The entire world held its breath.
Everyone desperately wished the smoke would clear instantly.
They wanted to know if the person they'd just seen was Kuke. If not him, then who?
And what of Admiral Sengoku's fate after that intense clash?
"He'll be fine. That display was terrifying, yes, but Sengoku is the Fleet Admiral, once an Admiral himself, one of the world's strongest. He'll handle it with ease."
Those not present couldn't grasp the true scale of the impact.
"Barely survived…"
Having been teleported away by Belo Betty at the last moment, Doflamingo had still felt some of the residual shockwave. Coughing up blood, he drifted in low altitude, shaken, and gave a look of gratitude to Betty.
If she hadn't helped him…
He would have died.
Though he knew she just wanted him out of the way, to avoid wasting attacks on him, Doflamingo could only think, You must have really overestimated me. What did I do to deserve such confidence?
Nearby, Edward Weevil, also thrown aside, staggered to his feet, rage distorting his face. "Who was that? I'll kill them!"
"Shut up!" Barked Bakkin, clutching her son's leg in terror as they tumbled through the air.
She glanced down at Weevil's heavily bruised chest. Just one blow had nearly crushed him.
Her gaze shifted, trembling, to Hancock in the distance, terrified. And even more so when she noticed Gion and the others standing beside Hancock, quickly looking away. "We can't provoke them. Don't even think about it."
"No! I'll kill her!" Weevil raged, barely able to contain himself.
Then, a shadow appeared behind him.
"Who exactly do you plan to kill?"
Before Weevil could answer, he found himself airborne again, his feet still rooted to the ground.
"Y-y-y-you?" Bakkin was too terrified for her son's safety to even think straight, her eyes widening in horror at the sight of Kuke.
But Kuke didn't look her way, dragging the defeated figure in his hand forward as if hauling a limp animal.
Bakkin stared at Kuke's back in fear. "His aura… it's even more terrifying than those monsters. Maybe only Kaido could match him." She hadn't seen such a fearsome monster in years.
"Kuke's alive?" Mihawk's face lit with excitement.
"Not only Kuke—Gion's strength was impressive as well." Mihawk recalled Gion's earlier attack, his pupils dilating. It wasn't just Kuke he had to worry about; even against Gion, he wasn't sure he'd have an easy victory.
A grin slowly spread across his face. The thrill of facing strong opponents was exhilarating. There were still so many worth his full effort on this sea.
"Kuke is still alive?" Bartholomew Kuma felt a surge of joy.
Not only was he alive, but whatever method he'd used to survive could prove invaluable for the Revolutionary Army.
"What is Kuke's plan for today? He only attacked Sengoku… Could it be…?"
Kuma's own thoughts startled him. This could be an unprecedented act.
"If he intends to pull it off, then I'd gladly abandon my title as a Warlord to help him," Kuma resolved, a newfound determination in his heart.
Jinbe was also elated.
"When I returned to Fishman Island, they told me Kuke was still alive, that he'd even come by to visit."
But back then…
Jinbe hadn't believed it. He'd dismissed it as a scam, thinking it was some pirate pretending to be Kuke to gain favor, even advising the royal family to treat any self-proclaimed "Kuke" as a fraud in the future.
But now…
"It's real. He's really alive," Jinbe whispered, filled with emotion.
"Kuke's alive… which means he truly intends to protect Fishman Island. The reputation of the Sun and Moon Pirates is worth far more than my position as a Warlord. Today…"
Jinbe's gaze grew firm, his determination sharpening.
He had only accepted the role of Warlord to ensure Fishman Island's safety. Now, with his admiration and respect for Kuke renewed, the choice was obvious.
"Perhaps the Sun and Moon Pirates are accepting new members?"
Jinbe began considering the idea of joining them, though he couldn't help but feel a pang of self-doubt, realizing the immense strength of Gion and her comrades far surpassed common knowledge.
"This is real power."
Crocodile stared in a daze at the fading rings of the explosion.
The power displayed just now… he'd never seen anything like it.
Not even in his battle with Whitebeard had he seen such overwhelming force.
The combined might of Kuke and Gion was unmatched, surpassing the peak attacks of anyone else on the seas.
Kuke's explosive strength alone was enough to rival the strongest.
"Is this level of power even humanly possible?"
For once, Crocodile felt dejected.
Compared to these monsters, he seemed like little more than trash.
"It seems I do need an ancient weapon; otherwise, I'll never compare to these creatures in this lifetime. But to research ancient weapons, I need someone who understands the ancient scripts."
Crocodile paused, realizing something.
The only historian known to understand ancient texts was Nico Robin.
And everyone knew Robin was with the Sun and Moon Pirates.
After Kuke's supposed death, Crocodile had indeed thought of approaching Nico Robin.
Of course, to Shakky, he was merely a small player of little significance.
But now… it seemed Kuke was alive.
Or even if he wasn't, he was among allies as powerful as Gion and the others.
Crocodile let out a nervous chuckle, his scalp prickling with unease.
…
The world was in shock.
The dust was quickly clearing.
Ignoring any sense of propriety, people around the world crowded closer to their screens, eager for the truth to finally be revealed.
Cough… cough…
In the smoke, the sound of violent coughing mixed with spurts of blood.
"That's Sengoku's voice?"
"He's… still alive?"
"He sounds like he's in a terrible state."
Whitebeard watched the screen intently.
His fists clenched, palms slick with sweat. Sengoku had been his longtime adversary, but never had he seen Sengoku reduced to such a pitiful state.
"Betty, make sure to hold that steady. What's about to be shown needs to reach the entire world. Let everyone witness this," Shakky said to Belo Betty beside her.
Belo Betty cradled the visual Den Den Mushi in her hands.
Had it not been for her ability to teleport objects, every Den Den Mushi on the island would have been destroyed in the explosion.
"Betty, aim it to the left—our Captain is coming out," Hancock urged, gesturing to Belo Betty.
Their voices broadcast to the world.
All around the world, mouths gaped, eyes wide in astonishment. Their Captain? Could he truly still be alive?
Belo Betty adjusted the Den Den Mushi.
Through the smoke, a dark figure slowly came into focus.
The sound of footsteps echoed.
The silhouette cut through the haze.
Emerging before them, standing in front of the visual Den Den Mushi, appearing on screens across the globe.
Hiss—
The world erupted in disbelief.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 144+ at patreon.com/Emik01.
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