Chapter 200: Destroying the Bloodline, Death by a Thousand CutsBang... Rumble... Thousands of long swords emerged at once. What a sight it was; the entire sky was filled with long swords, and the ground was covered in sword shadows. The blazing sunlight was obscured by those countless black long swords, as if night had returned.The Guard members subjected to the Imprisonmentbelow opened their mouths in shock, unable to even utter a sound of surprise. Thousands of black swords appearing together—that feeling could only be truly understood by being there in person."Is this Vice Admiral Marcus's true strength? It's truly too powerful. The rumors weren't wrong; Vice Admiral Marcus once injured Whitebeard with a single punch."Rumors in the world claimed Marcus was matchlessly powerful, but they were just rumors. How many people had actually seen Marcus take action? Seeing it now with their own eyes, they finally understood how strong he was, living up to his title as the strongest genius of the navy.Seeing Marcus attack without hesitation, the Celestial Dragon grew terrified. The calmness on his face vanished, replaced entirely by fear and shock. He had previously thought his own Move was matchlessly powerful, but in the blink of an eye, his opponent used the same Move, and it was infinitely more powerful than his own. This was a blatant slap in the face.But facing the imminent threat of life and death, how could the Celestial Dragon have time to care about being humiliated? No matter how much his face was slapped, he had to survive first.Clang! Clang! Thousands of long swords collided with over a hundred long swords. It was a complete annihilation with no resistance at all. Only the sounds of metal clashing and the wailing of swords could be heard.Then, countless iron chunks fell to the ground. The floor was covered in black fragments, their edges incredibly sharp and glinting with a cold light. One could only imagine how sharp Marcus's space sword was.The thousands of long swords didn't lose their momentum. As if possessed by a spirit, they shifted slightly and charged toward the Celestial Dragon who was preparing to flee."Quick! What are you all doing? What are you low-lifes doing? Hurry up and help me block these swords!"The Celestial Dragon grabbed a nearby guard member, his face filled with fear and shock as he spoke with utter madness.Unfortunately, no matter how hard he pulled, he couldn't Move a single person. Marcus's Imprisonment was not something that could be broken by mere pulling; the power of the endless Void Realm was infused within it.In response, the Guard members' eyes were filled with disdain. That Celestial Dragons were trash was a fact recognized by the whole world. Even as their guards, only trash would feel so good about themselves that they'd call themselves gods every day.The long swords swept toward the Celestial Dragon like a torrent. With four squelching sounds, four long swords pierced directly through his limbs, while the remaining swords vanished completely into the Void Realm.A massive force propelled the Celestial Dragon toward the wall. The sharp long swords slammed into the wall, pinning him tightly to it."Argh...!" A miserable scream rang out."Annoying!" Marcus barked. Suddenly, a black palm appeared from the Void Realm and slapped him hard across the face, causing the bubble helmet on his head to shatter instantly.Slap!The palm struck his face. With a scream of pain, a bright red handprint appeared on his cheek. His teeth scattered across the ground, and blood flowed freely from his mouth."Pah!" Spitting out the blood in his mouth, the Celestial Dragon said viciously, "Who exactly are you?! What do you want here? No matter what your reason is today, you're dead!"By now, how could the Celestial Dragon not understand? Marcus was completely toying with them, treating him like a monkey."I wonder, do you still remember the name Roberts?" Marcus asked calmly."Roberts?" The Celestial Dragon thought for a moment and said disdainfully, "So it's that Marinetrash. I think he was a Rear Admiral. So what if he was a Rear Admiral? If you offend us Celestial Dragons, you still have to die. Marine Headquartersdidn't even dare to fart about it.""Is that so?" A thick Killing Intent rose from Marcus's face, his expression turning savage. Without saying more, he aimed his palm at the Celestial Dragon and slightly clenched it.Those four long swords began to Move toward the center. The sharp blades sliced through muscle without any resistance. A wound over ten centimeters long appeared on each of his four limbs, and blood flowed out like a stream.Seeing this scene, the two Celestial Dragons behind him were already shaking with fear. High and mighty as they were, they had never imagined that such a thing would one day happen to them. A devil—at this moment, Marcus was more terrifying than a devil in their eyes.They only heard Marcus say calmly, "Roberts, my dear friend. He was a true soldier. To not die at the hands of pirates but to die at the hands of trash like you... the heavens are truly unjust.""Since the heavens are unjust, I will be the one to seek justice for him. Today, all five of you Celestial Dragons must die here. This is only the beginning; I won't let you die so easily."Even with death approaching, the Celestial Dragon still believed he possessed a high-class Bloodline, a god who stood above all life."Haha... You are all just low-class Bloodlines, a trash race. Without us, how could you even exist? You were born to be our slaves and serve us. Since you dare to disobey my orders, then die!"Marcus reached his hand back and grabbed the two Celestial Dragons, who were like dogs, out of thin air, placing them quietly before the eyes of the Celestial Dragon pinned to the wall."Since you claim to have a noble Bloodline, today I will strip you of this noble Bloodline."Hearing this, whether it was the imprisoned Guard members or the remaining three Celestial Dragons, all were incredibly shocked. They believed they were gods and that no one else was human; the foundation for all of this was their boasted noble Bloodline.If Marcus really did this, it would be equivalent to shattering the myth of the Celestial Dragons and tearing away the outer layer of superiority they believed placed them above commoners. The impact behind this would be enormous.Just as he had said, Marcus revealed his left hand. Two glints of light flashed, and two sharp black daggers appeared, tightly held between Marcus's fingers.With a casual wave, the two black daggers flew out. Silently, they lightly sliced through the wrist arteries of the two Celestial Dragons before returning to the Void Realm.Two squelching sounds followed.Under the fearful, shocked, stunned, and expectant gazes of the surrounding crowd, two streams of blood sprayed directly from the wounds. Under the high internal pressure of the human body, the blood flowed out extremely fast.Before long, the faces of those two Celestial Dragons turned deathly pale. Along with the loss of blood, their strength also faded. As more blood flowed out, they felt increasingly powerless.This method of death tortured not only the mind but also the body. Dying instantly would mean no pain. But this allowed one to carefully feel how they were stepping toward death one step at a time, reliving their entire life in a short period, yet only able to watch quietly from the side, powerless to do anything.Most importantly, the draining of blood represented the disappearance of the Bloodline. This was something all Celestial Dragons dared not face or even imagine.They believed they stood above everyone as supreme gods because of their noble Bloodline. If they had no Bloodline, they would be ordinary people, and that was exactly what Marcus wanted.The Celestial Dragon pinned to the wall who had killed Roberts was filled with creeping fear in his eyes and on his face. It was the fear of death, and even more so, the fear of Marcus's methods, afraid that Marcus would use this method on him."Don't worry, I won't destroy your Bloodline," Marcus said, noticing the change in his expression and instantly understanding what he was thinking.Hearing Marcus say this, for some reason, the Celestial Dragon suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. Then a hint of shame flashed in his heart—how could he be frightened by this low-life?"Hmph, low-life, do you think you can scare us with just this? I advise you to release me quickly. After all this time, a Marine Admiral might have already arrived. When that happens, you'll be dead for sure."Seeing that this Celestial Dragon still dared to threaten him, Marcus didn't hide his disdain at all. He really was the type who wouldn't shed a tear until he saw the coffin. Even if the three Admirals really arrived, so what? He had already dealt with them before."I won't kill you instantly," Marcus said, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. "However, I will use my unique