"Damn it!!"
He smashed the rock beneath him with a single punch.
Massive plant roots were rapidly absorbing nutrients from the earth to replenish themselves.
The more critical the moment, the more he had to keep himself in peak condition.
Because on this sea, battles between top-tier powerhouses could be decided by the slightest difference.
As Ryokugyu rapidly recovered his strength, his face was filled with conflict. Unlike Sakazuki and Borsalino, he had not been raised by the Marines from the very beginning.
As an admiral who had joined the Marines midway through life, Ryokugyu did not possess the resolve to sacrifice himself for the Marines and the World Government.
If he had been facing other enemies, Ryokugyu might have fought them fiercely for the mission and the ideals he had held when he first joined the Marines, holding out for reinforcements.
But against Whitebeard and a Great Swordsman no weaker than himself, their terrifying strength made Ryokugyu feel the threat of death.
He knew that if he fought head-on, there was a high chance he would be left behind at Leviathan Base for good.
But if he escaped now, his reputation on these seas would inevitably plummet, and the World Government would certainly hold him accountable.
His face filled with struggle, Ryokugyu recovered with all his might while weighing whether to stay or leave.
"You really do run fast! Say, are you really a Marine admiral? I've never seen anyone as cowardly as you!!"
"Sound Lightning!"
"Meteor Noise!"
Invisible sonic energy gathered in the sky, then crashed down upon the ground where Ryokugyu stood like thunder from the heavens.
"Boom~~~~~"
The powerful noise energy tore straight through the curtain of rain in the darkness.
Then, amid the thunderous explosion of earth and stone, clouds of dust spread across the