At the easternmost side of the harbor, low in the sky—
Shhh!
A massive azure dragon coiled and twisted in the air, clashing fiercely with a figure wreathed in molten magma and fire.
It was Akainu and Kaido.
Both of them, in that mont, instinctively halted their attacks and turned toward the apocalyptic scene unfolding in the distance.
"Tch…"
The azure dragon bared its fangs.
"That old man… even at his age he still loves creating ridiculous spectacles like this, I swear…"
Kaido turned back toward Akainu, sneering:
"Still planning to stay here? Shouldn't the Admiral who bears Justice fulfill his duty and save those poor Marine soldiers?"
The cold gleam reflected from the dragon's scales lit up Akainu's emotionless face.
"An impressive firework show,"
Akainu said calmly.
"But that's all it is. You think an attack of that level could trouble that man?"
"Hmph, you Admirals sure have a ridiculous amount of confidence in that brat…"
Kaido scoffed—but just as he was about to continue, a thunderous sound erupted behind him, echoing across the sky.
—Thunder.
BOOM!!!
Kaido turned instinctively—and instantly, his vision was consud by a tidal wave of raging lightning!
Through the blinding glow, a faint silhouette appeared far ahead.
It was Nao, standing atop the high platform—finally drawing his sword and slashing toward the heavens.
Hummm!
The sword energy surged skyward, countless bolts of lightning roaring forth to et the descending avalanche of shattered ice.
For a single frozen instant, ti itself seed to stop.
Then—
The endless fragnts of glacier covering half the sky were swallowed whole by the lightning, ground into fine dust.
Their destructive power vanished, turning into nothing more than countless raindrops pattering gently down from above.
Raaaaaaashhhh—!
A torrential rain descended.
White mist rose everywhere, enveloping the vast plaza and all of Marineford.
"..."
People who were soaked to the bone all instinctively paused their fighting, standing in a daze.
Even pirates with hundreds of millions in bounties—including several Whitebeard Division Commanders—unconsciously extended their hands, staring dumbly at the falling droplets slipping through their fingers…
When they looked back up:
The storm clouds above had been split open—cleaved straight down the middle by sword energy.
A massive rift stretched across the heavens, vast and boundless, extending past the horizon for who knows how many kiloters—its end completely out of sight.
In a distant corner of the plaza—
"What an unbelievable sword…"
Hawkeye Mihawk stared for a long ti at the torn sky, murmuring softly to himself.
His gaze was complex, shifting from initial shock to the envious obsession fixed on the end of that sword energy, finally turning into a helpless, quiet sigh in his heart.
It seems that after our farewell years ago, even though I have been desperately training every mont, the gap between and Mr. Nao hasn't narrowed; instead, it's only gotten wider.
The realm of swordsmanship is endless. Mihawk believed that he wouldn't be disheartened or discouraged by the imnse disparity. It was just that…
When exactly.
Will I also be able to unleash a sword strike as astonishing as Mr. Nao's?
Standing opposite him, the Fifth Division Commander of Whitebeard's crew—Flower Sword Vista—felt none of Mihawk's calm.
Staring blankly at the sky, Vista swallowed hard, his whole body trembling.
This… is this even human?
A swordsman… to be able to achieve this much with just one sword?
A creeping sense of fear spread silently through countless pirates—including Vista—sweeping rapidly across the entire battlefield.
No one had ever witnessed sword energy so terrifying.
And no one could have predicted that Whitebeard's apocalyptic, world-shattering attack would be so easily neutralized—by a single sword strike.
Those stunned were not only those present at Marineford.
From the Sabaody Archipelago, only a day's journey away…
To an underground trading post hidden in the snow-capped mountains of the North Blue…
To a tropical bar sowhere across the world…
The Four Blues, the Grand Line—every corner of the world!
Every viewer watching the broadcast of the Summit War widened their eyes, breath halted, staring at the screen in disbelief.
…
East Blue, Shimotsuki Village.
The once-quiet town had grown far more prosperous over the years—yet now, its streets were completely empty.
From the sky, one could see tens of thousands gathered in the central plaza like a tidal wave of ants.
Thunderous applause and deafening cheers erupted—almost enough to lift the entire island off the sea!
"Turning shattered ice into rain… splitting the heavens… my god!"
"Too… Too strong! Admiral Nao!"
