Burning Heaven Great Explosion spread outward.
Wilton held out for a moment before losing control and shooting away. He had actually lost the clash, slamming heavily into the ground with several burns on his body.
It hurt a little.
But it was nothing serious. Iron Body was as reliable as ever.
As for the blood at the corner of his mouth, he could only say that his temper had been too fiery lately. Spitting it out actually made him feel better.
"Usopp, Chopper, Nami!"
Luffy's hysterical roar came from not far away. Usopp, Chopper, and Nami had been taken out by Minotaurus, Minotaur Koala, and Minotaur Rhino in a single exchange.
Their weapons had shattered all over the ground.
Still stuck in the Rookie Village stage, how could they possibly be a match for three Jailer Beasts?
Each of them had been sent flying like cannonballs after just one move, blasting through building after building before collapsing at the end of the ruins, bleeding from all seven orifices and falling unconscious.
It was already a miracle that they had not died on the spot.
"Where are you looking?"
"White Blast."
Smoker's calm voice rang out behind Sanji, sending a chill down Sanji's back. He had not noticed when Smoker had appeared at all.
By the time he reacted, it was already too late.
A vast mass of white smoke spread out, instantly swallowing Sanji. Then, as though alive, the smoke bound him tightly.
He could not even breathe.
Damn it.
He struggled as hard as he could, but the smoke was intangible. He was like a landlubber who could not swim falling into the sea—the more he struggled, the more useless it became.
Gradually.
When the white smoke finally dispersed, Sanji hung unconscious in midair, suspended by smoke. Without Armament Haki, he was just as helpless before a Logia-type Devil Fruit user—a lamb waiting for slaughter.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Zoro was also facing a massive crisis. His three swords were already swinging so fast they smoked, yet he was still being forced back step by step, cold sweat covering his face.
Minotaur Zebra did not bother with any tricks. It simply gripped a spiked club in both hands and charged with wide, powerful swings, a snot bubble dangling from its nose.
It looked foolishly adorable, but every blow made both of Zoro's hands tremble.
He was almost biting through his teeth.
That showed just how heavy each strike was. Minotaur Zebra would also occasionally kick him with a hoof, sending him flying and smashing through several buildings.
The moment he climbed back up, another spiked club came crashing down.
Minotaur Zebra's pink curls flew wildly as it fought with growing enthusiasm. Before long, blood began spraying from Zoro's nose and mouth. His two swords flew from his hands, and then he could no longer hold the sword in his mouth either. He shot away and crashed into the ruins, unable to get back up.
Compared to Sanji, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, who had been defeated instantly, Zoro had lasted more than ten exchanges. Unfortunately, the gap in strength was simply too great.
Luffy's situation was not much better either.
Sadie's long whip moved like a snake, instantly wrapping around Luffy's stretching fist. With a hard yank, she slammed him heavily into the ground.
Then Sadie stepped forward, coating her right hand in Armament Haki before driving a punch into Luffy's abdomen.
The punch was incredibly powerful. Luffy bent over like a bow and spat blood, disbelief filling his bulging eyes.
Why did it feel just like Grandpa's punches?
"Luffy!"
Just as Sadie was about to continue attacking, a beam of fire came shooting toward her. At the same time, Ace transformed into fire and rapidly flew toward Sadie.
At the critical moment, a figure crashed heavily onto the ground. A dumbbell blocked the beam, while a right leg coated in Armament Haki kicked fiercely at Ace.
Forced out of his elemental form, Ace staggered back two steps, his face darkening.
"Unless you step over my body, you won't be able to save them."
Like an unshakable mountain, Wilton stood in front of Ace, radiating an imposing aura from head to toe.
"Then I'll deal with you."
Ace's killing intent rose.
By then, Sadie had already cinched her whip tightly around Luffy's neck. She laughed maniacally while gleefully stomping Luffy over and over.
The key was that she was wearing high heels, and they were coated in Haki.
