"What kind of terrifying power is this!?"
Garp and Zephyr's minds went completely blank. The overwhelming magical energy blanketed all of Logue town like a tangible force, and was still spreading outward. One after another, people collapsed like wheat being harvested.
"Ahh… that feels so nice," Milim murmured contentedly, eyes half-closed, clearly enjoying the atmosphere.
"What… what is that ring?" Garp asked, straining under the immense pressure.
"This ring?" Milim raised her hand with a playful grin. "This was a gift from my bestie. It's called the Dragon's Word. Because my magical energy is too powerful, it was made to help me suppress it to just a tenth of my strength—so basically, right now, I'm ten times stronger than I was earlier!"
Garp and Zephyr felt a bone-deep chill. Milim had already been overwhelming enough to wipe out the entire navy… now she was ten times stronger? That was more than enough to destroy the World Government single-handedly.
Suddenly, Milim vanished on the spot. Before Garp or Zephyr could react, their vision went black—and they lost consciousness.
Milim glanced back at the two enormous craters left behind, slipped the ring back on, and giggled to herself. "Time to find my bestie. He'll definitely praise me~ Hehe… Let's go."
And with that, she shot into the sky.
Inside the Labyrinth.
Sengoku was panting heavily. His uniform was in tatters, his cape long gone, and he looked utterly disheveled.
Standing before him was a massive humanoid mech, gleaming with strange light. Behind it were twin cannons, and its hands held two great swords that shimmered with energy. It could fight at any range and was an absolute menace.
Sengoku's mood was rock bottom. Since entering the labyrinth, they'd encountered all manner of bizarre traps—man-eating flowers, falling boulders, hidden arrows, flamethrowers… and, to top it off, Observation Haki didn't even work! They had completely lost their sense of direction and had no way out.
So much time wasted—Roger had surely already been rescued by now.
Gritting his teeth, Sengoku stared at the robot. No time to waste. He had to clear the path forward.
"All together now!" he ordered. "Great Buddha Shockwave!"
A golden ripple surged from his palm. The compressed air exploded outward in a devastating wave, slamming into the robot and flinging it back against a wall. The Vice Admirals seized the opportunity.
"Rokushiki Secret Art – Overlord Lance!"
"Sword Technique – Mountain Cleaver!"
"Tempest Kick – Wolf Pack!"
"Eight Blade Style – Infinite Slash!"
Each Vice Admiral unleashed their strongest move. After enduring so many powerful attacks, the robot finally gave in. Sparks flew, and it collapsed to the ground, unmoving.
Sengoku and the others were thoroughly exhausted. They'd defeated over a dozen kinds of monsters along the way, and both their physical and mental reserves were nearly spent.
Suddenly, the walls of the labyrinth began to ripple. The downed robot faded into transparency and vanished.
Sengoku's brow furrowed deeply. They couldn't handle another powerful opponent now. If something even stronger appeared, casualties were almost guaranteed—something he desperately wanted to avoid.
Thankfully, his fears didn't come true. As the walls continued to distort, the labyrinth gradually reverted back to the prison it once was. Nothing else seemed to be happening.
"…It's returned. So that means Roger's already been rescued, huh?"
The brief joy in Sengoku's heart vanished in an instant. Without saying a word, he charged toward Roger's former cell, the Vice Admirals close behind.
Inside the now-empty prison, Sengoku took a deep breath. Damn it. The sea prism stone cell had been cleaved open cleanly. Veins bulged on Sengoku's hand—clear proof of the turmoil within the strategic mind of the Fleet Admiral.
He said nothing and turned to leave.
The Vice Admirals exchanged looks, shook their heads silently, and followed behind.
When they emerged from the prison and saw the scene outside… every single one of them froze.
The entire navy force lay sprawled unconscious across the ground. The once-lively city was in complete ruins—buildings flattened, streets shattered. Craters told the story of the sheer intensity of the battle.
Sengoku's eyes caught sight of two massive pits in the ground. His heart clenched, and he immediately jumped into one.
There, he found Garp. Checking his pulse, Sengoku sighed in relief. He was alive—just unconscious.
"Contact the World Government. Report what happened here. Have them send reinforcements." Sengoku gave the order grimly.
What kind of people could defeat Garp, Kong, and Zephyr all in such a short time? Were they even human?
Sengoku let out a long, weary sigh.
Roger had been rescued. The World Government's authority would take a massive hit, and the Navy's prestige would suffer alongside it.
The seas would no longer be calm.
Hoisting Garp over his shoulder, Sengoku's expression was dark—but there was nothing he could do.
This time… their enemy had been far beyond anything they had anticipated.