"Crack!"
The enormous door emblazoned with the World Government logo slowly creaked open. Through the misty sea fog, the dark silhouettes of ten massive, formidable warships began to emerge. These vessels, distinct from those of the Marine branches, were true maritime warships crafted by the artisans of Water 7—extremely large, sturdy, and equipped with the world's strongest firepower.
Atop the five leading battleships stood five imposing figures, each cloaked as a Vice Admiral of Naval Headquarters.
"Huh? Why is it so quiet in Enies Lobby?" questioned one of the figures, a man with a dark purple mustache, a mohawk, and long hair tied behind his head, dressed in a dark purple striped suit. He was Flying Squirrel, a core member of the dove faction and a Vice Admiral of Naval Headquarters.
Enies Lobby housed over 10,000 elite navy soldiers and government troops, and served as the headquarters of CP9, directly affiliated with the World Government. The decision to launch a Buster Call here puzzled Flying Squirrel, but as a senior Vice Admiral, he knew the implementation of orders was absolute. A Buster Call signaled a serious threat to justice, and once initiated, everything and everyone at the signal's location must be destroyed. The eerie silence of Enies Lobby now unsettled him.
"Hmph, get ready to fire cannonballs and destroy Enies Lobby," came a gloomy voice from another warship. It belonged to Ghost Spider, a core figure of the Hawks and a staunch supporter of Akainu Sakazuki. Ghost Spider, with hair resembling spider legs, admired Akainu's extreme form of justice and showed no concern for Enies Lobby's fate.
"What a gloomy guy, isn't he, Momousagi?" remarked a man with a hunched back and wooden clogs, another Vice Admiral and an admiral alternate, known as Tea Dolphin.
"No matter what happened in Enies Lobby, since the Buster Call has been launched, it must be destroyed," replied Momousagi, her pretty face heavy with concern, ignoring Tea Dolphin.
"That's right, reload," ordered Tea Dolphin nonchalantly, accustomed to Momousagi's attitude.
"Load and prepare to fire," echoed Flying Squirrel and Huo Shaoshan, another dovish Vice Admiral, both wearing gloomy expressions.
"Fire! Destroy Enies Lobby!" roared Ghost Spider.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The warships lined up, and the massive cannons roared simultaneously, sending a barrage of whistling cannonballs toward Enies Lobby.
"Call!" "Chirp!" Amidst the exotic bird calls, the cannonballs ignited in the air, exploding violently.
"Who?!" Flying Squirrel's pupils shrank as he shouted.
"Call!" With a loud flap of wings, a massive bird, its feathers alight with strange flames, spread its wings across the sky, casting a shadow as large as a small island.
"This, this is?!!!" The five Vice Admirals' eyes widened in shock.
"Bird-Bird Fruit, Phantom Beast Species—Suzaku Form!" Tea Dolphin, who had studied the Devil Fruit encyclopedia, announced solemnly.
Flying Squirrel, Ghost Spider, and Huo Shaoshan's pupils trembled. This legendary Devil Fruit, akin to the mythical Fish-Fish Fruit—Azure Dragon, was comparable to the Four Emperors' power.
"If this Devil Fruit appears here, then!" Momousagi's gaze sharpened as she looked toward Enies Lobby. Seeing the figure standing proudly in front of the warship, her eyes widened in recognition.
"I can't let you fire cannonballs now. The interrogation isn't over yet," Ace grinned, his presence exuding Haki.
"Flame Emperor! Portgas D. Ace!" Momousagi's serious eyes locked onto Ace. This was the man who had invaded Enies Lobby. Spandam had not reported this to headquarters and had launched a Buster Call without authorization!
"That Portgas D. Ace who desecrated justice and released Conqueror's Haki in the Holy Land of Mariejois?!" Ghost Spider's face darkened. Under the control of Life Return, his hair surged like spider legs, and along with his arms, wielded eight swords, giving him his moniker: the Eight-Sword Swordsman.
