"Brother Gankuro is here! The man known as the Flower Capital Ghost! With him around, we're unstoppable!"
The younger members of Gankuro gang member shouted with fervor, their spirits instantly lifted.
At the sight of the tall figure leaping high into the air, the once demoralized crowd's eyes gleamed with renewed hope and anticipation.
On the other side, soldiers who had endured the devastating Marine bombardment and were scrambling to jump into the river to escape noticed Gankuro's dramatic arrival.
With tears streaming down their soot-covered faces, they reached out their hands toward him and cried:
"Lord Gankuro, save us!!"
In the Marine, Darius, who had been closely monitoring the battlefield from the rear, noticed the imposing figure cutting through the air with an extraordinary aura.
"Is that their leader?" Darius muttered, his brows furrowing. "We can't let him cause any trouble. Cookie, Leo, let's take him down—quickly!"
"Understood!"
Leo unsheathed the sailor's sword from his belt, its blade catching the faint sunlight, while Cookie spun his iron staff skillfully, creating a brief flourish.
Darius, his expression set in determination, activated his haki, his right fist instantly sheathed in the dark sheen of Armament Haki. He clenched it tightly, ready for combat.
"Prepare yourselves, men. We—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the battlefield was engulfed in an otherworldly transformation.
The once-clear blue sky darkened abruptly, the sun vanishing behind a sudden blanket of ominous thunderclouds. Flashes of lightning illuminated the heavens, accompanied by the low, menacing rumble of thunder.
The Marines looked up in surprise, their faces reflecting a mix of awe and trepidation.
Darius's eyes widened, and he murmured, almost in disbelief:
"This … could it be—"
Before he could finish, a blinding column of light descended from the storm-clouded sky.
The blazing white brilliance turned the darkened battlefield into a surreal stage. Gankuro, who had been mid-leap with his sword held high, froze in confusion as the light engulfed him.
A deafening CRACK of thunder echoed as the lightning struck him squarely. His body convulsed violently, and he let out a blood-curdling scream:
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
The impact sent him crashing into the ground with a resounding boom, creating a crater where he landed.
Both the Kozuki Army and the Marines stood in stunned silence, their jaws dropping at the sight of Gankuro being struck down so suddenly.
Superstitious Samurai in the Kozuki ranks froze, their swords slipping from their trembling hands.
"God… it's divine punishment! This is a sign from the gods!" one of them wailed, dropping to his knees.
"It's a warning to the Kozuki family. We've angered the heavens!"
The man's cries rippled through the remaining Kozuki soldiers, who began to kneel in despair, some even trembling so violently they collapsed altogether.
The Marines, on the other hand, exchanged astonished glances. Among the officers who understood the phenomenon, such as Darius, recognition dawned in their eyes.
Suddenly, a booming voice, cold and authoritative, echoed across the battlefield:
"God's sanction!"
As the words faded, an even thicker bolt of lightning tore through the stormy sky, its radiant energy cascading onto the already-disabled Gankuro.
The thunderous strike blasted him deep into the ground, leaving nothing but a smoldering, bottomless pit in its wake.
The scene was too much for the Kozuki Army. Soldiers dropped their weapons, tears streaming down their faces as they begged for mercy.
"God! It's a god! We surrender!"
"Spare me, divine one! I was forced into this!"
"The Kozuki family has offended the heavens! Curse them!"
Even the most loyal Kozuki samurai faltered, their morale shattered. Except for a few stubborn individuals, the entire army knelt in surrender.
Darius, along with his Marine officers, stared at the kneeling enemy in stunned silence. The Marines, despite their training, had never encountered such an utterly surreal battlefield moment.
"What are you all standing there for?" the commanding, god-like voice boomed again. "Tie them up!"
Still bewildered, the Marines hesitated. But their indecision was cut short as another volley of lightning bolts struck the few remaining Kozuki loyalists who dared to resist. The rebellious soldiers were reduced to smoldering heaps of charcoal.
As the ominous storm began to dissipate, a figure stepped forward from the shadows.
He wasn't particularly tall, but his presence was commanding.
"That… that's him!!" a sailor exclaimed, pointing at the familiar silhouette. "It's him, The God of Thunder Vice Admiral Luffy! That was his power just now!"
The realization spread like wildfire. Every Marine turned toward the figure, their eyes widening in recognition.
The man in the robe of justice stepped into the light, revealing a face that sparked cheers among the troops.
"It's Vice Admiral Monkey D. Luffy, the highest commander of Wano Country, appointed by the headquarters!"
"We're saved! Lord Thunder Emperor is here—we're going to win!"
"Long live the Marines! Luffy is invincible!"
The cheering Marines filled the air with their enthusiasm, their morale now soaring.
Luffy, having arrived in his elemental form, surveyed the battlefield. Seeing the Marines so encouraged brought a sense of relief to him.
But as the nicknames—"God of Thunder," "Lord Thunder Emperor"—echoed in his ears, Luffy scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
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