Boom!
Scorching magma splattered in all directions, and towering flames erupted into the sky. Shockwaves carried waves of heat outward in rippling circles, instantly turning the surrounding area into a sea of fire.
"Since when did the self-proclaimed 'just' Marines resort to such dishonorable ambush tactics? How ironic."
A voice, as melodious as a celestial hymn, rang out. If not for the mocking tone, it might have been even more pleasing to the ears.
"Wind Style: Gale Weasel!"
With a low chant, a fierce gust of wind suddenly swept through, clearing away the thick smoke caused by the magma. The red-hot molten rock rapidly cooled, and at the same time, Kaguya's figure was revealed.
Akainu fixed his gaze on the silver-haired girl in the distance, clenching his fists as he spoke coldly, "Against criminals like you, what need is there for tactics?"
The moment his words fell, Akainu sprang forward like a thunderbolt. His arm, visible to the naked eye, transformed into scorching magma. As he raised his bulging, muscular arm high, it suddenly expanded in size.
"Great Eruption!"
With a powerful punch, Akainu hurled a massive fist of magma into the air. In the blink of an eye, it was upon Kaguya.
The extreme heat even began melting the frozen sea beneath them.
Seeing Akainu's ferocious attack, Kaguya remained unfazed. A playful smile curved her lips as she snapped her fingers with a crisp "snap."
Water Style: Water Formation Wall.
At the same moment, Akainu's blazing magma fist reached her.
But within seconds, something felt wrong—his attack had struck something immovable, as though it had collided with a solid wall.
Akainu narrowed his eyes in alarm.
Surrounding Kaguya was a surging wall of water, spinning rapidly. The water flow was visibly increasing, forming a colossal whirlpool-like barrier.
Under normal circumstances, ordinary water would have evaporated instantly in the intense heat of Akainu's magma. Unfortunately for him, his opponent was Kaguya.
With her vast chakra reserves, she could generate an endless supply of water. If she desired, she could create a lake—perhaps even an entire ocean.
"Is that all you've got? How disappointing. If this is the extent of your strength, then you might as well die."
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
That melodious voice rang out again, but this time, it sent a chill down Akainu's spine. His Observation Haki sensed an overwhelming danger approaching.
Without hesitation, Akainu abandoned his attack and immediately leapt backward in retreat.
But it was already too late.
"Look, what is that?!"
"A tsunami?!"
"Are you kidding me? How could such a thing exist?!"
"Retreat! Hurry!"
The terrified cries of the Marines made Akainu pause. As he looked up, his pupils contracted sharply.
On the distant coastline, an enormous wall of water—hundreds of meters tall—had suddenly risen, resembling a monstrous tsunami, crashing down toward them with unstoppable force.
Damn it.
"Ice Age!"
At the critical moment, Aokiji appeared. His arms transformed into solid ice as he plunged them deep into the seawater.
Amidst a series of crisp "crack crack crack" sounds, the massive water wall instantly froze into solid ice.
"As expected of Vice Admiral Kuzan."
"Great! We're saved!"
The Marines erupted in cheers.
But before they could celebrate for long, a thunderous explosion made Kuzan's expression change.
The towering ice wall, several hundred meters high, suddenly shattered with a series of sharp "crack crack" sounds, breaking apart into countless ice fragments. Behind it, the surging tsunami roared forward, crashing down with unstoppable force.
Clearly, the water volume from the Great Waterfall Technique was far too immense—practically equivalent to an entire large lake. If this had been Kuzan twenty years later, he might have been able to freeze it completely, but at this moment, he had yet to reach that level of power.
Not to mention, this was water created by Kaguya's immense chakra, far surpassing the Great Waterfall Technique of Kisame Hoshigaki.
"Did you really think I'd let you destroy my jutsu so easily?" Hovering mid-air, Kaguya gazed down at the panicked, screaming Marines with an amused expression. "Let me teach you all a valuable lesson—don't rely too much on Devil Fruit abilities."
"Damn you! I'll kill you!"
At that moment, a figure suddenly shot up from below like an arrow—tattered clothes, a battered, wretched state.
