked Spear!"

"Ghost Hound!"

It turned out that Akainu and Aokiji attacked simultaneously from behind, but even so, it wasn't enough. Lake's eyes suddenly changed, and a red six-pointed star appeared.

Boom!

With a loud bang, a cloud of steam exploded in the air like fireworks—this was the result of Aokiji and Akainu's attacks colliding. Lake, however, was completely unharmed.

Even more terrifying was that Lake, like Kizaru, was covered in shimmering golden light. Those who didn't understand were shocked, and the three who had fought Lake frowned deeply.

They knew perfectly well what Lake's current state meant. Indeed, Lake had perfectly replicated himself in his original form using the God's Eye, essentially gaining a temporarily enhanced version of the Glint-Glint Fruit.

At that moment, the world's fastest man was born—don't take it literally, but their brief exchange earlier acted as the catalyst.

The crowd, initially pushed back by the aftershocks of the previous battle, roared and clashed again, chaos reigniting. The crew prepared to move.

Luffy's target was Ace. As he advanced, his crew rallied around him, clearing away any obstacles in his path. The battle plan officially began at this moment.

Those hidden in the shadows could no longer contain themselves. If it weren't for the silver-haired man stopping them, they would have already stormed out and wreaked havoc.

Chapter 156 The Straw Hat Crew's Active Performance, the Most Dazzling Guys on the Battlefield"This is the perfect time for my super mech to make its debut! Awooo!" Franky shouted as he charged towards the largest crowd.

Then, Franky opened the mechanical body and pulled out a pistol. The next second, he threw the pistol into the air and yelled.

"Franky Super Transformation! Megatron Enters!"

Megatron in his original Earth form suddenly appeared on the battlefield; this form is also known as the Tyrannosaurus Rex form.

In beast form, Megatron's massive jaws can bite through 4 inches of thick alloy armor, tear apart an enemy's internal circuitry, and emit poisonous rays from his mouth that can rapidly corrode the enemy's body through wounds.

In robot form, his entire body is covered in weapons. His right arm is a powerful cannon capable of firing fusion beams.

His left arm is equipped with a giant alloy claw that can launch missiles and be used for close combat. He also has a twin-barreled laser cannon on his back that can fire blazing bullets that explode violently upon contact with an object, spewing out high-temperature flames.

Most importantly, this was a colossal steel behemoth, even taller than a giant. Its appearance instantly drew everyone's attention. Franky, inside Megatron, chuckled to himself.

"Hahaha! Finally, it's time for me to shine! Let me show you this world-surpassing technological power! Charge, Megatron!"

The gigantic Megatron began its crushing sweep across the battlefield. Ordinary Marines were no match for it; it was even more difficult to deal with than the previously appeared Oars Jr.

"Franky's getting active, huh? So cool! I'm transforming too! Chopper Mask, transform!"

A soft, cute voice muttered a few words not far from the battlefield Franky had created, when suddenly a roar echoed throughout Marineford.

"Roar!"

In the blink of an eye, another monster, even larger than Megatron, appeared! It was Chopper in disguise, Shukaku. The appearance of these two behemoths completely changed the course of the battle.

Seeing this, Sengoku gritted his teeth and shouted, "Gion! Kaga! Stop those two monsters!"

Upon receiving the order, the two admiral candidates charged towards the two burly figures, but before they could reach them, a sudden attack blocked their path.

"Diable Jambe - Veal SHOT!"

"Three-Sword Style - Gyu-oni - Brave Claw!"

Bang!

Clang!

Intercepted in mid-air, the two admiral candidates looked at the two people in front of them with grim expressions. It was Zoro and Sanji. They exchanged a knowing glance.

"Admiral candidates, huh? Perfect timing! I'd like to see how much my strength compares to an admiral's!"

"Look closely, isn't that a very pretty young lady? But why is someone like you, who looks like a monster, with a beauty of that caliber?!"

The two's provocative and nonsensical words directly enraged the two admiral candidates, and soon the four of them were locked in combat, with Franky and Chopper continuing their rampage.

It wasn't until Moria set his sights on Chopper that he finally saw the sight of Little Oars' corpse. But from the moment Chopper appeared, his eyes turned red—or rather, Shukaku's.

Moria was incredibly excited when he first saw Shukaku. How powerful would such a monster be if it were turned into a zombie! Just as he was preparing to do something, suddenly...

Bang!

A gunshot rang out in the distance. Moria didn't even have time to react before being pierced through the body. Keep in mind, he was a user of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit; ordinary firearms couldn't possibly harm him.

Moria clutched his bleeding stomach and turned to look at the source of the gunshot. However, by the time he saw it, another bullet had already arrived.

Bang!

This shot struck him squarely between the eyes. The Shichibukai Moria died instantly. What a pity, this is war, and the culprit was none other than the Straw Hat crew's most reliable sniper.

"Another enemy has been killed by Lord Usopp! Even a Shichibukai is no match for my single shot! Lord Usopp has once again protected his comrades!"

The pirates nearby thought Usopp was boasting, but in reality, Usopp was just encouraging himself. If this scene happened in the past...

He was terrified just thinking about it. Although things were different now, Usopp still harbored a deep-seated fear.

This was his way of bolstering his courage. The scene shifts to Luffy, who is leading his remaining crew towards the execution platform.

Soon, an obstacle appears: a large number of elite Marine soldiers surround them, blocking their path. Just as Luffy is about to attack, Nami strikes first.

The Great Elementalist's Staff suddenly appears, hovering in the air and flashing with different lights, eventually oscillating between red and white. Nami shouts from the air:

"Fire! Cyclone! Elemental Power - Storm Element!"

The fusion power of the Great Elementalist—Nami at this point is practically catastrophic, in terms of destructive power, not actual strength.

With a casual wave of her hand, dark clouds instantly appear in the sky, followed by a torrent of lightning. Robin's side is not to be outdone.

She produced a somewhat worn book from somewhere, opened it, and softly read aloud. 

ComicBook Adaptations

"Historical Projection - Alabasta!"

The instant she finished speaking, a vast desert appeared out of thin air, like a mirage, followed by the Alabasta capital, which Crocodile knew so well.

A large number of soldiers then rushed out of the palace, throwing the Marines into disarray. They initially thought it was all an illusion, until the first unlucky soldier was taken down with a single blow, realizing it wasn't so simple.

However, when they tried to retaliate, they found their attacks completely ineffective. These soldiers were truly like phantoms, yet they could still strike them.

With Robin and Nami's intervention, the Marines immediately began to retreat. One was a natural disaster, the other an unreachable illusion—how could they fight?!

The Marines, groaning in despair, spontaneously began to retreat. At this moment, Granny Tsuru, who had been watching from below, suddenly appeared before Nami and Robin.

"These two young girls are quite something, making such a big splash right off the bat. Let this old woman have some fun with you."

Although the old woman in front of them didn't seem particularly terrifying, Nami and Robin didn't dare to be careless and stuck together, ready to fight.

At this point, only Brook was left with Luffy. What, you mean Merry? Sorry, Merry was tossed to Whitebeard by Rekkyu and is currently watching the show from Whitebeard's shoulder.

And so, Luffy charged all the way to the stairs of the execution platform. Finally, Garp chose to intervene; the justice behind him wouldn't allow him to just stand by.

Chapter 157 Ace is rescued, why am I always the one who gets hurt by Kizaru?"As long as I'm here, no one can set foot here, not even you, Luffy! I'm a Marine!" His tone was filled with anger and helplessness.

Garp leaped in front of Luffy, his fist, the size of a sandbag, about to strike, when Brook intervened.

"Rotten, Skull Emperor!"