method to make you die in extreme agony."After speaking, the smile on his face vanished, replaced by a thick Killing Intent that filled the sky. It was so heavy that everyone present could barely breathe, as if they had entered a world of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood."Dark Blades!"As soon as he spoke, many black daggers appeared in the Void Realm. They weren't as numerous as the thousands from before, but there were over a hundred, surrounding the Celestial Dragon."What do you want to do? I'm telling you, I'm a Celestial Dragon, the noblest race in the world. If you dare to kill me, you'll be making an enemy of the whole world. The world is vast, but there will be nowhere for you to hide.""Oh, I'm so scared. Killing one is killing, and I've already killed four. I've long since stood on the opposite side of the World Government. Why would I be afraid of killing one more?" Marcus said flatly.While speaking, Marcus slowly raised his hands. Those black daggers vibrated slightly with Marcus's movements. With each vibration, they left a thin black line in the Void Realm that instantly vanished."Do you know what title I have among the pirates? God of Slaughter. That's the title the pirates gave me," Marcus suddenly asked and answered himself."Do you know why I have this title? Because I once imprisoned several heinous pirates and then sliced them 3,600 times..."Marcus spoke with utter calm, as if he were just recounting a mundane little thing. Yet those nearby listened with trembling hearts, their bodies shaking uncontrollably as cold sweat broke out on their foreheads."Stop! Don't say anymore! I beg of you, don't say anymore! Let me go! As long as you let me go, I'll give you anything you want! I'll give you whatever I have! Just let me go like a fart!"Finally, the Celestial Dragon couldn't take it anymore. He pleaded through tears, no longer showing any of his previous arrogance or his belief that he was a god. He had lost control of his lower body from fear, and a strange smell wafted through the air."It's too late. The moment you took action, it was already too late. Now, die!"He clenched his right hand tightly. Those slightly vibrating black daggers began to rotate rapidly around the Celestial Dragon, leaving behind only streaks of black light.Every flash of black light meant a slice of flesh stained with sinful blood fell to the ground. Over a hundred blades were cutting with incredible speed.In just a few seconds, the Celestial Dragon transformed into a skeleton at a visible rate—first the limbs, then the torso. Finally, only a complete, very clean, white skeletal frame remained, along with a pile of uniform meat slices and internal organs.Throughout the process, the miserable screams never stopped until he died. Every moment was accompanied by intense pain; even when he fainted, he was instantly jolted awake by the sharp agony.At this moment, in the sea area near the island, a world-shaking explosion rang out. Even here, the shockwave from the explosion could be felt.Immediately after, the ground, trees, walls... the entire island was covered in ice within seconds. Everything was frozen solid, and the temperature plummeted. (To be continued.)Chapter 201: Three Admirals Join ForcesMore than ten seconds ago.In the sky above the island, a small black sphere several meters in diameter flew through the air like a streak of black light. However, it wasn't a sphere, but a giant cannonball. Indeed, it was a giant bomb researched by Vegapunk.Standing on the bomb were four figures: Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the three Admirals: Aokiji, Akainu, and Kizaru. The four strongest men of the Marine were standing on a cannonball—a flying cannonball at that.That wasn't the weirdest part; even weirder was that Sengoku was clutching a giant black rectangular prism over a meter long in height, width, and length. It was truly an incredibly pretentious sight.As for why Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Admirals, who were originally at Marineford, would arrive at the Celestial Dragons' island in such a pretentious and bizarre manner, we have to start from after Marcus left.As a great tactician, Sengoku immediately understood Marcus's meaning and plan when he left. At the same time, he realized that Marcus must have already arrived at the island where the Celestial Dragons were.Based on his understanding of Marcus, Sengokuknew that Marcus would definitely not let those five Celestial Dragons go, and they would surely die a miserable death. As the Fleet Admiral, Sengokuknew most of what had happened regarding Marcusover the years, and he was also aware of how Marcus dealt with certain pirates.However, while Marcus could reach that place instantly through his own ability, they could not. They were all Devil Fruit Users, and facing this vast ocean, they could only use ships.But by the time they reached there by ship, there would probably be nothing left. Those were five Celestial Dragons; if they all died, what kind of commotion would that cause?Suddenly, Sengoku thought of someone: Vegapunk. Vegapunk had recently developed a flying machine; if they flew, they would definitely be much faster.When they reached Vegapunk's laboratory, they heard bad news. Because it was for experimentation, Vegapunk had only built a prototype.Now that the data had been obtained, the prototypehad been dismantled. Even if they tried to reassemble it, it would be too late. In desperation, they had no choice but to use a giant cannon to fire a cannonball and then stand on it to fly over. This led to the scene just now.Just as they flew near the island, the cannonball reached its limit and fell into the sea. It was a cannonball several meters wide; its power could well be imagined.The energy from the explosion kicked up a tsunami over a hundred meters high, but with Aokiji's Ice Age technique, it was frozen instantly, becoming a spectacular sight.The four figures landed on the ice. Without staying for long, they immediately rushed toward the massive complex of buildings before them. They didn't have much time to waste.Although they had flown over via cannonball and were extremely fast, it had been quite a while since Marcus disappeared. In that time, with Marcus's strength, it was enough to slaughter the entire island several times over.What if one or two Celestial Dragons hadn't died yet? The probability was almost zero, but people always have a bit of wishful thinking—saving even one would count.In the courtyard, all the Guard members who had regained their freedom surrounded Marcus once again. However, the strength he had just shown made them realize that even if they all attacked at once, they might not be a match for the giant eagle beside him, let alone Vice Admiral Marcus.After killing the Celestial Dragons, Marcus also released all those Guard members. He had no grudge against them, and since his goal was achieved, why bother attacking them? Besides, Aokiji and the others should have arrived by now.Before the people even appeared, an attack had already arrived. A small laser beam shot from a distance. Marcus raised his right fist,and shattered it with a single punch.Tap, tap... Four figures then appeared in the courtyard.Seeing who had arrived, the crowd shouted joyfully, "It's Marine Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Admirals, the highest combat power of the World Government. Three of them came at once—all the Admirals are here!"As soon as Sengoku and the others entered the courtyard, they were stunned by the scene before them. It wasn't that Sengoku and the others lacked composure, but rather that the scene before them exceeded their imagination.On the ground, a Celestial Dragon was sunken into the earth with a hole in his head, his brains flowing everywhere. On a large tree nearby, a strange spear had pierced another's neck, pinning him to the tree.Beside Marcus, two Marines were suspended in the air. However, it could be sensed that they were both dead, with drops of fresh blood still leaking from the wounds on their wrists.Counting them up, Sengoku and the others found four Celestial Dragons here. Weren't there five? Where had the other one gone? They wondered in confusion.With Marcus's strength, how could he possibly let one escape? Moreover, since he had already killed four Celestial Dragons, how could he just happen to miss one?At that moment, an extremely pungent smell of blood wafted over. The group turned their eyes toward the source and saw a white, glistening skeleton on a nearby crumbling wall, with traces of blood like silk still on it.Beneath the skeleton was a pile of sliced meat and internal organs. They immediately guessed what had happened. They had heard before that Marcuswould slice some pirates into pieces of meat, but seeing it today, everyone's stomachs churned with extreme discomfort."Marcus, oh Marcus! You actually killed all these Celestial Dragons. Now there's no turning back for