The Apex

"Who do you think the incoming Admiral will be?"

"The Marines are in a period of generational transition. Of the three Admirals, the oldest, Moka, is a Marine from my generation. He was transferred to the Holy Land a few days ago to familiarize himself with the duties of Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies and is about to be promoted."

"Aokiji? That stubborn old man Aokiji annoys the Five Elders to death. Why would they send him?"

"As for the other two Admirals, one is in the New World keeping an eye on Hell of a Man Rebrus, who's been making some moves lately. The other has a good relationship with both Aokiji and me, so he probably won't be sent either."

"So the one coming is most likely the Admiral candidate set to replace Moka: Raul."

"Does that name sound familiar? Raul didn't rise through the Marine Headquarters training camp. He was once a notorious bounty hunter on the seas, later personally scouted and recruited into the Marines by Aokiji."

"He's a genius like you and Sapphire. At just 24, he was promoted to Colonel ahead of schedule. The next year, when Impel Down was first established, Aokiji appointed him as Jailer Chief there. In one year, he skipped the Rear Admiral rank and returned to be promoted to Vice Admiral. Four years after that, he became a Vice Admiral."

"Afterward, he obtained the Logia Wind-Wind Fruit, which only added to his strength. But that old fool Aokiji misjudged him. The kid wasn't a suitable successor. Starting a few years ago, he's been frequently contacting the World Government and the Five Elders. The World Government is probably tired of a Fleet Admiral like Aokiji and wants to cultivate someone more obedient."

"Aokiji deliberately held him back for two years, but he can't hold him back any longer. At 40, he's mature in every aspect. So don't underestimate him just because he's not yet a formal Marine Admiral. He's long had the authority and power of an Admiral. He's recognized by all Marines at Headquarters as the Fourth Admiral!"

"Of course, if you have the ability, beating that bastard up would be even better, Figo!"

Standing on Level 0 of Impel Down, Figo rested his hand on his sword hilt, the words of Doug echoing in his mind as he gradually adjusted his state to its peak.

Suddenly, a fierce gale swept across the sea, sending Figo's pure black Director's cloak fluttering high into the air, snapping loudly!

"Staying in the Calm Belt too long, I almost forgot what the wind feels like."

Figo muttered softly, then drew his blade and slashed!

The blazing white sword energy expanded violently with his strike, as if vying with the sun's radiance, leaving the entire sea dominated by this single massive crescent moon, nothing else!

Before Figo, the sea, hundreds of meters deep, split cleanly in two with that one slash! The churning waters spread outward on both sides, while the onrushing wind was also severed in half by the blade!

The wind blowing against him died abruptly.

A few hundred meters ahead, the two severed halves of the wind source shifted form, turning semi-solid and falling toward the sea surface, plunging into the abyss Figo had carved.

Three seconds later, a terrifying hurricane shot up from the depths of the sea to the sky, churning a vortex several kilometers in diameter in the usually calm Calm Belt. Then the seawater was rapidly pushed aside, massive waves crashing one after another against Level 0 of Impel Down, rolling into the distance.

Impel Down, buried deep beneath the sea for over a decade, gradually became fully exposed to the air! Centered on where the two severed wind halves had fallen, the seawater was pushed away by the gale for thousands of meters, then blocked by an invisible wall of wind, unable to surge back!

Within half a minute, the nearby marine environment had turned into dry land. The two fallen wind halves finally merged, forming a human floating about a meter above the seabed.

A cyan shirt, white trousers, a fluttering white cloak of justice, a height similar to Figo's, gray-brown pupils, and a long, slightly pointed chin with no beard.

The Fourth Admiral, Raul!

"Lord Saint Mendsbin told me you might resist violently, and I could hardly believe it," he said, hands in his pockets, his body swaying slightly up and down with the breeze, looking up at Figo on Level 0. "I remember you, Gaston Figo. Back when I was stationed at Impel Down, you were just a small Captain trying to catch everyone's eye through hard work."

