One week later, at Navy G-10 Base.
After several days of emergency repairs, the devastating traces left by the battle against the Whitebeard Pirates had been cleared away to some extent.
But the ruined walls everywhere and the bottomless fissures in the ground still spoke silently of the terror and madness of that battle.
The Marines in the base were exhausted, but their morale remained high.
After all, they had successfully driven off the pirate crew of the "World's Strongest" and defended the base's outpost island, even if half of it had been destroyed.
Just then, a dazzling streak of golden light raced in from the horizon, moving too fast for ordinary eyes to follow.
The light passed over the outpost island and headed straight for G-10 Base's central plaza.
Golden light flickered and particles gathered, about to solidify into a tall, lean figure wearing a yellow-and-white striped suit, his face carrying a lazy, amused expression.
It was Borsalino, Admiral "Kizaru," one of Marine Headquarters' greatest fighting forces, who had come to G-10 Base on Sengoku's orders.
"Oh my~ How scary~ This place really got smashed up..." Before Kizaru could finish his teasing remark, before his body had fully coalesced from its photon state-
Suddenly!
BOOM-CRACK!!!
An immensely thick pillar of lightning struck without warning, its aim so precise it seemed to have anticipated his arrival!
It moved faster than sound itself!
Its target wasn't the plaza, but the tiny patch of space where Kizaru was about to finish materializing!
"Hmm?!" Kizaru's perpetually half-lidded eyes widened a fraction, a flash of genuine surprise passing through them.
His transformation speed was virtually unrivaled on the seas. Very few people could track his movements at light speed and intercept him, much less launch such a precisely anticipated strike!
At the last possible