The higher-ups had made it clear: to avoid any surprises, every pirate except Captain Rodin was to be eliminated. This was a statement to the world that no one could challenge the World Government's authority. Rodin, as the worst criminal in recent years, would be publicly executed.
"Hmph, I don't need you to remind me!" Hancock said, moving in a gust of fragrant wind. "Perfume Femur!"
Crocodile, weakened and unable to move, could only put her seastone-cuffed hands in front of her. Hancock's cold eyes watched her high-heeled foot kick Crocodile's hands.
"Boom!"
"Silala…"
Petrification began, and Crocodile's body slowly stiffened. But a look of relief washed over her face. "Rodin… my journey with you comes to an end for now." She turned into a stone statue, frozen in a final, serene smile.
Thousands of meters away, Rodin, surrounded by lightning, sent Kizaru flying with a punch. His face was a mask of fury. He had felt it, but he had been constantly blocked, unable to escape. Kizaru was like glue, following his every move.
"Hancock!!!" Rodin roared, his power and rage surging. Lightning pulsed around his body, building up, as if trying to break through an invisible barrier.
"Yo yo yo, what's with the face? Did something bad happen?" A light particle condensed into Kizaru's mocking face. He didn't stop, his laser sword falling straight down.
"Ama no Murakumo!"
"Two hundred Million Volts: Thor!"
Rodin's eyes snapped open. The transparency around him faded, and he finally broke through the barrier that had tormented him for days. He had achieved the ultimate form, developed by Enel.
Suddenly, the world's colors changed. Waves of electricity shot out, and his hair turned into long, blue snakes. A torrent of lightning surrounded him, making him look like a colossal, divine figure.
"Thunder Tiger!" Rodin launched a bolt of lightning that, halfway to its target, transformed into a giant blue tiger, roaring with sharp teeth and claws. Kizaru's heart shuddered at the sight of such power. He expanded his sword several times, making it a giant blade of golden light.
"Ama no Murakumo: Expansion!"
"Sizzling! Boom!"
Kizaru narrowed his eyes as the Thunder Tiger was sliced open. He put his hands together, pointing at Dock No. 1.
"Yata Mirror!"
A beam of light shot ten kilometers away. Kizaru, now on the dock, no longer underestimated Rodin's massive new form. He kicked at Rodin with all his might. "Light Speed Kick!"
"Get out of the way!" Rodin yelled, throwing a golden trident wrapped in Haki and lightning.
"Shhhhhhhh!"
The trident easily overwhelmed Kizaru's kick, and a wave of electricity engulfed the Admiral. Rodin, not caring about Kizaru's fate, streaked toward the dock.
Rodin saw Crocodile's stone statue and Hancock, who was about to smash it. Suddenly, a terrifying aura, like falling into a fire pit, hit Hancock. She looked up and saw Rodin, now over ten meters tall, stepping on a thundercloud. His god-like appearance made her feel powerless. Even in her time as a slave, she had never felt such overwhelming oppression.
"Thunder Roar!" Rodin clapped his hands, and a pillar of lightning shot toward the four Vice Admirals. They were as insignificant as ants compared to the torrent.
"Boom!"
The thunder submerged them, then moved toward Hancock. But Rodin stopped the attack and absorbed it. He needed Hancock. He threw an attack at her, but just then, Kuma appeared behind Hancock and slapped her away with a powerful blow. The lightning struck Kuma instead. Rodin watched as his thunder chains wrapped around the Tyrant Bear and exploded.
Two seconds later, Kuma's charred body fell to the ground. "Mission complete…" he mumbled before falling silent.
Rodin heard him and his heart sank. This wasn't a fight. It was a task. Kuma was just an agent, sent to remove the Warlords from the battle.
"You've ruined my plans again and again," Rodin said, throwing a hundred-million-volt thunderball toward Kuma's body before flashing to Crocodile's side. He needed to use the Physical Repair Fluid to save her.
"Boom!" The sound of the thunderball coincided with a system notification.
[Ding, congratulations on successfully killing a Warlord and reducing the draw time by two! Your random female lottery draw time has been cooled down, would you like to start a lottery draw immediately?]
Rodin's heart pounded. This was it. He was outnumbered and his main crewmates were struggling. Mihoko was losing to Aokiji. Dove was on the defensive against Akainu. Kizaru was playing a dangerous game of hide-and-seek with Baki. If he didn't pull a powerful new character, he and his crew would be in grave danger. This was his one chance for a comeback.
"Be sure to come with a stronger character. System, give me a lottery!!!"
[Ding... Randomly drawing a female character, congratulations on drawing a female character... 'Sakazuki'! Would you like to summon immediately?]
"What, Saka... zuki?"
Rodin's face was a mix of surprise and intrigue as the system provided a detailed profile.
[Nickname] 'Scarlet Queen'
[Strength] Four stars
[Age] 38
[Origin] Parallel World 84
[Experience] Her backstory was one of grit and unyielding "justice." Born in the North Blue, Sakazuki was a girl who dreamed of being a Marine. She was gifted in both kendo and basic strength, outperforming her male counterparts. Facing prejudice, she left her hometown and dedicated herself to the Marine cause, developing an iron-blooded, unforgiving style. At 23, she joined Marine Headquarters and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the third female Vice Admiral at the age of 27. Her relentless pursuit of justice and her "brutal" style often put her at odds with other Marine factions and earned her the title of "the most vicious female Marine in history."
At 33, after eating the Lava-Lava Fruit, she was promoted to Admiral with the codename "Akainu," becoming the first female to hold the title. Three years later, she aimed for the position of Fleet Admiral but was denied due to prejudice against women. The final straw came when a Celestial Dragon tried to "conquer" her. After he captured and threatened her family, Sakazuki snapped, killing the Celestial Dragon on the spot.
She then quit the Marines and founded a new, renegade Marine force dedicated to upholding "justice" and ultimately overthrowing the World Government. Under her leadership, this new Marine, which included parallel-world versions of Fujitora, Green Bull, and Monkey D. Dragon, she annihilated the Shichibukai and even took on the territories of a Four Emperor. She became known as the "Scarlet Queen," a fearsome leader at only 38 years old.
"What a dazzling deed," Rodin said, taking a deep breath. With such a character on his side, he was ready to turn the tide.
"Of course, quickly summon!" he said.
[Ding... Summoning Sakazuki... Congratulations on your successful summoning...]
The system's sound faded as a deep vortex appeared in the scorched and deserted Dock No. 1. A fiery aura surged from the portal, melting everything around it.
"Boom!"
The first thing to emerge was a pair of shiny leather shoes, followed by a shapely calf and a red suit, with ultra-short pants that left her thighs exposed. A rose was pinned to her left breast, and her collar was embroidered with small red and purple petals. She wore a reddish Marine-style cap and a white cloak, but the word "Justice" on it was dyed a brilliant red, radiating a fierce and dominant aura.
As Sakazuki stepped out, she didn't suppress her presence. A scorching aura billowed out from her, a light in the darkness that swept across all of Water 7.
Instantly, Aokiji, who was fighting Mihoko, and Akainu, who was suppressing Dove, both stopped, their faces changing. Kizaru, who had been playing a game of cat-and-mouse with Baki, pursed his lips into a tight frown.
"Yo yo yo? When did Sakazuki learn how to split up?" he asked, his voice filled with an utter lack of confidence.