More than a dozen figures burst through the dense fog and shot toward the sky. Once Tsugikuni Yoriichi saw their faces and attire clearly, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief instead.
Aside from the Gorosei, the other ten were all dressed like nobles, clad in the snow-white fitted suits worn by Celestial Dragons. Although the auras they exuded were all formidable, once Yoriichi recognized their identities, his heart settled instead.
To Tsugikuni Yoriichi, what he feared in the Holy Land had never been powerful humans or Devil Fruit users.
What he feared was the "unknown."
The unknown meant that events could develop beyond his control, and Tsugikuni Yoriichi deeply disliked anything beyond his control.
He had fought the Gorosei before. Their Haki was powerful, and their Devil Fruit abilities were strange and bizarre, but Yoriichi had already formed a rough judgment of their limits.
As for the Holy Knights, while every one of them was a top-tier powerhouse, that level of strength was still not enough in Tsugikuni Yoriichi's eyes.
"Whoosh—"
A piercing shriek tore through the air beside Yoriichi's ear. Saint Marcus Mars, who had already recovered completely through his ability, was the first to close in. The monstrous bird opened its beak, and terrifying sound waves beyond the range of human hearing rapidly spread out, enveloping Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
A crushing pressure weighed down on his body, and Yoriichi's mind blanked for an instant. The next second, Saint Marcus Mars's claws raked directly toward his chest. As its beak opened and closed again, black flames sprayed from within, aimed straight at the Phoenix's head.
"Sound waves?"
The lapse in Tsugikuni Yoriichi's mind lasted only an instant. Seeing Saint Marcus Mars's attack descend, Yoriichi immediately dove downward. His claws, sheathed in Golden Flames, seized Saint Marcus Mars by the