Facing Issho's lone challenge—
Vinsmoke Judge immediately revealed an angry expression.
"That blind bastard is way too arrogant!"
Judge quickly requested permission to fight.
"Lord Luo Xing!"
"Allow me to deal with that blind man and wipe out the Marines completely!"
Having essentially fulfilled his lifelong dream of ruling the North Blue—
Judge had now become an extremely loyal member of the Beasts Pirates.
Anyone who dared threaten the North Blue he had conquered—
was an enemy he would fight to the death.
However—
Luo Xing did not approve Judge's request.
Instead, he looked deeply toward Fujitora in the distance and calmly said:
"This man possesses the Gravity Fruit."
"Do not underestimate him just because he's blind."
"His Observation Haki has reached the level where he can sense the cosmos itself."
"He can casually pull down meteors from outer space."
"No matter how many ordinary soldiers there are…"
"they're nothing but cannon fodder beneath falling meteors."
"Your Germa clone army only needs to keep the Marine warships occupied."
"As for Fujitora…"
"leave him to King and the Gifters."
Judge, along with his sons and the Germa clone soldiers, had all consumed Monster Cells.
Their strength was already quite impressive.
But against a monster like Fujitora—
they were still nowhere near enough.
If Judge and the others rushed forward—
they would most likely just become sacrifices.
Not only that—
their defeat would damage the morale of their own side.
That was precisely why Luo Xing had brought King and the Punk Hazard Gifters here.
To replace Germa as the force capable of confronting an Admiral.
Although Judge felt somewhat unwilling—
Luo Xing's orders were absolute law.
He did not dare disobey.
Thus—
he obediently led his sons, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji, together with the clone army,
and positioned them along another section of the coastline—
carefully guarding against the Marine fleet stationed roughly two hundred meters offshore.
Fujitora's Observation Haki was unparalleled.
He naturally heard Luo Xing's tactical arrangements.
A trace of astonishment appeared in his heart.
"This famous Fifth Emperor…"
"seems surprisingly familiar with my abilities…"
Fujitora could not help feeling puzzled.
Before joining the Marines—
he had lived an extremely low-profile life.
Although he possessed world-class strength—
he had never created any major incidents and was virtually unknown.
Only after joining the Marines had his name exploded across the world.
He had instantly become one of the terrifying Marine Admirals feared across the seas.
And yet—
this battle was technically Fujitora's very first public action as an Admiral.
His true strength and abilities had only ever been displayed before high-ranking Marine officials.
Outsiders should not have known any details.
So how exactly had Luo Xing obtained information about him?
What Fujitora did not know—
was that even without being a transmigrator,
gathering information about him would not have been difficult for Luo Xing at all.
Because not long ago—
Vergo had already sparred briefly with Fujitora.
And Vergo—
was secretly Luo Xing's subordinate.
He had naturally reported all information regarding Fujitora back to him.
Which meant—
even King already understood Fujitora's abilities thoroughly.
Leading two hundred Gifters—
King advanced toward Fujitora with an overwhelmingly savage aura.
The Gifters had always been the most loyal and core combat unit of the Beasts Pirates.
This force had originally been established through the SMILE trade between Kaido and Donquixote Doflamingo.
Back then—
after more than a decade of effort—
Kaido had only managed to create four or five hundred Gifters.
But after Luo Xing invented Monster Cells and improved the production efficiency of artificial Devil Fruits—
the number of Gifters had skyrocketed to an astonishing ten thousand.
Every single one of those ten thousand soldiers—
had consumed both artificial Zoan fruits and Monster Cells.
Moreover—
they had all trained extensively inside Wano's gravity chambers.
It could be said that—
any random member among them possessed strength worthy of a 300-million-berry bounty.
Many were stronger than the majority of the current Supernovas.
Thus—
when Fujitora sensed the combined pressure of two hundred such monsters slowly advancing—
even someone as powerful as him became extremely serious.
"What savage beastly auras…"
"The name 'Beasts Pirates' truly suits them."
Fujitora could not help sighing.
Only a force this terrifying—
would dare openly challenge the World Government for dominance over the seas.
