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A fierce gale surged, accompanied by deafening thunder.
Proshu’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at the apex of the sky, at that colossal object.
Pitch-black storm clouds had coalesced into a massive, spherical mass, resembling a colossal dark sphere. Countless pinpricks of light flickered across its surface, radiating a dense network of blue electrical arcs.
It was impossible to fathom the terrifying energy contained within this gargantuan sphere or the devastating power it could unleash.
But Proshu was certain of one thing: this was not a natural phenomenon.
The source of this cataclysmic spectacle was undoubtedly the young Vice-Admiral.
When he glanced toward the center of the island, Kojin had vanished from sight. Only moments later did he notice a figure bathed in thunderlight beneath the colossal dark sphere.
“Hōng Lóng Lóng!”
Countless peals of thunder reverberated together, creating a deep, awe-inspiring celestial roar.
The wind howled in fury, ripples spread outward in ever-widening circles, and even the air seemed to warp and distort.
“This is the harbinger of a natural disaster!”
Staring up at the massive, spherical ball of lightning in the sky, Proshu exclaimed in awe, “Incredible!”
Behind him, the Marines craned their necks to witness the extraordinary sight, while the civilians huddled together in fear, trembling as they held one another.
“Bang!”
In an instant, a deafening roar ripped through the air.
The giant black sphere suddenly unleashed countless intricate arcs of electricity. As if activated, it blazed with blinding, searing light, becoming overwhelmingly bright and intensely hot.
Slowly, it began to descend from the sky, plummeting toward Baterilla Island below.
Though the descent appeared gradual, it was actually swift, lasting only a breath or two.
When the black sphere collided with the island’s surface, everyone was momentarily blinded and deafened by a terrifying roar.
Countless lightning bolts, some stretching thousands of meters long, erupted from the sphere, tearing across the island with explosive, frenzied, and icy fury.
Buildings crumbled into dust, trees disintegrated into particles, flames roared to life, and the ground turned to scorched earth.
Everything was being destroyed, enveloped by that resplendent thunderlight, twisting and vanishing into nothingness.
Proshu’s entire body trembled as he stared blankly at the scene before him.
He struggled to describe the awe that filled his heart at this moment, and he was utterly overwhelmed by the young Vice-Admiral’s immense power.
A shockwave swept outward, whipping at his robes and blasting the Battleship even farther away.
Space itself seemed to warp as Baterilla Island transformed into a miniature sun, radiating scorching heat and blinding light in all directions.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. When the light finally dissipated, the Marines opened their eyes, their vision stinging and tears streaming down their faces.
When they finally saw what remained of the island, their mouths gaped open in unison.
“Hiss!!”
“Where’s Baterilla Island?”
“Everything… it’s all gone!”
“Scorched earth! An island that was perfectly fine just moments ago has been completely reduced to scorched earth.”
Then came a chorus of gasps and horrified murmurs.
The island’s surface was pitch black. Buildings, trees, flowers, grass, rivers… everything had vanished. Only blue arcs of electricity flickered from time to time, sparking bursts of flame.
“Crack!”
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning tore through the Void, reaching the assembled group in an instant.
From within the electrical glare, a figure stepped forth.
“Vice-Admiral Kojin!!”
Gasps of shock erupted.
Proshu tensed, instinctively ducking his head.
Kojin floated in midair ahead, surrounded by lightning, and did not say a word. He merely nodded slightly. Then, with another flash of lightning, he vanished from everyone’s sight.
Proshu took a deep breath and looked once more at the island, which had already been reduced to scorched earth. His heart pounded violently.
“Thunder God.”
He muttered the two words, then turned around, his expression solemn.
‘The evacuation of the island’s civilians must be handled perfectly!’
‘I’m clinging to this powerhouse for dear life!’
‘To hell with the World Government!’
——
Only about half an hour later.
South Blue, temporary base.
“What did you say?” Sengoku suddenly sat upright, his face filled with shock.
“Vice Admiral Kojin erased Baterilla Island half an hour ago!” The Marine officer standing in front of him spoke with astonishment and hurriedly added more details.
“Countless bolts of lightning descended from the sky, reducing everything on Baterilla Island to scorched earth.”
“We’ve dispatched personnel to investigate the island.”
“But according to the latest reports, the temperature around the island has already soared above a hundred degrees Celsius, making it impossible for ordinary soldiers to approach.”
After a brief pause, the Marine officer continued.
“Furthermore, the island’s terrain has been permanently altered by his Devil Fruit ability, now constantly crackling with explosive electricity.”
“In other words, Baterilla Island has become a Lightning Island, it is no longer suitable for human habitation.”
Hearing this, Sengoku’s expression shifted repeatedly.
After a long while, he suddenly slammed the table.
“What exactly is that brat trying to do?”
It was clearly an order to deal with pregnant women, yet he destroyed an entire island?
Was this a show of force?
“What about the people on the island?” After calming down, Sengoku asked in a deep voice.
“We’ve contacted Colonel Proshu,” the officer replied hesitantly. “He claims to have evacuated all the civilians to other regions, including the pregnant women, under Vice-Admiral Kojin’s orders.”
These words plunged Sengoku into silence.
After a long time, he finally let out a sigh and sat down on the chair, his expression complicated.
“That damn brat… His thoughts are really twisted.”
The course of events was quickly clarified. A trace of helplessness and confusion appeared on Sengoku’s face. Almost instantly, he understood the meaning behind Kojin’s actions.
This was an invisible show of force. A silent act of resistance.
“Those five old geezers won’t be easy to fool…” He muttered softly, his eyes flickering.
—
Red Line, Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
Inside the resplendent and magnificent palace.
“To obliterate an entire island with a single strike and permanently alter its terrain and climate…”
“His Logia Fruit ability has been developed to its absolute limit!”
“If we speak purely of strength, Kojin has undoubtedly reached the world’s strongest rank and is already qualified to serve as an Admiral.”
An aged voice slowly echoed, heavy with authority.
“But when we consider his recent remarks…”
“His intentions are condemnable!”
“He can only be a blade in our hands, not someone we can truly rely on.”
“And even, if necessary…”
The words stopped there.
But the meaning was obvious.
Cold malice flickered in the eyes of the five elders.
After a moment, the elder with a sword at his waist spoke quietly.
“First, he killed the witness who testified against Roger.”
“Then, he relocated all the criminals on the island, dispersing them across the world, completely severing all leads.”
“If he hadn’t personally captured Roger, we would have grounds to charge him with treason for colluding with the enemy.”
Another voice chimed in, “This is a blatant violation of our orders!”
“Moreover…”
“His subsequent attack obliterated the Island.”
At this, the elder fell silent.
The power to obliterate an entire Island with a single strike had already earned their attention and stirred their apprehension.
“It was a demonstration of force!”
“He was expressing his dissatisfaction with our orders.”
Silence descended once more.
After a long pause, another voice broke the quiet.
“Let’s hold back for now. It’s not the time to confront him yet.”
“This blade still needs sharpening.”
The elder paused slightly, his eyes narrowing, a cold glint flashing in their depths.
“His records seem to indicate his birthplace…”
“As the West Blue.”
“Ohara!”
—
(End of this chapter)
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