When the name Nika was spoken directly from Whitebeard's lips, all of Marineford fell into complete silence.
The fighting ceased, the flames of war died down, and every Marine and pirate froze in place.
Everyone's gaze converged on the young man enveloped in white flame clouds, his smile pure and unrestrained.
A forbidden legend sealed away by the World Government for a century had resurfaced. A Navy Admiral was suppressed, and the tide of battle had completely reversed.
Shock, confusion, fear, awe, disbelief—countless emotions intertwined in the hearts of all present.
The Summit War, which had seemed all but decided with the Navy on the brink of total victory, was completely rewritten by Luffy's awakening of Gear Fifth: Nika.
After repelling Akainu, Luffy took a deep breath, adjusting his entire state.
With a light step, he soared into the air, shooting straight toward the sky.
His eyes locked onto the execution platform. Without hesitation, he transformed into a streak of light, charging at full speed toward the platform, determined to break through all obstacles and rescue Ace.
But the path ahead would not be smooth.
Just as Luffy drew closer to his target, a massive figure suddenly tore through the clouds, descending from above and crashing heavily into the center of the battlefield.
The hard ground trembled and cracked, rubble flying in all directions, revealing the figure of the newcomer.
It was none other than the captain of the Navy's Science Unit, Sentomaru.
The very man who had dealt a heavy blow to the Straw Hat Crew on Sabaody Archipelago!
Sentomaru gripped a giant battle-axe, his aura imposing and his gaze sharp.
Behind him, several Pacifistas lined up in formation, firmly locking onto Luffy, creating an airtight blockade that cut off all his forward routes.
Sentomaru's expression darkened, his fighting spirit blazing as he stepped forward, blocking Luffy's path. His tone was grave:
"Straw Hat, this ends here.
The power you've awakened is too bizarre and dangerous. If I let you reach the execution platform, this entire war will spiral out of control.
Today, I must stop you here. I won't let you take another step forward!"
As he spoke, the muscles in Sentomaru's arms tensed, and dense Armament Color enveloped the blade of his axe.
He couldn't help but recall the recent events on Sabaody Archipelago, where Luffy and the other Supernovas had been easily overwhelmed by him and the Pacifistas, utterly defeated.
In his view, even if Luffy had grown stronger now, he could still hold him off temporarily.
As long as he could delay him and help Admiral Kizaru relieve some pressure, his efforts would be worth it!
With this thought, Sentomaru brimmed with confidence. He raised his giant axe, gathering immense power, ready to launch a fierce assault at any moment.
However, times had long since changed.
High in the air, Luffy tilted his head, looking at the familiar obstacle before him. A relaxed, carefree smile spread across his lips, devoid of any trace of the fear and caution he once felt.
He recognized the man who had repeatedly stood in his way and spoke in a lighthearted tone:
"Hey, big guy in the red bellyband, are you still looking at me with the same old eyes?
I'm nothing like the person I was on Sabaody Archipelago anymore!"
The moment the words fell, Luffy's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Gomu-Gomu Momonga Gun!"
His arms suddenly dropped, and his fists slammed fiercely onto the shattered ground below.
In an instant, with the point of impact as the center, the entire ground was instantly and completely rubberized.
Hard rock instantly transformed into soft, highly elastic rubber. An invisible force rapidly spread along the underground veins, silently traversing beneath the soil, instantly reaching beneath the Pacifistas.
The immense power hidden underground suddenly erupted. The rubberized ground twisted layer by layer, stretched rapidly, and condensed into several sharp, thick rubber spikes that violently thrust upward from below, crashing hard into the jaws of the two Pacifistas.
Crack!
A piercing metallic shattering sound abruptly echoed across the battlefield.
The Pacifistas, once dominant on Sabaody and overpowering the Supernovas, were utterly defenseless against this sudden assault.
Their sturdy mechanical heads were instantly pierced by the sharp rubber spikes. Their precise internal structures were completely shattered, and the expensive scientific creations were instantly rendered useless.
Two Pacifistas, annihilated in an instant!
The sudden, brutal scene froze Sentomaru, who had been poised to strike.
His pupils contracted sharply. The confidence in his eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by utter astonishment.
He knew all too well the defensive strength of the Pacifistas; ordinary attacks couldn't breach them.
Yet the Luffy before him, with just one strike, had effortlessly torn through two of these mass-produced weapons.
This power far exceeded his estimations.
Shocked as he was, as an elite Navy warrior, Sentomaru's resolve was unshakable.
Even after recognizing Luffy's drastically increased combat power, he showed not a hint of retreat.
Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on his giant axe, ready to pour all his strength into a desperate attempt to block him.
But Luffy in his Nika form had long surpassed conventional understanding of speed.
The next moment, Sentomaru only saw a flicker of light and shadow before his eyes. His vision blurred abruptly as Luffy's figure vanished from its spot, moving so fast that even Observation Color could barely track his trajectory.
Before he could even react, a figure had already appeared silently at his side, close enough to touch.
A trace of impatience flashed in Luffy's eyes. Time to rescue Ace was growing ever more urgent; he had no intention of getting entangled here.
"Sorry, I don't have time to play with you slowly. Don't bother me again!"
A fist clad in Armament Color, carrying irresistible force, smashed hard into the side of Sentomaru's face.
Boom!
A tremendous impact force erupted instantly. The thick Armament Color defense shattered layer by layer.
Sentomaru was sent flying uncontrollably, landing in the distant ruins.
His head having suffered a heavy blow, his consciousness collapsed instantly. His eyes rolled back, and all strength drained from his body.
The moment he hit the ground, he completely lost consciousness and any ability to fight.
Not far away, the moment Kizaru saw Sentomaru being severely injured and knocked unconscious by a single punch, his usually lazy and gentle expression suddenly darkened.
Sentomaru was a subordinate he had personally trained and spent day and night with. Their bond was deep, and he was Kizaru's most valued and capable right-hand man.
Even knowing Luffy was Garp's grandson and held a special status, Kizaru could not tolerate someone else severely injuring his trusted aide.
The amiable smile vanished completely. Beneath the seemingly calm face, a storm was brewing.
At this moment, Navy Admiral Borsalino would hold back no longer.
He transformed into a blinding golden streak of light, arriving before Luffy in an instant, his cold voice following:
"Yasakani no Magatama."
Brilliant particles of light condensed out of thin air, countless dense and sharp light bullets erupting in all directions, sealing off every possible escape route for Luffy.
Having experienced numerous major battles, Luffy had long grown accustomed to Kizaru's usual half-hearted and casual attack intensity. Seeing the barrage of light bullets raining down, he chose not to dodge, mistakenly assuming it was still a non-threatening restraining move, and prepared to endure it head-on.