you. The World Government will not let you off, and there will be no place for you in the entire world," Sengoku sighed, speaking with a tone of disappointment.Originally, Sengoku only planned to capture Marcusand lock him in Impel Down to let him cool off, and then find an opportunity for him to make a comeback after the incident had settled.But now he had actually killed five Celestial Dragons, and with such methods. He had completely offended the World Government. To maintain their dignity, the Celestial Dragons would not sit idly by and would certainly take major action."Haha..." Marcus laughed and shook his head, saying, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, perhaps the World Government's control on land is very strong, but on this boundless sea, even the World Governmentwon't do.""Besides, with my strength, even if the Four Emperors took action, they might not be able to catch me. Let alone within the Marine. If you and Teacher were to act together, it might be possible, but with my ability, are you really sure you can stop me if I want to escape?"Hearing Marcus's words, even Fleet Admiral Sengoku had to admit that with Marcus's strength and ability, if he wanted to escape, it would be very difficult to stop him.Therefore, today, with all the Marine's highest combat power except for Garp gathered here, it might be the only chance. It would be very difficult to have a next time, and besides, that item was here today.Sengoku ordered in a low voice, "According to the previous plan, none of you three should hold back. I will guard that item. Also, Aokiji, this time you must not only act, but you also cannot hold back. Understood?""Mhm. In the face of justice, I will do the right thing," Aokiji nodded and said softly.The three of them took a gentle step forward, and three powerful Auras burst forth, covering the entire island. Marcus also released a powerful Aura.Even though Marcus's Aura didn't falter, he was still at a disadvantage against the combined Auras of the three Admirals. The surrounding Guard members had already fainted from the clash of Auras.Marcus stomped one foot, causing countless cracks to appear on the ground, and his figure shot toward the outside of the island. "There are too many people here; let's head out to those ice fields."With the three Admirals acting together and being on guard, it wouldn't be easy for him to leave today. He might as well have a fight first while making preparations in secret.Aokiji and the others exchanged glances and followed Marcus toward the ice fields. Among them, Kizaru was the fastest; he turned into light particles and caught up with Marcus in an instant.Flicking his fingers repeatedly, he fired dozens of lasers toward Marcus's back. For light, a distance of over ten meters took no time at all. A flash of golden light appeared behind Marcus's back.Observation Haki!Marcus held his sword in a reverse grip and continued flying forward. He swung chasing windrapidly, deflecting the incoming laser beams in a few strokes.Kizaru wasn't surprised by this. Previous battles had made him understand that Marcus's combat strength was a notch higher than his own; how could he be hit so easily?Thud.As Marcus landed on the ice field, the other three Marine Admirals also arrived, standing in a triangle around Marcus, surrounding him tightly.Scanning his surroundings, Marcus said with a smile, "I didn't expect that I would actually require the Marine Admirals to act together. I'm truly proud."How could the three of them not hear the sarcasm? But since they had reached their current positions, how could they be affected by mere words? Akainuimmediately spoke up."Marcus, stop with the glib talk. Five Celestial Dragons died at your hands. Now you are not only the World Government's number one enemy but also a great enemy of the Celestial Dragons. As a Marine commander, to actually commit such an evil act—this thread of evil must be eradicated."In contrast, Aokiji's words weren't as intense. He shook his head with some regret and said, "Marcus, why couldn't you endure for a moment? As the person with the most potential in the Marine, you were originally going to be promoted to Admiral this time. In just half a day, such a huge change has occurred."Kizaru didn't speak, but kept his eyes fixed on Marcus. With the three Admirals joining forces and that item present, Marcus was bound to die today. Saying so much was useless."In that case, let's fight."An extremely strong Battle Intent burst from his body, soaring to the heavens and kicking up a sudden gale that made the cloaks behind Aokiji and the others flap loudly.Boom!Marcus's figure flashed, creating a sonic boom. His speed was incredibly fast. Facing the three MarineAdmirals, Marcus didn't hold back. In this situation, a single mistake could lead to failure, so he went all out from the start.In an instant, Marcus appeared in front of Kizaru. His pitch-black fist, driven by immense power, caused the air to distort, with fierce gusts of wind swirling around it.Bang!Kizaru didn't expect Marcus to have such speed when going all out. By the time he reacted, Marcuswas already in front of him. Unable to dodge, he was hit by Marcus's full-power punch, and he was instantly sent flying, rolling dozens of meters on the ground before stopping.Among the three Admirals, Kizaru had the weakest physical skills, relying heavily on his Devil Fruit Ability. This was why Marcus chose Kizaru as his first opponent, to catch him off guard.By the time Aokiji and the other one reacted, Kizaruhad already been sent flying. A look of shock flashed in their eyes.That was a Marine Admiral, the highest combat power of the World Government, yet he was sent flying in a single encounter. Although it was somewhat of a sneak attack, Marcus's strength was undeniable."Ice Time Capsule""Great Eruption" (To be continued.)
Chapter 202: Danger, Warring States PreparationA colossal magma fist, engulfed in raging flames, sent waves of intense heat through the air, causing the temperature to rise rapidly and the ice field below to melt and turn into water.Beside him, Aokiji waved his right hand, and a massive cold air bullet shot towards Mark, causing the temperature to plummet wherever it passed.A strange scene unfolded as the enormous ice bullet and the equally massive magma fist collided, creating plumes of white mist—a rare and spectacular clash of ice and fire.However, Mark had no time or energy to admire the beauty of it. The attacks from the two admirals were immense, subtly altering the surrounding environment.He took a small step back with his right foot, took a deep breath, then stomped his left foot forward. A crunching sound filled the air as countless cracks appeared on the ice, causing the entire plain to shake. Through the fissures, the seawater below was clearly visible."Rising Dragon Fist!"Gathering all his strength, his right fist shot out, and a giant blue dragon soared forth, letting out a long roar as it stood tall with its massive, dozens-of-meters-long body, looking down.Compared to the giant dragon unleashed by Mark, the attacks from Aokiji and Akainu were like small red and blue balls. With a flick of its tail, the dragon stirred up winds as sharp as knives, carving streaks into the ice field below.The forces of ice and fire, combined with the full power of Mark's dragon-shaped punch, collided with a resounding boom, like two meteors falling from the sky, creating a colossal explosion.A ferocious shockwave, carrying immense energy, surged forward with overwhelming power, as if nothing could stop its advance. Everything in its path was utterly obliterated.The shockwave was like a hurricane, but far more violent. Solid, light-blue ice blocks were torn away in chunks, flying through the air.Ice mixed with molten magma, the fiery red lava, all of it melted rock, still burning with flames. The fusion of ice and magma was perfect as it rushed outwards in all directions with the shockwave.The Rising Dragon Fist, which gathered all of Mark's strength for a sure-kill punch, was incredibly powerful but also had drawbacks. This punch couldn't be used frequently, as his arm couldn't withstand such immense power, and he would enter a period of weakness after using it.Normally, Mark could easily defend against the current shockwave, but now he had no choice. Without further thought, Mark turned to run backward, as far as he could.Yet, a figure silently appeared behind him. It was none other than Kizaru, though at this moment, Kizaru no longer possessed his previous admiral-like demeanor.A large hole appeared in the fabric over his abdomen, clearly showing a fist print. His Marine coat was covered in ice shards, and traces of blood still clung to the corner of his mouth, not having been wiped clean earlier.His face was filled with anger. Earlier at Marineford, Mark had broken his weapon, knocked him flying with a punch, and then outsmarted him, leaving Kizaru with a deep-seated resentment. Every