After all, the preceding five peak battles all landed among the lowest ranks!
Yet, within this bottom tier, the enemies Luffy confronted were undeniably formidable.
Each one seemed more daunting than the last!
Upon reaching Katakuri, we encountered foes with bounties exceeding one billion!
And facing off against the mighty Four Emperors like Big Mom...
Though this particular clash, the skirmish between Luffy and company and Big Mom, might only be deemed modest at best.
Still, it undeniably sparked a major uproar within the Four Emperors' territory!
And now, the roster of peak battles has finally breached the top five...
Just how fearsome will Luffy's foes and others' enemies be?
Might they surpass the likes of Katakuri in strength? At this juncture, with everyone abuzz with curiosity and anticipation, the live broadcast from the sky slowly commenced!
[Top5: The relic of a bygone era, Douglas Bullet!]
[Live lineup, officially introducing Douglas Bullet now!]
The relic of an old era... who could he be?
At this moment, countless individuals were left dumbfounded.
For they had never heard this name before.
Who is this individual, to be ranked fifth in the peak battle?
Could it be that, akin to Enel... the locale is as esoteric as a sky island, hence obscure to the world?
In truth, not only were countless viewers puzzled by this, but even numerous formidable pirates.
Supernovas, and even some Warlords, found themselves perplexed...
Yet, the ignorance surrounding Douglas Bullet by so many does not imply that nobody in the world is familiar with him.
Upon glimpsing the name Douglas Bullet, countless captains of the sea were jolted, their expressions abruptly shifting!
Douglas Bullet, it's truly him!?
The Marines' headquarters!
"Douglas Bullet!?"
At this moment, Garp, Sengoku, Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji, gathered in the entirety of the Navy's assembly hall, were all taken aback!
As the upper echelons of the Marine headquarters, they naturally recognized Douglas Bullet!
They were well acquainted with his origins and dread!
Especially Garp and Sengoku, for they were the ones who personally led the fleet to apprehend Douglas Bullet!
Recalling the past, when confronted with this monstrosity, they dispatched countless individuals and even issued an order to subdue him. Only then was he successfully captured and imprisoned near the depths of Impel Down City!
There's no denying his level of menace is substantial!
But what few anticipated was how could an individual of such formidable threat... make an appearance in the peak battle?
"Wasn't he already locked up!"
"How did Luffy even run into this guy!?"
Garp's crew was dumbfounded. Douglas Bullet they had imprisoned was known for his formidable combat skills. Even though Garp's grandson had grown rapidly, defeating formidable opponents like Katakuri, facing Douglas Bullet seemed unthinkable.
"Whitebeard Pirates!"
Many crew members were taken aback. They, like many others, were unfamiliar with Douglas Bullet's reputation.
But Whitebeard knew.
Veteran members like Marco, Vista, and Jozu knew him well. They had clashed with the Roger Pirates on multiple occasions, encountering their most formidable fighters, including Douglas Bullet.
Among them, one figure stood out: Douglas Bullet.
"Can't believe this guy's still kicking?"
"Hard to fathom Luffy taking him on..."
"Ace, your brother's in for it now!"
Marco, Vista, and the others were visibly shaken.
Even Whitebeard himself looked grave.
"The one who was supposed to surpass Roger?"
"He was already a beast back then, and it's been years!"
"Just how strong is he now?"
Red-Haired Pirates!
Shanks, upon hearing Douglas Bullet's name, immediately rose from his seat. As a former member of the Roger Pirates, he knew Douglas Bullet well.
"This guy's a monster."
"Even Rayleigh could only match him back then!"
"After disappearing for so long, I thought he was gone for good!"
"And now he's tangling with Luffy and his crew?"
Shanks was incredulous.
There was a rare gravity to his expression, evident to his crew who knew nothing of Douglas Bullet's legend.
"These guys must be on a whole other level."
Sabaody Archipelago!
"Douglas Bullet?..."
In a dimly lit tavern, a grizzled old man with white hair scowled, his features weathered by time.
Despite his rugged appearance, he bore the mark of a formidable past—he was once the vice-captain of the renowned Roger Pirates.
"Rayleigh!"
The name echoed in his mind, conjuring memories of a spirited youth who matched his own prowess at the mere age of seventeen or eighteen.
A true devotee of strength, driven by an unyielding pursuit of strength.
"I never expected to cross paths with you again after all these years, Douglas Bullet..."
"I'm afraid you've left an old timer like me in the dust!"
"I'm eager to witness you and Luffy clash, hahaha!"
In Orange Town!
Buggy, akin to Shanks, had once sailed as a novice alongside the Roger Pirates, making him intimately acquainted with Douglas Bullet.
Yet unlike Shanks, Buggy's reaction was not merely a nod of recognition; it bordered on incredulity!
He nearly leaped out of his seat!
"This behemoth..."
"Has appeared!!!"
The memory of Douglas Bullet's formidable visage and unmatched strength instilled a primal fear within him.
This man was the "companion" he had dreaded the most!
To encounter him amidst the pinnacle of battle was simply unfathomable.
At Twin Capes!
The gateway to the Grand Line...
A colossal whale adorned with scars graced the seascape.
Beside it stood an elderly man, frail and weathered, tending to the whale's needs with care and expertise.
Though he seemed unassuming, his true identity was nothing short of remarkable!
He was none other than the former physician and comrade of the Roger Pirates!
Crocus!
Since the dissolution of the Roger Pirates and his subsequent tenure here, tending to the whale, he had largely withdrawn from the world, embracing a tranquil existence in his twilight years.
Regarding the events unfolding in the skies above, he observed with detached interest.
Yet as he witnessed Luffy triumph over enemies one after another, it stirred memories of his own youth.
But now, he stood utterly transfixed!
As a former member of the Roger Pirates, how could he not recognize Douglas Bullet?
He never imagined encountering his former comrade in such a manner! The idea of Luffy engaging in combat with him was beyond belief!
"Is this some kind of joke?"
"The Straw Hat kid is really tangling with that beast?"
As a former member of the Roger Pirates, there's nobody who comprehends Douglas Bullet's dread more intimately than he does!
Douglas Bullet's prowess can only be characterized as bone-chilling, certainly not of human origin!
How could Luffy emerge victorious against a creature of such monstrous caliber?
**********
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