Sengoku: Fine, Fine, So That's How You Want to Play It

Whitebeard's brows furrowed slightly. He hadn't expected Garp to return so quickly. He instinctively glanced toward the warship. Those guys were moving too slowly.

Whoosh!

Without time to think, Whitebeard yanked the naginata embedded in the beach from the sand. The blade kicked up a cloud of dust as Armament Haki flowed around its edge. Then, he slashed upward.

Boom!

A piercing collision rang out. Powerful air currents erupted from where blade met fist, sending grains of sand soaring into the air as though swept up by a gale, forming a circular curtain of sand.

"Garp, Newgate is yours for now. I'll deal with those thieves first!" Sengoku tossed out those words, then shot into the air. He stomped repeatedly through midair, each step blasting a ring of white air beneath his feet as he raced toward the warship.

Whitebeard's heart sank. He instinctively wanted to withdraw his blade and intercept Sengoku, buying Ron and the others more time. But in the next instant, Garp's attacks came crashing in like a tide, punch after punch, unrelenting and airtight, leaving no room to breathe.

"Newgate!" Garp shouted excitedly. "You should worry about yourself first!"

Whitebeard gritted his teeth and silently swung his weapon to block. Sparks burst across the sand as the blade collided with Garp's fists.

If it truly came down to it, Whitebeard would not hesitate. He would trade a thousand enemies for eight hundred of his own.

As long as Ron could use his ability to walk on the sea at the crucial moment, they would win.

Inside the World Government warship.

Sengoku hurried through the corridors.

At last, he stopped outside the cargo hold where the Heavenly Tribute was stored.

More than half of the treasure chests inside had been moved away. The Heavenly Tribute that had once been neatly stacked everywhere now lay scattered across the floor, as chaotic as a looted marketplace.

Sengoku's gaze turned exceedingly cold, and his fists clenched tightly.

Tap tap tap tap!!!

Urgent footsteps suddenly echoed from the end of the corridor.

Sengoku instinctively looked over.

Soon, three figures rushed out from around the corner and reflected in his eyes.

"Uh... looks like we took a wrong turn." The instant Stussy saw Sengoku, her pupils contracted sharply. Before she could even finish speaking, she spun around and ran back. "Hey, hey, hey, I told you not to get greedy! Kaido, Ron, stop him!"

Before her words had faded, Kaido had already dashed past the Stussy who had started running first. He cursed as he ran, "You're the one to blame! You insisted on dragging Ron and me along to help you carry things!"

"Bastard!" Stussy ran with gritted teeth. After all, whoever ran slower would end up in front. "Did you think I didn't know what you two were after? You were just betting on whether there was a Devil Fruit inside!"

Having had his thoughts exposed, Kaido ran even faster.

Sengoku's gaze passed over them and landed on Ron.

He did not run. He simply stood there, one hand in his pocket and the other hanging casually at his side, wearing a faint, indifferent smile.

Sengoku forcibly suppressed the rage in his heart, slowly pulled off the "Justice" cloak draped over his shoulders, and casually tossed it aside.

He stared coldly at Ron. "You seem overly confident in your own strength, Ron."

Ron smiled calmly and met his eyes without flinching. "You're pretty confident too, Sengoku. I can see it in your eyes. You think you can take me down with absolute certainty."

Ron actually had no idea whether his current self could stand against Sengoku.

But when it came to running away, he had already confirmed that he could definitely escape.

"Hehehe." Sengoku sneered, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. "That sounds nice enough, but why don't you act, then? Why aren't you doing anything? Are you scared? Or just putting on a brave face?"

"Why aren't you acting?" Ron tilted his head, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "You clearly can't wait to slice me into a thousand pieces. What are you afraid of?"

Sengoku frowned and was about to speak, but Ron gave him no chance to defend himself, continuing his verbal assault. "Oh. I get it."

Ron drew out his words. "As the Celestial Dragons' lapdog, half your master's possessions have been stolen. You're afraid you won't even be able to protect the last remaining portion."

"You..." Sengoku sucked in a sharp breath. He admitted that Ron was right, but this guy's mouth was practically coated in honey. His words were just too sweet.

So sweet that they made him want to punch Ron into the wall so deeply he could not be scraped out.

"Since that's the case, let me help you get rid of those worries." Ron said it lightly.

In almost an instant, Ron entered Nine-Tails Mode.

Golden chakra surged from his body, forming a translucent cloak that clung tightly to his skin.

His hair lengthened and stood on end, transforming from black into brilliant gold like burning flames.

Black magatama-like markings emerged on his shoulders, chest, and back, while flame-like chakra drifted around his body.

Ron felt the surging power within him, so immense it nearly overflowed.

Whoosh!

A golden arm formed from chakra lashed out instantly and smashed into the cabin wall. The iron wall was torn open with a huge hole as though it were made of paper.

"Hm?"

No seawater came rushing in.

Ron paused slightly, then leaned over to look through the hole. There was still a corridor outside.

"This still isn't the edge?"

Sengoku's brow deeply furrowed when he realized what Ron was thinking.

At that moment, he sincerely felt that Ron was insane.

If he really punched through the ship's hull and seawater rushed in, Ron himself would be the first to suffer.

Unfortunately... Sengoku did not know that Ron was not afraid of seawater at all.

Nor was he a Devil Fruit user.

"Madman," Sengoku muttered under his breath. Yet he did not move to stop him. Passively guarding the Heavenly Tribute would only make the situation increasingly unfavorable. He needed to find another advantageous opportunity.

And what Ron was doing now appeared to be exactly that opportunity in his eyes.

Boom!

Ron swung his arm again. This time, the golden giant fist completely smashed through the warship's outer hull.

Seawater burst through the breach like a ferocious beast breaking free from its cage, instantly swallowing Ron whole.

"Heh." Sengoku sneered as he watched the seawater engulf Ron, then leaped upward. "Have fun by yourself, Ron!"

Rumble!!!

Sengoku blasted through layer after layer of decks. Finally, he burst through the topmost deck.

At the same time, his body erupted with dazzling golden light, and a giant golden Buddha rose into being.

Then, Sengoku sensed the changes around him. The moment Ron emerged from the seawater, he would strike without hesitation and smash him into the depths of the sea, letting him keep company with the stolen Heavenly Tribute.

Yet several seconds passed without any movement, and Ron was nowhere to be seen.

Just then, Sengoku caught a sight from the corner of his eye that sent his rage soaring.

From the side of the main warship, an auxiliary vessel slowly sailed out.

Sengoku's eyelid twitched. Stealing the Heavenly Tribute was one thing, but they were stealing the auxiliary ship too?

Did they really think this place was their home?

Were they just going to take whatever they wanted?

"Bastards!!!" Sengoku's voice boomed from the giant Buddha. "You've already taken the goods, so how about I send you another gift?"

Sengoku raised his giant golden palm, and the air began to hum.

At that moment, a light, casual voice suddenly sounded beside him.

"Hm... getting bigger? What a coincidence. I can do that too."

Sengoku sharply turned toward the source of the voice and saw Ron standing on the sea as he began to change.

The golden chakra cloak violently expanded from Ron's body, rapidly breaking free of its human outline.

His head stretched and lengthened, and a fox's head took shape within the golden light.

Behind him, one tail, two tails, three tails... nine enormous golden tails shot forth at once.

Ron's body continued expanding. In the blink of an eye, a Nine-Tailed Fox Demon even larger than the World Government warship appeared before Sengoku.