master had their own pride.Just now, he had been knocked flying by Mark's punch again, defeated before he could even make a move. As a Marine Admiral, when had he ever been treated like this? Not even when facing a Yonko."Mark, you've been fighting on the battlefield for so long, do you not know that letting your guard down on the battlefield is extremely serious, especially in the current situation?"As he spoke, Kizaru didn't stop his attack. Countless photons gathered in his leg, and his right leg, moving at the speed of light, kicked Mark in the back.A leg kicked at light speed—one could imagine the immense power it carried. Even a massive Marine battleship wouldn't be able to withstand it.Feeling Kizaru behind him, Mark's face instantly changed. Having experienced Kizaru's light kick before, he was deeply shocked by its immense power.Without thinking, Mark immediately used his Devil Fruit ability. Although he was in a weakened state after using the Rising Dragon Fist, it didn't prevent him from using his ability briefly."Void Reversal!"Bang!Pfft!Kizaru's light kick struck Mark squarely in the back. Instantly, Mark's back felt a heavy blow, his chest churned with surging blood, and he couldn't control himself from spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face turning incredibly pale.At the same time, he wore an expression of shock and confusion, because Mark realized that when he tried to use his Devil Fruit ability just now, he couldn't. Otherwise, how could Kizaru have kicked him?Void Reversal was an ability Mark had only been able to use in recent years after developing his Devil Fruit to a certain extent, allowing him to merge his entire body into the void.Although it only lasted for a few seconds, during that time he existed within this space, merged with the void itself. Any attack would fail to hit Mark at that moment, making him invincible and capable of dodging any fatal attack.It consumed a lot of stamina, but it was worth it. Yet just now, Mark suddenly couldn't merge into the void, as if the void was repelling him. It felt as if his understanding of his Devil Fruit ability had regressed several years.One could imagine the shock in Mark's heart. His Devil Fruit ability was incredibly useful to him; without it, Mark's combat power would significantly decrease.But now, Mark had no time to think so much. The shockwave was about to hit him head-on, and behind him was Kizaru's laser beam. If he were hit, he would truly be finished."Chasing Wind!"High in the sky, Chasing Wind heard Mark's shout, flapped its wings, and instantly broke the sound barrier. It covered a thousand-meter distance in two seconds, appearing above Mark's head.Mark grabbed Chasing Wind's talons, but was still hit by the laser beam from behind. He flipped over, landing on Chasing Wind's back, and spat out another mouthful of blood, his face turning even paler."Chirp!" Chasing Wind let out a cry, spread its wings, and carried Mark soaring upwards. Just as Chasing Wind was about to escape the shockwave's range...From within the shockwave, a several-meter-tall fiery red giant dog flew up from the ice surface. Its entire body was engulfed in flames, but inside, it was composed of flowing magma. Below the giant dog, a figure appeared—it was Akainu.To deal with Mark in his weakened state and seize this opportunity, Akainu had asked Aokiji to use Ice Age, freezing a channel of ice for him to pass through.Akainu hadn't finished making his way through when he saw Chasing Wind carrying Mark, attempting to escape. Without thinking, Akainu directly shattered the channel, plunging into the storm alone, risking his life to chase after Mark."Inferno Hound!"The magma giant dog opened its massive mouth, and a scorching red heatwave spewed forth, detaching from Akainu's fist and lunging directly at Chasing Wind. Its speed was incredibly fast, catching up to Chasing Wind in an instant.Seeing the giant dog attack, Chasing Wind quickly stopped its movement. Its wings were covered in a pale green light, and its dozens of centimeters long feathers stood on end, gleaming with a hint of cold light."Feather Blades!"With a sudden spread of its wings, countless dense, pale green lights shot out. Upon closer inspection, one could see that these were actually individual feathers, exquisitely crafted and dazzling like jewels, yet possessing immense power.The pouncing magma giant dog was instantly sliced into countless small pieces by the barrage of feathers, plummeting from the sky. The dense feather blades were also significantly reduced, with only a few slowly disappearing into the heavens.But before Mark could even let out a sigh of relief, a pillar of magma shot into the sky—Akainu's "Dark Hound." Akainu hadn't fallen; instead, using the scattered ice and magma, he had somehow closed in on Mark and launched a fatal blow.To achieve such a feat, even Mark, as his enemy, couldn't help but admire Akainu. Doing this was like gambling on a cliff; one wrong move and he would have lost his own life. As a Marine soldier, few in the Navy could compare to Akainu.Akainu's full-power attack, unleashed at the risk of his life, couldn't be dodged by Mark even if he could use Void Reversal. The time was too short; Mark had barely reacted, and the magma pillar was already upon him.Whoosh! The intense magma pillar directly engulfed Chasing Wind and Mark. A mournful cry echoed, followed by a dark shadow falling from the magma pillar—it was Chasing Wind.Only, its pristine white feathers had turned pitch black, its lively eyes were tightly shut, and it was curled into a ball, completely motionless, as if dead, plummeting towards the ground.Chasing Wind, in its giant eagle form, was severely injured and unconscious. One had to remember that it was a magma pillar, with a temperature of at least tens of thousands of degrees, enough to instantly melt steel into molten iron.Fortunately, Chasing Wind was forged from numerous exotic metals, a feat that even Vegapunk had struggled with. Otherwise, Chasing Wind would truly have had little chance of survival this time.With a flash of light, Chasing Wind transformed from its giant eagle form into a sword. However, the entire longsword was now covered in a layer of black substance, like a newly formed iron plate, having lost its former luster.Mark's figure also reappeared. To save Mark, Chasing Wind had wrapped itself around him with its wings, shielding him from harm. Otherwise, Markwould not have been completely unscathed.Outside the battlefield, Sengoku watched this scene without any trace of a smile, but instead let out a deep sigh. A genius who had shocked the world might disappear today. Just moments ago, he had been considering promoting him to Admiral, but now... alas!Upon arriving, Sengoku had already anticipated Mark's incredibly strange ability. If they couldn't find a way to counter that peculiar power, even with all four of them attacking, they might defeat him but would struggle to capture him.For this reason, Sengoku had no choice but to bring out this large black box. This item was specially ordered by headquarters to deal with Mark.It was originally meant as a contingency, because Mark's talent and growth rate were too terrifying, causing even Marine Headquarters to feel apprehensive.This was why Vegapunk had been commissioned to research this item to counter Mark's strange ability. Vegapunk was the most knowledgeable person in the world about Devil Fruits. And he hadn't disappointed; though it had remained in the lab unused, it seemed its power was quite effective now.In the battlefield, Mark stood in the void, looking at Chasing Wind in his hand without a word. After a few seconds of silence, he gently placed Chasing Wind on his back.Boom! A monstrous aura mixed with astonishing killing intent soared into the sky, dispersing the dense fog above, allowing the sunlight to once again illuminate the shattered ice field."Shunpo!"Mark's figure abruptly vanished from the void. Akainu and Kizaru, who were ready to seize the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, along with Aokiji who had just arrived, stopped. They watched the void warily, constantly scanning their surroundings, their faces filled with deep confusion."Did you enjoy fighting just now? Now, prepare to die, Akainu!"Mark, who appeared behind Akainu, roared. The black sword in his hand slashed directly at Akainu's neck. (To be continued.)