After all—
even the Revolutionary Army,
which had long been called the World Government's greatest enemy,
had only ever operated secretly from the shadows.
They had never openly clashed head-on with the World Government.
Much less challenge them for supremacy.
The Beasts Pirates—
were undoubtedly the only force in eight hundred years to do such a thing.
Not even Rocks D. Xebec or Gol D. Roger had reached this level.
Fujitora took a deep breath and asked solemnly:
"Are you…"
"King of the Wildfire, first among the Three Disasters?"
Behind King spread massive black pterosaur wings.
Two dragon horns capable of emitting lightning protruded from his head—
abilities granted by his Dragon-level Monster Cell transformation.
After drinking the Super Divine Water—
his aura had become unimaginably vast and abyssal.
Compared to a Marine Admiral—
he was not weaker in the slightest.
Perhaps even stronger.
King replied indifferently:
"That's me."
Fujitora gripped his sword with both hands.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki told me about your special race."
"And about your extraordinary strength."
"Today…"
"this old man dares to seek instruction."
Back during the Dressrosa conflict—
Akainu had briefly fought King.
At that time—
Akainu had been severely wounded by the fusion attack of King, Queen, and Jack.
The Marine fleet he led had suffered disastrous defeat.
It was the very first formal loss suffered by the Marines against the Beasts Pirates.
King spoke emotionlessly:
"Between Marines and pirates…"
"there is only life and death."
"No such thing as sparring."
The moment his words fell—
King stomped heavily against the ground.
Boom!
He transformed into a black lightning bolt and charged toward Fujitora.
Behind him—
the Gifters army erupted into savage laughter.
Their eyes overflowed with bloodthirsty excitement.
"Zehahahaha! A Marine Admiral!"
"I've never killed someone that important before!"
"Kill the Admiral!"
"Let the Marines understand our terror!"
"The Admirals are the Marines' highest combat force!"
"If one dies here…"
"the Marines will fear the Beasts Pirates forever!"
The Gifters laughed wildly.
Each transformed into grotesque hybrid beast forms—
like monsters from ancient myths charging across the battlefield.
The earth itself trembled violently.
Out at sea—
the Marines aboard the fleet could not help worrying for Fujitora's safety.
Their muscles tensed instinctively.
Fujitora himself did not dare lower his guard even slightly.
Clang!
He suddenly unsheathed his blade—
blocking King's incoming pterosaur claw strike.
Boom!!
The ground beneath him shattered instantly.
Fujitora's expression changed slightly.
His body was actually pushed backward.
"Such monstrous strength…"
"Is King really this powerful?!"
But Fujitora refused to be underestimated.
"Hah!"
He suddenly roared.
His right arm exploded with force—
pushing King backward.
Then—
he swung his blade skyward.
Ripples of gravity surged upward into the heavens.
Moments later—
a gigantic flaming meteor descended rapidly from outer space.
King looked upward coldly.
"This territory…"
"now belongs to the Beasts Pirates."
"How could we allow you to rampage here?"
ROAR!!
King instantly transformed into an enormous pterosaur that covered the sky—
and charged directly toward the falling meteor.
Since King would handle the meteor—
the Gifters on the ground immediately launched a full assault against Fujitora.
Fujitora thought calmly:
"These beasts are certainly powerful…"
"But under my gravity…"
"How much strength can they really display?"
"I should first crush their momentum."
With that decision made—
Fujitora activated the power of the Gravity Fruit.
Centered around himself—
the surrounding hundred-meter radius instantly doubled in gravity.
In such an environment—
ordinary people would feel trapped in mud.
Their movements would slow dramatically.
The weak might even collapse to the ground unable to stand.
Fujitora firmly believed—
that even Zoan users would suffer severely under this gravity field.
However—
the next scene completely shocked him.
No—
it practically horrified him.
The Gifters army—
was completely unaffected.
Not a single one slowed down.
Some even burst into mocking laughter.
"Yohohoho!"
"So this is gravity?!"
"It's way too light!"
"It barely tickles!"
Fujitora was utterly dumbfounded.
This…
How was this possible?!
How could his gravity have absolutely no effect on them?!
This completely defied common sense!
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