As Max gazed down at Enies Lobby from above, he took in the unique structure of the island. The entire island was suspended over a massive, gaping hole in the sea, connected by large bridges to two other landmasses on either side. The architectural marvel hovered in place, a fortress of justice and power that guarded the route to Impel Down and Marineford. The roaring waters below churned ominously, highlighting the island's isolated, fortress-like nature.
Shiki grinned as he maneuvered the ship through the air. "Quite the view, isn't it? Makes it even more satisfying that we're about to tear it down."
"Indeed," Max replied with a cold smile. "They won't know what hit them."
Gwen glanced over the edge, awe mixed with a bit of tension on her face. "This place looks like a fortress. Are you sure we're ready?"
Max looked back at her, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "More than ready. Let's make our move."
"But why go inside and cause mayhem when you can just sink the place?" Enel asked, looking bored.
"Don't you want to fight an Admiral?" Max asked, watching Enel's eyes light up with excitement. "I'm hoping it's the one with the Light fruit," Enel said eagerly, and Max nodded.
"Here's the plan," Max continued. "Shiki, Enel, and Gwen—you three go and run amok on this island. I'll head in and grab some Devil Fruits for us." The others nodded, eager to begin.
With that, Max leaped off the ship, heading straight toward the Justice Tower. Approaching the massive gate that guarded Enies Lobby, he threw a punch powered by his Omni-Energy. But when his fist connected, he saw it only left a dent.
"Hmm, 10% of my saved power isn't enough?" Max murmured, frowning at the still-standing gate.
This time, he amped it up to 50% and punched again. The gate finally swung open, but not with the explosive force he had expected.
"Damn, no wonder Sengoku was so confident during the War of the Best," Max thought, observing the still-durable gate. "Even old man Whitebeard might've struggled with this." He shook his head, impressed at the sheer resilience of the structure.
Max chuckled, impressed by the gate's resilience. "Guess they really built these gates to handle some punishment," he muttered. "Sengoku wasn't kidding with their defenses."
With that, he clenched his fists, gathering more energy. This time, he'd use 80% of his power—a force he usually reserved for the toughest of foes. His aura intensified, swirling ominously around him as he readied his next strike. With one powerful punch, Max directed a concentrated beam of Omn-Energy straight at the gate.
BOOM!
The gate shuddered and groaned, finally cracking under the immense pressure. With a satisfying crash, it splintered and burst open, sending shockwaves through Enies Lobby.
Meanwhile, back on the island, Enel, Shiki, and Gwen sprang into action. Enel smirked, his body crackling with electricity as he vanished in a flash, reappearing amidst a crowd of Marines who barely had time to react before bolts of lightning scattered them.
Shiki unleashed his gravity manipulation, lifting structures, twisting the earth, and throwing squads of Marines into chaos. "What a playground," he laughed as he watched them scramble.
Gwen, for her part, darted through the shadows, silently dispatching guards as she moved closer to the heart of the island. "This should keep them busy," she murmured, her senses sharp and alert.
As the alarm sounded across Enies Lobby, Max grinned to himself. "Perfect. The distraction is working." Without hesitation, he stepped through the wrecked gate, setting his sights on the Impel Down.
***
Back at Marine HQ, Sengoku frowned as he received the reports of an attack on Enies Lobby. He looked over at Kizaru, who sighed as he lazily stood up.
"I really shouldn't have eaten this Devil Fruit," Kizaru mumbled, his body transforming into motes of light as he vanished.
Sengoku shook his head, pondering the irony of his lineup. The hottest fruit went to the coldest person—Akainu, with his merciless personality. The coldest fruit to the warmest heart—Aokiji, who constantly questioned Marine justice. And the fastest fruit, in the hands of the laziest person—Kizaru, with his indifferent attitude.
Sengoku leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose as the reports kept coming in. The balance of Marine HQ was already delicate, with each Admiral holding their own peculiar ideals and personalities, all clashing against the duties of absolute justice.
"Ironic, isn't it?" he muttered to himself. "The Devil Fruits seem to choose opposites."
As Kizaru headed out in his lazy, almost casual way, Sengoku wondered what kind of chaos was truly unfolding at Enies Lobby. "Reckless pirates, let's hope that's all," he sighed, though he couldn't shake an uneasy feeling.
***
Since Marine HQ and Enies Lobby were close, Kizaru arrived in an instant, observing the two troublemakers below. "Ho?" he murmured, suddenly vanishing and reappearing directly in front of Shiki. However, he had to dodge midway, sensing an intense danger. His intuition was proven right as the island's ground split where he would have stood, narrowly missing him.
"Dereshihshishishi! It's good to run amok here; it's the best way to draw out an Admiral!" Shiki, now known as Leon of the Night Monarch Pirates, laughed as he looked at Kizaru, whose head tilted in curious amusement.
"Oh? So, you did it deliberately just to bring me here?" Kizaru smirked lazily, then added, "You're quite the scary one~~." With that, he lunged with a swift kick at Leon, but Leon skillfully parried with his sword, deflecting the attack. Kizaru took a closer look at Leon's sword, noticing it was pitch black with a faint aura.
"Hmm, I see you're a swordsman," Kizaru mused as he assessed Leon, feeling both intrigued and… oddly cautious, though he wasn't sure why.
Little did Kizaru know, the man before him was the same pirate who had once required both Garp and Sengoku to join forces to bring down. And now, thanks to Max's enhancements, Leon was even stronger. Max had infused him with additional Devil Fruit abilities, granting him control not only over objects but also the ability to manipulate their weight, making each attack devastatingly powerful.
***
Support me so that I can buy a Laptop and update faster, at...
patreon.com/boring_world
It's 22 chaps ahead