"M-Marine…"
"Damn it!! What the hell are Marines doing here!?"
"That fat bastard Lu Feld—what is he even doing!?"
"This is supposed to be an underworld auction!!"
Panic swept through the crowd. All eyes locked on the three white-coated figures. A ripple of fear surged through the hall.
Why were the Marines here?
Was this an ambush?
Had their Marine ships already surrounded the Island of Coins?
Countless thoughts churned in the pirates' minds, setting them on edge. The more cautious or timid among them began edging toward the back of the crowd, ready to bolt at any moment.
After all, Marine operations were known for overwhelming manpower and elite equipment.
And usually, if you saw even one Marine on an island, it meant a larger force wasn't far behind.
The smoke began to clear.
At last, the three figures standing on the wreckage emerged in full view, their overwhelming presence crashing down on the audience like a wave.
On the left stood a man in a yellow-and-white suit, Justice coat draped over his shoulders, absurdly large toad-shaped sunglasses perched on his face. With a playful smirk, he rubbed the stubble on his chin, casually lowering the leg he had just raised in midair.
On the right was a tall man with a black afro, dark glasses, and a solemn expression. The insignia of a Marine Rear Admiral gleamed on his epaulets. The air around him was heavy and commanding.
But it was the man in the center who stole all attention.
His gaze was sharp, his features both handsome and cold. Black hair whipped in the wind. Seastone shackles hung loosely from his wrists like ornaments. His aura was wild and defiant.
When the pirates saw their faces clearly, a collective gasp swept through the hall. Color drained from their faces.
"A Marine Headquarters Admiral!! Sengoku the Buddha!!"
"And that's Rear Admiral Borsalino—the one they call a monster!!"
"And that man… wait, I'm not dreaming, am I!?"
"'King of the North Blue' Rogers Darren!! The Marine who took down Byrnndi World!! He's beaten multiple legendary pirates!!"
"Wait a second! If Darren defeated Byrnndi World… is he after the More-More Fruit!?"
"Damn it!! Why are monsters from Marine Headquarters here!?"
…
Perospero's back was soaked in cold sweat.
An admiral like Sengoku… he was on the same level as Mama herself—an absolute powerhouse!
"Damn it… it's really an admiral…"
In the crater nearby, Daifuku clawed his way out, bloodied and swollen. He spat a mouthful of dark blood onto the dirt.
He locked eyes with Perospero.
On the other side, beneath King's mask, his gaze grew intensely grave.
The three exchanged looks—wordless, yet perfectly understood.
The Marines.
They'd even dispatched an admiral. If they wanted the More-More Fruit, their only chance was to join forces.
A moment later, all three moved at once.
King leapt into the air. His body twisted and stretched, morphing midair into a massive black pteranodon.
His wingspan was enormous, his beak sharp as a blade. Crimson flames erupted along his body.
"Blazing Emperor!"
Dozens of fireballs burst from his wings, roaring toward the Marines.
Perospero barked out a command, swinging his candy cane staff with force.
A tidal wave of pink candy surged forward, flooding toward the ruins of Box 3A.
"Candy Tsunami!"
As a user of the Lick-Lick Fruit, he could shape candy and syrup into virtually anything—even transform enemies into candy.
Daifuku wiped the blood from his mouth, summoned his blue genie once more, and roared as he sent a massive slash flying through the air.
"Genie Hunt!"
Though they hadn't coordinated beforehand, their attacks completely covered all possible escape routes. There was no room to dodge.
"How terrifying… these guys from the Beasts and Big Mom crews are absolute monsters,"
Borsalino muttered in a rare show of effort. His body flared with golden light and launched skyward.
Arms spread wide, he unleashed a barrage of golden light bullets that rained down like a storm, clashing with the incoming attacks.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions roared through the air. Flames and smoke engulfed the auction hall, whipping up a hellish wind that sent everyone reeling.
A moment later, twin blurs—one black, one gold—ripped through the smoke and clashed midair.
CRACK!
In human form, King's foot slammed against Borsalino's as the two locked in a brutal midair duel, a shockwave bursting out between them.
"I've heard of you… Borsalino, monster of Marine Headquarters."
King's eyes burned with fighting spirit.
"Have you?" Borsalino drawled, eyeing him lazily.
"Your whole body's wrapped up tight—I can't even tell what species you are… feels like a kind I've never seen before."
King's pupils narrowed. He clenched his jaw.
"You're dead!"
He drew his sword with a furious roar.
Scarlet flames spiraled up the blade like a living dragon. With a mighty swing, he slashed down at the Rear Admiral.
"Oh my, did I hit a nerve…"
Borsalino, unhurried, brought his hands together. A golden sword of solid light formed between his palms.
He raised it calmly to block.
"Ama no Murakumo."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their silhouettes blurred into streaks of motion, darting through the air at impossible speeds. Each sword clash lit up the sky with sparks.
Elsewhere—
Perospero and Daifuku surfed their candy wave, launching themselves toward Darren and Sengoku.
"So what if you're an admiral!?"
"Let's see if you deserve that title…"
They sneered viciously.
But the next second, brilliant golden light exploded in front of them, washing everything from their sight.
"You two? Against me?"
The voice thundered through the hall.
…
"They're fighting!!"
Panic overtook the room. Screams of terror echoed.
The guests watched in horror as the Marines and the pirates clashed. The auction hall trembled under the pressure of their battle, on the verge of collapse.
"We'll all die if this keeps up…"
"Run… we need to run…"
"Get out of here!!"
"If we don't move now, we're done for!!"
Pirates from the New World turned pale as they shoved toward the exits in chaos.
If this had been a unit led by a regular Vice Admiral, they might've stood their ground.
But an admiral?
They didn't even have the courage to try.
Still, not everyone chose to flee.
"HAHAHAHA!! The More-More Fruit is mine!!"
A bald pirate named Brutebear suddenly sprang from the crowd, making a mad dash for the auction stage.
And he wasn't alone.
Dozens of pirates who thought themselves strong enough joined the charge.
Total chaos.
The Marines were occupied with the Big Mom and Beasts crews—
Which meant now was the perfect time to steal the fruit!!
The mob surged forward!
"Protect the auction item!!"
The tuxedoed auctioneer screamed in panic.
Dozens of security guards in black suits dropped from above, wielding various weapons and firearms, forming a protective circle around the More-More Fruit.
They opened fire without hesitation.
---
To be continued…