The once thin, immature, and negligible aura in the eyes of top-tier experts was now surging at a speed that defied all logic.
From its initial faintness, within mere moments, it had reached a level that forced all the major figures present to take notice.
On the execution platform, Sengoku initially frowned and glanced over, not paying it much mind.
But when Luffy and Buggy's momentum broke through the Vice Admiral level and approached the realm of Admiral Candidates, his expression changed drastically. He could no longer remain calm and immediately roared into the Den Den Mushi:
"All forces, listen up! Stop those three immediately! Do not let them continue!"
The moment the order was relayed, Kizaru transformed into a golden streak of light, dashing forward lazily:
"Yo, so scary~ This isn't good. They must be eliminated."
Akainu, with magma churning all over his body, hurled a massive molten fist, determined to nip this anomaly in the bud.
Yet, before their attacks could reach the light, they were intercepted halfway.
Marco the Phoenix flapped his wings, blocking Kizaru's laser:
"Navy dogs, don't even think about getting past!"
Misaka Mikoto intercepted Akainu's Great Eruption.
At the bow of the Moby Dick, Whitebeard snorted coldly, raised his fist, and shattered the air, blocking the attacks from the remaining Navy forces. He said in a deep voice:
"If you want to touch my guests, you'll have to ask me first!"
Seeing this, Sengoku shouted angrily: "Mihawk, you too! Stop them!"
However, Mihawk merely stood quietly in place, as if he hadn't heard the command at all.
He had never been loyal to the World Government or the Navy. His title as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea was merely nominal, and no one had the right to order him around arbitrarily.
For him, this anomaly was far more interesting. He wanted to see what would happen next.
In that brief moment of delay, everything had already been settled.
The dazzling light slowly faded, revealing three figures once again in everyone's sight.
Uchiha Madara's aura had weakened to its limit, his body swaying unsteadily as if he might collapse at any moment.
Clearly, he had paid a great price to enhance Luffy and Buggy's strength.
Standing before him, Luffy and Buggy's demeanor had undergone a complete transformation.
Two powerful, domineering auras surged into the sky. Sensing these auras, the surrounding Marines instinctively stepped back, their minds trembling.
Just from the aura alone, it was clear that the two had, in a short time, become top-tier experts far surpassing them!
Uchiha Madara gasped for breath:
"For the next period, the potential within your bodies will gradually awaken until it is fully unleashed.
Now, you can go."
With those words, he said no more. The space around him twisted slightly, and he vanished completely, directly withdrawing from this chaotic battlefield.
On the spot, Luffy and Buggy stood dazedly, instinctively clenching their fists.
An endless stream of power surged from every limb and bone, filling every inch of their flesh. That unprecedented sense of strength made their entire bodies tremble.
Countless streams of information flooded their minds like a tide—the use of Haki, control over their bodies, mobilization of power…
In the blink of an eye, the two had completely mastered Observation Haki and Armament Haki, and had even gained a preliminary grasp of Conqueror's Haki.
At that moment, a giant Vice Admiral roared and charged forward, swinging his blade:
"Straw Hat Luffy, this ends here! Die!"
In the past, facing an opponent of a giant Vice Admiral's caliber, Luffy would have had to fight with all his might just to have a chance at victory, and even a slight misstep could have led to severe injury or defeat.
But now, his eyes narrowed slightly as he instantly activated Second Gear. Steam billowed around him, and his fists were tightly wrapped in pitch-black Armament Haki.
"Too slow!"
With a low shout, Luffy threw a punch, striking the giant Vice Admiral squarely in the chest and abdomen.
The giant Vice Admiral was hit by the fist and sent flying through the air.
At that moment, Buggy grew even more excited, also wrapping his fist in Armament Haki.
Activating his Chop-Chop Fruit ability, his fist detached and flew out, delivering a precise follow-up strike that slammed into the giant Vice Admiral once more.
The giant Vice Admiral immediately spat blood, his eyes rolling back as he completely lost consciousness, rendered incapable of further combat.
Sensing the power within him, now utterly different from before, Luffy threw his head back and roared:
"Ahhh, I really have gotten stronger! Ace, I'm coming to save you!"
Meanwhile, Buggy stood with his hands on his hips, laughing arrogantly:
"Hahaha, I always knew Lord Buggy possessed earth-shattering, immense potential!
Just you wait, you bastard Shanks! I'm about to become one of the new Four Emperors and rule over these seas!"
This scene completely stunned everyone present.
Garp stood at the edge of the execution platform, his eyes widening sharply, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
He watched his reckless grandson, who had charged all the way here, his aura skyrocketing in just a few short moments.
This rate of improvement defied all common sense, overturning a lifetime of understanding about training.
"That kid!"
The expressions of the Three Admirals also changed in unison.
The laziness vanished completely from Kizaru's face:
"What kind of bizarre ability is this, boosting those two brats' strength to this level in an instant?"
Akainu frowned deeply, his heart filled with apprehension:
"Is it some kind of Devil Fruit ability? Time manipulation, or perhaps unlocking latent potential?"
Aokiji's face was icy cold, his mind equally turbulent:
"Are the methods of the Shadow Garden already this terrifying?"
On the execution platform, Sengoku's face was as pale as paper, his hands clenched tightly, waves of shock crashing within him.
He wasn't afraid of Luffy growing stronger, nor was he afraid of Buggy causing trouble. What he feared was the implication behind this method.
If this were just Uchiha Madara's ability alone, it might be manageable. But if this were a common technique within the Shadow Garden, then they would possess the ability to mass-produce top-tier fighters.
For the World Government, for the Marines, and for the entire world order, this was a catastrophic threat.
Before anyone could recover from their shock, Luffy was already charging toward the execution platform once more.
This time, his speed was so fast it left afterimages. Observation Haki predicted attacks in advance, Armament Haki protected his body at all times, and his aura was several times stronger than before. He plowed forward recklessly, unstoppable.
The Marine high command finally realized they could wait no longer and decisively activated the subsequent battle plan.
The next moment, the roar of countless machines filled the air as rows of Pacifistas appeared from all directions.
Beam Cannons charged up, high-temperature rays locked onto Luffy, and a dense barrage of laser fire converged on him simultaneously.
The overwhelming attacks instantly sealed off the path ahead, forcibly halting Luffy's charging momentum.
Faced with the onslaught of numerous Pacifistas, even the current Luffy had no choice but to stop his advance. He let out a roar of frustration:
"Damn it, you damn robot, get out of my way! Don't stop me from saving Ace!"
Meanwhile, beside the Moby Dick, Whitebeard had just knocked out the Marine Vice Admiral who attacked him. A somewhat lonely figure slowly approached him.
The newcomer was Squard, a crucial combatant under Whitebeard's command.
With a complicated expression, he spoke softly:
"Old Man... I already know."
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