Akainu's Great Eruption roared against the tsunami, while Fujitora unleashed his technique—Hell Journey.
Lacking Aokiji's freezing ability, the navy relied on Fujitora's gravity as their only chance to suppress the massive waves.
As a wielder of the Gravity-Gravity Fruit, Fujitora could bend weight itself. Hell Journey crushed the battlefield with immense force, strong enough to collapse entire landscapes. In the original story, even Zoro, after two years of training under Hawkeye, had been unable to withstand this move. Its power was undeniable.
"Boom—!!"
The tsunami surged toward the flagship, only to be blasted apart by Akainu's molten fist before being crushed downward by Fujitora's gravity.
Seawater that moments ago towered like a mountain collapsed with a deafening roar, slamming back into the ocean and shaking the entire sea.
It was as if a colossal beast had taken a bite out of the towering wave—an enormous chunk of the tsunami vanished.
The flagship was spared.
But before the crew could even breathe in relief, their joy turned to horror. Around them, dozens of other ships were swept away like toys, consumed by the sea in an instant.
Akainu and Fujitora had saved the flagship… but they could not save the fleet.
"This… this can't be real…!"
"The Sonny is gone!"
"The Kirishima too—damn it, my comrades were on board!"
"That's the Musashi! It's been smashed to pieces—everyone inside is—!"
"Jerry! My brother Jerry was still on the Fusa! Somebody, save them!"
Grief and despair spread like wildfire.
They had set out with over a hundred warships.
Now, only the flagship remained intact. The rest were either destroyed outright or shattered into drifting wreckage.
The sea was littered with broken timbers, mangled corpses, and the cries of the dying.
A suffocating sorrow fell upon the surviving navy. Even the seasoned commanders who had lived through countless battles were shaken to their core.
"MUNDO!!"
Garp's voice thundered, his eyes bloodshot with fury. His regret for Fenric was gone. In its place burned only hatred.
Fenric had not only shaken the very foundation of the navy but drowned countless lives in blood and waves.
"Guru… Guru…"
Molten slurry bubbled as Akainu's body ignited, half of him transformed into searing lava. The sheer heat distorted the air around him.
"ALL NAVAL FORCES—HEAR MY ORDER!" Akainu bellowed, his teeth clenched, his rage barely contained. "AT ALL COSTS—KILL MUNDO!!"
No one objected.
From the highest officer to the youngest recruit, all eyes fixed on Fenric with murderous resolve. Even the trembling rookies burned with fury, their fear consumed by the sight of their comrades' corpses drifting on the waves.
"Fleet Admiral!"
A colonel's voice rang out, panicked. "Shichibukai Moonlight Moria has fled!"
Akainu's eyes darkened, a flicker of killing intent flashing through them.
"Leave that worm. Focus everything on Mundo!"
The words made it clear—after today, Akainu intended to personally settle accounts with Moria.
Farther out at sea, three other ships lingered cautiously at the edge of the battlefield. The other Shichibukai had no intention of stepping in.
"Hah… that fool Moria really lives up to his reputation," Doflamingo cackled, strings dancing at his fingertips as he fixed his gaze on Fenric. "But this Mundo… showing one overwhelming power after another… kukuku… he's a monster! This is getting more and more exciting."
On another ship, Hancock's younger sister spoke with awe, "Sister, Senior Mundo is so powerful… perhaps he doesn't even need our help."
But Hancock's expression remained grave.
"No. What he destroyed just now was mostly the lower ranks. The true backbone of the navy—the admirals and their elite—still stand. Senior Mundo is still in danger. We must be ready to support him at any moment."
"I understand, Sister."
Back on the shore, Kizaru exhaled softly, watching the wreckage and corpses drift on the tide. His usual languid demeanor was shadowed by rare frustration.
"Unforgivable sin, Mundo…" he muttered.
Fenric's voice rang out coldly. "Sin? They came to capture me. Should I have stood still and let myself be shackled?"
His gaze swept the sea of corpses without a flicker of remorse.
"From the moment the navy and pirates came into existence, they were destined to clash. As soldiers of the navy, they should have accepted the risk of being crushed by pirates."
Kizaru fell silent, lips pressed thin. He knew there was no true right or wrong here—only opposing sides, locked in fate.
Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, his voice calm but heavy. "Boy Mundo, you've stirred up a hornet's nest. From here on, they'll fight you with nothing less than the determination to kill."
Fenric met his gaze. He could already feel the killing intent radiating from Akainu and the others.
"Mr. Rayleigh," Fenric said firmly, "you should leave now. I intend to fight without restraint. If you remain, you might be caught in the crossfire."
Rayleigh sighed and smiled faintly. "So, I've become a burden, have I? Hmph… perhaps age really has caught up with me."
Yet he knew Fenric spoke truth. If Fenric hadn't shielded him from the earlier tsunami, he would have been forced to retreat beneath the flagship for cover.
"Very well. Boy Mundo, take care. I hope we meet again."
"We will," Fenric said without hesitation. "That much, I promise."
Rayleigh chuckled. "Confident as ever."
He turned to Kizaru. "Admiral, it's far too dangerous to linger. You'd best come with me."
Without waiting for a reply, Rayleigh seized him and retreated swiftly.
Akainu and the others made no move to stop them.
For every navy present, there was only one target left.
Mundo.
Their single, united goal—
Kill him.