Boom!
The sky continued to unleash thunder, not because the battle was still ongoing, but because with Saturn disappearing, the dark clouds that endured continuous burning, lightning strikes, and howling winds finally let loose a storm.
I don't know if it's because, in some mysterious way, it knew that Sage hadn't encountered battle and danger yet, so it triggered a natural disaster, determined to make Sage feel the presence of danger.
"You're sick in the head!"
To this, Sage just flipped the sky the bird and cursed.
The pouring rain extinguished the surrounding flames, and Lily and the others arrived at this moment.
Renedia was the first to ask, "Sage, Sage, did you blast him to bits?"
"Not that easy."
Sage shook his head and said, "Even though that guy was on the receiving end the entire time, he'd hit you with a cheap shot now and then, which was really annoying. Obviously very strong, but fighting terribly awkwardly, someone who has lived long like this is nothing but trouble."
In his view, Saturn's strength was not weak, at least at Fujitora or Ryokugyu's level, maybe even higher; on the sea, he's definitely considered a powerhouse.
But this kind of guy fights in a very unsatisfying way, sometimes making Sage a bit frustrated.
Different methods and styles of fighting.
The fighting styles on the sea are divided into several kinds.
But basically two factions, one that emphasizes making a mark with a single blow, and another that acts wilfully relying on strength.
Among the Four Emperors, Sage and Big Mom and Kaido are definitely the latter.
Even that idiot Teach has a bit of a reckless style.
It's an approach of hitting without thinking whether it's effective or not.
Regardless of whether it works, hit when you raise your hand, respond to moves, or just fight head-on, and maybe even throw in some flamboyant moves that seem ridiculous to ordinary people.
Like, even though the Haki Bullets don't do much, we'll still fire them.
Common abilities of Homiez or Mythical beasts aren't effective, but we'll still unleash them.
This looks inefficient, but it fits their inner recklessness very well, letting their will grow wildly in battle, acting wilfully with their powerful physique and rich battle methods.
Whereas people like Red Hair lean toward making a statement with one blow, using the most efficient way to strive to take someone down in one slash, including a fighting style of either not making a move or going all out.
Even though it's efficient, Sage doesn't like it.
What can Red Hair do?
Isn't it just that one move 'Kamusari'?
He just swings the sword a few times, doesn't even have a few moves, if he doesn't end the fight quickly, what else can he do?
This kind of Pirate who only has a simple one or two moves only needs one move to fight, unlike those of us developing numerous moves and abilities, with many ideas.
After all, having grabbed so many Homiez and developed so many moves, do you just look at them?
And Saturn, not only similar to Red Hair but that sly type, more insidious, not caring about demeanor or style, just searching for an opportune moment to ensure an efficient strike.
Especially, this kind of guy owns an undying body capable of Creation Rebirth; as long as he spots an opening, it's rare for attacks not to work.
Sage took a couple of hits that way, seeming humiliated, but actually causing significant damage.
The ability to make heads explode with a glare isn't always active, but rather released during the gaps when Sage attacks, didn't block, but the interruption was caught quite cleverly.
With venom paired with his own Haki and sharp spider legs, he even carved a chunk of flesh off his waist during the fight.
Though for someone at his level, it doesn't mean much, for someone else, they'd suffer.
"Did he escape..."
Lily looked around, frowning, "Sage, that Five Elder... seems quite like you?"
She saw clearly, Sage's attack had succeeded, but the terrifying recovery power was even slightly stronger than Sage's.
"Doesn't seem like Life Return." Marika also said, "The functionality of the ability? Seems like a legendary creature... like a Phoenix."
Hearing Marika's words, a ripple appeared in Lily's eyes, and she instinctively tightened her grip on her sword hilt.
"Don't think about it, that undying trait, whether it's an ability or not, we don't know."
Sage glanced at Lily, pulled out a cigar box from the cloak, took out one, and gestured outward, and Lily lit a lighter to bring over.
"Huff..."
He exhaled smoke and said, "His presence disappeared; did some ability cause his departure?"
"Indeed."
A voice suddenly rang from beside.
Lucci approached from a ruin of battle and said, "Saint Saturn has already returned to Mary Geoise through a Magic Array."
"Hmm? That sure is convenient, this kind of timely teleportation ability..."
Sage glanced at him, "Is there a possibility I could obtain it?"
"Not sure."
