Summit War 32
No one spoke.
Everyone's jaws were clenched tightly, and sweat mixed with gunpowder ash slid down their foreheads.
This is not a war between any two parties; it is everyone fighting against a natural disaster that could destroy the entire island.
Finally, they managed to withstand the devastating aftershock.
The ruins of Marineford were still burning, but in that instant, the sea in all directions, except for the island itself, was blown apart.
The seawater was pushed out by the shockwave, forming a ring-shaped tsunami thousands of meters away. Countless giant Sea Kings were stunned and floated on the surface of the sea with their white bellies up.
The waves surged outwards from Marineford, and a hundred miles away, several warships that had managed to escape the battlefield were tossed about by the waves, their masts groaning under the strain.
Even the residents of the Sabaody Archipelago felt a barely perceptible tremor beneath their feet.
Several workers who were rebuilding the Red Tree Zone stopped what they were doing and looked blankly in the direction of Marineford.
They didn't know what had happened there, nor did they know that just moments before, a group of people had risked their lives to protect the already ravaged island with their own bodies.
The red dragon head of the Red Fow split the waves, its sails billowing in the winds of the New World.
The ship had been drifting along the route near the Sabaody Archipelago for quite some time, moving at a leisurely pace, as if deliberately delaying.
A faint, almost imperceptible air of anxiety carried on the sea breeze from the bow of the ship, drifting from the direction of Marineford, and it had been drifting there for quite some time.
Shanks stood at the bow, his one arm bracing against the gunwale, his gaze piercing through the vast sea fog and landing in the direction of Marineford.
His brow furrowed, a rare occurrence for him.
He sensed that Conqueror's Haki; even across hundreds of miles of waves and mist, it was as clear as if someone were ringing a bell in his ear.
It's not Whitebeard, not Garp, not Sengoku.
He had experienced Whitebeard's Conqueror's Haki countless times, Garp's iron fist since childhood, and Sengoku's imposing Buddha Form awe-inspiring presence.
This aura didn't belong to any of them. It was higher, colder, and more ancient.
He remembered the great man his father and brother Figarland Shamrock had mentioned when he returned to Mary Geoise many years ago.
He was young then and didn't understand the weight behind those unspoken words.
Later he understood, but he never heard anyone mention that name again, as if the name itself was some kind of taboo.
Narona Saint Imu.
The master of the Void Throne, the King of the World who has ruled the World Government for eight hundred years.
A figure who exists almost exclusively in word-of-mouth among the highest echelons of the Celestial Dragons, a living legend to whom even the Five Elders kneel and speak.
What could possibly cause this King of the World, who never appears before the public, to suddenly appear on the battlefield of Marineford?
"Shanks." Steady footsteps came from behind. Ben Beckman walked to his side, a half-smoked cigar between his fingers, the smoke drifting above the mast in the sea breeze.
The vice-captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, currently the only Emperor Level member among the Four Emperors whose combat strength is comparable to the captain's, is also a key reason why the Red Voss was able to rise to the top and firmly hold its position as one of the Four Emperors despite having the fewest crew members.
Shanks's serious expression relaxed the moment he heard his voice, and when he turned around, he had his signature smile on his face, "Ah, it's Beckman! You sensed it too, didn't you?"
Speaking of which, Ace is Luffy's Luffy brother—do you think we'll run into him on our trip to Marineford?
"Shanks." Beckman didn't respond.
Shanks was still smiling, but he recognized the smile; it was the expression Shanks wore when he didn't want anyone to worry.
Beckman knew very well how much his captain was hiding. He might not know everything, but after following him for so many years, he could guess the general idea.
This carefree, Red-Hair man is never as simple as he appears on the surface.
He paused for a moment, then exhaled the unspoken questions along with the smoke from his cigar, continuing Shanks's topic, "Maybe. Luffy's grown really fast."
Lucky Roux also sauntered out of the cabin, clutching half a roasted animal leg, and excitedly approached, "Luffy? It's been so long since I've seen him! I heard his bounty has reached 130 million Beli!"
His laughter was as hearty as ever, but on this ship accustomed to a leisurely pace, it sounded somewhat forced at this moment.
The Yasopp leaning against the mast did not respond to him.
The sniper narrowed his eyes slightly, looking in the direction of Marineford.
"Commander, you sensed that aura just now, didn't you?"
Of all the people on the ship, his Observation Haki was the most refined; he sensed that Conqueror's Haki more clearly than anyone else.
High above, looking down upon all living beings, it was as if the entire battlefield was his chessboard.
Throughout his life, he had used Observation Haki to sense the aura of countless powerful individuals, but never had he felt a chill run down his spine just from sensing it.
Even Shanks ' Conqueror's Haki didn't give him this feeling.
He didn't finish his sentence, but Beckman's eyes met his for a moment.
After Yasopp finished speaking, the deck suddenly fell silent.
Lucky Rue had only chewed half of the roasted meat in his mouth when he awkwardly put his hand down.
Beckman held a cigar in his hand, but didn't light a second puff.
Everyone was looking at Shanks.
The last trace of a smile on Shanks' lips slowly and completely disappeared.
He has weathered countless storms in his life, daring to board Whitebeard's ship alone, standing alone in front of Kaido on the eve of the Summit War, and ending a war right under the nose of the Marine Headquarters.
This time, however, his knuckles turned white as he gripped Gryphon's hand.
That Conqueror's Haki —there's no mistake, it belongs to that lord.
Nerona Saint Imu, the master of the Void Throne, and the King of the World who has ruled the World Government for eight hundred years.
The problem isn't Saint Imu —the problem is, who is the thing that's directly confronting Saint Imu?
It couldn't be Newgate.
Whitebeard knew his body all too well. Years ago, when he went drinking on the Moby Dick, Newgate had more IV tubes inserted into his body than the cables on the mast.
That old monster who could once shatter an entire sea with a single punch can now only maintain the combat power of Admiral-Emperor Level at best; he has long since lost the chance to even touch the threshold of the King-Class.
It's worth noting that even at his peak, Garp, a monster who was considered exceptionally powerful even among King-Class, could only barely suppress Rocks D. Xebec when he teamed up with his captain, Gol D. Roger.
Even someone as powerful as Rocks ultimately succumbed to the transformation and control of a clone of Saint Imu.