BOOM!
The residual force of Elbaf Spear: Hakoku Sovereignty collided head-on with the surging wave of Conqueror's Haki. The resulting shockwave reversed like a hurricane, tearing through the air.
And then—another, even more terrifying surge erupted from deep within Luo Yu.
It felt like a dormant volcano had just awakened.
Dorry, who had just seen his attack reach a stalemate with the Admiral's, allowed a flicker of hope to cross his face.
A ridiculous thought crept into his mind:
Maybe… this fight isn't unwinnable?
But the moment that thought formed, a chilling, deathly aura swept over him—like plunging into an icy abyss.
Before he could fully react, another tidal wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded from Luo Yu, crashing down like a tsunami.
BOOM!
The stalemate shattered instantly.
Dorry's ultimate technique, Hakoku Sovereignty, crumbled like paper under the onslaught.
The overwhelming Haki didn't stop—it surged forward, bearing down on him.
"Dorry! I'm coming!"
Brogy, who had been watching the battle with bated breath, was stunned by the sudden reversal.
Seeing Dorry's signature move obliterated in an instant, he didn't hesitate. Grabbing his massive axe and shield, he rushed to his comrade's side.
The two giants—each towering nearly ten meters—stood shoulder to shoulder like twin mountains, weapons raised in defense.
BOOM!
The resulting shockwave tore through everything within hundreds of meters. The two giants were launched like cannonballs, crashing into the mountains behind them, shattering stone and sending debris soaring into the sky.
Far away, Vivi—safely evacuated by Igaram and Chaka—stood pale and speechless.
Were these really the invincible giants she had always admired?
They couldn't even withstand a single blow?
Was it that the giants were too weak?
No.
It was the Admiral who was too strong.
"That's Conqueror's Haki?"
Doll, finally catching her breath, looked on in disbelief.
"No… it's more than that. He's layering Armament Haki over his Conqueror's Haki to amplify the impact."
"Is that even possible?"
As a Vice Admiral and base commander, Doll was a master of Rokushiki and proficient in both Haki types.
Her Armament Haki had reached Flowing Sakura levels—an elite feat even within Marine HQ.
But what Luo Yu had just displayed made her feel like a child showing off in front of a master.
The sheer volume of Haki he wielded was staggering.
And the technique—coating Conqueror's Haki with Armament—was something she had never seen before.
"Vice Admiral Doll! Admiral Luo Yu's about to clock out—run for your life!"
Smoker glanced at his pocket watch, his face paling.
Cigar clenched between his teeth, he roared:
"White Snake Jet: Yamata-no-Orochi!"
BOOM!
Streams of smoke burst from his body, coiling like serpents.
Coated in Armament Haki, they wrapped around Vivi and the others before they could react.
Before Doll could even move, a smoke tunnel erupted in front of Smoker.
He launched himself like a railgun, dragging Vivi, Tashigi, and the others with him.
In a blink, they vanished hundreds of meters away.
Smoker rarely had to fight while traveling with Luo Yu.
But he never lacked training.
Could he take on a Warlord or a Yonko?
Probably not.
But when it came to escaping—he was unmatched.
Because Smoker knew one thing:
When Luo Yu's rushing to clock out, he doesn't care who's in the blast radius.
Doll stood frozen.
Watching Smoker vanish into the distance, her mind blanked.
But before she could process it, a suffocating pressure engulfed her.
It felt like death itself had descended.
"One minute until clock-out. If you can survive this next attack, my offer still stands. If not… I'll return your ashes to Elbaf."
Luo Yu's voice was calm.
Then—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Three deafening roars tore through the heavens.
His Haki surged skyward, forming the shape of a divine qilin.
A hundred-armed Kannon loomed behind him, its power gathering at its mouth.
Above, a nine-layered magic circle—Super-Tier Spell: Heavenfall—spread across the sky.
In that instant, three suffocating auras converged over Little Garden.
Doll, still frozen, felt her scalp go numb.
Now she understood why Smoker had turned his Logia powers into a full-time escape tool.
Faced with this apocalyptic display, only one thought remained in her mind:
Lesson one of working under the Fourth Admiral: Learn to run faster.
"Dorry! Wake up! He's serious—he's trying to kill us! If we hold anything back, we're dead!"
Brogy stood amid the rubble, every cell in his body screaming danger.
He looked around at the devastation.
He and Dorry finally shed their arrogance.
They understood—this wasn't a battle they could take lightly.
Even at full power, death was a real possibility.
But there was no turning back now.
Weapons gripped tightly, they roared with all their might, unleashing every ounce of strength they had stored over the years.
"Giant Combined Technique: Hakoku Sovereignty!"
"Death Trio!"
BOOOOOOM!
The collision that followed defied description.
Doll could only feel it.
In that moment, sound, light—everything—vanished.
A wave of death swept over her.
All she could do was pour every drop of Armament Haki into her body, shielding herself.
And then—
Still mid-escape, she was swallowed whole by the reverse shockwave.