“Mm, time’s about up!”

  A few mier…

  Notig that most of the Marines had already retreated—and each warship now packed with people—El cast his gaze upohree men before him: Sengoku, who had transformed into a shining golden Buddha; Garp the Iron Fist; and Zephyr the Bck Arm. Uned, he asked, “Are you ready?”

  As he spoke, golden fme-clouds coiled around his body. In his half-beast form, El’s visage appeared hideous, bearing two pairs of wings—one azure, one bck—while fmes bzed atop his head.

  Uhe intense scrutiny of Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr, his ominous sword bde turned jet-bck, interwoven with streaks of red-bck lightning visible to the naked eye. It radiated El’s powerful Haki, an aura so oppressive it made hearts race.

  “Swish…”

  In an instant, scorg fmes erupted around him. His presence soared, entering the fiercest bat state.

  “Bzzz… Rumble…”

  Astonishing arcs of electricity crackled ceaselessly, stimuting every cell within his body, further amplifying his strength. Veins bulged, and his aura kept climbing. Clutg his ornate giant sword in both hands, he swung it diagonally—its force was like some primordial beast, making one’s scalp tingle.

  “Wow! Dad’s about to make his move!”

  From afar in the sky, Thor’s eyes shone as he stared unblinkingly. He ched his fists, brimming with admiration and anticipation.

  “What an unbelievably strong Haki… it’s incredible…”

  Gazing at that t figure whose terrifying aura was still on the rise, a crimson fsh passed through Dal’s third eye, as if he foresaw araordinary se.

  “That is…?”

  Dal’s pupils shrank dramatically. His mouth hung open in disbelief as he said, “So this is Dad’s true power…?”

  “Thump… thump…”

  Bd-red lightning arced and crackled. A storm of ferocious queror’s Haki poured out of El. Even at a distance, Marines—whether they were already aboard warships or still trying to board—foamed at the mouth, eyes rolling back as they colpsed.

  “Damn it…”

  “I almost bcked out…”

  “What kind of monster is he?”

  “So it’s true—he’s even more terrifying than he was a few years ago!”

  Even some of the Vice Admirals, uo withstand that unsciously released queror’s Haki (which wasn’t even aimed directly at them), dropped to one knee, bodies swaying uhe pressure. Their faces brimmed with shod dread.

  “He’s ing!!”

  Garp’s eyes sharpened. Haki swirled around both fists as he ched them, threads of bck-red lightning dang across his knuckles.

  “This level of Haki… He really is a total monster.”

  A suffog iy filled the air. Feeling the crushi of that queror’s Haki, Zephyr’s expression was solemn. A chilly aura surged around him, his fists unbreakable ice gaus yered with powerful Armament Haki. His muscles bulged, veins showing, as he prepared himself.

  “Don’t hesitate—give it everything you’ve got!!!”

  Sengoku shouted tensely, his golden Buddha palm shining brilliantly, likewise coated in formidable Haki, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

  “Bzzz—Rumble—”

  At that moment, golden fme-clouds ed around El. Electricity crackled over his body, hair standing on end, his gaze burning. His aura was frightening beyond measure.

  “Voom—”

  Enveloped in both queror’s Haki and Armament Haki, that sinister Barbaric Sword crushed the very air as it swung forth.

  “Hakoku!!!”

  In the blink of an eye, impossibly violent Haki burst out like an overwhelming shockwave.

  “Buzz—Buzz—”

  A terrifying, unstoppable wave of force swept forth. Its range was vast, tearing apart everything in its path, blowing away or annihiting any obstacle. It barreled toward the horrified Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr—whose hair stood on end, expressions ging drastically—like an indomitable tsunami of power.

  “Go—!”

  Simultaneously, the three who had been on high alert sprang into motion. With frantic battle cries, they all charged forward at once.

  “Gaxy Impact!!!”

  Garp, with an awe-inspiring aura, leapt high and hurled a fierce punch at maximum strength.

  “Ice Gaus: Justice Impact!!!”

  Zephyr, the Bck Arm, was no less determined. Advanced Armament Haki flowed over him as he struck out to ter the colossal shockwave rolling in.

  “Buddha Impact!!!”

  A colossal golden Buddha shone brilliantly. Its palm gathered a powerful shockwave entwined with queror’s Haki and unleashed it in a frenzied bst.

  “Boom—Boom!!!”

  “Crackle—Snap—”

  Amid the thunderous roar, the entire isnd quaked violently. The dazzling gre was so intehat no one could look straight at it. A fierce wind pressure flung tless shards of rubble high. The unparalleled surge of Haki reduced the entire fortress to rubble, shog all who beheld it.

  Bolts of bd-red lightning fred, dang wildly like serpents and dragons in the air. This time, even those Vice Admirals who had still been on their feet rolled their eyes bad colpsed in a faint.

  “Huff… huff…”

  Thick dust billowed. Amid the barren ruins stood three battered figures. They dropped to one knee, hands braced on the ground, breathing heavily. Their eyes were fixed in horror on that awe-inspiring silhouette ahead of them.

  “G-5 Fortress… How could this happen?”

  Gng around, Bck Arm Zephyr was dripping with sweat, his pupils narrowed to pinpricks. Having just turhirty, he was the weakest among the three admiral didates; blood trickled from the er of his mouth, aaggered, his jaw s shock.

  “What a monster…”

  “You’ve got to be kidding—Haki on this level…?”

  Garp and Sengoku were just as disheveled. Blood staihe ers of their mouths; sweat beaded on their foreheads; their faces were pale. Teeth ched, they stared unblinkingly at the tall figure ahead, equally on guard and horrified, uo believe what they had just witnessed. A shiver ran through them.

  Though they had yet to reach their absolute peak, they believed themselves strohawo Admirals Bck Bear and Iron Bone, nearly on par with Steel Bone Kong. Yet evehree of them together had barely mao repel a single all-out strike. It was unimaginable. Was this the true power of the “World’s Stro Creature”?

  “Voom—”

  High above, watg this horrifying spectacle, Thaped, diamond sparks glinting in his eyes. “What level of power is this…? Incredible!!!”

  “Dad’s unbelievable!” Dal—who had already foreseen such a se—couldn’t help exg again, “We’re still so far behind him!”

  They gazed up at their father, El, t and magnifit, their eyes brimming with inexpressible awe. Such was their father—the King of Totto Land, leader of the Fallen Angel Pirates, head of the Kukulkan family, and the World’s Stro Creature: Kukulkan El!

  Bleam