With a deep, resonant voice, a deathly aura erupted, striking straight to the soul. Brook's body began to change. His skull remained, but his signature afro was temporarily gone.

He transformed into a figure wearing a multi-layered crown, boots, and covered in black flames. A long silver chain, resembling the death chains of a traditional European Grim Reaper, cascaded from one corner of the crown.

The transformed Brook gave off a feeling that his soul was about to be dragged away. Before Garp could even adjust to this uncomfortable sensation, Brook's attack arrived.

"Scythe of Annihilation!"

Brook's sword had transformed into a chained scythe of death. Brook manipulated the chains, controlling the massive scythe to strike.

The intimidating presence was as terrifying as a guillotine, but who was Garp? He wouldn't be intimidated by such fear. With a serious expression, Garp's fist, covered in Armament Haki, slammed into the execution platform.

"Fist Bone - Shatter!"

Clang!

Boom!

The execution platform collapsed like paper after the impact. One couldn't help but wonder if Garp had done it intentionally. As the platform collapsed, Luffy seized the opportunity to catch the falling Ace.

But Sengoku wouldn't let Luffy succeed so easily. The appearance of the golden Buddha signified this, and he mercilessly slammed a palm down on Luffy and Ace.

Even still bound by Seastone handcuffs, Ace was still thinking of protecting Luffy, but this time Luffy wouldn't foolishly watch his brother get hurt.

Complex emotions met with a pure soul; the Saiyan bloodline activated, and with just a thought, the super Saiyan-like Luffy appeared.

Golden flames, spiky hair, and pupils that flickered in and out of focus—Luffy was desperately suppressing his sanity, even though, logically speaking,

the concept of a Super Saiyan is supposed to involve losing one's sanity, as it signifies not yet fully mastering the Super Saiyan state. However, Luffy was about to break that rule.

Forcibly suppressing his sanity in his Super Saiyan form, Luffy activated Gear Third, unleashing a massive punch that clashed head-on with Sengoku's enormous golden hand.

Boom!

The already collapsing execution platform was now completely destroyed. The shockwave from their clash shattered the platform into pieces. To Sengoku's surprise, Luffy had actually blocked his attack.

Even with this counterattack, his superior position had been pushed back by Luffy, despite Sengoku not using any special techniques.

However, in terms of pure strength, he had lost to a mere youth. Lake's reputation had always been too great, leading Sengoku to pay excessive attention to him.

He thus overlooked the others on the ship. Now it seems that not only Lake, but everyone on the ship is monster-level. Sengoku, who was thinking something, turned back to his original form after his attack.

Luffy quickly seized the opportunity to crush Ace's handcuffs on the spot, unleashing a towering pillar of fire. Everyone knew what this meant: Fire Fist Ace had been rescued!

Lake, who was currently engaged in combat with the three admirals, smiled slightly when he saw the pillar of fire appear, "Looks like things are going a bit better than I expected."

Akainu, half-encased in magma, roared angrily, "What are those old bastards doing! You two, stop holding back! If they get rescued like this, the Marines are finished!"

As he spoke, the magma surrounding Akainu suddenly began to change. Large chunks of black magma appeared in the fiery red magma. Aokiji and Kizaru exchanged a glance.

Then, things began to change as well. The yellow flashes turned into white aurora borealis, and the blue ice deepened in color, turning into transparent ice crystals. Seeing this, Lake dared not be distracted any longer.

With the wind and lightning emanating from him combined with Kizaru's light, he possessed the advantage of three awakened Devil Fruits in a three-on-three fight. Therefore, Lake made the first move.

"Tensa Zangetsu: Hengyuqie!"

Kizaru launched his attack, and naturally, he stepped in to defend, his white Ama-no-Murakumo sword gleaming brightly as he swung it.

"Ama-no-Murakumo Sword: Setsuna!"

*Sizzle!*

The sound of sword energy clashing, like metal scraping against metal, rang out. Before Lake could react, Kizaru's attack was upon him, and Lake narrowly dodged.

But the next second, Aokiji's voice came from behind.

"Absolute Zero: Ice Seal!"

A chilling aura, carrying the threat of death, appeared behind him. Lake immediately mobilized his wind power, not even having time to turn around before shouting.

"Wind's Extreme: Raging Wind!"

*Whoosh!*

A violent hurricane appeared, directly dispersing Aokiji's chilling aura. Before Lake could even catch his breath, the danger returned; the ground beneath his feet had somehow transformed into a pool of lava.

A gigantic molten lava hand shot out from the depths of the lava pool, grabbing at Lake in mid-air. Lake channeled his lightning energy into Tensa Zangetsu and stabbed downwards.

"Lightning Supreme: Chidori Lightning Sword!"

Sizzle!

Boom!

In an instant, the massive molten lava arm was completely destroyed by Lake. The moment it touched the lava pool, Lake's body bounced back into the air.

Lake's breathing was now rapid. He had already felt the power of these three from just the first wave of attacks; they truly lived up to their reputation as the pinnacle of power.

As if sensing Lake's weakened state, the three's attacks became even more ferocious, especially Kizaru, who, who was usually taking it easy, was unusually serious today.

With his terrifying speed, he launched a continuous barrage of attacks on Lake. Aokiji and Akainu's attack frequency wasn't as fast, but every strike was a deadly blow.

"Eight-Foot Aurora - Light Pattern Flare!"

Countless white specks of light filled the sky, resembling an enhanced version of the Yasakani no Magatama. Lake took a deep breath, and his Tensa Zangetsu was also enveloped in a white light.

"Eight-Foot Aurora - Spatial Rift!"

Sizzle!

No one expected Lake's attack to be so terrifying. Spatial power was Lake's strongest ability, so each use required perfect timing.

The perfect opportunity arose when Kizaru unleashed that wide-area AOE attack in mid-air. Lake swung his sword, a massive white sword aura compressing rapidly in the air.

With a flash of white light, a bloody gash suddenly exploded on Kizaru's body, splattering blood onto the ground. Spatial power ensured Lake's attack was almost guaranteed to hit.

The enhanced, fragmented power made this attack unstoppable. The unfortunate Kizaru transformed into a beam of light and returned to the ground, his wounds a gruesome sight.

Chapter 158 Akainu's Flame Giant, Helper AppearsAfter Kizaru landed, Akainu and Aokiji appeared beside him. The two frowned deeply at Kizaru's injuries, as he was clearly severely wounded compared to Lake, who hadn't even sustained a scratch.

Their previous attacks hadn't been entirely without damage to Lake, but Lake's body was too monstrous; his terrifying regenerative abilities meant that only his clothes were torn.

Akainu surveyed the situation. Ace and Luffy, like war gods, were almost at Whitebeard's side, yet the old man still showed no sign of intervening.

Given the current situation, Akainu decided to ignore everything. He told Aokiji to take Kizaru and retreat, as magma pulsed around him.

Aokiji seemed to understand something, his face grim as he said, "You should know there are still many of our people."

"So what! Are we just going to watch them leave?! The Navy absolutely cannot lose like this. Stop wasting time. I'm saying this one last time."

With that, Akainu walked step by step towards Lake. Behind him, Aokiji sighed and retreated to Sengoku's side with Kizaru. Lake watched Akainu approach.

Although he didn't know what Akainu was planning, he had a bad feeling. So Lake directly tested him, unleashing a seemingly ordinary sword strike.

Clang!

Akainu raised his hand and shattered the sword energy with a single punch. Even Lake's casual attacks were imbued with a shattering aura, yet Akainu shattered it so easily.

However, when Lake saw the Armament Haki flowing on Akainu's fist, he understood. Ultimately, Akainu's Haki was lacking. Akainu suddenly stopped and raised both hands.

