Just as Lin Xuan was about to engage in battle with the Five Elder—the bald monk—the special Den Den Mushi activated by Kong, the Fleet Admiral, abruptly cut off the live broadcast signal from Frex and his crew.
In an instant, screens across the world went black, displaying a "No Signal" message.
Countless viewers who had been engrossed in the spectacle immediately erupted in frustration.
"What's going on? Why did the broadcast suddenly cut off?"
"The Marines must've done something to block the signal!"
"Figures. After such a humiliating defeat, of course they wouldn't let the world keep watching!"
"What a shame. I really wanted to see what happens next!"
New World, Whitebeard Pirates' Territory
"The broadcast's been cut, but that was expected," Marco the Phoenix, commander of the 1st Division, remarked with a shrug.
"Tch. The Marines are useless. If they had any guts, they'd actually fight back instead of cutting the feed like cowards!" Jozu the "Diamond," commander of the 3rd Division, scoffed.
"Even if they cut it now, the damage is already done. Their reputation's in tatters," Vista, the "Flower Sword" of the 5th Division, added with a smirk.
Haruta, the childlike commander of the 12th Division, tilted his head in curiosity. "Where did these guys even come from? With power like that, they shouldn't have been unknown until now!"
The question made the crew fall into thoughtful silence.
Namur, the fishman commander of the 8th Division, crossed his arms. "Whatever. No matter how strong they are, they're no match for Pops!"
"Damn right!" Several voices chimed in agreement.
Yet Whitebeard, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
"No, Namur. That Lin Xuan… even in my prime, my chances of beating him wouldn't exceed thirty percent. And now? Practically zero."
The declaration sent a collective chill through the crew.
Their Pops—Edward Newgate, the man hailed as the Strongest in the World—had just admitted he stood no chance against Lin Xuan.
For the fiercely loyal Whitebeard Pirates, this was unimaginable. Some initially thought he was joking, but the grave look on his face erased all doubt.
The shock rippled far beyond their ranks.
Across the seas, especially among the major pirate crews—Big Mom's, Red Hair's, Kaido's—everyone was reeling from the sheer terror Lin Xuan, Madara Uchiha, and Hashirama Senju had displayed.
Whitebeard wasn't the first to give Lin Xuan such an outrageous evaluation.
The real joke? The Marines had initially placed Lin Xuan's bounty at a measly 500 million berries, and Hashirama's at a laughable 120-200 million.
In reality, Lin Xuan's bounty should've been at least 5 billion, and Madara's no less than 4 billion.
As far as the world was concerned, if Lin Xuan managed to repel the Marines and seize control of Sabaody—even if he failed to execute the Celestial Dragons—he would undoubtedly become the Fifth Emperor of the Sea.
Though the broadcast had ended, the world's attention had never been more intense. Every major faction scrambled to gather the latest updates.
Back at the Battlefield, Sabaody Archipelago
On the massive wooden ship created by Hashirama Senju, Vice Admiral Tsuru finally snapped out of her daze.
Her mind was still reeling from the sight of Sengoku being kicked through an island and Lin Xuan's monstrous Susanoo.
Her expression darkened.
Lin Xuan's power had far exceeded her worst expectations.
What worried her more was her earlier attempt to sway Kaguya Ōtsutsuki to the Marines' side. She had spent considerable effort convincing Kaguya that a being of her stature shouldn't serve under Lin Xuan—that she'd be better off joining the World Government.
For a moment, it had almost worked.
But not because of Tsuru's persuasion.
Kaguya had her own reasons—chiefly, her disdain for being controlled. If she could use the World Government to eliminate Lin Xuan, she'd be free—no fear of the Ōtsutsuki Clan's pursuit, no shackles binding her.
Another factor was her observation that Lin Xuan had seemingly weakened after their last battle, fueling her ambitions.
But now?
His sudden, overwhelming display of power shattered all her schemes.
He hadn't weakened at all—he'd been holding back.
And the World Government? Far from the invincible force Tsuru had claimed, they were being utterly crushed by Lin Xuan.
Betray him now?
That would be suicide.
Worse, if she acted against him, the consequences would be dire—whether it was being sealed away, killed, or sent back to her original world to face the wrath of the Ōtsutsuki.
Even Madara and Hashirama, as Edo Tensei reanimations, were useless to her—their chakra couldn't be absorbed.
In this world, without the Ten-Tails' power to draw from, her strength had limits. She could hold her own against Madara and Hashirama, but Lin Xuan?
No chance.
Having realized this, Kaguya cut Tsuru off before she could speak again.
"Shut it, hag. Keep yapping, and I'll drop you into a lava dimension," Kaguya said coldly.
Tsuru clenched her teeth but fell silent.
Then, her eyes flickered with a spark of hope.
Kong, the Fleet Admiral, had arrived on the battlefield.
Maybe… there's still a way.
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T/N:
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