West Blue.
After leaving Orute's royal palace.
Blinding sunlight spilled across the streets.
Garp stopped and looked back at the massive structure.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the stone-paved road.
The Marine High Command followed behind him, each of them like a soulless walking corpse.
The sensation of the Seal Talismans turning into scraps of paper still lingered on their skin.
Akainu suddenly clenched his fists, veins bulging across the backs of his hands.
Scalding magma instantly surged from his palms, its heat warping the surrounding air.
Their power had truly returned.
That destructive force capable of moving mountains and filling seas flowed through every limb once more.
But.
No one felt fortunate.
That man's gaze just now was like an insurmountable mountain pressing down upon everyone's spine.
"Sakazuki, don't act rashly."
Aokiji couldn't help but warn him.
Frost had already begun to form over half his body.
"That guy..."
"He's a monster beyond all reason."
Akainu ground his teeth, every word seeming to squeeze out through the gaps between them.
He knew very well that even if they all charged into the palace now, they would only be slaughtered one-handedly by that man called Chiba.
Kizaru had both hands in his pockets, and his signature lecherous grin had long since vanished without a trace.
Beneath his yellow sunglasses lay an unprecedented gravity.
"I don't want to face that kind of despairing gap in strength again."
After saying that.
Kizaru turned his head toward the green-haired swordsman holding three swords not far away.
"Hey."
"Young man over there."
"Want to have a drink with me?"
Zoro didn't even spare Kizaru a glance.
He merely stroked the hilt of Wado Ichimonji.
Garp paid no attention to the exchange between the three Admirals.
His two iron-pincer-like hands held Luffy in one and Ace