Seeing this, Lake cursed under his breath, then suddenly disappeared. After a moment of spatial distortion, Lake reappeared beside Whitebeard. The strength Lake had just displayed had already impressed Whitebeard.

"What's wrong?"

"Akainu is about to unleash a powerful attack. Tell your men to retreat immediately."

"That magma brat is ruthless. Luckily, Ace has been rescued. Men! Everyone retreat to cover Ace!"

"Uncle, I have a bad feeling. Things might get complicated soon."

Whitebeard looked at Lake in silence. How could he not sense it when Lake could? The current situation seemed to favor them.

But anything can happen in an instant on the battlefield. This bad feeling was truly worrying. Akainu raised his hands and shouted in a low voice.

"Meteor Volcano!"

As expected, Akainu concentrated the power of the magma into his shoulder and then unleashed a massive eruption of magma. The erupted magma crashed to the ground like a meteor shower, causing devastating damage to everything on the ground.

The sea, previously frozen by Aokiji, melted, turning into scalding lava. Marines and pirates who hadn't managed to evacuate were instantly incinerated before they could even scream.

But this wasn't the end. Akainu suddenly plunged his hands into the ground, unleashing a torrent of lava as he shouted,

"Hell Sea!"

Instantly, the entire surface of Marineford and the waters of the Bay of Ten Thousand Seas were engulfed in lava. This time, no one escaped. Akainu's move stunned both sides.

Both the Marines and the pirates were stunned. Whitebeard, heartbroken at the sight of his children dying in the magma sea, was consumed by rage, unleashing a terrifying aura.

Sengoku, watching the Marines engulfed in magma, clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Akainu's actions weren't for indiscriminate slaughter, but rather to set the stage.

Now that everything was ready, Akainu's body began to merge into the magma sea. Then, a truly awe-inspiring scene unfolded. First, the magma arm that had attacked Lake reappeared.

However, it was dozens of times larger. Then, its head and body finally appeared completely.

"The Flame Giant Surtur!"

Lake was dumbfounded. This time, he was truly shocked. A colossal, sky-covering form, a terrifying presence—Akainu had actually brought Surtur to life?!

In Lake's mind, the only thing that could rival the sheer awe of this world was Bullet's complete form in the movie, that monster resembling Godzilla.

Fortunately, Ace and Luffy were unharmed because Lake's first thought before the incident was for his crew. He used his Door-Door Fruit ability to bring everyone to safety.

So even though Akainu had created such a terrifying monster, they could simply retreat without fighting. Unfortunately for them, the Navy wouldn't have overlooked this.

"Absolute Zero - Ice Crystal Wall!"

The instant Aokiji finished speaking, a massive ice crystal wall instantly appeared around Marineford, its height almost exceeding that of the Flame Giant.

Its thickness was such that even Whitebeard couldn't break it with a single punch—of course, just a casual punch. Now that their retreat was blocked, they had no choice but to fight.

However, Lake wasn't panicked at all. His backup plan had come into play. Lake calmly dialed a Den Den Mushi.

Before anyone could answer, a figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere, charging straight at the Flame Giant—a scene strikingly similar to the Hulk incident.

After being sent flying by the hammer, a door appeared in the air. The person who passed through the door appeared beside Lake, his face beaming with excitement.

Whitebeard looked surprised as well, but that wasn't all. A red bat appeared beside Lake and transformed into a person.

Then, a sandstorm suddenly arose, and Crocodile appeared. A towering current from the sea brought Jinbe here, and finally, Bondi Waldo appeared on a giant rock.

The sudden appearance of these figures was even more shocking than Akainu's earlier appearance. Sengoku gritted his teeth as he looked at the group that had suddenly appeared opposite him.

"Barrett, Red Earl, Bondi Waldo, Crocodile, and... Jinbe! What happened at Impel Down?! Why are they here?!"

Just then, a Marine shouted anxiously to Sengoku, "Fleet Admiral! Something terrible has happened! Blackbeard... Blackbeard has stormed Impel Down with his men, and all the prisoners have been released!"

Sengoku's anger was nearing its peak. Lake, on the other hand, hadn't expected Blackbeard to choose such a perfect moment, directly taking the blame for him.

Sengoku now believes Blackbeard is responsible for their release, unaware that Lake had already rescued them. Even Blackbeard's former crew still believe Lake saved them.

Bullet, thinking Blackbeard is also one of Lake's men, sent to rescue them, is already bursting with impatience. If Rayleigh hadn't stopped him, he would have rushed out long ago.

Speaking of Rayleigh, the old man isn't planning to show himself yet. Seeing Ace rescued, Rayleigh is playing it by ear. If everyone is safe, he won't reveal himself, since once he does, he'll be off wandering with Shakky.

Chapter 159 Lake is poisoned? Energy toxin explosionBarrett: "Long time no see, Whitebeard!"

Whitebeard: "I didn't expect that kid to even bring you here. You're still the same, Barrett brat."

Red-Haired Shanks: "I didn't expect our reunion to be like this, Newgate."

Whitebeard: "Baroric, I'm genuinely surprised you're still alive. I thought you were long dead."

Bondy Waldo: "Tch~ Enough with the nonsense. Today I'm going to let the whole world know that I'm back!"

Crocodile: "Whitebeard! After this is all over, I'll personally take your head!"

Whitebeard: "Gurararara~ Sand-playing brat, come get it anytime if you can do it."

Jinbe: "Dad! I'm so sorry I couldn't stop all this."

Whitebeard: "Jinbe, you did very well. You were willing to be stripped of your Shichibukai status to avoid participating in the war, but I didn't expect Sengoku to actually lock you up in Impel Down."

Several old acquaintances were catching up here, without any sense of urgency. But thinking about it, it makes sense; with this kind of lineup, you could say they could destroy the world.

What was merely a flame, which they probably saw as nothing more than a giant, live target, suddenly slammed down towards Lake.

Lake looked helplessly at the group chatting behind him, his aura suddenly becoming much calmer. He calmly watched the impending attack and muttered softly,

"Scorching Sun."

Boom!

Instantly, Lake's body transformed, his strength rivaling that of Whitebeard. A single punch, unleashed with explosive power, shattered the Flame Giant's massive hand.

Lake then turned to them and said, "If you want to catch up, there'll be plenty of time back home. If you don't make a move now, don't blame me for wiping you out first!"

Of course, this didn't include Whitebeard; it was mainly aimed at those who were being too aggressive, like Barrett and Valbondi. Lake's tone, though unpleasant, was still quite irritating.

However, sensing the aura emanating from Lake, no one dared to utter a word of rebuttal. They all fell silent, their gazes fixed on the colossal Flame Giant.

Valbondi casually picked up a pebble from the ground, smiled, and tossed it towards the Flame Giant, chanting,

"Multiply... 100x Giant Rock!"

The small pebble that had been thrown earlier instantly transformed into a gigantic boulder, hurtling towards the fire giant. But what use was a mere stone?

The fire giant actually caught the boulder with a wave of its hand, melting the magma upon contact. Clearly, such a battle required equals. Lake opened a door with a wave of his hands.

A whale-like submarine appeared. Barrett immediately recognized it as his catapult ship; the intelligent man didn't need Lake to say anything more.

Barrett immediately stepped forward and used his Devil Fruit ability to merge with his ship. But this wasn't enough. Lake flew into the air, unleashing a massive amount of spatial energy from his body and chanting.

"Super Spatial Displacement!"

Everyone in Marineford felt a strong sense of unease. The next second, the sky was completely covered. Everyone looked up and saw a layer of ground appear above them?

Sengoku looked around and suddenly realized they were below sea level, meaning Lake had lifted Marineford up!

