"He dodged everything!"
"This monster!"
Charlotte Smoothie and Charlotte Cracker felt their pupils contract, a chill running down their spines. This wasn't a duel—it was a war. Sakazuki stood alone against the Sweet Commanders and a swarm of pirates, yet he hadn't shown a single opening.
To achieve that level of dominance required unimaginable power, unshakable will, and combat experience beyond their comprehension.
"There's no mistake," Charlotte Katakuri muttered, his scarf hiding half his face. Only he, with his advanced Observation Haki, could see the truth. "Sakazuki... the future he sees is far beyond mine."
Akainu, the leader of the three Admirals, was already legendary before today. But this was their first time fighting him. And in this single clash, Katakuri finally understood why Sakazuki's G-1 Branch remained unshakable despite sitting at the crossroads of the Four Emperors' territories.
It wasn't just Marine Headquarters' backing. The core reason was Sakazuki's sheer strength and absolute resolve.
A true Admiral. Perfect in every aspect—physical prowess, swordsmanship, Devil Fruit mastery, Haki, combat awareness, tactics. If not for Rosen's sudden rise, Sakazuki would undoubtedly be the strongest Marine in history.
No weakness to exploit. Only strength.
Unwavering resolve against a single opponent.
Unwavering resolve against two.
Unwavering resolve against an entire crew.
Either don't fight, or fight to the bitter end.
And now, facing the combined assault of the three strongest Sweet Commanders, plus countless Whitebeard and Big Mom Pirates launching sneak attacks from all sides, Sakazuki still showed no weakness.
Bang!
As Katakuri analyzed the situation, Sakazuki erupted from a mass of giant mochi fists. Now airborne with no footing, Charlotte Smoothie's Mighty Slash Wave struck him head-on.
But Sakazuki stepped into the void.
Combining Geppo with the explosive force of a volcanic eruption, he used the atmosphere itself as a springboard, forcibly traversing the air while dodging Smoothie's slash by a hair's breadth. He crashed head-on into a hundred biscuit soldiers.
Facing the distance between himself and the three Sweet Commanders closing rapidly, Sakazuki finally stopped dodging. Maintaining his magma form, enveloped in Armament Haki, he charged like a magma dragon.
The biscuit soldiers—hard enough to withstand Luffy's Gear Fourth attacks—were worthless. Sakazuki melted through them in a single exchange, then shattered the remaining fragments.
"Shave!"
Instantly piercing through the biscuit formation, Sakazuki's speed skyrocketed. He rocketed toward Charlotte Cracker like a missile.
He'd already sensed it during their previous clash. Unlike Katakuri and Smoothie, Charlotte Cracker was weaker and avoided close combat. He commanded from the shadows, hiding within his biscuit soldiers. He feared pain. He lacked the ruthlessness to fight to the death.
"This monster!"
Perched on a biscuit soldier's shoulder, Charlotte Cracker watched Sakazuki erupt like a lava pillar. Pressure unlike anything he'd ever felt washed over him. Once Sakazuki targeted him, there was no escape—unless you had Borsalino's speed.
Knowing this, Cracker grit his teeth. He raised his famed sword, Pretzels, infused it with Armament Haki, and unleashed a spiraling slash.
"Wave: Pretzels!"
Simultaneously, Charlotte Smoothie's sword and Charlotte Katakuri's trident pierced toward Sakazuki's back and spine.
Trapped in such peril, most—even an Emperor—would choose to dodge. Even Kaido wouldn't take this head-on. Only an idiot would trade blows when they could simply retreat and wait for a better opening.
But Sakazuki was different.
Once he saw a decisive moment, he pursued it relentlessly. He'd stop at nothing to obliterate his enemy.
"Ghost."
Neither Smoothie's sword nor Katakuri's trident affected him. His eyes—gleaming with ferocious killing intent—remained locked on Cracker. Sakazuki unleashed his punch.
An attack at the pinnacle of the three Devil Fruits. Armament Haki at the pinnacle of the world. The combination released a magma fist that dwarfed even the Marineford War's legendary clash with Whitebeard.
