Pop!
At the tops of the trees, the bubbles rising into the air burst with sharp pops.
Rayleigh's expression turned grave and serious, his eyes fixed on the man approaching step by step, moving as though he were teleporting.
"River!"
His gaze shifted toward Straw Hat and the others, his heart growing heavy.
"It's River!!"
Usopp cried out.
The Straw Hat crew, who had just escaped Kizaru, were once again gripped by tension and fear.
"It's that old guy!"
Luffy raised his head, his face serious as well.
Directly across from him, Sentomaru held his axe and watched the approaching figure, unable to stop himself from trembling with nerves.
"It's him!"
"That legendary Marine!"
Sentomaru's voice shook. He no longer had the attention to spare for Luffy, his eyes locked on the approaching figure.
A red light flashed in Bartholomew Kuma's eyes, and his pace seemed to quicken as he headed toward the Straw Hat crew.
Whoosh!
The next second, a Laser Beam shot from his eyes and blasted into their midst.
"Kuma!!"
"Two Admirals and a Shichibukai!"
"In a situation like this...!"
Chopper, Nami, Brook, and the others were all trembling.
To them, the forces arrayed before them amounted to a hopeless situation.
"Even with Rayleigh here, can he hold off two Admirals?"
Nami asked, her voice trembling.
No one answered her. The question struck at their very souls. This was the most dangerous situation they had ever faced.
Hum!
Suddenly, as that figure entered the scene and took a step forward...
An invisible surge of Haki spread out in an instant, sweeping toward them in a vast wave that crushed everything indiscriminately.
Hum!
Another step brought the figure closer at incredible speed, as though he had teleported.
Sentomaru went rigid. The man had appeared before him without him