This technique could only be used by Lake in his current state, as the ground was covered by Akainu's magma and filled with Aokiji's ice crystals.

Therefore, Bullet could only recreate his final form from underground. From then on, everyone had to improvise, with Whitebeard leading the charge.

*Crack!*

A punch ripped through space, a large section of the ground above exploded, and Bullet's body grew even larger. Seeing this, the others began to act haphazardly.

As Bullet's body grew larger, the fire giant pulled a large sword from the magma and slashed fiercely at the group.

Lake appeared immediately, but just as he was about to block, his body sent signals: exhaustion, depletion, pain…

Instantly, Lake collapsed, all his states reverting to their previous state. Luffy shouted and rushed out to catch him, but the fire giant's attack had already arrived.

*Sizzle!*

In the nick of time, a silver-white sword aura suddenly appeared, cleaving the Flame Giant's greatsword in two as easily as cutting tofu. Sengoku, seeing the reappearance of the figure, shouted angrily.

"Dark King Rayleigh!"

That's right, Rayleigh finally made his move. Even Whitebeard would have been too late in that situation. Rayleigh, who had been observing from the shadows, acted without hesitation.

Neither Luffy nor Rek would stand idly by and watch them perish. Whitebeard wasn't surprised to see Rayleigh appear, as he had sensed it when Bullet and the others first appeared.

There was another person hiding, another long-lost friend. Whitebeard felt that today wasn't about rescuing anyone, but about seeing an old friend.

Originally, Whitebeard had prepared to die, but today he hadn't exerted much effort. However, this brat was finally reaching his limit.

Now it was time for the strongest man in the world to unleash his power. Luffy, forgetting to thank Rayleigh for saving him, anxiously looked at Rek, constantly asking about the situation.

Chopper rushed over, immediately examining Lake's body. Chopper's conclusion was poisoning! Lake poisoned?

This word shouldn't apply to him. What kind of constitution does he have? Lake, still somewhat conscious, kept replaying the scenes from the previous battle in his mind.

After much thought, he finally understood what had happened. He really was poisoned, but not with poison itself; it was a poison from a chaotic clash of different energies.

This was one of the reasons why Kizaru had attacked Lake so fiercely earlier. Because it wasn't their first time fighting, the Three Admirals were well aware of how monstrous Lake's body was.

Therefore, they chose this method to damage him from within. Although the injuries had healed, various residual energies remained within Lake's body, with Kizaru's light energy being the most prevalent.

These residual energies wouldn't have much of an impact under normal circumstances, but once Lake's body began to unleash its power, these residual energies would also increase in intensity.

In the end, it became a bomb inside Lake's body. Lake's activation of the Scorching Sun state was like setting a fuse, and now he has detonated that energy.

By this point, Lake's internal organs were in complete disarray, beyond the scope of medical treatment. Chopper was anxious but helpless.

Now that their main objective had been achieved, and Lake had encountered this predicament, it was time to prepare for retreat. The current situation was left to them.

Chapter 160 Another Self in the Consciousness Space, Changes in the World Order"Here we go again. It's actually quite nice to have someone with me in this consciousness space; they come here every time I'm unconscious."

Lake saw the person before him who looked exactly like him and instinctively thought he had returned to Zhan Yue's space. But he quickly realized something was wrong.

This person seemed to be himself. Lake took a step back and looked at him, saying, "So what's going on this time?"

The other person looked at him for a moment and replied, "It's all messed up."

Lake said, completely bewildered, "What? What's messed up?"

"You've gone too far. The rules of this world are messed up."

"Can you stop with the mysticism and just say what you mean?"

"Aren't you even a little curious about where you were before you came to this world?"

"Where else could I be? Of course… Earth…"

"Don't try to remember, or you'll fail. The rules are in chaos. They will come to this world later too. You'd better watch yourself."

…

After saying that, the person disappeared, leaving only Lake in a dark space. Lake stared blankly at himself, trying hard to recall something.

But whenever he tried to recall something, it was as if his memory had been erased; he couldn't remember anything at all. In this darkness, Lake's consciousness kept repeating the same thoughts.

Ruscanner—

"Rayleigh, hasn't Lake woken up yet?"

"He should be awake soon. I just checked, and Lake's condition is much better."

Several days had passed since the great battle. The final result of the war was astonishing: the Navy lost!

The live broadcast was interrupted when Akainu summoned the fire giant. What happened afterward was known only to those on the battlefield—a complete stalemate between Bullet and Akainu.

Blackbeard's sudden intervention, Whitebeard's severe injury and subsequent defeat of Blackbeard, the Navy hero Garp's intervention that severely damaged the Whitebeard Pirates, Red Earl's near-killing of Kizaru, and so on.

In short, the final result was that both sides suffered heavy losses, but Portgas D. Ace was still alive, while Whitebeard's fate was unknown. As long as Portgas D. Ace was alive, it meant the Navy had lost.

The world descended into chaos after this battle, with turmoil continuing at sea to this day. Rumors circulated that Whitebeard was dead from his injuries, and the New World was engulfed in constant warfare.

The primary reason for this was the Navy's failure to achieve victory, which alienated the people. To regain their trust, the World Government completely abolished the Navy.

From then on, the Navy became a massive organization under the World Government's control, attempting to rebuild its authority through the government's power. However, many still couldn't accept this, making chaos the defining characteristic of this era.

The Straw Hat crew, who had distinguished themselves in the Marineford War, had vanished. According to internal Navy intelligence, Sin Lake was dead.

But that's a story for later. Rayleigh's retreat with Luffy and the others faced numerous obstacles, the most bizarre being the unexpected occurrence of something.

Coby, just like in the original story, stepped forward at the last moment to try and end the war. The severely injured Akainu attempted to execute Coby on the spot, but Shanks suddenly appeared and stopped him.

The story should have ended there, but unexpectedly, the World Government intervened. Three CP0 agents in white appeared and killed Coby before anyone could react.

The reason given was to disrupt morale. Luffy witnessed this, and he was already upset about Lake's condition, feeling responsible for Lake's death.

Then, Coby died right before his eyes. His reason was instantly overwhelmed by rage, and his golden aura materialized, turning his black hair golden.

Super Saiyan Luffy was born! In his transformed state, Luffy defeated the three CP0 agents with overwhelming power. CP0's original target was the heavily injured Lake.

However, Luffy's sudden burst of power was terrifying, and coupled with his indestructible nature, Luffy's strength instantly leaped to the world's top level.

Finally, Shanks' comfort helped Luffy regain some composure, and under Rayleigh's protection, the Straw Hat crew retreated from Marineford.

When they left, Boa Hancock, the Empress, offered to meet them and brought the Straw Hat crew to Amazon Lily. However, due to protocol,

Hancock didn't let them all go inside. Only Lake was taken to the island for treatment, while the rest went with Rayleigh to a nearby deserted island.

This was Ruskena, the place where Luffy had trained for two years. Now it served as their temporary base, allowing the crew to rest.

The previous battles weren't mentioned, but briefly, the crew members all won against their respective opponents. Zoro and Sanji defeated Momousagi and Kakei.

Nami and Robin's battle against Granny Tsuru ended with Granny Tsuru being unable to continue. Chopper and Franky, being the crew's personal guards, didn't face any specific enemies.

Usopp provided the best support throughout, not only defeating Moria but also intervening in several situations when the crew was in danger, even shooting Akainu in the end.

Brook only exchanged one blow with Sengoku, and Sengoku didn't continue fighting Brook, so there's no clear winner.

In short, as Lake said before, the Straw Hat crew became incredibly famous after this war, even though it was supposed to be a battle between Whitebeard and the Marines.

