Chapter 497 - 336

Chapter 338: The End of Green Bit!Green Bit, the forest island once lush and full of life, was now unrecognizable.With the central area as the epicenter, a terrifying, bottomless sinkhole over several kilometers in diameter tore through the island's surface like a hideous scar on the earth.Seawater poured in along the walls of the pit, forming a murky whirlpool that emitted a wailing sound.Here, a tragic and fierce battle of one against two had just taken place, one worthy of being recorded in the annals of naval warfare history.On the ruins in the center of the battlefield, three figures stood in a triangular standoff.Straw Hat Luffy's body was violently releasing crimson-gold lightning and golden flames.He panted slightly, his chest heaving, but his wide-grinning expression hadn't changed at all. He slammed his fists together, sparking "crackling" crimson-gold electrical sparks."Hahahaha! That was satisfying! So satisfying!"Luffy's voice carried the raspiness and exhilaration following a great battle."You two are tougher than I thought!"Opposite him, the two Admirals were in a much more pathetic state."Fujitora" Issho's purple kimono was in tatters and stained with blood in many places, the fabric torn to reveal gashed and bloody wounds beneath.The purple-black gravity ripples that originally flowed along the blade of his Cane Sword, "Gamblers Fire Line," were now extremely dim, like a candle flickering in the wind.'This boy... is simply a monster born for battle...'Stormy waves surged within Fujitora's heart.'He uses his fruit's power as if it were instinct, without any friction... The strength and control of his Haki have reached an inconceivable level... How long has it been?''If he's given a few more years, this sea...'He didn't dare think any further.On the other side, "Aramaki" Aramaki looked the worst among the three.He could barely maintain a complete human form, his body appearing in a bizarre state of trees and flesh mixing and separating in multiple places.'Damn it... Damn it all!'Aramaki roared internally, but he barely had the strength left to even do that.'Why is this happening?! I am a Marine Admiral! A Logia Awakener! On this island filled with plants, this should be my home turf!''Why am I being suppressed by a pirate?! Why can his attacks penetrate my defenses so easily? Damn Conquerors Haki Coating!!!'His pride was crushed, his confidence shaken, replaced by a deep sense of powerlessness and... a hint of fear that he forcibly suppressed.Fujitora lifted his heavy eyelids. Though he could not see, the aura of Luffy that his Observation Hakisensed—still as vigorous as a raging fire—made him sigh inwardly.He spoke slowly, his voice carrying fatigue and a heavy attempt to salvage the situation:"Luffy-dono... stop! If this continues, Green Bit... might truly vanish from the map! Countless creatures living here will go extinct because of our battle! This... is certainly not where justice lies!"Luffy picked his ear, nonchalant:"Then just hurry up and surrender! Once I beat you, I need to go find my crew! It must be pretty lively over there too!"He cracked his neck, and the remaining lightning and fire on his body became active again, clearly preparing for a new round of fierce attacks.However, just as he raised his arm and the crimson-gold lightning began to gather—Luffy's movements suddenly froze!In his eyes, usually filled with sunshine or fighting spirit, his pupils constricted to the limit in an instant!A crimson light flashed through them!!He sensed it.From the direction of the main island of Dressrosa, a familiar yet terrifyingly powerful pressure—one that made his blood feel like it was boiling—arrogantly burst into his range of perception!He could never mistake the violence, arrogance, and will to destroy everything contained within that pressure—Kaido!!!Then, almost at the same time, he caught another trace of an aura!It was a chilling sword intent so sharp it seemed capable of slicing through heaven and earth, mixed with the murderous aura of a Cursed Blade and the weight of a Black Blade!And another... it was Sanji's lightning and fire aura!'Zoro is fighting Kaido?! Sanji rushed over too?!'All the information instantly connected and exploded in Luffy's mind!Without a thought, without a moment's hesitation.The smile and fighting spirit on his face receded like a tide, replaced by a near-instinctive, icy sharpness."Hey."He spoke. His voice wasn't loud, yet it made Fujitora and Aramaki's hearts skip a beat simultaneously.Luffy slowly turned his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the barrier of space to "pin" itself onto Dressrosa, toward the night sky where thunderclouds churned and Dragonic Majestyloomed."I don't have time to play with you anymore."The moment the words fell—BOOM!!!!"Rumble-Rumble: Godspeed—"Luffy's body blurred amidst the blinding lightning, his aura skyrocketing at an incredible speed!Before the last syllable had even fully dropped, his figure had completely vanished from the spot!Only a straight pillar of crimson-gold lightning remained, piercing through the night sky of Green Bit."Zoro! Sanji! Hold on for me!!!"The voice quickly faded away, disappearing with the crimson-gold pillar at the end of the distant horizon.On the central ruins of Green Bit, only Fujitora and Aramaki remained.Fujitora maintained his sword-holding stance, motionless.He slowly spread out his Observation Haki like an invisible web, straining to extend it toward the main island of Dressrosa.The distance was great, making his perception blurred and intermittent, yet he still clearly captured... that extremely violent and arrogant Dragonic Majesty perched above the island like a doomsday cloud!"This aura..."Fujitora's voice was dry, his knuckles turning white from the force of gripping his Cane Sword."There's no mistake... 'Beasts' Kaido... He actually... descended upon Dressrosa in person?"He slowly withdrew his Observation Haki and sighed heavily, a sigh filled with powerlessness."The revolutionary army chief of staff obtained the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, a nation-wide riot in Dressrosa, and now... even the Four Emperors' Kaido has personally intervened..."He turned toward Aramaki's direction. Though he couldn't see, he sensed the other's withered and chaotic aura."Admiral Aramaki... it seems the 'trouble' on our end has come to a temporary close."His tone wasn't light at all; instead, it grew even heavier."But Dressrosa... is likely about to fall into something far more terrifying and difficult to handle than the battle we just experienced..."He paused, uttering each word as if they weighed a thousand pounds:"...A truly massive trouble!"Aramaki barely maintained his standing posture, new sprouts struggling to grow from his severed arm.This arrogant, condescending Marine Admiral felt, for the first time in his life, a sense of bewilderment at the complete loss of control over the situation, and a hint of... a shudder that even he was unwilling to admit.He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat dry and unable to make a sound.In the end, he just stood there in silence, looking toward Dressrosa, looking at the night sky shrouded in thunderclouds and an unknown fate...