It was Akainu.
Kaguya raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Still haven't drowned? How unexpected."
Akainu ignored her taunts. His face was dark with fury, his blazing eyes filled with rage so intense they seemed ready to ignite.
Clenching his fist tightly, he transformed it into molten lava. With a powerful swing of his muscular arm, he hurled a punch toward Kaguya in mid-air, his voice gritted out through clenched teeth.
"Hound Blaze!"
The magma fist in mid-air morphed into a ferocious, snarling hound, jaws wide open as it lunged toward Kaguya.
"Die!"
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out as blazing magma, accompanied by thick black smoke, slammed into Kaguya's body.
Molten rock splattered, flames erupted.
The scorching heatwave surged and raged, evaporating all moisture in an instant. Even the air itself distorted unnaturally from the sheer temperature.
This was one of Akainu's most formidable techniques—its power was terrifying. The searing heat could effortlessly melt through the earth's crust, and a human body struck by it would suffer catastrophic burns, both internally and externally.
However—
"Pretty hot. If used as a heater in winter, it might actually be useful."
A clear, tranquil voice suddenly rang out, making Akainu's pupils contract sharply.
As the thick smoke gradually dispersed, a black sphere appeared in mid-air. It slowly split open, revealing Kaguya's unscathed figure.
It was the Truth-Seeking Orb.
Akainu's magma had failed to penetrate its defense; even the lava on its surface was gradually dissipating.
What… is going on?
Before Akainu could think further, Kaguya's figure suddenly appeared right in front of him, flashing him a playful grin. His eyes widened in shock—he hadn't even seen her move.
Of course, he couldn't perceive her movements—because she had used the teleportation technique Amenotejikara.
Kaguya had swapped the air in front of Akainu with her own position—an ability far faster than Yomotsu Hirasaka, making it impossible for Akainu to detect.
"You looked like you were having fun attacking just now." Kaguya raised her fair hand and gently pressed it against Akainu's chest. The corner of her lips curved into a smirk. "Now it's my turn."
"Truth-Seeking Orb."
BOOM!
A blinding white light suddenly burst forth with an ear-splitting roar, so dazzling that even the sun in the sky paled in comparison. The explosion's shockwave, mixed with surging air currents, swept outward like a tsunami. The ground collapsed and cracked, rocks shattered into dust, and the frozen ocean surface instantly evaporated. The very fabric of the world seemed to change, turning everything into a scene straight out of hell.
For a long time, the violent explosion raged before finally settling.
But as the few surviving Marines struggled and crawled out from beneath the rubble, they lifted their heads toward the coastline—and their eyes widened in shock.
Not far from the shoreline, a massive crater several hundred meters wide had appeared, resembling the impact site of a meteorite. The six warships caught within the explosion's range had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only scattered wreckage. The barely recognizable fragments on the ground were all that remained of the warships' components.
As for the once lush coastline, the dense forests had been obliterated, the thick vegetation erased from existence—only a desolate wasteland remained.
When the Marines caught sight of a lone figure standing by the sea, their pupils constricted sharply, and an icy chill ran down their spines.
They recognized her—the one responsible for all of this.
It was simply unbelievable. Even an Admiral of the Marines might not be capable of such devastation.
Seemingly sensing their gaze, the silver-haired girl turned her head toward them, flashing a grin. The Marines were instantly horrified, fleeing in panic in every direction.
Had they been facing vicious criminals, they might have had the courage to fight to the death. But against this foe, it was obvious—charging in would be nothing more than meaningless suicide.
After all, they were nothing more than ordinary Marines.
"I never thought the future Fleet Admiral of the Marines would end up in such a miserable state. Truly surprising." Kaguya stood beside Akainu, who lay motionless on the ground, speaking with an unmistakable air of schadenfreude.
Akainu let out two violent coughs, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Kaguya with seething hatred, as if he wished nothing more than to tear her apart. But in his current state, there was nothing he could do.
Akainu's condition was nothing short of tragic—his uniform was tattered beyond recognition, his entire body covered in deep wounds, with fresh blood continuously seeping from them. The most gruesome injury was at his chest, where a gaping, blackened wound had collapsed inward, exposing raw bone beneath.