"Nicely done, Mr Nao!!!"
This last cheer ca from a black-haired girl in a traditional Japanese martial arts uniform, jumping up and down with joy.
Behind her stood many other dojo students, all cheering.
Among them, a tiny green-haired boy's face was flushed bright red with excitent, beaming with pride as if he had unleashed that sword strike himself.
Not far away—
Koushirou stood with a bamboo sword in his arms, smiling gently with calm, warm eyes.
It seems he made the right decision bringing these kids, who were always cooped up in the mountain village, out to see the world a little.
…
North Blue, the White City—Flevance.
After two years of reconstruction, the once-tornted country had finally regained so of its forr beauty and prosperity.
But so things were completely different from the past.
The royal family had been abolished by the council; the people no longer trusted the kings and nobles who had abandoned them.
In their place stood a colossal marble statue—over a hundred ters tall—erected at the center of the plaza.
The man who once bore every burden alone had beco the spiritual symbol of the nation.
At this mont—
Before the giant screen beneath Nao's statue, crowds packed together shoulder-to-shoulder.
It was no exaggeration to say that nearly the entire capital had gathered here.
They were here to witness the downfall of the pirate alliance—and to cheer for the man who once saved their country.
"Did you see that?! Did you see that, Lami!!!"
Amid the roaring cheers, a boy in a leopard-print hat shouted excitedly, lifting his little sister and spinning around.
"A casual sword swing—just one—and he can do sothing like that… That's Mr. Nao's true strength!"
Lami was almost dizzy from being spun, but excitent drowned that out.
She hugged Law's neck tightly, giggling.
"Brother trains so hard every day—you'll definitely reach that level soday!"
"Heh, now that's giving too much credit. I could never be as strong as Mr. Nao."
Law scratched his head, staring at the distant screen with longing in his eyes.
"But thanks for the good wishes, Lami, hehe. I hope that in the future, I can also join the Headquarters' Elite Camp, and then graduate as the top student, just like Mr. Nao. Maybe then, when I et Mr. Nao again, he'll be surprised by !"
"But Mr. Nao has been to so many countries and saved so many people…"
Lami blinked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Will he really rember you, brother?"
"Don't… Don't be silly!"
Law's little face flushed red. "A-Anyway, you get what I an!"
This kid…
Not far away, Dr. Trafalgar watched the whole scene with amusent.
Beside him, a female doctor glanced at the Marine uniform—well, a self-made cosplay—on Law and leaned over with a teasing whisper:
"Ah-lah, didn't you always want Law to beco an excellent doctor? You're not against this anymore?"
"Against what? Him becoming a Marine?"
Dr. Trafalgar chuckled.
"How could I still be against it…? Honestly, after seeing Mr. Nao's grandeur—if I weren't already too old, I'd want to enlist.
Besides, even if his dream becos joining the Marines, he can still study dicine with .
Who knows—maybe this little brat could beco the greatest military doctor ever."
"The greatest military doctor? Law could definitely do it.
But you joining the Marines? With that beer belly of yours? You sure dare to dream…"
The female doctor poked at her husband's stomach with a laugh, but her gaze drifted back to the giant screen in the distance.
She quietly clenched her fist.
Edward Newgate… The world's strongest man.
A truly frightening opponent—
But even so, against her idol, he would surely, definitely fall in the end.
Mr. Nao…
You must give it everything you've got.
The fate of this world… this ocean… its future path will be decided by this battle!
…
Scenes like this were unfolding all across the world.
anwhile—
At the Summit War.
The torrential rain poured for a full thirty seconds before finally stopping.
The pirates, still dazed from that earth-splitting sword strike, suddenly heard thunder rolling in the distance.
They instinctively looked up—
and saw that tall, imposing figure from the execution platform stepping into the sky itself.
One step at a ti, he rose above the battlefield, looking down on Whitebeard from high above.
For a mont—
All of Marineford fell silent.
Only the white "Justice" cape fluttered loudly in the wind.
"So things can't be settled by words alone."
Under countless gazes, a calm voice echoed:
"It seems that if you want to save your son… you'll need my permission first."
Need my permission.
Though spoken so casually, the words landed in the ears of every pirate like the height of arrogance.
Damn it… does this guy know who he's talking to? The person standing in front of him is Pops Whitebeard, who bears the title of the Strongest Man in the World!
