The Wary Kizaru

"The World Government, the Navy... do they want to control the seas through such means?"

The low murmurs dissipated in the sea breeze.

He did not order the ships to dock; they remained quietly anchored in the open sea, neither approaching nor moving away, like a lurking beast, watching everything on the island from afar.

On the coast, a group of Vice Admiral arrived one after another, all gathering behind Akainu and Kizaru.

Everyone unleashed their Observation Haki, and soon, the domineering aura from the outer sea swept over them. The expressions of the Vice Admiral changed one after another, becoming solemn and wary, with various emotions appearing on their faces.

Lantuo's hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of his sword, his body radiating a subtle Two-Color Haki.

Shouya's muscles tensed slightly, the Zoan Devil Fruit began to stir, and his beast-like intuition was frantically warning him.

Doberman frowned. "It really is Madara Uchiha... the one who Kaido with a single sword strike Deserted Island Battle."

"The warships are still anchored in the open sea, showing no signs of attack." The Momonga stared at the distant horizon and said in a deep voice, "Based on headquarters' previous assessment, the enemy is most likely planning to use this route to reach Fish-Man Island."

Akainu stared intently at the blurry ship silhouette on the open sea, his fists slowly clenching.

A fighting spirit surged within him, but reason kept reminding him of his current predicament.

The navy is preparing for a full-scale crackdown following the Great Conscription, and absolutely cannot provoke a conflict at this time.

The Deserted Island Battle, led by only Uchiha Yashiro and Tekka with a small force of Night Owl Guard, had already caused such terrible results. Now, standing on that ship is Madara Uchiha.

Once war breaks out, the Sabaody Archipelago will instantly become a brutal battlefield, and they cannot afford the cost.

"Reiterate the order." Akainu's deep, powerful voice echoed throughout the room. "All monitoring ships must continue surveillance. No unauthorized approach or provocation is permitted. Only record and reconnaissance. We must not be the first to ignite hostilities unless the enemy makes the first move."

Kizaru stood to the side, put his sunglasses back on, his gaze still fixed on the direction of the warships in the outer sea.

On the island, the navy's expansion and deployment work continued, but the entire base was shrouded in an invisible atmosphere of tension.

Inside, tens of thousands of elite naval troops stood ready, while in the outer sea, Madara Uchiha's warships lay quietly anchored.

In the Sabaody Archipelago, bubbles float in the wind, but beneath the surface, two enormous forces stand facing each other across the sea, and the oppressive atmosphere of impending storm silently envelops the entire area.

The sea breeze near the Sabaody Archipelago suddenly became biting and piercing. The colorful bubbles that were originally floating lightly in the sky were now suspended in mid-air, unable to drift away, as if imprisoned by an invisible pressure.

The clamor of construction along the entire coastline abruptly ceased within seconds, as tens of thousands of elite naval personnel who were busy at work stopped what they were doing and looked up in unison at the vast, boundless open sea.

Everyone's expression instantly tensed up. An extreme sense of oppression, originating from the depths of their souls, pressed down heavily across the thousand-meter-wide sea, firmly enveloping the entire island.

Under the watchful, tense gaze of the entire navy, the thin mist on the sea surface slowly dissipated, revealing a massive warship, far larger than any of the navy's giant battleships, gradually breaking through the azure sea, its imposing presence as heavy as a mountain, slowly revealing its complete outline.

The ship's hull is entirely dark, made of a special material that is resistant to the erosion of sea winds and waves. Under the sunlight, it has a cold and solemn matte texture. It has neither the menacing skull insignia of a pirate ship nor the standard armament of a warship.

Only the Uchiha Clan Crest engraved in the center of the ship, with its sharp lines and imposing aura, exudes an overbearing and domineering presence, proclaiming the extraordinary status of the ship's owner.

The warship moved steadily forward, cutting through layers of waves without making a sound, yet it caused the air currents of the entire sea to stagnate.

At the highest point at the very front of the deck, a tall and imposing figure stood silently—it was Madara Uchiha.

His posture was as upright as a pine tree, and his simple black clothes fluttered slightly in the wind. There were no superfluous decorations, but he had an aura of supreme power that had survived thousands of years of war and looked down on all things in the world.

The overwhelming Observation Haki, like an invisible giant wave, instantly swept across the entire Sabaody Archipelago.

He accurately detected the dense naval presence on the island, the numerous fortified gun emplacements, the layers of garrison camps, and the domineering Haki of countless powerful figures lurking beneath the surface.

Sensing the massive military force and tight defenses amassed on the island, Ban's dark, deep eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of amusement flashing across his indifferent gaze. A faint yet extremely oppressive smile slowly curved his lips.

He took two slow steps forward, stood at the very front of the bow, put his arms behind his back, and gazed at the entire Sabaody Archipelago through the swirling sea breeze and the scattered colorful bubbles.

A detached scrutiny flashed in his eyes as he surveyed the bustling expansion projects along the coast and the elite naval forces standing ready for battle. He already understood the navy's overall strategy.

This crucial hub connecting the two halves of the Grand Line has become the core stronghold of the Navy's Global Purge Plan and a key springboard for the World Government to stabilize maritime order and clean up the Paradise of the Four Blues.

On the coastal highlands, Kizaru Borsalino stood facing the wind, his once lazy and relaxed figure now completely stiff.

At this moment, he was no longer half-asleep or tired. He fully activated his top-level Observation Haki, which was unparalleled in the Navy, and locked onto every detail of the warship in the outer sea and the figure standing at the bow.

The moment that extremely familiar and domineering aura completely enveloped his senses, the last shred of hope in Kizaru's heart vanished completely.

It was him.

He was definitely the terrifyingly powerful figure who, in the Coral Island Battle, utterly crushed Kaido, Four Emperors —Kaido Madara Uchiha.

The Coral Island Final Battle two years ago flashed into Kizaru's mind like a brand, every detail vividly clear in his memory.

At that time, Kaido of the Beasts transformed into his dragon form, exhausting all his life's cultivation and all his techniques, risking the entire foundation of the Four Emperors in a desperate battle. After countless fierce battles, he barely Complete Susanoo force out Madara Uchiha's complete Susanoo.

That was the most extreme and decisive peak of Kaido's career, the limit of power that Yonko Level powerhouse could unleash.

However, the subsequent battle turned out to be a crushing defeat with no suspense whatsoever.

The Setsuna the Complete Susanoo in the world, the sky and earth changed color, the wind and waves surged, all of Kaido's offensives were completely thwarted, and all resistance seemed pale and powerless.

As the Strongest Creature on land, sea, and air, and one of the Four Emperors who had roamed the seas for decades, Kaido didn't even have a decent chance to fight back before being shattered by Madara's earth-shattering, powerful slash that pierced the heavens and earth. His dragon-form protective Haki was smashed, his torso severely injured, and he crashed heavily into the boundless sea, barely clinging to life.