The plaza fell into stunned silence. Every pair of eyes was locked on the scene, disbelief etched across every face.
High atop a soap bubble tree, Rayleigh sipped the bottle of homemade liquor Luoyu had given him. He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"If this had gone the usual way, it would've been a wasted trip."
"Come on, kid. Show me how far your Conqueror's Haki has come compared to Rocks."
"If I get to witness someone shake the Celestial Dragons in my lifetime… I'll die satisfied."
He took another swig, eyes drifting toward the now-exposed CP9 agents.
Kaku and the others were frozen stiff. They hadn't expected things to spiral this far.
Kalifa snapped, unable to hold back. "Jabra! You're betraying CP9! Lucci will never forgive you!"
"Shut up, Kalifa! You don't understand—this Admiral is a monster. I'm doing this to save CP9!" Jabra shouted back.
"Admiral Luoyu! Please accept our surrender!"
Owl and Kumadori quickly echoed him.
Kalifa and the others were stunned.
Was this really a rescue… or a suicide mission?
Still, they couldn't help but wonder—
How would the new Admiral react to such a gift-wrapped victory?
"Surrender?" Luoyu took a sip of his drink and turned to Ain.
"That's good news. Ain, call up old man Sengoku and ask how many millions they're worth."
Everyone froze.
Even Kalifa and Kaku.
They'd always known they might become bargaining chips one day.
But to be reduced to bounty fodder?
Priced in the millions?
That was just insulting.
"You arrogant Admiral! Do you think our young master doesn't exist? No one leaves with them without his permission!"
Pica's shrill voice rang out.
"Stone Roar!"
BOOM!
Pica slammed his hand into the ground.
The earth cracked open in eight directions, massive stone pillars erupting and converging on Luoyu.
Everyone flinched.
Even if Luoyu was young, he was still an Admiral.
To attack him here, on Sabaody, so close to Marineford?
Was Pica insane?
But Kalifa and the others were more interested in what came next.
What kind of power could make Jabra surrender so completely?
Then they saw it.
BOOM!
A radiant golden light burst from Luoyu's body.
Eight massive stone pillars stopped short—three meters away.
Blocked.
By a serene, golden Kannon.
Pica's eyes widened.
He hadn't expected his opening strike to be brushed aside so easily.
But now he was committed.
"Stone Bite!"
BOOM!
The ground beneath Luoyu erupted.
A massive stone head lunged upward, jaws wide.
At the same time, Pica vanished into the earth—reappearing behind Luoyu, blade raised.
BOOM!
Both attacks landed.
And both failed.
Pica's face twisted.
His sword and the stone jaws both struck something unyielding.
Luoyu hadn't moved.
Still sipping his drink.
"That's the might of a Warlord?" Luoyu adjusted his glasses. "I'm still taking them. But you… you're in the way."
BOOM!
His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward.
A tangible shockwave radiated from him, shattering the stone pillars.
The massive jaws crumbled.
Pica, caught in the blast, was hurled backward like a ragdoll.
The shockwave tore through the plaza, flattening everything in its path.
Pica crashed into a crowd of fleeing pirates, sending bodies flying and blood spraying.
When the dust settled, Pica staggered to his feet, bloodied and dazed.
"That was… Conqueror's Haki? With physical force?"
"Is our young master's Haki… fake?"
He remembered how Trebol had chosen Doflamingo as their leader because of his rare Conqueror's Haki.
It had always been a point of pride.
But now?
The gap was humiliating.
A pirate rushed to Pica's side, trembling.
"Sir! Doflamingo says no one leaves with them—not even an Admiral. He's negotiating with the Five Elders. He just needs five more minutes!"
The pirate looked at Luoyu, still standing calmly.
He was terrified Luoyu might kill him with a glance.
"Five minutes?" Pica muttered.
Then his face twisted.
"If that's the order, then not even the Five Elders can take them!"
"Let's see how your Haki stacks up against my Stone-Stone Fruit!"
The ground rumbled.
The plaza shook like an earthquake.
Pica began merging with the earth, becoming one with the island.
Luoyu's eyes narrowed.
Perfect.
Time to test that Intermediate Mutation Card.