The strange voice and peculiar words immediately captured the attention of Cavendish and the others, causing them all to look up toward the sky.
They could see a yellow figure floating in the air, observing Jerry from a safe distance while spreading his hands in a gesture that conveyed helplessness beyond words.
The newcomer was none other than Admiral Kizaru, the Marine officer who had been ordered to pursue World. Cavendish and the others were certainly no strangers to him, having faced him during the War of Marineford.
"Admiral Kizaru, what brings you here today?" Jerry called out while glancing at the Marine fleet that was vaguely visible in the distance. "Are you here to arrest us again?"
Kizaru shook his head and sighed with obvious resignation. "I didn't expect this world to be so small. If this were an official assignment, I'd rather continue my vacation... I only came here to hunt down that man."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed toward the location where World had crash-landed.
"You had me worried there for a moment," Jerry said, patting his chest with exaggerated relief. "I thought you'd developed the ability to monitor even the Calm Belt."
Kizaru blinked slowly, first studying Jerry's relaxed demeanor, then looking down at the severely damaged pirate ship below. He appeared to fall into deep contemplation, seemingly considering what specific course of action to take next.
Jerry was unaware that following the War of Marineford, although he hadn't been officially designated as an Emperor, he now received treatment similar to the Four Emperors within Marine ranks.
While there was no explicit policy, the Marines would try to avoid direct confrontation with him unless absolutely necessary for mission success.
Now, with barely half a month having passed since the war's conclusion, Marine Headquarters was still busy reassuring the public and reestablishing their authority. Kizaru had no desire to create additional complications during this critical period.
Jerry's devastating combat abilities remained vivid in everyone's memories. Even though Kizaru was confident he could hold his own against Jerry, he also knew his opponent could escape at any time if he chose to.
But Kizaru didn't dare gamble with the safety of the Marine fleet he'd brought along. He'd noticed that Cavendish and the others were positioned on the pirate ship below, and there seemed to be additional people concealed on the distant island.
"Brother Jerry, why don't we let him..." After considering the situation carefully, Kizaru started to suggest something but suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
He then lowered his head to look down at the wreckage and muttered to himself with growing concern, "Hmm? It seems like he doesn't want to come quietly."
On the battlefield below, Jerry suddenly shouted with obvious urgency, "Carrot! Get off that ship immediately!"
After delivering this warning, a fierce gleam flashed dangerously in his eyes.
At the same moment, World's increasingly unhinged voice erupted from the wreckage: "What do you think I am?! I am Byrnndi World, the World Destroyer!"
"More-More: Hundred-Times Cannon!"
Since the ship's main gun had originally been aimed toward Ruskaina Island, this devastating final shot was naturally directed at that location where Jerry's other crewmates were waiting.
"You're really asking for death now!"
Seeing the cannonball leave the barrel and instantly expand to a hundred times its original size, Jerry's furious roar echoed across the battlefield.
His figure moved like a phantom, and in an instant he had positioned himself directly above the projectile's trajectory.
As Jerry raised his fist, a heart-stopping surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted outward, causing violent winds to howl in all directions as if the very sky and earth were changing color.
Just as Jerry's body formed a perfect line with both the cannonball and World's position, he delivered an earth-shaking punch downward.
"Water God: Leviathan Judgment"
The invisible energy seemed to condense into an enormous dragon as Jerry attacked with devastating force from above.
The first target to be struck was the hundred-times amplified cannonball that had been large enough to block out the sun. The powerful energy dragon passed straight through it, detonating the projectile instantly and creating a thunderous explosion that reverberated across the heavens.
The next moment, both the shockwaves and metal fragments caused by the shell's destruction were swept up by the tremendous winds surrounding the energy dragon and blasted directly toward World's location.
This terrifying display left the already severely injured World staring in complete shock, no longer possessing the strength to attempt any evasion.
Another deafening roar swept through the surrounding area as the central command section of World's island-sized pirate ship was reduced to dust in an instant, blasted deep into the ocean.
Afterward, the massive energy dragon plunged straight into the sea like a falling meteor, creating tremendous waves that surged high and rushed outward in all directions, shocking everyone who witnessed the devastating attack.
"Ah... mission accomplished. Time to pack up and leave," Kizaru murmured, his words drifting away on the wind. In an instant, he transformed into a beam of dazzling light and shot toward the distant Marine fleet.
The entire Marine formation quickly turned around and disappeared beyond the horizon within minutes.
After witnessing that absolutely horrifying scene, the tsunami that was about to strike the area was rapidly suppressed by Jerry in the blink of an eye, vanishing into thin air. Byojack managed to break free from Cavendish's protective grip.
He stepped out of the water shield that Jerry had created to protect everyone and jumped into the ocean without any hesitation.
Then he began waving his frail arms and swimming desperately toward the wreckage of the ship that had once carried his beautiful dreams—the ship that was supposed to have been a symbol of their freedom.
His younger brother was somewhere in that devastation, having disappeared completely, perhaps torn apart by the violent winds or dragged down to the ocean floor.
"World! Even if you misunderstood everyone and became like this, you're still my brother," Byojack whispered to himself, paddling slowly through the water with unwavering determination in his gaze.
Cavendish stared at Byojack's retreating figure and called out with genuine concern, "Hey! Old man! Don't go getting yourself killed! I risked my life to save you back there..."
Obviously, when mortal danger had been approaching, it was Cavendish who had stepped forward at the critical moment to rescue Byojack from certain death.
Seeing Jerry land gracefully beside him, Carrot blinked her large eyes and asked with innocent curiosity, "Is that old man going to be okay out there by himself?"
Jerry remained silent for several seconds before shaking his head thoughtfully. "Perhaps, in his heart, World will always remain his unchanging family member."
Jerry had been able to sense and capture fragments of thoughts that Byojack had unconsciously projected, learning about his relationship with World. He understood this was an elderly man who had always remained true to his original principles and loyalty.
It was simply that as World's power had grown over the years, his temperament had gradually changed as well. The terrible misunderstanding from thirty years ago had convinced him that everyone had betrayed him, making it impossible for Byojack to persuade him to return to his former self.
"Well, let's head back," Jerry said gently, stroking Carrot's head affectionately before manipulating the ocean currents to slowly return toward Ruskaina Island with his three companions.
He understood that Byojack, already in the twilight of his life, had made the decision to remain with World's memory, and no one could change his mind.
Just as the group hadn't traveled very far, a series of intense splashing sounds suddenly erupted across the sea area, accompanied by massive waves surging toward them.
However, because Jerry had already reinforced the ocean current beneath their feet, Brook and the others weren't affected by the rising and falling waves. Instead, they continued walking as if on solid ground.
"Huh? So many Sea Kings?!" The group floating toward the island looked back to see enormous monsters thousands of meters in length tumbling through the water. They couldn't help but stare at each other in amazement.
Jerry stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Is it because that turtle ship sank that they've actually created a feeding ground here for me?"
As he spoke, Jerry's eyes focused on the massive bodies of these Sea Kings, then shifted toward the shallow coastline where his fishing rod remained positioned in the distance.
He clenched his right fist and struck it against his left palm as sudden understanding dawned on him. "I see! Sea Kings are deep-water fish!"
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