Bang, bang, bang…
The giant sandworm—now only half a body—thrashed in agony, its massive bulk slamming the ground again and again, sending tremors rolling outward.
Astonishingly, even as half a creature, it still possessed terrifying vitality.
"No surprise it's one of the Gorosei ruling the World Government. Hit with something like that and still not dead…"
Rayleigh looked at the enormous sandworm with naked disgust.
Beside him, Shiki shook his head with a trace of regret.
"Awakened Zoans almost all have absurd recovery. Even wounds like this can knit fast."
Rayleigh sighed.
"So in other words, those World Government trash—each and every one of them—has monstrous vitality. Even chopped into pieces, they won't die easily."
Shiki couldn't help another sigh.
"If not for that kind of ability, a few of them would've died back in God Valley."
Awakened Devil Fruit abilities already granted great vitality.
And this Gorosei had a Mythical Zoan—his life force was even more outrageous.
Add their so-called immortal bodies, and it was like trying to kill a cockroach.
The pirates sighed, regretting that such a terrifying strike still hadn't finished off the World Government's ruler—the Gorosei.
If even one Gorosei died here, the entire sea would shake.
Only the Marines and the other four Gorosei didn't see it that way. Staring at the huge sandworm, cold sweat beaded on their foreheads.
Jaygarcia Saturn muttered, unable to help himself:
"Wait… Shepherd Ju Peter… why is his recovery… so slow!?"
By the end, his voice was trembling.
They weren't just Mythical Zoan awakened users—they also possessed immortal bodies, nearly impossible to kill.
Normally, even bisected torsos rejoined in an instant.
But this time, the sandworm Gorosei's upper half had been blown away, and even now it hadn't recovered.
Suddenly, Saturn's expression changed.
"My Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) picked up Shepherd Ju Peter's inner voice. He's saying—don't let that black sphere hit you. That energy erases everything."
The other three Gorosei sucked in a sharp breath.
Erase everything?
Including erasing their immortal bodies?
How could that be even more fearsome than supreme Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki)?
They looked again at the writhing sandworm, then at the wounds that had barely mended after so long…
The four Gorosei exchanged looks and nodded—they understood each other perfectly.
Sengoku stepped forward:
"Lords Gorosei, I've observed just now—Uzumaki Naruto can't topple you in one go. If you join forces, you can easily—"
CLANG!
Before Sengoku could finish, a violet pentagram teleportation array bloomed beneath the Gorosei's feet.
"???"
Sengoku's eyes went wide.
And he could only watch as the very reinforcements he'd begged for jumped headlong into the array—fleeing Marine Headquarters at top speed.
Akainu: "???"
Aokiji: "???"
Sengoku: "???"
They ran?
Did the World Government not care about face at all?
If the Gorosei had heard him, they'd have spit in his face.
They were the rulers of the World Government—immortal Celestial Dragons. When things went smoothly, sure, they didn't mind getting their hands dirty.
But if the tide turned against them, why would they fight to the death?
Even if they could suppress Naruto by joining forces, what if a do-or-die brawl ended with mutual destruction?
Two Gorosei dying was not out of the question.
The battlefield fell into a strange silence. Marines and pirates stared at each other, unsure whether to keep fighting.
"Hahahahaha…"
Shiki burst out laughing and shouted at Sengoku:
"Sengoku, this is the World Government you serve? The moment it gets dangerous, they run faster than anyone!"
"Never thought the mighty Gorosei would be a bunch of cowards."
Sengoku and the three Admirals turned green, then purple.
They hadn't expected the World Government's rulers to humiliate themselves so thoroughly. Even the Marines had no retort.
In their hearts, they cursed the Gorosei to high heaven.
Finished laughing, Shiki looked at Naruto.
"Brat, I like your style. Reminds me of my glory days."
Naruto, still in Nine-Tails form, gave him a sideways glance.
"Enough self-back-patting. Back when you were the Great Admiral of the Seas, I didn't see you baring fangs at the World Government."
The World Government had ruled for eight hundred years; the Celestial Dragons had enslaved the world just as long.
And in all that time, only Fisher Tiger had climbed the Red Line with his bare hands to free slaves from the Celestial Dragons.
As for Pirate King Roger, Great Admiral Shiki, the world's strongest man Whitebeard, Dark King Rayleigh…
None had dared wage open war against the Government.
Shiki's face flushed and paled by turns. He glared like an angry lion.
"Blond brat, you provoking me? Don't think a bit of strength lets you spout nonsense. I ain't those useless weaklings!"
He swung his right hand and roared:
"—!"
At once, countless ruins and debris on the ground swirled up into the air, converging into a colossal lion.
"Not interested in playing with you…"
Naruto shook his head. The Nine-Tails casually swatted with a single massive paw—shattering the airborne lion to scraps.
Then Naruto rumbled toward the Marines:
"Are we still doing this?"
Staring at the scattered remains of the lion, Sengoku's face cycled through shadow and light. After a long breath, he said:
"Let them go."
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku…"
Many hardliners looked toward him.
But Sengoku could only shake his head and point at shattered Marineford behind him.
"Do you want to sink with this island?"
The Marines fell silent.
The pirates also exhaled in relief. If the fighting continued and the island sank, plenty of them would be dragged to the bottom too.
And so the two forces separated, parting without further conflict.
Roughly two hours later—
The Red-Haired Pirates' ship drifted in. Under Marine gazes, Shanks stood at the prow and spoke in a low voice:
"Marines, give me some face…"
Sengoku: "Beat it!"
(End of Chapter)
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