Chapter 203: The Powerful Starburst Stream Slash"Whoosh!"Feeling the sharp cold light near his neck and hearing the sound of the air being sliced with intense Killing Intent, Akainu shuddered with dread. His expression changed drastically, and without hesitation, he quickly dodged to the side.As a Logia Devil Fruit User, he was immune to physical attacks, but that depended on the enemy. For experts like Marcus, the mastery and development of Haki were already extremely strong.This advantage was largely useless when a true killing Move was unleashed, and the sword light that made him tremble certainly wasn't simple.Although Akainu tried his best to evade quickly, this was Marcus's enraged attack, and its speed was even greater, making it impossible to dodge easily.Whoosh! A dark, cold flash streaked past.Stopping where Akainu had just stood, Marcuswatched him retreat but did not pursue. He slowly retracted the black sword he had swung, stumbled, spat out another mouthful of blood, and nearly fell to the ground.Stopping his retreat, Akainu turned back, dispelling his magma state. "Marcus, you were already seriously injured before, and you forcibly used your ability. You won't be able to hold on much longer. With three Admirals making a Move, no one can escape. Even a Four Emperors would fall here."Although he didn't know why his ability was difficult to use, Marcus knew in his heart that it must be related to Sengoku, who was standing by and not attacking.That didn't mean Marcus had lost his ability; it was just that strange fluctuations were coming from the Void Realm, making it difficult for him to sense the Void Realm. Only Vegapunk could create such a device.If he was willing to pay the price, Marcus could still continue to use it, but the restrictions were too numerous. Every use brought backlash. The most serious issue was that teleportation was unusable, and since chasing wind was injured, escaping would be extremely difficult.Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Marcus smiled dismissively and said, "Akainu, you don't need to worry about me. And don't try to act toughthat sword strike just now must have hurt, right?"Behind Akainu, his Marine cloak was torn with a huge gash, revealing a wound where flesh was turned outward, constantly bleeding and staining the surrounding area red."Hmph!" Akainu snorted coldly. Being exposed by Marcus made him lose face a bit, but since it was true, he didn't say much more.At this moment, Kizaru and Aokiji also rushed over, surrounding Marcus completely. Akainu threatened him, saying:"Marcus, you should surrender. With the three of us attacking, plus Fleet Admiral Sengoku covering the formation, you absolutely cannot escape."Marcus sneered, flicked the black sword in his hand to shake off the bright blood on it, and pointed at Akainu. "Akainu, when did you become so wishy-washy? I killed five Celestial Dragons. Do you think the World Government will let me go?""Since that's the case, I'd rather die honorably on the battlefield than be tortured by those pieces of trash." Saying this, Marcus was completely calm, as if life and death no longer mattered to him."Good!"Even though they were enemies now, Akainupraised Marcus for those words. A soldier should die on the battlefield, preferring to die standing than live kneelingthat is what a soldier should be."Attack!""Ah, although I somewhat don't want to make a Move, as an Admiral, I must uphold justice. Ice Ball."Kuzan leaped forcefully, shooting up from the ground. Five ice pillars suddenly shot out from his palm, instantly freezing Marcus, who was preparing to attack, inside the ice."Ice Block: Partisan"After freezing Marcus in the Block of ice, Kuzandidn't stop. With Marcus's strength, this level of ice wouldn't take long to break through. Four three-pronged ice spears quickly materialized around him."Meigo," Akainu quickly turned his right hand into magma, forming a palm that swiftly shot out a crimson magma pillar, surrounded by roaring flames, causing the ice surface to begin melting."Laser Cannon." Kizaru placed his hands together in front of his chest, accumulating a mirror-like sheet of light, and then fired a Laser Beam from it, whose power was dozens of times stronger than an ordinary Laser Beam.The three powerful attacks instantly hit the Block of ice in the center. With a loud bang, the hard ice shattered immediately.A huge explosion immediately followed, and a crimson fireball rose. Accompanied by a scorching heatwave, the ice quickly melted into azure seawater, which was instantly vaporized into plumes of white steam.Massive energy erupted across the ice surface. A series of cracking sounds rang out, huge fissures appeared on the ice, countless shards of ice shot into the sky, and the ice field began to shake violently.Seeing this, Aokiji and the others who launched the attack exchanged glances and quickly retreated. The explosion was too fierce, completely obscuring their view, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.Being at the center of the explosion would cause them immense damage, so they assumed Marcuswould also struggle to survive under these circumstances.On the island beach, all the Celestial Dragons' Guard were gathered. For these elites, resistance to Conqueror's Haki was slightly stronger than for ordinary people.Witnessing the battle before them, they were incredibly shocked. This kind of fighting was completely world-destroying. Even from such a distance, the mere aftermath made them feel immense pressure.The fierce explosions were incessant, the massive ice field continued to crack, and the entire island felt violent shaking.Although Aokiji and the others were far from the center of the explosion, they remained vigilant, standing in a triangle formation nearby to prevent Marcus from escaping."Dark Blade Storm"Not letting them wait long, a hurricane rose from the explosion. The dense ice fog quickly dispersed, clearly revealing the situation inside.The original ice field had vanished, reverting to seawater. The azure ocean reappeared, and an unusual tornado rose from the sea surface.Why was it unusual? Because it was black, unlike the color of a normal tornadoa blackness indescribable in words, soul-stirring. This was only true for the ordinary Guard members.Aokiji and the others saw clearly that this tornado was actually composed only of countless small black blades. The sheer number of these blades was so overwhelming that it made even Aokiji and the others feel their scalps tingle.Inside the black tornado, Marcus clutched the massive wound on his chest, half-kneeling in the Void Realm, gasping heavily. The corner of his mouth was torn, bleeding profusely, mixing with saliva and dripping into the sea.At this moment, Marcus was scorched black, emitting a burnt smell. However, his right arm was abnormally covered in ice, releasing wisps of cold air. He had many wounds on his body; overall, his injuries were extremely severe.After so many years on the Grand Line, only the ambush by the Donquixote Family executives on Korode Island could compare to the severity of these injuries.Exerting strength secretly, his right hand trembled slightly, and the ice on his arm immediately shattered. However, cold air was still emanating, having invaded his body, which would be difficult to clear without spending time.But he didn't have that much time now. Aokiji and the others had surrounded him and were slowly closing in.Seeing this black tornado, the three Admirals were uncertain. After all, none of them had fought Marcusbefore. Judging by its imposing Aura, it had to be one of Marcus's trump cards; otherwise, he wouldn't use it only in this desperate situation."Great Eruption"Akainu made a probing attack, unwilling to give Marcus time to breathe. He immediately launched a powerful, magma-fied giant fist toward the tornado.With a bang, the magma giant fist fiercely struck the tornado. Before it could hold up for a few breaths, it was sliced into countless fist-sized magma fragments by the dense small blades, falling into the sea and turning into ordinary stones.The three men's expressions were incredibly grim. They hadn't expected this tornado to be so powerful; it had instantly dealt with Akainu's Great Eruption without showing any reaction itself."Troublesome. I'll take care of it," Aokiji stepped forward and said. Among the three, his Ice-Ice Fruit Ability was the only one that could be effective against this."Hoo," he gently exhaled a breath of cold air. His hands slowly transformed into ice and merged together. A blast of cold air shot from his palms, and countless ice crystals instantly appeared in the sky, freezing even the air."Ice Age." The incomparably cold air instantly froze Marcus's Dark Blade Storm. This was Kuzan's strongest Move; a single use could freeze an entire sea area for weeks, let alone Marcus's Move.Crackle, crackle. Before the others could relax, fissures appeared all over the hundreds-of-meters-high ice tornado, and huge chunks of ice kept falling from the sky.With a loud crash, the ice tornado shattered violently. Countless mountain-like ice chunks fell from the sky, and several powerful slashes flew out, cutting toward the horizon.Aokiji and the others had to attack repeatedly to shatter the ice. Looking ahead, they saw that Marcushad somehow returned to the ice surface. His eyes were closed, and he was holding chasing windagain, the tip pointing upward, held upright in front of his chest.He quietly and deliberately uttered five words, one