West Blue.
Aboard a warship.
After the Den Den Mushi call ended.
Vice Admiral Momonga's knuckles turned white, his nails digging deeply into his flesh, nearly drawing blood.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's order was the final straw, shattering the fighting spirit he had barely managed to maintain.
"The Fleet Admiral has given the order!"
"Full retreat!"
The next moment.
A hoarse, distorted roar pierced through the cannon fire.
The cry echoed across the shattered sea, carrying barely concealed relief and despair.
In midair.
Kizaru transformed into countless blinding particles of light, narrowly evading a Tailed Beast Bomb.
The gale brushed past his cheek.
Even though he had already used elementalization.
That strange Natural Energy still made his internal organs ache faintly.
"My, my."
"What a terrifying monster."
Kizaru dragged out his words as his body reformed in the air several hundred meters away.
His old, orange-peel face was full of exhaustion.
His yellow striped suit was already in tatters, with even some scorched marks on it.
Hearing Momonga's shout, he quietly let out a breath of relief.
Today's paycheck was far too hot to handle.
Without hesitation, he turned and transformed into a dazzling pillar of light, preparing to cover the remaining warships below as they withdrew from the battlefield.
However.
Akainu did not see it that way.
"Bastard!"
Akainu let out a furious roar.
His right arm turned into scorching magma, like an erupting volcano.
Great Eruption kicked up a cloud of smoke and dust, forcibly blocking the great sword swung down by Susanoo.
Blazing magma splattered everywhere.
As it fell onto the sea, it let out piercing sizzling sounds and raised huge clouds of white mist.
The muscles in Akainu's face twitched violently.
Terrifying killing intent burned in his bloodshot eyes.
"Absolute justice will never permit retreat!"
"Today, I