The Straw Hat crew truly shone in the end. Their reputation has now risen to the level of the Four Emperors, but they are not the fifth Emperor of the Sea.

Perhaps because the Straw Hat crew was previously seen as the symbol of a new era of pirates, they are now hailed as the first generation of Sea Emperors.

New-era pirates will use the Straw Hat crew as a benchmark, no longer following the old path. Becoming Sea Emperors is their goal; the Four Emperors are a thing of the past.

Luffy and Lake are called the strongest twin stars of the new era, with a status equivalent to the Four Emperors. However, due to Lake's uncertain fate and the overall restructuring of the Marines, a new bounty poster has yet to appear.

One night, Lake opened his eyes without warning. His gaze was deep, and he stared silently at the unfamiliar ceiling. After a moment, he sat up.

"My head feels like it's splitting open, and I feel like I've forgotten so many things... Where am I? Is the Marineford War over? Am I dead or alive?"

Lake's mutterings were overheard by the guard at the door. Seeing that the person inside was awake, he hurriedly ran to find a doctor. Moments later, news of Lake's awakening spread throughout the entire island.

Even in the dead of night, Lake's room was surrounded by people, all of them women, and quite beautiful at that. Judging from their clothing, Lake already knew where he was.

Chapter 161 Hancock Takes the Initiative and Gains an EmpressAfter regaining consciousness, Lake looked around and suddenly felt a chill. He looked up and realized he was naked!

Startled, Lake quickly retrieved some clothes from his spatial ring and put them on. Letting out a long breath, he stood up and asked the crowd outside,

"Can someone explain to me what's going on?"

Lake already knew where he was, but he never expected to experience the same treatment Luffy had received. He wondered if these women had examined his golden egg and mushroom.

However, the group of women outside were chattering away, completely ignoring Lake. Their discussion was almost entirely focused on:

"Is this what men are like?"

"Do all men conjure clothes like magic?"

"Why are men's clothes so strange?"

...

Such thoughts swirled in his head. Frustrated, Lake activated his overwhelming Observation Haki, sensed the surroundings, and vanished through a door. In the blink of an eye, Lake appeared in a dark room.

Lake looked around in confusion and said, "That's strange. I clearly sensed Hancock should be here. Why aren't the lights on in broad daylight?"

"Sweetie!"

While Lake was still talking to himself, he suddenly heard a familiar voice. He smiled slightly, raised his hand, and the next second, flowing Armament Haki appeared on his hand.

*Bang!*

With a flick of his wrist, he slapped away the heart-shaped object flying towards him, completely scattering it. Just as he was about to put on a good show, Lake turned around and froze.

There stood Hancock, completely naked, just like when he'd just woken up, her hands covering her private parts, glaring at Lake with resentment.

Lake realized where he'd accidentally wandered off to and quickly turned around, awkwardly scratching his head.

"Um… I'm really sorry, I just woke up and my head's still a bit foggy. I sensed your location and wanted to come and ask you what happened."

"You saw it, didn't you?" Hancock said coldly.

Lake was about to deny it when he suddenly remembered something and changed his tone, saying, "Actually, you don't need to worry about that thing. It's just a mark. I can remove it for you…"

Before he could finish speaking, Lake suddenly felt a figure rapidly approaching him. His instinctive alertness made him turn sharply, and in that instant, he felt his face being hit by a soccer ball.

For a moment, Lake felt dizzy, a warm rush of fluid to his nose. To avoid embarrassment, he quickly bit his tongue and turned his head away, complaining.

"No… you could have at least said something! I thought you were going to attack me, so I…"

But then Hancock's tone instantly softened, and she said gently, "I'm sorry… I just… I was just a little excited when you said you could help me remove the mark…"

This rapid change left Lake bewildered. Was this the same arrogant, disdainful Empress he remembered? What was going on with this attitude?

The real reason was that after Hancock returned to Kuja with the Straw Hat crew, she had asked Rayleigh about the specifics of what happened at Sabaody Archipelago.

Upon learning the truth, Hancock immediately developed different feelings for Lake. She hadn't shown such strong emotions while Lake was still unconscious.

That's why Hancock initially maintained her cold demeanor when Lake first appeared. However, upon hearing Lake say he could remove the mark on her body, Hancock immediately reverted to her previous admiration for him.

That's why her attitude changed so quickly. Lake, on the other hand, believed he had inadvertently strayed from Luffy's original storyline, hence Hancock's reaction.

Getting back to the main point, to avoid losing control, Lake decided to wait until she finished bathing before talking. After all, he wasn't an emotional idiot like Luffy.

From the first moment he saw Hancock, Lake almost succumbed. Without waiting for Hancock to say anything more, he left through a door and went to Hancock's room.

In the dark bathtub, Hancock bit her red lips, as if making a decision. She got up, casually threw on a robe, and walked outside.

Inside the room, Lake was contemplating his next plan when he heard the sound of Hancock's high heels approaching. He turned to greet her.

Unexpectedly, another shocking attack followed. Hancock, fresh from her bath, wore an almost transparent gauze dress, revealing certain parts of her body.

Startled, Lake stumbled backward, clutching his nose and struggling to speak, "What are you doing, Empress?"

Hancock, unaware of Lake's strong reaction and seemingly oblivious to her actions, continued to approach him, until they were face to face.

Hancock was even taller than Lake, which explained her impressive figure. Just as Lake was about to say something, Hancock suddenly lunged at him.

This sudden turn of events was even more frightening than being ambushed by Kizaru. However, as a virile young man, Lake naturally wouldn't back down in this situation.

When a man's lower body is the primary driver of his thoughts, his brain is completely consumed. The two fought their way from the floor to the bed, leaving traces of their struggle throughout the room.

Ultimately, the experienced Lake prevailed. After the battle, the Empress curled up in Lake's arms like a kitten, and Lake entered a period of calm reflection.

While agonizing over how to explain himself, he also pondered how to remove the mark on Hancock's back. His earlier words were primarily to appease Hancock.

As for whether it could be removed, the answer was yes, but Lake would have to find it himself. Yes, he'd been so busy fighting that he'd almost forgotten he had a system.

There was no way around it; his strength was too great, and the system's presence was too weak. However, Lake had already made up his mind. This period should be a two-year gap.

Although his companions, with Lake's help, were already far stronger than in the original timeline, further training was still necessary.

Therefore, the time didn't need to be so long. Lake would use this time to find all the treasure maps he'd obtained from Franky.

I'm sure I can find something to remove Hancock's mark. Although searching alone is definitely less lucky than searching with my friends, I'm willing but unable to bring everyone along.

The enhanced Door-Door Fruit allows Lake to appear anywhere in this world at will, regardless of distance or environment, but if he's with others...

he can only teleport within a limited range. Therefore, Lake will have to go on this treasure hunt alone this time. Quality may be lacking, but quantity is plentiful. I'm sure the world will tremble when the Straw Hat crew reunites!

Chapter 162 Future Plans, One-Year Break"Lake, can you really help me remove that mark?"

"Don't worry, but you'll have to wait a while. I'll be searching all over the world, so it'll take some time."

"Ah? This...this won't do. If you were to abandon your current companions for my sake, I'd feel uneasy."

"What are you thinking? How could I do something like that? I think we need some time to gather our strength before continuing, so I'm planning to take a break."

"That's good. Would you like me to come with you?"

"No need. My ability only allows me to appear anywhere. Oh, by the way, you might not know me well enough. Let me explain briefly~"

Because Hancock is now Lake's woman, Lake naturally wouldn't hide his abilities from her; she's treated the same as his companions.

When Hancock learned of Lake's amazing abilities, she was so surprised she couldn't stop smiling. She was incredibly cute, and Lake almost lost control again.

