...
Roger sat cross-legged on the ground, fingers pressing hard against his temples, brows furrowed into knots as if he were trying to flip through every corner of his brain's memories for inspection.
After a long while, he suddenly raised his head with an expression of "I've racked my brain and still got nothing," slowly saying to Rayleigh and Gaban: "Confirmed—I've never even seen a single hair of his!"
Rayleigh and Gaban nodded in agreement.
But Roger then stroked his chin thoughtfully: "However… Buggy was scared out of his wits like that, and he described it so vividly—saying he fought evenly with you, Rayleigh, and Gaban… That would explain this 'familiar feeling.'"
Roger looked toward the overwhelmingly powerful figure of Bullet in the light curtain, his gaze growing complicated: "I'm afraid at some point in the future, this kid really did board my ship and became our crewmate.
So… this must be some kind of more mysterious premonition that's giving me that sense of familiarity."
This speculation left the Roger Pirates members with rather subtle feelings.
A powerful future crewmate?
It sounded good, but looking at Bullet's "don't come near me" demeanor and ruthless fighting style in the light curtain… he didn't seem like someone easy to get along with.
In the light curtain scene, the fierce battle was in full swing!
"Mam-ma-ma-ma~ This kid really does have some skills!"
Charlotte Linlin temporarily set aside her irritation over the "Fifth Emperor" news, watching with interest as Bullet moved through the Supernovas' encirclement like he was strolling through an empty field.
In the scene, Kid controlled massive metal arms slamming down, Hawkins' giant demonic statue swung its blade in a fierce chop,
Drake in dinosaur form tore and charged, Apoo's sonic blades sliced through the air, Bonney tried to alter his age, Capone Bege's internal cannons fired in volley… plus Luffy, who had climbed back up and was attacking even more furiously—
This was practically a joint assault from most of the top fighters of the Worst Generation!
Yet Bullet's performance could only be described as "toying" with them.
He wasn't in a hurry to crush everyone; instead, he strolled leisurely amid the hail of bullets and flashes of blades.
For most attacks, he didn't even bother fully dodging—he merely shifted slightly or tanked them head-on with his body coated in pitch-black Armament Haki!
"Clang!"
"Bang!"
"Boom!"
The sounds of metal clashing, explosions, and flesh colliding rang out nonstop.
But what made every spectator's scalp tingle—including those in God Valley, the Marines, and the pirates—was that such dense and powerful attacks landing on Bullet… didn't even scratch his skin!
His body, forged through countless battles and paired with top-tier Armament Haki, seemed to possess absolute defense!
The only thing that could be considered a "result" was Luffy's all-out punch, which finally tore his black military coat to shreds, turning it into fluttering scraps of cloth.
"Rip—"
In the scene, as the clothing tore apart, Bullet's explosively muscular body—covered in countless old scars—was fully exposed to the air.
Every muscle on his bronzed skin contained terrifying power.
Most striking of all was the enormous, hideous scar slanting down across his right shoulder—a silent testament to the brutal battles he had endured in the past.
As the dust settled slightly, Bullet shook out his arm and brushed off nonexistent dust.
He scanned the Supernovas around him—their faces ugly from the ineffective round of fierce attacks, panting heavily—and a near-cruel disappointment mixed with mockery appeared on his hard features.
"Hm… Not bad, I suppose."
His voice remained low, yet carried a condescending evaluative tone: "Unfortunately… still far from enough. Your training, your tactics, your battle awareness… everything is lacking by miles!"
He slightly bent his knees, assuming a coiled stance. The aura around him suddenly shifted—from steady as a mountain to a volcano on the verge of eruption!
"Let me show you brats who don't know the height of the heavens and the depth of the earth… what real"
"combat looks like!!!"
Before the words even finished, his figure vanished once more!
This speed wasn't from a Devil Fruit ability—it was pure physical explosiveness, surpassing the limits of what the naked eye could track!
Before Luffy could react, he was sent flying again!
Bullet's target had been clear from the start—Luffy was still the first one he targeted!
"Bang!!!"
Another plain yet impossibly fast heavy punch!
The fist smashed solidly into Luffy's abdomen once more!
This time the force was even greater than before. Luffy shot backward like a cannonball, smashing through several ruined walls before coming to a stop amid the rubble, temporarily motionless.
"You bastard… what the hell is your goal?!"
Kid's eyes burned with furious unwillingness as he questioned Bullet.
He refused to believe such a powerhouse would appear here merely for "treasure hunting" or "fighting."