by one. With each word, Marcus's Aura grew stronger. By the time the five words were finished, Marcus's entire Aura had reached its Peak."Star... burst... Stream... Slash..."As soon as the words fell, Marcus vanished. He reappeared instantly in front of Akainu. His closed eyes had opened at some point, and he tightly gripped chasing wind in his right hand, attacking Akainu.Seeing this, Akainu's expression changed drastically. He clearly sensed that Marcus hadn't used any strange ability but had achieved this speed purely through his own explosive power, covering the distance of several meters in an instant.Piercing Horizontal Slash!Covering a few meters, Marcus closed the distance with a piercing strike, immediately following up with a horizontal slash using chasing wind in his right hand.Turning Back Horizontal Slash!Taking a small step past Akainu, he released and reversed his grip on chasing wind, executed a quick turn, and delivered a backhanded horizontal slash.Whirlwind Slash!Clenching his left hand, a black sword appeared. Holding two black swords, he balanced on his toes, spread his arms, and spun rapidly, slashing Akainu's back.Twin Blade Simultaneous Slash!After spinning, Marcus leaped into the air, merged his two swords, and chopped down fiercely!Cross Downward Slash!The two swords crossed into an 'X', delivering another horizontal slash. The sharp blades cut directly through Akainu's body, exposing the magma inside.Cross Upward Slash!Gripping them backhanded, the two swords crossed into an 'X' and slashed upwards.Leaping into the air, he dodged Akainu's desperate counterattack, planted his foot on Akainu's shoulder, pushed down, changed direction, and lunged toward Kizaru.Marcus's series of sword techniques happened in an instant. Kizaru and Aokiji nearby were still reacting to the initial attack when Akainu was stomped down by Marcus's foot.By the time Kizaru rapidly retreated, Marcus had already darted behind him, merging his swords for a powerful downward slash.Piercing Follow-Up Downward Slash!With a clang, Marcus's slash was blocked by Kizaru's ama no murakumo. Kizaru twisted his sword forcefully, parrying Marcus's longsword, and immediately delivered a downward chop aimed directly at Marcus's face.Block!He gripped chasing wind backhanded, blocking Kizaru's downward chop.Forward Thrust!Clenching the black space sword in his left hand, he lunged forward with a thrust, forcing Kizaru to retreat."Seven Consecutive Slashes"Merging his two swords, he delivered seven fierce slashes. Kizaru's hands shook violently, and he continuously backed away. With a snap, Kizaru's ama no murakumo finally broke under Marcus's intense onslaught."Forward Piercing Thrust"Seizing the opportunity, Marcus stepped forward with his right foot, released the broken space sword, gripped the longsword with both hands, and delivered a thrust."Cross Forward Slash"Pulling back, he manifested another space sword, crossed them into an 'X', and slashed Kizaru's chest."Piercing Thrust"He executed another Piercing Thrust, aiming at Aokiji, but Aokiji, who was already prepared, managed to dodge it.Unable to prepare his next Move, Marcus's severely injured body could no longer hold up. He stumbled and paused, thankfully using chasing wind to support himself, preventing him from falling to the ground.Behind him, a series of squelching sounds could be heard... (To be continued.)
Chapter 204: Sengoku Attacks, The EscapeBehind him, Akainu and Kizaru stood trembling, several wounds appearing on their chests and backs, blood spraying out.With one Move, he had instantly defeated two Admirals!But they were powerful fighters; enduring the pain throughout their bodies, they forced themselves not to collapse. Bending over, gasping for air, bringing up trails of blood from their chests, their bodies swayed slightly, as if they were about to fall at any moment, staring intently at Marcus in front of them.Looking down at the cross-shaped scar on his chest, blood still flowing out, as a Logia Devil Fruit user, he hadn't received such injuries in a long time.Kizaru said in a deep voice, surprised by such high combat power: "I didn't expect, Vice AdmiralMarcus, that your strength would be so great. Marineford's assessment of you has always been too low. Your combat power has already surpassed an Admiral."Gritting his teeth to endure the pain in his back, Akainu was the most severely injured of the three. He had been slashed by Marcus in the back earlier and was cut several more times by Marcus, each strike hitting flesh.He spoke, his tone not as severe: "So what if the assessment was wrong? You were already severely injured, and forcing yourself to use such a powerful Move is like killing eight hundred enemies while losing one thousand of your own. Now you have reached your limit, and I fear you have no power left to fight."Hearing the words from behind, Marcus did not reply. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but Akainuwas right; his body had indeed reached its limit. Even speaking consumed a lot of energy, and he had no strength left to waste on this.The Move just now, Starburst Stream Slash, was Marcus's strongest technique, the perfect combination of martial arts and swordsmanship. Starburst Stream Slash was divided into nineteen forms. He had only used eighteen forms earlier because his body couldn't support it; he didn't have the chance to use the strongest form.Just as the name implies, "Starburst" – every form possessed enormous power, powerful enough to slash a star apart."Stream" – unparalleled attack speed, like light, extremely fast. The eighteen forms were unleashed in just over a second, so fast that even Akainucouldn't react in time; only Kizaru, who possessed the Glint-Glint Fruit, could keep up.Powerful strength and unparalleled speed placed an extremely heavy burden on the body. Using such a Move while severely injured meant Marcus's body had reached its limit.Never mind fighting, even standing up was extremely difficult. He could only rely on chasing wind to keep from falling.Marcus was truly too tired now. His whole body was filled with stinging pain and numbness. He really wanted to just lie down like this and ignore everything, but Marcus understood that he couldn't do that yet. He hadn't escaped yet; if he really lay down, he would be finished.He took a small bottle from his bosom, used his thumb to gently pull off the cap, and drank it directly. The liquid mixed with the blood in his mouth and was swallowed into his belly.A light emerged from his body. Under the illumination of the light, Marcus's wounds stopped bleeding at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the wounds slowly formed scabs.The burns all over his body also slowly healed. The charred old flesh fell off, quickly replaced by new, tender flesh. In just an instant, the green light dissipated, and on the surface, Marcus's wounds had mostly healed.Seeing the green light suddenly emerge from Marcus's body, Kizaru and Akainu behind him had a bad premonition. They saw Marcus slowly stand up, turn around, and the wounds on his body had already healed.Even Akainu, who was previously full of confidence, was extremely shocked at this moment: "How is this possible? What exactly is that light? Such heavy injuries healed in such a short time."Although Kizaru and Aokiji didn't speak, their faces showed that their hearts were equally unsettled. Three Admirals joined forces, two were heavily injured, one was slightly injured, and they only managed to beat Marcus into a state of severe injury with no power to fight back.But in an instant, he recovered. How could they fight this? It took all three of them at full strength to beat him into a severe injury, not to mention now that two were injured, which had a significant impact on their combat power.Looking at the stunned Akainu and the others, Marcus smiled lightly and said triumphantly: "How is it, three Admirals? You didn't expect me to have such a trump card, did you?"With a swish, a figure appeared before Akainu and the others. It was Sengoku. Seeing Marcus recover, Sengoku immediately realized that he could no longer just watch from the sidelines; he had to act.Scanning Marcus, Sengoku said in a muffled voice: "Unexpectedly, we miscalculated again. To actually have such a means, it seems today's matter won't be so easy.""Oh," sensing the subtext in Sengoku's words, Marcus asked curiously: "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, in this situation, do you think you can still stop me? Do you have any other trump cards?"Sengoku nodded and took a few light steps forward, shaking his hands: "Of course. Facing the strongest genius of the navy who is peerless in both combat power and strategy, how could I come here without making more preparations?"Hearing Sengoku's words, not only Marcus, but also Aokiji and the others looked suspicious. They had arrived with Sengoku, and apart from that item, they hadn't brought anything