On the Moby Dick, the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates, heading at full speed towards the Marineford's sea area.
When Marco saw Ace charging towards those strangely shaped monsters, he cried out in alarm:
"Ace! Don't be reckless!"
Although Boros was dead, Marco and the others didn't think his subordinates would be easy to deal with.
If Boros was planet-destroying level, then his subordinates must be at least city-destroying level, right?
The next second, facts proved Marco correct.
Facing Ace's Fire Fist, Groribas opened the large mouth on his right side and effortlessly swallowed the sea of fire.
"Damn it!"
Marco gritted his teeth, turned his head, and shouted to Whitebeard, who was covered in IV tubes:
"Pops! I'm going to help Ace first!"
Whitebeard's expression was solemn as he nodded.
He hadn't stopped Ace from pursuing Blackbeard last time, and it nearly ended in tragedy.
This time, he absolutely couldn't just sit back.
With Whitebeard's permission, Marco's arms erupted with blue flames, transforming into wings as he swiftly flew towards the Marineford's sea area.
…
"Gomu Gomu no... Mogura Gun!"
Gear Fifth Luffy pressed his palms against the ground.
The ground rolled and surged like waves, transforming into pillar-like protrusions in the next instant, attacking all members of the Dark Matter Pirates.
On the Pirate Planet, viewers like Donquixote Doflamingo and Charlotte Katakuri had their expressions changed slightly.
'This is... Paramecia Awakening!'
'But wait, isn't your Nika Fruit a Mythical Zoan? You've been reclassified as a Mythical Zoan, yet you still keep the Paramecia Awakening skill?'
'That's a bit too much of a cheat.'
Tiger-level and below monsters basically had no way to resist this move.
But Demon-level monsters could still handle it relatively well.
As for the three Dragon-level officers...
Geryuganshoop used his octopus tentacles to block the continuous whip-like punches from the rubberized floor, while glancing sideways at Lott.
He remembered the two female humans following this white-haired kid seemed to have been with Lott earlier.
If they were acquainted, or on good terms, then he couldn't attack recklessly.
Otherwise, after killing this white-haired brat, he'd be next.
Indeed, the world isn't just about fighting and killing… it's about human relationships and social graces.
Even monsters understood this principle.
"Gomu Gomu no... White Rocket!"
Seeing the Mogura Gun was ineffective against the officers, Gear Fifth Luffy immediately switched to a stronger technique.
He leaped backward, rubberizing the mountain wall behind him, using the recoil to launch himself forward.
Combining inertia and impact force, he unleashed a full-power punch.
Geryuganshoop cursed inwardly, using his telekinesis to restrain Gear Fifth Luffy.
He slammed him hard backward.
Luckily, the mountain wall behind had been rubberized in advance, so Gear Fifth Luffy didn't take much damage.
"Amazing! Luffy's new power!"
Chopper shouted, his eyes shining:
"He can actually fight those monsters back and forth! Maybe he can win!"
"But there are too many of them. It feels dangerous to keep fighting like this!"
Nami, a non-combatant, didn't join the fight, only using her Clima-Tact to provide support.
But she was truly shocked by the power of Luffy's Nika Form.
Since they hadn't encountered Kizaru on Sabaody Archipelago, the strongest person the Straw Hats had faced on their own planet so far was Moria with absorbed shadows and the zombie Oars.
Nami thought about it… if Luffy could use this form on Thriller Bark... Well, wouldn't he wipe the floor with Moria?
However, these rookies of the Straw Hat crew, who hadn't undergone the two-year training, completely failed to see that this was entirely Geryuganshoop holding back.
He was observing Lott's attitude.
If he weren't worried this white-haired brat was connected to Lott, he would have used his telekinesis to twist the laughing idiot into minced meat just now!
And Lott, who had originally come for the entertainment, let out a light sigh.
He had initially watched Gear Fifth Luffy's fight with the attitude of watching a clown circus.
But after a couple of rounds, Lott found he wasn't as amused as he'd expected.
It was completely lacking the catharsis of seeing Momonosuke get... well, by Orochi.
Instead, he felt an inexplicable sense of melancholy.
That straw-hatted youth who would go through fire and water for his comrades, wise yet appearing foolish-
Had turned into a cackling, possessed idiot.
"Let's go."
Lott turned to Miku and Hancock.
"Huh? Lott, not watching anymore?" Miku asked curiously.
Seeing Lott's eager expression when he arrived, she thought he was really enjoying it.
"I have no interest in watching an 800-year-old ghost."
In Lott's view, the current Luffy had been possessed by that bastard Joy Boy.
Having completely lost interest in Luffy, Lott left with Hancock and the others.
As Lott's receding back figure grew farther away, the three top officers, no, the entire Dark Matter Pirates, revealed expressions of wild joy.
'Yosh!'
'They really had no connection.'
'In that case, there was no need to hold back.'
Ace, the only one among them who had mastered all three types of Haki, had his expression changed dramatically.
He rapidly retreated while shouting to the Straw Hat crew:
"Hey! Everyone, fall back!"
Confirming Lott wouldn't interfere with these people, Geryuganshoop had no reason to hold back.
'Telekinesis, full power!'
A whirlwind gathered, crushing the multiple mountains formed from the collapsed Red Line into countless fist-sized rocks.
Infused with telekinesis, they transformed into a torrential downpour the next instant, falling from the sky!
"They weren't using their full strength before!"
Robin, the most experienced in the Straw Hat crew, immediately understood.
She also noticed Lott's figure, which is now reduced to a tiny speck in the distance.
She finally realized what's going on!
'These monsters were only holding back earlier because they feared Lott's presence.'
'Now that Lott was gone, and they were sure he wouldn't get involved-'
'Naturally, they didn't need to hide it anymore!'
Robin felt like slapping herself.
She had been blinded by Luffy's new power.
She hadn't seen it at all!
"Psychic Rock Wave!!"
Geryuganshoop made his move!
Countless small meteors infused with telekinesis fell, densely packed without end.
An absolute city-destroying level attack!
The entire Straw Hat crew, including Ace, broke out in cold sweat.
He had already tested it earlier, and Logia intangibility was useless against these monsters!
"Gomu Gomu no... Balloon!"
At the critical moment, Gear Fifth Luffy took a deep breath, inflating into a giant balloon, blocking in front of everyone.
The endless telekinetic rocks smashed hard against the white balloon.
The power of the Nika Fruit was means overpowered on the Planet Pirate.
Even if beaten half to death, just thumping his heart could bring him back to life on the spot.
But there were still limits.
Not to mention Luffy had awakened nearly a year and a half early, so he didn't even know Armament Haki yet.
The rocks smashed fiercely into the Nika's balloon abdomen.
One, two, three...
After blocking over a dozen rocks-
Squelch!
Finally, one rock pierced the Nika's balloon abdomen, blood splattering out.
"Luffy!!!"
Everyone below cried out in alarm.
But now wasn't the time to worry about others.
Before Gear Fifth Luffy could land, more rocks were raining down!
"Phoenix Brand!"
A blue flash swept over the Straw Hats' heads.
Burning blue flames transformed into a shield shape, blocking the second wave of rock meteors for everyone.
"Marco!?"
Ace's expression changed dramatically.
"Get out of here, now!"
The Mythical Zoan-transformed Marco gritted his teeth, blocking while shouting.
"Farewell, straw hat chasing freedom."
On the other side, Lott, who had already reached the Five Elders and the group of Celestial Dragons, sensed Gear Fifth Luffy's rapidly weakening, and finally vanishing life force, and spoke these final words.