"This can't be allowed to fall."
A cold glint flashed through Gern's eyes as he suddenly exerted force.
With acceleration doubled, the blade of Black Sword Bahuang erupted in a blinding white radiance. His arm muscles tensed to their absolute limit as Armament Haki surged like a living thing from his right arm toward the blade's edge.
The vibration particles inherent to the sword resonated violently with his Haki, tearing faint, spiderweb-like fractures through the surrounding space itself.
"Heavenquake — Cross Sever…"
A horizontal slash—A vertical cleave—
The black blade carved two intersecting arcs through the air. Wherever the blade passed, space itself seemed torn apart. Pale vibration particles erupted outward, forming a colossal cross-shaped shockwave that surged straight into the sky.
"Sky Rend!!"
The intersecting slashes ripped open the heavens.
The horizontal wave cleaved the clouds cleanly in two, while the crossing strike compressed the surrounding air to the extreme, forming a vacuum corridor in its wake.
CRACK!
The sound of the sky shattering echoed across the heavens.
The three massive warships began to disintegrate from their centers outward. Thick hull plating, towering masts, heavy artillery—
Everything shattered the instant it touched the slashes, breaking down into perfectly cubic fragments.
Debris, steel, and splintered wreckage scattered through the sky like the onset of an apocalypse.
Yet the remains were still falling.
At the same time, Gern's body began to descend as well.
The wind howled past his ears, his black hair whipping violently through the air.
"Not done yet…"
Mid-fall, Gern twisted his waist and thrust his left hand upward. His fingers spread wide as countless pale particles gathered in his palm, forming a small circular ring.
With a forward push, the ring rapidly expanded into a massive circular shockwave.
The space inside warped violently, as if even light itself were being shattered.
"Heavenquake — Starfall!"
BOOM!!!
The expanding ring detonated outward in a spherical shockwave.
Every fragment of falling debris was obliterated the instant it touched the wave—wood pulverized, steel twisted apart, the sky itself cleared into a vast vacuum as the white shockwave tore through everything.
Below, the Marines of G-3 Base stared upward in utter disbelief, forgetting even how to breathe.
Sakazuki looked on in shock as the falling wreckage disintegrated like sandcastles upon contact with the shockwave.
"So… this is your power, Gern…"His fist clenched unconsciously as magma seeped between his fingers, only to be forcibly restrained.
Devil Fruit abilities aside—in that moment, Akainu understood something with absolute clarity.
At the very least, when it came to Observation Haki…he was inferior to Gern.
Meanwhile, Gern landed lightly atop a tilted steel support beam, bending one knee to absorb the impact.
Black Sword Bahuang pointed diagonally toward the ground, its vibrating particles still humming softly.
"Sakazuki," Gern said, eyes sharp."Something terrifying is coming."
He raised his gaze toward a point high above the clouds, his Observation Haki locking on tightly.
"I told you…""Golden Lion Shiki is here."
"Shihahahaha!!"
Maniacal laughter rolled through the sky as the clouds parted.
Bathed in sunlight, a golden figure stood suspended in midair.
Even Sakazuki's pupils shrank the instant he saw him.
And when the twin blades at the man's waist slid free—the magma within Sakazuki's body surged violently, nearly bursting free.
"So, kid… you're more interesting than I expected!"Golden Lion laughed, his Conqueror's Haki crashing downward like a tidal wave.
Sakazuki broke into a cold sweat, yet Gern felt nothing at all.
Compared to the overwhelming pressure he had endured from Rocks and Roger at God Valley…or Whitebeard's domineering presence…
This was nothing.
In an instant, every Marine across G-3 Base collapsed unconscious, their bodies unable to withstand the pressure.
Only Sakazuki and Gern remained standing.
Golden Lion Shiki had arrived.
Shiki hovered in the air, his hawk-like gaze locked firmly onto Gern. A faint, dangerous smile tugged at his lips.
His golden hair danced like living flames in the wind, each movement exuding suffocating pressure.
"So… it really is the same ability," Shiki murmured hoarsely."And a Logia, no less."
Below, Gern felt cold sweat soak into his back.
This was different from tension or excitement—this was instinctive terror, the primal fear of prey being watched by a top predator.
His left hand clenched unconsciously, vibration particles humming softly in his palm.
"Shiki."Sakazuki's voice rumbled like magma on the verge of eruption.
He deliberately stepped half a pace in front of Gern—positioned perfectly to fight together while still giving him room to maneuver.
He'd noticed Gern's subtle breathing adjustment. That previous strike had taken a toll.
Shiki didn't even glance at him.
His gaze never left Gern.
That look… it was one of appraisal.
"Kid," Shiki said coldly, "release Dorg. Then kneel and apologize to me."
His finger lifted slightly.
"Otherwise…"
BOOM!
A distant watchtower tore free from the ground, twisting violently before compressing into a mangled mass of steel that slammed into the plaza in a cloud of dust.
"This base will end up worse than that pile of scrap."
Gern instinctively glanced at Sakazuki.
Even the usually unshakable admiral wore a grim expression, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
And that was understandable—even together, the two of them would barely be able to hold their ground against Golden Lion.
Sakazuki wasn't a fool.
"Shiki," Gern inhaled deeply, raising Black Sword Bahuang across his chest. The vibration particles around the blade accelerated, warping the air."You're welcome to try."
At those words, a flash of approval crossed Sakazuki's eyes.
His magma arm expanded to twice its size, radiating terrifying heat as he forced out the words through clenched teeth:
"Justice… will not be insulted."
Golden Lion froze for a moment—then burst into deafening laughter.
The sheer force of his Conqueror's Haki shattered windows across the base.
"HAHAHAHA! Interesting! Truly interesting!"
He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
"Two brats without Conqueror's Haki, daring to talk back to me?"
His smile vanished, replaced by killing intent so sharp it chilled the air.
"You don't even understand who's standing in front of you."
Before the echo faded, he flicked his hand.
"Sakura Ten" and "Withered Wood" shot forward, floating beside him, their blades pointed directly at Gern and Sakazuki.
"I'll ask one last time," Shiki said coldly."Release him… or die."
Sakazuki's body was already half-transformed into molten magma, scorching the steel floor beneath his feet.
His voice was low, hoarse, and unyielding.
"Golden Lion… this is Marine territory. Not a place for you to run wild."
Gern said nothing.
He lowered his stance slightly, Black Sword Bahuang angled toward the ground, vibration particles pulsing silently along its edge.
More than words, this moment demanded absolute focus.
His Observation Haki expanded fully, capturing every micro-movement of the man before him.
"So…"Golden Lion looked down at them from above, a mocking smile curling his lips.
"You're saying… you want to die right here?"