Upon hearing this, Vivi instantly sobered up. She recalled the World Government's extreme attitude towards poneglyphs, and her face immediately turned pale.
She immediately turned to Koza and ordered, "Immediately evacuate all civilians! Declare a city-wide curfew in the name of the Royal Family! No one is allowed within half a step of the plaza!"
Koza nodded solemnly and blew the emergency evacuation whistle. The well-trained Kingdom Army quickly sprang into action, guiding the civilians to evacuate in an orderly fashion.
Smoker stood in the center of the evacuating crowd, white smoke swirling around him like a cordon. He sternly ordered Tashigi, "Carefully check every evacuating civilian to ensure no one has recorded any information from the poneglyphs."
Tashigi pushed up her glasses, somewhat puzzled. "Colonel, is it necessary to go to such lengths? No one can even understand the writing on those stones..."
"Shut up!" Smoker uncharacteristically snapped, a vein throbbing on his forehead. "Do you know which two people Fleet Admiral Sengoku sent?"
He bit down on his cigar, his voice barely a whisper. "It's Kizaru Borsalino and Aokiji Kuzan! Two Admirals! All for these 'stones'!"
Tashigi's pupils suddenly constricted, and her Shigure almost slipped from her hand. "Two... two Admirals?!" Only then did she realize the gravity of the situation, and her face instantly turned ashen.
Smoker looked around, making sure no civilians could hear their conversation, before continuing, "These poneglyphs record the forbidden history of the Void Century..."
His voice was practically squeezed through his teeth. "If there's any leak, those people won't hesitate to use a Buster Call!"
"Buster Call?" Tashigi repeated subconsciously, then clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with terror.
Smoker nodded grimly. "If even a single piece of content leaks, the entire Alabasta..." He didn't finish, but the implication was clear enough.
Tashigi's hands began to tremble uncontrollably. She finally understood why even the usually composed Smoker was so nervous.
A Buster Call meant the entire island would be completely wiped off the map by the Marine fleet; civilization would be reduced to ashes in the gunfire.
"I... I'll go do it immediately!"
Tashigi's voice was trembling as she turned and rushed towards the evacuating crowd, almost hysterically ordering, "All soldiers, listen up! Thoroughly search every civilian's belongings! Any recording devices are to be confiscated!"
Although the Marine soldiers didn't understand why, seeing Lieutenant Commander Tashigi so flustered, they immediately realized the seriousness of the situation and sprang into action.
They individually checked civilians' notebooks and even papers they carried, fearing they might miss any potential records.
Just as Robin was fully focused on deciphering the eighth poneglyph, a dazzling golden light suddenly flashed across the sky!
"Shhh—!"
A scorching laser beam descended without warning, aiming directly for Robin's back!
Its speed was so great that even the air was scorched, emitting a burnt smell.
"Watch out!"
Ron's figure flickered like a ghost, and black Armament Haki instantly covered his back. He stepped sideways, forcefully blocking the fatal blow with his back.
"Boom!"
A violent explosion kicked up a cloud of smoke and dust. Ron's feet ploughed two deep furrows into the ground. When the smoke cleared, his clothes on his back were shredded, revealing his Armament Haki-covered skin, which had a metallic sheen and was still emitting wisps of smoke.
"Oh my ~" A flippant voice came from mid-air. "Young people nowadays are really scary ~"
Kizaru slowly descended, stepping on golden light particles. His yellow striped suit swayed gently in the wind. He pushed up his sunglasses, his gaze sweeping over Crocodile, who was handcuffed with Sea Stone, and his eyebrows slightly raised:
"Oh my ~ Isn't this our Shichibukai, Mr. ~"
Smoker immediately stepped forward to report, "Admiral Kizaru, Crocodile is suspected of subverting the government of an allied nation and has been arrested." He paused, then added, "Straw Hat Luffy defeated him."
Kizaru's lips curved into an amused smile. "Quite an impressive rookie ~"
His gaze refocused on Ron. "But now, could you please hand over that archaeologist lady ~ What she's looking at is very dangerous, you know ~"
Ron rotated his shoulder; his back, which had been hit by the laser, still felt faintly numb.
"I'm sorry, Admiral," a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. "She's our ship's archaeologist now, so we can't just hand her over to you."
Kizaru's smile gradually faded, his sunglasses reflecting a cold light. "Is that so ~" His body began to transform into golden specks of light. "Then there's no choice but to... enforce it ~"
Just as Kizaru was about to make his move, a special ability prompt suddenly sounded in Luffy's mind:
[Ding! Special Ability Choice triggered!]
[Option 1: The opponent is an Admiral. If you can't beat him, retreat immediately. Reward: A bottle of Invisibility Potion!]
[Option 2: Wave a white flag and surrender, willingly allowing the Admiral to handcuff you with Sea Stone for your comrades. Reward: Advanced Armament Haki!]
[Option 3: Fight to the end until Aokiji appears. Reward: Secret Technique: Life Return (100% conversion of food energy into stamina, no side effects)]
Luffy didn't even think; his rubber fist slammed into his palm. "I choose three! Fight!" A burning fighting spirit ignited in his eyes. "I'm the man who will become the Pirate King, how can I run away here!"
"Hey! Admiral Kizaru!" Luffy suddenly stretched his neck and shouted at Kizaru in mid-air, "I'm the man who will become the Pirate King—Monkey D. Luffy!"
This roar echoed throughout the plaza, even Robin, who was still deciphering the poneglyph, couldn't help but look up.
Kizaru's lips twitched unnaturally twice. "Oh my ~"
He pushed up his sunglasses, recalling the "Warrior of Liberation" that Kuma had once mentioned. "Is this the kid Kuma was talking about ~ He doesn't seem very bright ~"
Before he finished speaking, Kizaru's figure suddenly vanished into golden light!
The next second, he appeared behind Luffy, his long, golden-glowing leg raised high:
"Kid, have you ever been kicked at the speed of light....."
"Bang!"
Luffy had no time to react. He was sent flying like a cannonball, smashing through three thick walls before finally stopping.
"Luffy!" Chopper cried out in alarm, about to rush over to treat him, but was stopped by a rubber arm reaching out from the smoke.
"I'm fine!" Luffy climbed out of the rubble, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, but his smile remained. "This level is still far from enough!"
Kizaru raised an eyebrow. "Oh ~ You're quite durable, aren't you ~" Dazzling golden light condensed on his fingertips. "Then how about this move ~ Yasakani no Magatama ~"
Countless light bullets rained down like a storm. Luffy desperately dodged but was still covered in wounds, yet every time he fell, he gritted his teeth and got back up, his fighting spirit burning even brighter.
"Gum-Gum... Rocket!"
Luffy seized an opening to counterattack but was easily dodged by Kizaru's elemental transformation.
"It's useless ~" Kizaru's figure reassembled in the light particles. "Logia users aren't so easily... Hmm?"
....
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