"Just in time, I'll arrest you here! You blasphemer of justice!" Ghost Spider roared, launching himself at Ace.
With the blessing of Moonwalk, Ghost Spider rushed toward Ace.
"Ghost Spider! Come back! You are no match for him!" Momousagi's pretty face suddenly changed.
The news of Aokiji's injury was an absolute top secret within the Marines. An Admiral being injured meant a significant gap in the Marines' highest level of force. If this news reached the ambitious pirates of the sea, it would surely cause a massive upheaval. Only a select few in the Marines knew about the battle between Portgas D. Ace and Aokiji, which ended without a decisive victor. The information about the Entei Pirates was also suppressed by Marshal Sengoku.
Mera-Mera Fruit, Thunder Fruit, Sand-Sand Fruit, Bird-Bird Fruit: Real-Phantom Beast Species-Suzaku Form—such powerful Devil Fruits appearing in one pirate group would undoubtedly bring the Naval Headquarters' power into question. Momousagi had only learned of this because she happened to be with Sister Tsuru that day. Facing a man who could fight Aokiji to a draw, Ghost Spider was merely throwing an egg at a rock.
"I'm not an opponent? I'm just a newcomer sailing in the first half! Do you think eating a Logia Devil Fruit makes you invincible?" Ghost Spider sneered, his Armament Haki fiercely entangling the eight knives he wielded.
"Spend the rest of your life in Impel Down, Portgas D. Ace!" Ghost Spider shouted angrily.
Ace watched as Ghost Spider, stepping on Moonwalk, charged at him. The corners of Ace's mouth lifted slightly.
"Bah! Boom! Boom!!!"
Accompanied by a blinding light, a violent thunder dragon composed of thunder and lightning let out a harsh roar. This was the roar of thunder!
"What?!" Ghost Spider's pupils shrank suddenly. Using Life Return to control his hair and body, he blocked the attack with his eight Armament Haki-imbued blades.
"Boom!"
The brutal thunder and lightning bombarded the blades, erupting into terrifying fluctuations. Under Ghost Spider's disbelieving gaze, the Armament Haki on his blades began to crumble under the power of the thunder and lightning.
Ghost Spider was struck by the lightning and let out a painful roar.
"Moonwalk!" "Boom!"
Flying Squirrel disappeared from the warship, entangling his blade with Armament Haki to split the lightning surrounding Ghost Spider.
"What a powerful fruit ability!" Flying Squirrel's pupils shrank. The pure Devil Fruit ability had shattered Ghost Spider's Armament Haki! What a violent and domineering power. He quickly retrieved Ghost Spider and brought him back to the warship.
"Bah!"
"Hey, do you want to challenge our king? You are not qualified yet." Lightning flashed all over her body as Nami, holding her weather stick, stood proudly, a confident smile on her face.
"This ability is Logia, Thunder Fruit!" Tea Dolphin looked solemn.
"Thunder Fruit is one of the invincible abilities in Logia?" Flying Squirrel put down Ghost Spider, his face extremely serious.
Thunder Fruit! No wonder the ability was so violent. Even a simple fruit ability could defeat Ghost Spider's Armament Haki.
"Thunder Fruit, more powerful than Sakazuki's Lava-Lava Fruit?!" Ghost Spider endured the numbness and severe pain, looking at Nami with a gloomy expression. Sakazuki's Lava-Lava Fruit power was the Hawks' greatest reliance. According to legend, the Thunder Fruit, the most powerful Logia, had now appeared on the sea and fallen into the hands of a pirate!
"Damn it!" Ghost Spider, who believed in absolute justice, looked increasingly grim.
"Keep firing! Destroy Enies Lobby immediately!" Tea Dolphin shouted at the Naval Headquarters Rear Admiral beside him, his expression grave.