Bang!
The moment Sakazuki's fist collided with Cracker's Pretzels, the ice beneath them shattered instantly. A blazing shockwave of Haki rippled outward like a tidal wave.
Charlotte Cracker felt overwhelming force surge through his sword. It was scorching, violent—like being struck by a shockwave wrapped in magma. His chest tightened, blood boiled, his face turned crimson, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Pfft!
Clang!
As blood spurted, the magma fist didn't melt Pretzels, but the force transmitted through the blade shattered Cracker's wrist. His grip broke. The sword flew from his hands, crashing like a cannonball into the ice hundreds of meters away, carving a massive crater.
Cracker stood frozen, trembling, coughing blood. His body seemed broken, his arms hanging limp.
"Die."
Sakazuki's magma fist plunged straight through Cracker's chest.
"Ah!"
Cracker's body convulsed violently. His eyes rolled back. Color drained from his face at visible speed. His aura plummeted to rock bottom.
He was on the verge of death.
"Cracker!"
Katakuri's trident and Smoothie's swords struck simultaneously, both imbued with Armament Haki to nullify elemental transformation. Caught between finishing Cracker and escaping the combined assault, Sakazuki chose the former.
He lost his chance to evade.
"Akainu!" they roared, weapons aimed at his vitals.
Fwoosh.
In that critical moment, Sakazuki remained calm. Using Observation Haki to foresee the future, he preemptively elementalized his abdomen, splitting his magma body to create a hole. Katakuri's trident passed through empty space.
Similarly, his left chest turned to magma, creating a small gap just large enough for Smoothie's longsword to pass without touching his body.
"What?!"
Charlotte Smoothie's pupils constricted in horror.
In a one-on-one fight, this wouldn't surprise her. With Observation Haki that foresaw the future plus elemental transformation, Sakazuki could handle single opponents.
But this was a siege. A war. Chaos reigned. Seeing the future didn't mean you could change it. Foreseeing danger and controlling the battle were two completely different things.
"His Observation Haki can see at least seven seconds ahead," Katakuri realized, his heart sinking.
Unlike Smoothie, he understood why Sakazuki could achieve this. Simply put—his physical abilities had reached the absolute limit. Every skill a person could cultivate, honed to perfection.
"In the age of the Navy, there were no ships capable of accommodating pirates," Sakazuki declared, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Not a single one."
"That's true for the Whitebeard Pirates. And it's true for your Big Mom Pirates."
He maintained his elemental form, dodging sword and halberd, then turned his head slightly. His peripheral vision locked onto the last two Sweet Commanders. A ferocious, chilling killing intent emanated from his eyes.
"This world only needs one king. Not one of the Four Emperors, nor the Pirate King, but..."
"Rosen."
Sakazuki turned fully. The trident and longsword piercing his body were severed as he twisted. But the instant Smoothie's sword left his body, his left hand flashed like lightning, catching the blade.
"Crimson Hound."
Sakazuki clenched his right fist, ignoring Katakuri beside him, and threw a punch. His arm transformed into a magma hound, striking directly at Charlotte Smoothie.
"Am I going to die?"
Smoothie immediately abandoned her sword and retreated, but Crimson Hound—while not as powerful as Demon Dog—had longer range. Like a vicious hound eyeing prey, it quickly caught up.
Charlotte Smoothie's eyes widened in despair.
The Sweet Commanders, four against one, had already lost two. Now only she and Katakuri remained.
"Mochi Thrust!"
Katakuri gripped his trident, using the Mochi Mochi Fruit to transform his arm into a mochi ball. Spinning rapidly, he unleashed a sharp thrust toward Sakazuki's head.
Bang!
Sakazuki didn't even glance. His right foot—wreathed in Armament Haki and molten lava—slammed down on the trident. The immense, scorching force not only halted the spinning blade but pinned it into the ice.
"Don't get in my way."
"You're next."
"The pillar of the Big Mom Pirates."