Though small in size, the Truth-Seeking Orb contained an immense amount of power, capable of easily annihilating an entire island. Not only that, but it embodied the forces of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, an ultra-condensed mass of chakra that transcended conventional attacks.
The reason Logia-type Devil Fruit users were so difficult to defeat was their ability to transform into their respective elements, rendering them immune to physical damage. But against Kaguya, who wielded the power of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, such abilities were rendered completely useless.
After all, Kaguya herself was a living embodiment of the Bloodline Selection ability, an existence that naturally countered Logia users.
"When you were slaughtering others, did you ever consider that one day, you might end up like this?" Kaguya pressed her foot against Akainu's body, her voice laced with mockery.
At that moment, the sharp sound of something slicing through the air suddenly rang out. Kaguya swiftly retreated, narrowly dodging the incoming attack. However, Akainu, still lying on the ground, wasn't so lucky—he was struck directly by the incoming ice spikes.
Splurt! Splurt!
"Ah!"
Blood splattered through the air.
Already gravely wounded, Akainu coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. Unable to hold on any longer, his head slumped to the side as he lost consciousness.
Kaguya turned her head—it was Aokiji, as expected.
However, Aokiji himself was not in great shape either. His body bore numerous wounds, blood stained his face, and his breathing was heavy and labored. But compared to Akainu, he was in far better condition.
Kaguya glanced at Akainu, who lay unconscious on the ground, and couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude. Was this guy Aokiji's way of settling a personal grudge against Akainu?
Gone was Aokiji's usual laid-back demeanor. His expression was serious and grim as he took up a combat stance, his voice heavy. "Who exactly are you? What are you trying to do here? Someone with your level of power couldn't possibly be unknown."
"Should I take that as a compliment?" Kaguya twirled a strand of her silver hair between her fingers and said, "As for my identity… you won't have to wait too long to find out."
Aokiji's gaze sharpened slightly. His arm condensed into an ice sword, and he spoke in a deep voice. "Since you refuse to answer, I have no choice but to settle this in battle."
At that moment, three figures suddenly lunged from behind Kaguya, brandishing their blades as they launched a swift and deadly strike at her back.
It was the three other Vice Admirals involved in the Buster Call—Stainless, Doberman, and the injured Yamakaji.
However, in a split second, Kaguya's blade was unsheathed. With a casual flick of her wrist, she effortlessly parried all three attacks.
The three Vice Admirals were secretly alarmed. They had waited for the perfect moment, attempting to ambush the silver-haired girl while she was speaking with Aokiji, but to their shock, she reacted instantly, as if she had eyes on the back of her head.
Even more terrifying—she had casually deflected their combined assault with a single motion.
It was important to note that they were not ordinary officers. Among the Marines, they were considered elites, hailed as the "hope of the Navy." Achieving the rank of Vice Admiral at a young age was a feat that required immense recognition from the higher-ups. It was a source of great pride for them.
Yet now, a silver-haired girl who had appeared out of nowhere had shattered all their confidence and pride in an instant.
Who the hell was she?
"With this level of skill, you call yourselves Vice Admirals?" Kaguya smirked. "Let me teach you how to properly wield a sword."
The moment her words fell, she gripped the hilt of her blade tightly. A fleeting glint of cold light flashed through her eyes, and in an instant, an overwhelming, violent aura exploded from her.
Sensing danger, the three Vice Admirals immediately retreated. But in doing so, they had fallen right into Kaguya's trap.
Kaguya stomped down with a burst of speed, closing the gap in an instant. With a swift flick of her wrist, her blade moved like a bolt of lightning, striking with a speed so fast that, in just the blink of an eye, she had already reached them.
The three Vice Admirals were stunned. They hadn't expected their opponent's speed to be so terrifying. But their years of battlefield experience kicked in, allowing them to quickly regain composure.
Finding themselves cornered, their survival instincts surged to the forefront. Gritting their teeth, they raised their swords, let out a battle cry, and charged straight at the incoming silver-haired girl.
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