"Do you still want to fire at will in front of me?" Ace looked at the ten warships lined up and smiled slightly, his presence exuding Haki. His eyes turned a thick, violent purple-black, making him laugh.
"If you want to fight me, go get Sengoku and Akainu, you Marine trash."
"Boom!!!"
A violent surge of momentum roared out, sending terrifying waves across the sea. Under this immense pressure, the ten Naval Headquarters Rear Admirals who commanded the warships fainted simultaneously, their eyes rolling back. Countless Marine elites collapsed.
Ten thousand elite naval soldiers were instantly wiped out!
"Conqueror's Haki?!!!" Flying Squirrel knelt on one knee, cold sweat streaming down his forehead. This intensity! Even he couldn't withstand it. Conqueror's Haki of this level had only been seen from one man before.
New World, Four Emperors, the most Haki man in the world, Red-Haired Shanks!
Could it be that Portgas D. Ace's Conqueror's Haki rivaled that of Four Emperors' Red-Haired Shanks?!
Flying Squirrel's pupils contracted violently.
"Hoo! Hoo!" The flying squirrel knelt on one knee, drenched in cold sweat, and looked at the distant, imposing figure in disbelief.
Incredible! While Conqueror's Haki is said to be a rare high-pressure qualification possessed by only one in millions, relying solely on this Haki had left only ten of the ten thousand Naval Headquarters elites standing. Even ten Naval Headquarters Rear Admirals were unconscious, and the flying squirrel himself, a Vice Admiral, could hardly bear it. On this sea, only one person could achieve such a feat: the one with a more powerful Conqueror's Haki than even the Four Emperors and the world's strongest man, Whitebeard. Known as the hakiest man in this sea, Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks.
Could Portgas D. Ace's Conqueror's Haki compare to that of Red-Haired Shanks? The flying squirrel's eyes were filled with horror. Shanks was already the youngest of the Four Emperors, his rapid growth astonishing countless powerful individuals on the sea. Portgas D. Ace had only been sailing for less than a year, yet his Conqueror's Haki was already comparable to that of the Four Emperors. This man! How far would he go in the future?
"Damn it!" If the flying squirrel was embarrassed, Ghost Spider, who had just taken a blow from Thunder Fruit, was now nearly collapsing from cold sweat. His hazy eyes were filled with shock and anger. How long had it been since he felt this powerless? This feeling of powerlessness only surfaced when facing the four who dominated the sea like emperors—the Four Emperors of the New World. Was Portgas D. Ace a figure comparable to the New World's Four Emperors? Facing Ace's Haki and his direct challenge to Akainu, even the loyal Ghost Spider, who followed Akainu, couldn't retort.
Only Sakazuki had the strength to deal with a man of this caliber. "This is really bad." Tea Dolphin's entire body was covered in Haki as he looked at the figure before him with cold sweat. Though an Admiral candidate, far more powerful than Vice Admirals like Flying Squirrel, he faced a man who could incapacitate ten warships with Conqueror's Haki alone. In front of such a man, numbers were meaningless. Moreover, they were not alone in facing him. There was also the strange bird that transformed into a sky-covering Suzaku, a Bird-Bird Fruit Phantom Beast species user, and the invincible Logia, Thunder Fruit ability user.
This configuration was beyond the scope of a Buster Call. "Damn Spandam!" Momousagi gripped the hilt of her sword, Jinpira, her face solemn and teeth gritted. According to Sister Tsuru's judgment, the strength of the Entei Pirates was almost comparable to a complete Four Emperors pirate group. To deal with them, one Admiral was insufficient; at least two Admirals were needed. The Buster Call, an "extraordinary call" to destroy threats to the world government, was ineffective against the Entei Pirates. Even facing just Portgas D. Ace, survival was uncertain.