After spending some more time with Hancock, Lake got up to find his companions and discuss their next plan. Hancock, inexperienced in such matters, wanted to come along, but she was struggling to even stand.

So Lake didn't let her. He opened a door and instantly appeared at Ruske's place, just as his companions were gathered.

Rayleigh immediately sensed Lake's presence and alerted everyone. Soon, the companions were together again.

Nami lunged at him upon seeing him, and Lake quickly caught her. Seeing Lake had recovered, the companions smiled, their previous worries easing.

"You're finally awake, kid. I have something I want to discuss with you," Rayleigh said calmly as he emerged from behind.

Lake quickly greeted Rayleigh with a smile, "Uncle Rayleigh, thank you so much for your help this time."

Rayleigh waved his hand and said, "Let's not dwell on the past. Your crew's reputation has risen quite dramatically this time, so I'd like you to take a break for a while."

Hearing Rayleigh's words, Lake paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Actually, you're thinking the same thing as me. I had the same plan."

Rayleigh had initially thought Lake wouldn't agree, because they were currently at the height of their fame. If they continued their journey now,

the Straw Hat crew would undoubtedly have a large following upon arriving in the New World, and at that time, they would become true sea kings.

Given Lake's personality, he had always paved the way for his companions, and this time he even planned to participate in the war to make the Straw Hat crew, a third-party force, the ultimate winner.

He wouldn't miss this opportunity, so Rayleigh was somewhat dumbfounded that Lake agreed. Lake, unaware of Rayleigh's thoughts, directly stated his own.

The companions all looked conflicted after hearing this. They had no objection to staying for a while, but when they heard that Lake was going to go find the treasure alone, everyone had a strong desire to go with him.

However, this idea remained just that—an idea. Lake's Door-Door Fruit only allowed him to travel the world alone. Afterwards, Lake and Rayleigh discussed the upcoming time allocation.

First, everyone would train in Haki under Rayleigh on this island, requiring at least advanced levels in either Armament Haki or Observation Haki. Afterwards, Lake would open a door for each of them.

A door exclusively for their training ground. Of course, Lake would also participate in the Haki training, but he would be the first to leave, partly to search for treasure and partly to check on his companions' progress at the training ground.

The total time was one year. After one year, regardless of whether they had completed their Haki training, visited the training ground, or how well they had fared, everyone would reunite at Sabaody Archipelago.

This was the arrangement. Lake had shortened his original downtime by a year, so time was still quite tight. Starting today, everyone would begin their period of reflection.

It was a bit difficult for Rayleigh to instruct so many people at once, but Rayleigh was happy to help, since it was he who had suggested staying for a while.

Before training, it was necessary to summarize the Haki levels of the crew members. Lake clearly marked each person's Haki level according to the system's ranking system.

First was Luffy: Armament Haki (near advanced), Observation Haki (intermediate), Conqueror's Haki (basic).

Therefore, Lake raised the training requirements for Luffy: Armament Haki to Ryuo (Advanced Armament Haki), Observation Haki to advanced, and Conqueror's Haki at least intermediate or advanced.

Although it sounded difficult, Luffy didn't complain at all. This war had cost him his friends, and Luffy had grown a lot.

If he couldn't even reach this level as a member of the crew, how could he protect his crew? Later, Lake learned that Luffy had already awakened Super Saiyan, and when he asked why, he couldn't help but sigh at the twists of fate.

Therefore, another requirement was added to Luffy's training: extremely high-intensity physical training to allow Luffy to quickly and fully master the Super Saiyan state.

Next were Zoro and Sanji, whose Haki levels were similar.

Zoro: Armament Haki (near advanced), Observation Haki (intermediate), Demonic Conqueror's Haki (unawakened)

Sanji: Scorching Armament Haki (advanced), Observation Haki (intermediate)

Both have their unique strengths. Zoro possesses Conqueror's Haki potential, and at a level similar to Lake's mutation, requiring significant training.

Sanji's special Armament Haki is Diable Jambe, with a scorching attribute, which can be a key area of ​​training for him. Therefore, their targets, like Lake, have also been raised somewhat.

Zorro's minimum requirements are: advanced proficiency in Armament Haki, advanced Observation Haki, and at least intermediate Demonic Conqueror's Haki.

Sanji's minimum requirements are: a further advancement in Scorching Armament Haki, reaching the level of standard Armament Haki (Ryuo), and advanced Observation Haki.

As the two strongest fighters on the ship after Luffy, Lake has provided them with the least amount of improvement throughout the journey. It can be said that they haven't been significantly changed by Lake.

They have consistently improved themselves by combining their own strength with Lake's assistance, while the other crew members have almost all been completely transformed by Lake's help.

The reason is that their own strength is too weak, so these two must be given special attention. These two competitive individuals will definitely not be inferior to each other in training, and Rayleigh doesn't need to worry about their enthusiasm.

The requirements for the remaining companions remain the same as before, because their Haki levels are really insufficient. Even those who have already met the requirements will be trained here with Rayleigh to further refine their skills.

Chapter 163 The End of a Legend and the Dawn of a New EraNami: Armament Haki (near intermediate level), Observation Haki (intermediate level) Robin: Armament Haki (near intermediate level), Observation Haki (intermediate level)

Usopp: Armament Haki (Intermediate), Observation Haki (Near Advanced) PS: Not under the influence of Destruction.

Chopper: Armament Haki (nearly advanced), Observation Haki (nearly intermediate) Franky: Armament Haki (intermediate), Observation Haki (basic)

Brook: Armament Haki (Beginner), Observation Haki (Intermediate) Merry: Uh… Merry is a special case, so she doesn't train in Haki.

That's the current level of Haki mastery among the crew. Thanks to Lake's help, the enemies along the way have barely provided any training.

Therefore, the companions gradually neglected the role of Haki, preferring to fight using the abilities Lake gave them, which is not a good sign.

In this world, Haki is fundamental; in battles between strong individuals, Haki often determines the outcome. Rayleigh, looking at the information Lake had compiled, suddenly remembered something and asked,

"Why isn't there any information about you? Weren't you also going to train with me in Haki for a while?"

Lake smiled and replied, "For me, I only need to train in Conqueror's Haki for a period of time."

As he spoke, Lake demonstrated his Ryuo, and his Observation Haki was even more impressive—his Wide-Range Observation Haki combined with Future Foresight was already top-tier.

Rayleigh shook his head helplessly and said, "You're a monster, kid. Once you master Conqueror's Haki, I believe it won't be long before you master Conqueror's Binding."

Over the next few months, the crew grew stronger under Rayleigh's training. The training method was simple: get beaten, get beaten, and get beaten some more!

Getting beaten not only strengthened Armament Haki, but dodging while being beaten also enhanced Observation Haki, so getting beaten was the only option. From the initial groans and cries,

to later, everyone could handle it with ease. Even Rayleigh couldn't help but praise their growth. Not long after, Lake's Conqueror's Haki reached an advanced level, and he left first.

He returned a few times to open doors for his crew. Behind these doors were, of course, the places where they had trained for two years in the original story. Although their strength had increased significantly,

these places still played a significant role in their growth, except for Luffy. Lake arranged a new location for Luffy's trials.

However, Luffy would only be allowed to go at the very last minute; the rest of the time, he would train with Rayleigh. A year passed quickly, and finally, Luffy's training grounds opened.

Watching his other crewmates leave one after another, Luffy, eager to get out, finally arrived after passing through the white door and found himself in a primeval jungle he had never seen before.

Luffy, who hadn't seen the outside world in a long time, immediately transformed into a wild horse, running rampant on the island. Soon, he encountered a roadblock—literally a roadblock.

