The War Ends, Austin Flees

Facing the killing moves of the Three Great Logia Users, Austin didn't forcibly warp away to dodge, because he also wanted to test his own limits.

"Divine Departure!!!"

As Austin's merciless voice fell, the three men closing in all felt a bone-chilling cold surge toward them.

The black-red blade, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki made tangible, combined with the monstrous strength of that demonic figure, slashed toward the three at a speed nearly invisible to the naked eye.

Black-red lightning mixed with the cracking of elements, and a dazzling light illuminated Austin's excited face.

The sheer power, along with their familiarity with this kind of force, made Sengoku and the others turn their heads again.

"That's... Roger's Divine Departure!?"

"Very similar, but not as exaggerated in power!"

"Gehahaha, what a promising little kid. Is the Navy of the New Era only this capable?"

Shiki mocked without mercy.

Though he and the Roger Pirates weren't exactly on good terms either, compared to the Navy, he'd rather see them humiliated.

These trash—how could they ever catch that guy Roger?

"The future Three Admirals of the Navy, I acknowledge you have the right to fight me."

Austin's Divine Departure cleaved straight through the three calamitous natural-element killing moves, his eyes filled with satisfaction as he pointed his blade at them.

"Come on, try to kill me!!!"

And at Austin's contemptuous attitude, the three were clearly provoked, their bodies manifesting exaggerated natural forces, even the surrounding environment beginning to change because of it.

At full power, that was enough to permanently alter the terrain and climate of an island!

After both sides erupted with everything they had, Austin admitted he was indeed under some pressure.

One he could confidently suppress with ease, two he could still handle with some leeway.

Three, and he could only barely hold his ground without losing.

And that was with him possessing two invincible abilities.

No wonder Oda the old weirdo once said no one in the world could defeat two Admirals alone—with that kind of tankiness, Haki mastery, and natural-disaster destructive power, trying to take down two or more by yourself, unless it was an old-timer crushing a rookie, or using a very peculiar Devil Fruit to ambush, was simply impossible.

Looking at the series of wounds on his body, Austin roughly understood that this was his current limit.

But even knowing that, Austin still wanted to challenge that limit—this might also be the opportunity for his Conqueror's Haki to take a step further.

That was the fundamental reason he chose to fight this battle.

He refused to believe that, with his spirit already expanded to the point of taking on the Three Admirals alone, he couldn't grow to claim the throne of the strongest Conqueror's Haki in the future.

He'd already imagined it.

If he and Shanks showed up together at some big scene, both unleashing their Conqueror's Haki at the same time.

Neither would be scary.

Whoever was weaker would be the awkward one.

He didn't want to fall behind that guy Shanks in something as flashy as Conqueror's Haki.

Shanks?

Just a little brother!

The fierce battle continued.

A duel between masters was always measured in days.

After five days and five nights of intense fighting, even Austin, with his monster-like physique, was starting to struggle.

His body, riddled with holes, bore wounds both fresh and old, the earlier ones already crusted over with thick scabs.

On the other side, the future Three Admirals weren't faring well either.

Wounds even worse than Austin's covered their bodies, and if elementalization hadn't occasionally negated some damage, they'd be in an even more miserable state.

Borsalino's glasses had long been shattered, and this perpetually lazy, sleazy old monkey had lost several teeth, his body marked with footprints and sword cuts.

Sakazuki beside him wasn't much better off. After taking a direct punch from Austin at the start and getting injured, his reaction speed had clearly dropped.

Now, if not for the magma covering his entire body, what would be revealed was definitely a bruised and swollen face.

Of course, the worst off was Austin's special target, his old love-hate rival Sea Ice.

Now, besides the miserable wounds on his face and body, his left leg was twisted into an irregular shape, as if fate had destined him for this calamity.

But thankfully, it wasn't broken. Wrapped in supreme bandages, it should heal in ten days or half a month.

It wasn't that they were weak—it was purely that Austin was too freakish.

Aside from being slightly lacking in combat experience, he had almost no weaknesses. Whether in physical techniques, swordsmanship, or Haki, he was firmly a step above them. Add in the elusive Warp Fruit, and it was nearly impossible to land damage on him.

Plus, his Conqueror's Haki, which grew crazier and stronger the longer he fought, wrapped around his blade and occasionally hurled a Divine Departure at them—each one more painful than the last.

Still, no matter how long the battle dragged on, it finally came to an end.

At the other end of the four-way battlefield, three strongmen of the Old Era had already settled their match.

"Shiki, Roger's death will usher in an era of peace. The Marines will never allow anyone to disrupt it!"

"Garp!!!"

After the final blow of Fist Bone Galaxy Impact landed, that proud, unyielding Golden Lion finally fell.

Perhaps the helm lodged in his head had weakened his strength, or maybe his stubborn head-on assault left him outnumbered—either way, Shiki was ultimately defeated.

Once the Seastone shackles were clamped on, He had no strength left to fight back.

And almost the instant Golden Lion Shiki fell, Austin's scalp went numb, every hair on his body standing on end as Observation Haki screamed danger.

Whoosh—

Austin, who had been enjoying his brawl with the three Admirals, instantly vanished from the spot with an ultra-long-distance teleport.

Boom—

"Wahahaha, pretty quick on the dodge, you gun-toting kid from Roger's ship!!!"

Where he had stood, a fist wreathed in blazing red light slammed down, cracking the earth for a thousand meters in every direction.

Even the three heavily injured Admirals were forced back by the residual shockwave.

The one who had struck from ambush

Was the very man who had driven Austin's captain into a corner time and again—

The Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp!

Seeing Garp, whose single punch had shattered the ground for miles, Austin couldn't help a few cold sweat droplets trickling down his forehead.

"Captain Roger isn't here, so you're picking on an intern?

Mr. Garp, that doesn't seem like the conduct of a righteous Marine."

"I've told you before, Austin!"

Sengoku, still in his Great Buddha form, joined the fray, shouting at Austin with a stern glare.

"When dealing with scum like you, the Marines don't need to bother with honor!!!"

"Is that so?"

"Then... as a pirate, when faced with an unbeatable Marine, running away is only natural, right?"

Austin shrugged off Sengoku's roar, instead grinning at the group.

Truth be told, the moment he saw Golden Lion fall, he knew it was time to cut and run.

He'd had his fun, made his name—if he didn't leave now, he'd really end up in a cell keeping Captain Roger company.

"What!?!"

Hearing that, Sengoku's face instantly flushed red. "Don't tell me... you bastard!!!"

The reason for his fury was simple: he knew that with that nearly unstoppable ability, if Austin wanted to flee, almost no one could stop him.

But if that happened, Marine Headquarters at Marineford—

The entire Marines' dignity would be shattered!!!

As if to pour oil on the fire, seagulls carrying cameras and bags flew overhead, snapping photos nonstop.

Austin smiled at the lens, waved at the Marines, And then, amid the explosions and smoke from their furious attacks, The figure of Black Gun Austin

Vanished.