Before everyone's eyes, an abrupt change occurred!
The Prime Luffy's short black hair began changing—visibly turning white, as if ignited by a raging flame!
It surged upward wildly, like blazing white fire!
His eyebrows turned white too, and a ring of steam coiled around his neck like divine garments.
A strange, untamed, and unrestrained Conqueror's Haki burst from his body, shooting toward the sky!
But this time—the Haki was completely different from before.
It was no longer mere pressure and intimidation.
Now, it carried an infectious energy—something that made people want to dance, to laugh out loud!
Even stranger—the ice beneath his feet, which had been formed by Aokiji's fearsome power, began to change.
That hard, solid ice—became soft, warped—like rubber!
The surface beneath his feet was no longer cold and rigid, but bouncing and bending like elastic.
"Nika!"
"Ahahahahahahahaha!!"
Prime Luffy let out a wild, free, and absurd laugh.
His movements became exaggerated and cartoonish, like a character from an old black-and-white film—his limbs stretching and twisting in impossible ways.
He had become the embodiment of one word—Freedom.
"W-What is that?!"
A Marine officer pointed toward Luffy, voice trembling in raw fear.
"A Devil Fruit awakening… is that what this is?"
'But wait—wasn't Straw Hat's fruit supposed to be a Paramecia?'
'Why is it changing the terrain… like a Logia awakening?!'
'And his entire appearance—it's completely transformed!'
'This… this should only be possible with Zoan or Mythical Zoan types!'
Across the battlefield, neither Marine nor pirate could comprehend what was unfolding before them.
This had already surpassed everything they thought they knew about Devil Fruits.
Even Zoro—locked in fierce battle with Mihawk—suddenly pulled back.
But his eyes weren't on Mihawk.
They shifted to that white-haired figure. That overwhelming presence that felt familiar… and yet completely new.
A smile slowly curled at Zoro's lips.
"'So… it's happening again.'"
"'The Warrior of Liberation.'"
No one else on the battlefield could recognize Luffy's current form—
Except two people: Zoro and Lucian Thorn.
At the Same Time – Holy Land Mariejois
Chamber of Authority
The Five Elders, seated atop the world, watched the war unfold through the massive transponder screen with cold detachment.
Even when two versions of Whitebeard appeared…
Even when Dark King Rayleigh stepped onto the battlefield…
They felt pressure—but not panic.
Everything was still within the bounds of their control.
Until now.
The Den Den Mushi zoomed in on one scene—
Luffy, pounding his chest, hair turned white, laughing wildly.
Clack!
The First Kitetsu dropped from the hand of the blond Elder and hit the floor with a crisp clang.
For the first time ever—his eternally stern face contorted into raw panic.
"T-That form…"
The Elder who held the cursed blade stood up involuntarily. His pupils shrank to pinpricks as he stared at the screen.
"That appearance… that laugh…"
"It can't be…!"
The long-bearded Elder's voice was hoarse—shaken by a disbelief bordering on dread.
"The fruit we've been searching for over 800 years…"
"Zoan-Type, Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Form—Nika!"
"Sun God… Nika!!"
The remaining two Elders were also visibly shaken!
These were the highest authorities of the World Government, the masters of the Celestial Dragons—and yet now, they trembled like frightened old men.
"It awakened… inside Straw Hat Luffy?!"
"The World Government went to great lengths to hide this fruit's existence… we even disguised it as a Rubber Fruit! We never paid it much mind—"
"Because it was nearly impossible for anyone to awaken it!"
But Straw Hat had done it!
Suddenly—the blond Elder slammed his fist onto the table with a beast-like snarl.
"This fruit… it's always had a will of its own! It's been evading us—for 800 years!"
"And now—it's awakened!"
"In front of the entire world!"
Panic!
A dread like no other gripped the Chamber of Authority.
Far more terrifying than the appearance of two Whitebeards—was the resurrection of this.
Because Whitebeard was a ruler of an era…
But Nika—
Nika was the greatest enemy to their rule—the symbol of that "Great Kingdom" erased from history!
He was the Warrior of Liberation.
His very existence… was blasphemy against the so-called "gods"!
"Forget Whitebeard!"
"Forget Fire Fist Ace!"
"This war's outcome doesn't matter anymore!"
The blond Elder raised his head—eyes blazing with murderous resolve so cold it seemed to freeze the very air.
"Sun God Nika must not leave Marineford alive!"
"Absolutely not! He must NOT survive!"
"He must be erased—completely wiped from existence!"
All five reached instant agreement.
They had made a decision that would shake the war—and the entire world—to its core.
One Elder picked up a golden Den Den Mushi—an emergency line of the highest level.
It instantly connected to CP0's command center.
"This is CP0," came the mechanical voice on the other end.
The blond Elder gave the command in a voice that brooked no refusal.
"By the authority of the World Government's highest command, I issue the supreme directive."
"CP0—all agents—mobilize immediately!"
Then he picked up a second Den Den Mushi—directly calling the Commander-in-Chief of all World Government forces:
Kong.
"Kong! Deploy everything you have!"
"Target—Marineford!"
"No matter the cost! Ignore all casualties!"
"Eradicate Straw Hat Luffy!"
"I repeat—!"
His voice exploded through the line like a judgment from the pits of hell:
"Wipe out Straw Hat—Monkey D. Luffy!!"
"Use any means necessary. Accept any loss. Level all of Marineford if you must!"
When the call ended, the five elders exchanged glances.
And in each other's eyes—they saw something they'd never seen before:
Unshakable resolve.
'These forces may not be enough to kill Nika.'
'It's time for us to act personally.'
"Exactly."
"And we must witness his death—with our own eyes."
"That eight-hundred-year nightmare…"
"Must never return."