A gigantic tiger suddenly appeared, the largest Luffy had ever seen, and it looked incredibly ferocious, with ridiculously high strength. But alas...

Luffy was no longer the Luffy of a year ago. With a flick of his wrist, he entered Gear Second, and the gigantic tiger, which could teleport in an instant, was sent flying with a single punch. After easily defeating it, Luffy continued exploring the island.

He quickly reached the edge of the island, but the sight before him astonished him—the island beneath his feet was floating in mid-air!

Looking around, he saw dozens more islands suspended in the air. Lake, who had been observing from a distance, chuckled.

"This is a great spot I finally found. Luffy, it's time to prove your strength. Send that old guy on his way, and use this as a signal to the world that they're regrouping."

The floating island Luffy was on belonged to a legendary pirate clan, home to Shiki, the only person before Lake to escape Impel Down.

22 years ago, to escape Impel Down, Shiki cut off his legs, which were bound by Seastone shackles. From then on, he used the famous swords Sakura Ju and Mokuro as prosthetics, becoming the first prisoner to successfully escape Impel Down.

After escaping from prison, Shiki arrived at an island called Vermeer, the island Luffy is currently on. Shiki discovered that the island was infested with ferocious animals that had been consuming plants containing "IQ" (Intelligence Superpower).

Using his abilities, he lifted the entire island into the sky, creating a floating island called "STRONG WORLD."

For twenty years, he concealed his whereabouts, researching "IQ" with his trusted lieutenant, Dr. Indigo, and residing on the floating island to plan his comeback.

Lake had a hard time finding him, but now Luffy could finally prove his strength. It seemed Luffy was now more than capable of dealing with this aging man.

As expected, when Shiki openly revealed his plan to destroy the East Blue, Luffy was enraged.

He wouldn't allow this man to destroy his homeland, so the two immediately began fighting. Initially, Shiki didn't take Luffy seriously at all.

Even a year ago, at the height of the Straw Hat crew's power, Shiki didn't even take Lake seriously, let alone Luffy. But he was quickly proven wrong.

A slap in the face both physically and mentally. Luffy's Gear Second form was enough to make Shiki take him seriously, but this was far from Luffy's current limit.

The fierce battle ended with Luffy, his body radiating golden flames, lying in a pool of blood, his back to Shiki. Morgans, who had been contacted by Lake, immediately informed the world.

The Straw Hat crew, silent for a year, reappeared. Captain Straw Hat Luffy decisively defeated the legendary pirate of the previous era, Shiki.

Does this signify the arrival of a new era, and that the Straw Hat crew will become its pioneers, defeating the old guard one by one to prove everything?

It must be said that Morgans has always been a master at writing news. He didn't need Lake's prompting at all; with a flick of his finger, he made the whole world pay attention to the Straw Hat crew's situation again.

After the battle, Lake took Luffy away and returned him to Rayleigh's side. With the final cleanup complete, it officially announced the Straw Hat crew's return.

Lake waited quietly at the spot where Shiki had been defeated. Soon the Marines arrived, led by Kizaru again. Upon their arrival, both Lake and Kizaru sensed their presence.

Lake wore a smile, while Kizaru looked mournful. What happened next is unknown; the only news was that Admiral Kizaru was suspected of being dead.

Chapter 164 A year later, are there still fakes?"System, panel open!"

Name: Lake

Age: 20

Weapon: Zangetsu Twin Blades

Physical Talents: Divine Vision, Spatial Power, Time Power, Undying Divine Body

Special Abilities: Naming Magic, Peak Stance

Mastered Abilities: Free-flowing Swordsmanship, Mountain-Splitting Sea-Dominating Technique

Mastered Haki: Observation Haki - Mantra (Top-Tier - Future Foresight), Armament Haki (Top-Tier - Ryuo), Conqueror's Haki (Top-Tier - Conqueror's Entanglement)

Devil Fruit: Fusion Fruit (Split, Silence, Door Door, Wind Wind, Rumble Thunder, Flash Flash, Burn Burn, Magma, Freeze, Tremor Tremor)

Inside a tavern on the Sabaody Archipelago, Lake, dressed in black Shinigami armor, was assessing his changes over the past year. This treasure hunt had been incredibly fruitful.

His weapon, Zangetsu, had been upgraded again, becoming a pair of black swords, one long and one short, with significant improvements in all aspects.

Most importantly, Lake had unlocked the power of time; now he was a man who could control time and space.

All of Lake's acquired physical talents, good or bad, were melted down, ultimately transforming his physique into what's known as the "Immortal God Body."

Lake's current state is roughly similar to that of the pink-haired fat man from another timeline; even devastating attacks can't kill him—immortality isn't just a claim.

His abilities have all been simplified through fusion. Aside from his original naming magic and the "Free Will Swordsmanship," his special ability is a simple, easily understood peak state.

Upon activation, Lake will elevate his state to its peak. Without requiring active fusion, all the energy within his body will fuse in its most perfect form.

His techniques, more accurately, his physical combat skills, have evolved from the previous Six Paths of the Navy through repeated fusions, ultimately becoming the current "Mountain Opening and Sea Conqueror," consisting of six styles.

As for their specific power, Lake believes that Kaido, the punching bag, would likely be unable to withstand them. Lake's current abilities can be summed up in four words: simple and brutal.

His Haki has also been elevated to its known peak. There's not much to say about that; you can achieve that by opening more treasure chests. Finally, there's the most complex aspect.

Over the past year, besides the Devil Fruits he found himself, Lake frequently caused trouble for the Marines, primarily aiming to copy the Devil Fruits of the three Admirals.

He even approached Ace, naturally acquiring the Flame-Flame Fruit and the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Then came a ton of useless materials for fusion and enhancement, ultimately resulting in all his Devil Fruit abilities reaching their enhanced, awakened state.

However, possessing too many abilities began to cause Lake problems. Many of his Devil Fruit abilities were useless in battle. Ultimately, the system generously solved this issue.

A Fusion Fruit, unique to Lake worldwide, appeared, directly fusing all of his abilities into an undefined Devil Fruit.

All Devil Fruit abilities became passively triggered, though Lake could still actively use them, greatly facilitating his future combat.

In conclusion: "I, Lake! The strongest being in the pirate world on the surface!"

Of course, he couldn't be too absolute, as there were still many old guys with unknown information who might possess incredibly overpowered abilities or abnormally strong strength.

Anyway, Lake felt he was no weaker than those five old men from the World Government; as for the one above them, that was another story. Now, he truly possessed the strength to roam freely in this world.

Bang!

"Get the hell out of my way!" The tavern door was suddenly kicked open, and an arrogant voice rang out.

The people inside the tavern were terrified and quickly scattered, not daring to run away for fear of being killed immediately. The tavern owner, looking troubled, whispered a warning to Lake.

"You'd better get out of the way quickly. That's the Straw Hat crew! The legendary pirates who had disappeared for a year have reappeared!"

Lake was confused by the tavern owner's words. What was going on? Hadn't only a year passed? The fake Straw Hat crew had also appeared ahead of time?

The fake Luffy walked at the front, with fake Zoro and fake Sanji beside him. They still looked as horribly unsightly as ever, but after looking at Lake, they breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, these guys hadn't brought a fake of him. Lake had initially thought it was because his reputation was so great that they wouldn't dare use a fake, but the next second, Lake clenched his fists.

A skinny, shifty-eyed man dressed in tattered black clothes appeared, speaking even more arrogantly than the fake Luffy had.

"Chirp chirp chirp~ This place is reserved by our Straw Hat crew! Anyone who doesn't want to die, get out of here!"

Lake kept reassuring himself, "This isn't me! This isn't me! This isn't me!" But unfortunately, the surrounding chatter reached his ears.