else."In order to prevent you, this former strongest genius of the navy, from escaping, I have to take action myself," Sengoku said self-deprecatingly. A moment ago he was a naval genius, and in the blink of an eye, he was about to attack him."It has been so many years, I don't know if I've rusted, but I am still confident in dealing with you right now."A low shout rang out. As the words fell, Sengoku's body grew at an extremely fast speed. In an instant, Sengoku had turned into a hundred-meter-tall figure, his whole body glowing with golden light, like a great Buddha.Therefore, people in the world also called him "Buddha Sengoku". From this hundred-meter-tall physique, one could imagine how strong Sengoku's power was. A casual punch would probably be able to shatter a group of houses.Sengoku was someone who had competed with legendary figures like Roger and Whitebeard. His strength could be imagined. Marcus also had to restrain the surprise and confusion on his face, looking cautiously at the hundred-meter-tall Buddha in front of him."Today, let me test just how strong the former strongest genius of the navy really is."His right hand formed a palm, slapping down towards Marcus from above. The golden palm, several meters large, had palm prints that could be clearly seen.It was like covering the sky and the earth. In front of him was a sea of gold, like a real Buddha reborn. That gold represented nobility, justice, and benevolence, wanting to extinguish the evil on the ground with one palm."Fleet Admiral Sengoku, let me also test just how strong the highest combat power of the World Government from back then really is."He stomped his feet violently, and the huge force vented out. The ground shook, and cracks like a spider web spread out from the center of Marcus's feet.Borrowing the powerful reaction force, Marcusrushed up, his right fist tightly placed under his body, fiercely gathering power. As he was about to get close, Marcus suddenly threw a punch.Sengoku's slightly bent right arm also straightened out, slapping out a palm with all his might. A golden shockwave shot out from his palm.With a loud bang.In the void, powerful forces collided. Violent shockwaves continuously spread out in all directions like a fierce hurricane. Wherever it passed, it was a scene of misery.The thick ground was scraped up by the shockwave, trees were snapped in half, grass on the ground flew into the sky, and the entire island was a scene of apocalyptic misery."Marcus, it seems you are just holding on. Actually, your injuries haven't healed at all. This palm was my full power. Marcus, surrender. You are no match for me now.""Pfft," Marcus spat out a mouthful of blood. He was indeed Fleet Admiral Sengoku; he was old and cunning, seeing through his facade of strength immediately, and thus used this to test him.The liquid Marcus drank was the same as the one on Korode Island. The medicinal effect was very strong, but who had injured Marcus? No matter how strong the medicine was, even a Devil Fruit Ability might not be able to heal him instantly."Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who wins and who loses is not yet known. Do you think you can definitely eat me? You can't make me admit defeat with just one palm."Hearing Marcus's arrogant language, Sengoku's face changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice: "Young man, it's fine to be strong, but don't be arrogant. The world is much bigger than you imagine."The power in his hand increased again. Marcuscould not support it and was blasted away by the shockwave from Sengoku's palm, falling heavily to the ground like a meteorite.Boom! Marcus smashed directly into a deep pit. The earth shook, the ground collapsed, countless rocks flew into the sky, cracks spread out from under the ground, and thick smoke like a sandstorm covered the sky and the earth, covering the entire island.The hundred-meter-tall Sengoku took several steps back to unload the powerful reaction force. Looking at the smoke that had reached his chest, his face changed slightly. If Marcus took advantage of this to escape, it would be a bit bad.His two giant hands waved with all his might, creating a hurricane out of thin air, blowing away the thick fog directly, revealing the true face of the island. Marcus in the deep pit was also revealed.Aokiji and the others had also rushed over, surrounding the deep pit. Looking at Marcus in the pit, they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. It had taken so much effort to catch him.Marcus lay quietly in the deep pit. Under Sengoku's palm, the injuries in his body that had been temporarily suppressed by the medicinal effect erupted all at once. Coupled with that powerful palm, he was now not far from death, not even having the strength to sit up.Looking around at Sengoku and the others above, Marcus, deep in the pit with no way to escape, revealed a trace of a smile on his face. It was a happy smile.Just when everyone was confused, Marcus raised a crimson stone and said with a smile: "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, thank you for that palm just now. I didn't know how to leave, but now your trump card is useless."Hearing Marcus's words, Sengoku's face changed drastically. Without thinking, he hurriedly said: "Attack quickly! Marcus is about to escape!"Without needing Sengoku's order, Aokiji and the others also realized something was wrong and hurriedly attacked Marcus, who was lying at the bottom of the pit."It's too late. Wait for me. It won't be long before I return to the Grand Line. Next time I come back, I will definitely realize my ambition."With a gentle force, the crimson stone shattered. A black light illuminated Marcus. The light faded, and Marcus's figure disappeared. (To be continued.)
Chapter 205 The Man with a 1 Billion RewardThe next morning, as people emerged from their homes, rubbing their sleepy eyes and picking up the newspapers at their feet, their drowsiness vanished, replaced by shock and numbness.The news of Mark's defection from the Marines, his slaughter of the Celestial Dragons, and his battle against the three Marine Admirals yesterday had been so monumental, and witnessed by so many, that it was impossible to conceal.Not long after the dust settled, various major powers, the underworld, and many strong individuals across the world had already learned the general course of events through their respective channels, and gasps of shock could be heard everywhere.Yesterday evening!In the massive conference room at Marine Headquarters, the lights were ablaze. Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat at the head of the table, with the bandaged Akainu and Kizaru, and the relatively uninjured Aokiji, on his right.To his left sat the silent and expressionless Vice Admiral Garp. Garp, who had been on an assignment, had heard about Mark's betrayal of the Marines, the slaughter of the Celestial Dragons, and the subsequent events.An enraged Garp had sunk a small island at the time and rushed to Marine Headquarters tonight, just in time for this meeting. His main purpose was to understand exactly what had happened.Below Garp was Marine Chief of Staff Tsuru. Sengoku had urgently recalled her from the Sabaody Archipelago. With such a major incident, the Chief of Staff's advice was essential. However, Tsuru also wore a silent, expressionless face.Below them were the various Marine Vice Admirals, who likewise stood with their arms crossed, silent. They had all heard about Mark's betrayal of the Marines before arriving.This meeting was of great importance, but the true decision-makers were the few at the top. They were just there to observe, so it was best to remain silent and listen quietly.Thus, a strange atmosphere settled over the conference room. Each person harbored their own thoughts. Finally, Sengoku broke the silence."Vice Admiral Mark's betrayal of the Marines will undoubtedly shock the entire world tomorrow. The Marines' handling of this incident has been somewhat poor, posing a huge challenge to Marine justice and its image in the world. I wonder if anyone has any opinions?"Hearing Sengoku's question, the Marine Vice Admirals present remained unmoved, still silent. Although they believed Vice Admiral Mark had done nothing wrong, they only thought it; they were just there to observe.For some reason, the three Admirals also remained silent, just sitting there quietly, making Sengoku feel incredibly awkward.Tsuru crossed her arms, propping up her chin, and criticized mercilessly, "Sengoku, what we should be discussing now isn't the impact of Mark's defection.The incident has already happened, and I imagine the newspapers have already taken action. The Marines won't be able to suppress this matter."After a pause, Tsuru continued, "Compared to that, shouldn't you tell us what happened?""Exactly," the silent Garp chimed in, "Little Tsuru is right, Sengoku. You owe me an explanation. Why did my student betray us? Did you do something?"At