And yet—
Even pirates who normally revered Whitebeard as a god could only grit their teeth.
They had no way to refute it.
Because—
Ever since Nao acted, whether it was blasting Whitebeard off the execution platform with ease,
or that single sword strike that split the heavens—
every mont had shaken the hearts and senses of all pirates to the core.
"..."
Whitebeard's expression didn't change.
He narrowed his eyes at Nao.
Only after several seconds did the corners of his mouth slowly curl upward.
"Gurararara… what a cocky little brat…"
He tightened his grip on his massive Naginata.
With a low growl, his eyes opened wide—cold and sharp—
and an overwhelming fighting spirit erupted from him!
"If you want to stop , then try it all you want!!!"
His thunderous roar shook all of Marineford!
BOOM!
His heel struck the ground, shattering it.
Using the recoil, Whitebeard's massive body shot upward like a fired cannonball,
reaching the sky in an instant.
The massive Naginata swung in a fierce arc, slicing a semicircle through the air as it ca crashing straight toward Nao's face!
This strike—vast, heavy, overwhelming—
yet at the sa ti swift as lightning.
Even before the blade reached him, the surrounding space trembled violently, squeezed into countless fine cracks, as though it could collapse at any mont!
If—
Whitebeard's earlier strike that forced back Mihawk and the four elite Vice Admirals was rely a casual swing, thrown out with disdain…
Then this slash was the one drawn from the very bottom of his arsenal—
his true, full power!
"This is more like it."
Nao murmured calmly, expression unshaken.
Not until Murakumogiri had covered half the distance did he finally move.
Swish!
His blade descended.
The sword energy already gathered on his twin blades erupted into a blinding pillar of lightning—
and then exploded outward, splitting into countless roaring bolts of thunder that surged across the sky like a storm tide,
crashing down upon the charging Whitebeard!
Two Sword Style — Endless Thunder!
Three years ago, Nao had already used this technique to defeat Big Mom in the North Blue.
Now, after honing his wind-and-thunder swordsmanship to absolute perfection,
his Endless Thunder was far beyond its forr strength—
its destructive power incomparable.
RUMBLE!!!
Thunder roared.
The sky, which monts ago had cleared from rain, darkened again in an instant.
Under that oppressive black do, lightning clashed with quake force, tearing and grinding against each other—
sending shockwaves rippling out in all directions!
Within a radius of over a thousand ters, everyone battling—
Marine Vice Admirals, Rear Admirals, and the Whitebeard commanders—
all staggered back in panic, unable to withstand the sheer pressure.
Even though they had ntally prepared themselves, knowing that a clash between world-class titans was sothing they could never interfere with—
not even approach—
It wasn't until this very mont, standing under the true weight of it, that they realized just how far beyond imagination such a clash truly was.
There was only one thought left:
So this… this is the strongest pirate in the world… and the strongest Marine in history.
"...What terrifying might…"
In one corner, Boa Hancock gazed dreamily at the sky, eyes glazed with infatuation, her finger resting on her lips as she whispered, barely conscious:
"Ah… Lord Nao… this humble concubine…"
"DIE!!!"
A violent shout erupted behind her.
Hancock snapped to full alert—
turning just in ti to see a spiked teor hamr whistling toward her, re inches away.
Damn—when did he—?!
Her expression tightened, and she leaned back instinctively to evade—
but before she could move, a stream of yellow sand drifted in from the side, coiling into a massive hand.
It seized the teor hamr and hurled it away.
THUD!
The attacker, 7th Division Captain Rakuyo, lost balance from the sudden pull and stumbled several ters backward.
"I helped you out of convenience this one ti, and it's the last ti."
Hancock turned to see Crocodile, cigar between his teeth, speaking coldly:
"This is a battlefield, stupid woman.
If you want to swoon in infatuation, do it after the war."
"Nonsense."
Hancock's brows tightened in irritation.
"What I choose to do, I know well myself.
Since when was it your place to lecture ?"
"Ungrateful woman."
Crocodile snorted smoke, too lazy to continue arguing.
He was just about to walk away when his expression abruptly changed—
and he snapped his head upward.
What now…?
Hancock blinked and looked up as well—
and the next mont, her pupils contracted sharply.
Just like Crocodile, she was struck speechless by what she saw.
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