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[News! I've Already Confronted the Five Kage, and the System Just Arrived! Event!!!]
<150 Power Stones/Chapter!>
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Sunlight streamed through the shattered roof of the auction house, illuminating the charred crater on the floor.
Blue arcs of electricity occasionally leaped in the air, as if to confirm that what had just happened was not an illusion but reality:
The high and mighty Celestial Dragon had been struck by lightning, reduced to charred remains, and completely perished here!
Inside the auction house, the strong newcomers like Roksda were all stunned by the scene before them.
They all knew that the Celestial Dragons were world nobles who required the personal protection of Marine Admirals if they were ever attacked! Everyone realized that after today, there would be earth-shattering news that would shake the entire world! And the black-clad man standing proudly on the stage would be at the center of this media storm!
Zyhark gazed calmly at the blackened crater in front of him, which was now empty, save for a few remaining sparks of electricity.
To the nearby mermaid girl who had survived and others close by, it seemed clear that Celestial Dragon Charlos had been utterly obliterated by the lightning strike.
But to Rayleigh, who leaned against the wall in the shadows, it was a different story.
At the moment the Celestial Dragon was reduced to charcoal, Rayleigh, with his top-tier Kenbunshoku Haki, distinctly sensed an extremely mysterious energy fluctuation! 'No wonder Shanks took such an interest in this man. There is indeed something extraordinary about him!'
Unable to comprehend the nature of the phenomenon that even made him uneasy, Rayleigh's lips curled into a cheerful smile.
Every era has its powerhouses capable of overturning the world...
Rayleigh couldn't help but sigh, casually tearing off the slave collar from his neck as he slowly walked deeper into the passage, preparing to leave the auction house through another exit.
Zyhark did not notice Rayleigh's departure, as most of his attention was focused on the wishing pool panel in his mind.
[One of the wishing conditions, an invaluable precious item, has been fulfilled. Complete the remaining condition of '100 million Berries' to gain the wishing qualification.]
Seeing such a stringent condition met, Zyhark finally felt his heart settle.
If all the effort and risk of capturing the Celestial Dragon had failed to meet the wishing pool's requirements, he would have resorted to his last-ditch measure—unleashing Aqua!
The foolish goddess might fail at serious tasks, but she had a knack for dealing with the wishing pool.
This was evident from the devil fruit she wished for last time.
As for the second condition of the wishing pool, 100 million Berries, it was trivial for them at this point, easily obtainable in minutes.
So now, there was only one thing left to do—get out of here...
Run away!
Even with the nearly invincible Rumble-Rumble Fruit, the emergence of a new powerful ally that could greatly enhance his strength, Zyhark wasn't arrogant enough to wait for a Marine Admiral to arrive for a showdown.
He wasn't the type to recklessly confront an enemy like Jack the Drought. Attacking the Celestial Dragon was a forced move by the wishing pool's constraints; after all, without completing this wish, he couldn't proceed to the next one.
Since he had to face the Celestial Dragon eventually, why not deal with it now!
With their current combined combat power and technological prowess, along with the yet-to-be-summoned powerful allies and special abilities, they might not be able to take on Marine Admiral-level opponents directly, but escaping should be feasible.
This was the fundamental reason why Zyhark decided to strike down the Celestial Dragon with lightning—his confidence.
It was impressive, successfully shocking various powerhouses, including Rayleigh and Dragon, and he made a grand display. But the cost was also evidently heavy.
The days ahead might not be as smooth as before; they were likely to be branded as criminals, becoming targets for the Marines and even the World Government!
Although this went against his core philosophy of low-profile development, Zyhark had no regrets.
If you need a reason to attack a Celestial Dragon, there isn't one!
As Zyhark was preparing to leave, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.
Aqua and the others from the stands walked over.
"Well done, Zyhark! I despise those tyrants who bully others, claiming to be gods when they're weak as hell!" Aqua clapped enthusiastically.
Her simple-minded nature saw the defeat of the Celestial Dragon as immensely satisfying, not caring about the "rewards" that might follow.
If she had thought that far ahead, she wouldn't be the idiot goddess she was.
"Becoming the enemy of so-called justice, this feels quite familiar, meow~"
Meowth rubbed its sharp claws together excitedly, indifferent to the act of killing a world noble.
Compared to that, its fierce eyes were more eager for the new adventurous life ahead.
Though serving food and drinks in a restaurant wasn't dull, it lacked a bit of soul.
After all, it was originally a villain!
"If we end up with bounties like pirates, I hope mine isn't too high."
The perpetually cautious King sighed worriedly, already concerned about his potential bounty.
As for the Celestial Dragon, he didn't mention it at all.
King did prefer a peaceful, laid-back life, but as the world's most powerful hero in the One Punch world (though in name only), he had seen too many capable fighters.
Setting aside his actual strength, his vision and courage were top-notch, unlikely to be crushed by mere accusations.
Since it was Zyhark's decision, he could only follow through!
Seeing his three companions stand so firmly by his side, Zyhark dismissed any thoughts of apologizing or saying anything sentimental.
"Aqua, King, Meowth, there's no need for extra words. Get ready to run; let's head back to the Endless Dream!"
With that, Zyhark stepped forward, turning into a streak of lightning and landing on the open field outside the auction house.
Due to the news of the Celestial Dragon being attacked, all the pirates, nobles, and residents had fled in terror, leaving the No. 1 Yarukiman Mangrove area empty and deserted.
As Aqua and the others followed him out, the strong new pirates like Roksda and the Mad Scientist also darted out, heading in different directions.
Having seen enough excitement, it was time to run!
"Hey Zyhark, are we running too?" Aqua blinked her sky-blue eyes.
The proud Goddess of Water surprisingly didn't object to running away.
According to the Axis Church doctrine she established, running away sometimes wasn't failure but victory!
Zyhark stood still, watching the two Supernova pirate crews gradually disappear.
His enhanced Kenbunshoku Haki spread out silently, covering hundreds of meters or even further.
Confirming that the two powerful presences he sensed earlier were accurate, he sighed lightly, "No need."
As soon as he finished speaking, the air turned icy cold, and a chilling voice echoed from the distance...
"Ice Age!"
Crack, crack, crack.
The sound of ice spreading rapidly filled the air, and in an instant, the entire No. 1 Yarukiman Mangrove area was encased in a massive, continuous glacier.
The temperature plummeted to a bone-chilling cold, trapping all the new powerhouses!
Amidst the endless frost, three figures walked slowly, revealing their true forms under the soft evening sunlight.
They were none other than Captain Smoker, Admiral Candidate Kuzan, and the legendary Marine, Monkey D. Garp!!
(End of Chapter)