"Yaksha!!!"
"The Earthly Yaksha from myth and legend!"
"Yes! There's no mistake! The green flames above his head, those vertically aligned triangular eyes—his entire bearing—it's the form of a demigod Yaksha!"
"A Zoan-type Devil Fruit—Phantom Beast: Yaksha form!!!"
"What on earth is happening today?!"
"Zoan-type Phantom Beasts, even rarer than Logia fruits, are appearing one after another!"
"Especially the Hito Hito no Mi—the Human-Human Fruit! Besides Marshal Sengoku's Buddha form, are there actually so many divine variants?"
"At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if someone showed up with a God Form of the Human-Human Fruit!"
People both inside and outside the battlefield couldn't help but be stunned. Shock rippled through the crowd like waves—voices rose, overlapping in disbelief and awe.
World Center – Holy Land Mariejois
Pangaea Castle, Hall of the Five Elders
Within the grandest chamber atop the world, the three highest authorities of the World Government sat in silence. Their brows furrowed, expressions dark as the live broadcast continued to unfold before them.
"I thought that with Pitt leading the Holy Knights and the Seraphim, and with Nasushiro coordinating the battle in secret, everything would proceed flawlessly… I never expected things to deteriorate to this point," grumbled Saturn Elder Satan, clutching his cane so tightly his knuckles whitened.
"It's all because of Fairy Tail. Because of that man!"
Mercury Elder Wo Quli's eyes blazed with fury as he glared at the image of Sugisawa Yuuto on the screen, as though he could devour him through sheer hatred alone.
"We underestimated the power of Fairy Tail," sighed Mars Elder Marcus Mas, his white hair and beard cascading to his waist. "Their growth over the past six months has been… extraordinary. Unprecedented, even. They're complete anomalies in this world."
"If I'd known they would become this powerful, I would have erased them the moment they emerged—no matter the cost!"
Wo Quli's voice rose to a furious pitch, his face flushed red.
"At this point, what's done is done," Saturn Elder Satan muttered irritably. "What matters now is the outcome of the Naval Headquarters battle. That man has made it clear—he intends to fight us to the death! Even if Pitt and Nasushiro join forces, perhaps…"
He trailed off, shaking his head with visible frustration.
"Then what's our move? Should we all head there ourselves?" asked Mercury Elder Wolley, tapping his fingers against the armrest.
"That won't be necessary," replied Mars Elder Marcus Mas calmly. "Even if Pitt and Nasushiro can't defeat that man, it won't be easy for him to defeat them either."
Never having faced Sugisawa Yuuto personally, they could not truly comprehend the overwhelming gulf in strength. And so, the Five Elders continued to place their faith in their own power—and that of their chosen champions.
The other two elders nodded in agreement.
A Certain Sea Area, Five Kilometers from Naval Headquarters
Without warning, the ocean's surface began to swell.
Boom—!
A coated ship burst up from beneath the waves.
Crack!
The shimmering bubble coating split apart, releasing a rush of seawater as a pirate flag unfurled in the wind—a black standard marked with twin crossing swords.
Anyone witnessing the scene would have been struck speechless.
Because the ship belonged to one of the rulers of the New World—the Red-Haired Pirates, led by Shanks, one of the Four Emperors.
"Boss, something big's going down at Marineford!" said the plump crewmember Lucky Roux, gnawing on a massive hunk of meat as he spoke.
"Doesn't seem like it? This is chaos beyond imagination!" exclaimed Yasopp, sweat forming on his brow as his Observation Haki pulsed with unease.
"This Summit War… it's far more serious than we expected," said Benn Beckman, his usual calm replaced with a grim, calculating tone.
"Boss! Boss!"
From within the cabin, the booming voice of the newcomer Rockstar echoed out, nearly deafening.
"Something huge just happened! While we were coating the ship and sneaking up, an unprecedented event has erupted!"