Lodestar Island Area
A pirate ship flying the Whitebeard Pirates' flag sails swiftly through the sea.
On the whale-shaped ship's deck, Marco and the other Whitebeard Pirates remain silent, watching the terrifying disturbances coming from the distant Lodestar Island.
As members of Whitebeard's crew, they are well aware of how terrifying a clash between Emperors can be.
"That guy's strength... it's getting harder and harder to comprehend," Marco says from the ship's bow as he looks towards Lodestar Island.
The "guy" Marco is referring to is none other than Nicholas. Marco recalls the first time he met Nicholas—he was strong then, but nowhere near as terrifying as he is now.
In terms of power, the old Nicholas and the current Nicholas are on completely different levels.
In other words, over time, Nicholas has continuously grown stronger as if he had no bottleneck.
Marco watches the live broadcast intently, clenching his fists silently. After hearing what Nicholas said back then, Marco has never slacked off in his pursuit of strength, even awakening his Devil Fruit powers. But even now, he doesn't feel confident enough to take on Nicholas.
…
"What terrifying power…"
"How can someone launch attacks like that!? Is that guy even killable? He's taken countless hits without any signs of injury!"
"That guy really is a monster!"
The other Whitebeard Pirates are also shocked by Nicholas's display of power. Even Whitebeard, strong as he is, still gets injured in battle, but Nicholas doesn't show a single scratch, despite taking on the combined attacks of Charlotte Linlin and Bullet, even those imbued with Armament Haki.
"Is that guy really a monster?"
Bonney, watching the broadcast, is equally stunned, her mouth agape. She had a general sense of Nicholas's strength, thinking he was about as strong as the Emperors of the New World.
But now it seems that when Nicholas said he was going to end the rule of the New World's Emperors, he wasn't joking.
Based on what's happening in the battle, even Bonney can see that Nicholas holds the upper hand. If one side's attacks aren't effective while the other's are, the fight is clearly one-sided.
…
At Mary Geoise, in the Hall of Power, the Five Elders—the highest authority in the world—watch the broadcast from Lodestar Island with furrowed brows. The atmosphere is heavy.
The Elder in a black suit with white curly hair, a fluffy white beard, a flat hat, and a scar on his left cheek speaks first: "Nicholas taking action like this was indeed unexpected."
"The most surprising thing is that his strength allows him to hold his own against two Emperor-level opponents at once," the Elder with long, straight white hair and a long beard, dressed in a dark black suit, adds.
The bald Elder with glasses, holding a sword and dressed in a white robe, sharply watches the broadcast and says, "No matter the outcome, we must prepare to stabilize the seas. But what interests me more is his connection with that guy, Dragon."
The other Elders fall into thought. For them, the Revolutionary Army is a thorn in their side. It's not fatal, but it's extremely annoying. If Nicholas and the Revolutionary Army join forces, that thorn could become a blade that pierces their heart.
"Tell the Navy to be ready and inform the Holy Knights to prepare for deployment."
"I never expected that we'd be so troubled by Nicholas even before 'Joy Boy' appears."
"No new orders from that person?"
…
In the depths of Pangaea Castle, in the Flower Chamber.
The room, resembling a small forest, is illuminated by an artificial light source hanging from the ceiling. Below, lush greenery and rare trees abound, with butterflies fluttering among the flowers.
Imu, the true ruler of the Empty Throne and the hidden master behind the World Government, quietly sits on a chair woven from bamboo vines.
In front of her, a smooth wall projects the live broadcast from Lodestar Island.
"…"
She remains silent, her eyes calm and deep as she watches Nicholas on the screen.
…
Back in the battle zone.
Nicholas's eyes glow red as he fully activates his Observation Haki, locking onto Charlotte Linlin and Bullet.
Charlotte Linlin stands on Zeus, the thundercloud, holding Prometheus in her left hand, looking like a terrifying witch with her tongue hanging out.
Bullet, expressionless, charges at Nicholas again, throwing a punch. Dark blue Armament Haki, mixed with ghostly energy, releases from his fist, distorting the air as it passes.
As Bullet's fist approaches, Nicholas remains still, only crackling with electricity.
In the next instant, Bullet's fist punches through Nicholas.
Seeing Nicholas in front of him, Bullet doesn't show any excitement. As expected, in the next moment, the sound of thunder erupts, and black-red lightning surges from Nicholas, enveloping Bullet.
Bullet convulses as the lightning courses over his body. Even though he defends with Armament Haki, the paralyzing effect still stiffens his limbs.
Then—
A slash strikes Bullet, who is bound by the lightning.
Blood spurts as Bullet's body is sent flying backward.
Boom!
The impact from Bullet's landing creates a massive crater in the ground.
Meanwhile, Nicholas doesn't follow up. Instead, he transforms into lightning and appears a kilometer away.
Almost as soon as Nicholas's figure vanishes, a blazing flame engulfs the spot where he once stood.
"Nicholas, are you just going to keep running!? Face me, you coward!" Charlotte Linlin roars, holding a burning sword as she glares at the distant Nicholas with a twisted expression.
Clearly, the speed of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit is frustrating her, diminishing the effectiveness of her monstrous strength and Devil Fruit abilities, leaving her with only her steel-like defense.
Nicholas pays no attention to her taunts. After all, this is a life-or-death battle. Only a fool would give up their advantage and fight on the enemy's terms.
The moment Charlotte Linlin locks onto Nicholas's presence, he disappears again.
Seeing the familiar situation, Charlotte Linlin's eyes narrow.
When Nicholas's presence reappears, it's behind her.
Nicholas strikes first with lightning to paralyze her, then slashes at her neck.
For large humanoid creatures, the back of the neck is the best target.
The instant Nicholas appears, Charlotte Linlin immediately uses Armament Haki to defend herself.
Clang!
The blade clashes against her Haki-covered neck.
Sparks fly as a shockwave ripples outward from the impact point.
Nicholas vanished again.
When he reappears, he's directly above Charlotte Linlin.
Nicholas raises his blade to his shoulder in a stance Charlotte Linlin finds eerily familiar.
"Hikaku Sovereignty"
Nicholas swings his blade down, unleashing a blinding shockwave that crashes toward Charlotte Linlin.
Seeing the massive white shockwave descending, Charlotte Linlin's expression changes slightly. She crosses her arms in front of her just as the shockwave slams into her.
The next moment, Charlotte Linlin is engulfed by the shockwave.
The colossal shockwave continues downward, slamming into the ground.
Boom!
The terrifying pillar-like shockwave leaves a crater over a hundred meters wide.
At the bottom of the crater, Charlotte Linlin kneels, disheveled, supporting herself with her hands as she gasps for breath. Although she looks battered, her injuries aren't severe.
Nicholas isn't surprised. After all, the monsters who reach the top of the sea have one thing in common—terrifying physical endurance. Even fatal injuries can be shrugged off for a while. A blow that would kill a normal person, like decapitation or being impaled, can be endured by them. With strong enough recovery methods, they might even fully recover after some time.
Charlotte Linlin, known as the Steel Balloon, is no exception. To take her down, one must first break through her defense.