Chapter 372: Continuous Evolution — The Three Admirals Strike Together!
As someone capable of battling equally powerful opponents for ten days and nights straight—and still emerging victorious—there was no doubt that Sakazuki had yet to reach his limit.
Far from it, in fact.
Which meant… he still had plenty of potential to exploit.
Under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, Uchiha Dali's clone crooked a finger toward Sakazuki, completely ignoring the threat of his current onslaught.
"How about it, Sakazuki?"
"Want me to give you another chance?"
Charging forward with the determination to die together with his enemy, Sakazuki froze for a split second.
He stared in disbelief at his rapidly approaching opponent, utterly confused about what the other man was trying to do.
"You bastard…"
"You really don't know your place!"
Sakazuki snorted coldly, snapping back to his senses and striking out again with full force.
His aura not only didn't waver—it grew even stronger.
Exactly as Uchiha Dali's clone had hoped.
"Then I'll take that as a yes."
He smiled with a hint of amusement, spreading his arms wide in midair.
But just as Sakazuki's fist was about to connect, Uchiha Dali's clone suddenly began to sink downward.
The change was so abrupt that everyone was caught off guard.
Sakazuki's punch hit nothing but air, his expression tightening as he looked down.
He thought his opponent had retreated out of fear. But before he could process it further, Uchiha Dali's clone spoke.
"Your attacks alone aren't enough. Why don't you all come at me together?"
"The three Marine Admirals—you're supposed to be the Navy's strongest, aren't you? Then come attack me together."
As he spoke, Uchiha Dali descended onto the battlefield.
The moment the godlike man—whose power bordered on absurd—set foot on the ground again, the surrounding marines immediately tensed up and retreated.
The three who had been called out—Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino—wore grave expressions.
"You want all three of us to attack you together? Are you sure you can handle that?" Kuzan asked coldly.
"How terrifying," Borsalino drawled lazily. "Can't say this old man's ever had such a request before."
From their tones, it was clear neither of them agreed with Uchiha Dali's suggestion.
They didn't believe his clone could possibly withstand the combined assault of all three Admirals.
Seeing their hesitation, Sengoku's deep voice cut in from above:
"Don't just stand there—work with Sakazuki and take him down! Leave the rest to the others!"
"Momousagi! Chaton! You two intercept Straw Hat Luffy! Take Ace back!"
"Garp! How long are you planning to lie there? Get up already!"
From his elevated position, Sengoku barked out orders like a general commanding an army.
He was now completely certain—these unexpected intruders were anything but ordinary.
If they didn't go all out soon, the consequences would be disastrous.
The marines, roused by Sengoku's commands, snapped out of their shock and rejoined the battle.
Truth be told, even without orders, they would have acted anyway.
Some members of the Whitebeard Pirates were already beginning to counterattack, inflicting casualties on the Navy.
Thus, the marines regrouped and once more clashed with Whitebeard's forces.
Meanwhile, Borsalino, Kuzan, and Sakazuki surrounded Uchiha Dali's clone from three directions.
"This old man still has to ask—are you truly planning to have the three of us gang up on you, young man?"
Borsalino's tone was unhurried.
After all, he bore no grudge against this stranger—and the man wasn't even a pirate.
With his lazy sense of "justice," he saw no reason to fight him.
"Five minutes," Uchiha Dali's clone said calmly.
"No… let's make it ten."
He rolled his shoulders, stretching leisurely.
Ten minutes should be enough for another round of major growth.
After all, this time, he would be facing all three Admirals together.
Once ten minutes passed, he would decide whether to extend the fight or end it completely—depending on whether they still had any value left to him, and whether they could help him continue evolving.
Hearing his words, Kuzan frowned.
"If that's how it is, then I suppose we'll just have to play along," he replied as cold air began to radiate from his body.
At the same time, Borsalino started to release his own power.
Both of them were Logia-type Devil Fruit users—Kuzan with the Ice-Ice Fruit, Borsalino with the Glint-Glint Fruit.
Like Sakazuki, the Magma-Magma Fruit user, they were the Marine's three greatest forces—among the most powerful in the world.
Now, the combined pressure of their auras locked onto Uchiha Dali's clone.
Instantly, he felt an immense force bearing down on him.
High above, the real Uchiha Dali watched with a faintly amused smile.
Beside him, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki could barely contain his envy.
"Just feeling their aura's pressure is enough to trigger his evolution… what kind of monstrous talent is that?!"
"That's why it's called defying the heavens," Uchiha Dali replied with a smirk.
Indeed—as Kyōshiki said, the clone's cells were beginning to evolve spontaneously in response to the overwhelming pressure from the three Admirals.
And evolution at the cellular level—its implications were self-evident.
Every part of the human body, from muscles to tissues to bones, was made of cells.
When the cells evolved and strengthened, the entire body followed suit.
At that moment, Uchiha Dali's clone's aura steadily climbed higher and higher.
Not only that—his existing abilities were also growing stronger through the process.
A mere temporary projection summoned from the void… was now slowly becoming real.
That feeling thrilled him.
He grinned savagely and looked up at the three Admirals.
"Is that all you've got?"
"You can't even make me feel pressured. How disappointing."
"I've decided—I'll give you more time."
He raised one finger slowly.
The movement made everyone tense.
"An hour, then?" Kuzan asked calmly.
In his mind, that was already an outrageous amount of time.
But Uchiha Dali's clone merely sneered and shook his head.
"I'll give you one whole day."