Bullet slowly retracted his fist, glancing at Kid with cold, resolute eyes, as if stating an obvious fact: "My goal? Simple."
"To become… the strongest in the world."
The answer was simple, direct, and utterly arrogant!
Yet coming from his mouth, paired with his overwhelming strength, it inspired not much mockery—only a chill down the spine.
At the same time, on the other side, another change occurred!
Zoro and the others were preparing to clear a path to the port for evacuation.
However, they soon discovered dozens of warships converging from all directions, their cannons trained precisely on every area where pirates were gathered on the island!
"Fire!!!"
With the command, cannon fire roared! Pitch-black cannonballs poured down like a storm!
"Why are the Marines here so fast?! And their targeting is so precise?!"
Nami looked at the naval fleet in shock and suspicion.
Just then, a tall, somewhat plump figure wearing the white Marine Admiral's Justice coat rose slowly from the main warship, flying toward the center of the island where the cannon fire was densest.
His eyes were tightly closed, he held a staff-sword, his expression calm and carrying a sense of weight.
Then he drew his blade and clashed with Zoro!
When Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, Tsuru, and the others in God Valley saw this new face, they were momentarily stunned.
"A new… Marine Admiral?"
Sengoku pushed up his glasses, observing carefully. The word "Justice" on the coat and that distinctive, powerful aura undoubtedly confirmed his Admiral status.
"Blind?"
Zephyr raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, but quickly understood: "To be selected as an Admiral, eyesight would never be his weakness.
He likely possesses perception far beyond ordinary people."
In the scene, as this new Admiral approached, some well-informed or well-connected pirates already cried out in terror: "It's… it's the newly appointed Marine Admiral 'Fujitora' Issho!!"
"What?! That monster who got exceptionally promoted through the World Military Draft?!"
"Even he's here?!"
Through the explanations from those around them, the people in God Valley gained some understanding of this new Marine Admiral…
After Akainu was promoted to Fleet Admiral, Kizaru remained, and Aokiji left, two Admiral positions became vacant.
The World Government launched an unprecedented "World Military Draft," recruiting powerhouses from the civilian population. This Fujitora Issho was one of the top experts exceptionally promoted and directly granted an Admiral position!
Though blind, his overwhelming strength was absolutely not something ordinary pirates could compare to!
Fujitora's appearance signaled that the Marines had elevated their seriousness regarding this "Pirate Expo" incident to the highest level…
Not only to quell the chaos, but to seize the opportunity to capture—or even eliminate—as many of the gathered Supernovas and notable pirates as possible!
"Gravity control? Feels kinda like my Devil Fruit?!"
Shiki watched Fujitora's gravity-based attacks with curiosity, feeling the ability somewhat resembled his Float-Float Fruit.
The core of his Float-Float Fruit was to nullify gravity's restraint to achieve personal flight and grant non-living objects floating properties upon touch.
From Shiki's observation, this Marine Admiral Fujitora seemed to possess some kind of gravity-manipulating Devil Fruit ability—that was his feeling!
"What's similar about your fruit? I feel like this Admiral's fruit is way stronger than yours. You're no match…"
Silver Axe, for some reason, just couldn't stand Shiki. He mocked him with a look of disdain.
"Aww, little axe, don't be so mean to me~"
Hearing Silver Axe, Shiki immediately started acting shameless again. The two old rivals began trading barbs right then and there.
"Gulp gulp, this kid's Conqueror's Haki training isn't bad~"
Captain John watched Luffy clashing Conqueror's Haki with Bullet, looking quite interested, though he finished his wine at that moment.
He began stumbling woozily toward the forest, hoping to find more booze. No one paid much attention.
In the sky was the monstrous Bullet and the chaotic battle over the treasure; on the ground, Admiral Fujitora led the encirclement and suppression; the sea was blockaded by warships…
The Straw Hat crew and the Worst Generation were trapped in an unprecedented dead-end—no way up to the heavens, no way down to the earth!
Meanwhile, viewers both inside and outside the light curtain began to grow curious about what would happen next.
This "Pirate Fest" had already devolved into a massive free-for-all engulfing the top rising stars of the new pirate generation, the Marines' highest combat power, and the mysterious old-era monster Bullet!
Its brutality and impact would likely far exceed anyone's imagination.
In God Valley, the Roger Pirates and Rocks Pirates paid even closer attention to Bullet's declaration of becoming "the strongest in the world" and the terrifying strength he displayed—enough to crush the new era.
What exactly did this future Roger crew member want? What were his and Buena Festa's goals? They could only keep watching what came next.
...