Every kick forced a pained scream from Luffy. It hurt even more than when his grandfather beat him, and the more miserably Luffy screamed, the more excited Sadie became.
"Fire Gun."
Ace raised both hands, pointing his index and middle fingers at Wilton like pistols, then fired a barrage of flame bullets wrapped in Armament Haki.
Even the air rippled from the force.
These were far more powerful than bullets fired from actual guns. They could easily pierce steel plates, and ordinary opponents would have no way to block them.
"Iron Body!"
Wilton stubbornly activated Iron Body and Armament Haki, swinging his dumbbells as he charged straight at Ace amid sparks and lightning.
Even when flame bullets that his dumbbells failed to block struck him, they only made Wilton pause briefly before leaving a little smoke and scorched marks on his skin. They could not penetrate his body at all.
Still, they hurt a little, like being pinched by a crab.
"Dumbbell Charge."
As Ace shifted position, Wilton swung his hand through the air. In an instant, a five-hundred-meter dumbbell phantom slash tore through the ground and surged toward Ace.
But Ace easily transformed into his elemental form in advance and avoided it.
"With strength like yours, you're only a rear admiral."
His body re-formed atop a tilted broken wall. Ace's expression was grim as raging flames burned around him. This tough rear admiral was stronger than some vice admirals.
Yet his rank was only rear admiral.
Was the Navy playing the fool to catch the wise?
Looking at the completely defeated Straw Hat Pirates, Ace found the situation troublesome, and his expression gradually calmed.
"I can't just stand by and ignore my little brother. Since you insist on stopping me, I'll have to fulfill your wish."
The initial probing was over.
Ace's eyes narrowed slightly. In that instant, the wind and sand stopped. A tyrannical will vast enough to swallow mountains and rivers spread outward like a tsunami, accompanied by Black and Red Lightning.
The previously cloudless sky suddenly filled with dark clouds, Lightning and Thunder flashing overhead.
"Moo!"
The overwhelmingly tyrannical intimidation surged forward without resistance.
Smoker could not help taking a step back. He puffed furiously on his cigar as cold sweat dripped down his forehead. His trembling hand showed that he was far from calm—he was merely forcing himself to endure.
Sadie leaned backward, her curly golden hair whipping in the gale. Her pupils constricted sharply, and her manic laughter stopped as terror briefly overtook her.
Her legs went weak, and she uncontrollably dropped to her knees. Supporting herself with both hands on the ground, her face turned pale as she bit her lip hard to keep herself from passing out.
The four Jailer Beasts roared uneasily as they kept retreating, as though they had encountered a primordial beast. Their violent eyes were now filled with nothing but fear and terror.
As for the group of Marines that had just arrived as reinforcements, they all rolled their eyes back and collapsed unconscious after a single encounter.
In just an instant, the surrounding area had been cleared out.
Bolts of Black and Red Lightning struck down one after another, making the area flash between light and darkness. The suffocating pressure that appeared from nowhere felt like a massive hammer crashing down upon their heads.
"Conqueror's Haki. Only one person in a million can possess it."
Smoker gritted his teeth and stared in disbelief at the figure standing atop the broken wall. Like a king ruling over the world, Ace held the power of life and death in his hands, too intimidating for anyone to dare resist.
At the very front.
Wilton lowered his head, gripping his dumbbells tightly with both hands. Veins bulged across his limbs, neck, and forehead.
When he raised his head, his normally resolute face was filled with fury and savagery.
That damn oppressive will again.
The incident at Loguetown had left a deep impression on him. Although Ace's will was weaker than Dragon's, it still made Wilton feel as if his chest were about to explode.
Trying to make him submit and kneel? Dream on.
Are kings and nobles born that way?
The emperor's throne changes hands. Today, it is my turn.
Everyone has one head and one life. Screw you. Slave blood does not run in my bones. At worst, we can stab each other and die together.
Starting Point: Deep Buckle (Shiba Miyuki,) 600 Starting Point coins, (Adan AJT) 500 Starting Point coins, (Fantasy y) 100 Starting Point coins.
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