this, the previously silent Marine Vice Admirals also pricked up their ears to listen carefully. Most Marine Vice Admirals, being out in the field, only knew the general outline of what happened, not the specifics.Clang!Sengoku slammed the table, making the cups on it rattle, and angrily retorted, "Garp, what are you saying? What do you mean 'what I did'? I was trying to help Mark, but he wouldn't listen to reason and insisted on doing what he did. I didn't want this to happen either."Facing Sengoku's angry rebuke, Garp remained unfazed. He stood up and looked Sengoku directly in the eye. Garp also knew that Sengoku wouldn't do such a thing, feeling somewhat in the wrong, he sat down. Sengoku rubbed his brow and also sat down.Below them, both Admirals and Vice Admirals pretended not to notice, remaining silent. These two were veteran figures in the Marines, and no one dared to interfere."As Tsuru said, now is not the time to discuss this. The most important thing in this incident is that Mark killed five Celestial Dragons. Both within the World Government and among the Celestial Dragons, there is outrage over this matter, and a unified voice demands that Mark must be captured."Even Garp couldn't help but frown. Mark's actions this time were too ill-advised. The number of Celestial Dragons who had died unnatural deaths in the past hundred years was roughly the same as this.And he used methods of slow slicing and bloodline stripping, the Celestial Dragons would certainly not let it go. They would not only pressure the World Government but also act themselves to deal with Mark to maintain their status.Akainu, bandaged all over, said sternly, "Regardless, Mark has betrayed the Marines. Standing against justice is evil, and we Marines have a duty to eradicate evil."Hearing Akainu, Garp and Tsuru were immediately displeased, though they didn't say much. What Akainu said was also the truth.Today's events not only caused the Marines to lose face but also enraged the World Government leadership and the Celestial Dragons. The Marines had to take action to give them an explanation.Aokiji glanced at Akainu and said, "Eradicate? With what do we eradicate him? Three Admirals attacked, and two ended up injured, yet he still escaped.""Now he has also fled the Grand Line. The world is so vast, and with Mark's strength, who can find him? To capture him, at least three Marine Admirals would need to act.""This…" Akainu was speechless after Aokiji's statement.Vice Admiral Tsuru listened and then asked curiously, "Is Mark's combat power really that strong?"Sengoku nodded, "Indeed, he is very strong. His combat power has already surpassed that of an Admiral, but resisting three Admirals is a bit of an exaggeration. In today's battle, all three of you need to reflect.""You thought it was a one-on-three, but then you relaxed your guard and had no sense of cooperation at all. It was completely one-on-one, and one of you was practically a spectator, not even using your full strength." At this, Sengoku glanced at Aokiji, his meaning unmistakably clear."Finally, he seized an opportunity and counterattacked. If the three of you had cooperated, you would have dealt with him long ago. Overall, Mark's combat power surpasses that of an Admiral, but two Admirals acting with full power could defeat him."Sengoku's reprimand echoed throughout the conference room. Aokiji and the others remained silent; they indeed bore great responsibility for this incident.The impact of Mark's betrayal, the pressure from the World Government, and the handling of Mark—this whole string of events gave Sengoku a massive headache.As Chief of Staff, Tsuru spoke, "Now, let's discuss how to deal with Mark. Given his strength, I think actively capturing him will be very difficult. Let's first set a bounty."Pressing his aching head, Sengoku said, "Regarding the bounty, the Celestial Dragons have already prepared it. Mark's bounty will be one billion Berries. This money will come from the Celestial Dragons, including all expenses incurred in capturing Mark.""Sigh… One billion Berries!" A collective gasp filled the conference room. The next day, countless newspapers, along with the latest wanted posters, were delivered by carrier pigeons, spreading yesterday's news across the world.In the New World, in a country governed by the Revolutionary Army.A group of Revolutionary Army cadres were gathered around a map, discussing their latest battle plan, preparing to conquer a neighboring country and incorporate it into the Revolutionary Army's territory.In a nearby chair, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon, sat steadily, his eyes fixed on the world map on the wall, specifically on the areas marked with small yellow flags.A Revolutionary Army soldier, holding a newspaper, stumbled in through the door. With a soft thud, he almost fell to the ground, but Dragon quickly reached out to steady him.Looking up, and seeing their leader's helping hand, the Revolutionary Army soldier quickly handed over the newspaper, speaking rapidly."Leader, the latest news! The Marines' strongest genius, Vice Admiral Mark, has defected from the Marines, and also killed five Celestial Dragons, truly standing against the World Government!""What?!" Everyone nearby gasped in astonishment, their faces filled with disbelief, still reeling from the shocking news.Dragon's face also showed emotion. He quickly took the newspaper and began to read. A figure rushed out and asked urgently, "Mark killed Celestial Dragons? What's Mark's situation now?"Catching his breath, and seeing that it was Chief of Staff Sabo asking, he replied, "After Vice Admiral Mark killed the Celestial Dragons, he battled the three Admirals, and two of the Marine Admirals were injured."A burst of laughter erupted among the Revolutionary Army, as everyone praised joyfully, "Mark is amazing! Fighting three Marine Admirals alone and even winning! He truly lives up to his…"Sabo asked again, "Mark, what happened to Mark?""The newspaper says that Vice Admiral Mark seems to have escaped with serious injuries, his fate unknown. His bounty is now one billion Berries.""What! One billion Berries!"... In the Sabaody Archipelago,Inside Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Hancock, Rayleigh, Shakky, and Roberts' wife were all present. Markhad given instructions for this; Rayleigh was the only trustworthy person nearby, and there were also many matters that needed Rayleigh's help to convey."He truly is the man I love! To think he actually killed Celestial Dragons! Isn't Mark in great danger now? I must go help him! Mark, I'm coming!" Saying this, Hancock was about to walk out of the bar.Rayleigh's voice rang out, "Stop, Hancock! You stay right here!"Hancock spun around abruptly, saying with displeasure, "Rayleigh, what are you trying to do? I'm going to help Mark! Why are you stopping me?"Picking up the clothes on the table, Rayleigh looked at Hancock: "Hancock, don't you remember what Mark said in his letter? You must stay obediently on Amazon Lily for this period. If you want to harm Mark, then go to Mary Geoise."Having said that, Rayleigh, regardless of Hancock's expression, took the clothes and walked outside. That brat had also entrusted him with a bunch of things to do… New World, on the Moby Dick!Ace looked at the newspaper in his hand with a heavy expression, then tossed it to Marco nearby and walked towards the side of the ship."Ace, what are you going to do?" Whitebeard, sitting on the deck at the bow, receiving an IV drip, asked.Ace stopped and turned around, saying, "Pops, I'm worried. I think I should go out and take a look.""Ace," Whitebeard sighed deeply, "That kid, with his strange abilities and combat power, few in the world can capture him. And the world is so vast, where would you even look for him?"… New World, in the Dressrosa Royal Palace!Doflamingo was in a rare state of surprise and joy, "That bastard Mark actually defected from the Marines! He'll never come here again! From a lofty genius to a Marine fugitive, but this bastard's bounty is truly terrifyingly high!"A whopping one billion Berries!Compared to his subordinates' happiness, Doflamingo's face was grim. Mark, stripped of his Marine identity, was the most dangerous. The Marines had countless rules and restrictions; now, Mark was like a giant tiger unleashed from its cage—terrifying!Compared to what these people thought, the common people worldwide, besides being shocked by Mark's bounty, were left with joy over Markkilling the Celestial Dragons.On this day, the world seemed to be immersed in a rare joy. In many places, there was singing and dancing, firecrackers echoed in the sky, and people's faces were filled with happy smiles.Finally, someone dared to kill those scumbags! With five Celestial Dragons dead, who knows how many people would be spared suffering. The Marine traitor, in the eyes of the common folk, had become a hero.And where was Mark at this moment? (To be continued.)