"Impossible…"
Akainu's Adam's apple bobbed as a tidal wave of shock surged within him.
Buggy?
A mere apprentice once taken in by Roger's pirate crew, a clown who idled his days away, surviving on sheer luck as he drifted across the seas—how could he possibly awaken Conqueror's Haki?
And how could he have honed Conqueror's Haki Infusion to such a masterful level?
After the initial, overwhelming disbelief came a surge of fury.
His arrogance had been shattered, his underestimation had led to crisis, and a chill born from the brink of life and death shot up his spine in an instant.
Akainu knew all too well that this slash was no bluff.
The dismantling power of the Chop-Chop Fruit, combined with Divine Departure—if struck, his Logia-type magma Elementalization would be utterly incapable of evading the damage. His flesh, organs, and Haki defenses would all be split apart in an instant.
Not a trace of contempt or negligence remained in Akainu. His earlier laxity vanished completely.
His face turned ashen, his brows furrowed tightly, and every muscle in his body tensed to the limit. Holding back no longer, he unleashed his full power.
Billowing magma erupted skyward, layering and coiling around his arms, forcibly stacking multiple layers of defensive barriers.
The Three Admirals possessed only a handful of signature moves—not because their combat styles lacked variation, but because, as Logia-types, they simply needed to unleash the true, overwhelming might of their natural elements.
And what was nature, in Akainu's understanding? It was cold, merciless, and unstoppable.
Even top-tier powerhouses like Roger or Whitebeard might temporarily triumph over nature, but ultimately, they would still fall beneath its dominion.
Thus, as a top-tier Logia-type, he merely needed to expend stamina to conjure the devastating force of a volcanic eruption.
After that, nature itself would handle all his enemies!
Scorching heat distorted the air, the ground across the entire area charred and cracked from the residual heat of the magma.
"You bastard, hiding so deep… but a clown will always be a clown. Melt away beneath this volcanic eruption!" Akainu growled under his breath.
He never could have imagined that the Summit War was a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Following Luffy's awakening of Gear 5 Nika, even a mere clown like Buggy concealed such a terrifying trump card.
Remnants of the old era, hidden kings, and slumbering powerhouses emerged one after another, trampling ruthlessly upon the Navy's dignity.
Facing the rapidly approaching black slash, Akainu dared not take it head-on, nor could he afford any carelessness.
His foot stomped down, shattering the ground as he swiftly retreated. At the same time, he crossed his arms, unleashing a massive torrent of magma from his front like a volcanic eruption.
Magma and Divine Departure collided, continuously eroding each other.
In the end, the Divine Departure imbued with that bizarre Split-Split Power was finally completely melted away.
Yet this earth-shaking strike did not leave nothing behind.
On Akainu's chest, alongside the wounds left by Uchiha Madara, Misaka Mikoto, and Whitebeard, there now appeared another bloody, mangled sword scar.
Clearly left by Buggy!
A single Divine Departure had repelled Navy Admiral Akainu, even injuring this top-tier powerhouse.
This scene was deeply etched into the hearts of every person present.
Both Marines and pirates stood frozen in place, faces filled with shock, unable to regain their composure for a long time.
The slaughter on the battlefield seemed to come to a sudden halt at this moment, all eyes converging on the red-cloaked, burly figure of the clown.
Buggy, once seen by everyone as a laughingstock, cowardly and opportunistic, now appeared completely reborn. With a single earth-shattering slash, he had overturned everyone's perception of him.
Not far away, Mihawk's typically indifferent eyes suddenly lit up at the sight, a rare flicker of interest appearing on his face.
He stared at Buggy, his fingers lightly stroking the blade, and slowly spoke:
"This is… Shanks' Divine Departure?
No, it should be the Divine Departure of the former King of the Pirates, Roger.
I never expected Buggy to know it as well."
Mihawk's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of a nearby Navy soldier.
The soldier stiffened, his face filled with even greater shock, and he muttered subconsciously:
"Why does Buggy know Divine Departure?
After all, Shanks was a crew member on Roger's ship, and Divine Departure is one of Roger's ultimate techniques…"
His whisper acted like a fuse, instantly igniting the confusion of the surrounding Navy soldiers.
Another soldier's eyes widened as if he had realized something, and he exclaimed in disbelief:
"Wait… could it be… could it be that Buggy was also a crew member on Roger's ship?!"
These words spread like thunder across the battlefield, reaching every corner in mere moments.
One by one, the Navy soldiers' expressions changed drastically as they turned to look at Buggy:
"Buggy was a crew member of the King of the Pirates? How is that possible?"
"He's just a clown who relies on cheap tricks and is afraid of death. He never even dared to fight a proper battle before. How could he suddenly be a crew member of the King of the Pirates?"
"I understand now. All his previous cowardice and foolishness were just an act, hiding his true strength and biding his time for the perfect moment.
Now that the Summit War has erupted, he's finally revealed himself to save Ace, the son of the King of the Pirates!"
This speculation instantly gained everyone's agreement.
Indeed, if it weren't for a long-planned, deliberate disguise, how could a clown suddenly awaken Conqueror's Haki Infusion, execute Roger's signature sword technique Divine Departure, and even injure a Navy Admiral with a single strike?
In an instant, the way all the Navy soldiers looked at Buggy underwent a complete transformation.
The former contempt, mockery, and disdain were entirely replaced by deep wariness and fear.
They finally realized that this red-nosed clown before them was far from as simple as he appeared.
The depth of his character had long exceeded everyone's expectations.
Such a master of disguise, once fully awakened, would undoubtedly become the Navy's most troublesome adversary in the future!
On the other side of the battlefield, Whitebeard was locked in fierce combat with Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
The Tremor Power clashed with the golden Buddha, shockwaves sweeping through the air, each collision destroying vast areas nearby.
Upon seeing Buggy injure Akainu with a single strike, Whitebeard couldn't help but burst into laughter:
"Gurararara, just as I thought!
How could a crew member of Roger's be nothing but a clown seeking attention?
Even if he was just an apprentice on the ship, he must have had a hidden true face!
You have to trust Roger's judgment. Those he took a liking to were never ordinary!"
He blocked Sengoku's heavy punch while taunting,
"How about it, Sengoku?
You went to great lengths to start this war, wanting to showcase the Navy's Justice, but in the end, you've only brought more outstanding pirates to the surface.
Is this the result you wanted?"
Sengoku shuddered, his assault faltering slightly.
He glanced at Buggy in the distance, then looked up at Luffy in Gear Fifth, still locked in a stalemate with Kizaru in mid-air, his expression growing increasingly grim.