"That's terrifying! That's the Sea Emperor, Sin Lake!"

"Legend has it he could fight the three Admirals single-handedly a year ago. Now that he's reappeared, he's probably the strongest in the world."

"Whitebeard is old, and we haven't heard from him for a year. We don't know if he's alive or dead. If Whitebeard falls, this man will be the strongest in the world."

...

Although they all spoke with reverence and fear, Lake was really annoyed because they were looking at the skinny guy.

"Do they think people these days are stupid or blind? How did that guy, who looks even more sleazy than that Marine rat, mistake me for him?!"

Just as Lake was internally complaining, he was targeted. Sitting near the main entrance, his attire made him the most conspicuous.

At that moment, the fake Lake walked up to Lake, drew a sword—it looked like it was blackened—and held it to Lake's neck, threatening him.

"Kid~ Looks like you didn't hear me. Do you know what this is? This is Tensa Zangetsu, a sword that can rival the world's strongest! If you're scared... Ah!"

Lake couldn't take it anymore. He snapped the guy's sword in two, then with a single glance, the fake Lake let out a bloodcurdling scream.

The fake Luffy and the others rushed over, but Lake only glanced at them once. Everyone froze, as if in a daze.

They were stunned for a moment, and when they came to their senses, they felt an emptiness, as if something was missing, followed by a sharp pain in their lower body.

"Ah!!!"

The screams of the fake Straw Hat crew echoed throughout the area. Lake casually tossed a bag of Berries to the innkeeper and walked towards the tavern door.

Before leaving, he reminded them, "You need to learn to distinguish the real from the fake when you're out and about. How could someone so ugly be real? If you're going to impersonate someone, at least look somewhat convincing!"

Inside the tavern, everyone stared at the fake Straw Hat crew, now only their upper bodies remaining but still alive, and swallowed hard. No one dared to utter a single word.

Chapter 165: The crew members arrived one after another, and the Navy followed shortly after.*Ding-a-ling*

The tavern door opened, and the green-haired, one-eyed swordsman complained at the entrance, "How did we end up here? I've been looking for ages!"

Inside the tavern sat Rayleigh, drinking, and Shakky, smiling at the bar. Shakky replied somewhat helplessly.

"Well, what can we do? After our master showed up, the Marines surrounded our original location. Finding another place in Sabaody Archipelago is already pretty good."

Rayleigh turned to Zoro and laughed, "I didn't expect you to be the first one here. I thought that kid Lake would come first."

Zorro's lips curled up at Rayleigh's words. "There's just no way to deal with those guys. In that case, I'll go explore the island first."

A few days later, in a tavern in another area of ​​Sabaody Archipelago, a stunningly beautiful woman wearing a bikini top and denim shorts was chatting with the bar owner.

"Did you know the Marine Headquarters moved?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, they switched locations with the G-1 branch across the Red Line. I heard it was the new Fleet Admiral's suggestion, to show their determination to completely eradicate pirates."

"I see."

"But thanks to him, Headquarters' authority has weakened, and there are even more lawless zones on this island now."

"No wonder the island is more chaotic than it was a year ago."

As they chatted, a handsome man in black sat down beside them and said in a flippant tone, "Beautiful lady, may I buy you a drink?"

The shopkeeper quickly stopped him. The customer who had tried to flirt with him was now lying in the backyard, charred black, showing just how dangerous this beautiful woman was.

However, this time the woman's actions baffled the shopkeeper. She suddenly threw herself into the man's arms and began to sob uncontrollably.

"Alright, alright~ You're all grown up now, don't act like a child. Be good, don't cry."

"Waaah~"

The two were none other than Lake and Nami. Lake had actually arrived in Sabaody Archipelago a while ago, but he didn't plan to show himself directly to Rayleigh's side, so he was wandering around the island waiting for his companions to arrive.

Zoro was the first to sense their arrival, enjoying the feeling of being first for a while. Then Lake suddenly appeared and greeted him. Seeing Lake's expression, Zoro knew he wasn't the first to arrive.

His good mood instantly vanished, and he quickly told Lake to disappear from his sight so he could go fishing alone in frustration. Next came Franky's presence.

As soon as Franky arrived, Lakey sent him to find Merry. To be honest, nobody knew where Merry had been for the past year because of her special status.

So she always had her own space. Lakey wasn't very clear about the elves either, but in short, Merry had been in Sabaody Archipelago for the past year.

She hid the Sunny, so as soon as Franky arrived, Lake sent him to find Merry. While waiting, Lake also wanted Franky to upgrade the Sunny with his latest technology.

Then Nami arrived third. Noticing Lake's presence, she immediately came to him. Although they had been together before, they were completely separated after the Gate of Trials opened.

Half a year had passed, so Nami missed Lake terribly. Lake listened quietly as Nami recounted her experiences on the small sky island.

Usopp was the fourth, Chopper the fifth, Brook the sixth (holding a concert in Sabaody Archipelago), Robin the seventh, and Luffy the eighth.

Gradually, the crew was fully assembled. Although the fake Straw Hat crew was easily defeated by Lake, the Marines still discovered them because of Brook's actions.

Sentomaru, leading a large group of Pacifistas, appeared. Coincidentally, just before the crew was about to meet, Pacifistas appeared in front of everyone.

This was no coincidence; it was all orchestrated by Lake. He also wanted to see how his crew had fared a year later. Two Pacifistas blocked Nami and Robin's path.

Neither of them showed any sign of tension. The Pacifistas simply raised their hands and fired a laser beam. Nami drew her Elemental Staff but didn't transform.

With a wave of her hand, she uttered, "Mirage."

As Nami waved, as if draped in an invisible cloak, she and Robin vanished from the spot, their location undetectable even to the Pacifistas.

The machines, unable to locate their target, froze in place. Suddenly, Robin's voice echoed from somewhere, uttering...

"Dazzling Flowers - Four Trees - Armed Slap!"

Countless arms emerged from the ground, instantly forming four enormous arms. These arms were then covered in Armament Haki, accompanied by...

Bang!

A loud crash resounded as two Pacifistas were sent flying by the blow. Robin's voice rang out again in mid-air.

"Fall down!"

The incantation was activated, and the two metal lumps collapsed to the ground without any resistance, unable to stand up, only able to watch helplessly as the dark clouds above grew larger.

"Thundercloud Heavenly Art - Lightning Strike!"

Sizzle!

Boom!

After the lightning struck, only charred parts remained on the ground. The two easily dealt with the two Pacifistas; even after so long apart, their teamwork was still perfect.

Next up were Franky and Merry. Facing two Pacifistas that suddenly appeared beside the Sunny, Merry couldn't wait to show off.

She jumped out. The Pacifistas scanned her but didn't attack, as 50 Berries was considered no threat. Merry, furious, blushed and unleashed a Spirit Magic spell.

"Spirit Magic - Ship Disintegration!"

A strange light flew from Merry's hand, landing on one of the Pacifistas. Moments later, the Pacifista suddenly became immobilized and then disintegrated on the spot.

Her body parts separated one by one, until she herself became a pile of fragments on the ground. Mary turned around proudly, expecting praise from Franky.

But to her surprise, she saw Franky raise his hand and fire a laser beam just like the Pacifista, but it looked even cooler.

Boom!

The beam hit the Pacifista, instantly destroying it. Mary jumped up excitedly and rushed forward, wanting Franky to perform more.

Because Merry usually spends her time on the ship either playing games with Luffy and Usopp or studying the ship with Franky, she's gradually become more and more like a boy.

At first, she was just as excited as Luffy and the others about the robot transformation, and later, Nami found Merry's behavior quite incomprehensible.