-----
At these words, everyone present fell silent.
Soon, a towering yet elegant elder emerged.
He had light red, lengthy hair that swept to both sides, forming sharp horizontal spikes, and a prominent forward-pointing spike at the top. His full beard connected with his sideburns, culminating in a large pointed tip beneath his chin. Together, his hair and beard resembled an elaborate crescent moon pointing forward.
His eyes were concealed behind round, rimmed sunglasses, and he wore a richly colored long coat exuding an air of authority.
This was none other than the Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, Saint Figarland Garling, a legendary figure who once dominated the battlefield of God's Valley.
Among the naval officers present, many were aware of the Holy Knights' existence—a group tasked with protecting the Celestial Dragons. They rarely made appearances, only mobilizing for significant incidents.
No one had anticipated that the Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, Figarland Garling, would attend this event.
Upon his arrival, even the previously arrogant Rozwald Saint was forced to rein in his hubris.
Garling approached Charloss and Donquixote Mjosgard, his tone indifferent yet commanding.
"Move aside, brats."
Neither Mjosgard nor Charloss dared to utter a word, promptly stepping aside.
As the Supreme Commander of the Holy Knights, Garling held not only military authority but also the power to judge and even execute Celestial Dragons if they committed heinous crimes. His presence was no trivial matter.
After brushing past the two, Garling took his seat at the most prominent vantage point.
Shortly after, Uchiha Kitaro and Ryokugyu (Aramaki) entered the battlefield.
Seeing Kitaro's face, Shalria Palace's expression froze for a moment before twisting into shock.
"Father! That man… isn't he the one who attacked us on Sabaody Archipelago?!"
Rozwald Saint's face darkened as well. Fury bubbled over as he shouted at the assembled Marines:
"What is the meaning of this?! What are Sengoku and Akainu thinking?! How dare they allow someone who assaulted Celestial Dragons to become a Marine Admiral?! Where's the respect for the Celestial Dragons?!"
A calm voice interjected, "That man didn't attack you. The individual responsible was Uchiha Kitaro's twin brother, Vice Admiral Uchiha Akira."
"I don't care who it was! Anyone who dares strike a Celestial Dragon should have their entire clan annihilated! Annihilated! I want every last one of them dead!"
Suddenly, a sharp reprimand rang out:
"Silence!"
Everyone turned to the source of the voice—it was Saint Figarland Garling.
"Rozwald," he said coldly, "if you want to throw a tantrum, do it after the match. Don't interfere with my viewing."
Saint Rozwald, though clearly unsatisfied, dared not confront Garling. He swallowed his indignation and glared daggers at Kitaro, vowing silently to seek vengeance later.
Kitaro and Ryokugyu soon arrived at the clearing in the heart of the primeval forest.
Standing on the sidelines, Sengoku called out, "Are you both ready?"
Though retired, Sengoku still held an honorary rank within the Navy, much like Garp, and remained involved in training new recruits. Today, he would serve as referee for this critical battle—a fitting capstone to his career.
Ryokugyu sneered, his expression twisted with malice.
"I've been ready for this!"
To prepare for this fight, Akainu had given Ryokugyu special permission to absorb nutrients from prisoners in Impel Down.
The inmates of the fifth and sixth levels—the most fearsome criminals—had been completely drained by Ryokugyu's Devil Fruit ability, leaving their bodies lifeless husks.
This grotesque feast had filled Ryokugyu's body with explosive energy, leaving him in a heightened, almost manic state. At this moment, he felt powerful enough to obliterate the Red Line itself.
From a glance, Kitaro immediately recognized the signs: Ryokugyu was juiced up.
"Akainu isn't giving up, is he?" Kitaro thought grimly. "Not only has he chosen a battlefield that gives Ryokugyu the advantage, but he's also allowed him to power up like this. Truly shameless."
Even Sengoku seemed puzzled by Ryokugyu's unusual state but couldn't pinpoint the cause. After all, he didn't fully understand Ryokugyu's abilities.
"I'm ready too," Kitaro said calmly.
Sengoku nodded. "Good. Let the match begin! But keep it to a sparring level. Both of you are pillars of the Navy, and I don't want to see either of you seriously injured."
The memory of Aokiji's severe injuries and subsequent resignation still weighed heavily on Sengoku's heart. Unlike Kitaro or Ryokugyu, Aokiji was a traditional Marine Academy graduate, an orthodox Marine who had devoted his life to the cause of justice. His departure had been a significant blow to the Navy, and Sengoku had pushed hard for him to succeed as Fleet Admiral, considering him a balanced and reasonable leader compared to Akainu's extremism.
Still lamenting Aokiji's loss, Sengoku added, "Begin!"
He quickly stepped back, leaving the stage to the two combatants.
Ryokugyu bared his teeth in a manic grin.
"You brat! How dare you look down on me?! You're dead meat this time! Prepare to witness my true power!"
"Kinniku Mori Mori~Groves of Wrath!"
With a ferocious roar, the surrounding forest sprang to life. The trees coiled and intertwined, merging with Ryokugyu's body to form a towering behemoth over 500 meters tall.
"Hahaha! Uchiha Akira! Look at me! This is my strength now! Do you really think you can still stand against me?!"
"Unbelievable!" exclaimed Shalria, her eyes wide with shock.
"Good! Crush that scum!" Rozwald Saint cheered, his voice trembling with vindictive glee.
Even the Marine officers were taken aback. Though they had heard tales of Ryokugyu's monstrous power, witnessing it firsthand was an entirely different matter.
"Vice Admiral Aramaki can grow this big?!"
"This might be trouble for Vice Admiral Akira…"
The whispers among the spectators grew, each expressing awe at Ryokugyu's terrifying transformation.
.
.
.