"We've already sacrificed so much—we must rescue the Celestial Dragons! Otherwise, all these Marines will have died in vain!" Sengoku steeled himself, forcing his mind back into focus.
His gaze swept across the battlefield, reassessing the situation.
At that moment, the most intense clashes were undoubtedly those involving the Marine Admirals. However, to avoid collateral damage, Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru had each drawn their opponents far away from the main forces.
Even from several kilometers away, the sheer intensity of their battles sent shockwaves through the air, making everyone tremble.
Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru were fighting desperately—either to defeat their foes or, at the very least, keep them occupied.
Kizaru and Namikaze Minato seemed evenly matched, locked in a thrilling duel. Meanwhile, Akainu and Aokiji appeared to be struggling against Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, as if they were mere playthings in the hands of legends.
Sengoku then shifted his attention to the other battlefields.
Crocodile was still being swung around like a weapon by the First Kazekage, while Gecko Moria lay smoldering on the ground, unmoving—whether dead or unconscious was unclear.
And then there was Hawkeye...
"Hmm?!" Sengoku's eyes widened in shock.
Because right then, Mihawk had leaped directly in front of Lin Xuan's wooden ship and declared in a deep voice:
"You there—face me in battle!"
He had actually challenged Lin Xuan directly!
However, instead of feeling anger, Sengoku was filled with anticipation.
He hoped that Mihawk could lure Lin Xuan away. If that happened, they might have a chance to rescue the Celestial Dragons.
But in response to Mihawk's challenge, Lin Xuan merely shook his head.
"You are no match for me. Besides, swordsmanship is not my forte."
Then, his gaze fell upon one of the few remaining figures on the ship—a middle-aged man with silver-white hair. His eyes gleamed with interest.
"White Fang, this man is the world's greatest swordsman. Since you, too, specialize in the blade, why not test your skills against him?"
Hearing this, Sakumo Hatake's eyes lit up.
"The world's greatest swordsmaster? Now that's a worthy opponent!"
With that, he leaped forward, landing right in front of Mihawk.
Mihawk had initially been displeased when Lin Xuan refused his challenge, intending to press further. But the moment he laid eyes on Sakumo, his pupils contracted sharply.
From Sakumo, he sensed an overwhelming, razor-sharp aura—one that only the most elite swordsmen possessed.
This man was a true master of the blade!
Instantly, Mihawk's excitement surged.
Though Sakumo might not be as overwhelmingly powerful as Lin Xuan, he was undoubtedly the perfect opponent for Mihawk!
Without hesitation, Mihawk immediately moved to engage Sakumo, leading him to an open area where they could duel properly.
Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, versus the World's Greatest Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk!
This battle was destined to be just as intense and spectacular as those of the three Marine Admirals.
However, Sengoku had no time to appreciate it.
At first, he felt disappointed that Mihawk hadn't lured Lin Xuan away. But then he realized that Mihawk had at least drawn away one of Lin Xuan's top fighters—still a significant contribution.
As for the remaining fighters, he could only hope others would step up to challenge them.
"Donquixote Doflamingo!"
Sengoku first thought of him, but after scanning the battlefield, he saw that Doflamingo was already locked in combat—against a strange man whose body sprouted countless tendril-like appendages.
Donquixote Doflamingo vs. Akatsuki's Kakuzu!
After watching for a moment, Sengoku saw that their battle was evenly matched, with neither side gaining the upper hand.
He couldn't tell whether Doflamingo was genuinely struggling or simply feigning effort, but he had no time to dwell on it. His hopes now rested on others.
Then, finally, another challenger stepped forward to face Lin Xuan.
Jinbe, the Knight of the Sea!
When Jinbe appeared before Lin Xuan, assuming a Fish-Man Karate stance and loudly issuing his challenge, Sengoku was almost moved to tears.
"Truly, a man of honor!"
Jinbe, unlike Doflamingo, was reliable in critical moments!
Unfortunately, Jinbe still failed to pique Lin Xuan's interest. Instead, it was the First Raikage—who had shown little enthusiasm for battle until now—who took notice.
"A Fish-Man? Fascinating. I've caught plenty of fish before, but a Fish-Man is a first. I wonder if electrocuting one feels any different?"
Hearing this, Jinbe's face darkened.
This bastard was mocking him?!
Suppressing his fury, Jinbe growled, "I would appreciate your guidance!"
"Gladly!"
The First Raikage grinned, then suddenly lunged forward, unleashing a bolt of lightning!
Jinbe barely managed to dodge, his expression shifting to alarm.
Lin Xuan couldn't help but find the situation absurd.
"This guy really is trying to electrocute a fish..."
He silently wished Jinbe luck—hoping he wouldn't end up fried.
Just then, another figure approached.
Bartholomew Kuma.
The moment Lin Xuan saw the massive man clutching his Bible, his Sharingan activated instantly.
On the command ship, Sengoku's heart raced—was Lin Xuan finally going to engage?
But his hopes were quickly dashed.
Lin Xuan merely studied Kuma for a moment before shaking his head with a sigh.
His disappointment stemmed from recalling Kuma's tragic fate in the original timeline—reduced to a mindless cyborg and even used as a plaything by the Celestial Dragons.
Of course, Sengoku didn't know this. All he saw was Lin Xuan's disinterest, followed by Kuma being intercepted by the Third Raikage.
At this point, Sengoku gritted his teeth.
"It seems I have no choice but to step in myself!"
But just as he made this decision—
A flash of crimson suddenly appeared on Lin Xuan's ship.
The Empress of Amazon Lily—Boa Hancock!
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T/N:
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