Lucci shook his head, "But that's exactly the power I desire, Sage..."
In his eyes, there was ambition beyond his usual bloodlust, a fierce desire.
"The Heavenly Celestial Dragons are the gods of this world for a reason. This Undying Power can be replicated!"
Ever since seeing Sage eliminate a Heavenly Celestial Dragon at Shampodi, Lucci's strange joy had been growing at a disturbingly rapid pace.
If initially joining CP0 was about avenging Spandam in his own way, and from the instinct to climb higher after serving as a Special Agent for so long,
then now staying in CP0 was purely for that power!
He wasn't particularly superstitious about the Heavenly Celestial Dragons to begin with, and after following Sage, his reverence for them was completely gone—even after joining CP0 and learning about the true strength of the Five Elders, he no longer revered them.
Because Sage was stronger.
Even now, the Five Elders still couldn't deal with Sage.
Yet, that power was tangible, and based on deliberately gathered clues, that Undying Power didn't necessarily require being a Heavenly Celestial Dragon.
To become stronger on this sea, relying solely on one's own strength might not be enough.
Even now, though he had already Awakened, the gap between him and Sage... was still as wide as a chasm, difficult to cross.
But obtaining immortality might be another shortcut.
"You've got some ideas... aiming to become that kind of thing, huh? Be careful. If you weaken by giving up your will for this, I'll have Kaku and Jabra replace you," Sage chuckled.
Shortcuts always come with costs. Some people simply give up on training their Haki after consuming a fruit, and this higher immortality may also transform people into something else.
"It's a long journey, but at least there's a goal. I don't plan to leap tall buildings in a single bound,"
Lucci said, "Oh, by the way, the higher-ups asked me to tell you to keep a low profile during the World Conference, or they'll deal with you as an 'unstable factor' first."
"Come on, you suddenly drop by to fight just to tell me that? What, just because they're immortal, they can do whatever they want? I don't buy it. Next time, I'll chop them into sixteen pieces and sink them in concrete into the sea! Let's see how they regenerate or teleport!"
Sage said irritably, "Besides, I'm a Pirate, I do whatever I want!"
Lucci nodded, indicating he understood, then withdrew.
He didn't have teleportation; to retreat, he still had to leave on his own.
Watching Lucci leave, Sage clicked his tongue, puffed out a cloud of smoke from his cigar-clenching mouth, and said, "Immortality and teleportation, the sea is full of freaks."
"You're one too, Sage."
Renedia pouted, "Every single one of you Old Sage people is hard to deal with."
"Old Sage people?" Sage looked over.
"Yeah."
Renedia counted on her fingers, "The Five Elders, they're Heavenly Celestial Dragons, right? Someone named... Saturn. I know the Navy's Fleet Marshal is called Sakazuki, and on the Pirate side there's you, Sage. Except for the Revolutionary Army, you pretty much cover it all."
Marika chuckled, "And in different types too, Logia-type, Zoan-type and Paramecia-Type, all occupying a spot."
Sage: "..."
"What the heck."
...
Mary Geoise.
In the halls of power.
A black pentagram magic array lit up, manifesting Saturn's human form. He leaned on a cane with one hand, stepping out of the magic array, while in the hall, the other Four Elders struck poses as if awaiting his return.
Shepherd Ju Peter stood straight with his hands in his pockets, saying casually, "For this, you even descend to the Lower Realm; Norton Sage is really troublesome, huh."
Beside him, in a single-seater sofa, holding a sword, Zanbalon V. Nusjuro pushed up his glasses without saying anything.
This should actually be his domain, as he is the Financial Martial God, but mere Pirates aren't worthy of his descent, even the Four Emperors are the same.
Saturn said blandly, "A warning to let him understand our gap would be best, but if he doesn't understand, it doesn't matter..."
He stretched out one hand, a test tube-like glass vessel appearing in his palm, with a piece of flesh floating inside.
"I'm quite interested in his body, researching it might yield different insights."
This is the main reason why this Scientific Defensive Martial God personally descended to the Lower Realm.
In terms of true combat power, he might not be able to defeat Sage, but combat power sometimes isn't linked to strength; there are many ways to deal with people.
At their level, the Four Emperors do have the qualifications to meet.
Moreover, Saka's body, which despite appearances isn't the Sun God, yet shows characteristics identical to the Sun God.
With the flesh, it's good for research...