Sakazuki glanced at Katakuri. His cold, sharp shout—mixed with the unparalleled oppressive aura of an Admiral leader—enveloped Katakuri's mind and body, making it hard to breathe.
"Is this the weight of the First Marine below Rosen?" Katakuri looked at the trident beneath Sakazuki's foot, feeling unprecedented dejection.
Through this battle, he'd personally experienced the weight of the three Admirals' leader. He understood now.
If he was second only to Kaido in the Big Mom Pirates, then Sakazuki was second only to Kaido in Marine Headquarters.
Both were second only to Kaido.
What a Sweet Commander. What a pillar of the Big Mom Pirates.
After clashing with Sakazuki, they were utterly crushed—just like Gecko Moria facing Kaido, completely demoralized.
And this was four against one. Four Sweet Commanders, plus countless pirates.
The result? Two defeated, two remaining.
Sakazuki's gaze shifted from Katakuri to the struggling Smoothie, then to the massive fleet surrounding him. His magma body flared with renewed intensity, Armament Haki crackling like black lightning across his form.
"Justice," he growled, "will not tolerate scum like you."
---
Meanwhile—G-1 Branch Headquarters
Admiral Gion watched the Den Den Mushi's screen with narrowed eyes. The live feed showed Sakazuki's crimson form moving like a demon through the battlefield.
"He's pushing them too hard," she muttered.
Her adjutant, a sharp-eyed Lieutenant, nodded. "The Sweet Commanders are desperate. If they coordinate perfectly—"
"They won't." Gion's voice was cold. "Sakazuki doesn't give them that chance."
On screen, Sakazuki's magma fist slammed into the ice, sending a shockwave that shattered pirate ships in the surrounding waters. The Whitebeard Pirates' remnants and Big Mom's forces were in disarray, their formations broken.
"Send the message," Gion ordered. "Tell the other Branches: G-1 is holding. Reinforcements not needed."
"But Vice Admiral, if the situation worsens—"
"It won't." Gion stood, her Marine coat fluttering. "Sakazuki is the strongest Marine below Rosen. And Rosen... he's watching."
She looked toward the horizon, where the New World's storms brewed.
"Because when Rosen finally moves," she whispered, "the entire world will know that the Marine King has awakened."
---
At the Same Time—Mary Geoise, Pangaea Castle
In the dimly lit chamber of the Five Elders, the Den Den Mushi's screen showed the same brutal scene. Sakazuki's magma fist piercing through Charlotte Cracker's chest.
Topman Warcury clicked his tongue. "He's too reckless. Fighting the Sweet Commanders alone—"
"He's not alone," Shepherd Ju Peter interrupted, his voice calm. "He's the Admiral. The Marines are his strength."
Jaygarcia Saturn stared at the screen, his ancient eyes calculating. "Sakazuki's resolve has never wavered. But this... this is different."
"Different how?" Marcus Mars asked, adjusting his glasses.
"He's fighting for Rosen's vision, not just Marine justice," Saturn said. "The 'Pure Justice' that Rosen preaches—absolute, unyielding, merciless to pirates."
Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro stroked his chin. "Rosen's influence is spreading. Even Sakazuki, who once followed the World Government's will without question, now acts according to Rosen's blueprint."
On screen, Sakazuki's Crimson Hound—his magma hound technique—chased Charlotte Smoothie across the ice, forcing her to abandon her sword.
"Look at that power," Warcury muttered. "Even without Rosen's Zanpakutō abilities, Sakazuki's Devil Fruit mastery is unparalleled. The Magma-Magma Fruit at its peak."
"But it's not enough," Saturn said softly. "Not for Rosen's goals."
The room fell silent as they watched Sakazuki pin Katakuri's trident with a single foot, then deliver his declaration to the world.
"This world only needs one king. Not one of the Four Emperors, nor the Pirate King, but... Rosen."
The Five Elders exchanged glances.
"Rosen's ambition grows," Mars said. "He's systematically dismantling the Pirate Era. First the Warlords, now the Sweet Commanders. Next will be the Yonko themselves."
