On the ruins of Banaro Island, smoke slowly rose into the air as the battle came to an end.
Ace adjusted his cowboy hat, staring at the dark-gold gleaming Golden Merry, his eyes filled with astonishment.
After hearing Ronan's plan about "divine extraction," even the usually carefree Second Division commander grew serious.
"Luffy… you guys are actually planning something like this…"
He turned his head, his gaze landing on Enel, who had been tossed aside like trash.
"The Rumble-Rumble Fruit… that's a Logia known as 'invincible.' A power capable of changing the course of an era."
Then his eyes shifted to Blackbeard, collapsed in the crater like a broken heap of flesh. His expression turned cold instantly.
"Hey, Teach. You heard my brother's request, right? If you know what's good for you, do it."
"Otherwise… before I take you back to Father, I'll make sure you take a few trips through hell first."
"You should know… my patience ran out the moment Thatch died."
Blackbeard coughed violently. Each mouthful of blood pulled at the deep wounds in his chest and abdomen.
He scanned the people around him—
Ronan, calm and cold, spear in hand.
Luffy, brimming with overwhelming presence.
Zoro, silent, but radiating killing intent even with swords sheathed.
A ruthless realist to the core, Teach understood one thing clearly—
Dignity meant nothing in the face of death.
"Zehahaha… Zehahaha…"
He laughed hoarsely, a glint of survival flashing in his eyes.
"Ace… if I do this… you'll guarantee not to touch me again before we meet Father, right?"
"I… don't like pain."
"Don't call him that anymore, Teach!"
Flames burst between Ace's fingers as he clenched his fist, fury barely restrained.
But he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"Fine. Until we reach the Moby Dick, I won't lay a finger on you."
Ronan took out a perfectly round, bright orange and tossed it in front of Blackbeard.
"Begin."
Gritting his teeth, Blackbeard forced his broken body upright. His trembling hands pressed onto the orange.
In that instant—
Darkness surged again.
"Black Hole: Reverse!"
Absolute darkness engulfed the ruins.
A low, rumbling distortion echoed within it—as if some ancient law of the world was being forcibly twisted.
Enel's body convulsed one last time.
Countless strands of blue-white lightning were violently torn from every pore of his body, pulled into the vortex, compressed, condensed.
The orange began to change—
Its surface sprouted dense silver spiral patterns, crackling faintly with thunder.
"I've… extracted it…"
Blackbeard collapsed, utterly drained, as the darkness receded.
Ronan stepped forward and caught the newly formed fruit—now shimmering with silver lightning.
Ace's pupils shrank slightly as he looked at Enel's lifeless, withered body.
"…Even if he was an enemy… seeing someone this powerful completely drained like that… it sends chills down your spine."
Ronan said nothing.
He turned—and, under everyone's stunned gaze, handed the fruit to Nami.
"Nami. This is your crown… the crown of the Thunder Queen."
Nami stared at the fruit, her fingers trembling slightly.
She took a deep breath.
All the moments of helplessness…
All the trust her crew placed in her…
Her eyes hardened with resolve.
"Then I won't hold back!"
She shut her eyes—and bit down.
"Ugh—! It tastes awful!!"
Even prepared, the disgusting, rotten flavor made her frown deeply.
But she didn't hesitate.
In just a few bites, she swallowed the entire fruit.
At that moment—
The sky above Banaro Island changed.
"How is it, Nami?" Luffy leaned in curiously.
Before he finished speaking—
Her body erupted with blinding arcs of blue-violet lightning!
But unlike Enel's destructive fury—
Her lightning carried vitality, like a storm before summer rain.
Her orange hair fluttered wildly in the electric glow.
Lightning flickered faintly within her eyes.
"…I feel amazing."
She raised her hand and pointed toward the distant ruins.
"Thunder!!"
"BOOOOOOM—!!!"
A massive pillar of lightning descended from the sky—
Thick as a tree trunk.
The ground vaporized instantly, leaving behind a scorched crater glowing like molten glass.
"Incredible power…"
Usopp stared in shock, instinctively backing away.
"The crew's power rankings… might need updating now…"
Ace couldn't help but smile.
"As expected of a Logia called the 'strongest offense.' You triggered a natural resonance the moment you ate it."
"Luffy… your crew just gained another monster."
But just as everyone was celebrating—
Ronan, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Ace all stiffened at the same time.
Their Observation Haki had sensed it.
A crushing pressure.
"…Something's off." Zoro's hand moved to his sword.
The sea fog ahead—
Was being torn apart.
One ship.
Five ships.
Ten ships…
Dozens of massive warships surged forward, cutting through the waves.
From all directions, they formed a crescent-shaped encirclement around Banaro Island.
Each mast bore the same symbol—
The seagull flag of Absolute Justice.
At the forefront—
A towering figure stood on the flagship.
His overwhelming presence locked onto the island.
Ace's expression darkened.
"…Admiral Akainu."
"Why is he here?"
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