Boom!
Ashveil launched his counterattack. The moment his Conqueror's Haki armor shattered, a massive fist wreathed in roaring flames surged forth, smashing down toward Garp and Kong with devastating might.
"Soru!"
The two veterans reacted instantly, their bodies vanishing in a blur as they inhaled sharply and pushed their limits, narrowly escaping the blow.
But the Evil Government King Avalo Pizarro, Big Barrel, Nine-Tailed Fox, and Wolf were not so fortunate. Their earlier advance had carried them too close. The blazing fist struck before they could retreat.
A thunderous roar followed. The entire ice field cracked open, forming a colossal crater filled with molten fire. The four unfortunate men were swallowed by the inferno, their screams fading as they dissolved into magma.
Ashveil exhaled lightly. "Let's deal with the small flies first."
His calm tone sent chills through the World Allied Forces. None had expected that the quiet, almost harmless-looking man before them could be this merciless.
High above, one of the Gorosei, Saint Nusjuro snorted coldly. His gaze flashed, and he vanished from sight—so silently that even the United Army didn't notice.
The next instant, he reappeared beside Ashveil, moving with impossible speed.
Even Sengoku and Garp were taken aback.
"Such speed..." Garp muttered, eyes narrowing. "In terms of Rokushiki mastery, I thought no Marine could surpass me. To think one of those old men's martial arts would be this refined."
It was no wonder the Gorosei ruled even above the Fleet Admiral.
"Die, Ashveil!" Saint Nusjuro hissed. "You arrogant brat, I'll show you our true power!"
His sword gleamed black, surrounded by spectral shapes—dragons, tigers, lions, leopards—all roaring with murderous hunger.
A dark aura surged from the blade, tearing through the air. Black lightning crackled across the sky, distorting space itself.
"You'll die by my sword," he said, eyes wild with fervor. "And your soul will become part of it!"
Even Dracule Mihawk, standing more than ten kilometers away, felt the disturbance. The world's greatest swordsman frowned deeply, sensing the twisted sword intent.
"This aura... such malevolence," Mihawk murmured. "Could it be... the First Generation Kitetsu?"
He tightened his grip on Yoru. "Legend says those slain by Kitetsu are never reincarnated—their souls are consumed to empower the blade. But the sword is cursed. It devours its wielder's mind, corrupting all but the strongest of wills."
"To think someone among the Gorosei would wield that accursed blade…"
Across the battlefield, Whitebeard clenched his massive fist. The sight of the swirling black energy made his instincts roar in warning. One wrong move, and he'd have his crew rush to save Ashveil without hesitation.
All over the world, people watched in horror.
"What's happening?!"
"Black lightning? A cursed sword?!"
"Even those at the top use such demonic power!"
On the Revolutionary Army's ship, Ivankov gasped, eyes wide. "Dragon, that's the First Generation Kitetsu!"
Dragon's brow furrowed. His instincts screamed danger. He knew Ashveil's shield had already been shattered; this sudden, overwhelming attack could kill anyone outright.
Even from afar, he could feel the suffocating pressure of that evil aura.
"If it hit me," Dragon thought grimly, "I wouldn't survive either."
He clenched his fist. "No matter how strong he is, Ashveil can't take that head-on. Even if he survives, he'll be crippled!"
"A wounded Ashveil will never escape the pursuit of so many monsters," he muttered. "Damn the World Government... their foundation runs deep."
He exhaled slowly. "Our revolution must remain in the shadows for now. A man like Ashveil—bold enough to defy them openly—will be the first they erase."
Meanwhile, aboard the Red Hair Pirates' ship, Beckman frowned at the broadcast.
"Shanks... that old man, is he really one of those old men? His power rivals Garp's—it's terrifying."
Even from a distance, the phenomena in the sky told the story.
"Despicable cowards," Lucky Roux growled. "So many against one—and now a sneak attack?"
"This is war," Shanks replied quietly. His usual warmth was gone, replaced by sharp focus. His eyes never left the screen.
"Still... even Ashveil may not withstand that blow," Beckman murmured, flicking ash from his cigarette.
"The First Generation Kitetsu," Shanks said, voice low. "An evil blade that devours both body and soul. To die by its edge is to vanish from existence entirely."
Beckman nodded gravely. "So, he'll become one with the blade… never to be reborn."
He sighed. "A genius like him, gone so soon. If he'd had just a few more years to grow, there might have been no equal left in this world."
"Such a pity," Shanks murmured.
On the battlefield, the elder in the kimono swung his cursed sword downward, the demonic energy shrieking as it descended.
At that very moment, Ashveil's lips curved into a faint smile.
A golden light burst from his body. The air trembled. The pressure that followed was so immense that even the Gorosei faltered under it.
"What—?!" the elder gasped.
Within less than a tenth of a second, Ashveil had reignited his Conqueror's Haki.
The black energy of Kitetsu I struck the golden barrier and halted completely—unable to advance even a single inch.
Sweat beaded on the old man's brow. The cursed aura around him writhed violently, yet every fragment that neared Ashveil's golden Haki was instantly dissolved.
"Impossible...!"
The other Gorosei, standing at the rear, were visibly shaken. Though this fifth elder wasn't their strongest, his skill as a swordsman rivaled Mihawk's. With the Kitetsu's amplification, his power should have exceeded even the Pirate King's.
And yet—he was frozen in place.
"Hey, Fifth Elder, is this some kind of joke?" said the elder with white curls and a flat hat, irritation flashing across his scarred face.
"That's right," said another with the long straight beard. "Even without transformation, your swordsmanship surpasses all. How can you be immobilized?"
The kimonoed elder trembled, voice cracking. "This isn't a joke... I'm being crushed by an overwhelming force. It's... it's terrifying!"
The golden aura intensified, swallowing the black lightning completely. The cursed blade screamed.
And for the first time, the Gorosei's confidence began to waver.
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