"He's building an independent Marine force," Ju Peter said, his voice tight. "One that doesn't answer to us."
"Then we must act," Warcury declared. "Before he becomes unstoppable."
Saturn raised a hand. "Not yet. Let him eliminate the pirates for us. Let Rosen and Sakazuki do the dirty work."
"But—"
"Once the Yonko are gone," Saturn said, his eyes gleaming with ancient wisdom, "we'll deal with Rosen directly. Until then... we watch."
---
Back at the Battlefield—New World, G-1 Branch Waters
Charlotte Katakuri's eyes narrowed. He'd foreseen the future—Sakazuki's next move, the magma fist aimed at his heart. But foreseeing it and avoiding it were different matters.
Sakazuki's pressure was suffocating. Every movement, every breath, carried the weight of an Admiral's authority.
"Is this the First Marine?" Katakuri whispered, gripping his trident. "Then what is Rosen?"
He remembered the reports. Rosen, the Governor-General of North Blue. The Marines' new weapon. A Devil Fruit user who manifested Zanpakutō from another world—Senbonzakura, Shinsō, Ryūjin Jakka. A warrior who could manifest a mountain-sized Haki construct called Susanoo.
Compared to Rosen, Sakazuki was... conventional. Pure Devil Fruit power. Pure Haki. Pure determination.
But that was enough.
Katakuri's Observation Haki flared. He saw the future—Sakazuki's magma fist erupting from the ground beneath him. He leaped backward, using Geppo to traverse the air.
Sakazuki's fist missed, but the magma explosion shattered the ice where Katakuri had stood, sending boiling water and shrapnel flying.
"Where are you running?" Sakazuki's voice cut through the chaos.
He didn't pursue Katakuri. Instead, he turned toward Charlotte Smoothie, who was recovering from the Crimson Hound's chase.
Smoothie had already retreated to a safe distance, her sword retrieved. She knew she couldn't match Sakazuki in close combat. But she had other options.
She raised her sword, and her body began to shimmer. The Sweet Commander's Devil Fruit power—Succ Succ Fruit—allowed her to wring out moisture from anything she touched, including herself. She could concentrate her own body's power, becoming stronger, faster, more dangerous.
"Suiton: Crimson Flood!" she roared, slashing downward.
Water erupted from the ice—Sakazuki's own magma had melted it—and surged toward him in a massive wave. Sakazuki's Magma-Magma Fruit made him immune to the water itself, but the sheer force and the ice shards mixed in could damage him.
Sakazuki didn't dodge. He stepped forward, his body blazing with Armament Haki, and punched through the wave. Magma met water, creating a massive explosion of steam that blanketed the battlefield.
Through the steam, Katakuri's trident stabbed forward, targeting Sakazuki's blind spot.
Sakazuki's Observation Haki saw it coming. He twisted, his body parting like magma to let the trident pass through harmlessly.
But Katakuri wasn't finished. The trident transformed—mochi hardening around it, becoming a spiked mace. He swung it, aiming for Sakazuki's head.
Sakazuki blocked with his left forearm. The impact sent him skidding backward on the ice, leaving deep grooves.
"Good," Sakazuki growled. "You finally stopped running."
Katakuri's eyes were cold. "I don't run. I fight."
He knew the odds were still against him. But he was a Sweet Commander. The pride of the Big Mom Pirates. He wouldn't be defeated so easily.
Even if he couldn't win, he'd make Sakazuki pay.
"Let's end this," Katakuri said.
He charged.
Sakazuki met him head-on.
The two collided in a explosion of Armament Haki, magma, and mochi. The ice shattered beneath their feet, waves boiling around them.
It was a battle of titans.
And somewhere, in the chaos, a shadow watched. A figure cloaked in darkness, observing the carnage with cold, calculating eyes.
The first step in Rosen's grand plan was nearly complete.
Sakazuki would crush the Sweet Commanders.
And the Marines would claim another victory.
But the real battle—the war for the New World—was only just beginning.
—-