BOOM!!!
At some point, the sky had darkened. Large swaths of black clouds blanketed the city above, seemingly pressing down upon it.
Lightning crackled within the dark clouds, its flashes illuminating the sky, the thunderous roar shaking the heavens.
The people of the capital city, whether ordinary citizens or pirates, felt a wave of unease, a heavy oppression in their hearts.
Many had a premonition that something major was about to happen, an inexplicable feeling of panic.
Akainu arrived at the gate of the royal palace walls, step by step, his face expressionless as he gazed at the closed doors.
He raised his hand, his fist already elementized, transformed into a gigantic magma fist composed of molten rock.
"Dai Funka!"
Akainu's magma fist instantly swelled in size, with an unstoppable momentum, directly smashing and obliterating the gates that stood before him.
Drip! Drip!
Droplets of magma fell to the ground, melting the surface and forming craters.
Everyone watching Akainu's destruction gasped.
The city wall had completely melted into the magma, leaving a massive hole more than ten meters in diameter.
If such a punch landed on a person...
Many pirates couldn't help but gulp, involuntarily retreating, distancing themselves from Akainu.
This was a Marine Admiral, possessing the power to reshape the very terrain.
This was also the person they were trying to confront.
At this thought, the naive pirates felt a shiver of fear, their bodies turning cold, sweat dripping down their backs.
At this moment, even more people decided to leave.
They knew that with their strength, staying here wouldn't guarantee them a chance at the tree.
On the contrary, if Akainu succeeded in the end, they would all die.
"It is not the way of a righteous Marine to damage the property of someone else without permission." A youthful and pleasant voice rang out, capturing everyone's attention.
Looking through the hole in the city wall towards the source of the sound, they saw a young man.
The young man was in his twenties, with a handsome face.
"Hozuki Ranzuki!" Someone exclaimed.
The man was none other than the owner of this palace, the captain of the Ninja Pirate Crew, the rising powerful pirate who claimed to have killed a Celestial Dragon, Hozuki Ranzuki.
"Ranzuki." Akainu said in a deep voice, his tone exceptionally cold, as he looked at Ranzuki not far ahead.
It was this young man who had made the Marines lose face in front of the world once again.
It was also this young man whom Sengoku considered even more powerful than himself.
Hearing Akainu speak, Ranzuki's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Akainu, one of the three... Admirals, the World Government's... dog."
As Ranzuki's words fell, countless eyes widened in shock and terror.
This guy, he really dared to say that!
Akainu's already cold face grew even colder. He stared at Ranzuki, the killing intent in his eyes unconcealed.
"Scum of pirates like you shouldn't even exist in this world! Ranzuki, today, I will definitely kill you." Akainu declared.
"Just as the stories say, like a mad dog." Ranzuki's expression remained calm, completely disregarding Akainu's killing intent.
He felt no inner turmoil, and even felt a slight urge to laugh.
Initially, on a whim, he'd cast his net, intending to catch some small fish and shrimp. Unexpectedly, he managed to attract so many big fish.
As Ranzuki thought this, his gaze swept over the surroundings without concealment.
"I never thought my humble abode could attract so many important figures. However, hiding and lurking isn't the proper demeanor for members of a great pirate crew."
Ranzuki's words startled everyone once more.
A great pirate crew?
What was going on?
"Well, isn't it because there's a Marine Admiral here? We're pirates, naturally we have to hide and seek to survive."
As the voice faded, a man emerged from somewhere.
He wore a top hat adorned with numerous lollipops, had a slender build with a long nose and tongue, and carried a candy cane in his hand.
"Charlotte Perospero!" Exclamations rang out as people recognized the man.
"It's the Minister of Candy from the Big Mom Pirates, the powerful pirate with a 400 million Berri bounty! (Not yet his future 700 million)"
"I can't believe the Big Mom Pirates actually came too!"
"Since the Big Mom Pirates are here, what about the other great pirate crews of the New World? Could they all be here?"
Outside the palace, the crowd erupted in clamor, turning their heads and looking around, trying to spot members of the other world-renowned great pirate crews of the New World.
"The Whitebeard Pirates have no need to hide." A calm voice resounded, followed by someone descending from the sky.
Landing gracefully, it was a swordsman wielding dual blades.
He had a curved mustache, wore a large top hat and white gloves, and blue pants. A bluish-purple cape flowed behind him.
His entire presence exuded an air of elegance and composure.
"Vista of the Flower Sword, 5th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, a powerful pirate capable of crossing blades with the world's strongest swordsman!"
"It's the 5th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"I can't believe the Whitebeard Pirates are here too!"
"Then, did his 5th Division also come? Why don't we see them?"
"We don't see the rest of the Big Mom Pirates either, do we?"
As the crowd buzzed with discussion, a booming voice cut through the noise, drawing everyone's attention.
"Where is that tree? Hand it over!"
A tall, powerfully built man with a ponytail and two pigtails, a metal jaw covering his mouth, and ivory-like ornaments on his head and shoulders walked towards the crowd.
He wore spiked rivets, a feather-like coat, and wielded two sickle-shaped weapons.
Jack bellowed, his gaze fixed forward.
Then, his advancing steps faltered, his pupils constricting.
He saw several familiar faces staring at him.
"Jack the Drought! One of the Three Disasters of the Beasts Pirates, a super pirate with a 600 million Berri bounty!"
"The Beasts Pirates are here too!!"
"Oh my god, so many terrifying figures have gathered here!"
People exclaimed once more in astonishment.
At the same time, a fiery excitement surged within them.
Today, something extraordinary was bound to happen in this place.
BOOM!!!
The rumbling thunder continued to echo across the sky, the dark clouds above growing thicker, as if a heavy downpour was imminent.
Outside the palace stood four colossal figures: Marine Admiral Akainu, Jack the Drought of the Beasts Pirates, Vista of the Flower Sword, 5th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and Charlotte Perospero, Minister of Candy of the Big Mom Pirates.
Inside the palace, Ranzuki frowned slightly, realizing that his preparations seemed somewhat insufficient.
"Hozuki Ranzuki, was it? Hand over that tree." After a moment of silence, Jack the Drought spoke once again.
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