"Are you going to fight for your life?" Huo Shaoshan's habitual smile vanished, his body covered in Haki as he struggled against the influence of Conqueror's Haki, slowly drawing his katana. "Buster Call…"
Robin watched the Buster Call, which was immediately terminated, with emotion. This was the biggest demon in her heart, the Buster Call that destroyed Ohara, wiping it from the map. In front of the Entei Pirates and Ace, it was so vulnerable. Ace's Conqueror's Haki alone was enough to halt the Buster Call. The five Vice Admirals wouldn't need Ace to act; Nami, Laki, Vivi, Kaya, and Nokigao could handle them. Our Entei Pirates are so strong. Around her neck, the lucky charm Ace gave her flashed, and in Robin's eyes, the black color representing Haki intensified. The shadow in her heart completely dissipated.
Ace sensed Robin's change and smiled. The shadow in her heart had broken; Robin's future Haki achievements would be limitless. Ace then looked at the warship ahead, noticing Momousagi and Tea Dolphin, who were barely affected by his Conqueror's Haki. Admiral candidates, Momousagi, and Tea Dolphin? There were two Admiral candidates executing this Buster Call.
"!!."
As Ace's gaze shifted, Momousagi and Tea Dolphin felt a terrifying pressure. Even with Haki covering their bodies, they couldn't fully resist it. "Hey, the joke is a bit too big." Tea Dolphin focused all his Armament Haki on his fists, his face filled with a wry smile. Only a few people on this sea could exert such terrifying pressure: the Four Emperors. Only the Four Emperors, at the top of this sea, could bring such pressure.
"Flame Emperor, Portgas D. Ace! I am Naval Headquarters Vice Admiral, Gion," Momousagi gritted her teeth and shouted.
"Hmm?" Ace's eyes flashed red as he looked at Momousagi.
"What's wrong, Momousagi Gion, one of the Admiral candidates? Are you going to continue this cold spell?" Ace teased.
"Facing the fifth emperor on the sea, the Buster Call has failed," Momousagi bit her red lips, speaking reluctantly.
The Fifth Emperor! Hearing Momousagi's words, the pupils of the flying squirrel, ghost spider, Huoshaoshan, and tea dolphin shrank simultaneously. It seemed there were events on this sea they were unaware of—secrets even they, as Vice Admirals, were not privy to. Yet, none of them objected to the title. Only a figure like the Fifth Emperor could make a Buster Call so ineffective.
"Oh? Do you want to surrender?" Ace asked playfully.
"No, it's not surrender; it's negotiation!" Momousagi replied solemnly. Facing the Entei Pirates, nearly equal to a complete Four Emperors pirate group, the five of them stood no chance.
"Negotiation? Are you qualified to negotiate with me?" Ace laughed with Haki.
"Bah! Bah! Bah!" To the shock of Momousagi and the others, countless violent black and purple lightning bolts appeared out of thin air, roaring and shaking the entire sea. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and lightning bolts roared incessantly.
"Damn it! Fight him!" Ghost Spider, controlling his body through sheer will, stood up with blood-red eyes. Even if he died, Portgas D. Ace would have to pay a price. Huo Shaoshan and Flying Squirrel's faces were equally solemn. Armament Haki, without reservation, wrapped around their blades.
"What a domineering man. Stop doing unnecessary things, Momousagi, just do your best," Tea Dolphin's wretched face was now filled with solemnity. Haki and life returned, fully liberated.
"Wait, wait a minute! For Vice Admiral Garp's sake, please!" Momousagi shouted desperately. She wasn't afraid of death, but the thought of losing five Vice Admirals and two Admiral candidates was too much to bear. The implications for justice and the sea were unimaginable.
"Um?!!!" The pupils of Tea Dolphin, Flying Squirrel, Ghost Spider, and Huo Shaoshan shrank at the mention of Garp.
"Well, you were smart. You knew you weren't qualified to negotiate with me, so you invoked the old man's name," Ace acknowledged. He wasn't surprised that Momousagi knew of his connection to Garp, given Garp's close relationship with Vice Admiral Tsuru, who treated Momousagi like a sister.