"I never expected that 14 years would pass in a flash, and you'd have the guts to draw your blade against me."

"I appreciate your courage and resolve, but the dignity of the World Government and the Five Elders is not to be challenged. Be a good boy... and surrender!"

Above on the platform, Figo looked down at him with a silent smirk. Who the hell do you think you're putting on airs for?

His long blade suddenly slashed sideways!

Another Flying Slash shot from his blade, cutting straight into the wind wall blocking the sea to the side, shredding it apart!

The seawater came crashing back with a roar. Shock and anger flashed in Raul's eyes as he thrust both hands forward, summoning another hurricane to push the returning water back.

A Devil Fruit user cannot touch seawater.

But then Figo above made as if to swing at the other wind wall. Raul's face finally darkened. Cursing the bastard's cheap tactics under his breath, he prepared to rise back into the sky, abandoning the land formation to avoid being endlessly drained by Figo.

This time, however, Figo swung his blade empty—no Flying Slash shot out. And after that one swing, he sheathed his sword.

"Relax, just a joke. I don't want to fight you in the sky either. If you tried to run, I wouldn't have much way to stop you." Figo unfastened his cloak, tossed it aside, and leaped down.

Those first two slashes were his last stubborn nod to his dream of being a white-robed, dashing Great Swordsman.

When truly facing an enemy of equal strength, of course, he'd rely on what he did best: his Physique!

As he descended, a jet-black color dyed his fists, then underwent a new transformation! A golden halo enveloped that layer of Armament Haki, flowing like water, bringing a fresh, stronger power!

Armament Haki: 47698

Level 4, Superior Armament Haki!

"So you've learned to make Armament flow? Is that your trump card?" Raul's expression turned cold.

Being able to make Armament Haki flow, bypassing defenses to deal true damage, was merely basic for a Marine Admiral.

And no matter how strong the power, it couldn't hit the wind.

Stuck in the middle of the ocean, unable to damage Impel Down's structures—if you kept mindlessly breaking my wind walls, that would be a real hassle. But now...

Boom!!!

Suddenly, a thunderous crash like a mountain collapsing erupted, cutting off Raul's train of thought!

Figo, having leaped down, finally landed on the seabed. In that instant, the ground seemed struck by a meteor, cracking and shattering as it spread into the distance. Huge rocks burst upward one after another, the center like an erupting volcano, the shockwave it unleashed annihilating everything!

And as that blazing white shockwave rose, Figo's form moved as if teleporting, crossing hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye, appearing beside Raul in a dive, his fist wrapped in flowing Armament Haki swinging toward Raul's head!

What the hell is this?!

Soru?

No, not Soru!

Was that pure physical burst?! This guy jumped from a height of several hundred meters, not only making no effort to absorb the impact, but directly using the spring force of his legs to convert that falling momentum into even stronger speed thrust?!

How could there be such a madman!

Are his legs really fine?!

This speed truly surpasses the wind, leaving Raul no time to transform into wind and dodge!

"Hurricane Shield!"

Raul had no choice but to brace for impact, crossing his arms and fusing them into a massive wind shield, blocking the path of Figo's fist.

With another thunderous explosion, the ground beneath their feet burst apart like a volcanic eruption!

The sleeve of Figo's attacking arm suddenly shattered, and Raul's Hurricane Shield was instantly smashed to pieces! His body tumbled backward, rolling and bouncing across the ground before dissipating into a breeze over a hundred meters away, reforming in midair. He raised a hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression turning grave!

Figo glanced at his shredded sleeve, then directly tore off his shirt, revealing a sharply defined, muscular upper body.

Physique: 135880

Level 5, pinnacle of Physique!

The word "pinnacle" was clear enough! It meant that in the world of Pirates, when all humans, other races, and even monsters were taken into account, Figo's physique had already entered the ranks of the very top!