The towering figure of Warcury was the first to be struck by the impact punch from the Wooden Golem. His massive twelve-meter form was launched like a cannonball, spiraling through the air as vines whipped around him. He was blasted hundreds of meters back, only coming to a halt after gouging a long trench into the earth.
Sengoku and Blackbeard, charging alongside him, caught a glimpse of the devastating blow and froze for a split second.
Unbelievable. The sheer impact stunned both of them.
Realizing the danger, Sengoku wasted no time. His body glowed as he activated his Mythical Zoan, transforming into the towering golden form of the Daibutsu Buddha. With his right hand extended, he stepped forward to meet the incoming force.
"Shockwave Palm!"
A booming collision erupted. Sengoku's shockwave slammed into the Wooden Golem's fist, generating a violent explosion that forced the golden Buddha back over ten meters.
Sengoku's expression tightened. That attack was monstrous. Had Warcury not taken the brunt of the first strike, Sengoku could have been sent flying just as easily.
This was not just raw strength. The punch was layered in advanced Armament Haki, radiating with black and gold flames, and infused with Conqueror's Haki. Purple lightning crackled along the fist as it tore through the air.
It was overwhelming.
That kind of power could easily split a mountain.
Even Warcury, bolstered by his Mythical Zoan: Fēng xī no Mi, had been…thrown like a ragdoll. He had relied too much on his monstrous physicality, underestimating what Buggy's creations were capable of.
Buggy's Wooden Golem had delivered a blow infused with high-level Armament and Conqueror's infusion, creating a hybrid force capable of bypassing even the strongest defenses. Worse still, it had been unleashed too quickly for the enemy to coordinate.
Now it was Blackbeard's turn.
Reacting instinctively, he raised his left hand and summoned the swirling darkness of the Yami Yami no Mi. A black vortex formed in his palm as he tried to absorb the energy of the massive punch.
"Black Hole!"
The moment the vortex connected with the fist, Blackbeard's face twisted in horror.
"This power... It's too much!"
But it was already too late.
The Golem's fist crashed into the black hole with devastating force. A loud detonation echoed as Blackbeard was sent flying. Blood and broken teeth burst from his mouth midair, his body launched like a cannon shell across the battlefield. He smashed into the ground far in the distance, creating a crater on impact.
In just seconds, two of the world's most dangerous men were down.
Of the three who had rushed to stop Buggy, only Sengoku remained standing.
Warcury and Blackbeard were lying in ravines hundreds of meters apart, struggling to rise.
Before they could recover, thick vines from the surrounding Tree World erupted from the ground, wrapping around their limbs and pinning them down.
These vines did more than bind.
Every second of contact drained stamina from the body, slowly weakening even the strongest foes. In long battles, that kind of attrition was fatal, especially when facing a foe who didn't seem to tire.
More terrifyingly, the vines could also extract life force, but only when the target was too injured or weakened to resist.
However, even the ability to drain physical energy alone is a fearsome power.
After all that combat, Buggy's stamina remained untouched, and more shockingly, his life force had increased significantly.
Everyone remembered what he had done earlier. He had drained the life energy of Kong, the former Commander-in-Chief of the World Government. Despite his age, Kong still possessed the awakened Zoan White Tiger fruit. Users of this fruit had exceptional vitality and regeneration. For Buggy, absorbing that strength was a major enhancement.
At this moment, Buggy stood atop the True Several Thousand Hands, hands in his pockets, expression calm and distant as he looked over the battlefield.
With a single move, he had repelled three Admiral-level forces.
And he had yet to strike directly.
This overwhelming show of power sent shockwaves across the world. Those watching the live broadcast erupted in disbelief and rising excitement.
The Crimson Empire and the Supernova Alliance in the New World were the most vocal.
"He's fighting three Admirals. No, that's two Emperor-level combatants too. And he's still winning? This is what it means to be the Pirate King."
"Hahahaha, Captain Buggy is invincible."
"Screw the Celestial Dragons. Screw the Five Elders. Screw the so-called gods. Buggy is here to crush them all."
"Wooden Golem knows special moves, too, and not even a god can stop it."
"Did you see it? Buggy still has two more Wooden Golems. The one in the center already smashed the World Government's commander-in-chief before the man could even react."
"Exactly. Lord Buggy isn't even using his full strength yet. This might just be a fraction of his power. He's unbeatable."
"I'm losing my mind. I want to find a Celestial Dragon and punch their face in."
"Celestial Dragons are just trash."
"Charge on, Lord Buggy. Erase every last one of those parasites."
Buggy's power had ignited hope and fury around the world, awakening the courage to resist the so-called divine authority.
Redfield, fighting three opponents in the sky, also reacted with disbelief.
"You're kidding me," he muttered. "Your strength has grown this much, Buggy?"
He clicked his tongue.
"Since when could you do this? And here I am exhausting myself. You take Rocks. I'm done."
Redfield disappeared into the mist with a flicker. A second later, he reappeared behind Seraph-Rocks in the void, raised his leg, and kicked the clone hard in the back.
With a loud impact, Rocks was sent flying downward.
Buggy shook his head and responded without hesitation.
"Buddha – One Thousand-Armed Cannon Punch!"
A deep hum filled the air.
The True Several Thousand Hands, towering over hundreds of meters, was suddenly covered in black-gold flames. Purple-black lightning crackled around its limbs, laced with Conqueror's Haki and hardened Armament.
At Buggy's signal, the golem's fists moved.
Thousands of giant electric fists, wrapped in armor and haki, surged forward like a storm, slamming toward the falling figure of Seraph-Rocks.
High above the battlefield, Redfield drew a sharp breath.
Even though this was his second time witnessing "Buddha – One Thousand-Armed Cannon Punch," the sheer destructive force still caught him off guard. His eyes narrowed as he watched the technique unfold once again.
Now he understood why even Kong, the former Commander-in-Chief of the World Government, had been defeated in an instant by this technique. There was no doubt anymore.
This attack was terrifyingly similar in principle to his own former ultimate technique, Heaven Rend.
Every punch from that towering Wooden Golem Buddha carried the destructive weight of a peak-level Emperor. Even with the defensive genetics of the Lunarian race, the Seraphim based on Rocks could not possibly endure such an assault.
Absolute defense? In this world, that's a myth.
It's never about invincibility, only whether the attack surpasses the limits of what can be defended.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
As everyone watched with bated breath, flames erupted from Seraphim Rocks' back, forming a protective shroud.
Puff. Bang. Crack.
The flame, known to withstand even direct hits from an Admiral, held for barely a second. Then, it was obliterated.
In the blink of an eye, the Seraphim's body vanished beneath a barrage of colossal wooden fists.
Snap!
Buggy, still standing calmly atop the head of the True Several Thousand Hands, brought his palms together. Instantly, the storm of strikes ceased. The hundreds of wooden arms retracted like a tide, folding neatly behind the statue's back.
Only two enormous hands remained, clasped tightly in a prayer formation.
Between them, Seraphim Rocks was pinned.
His body, battered and crushed, began its rapid recovery process. But he had no time.
Buggy closed his eyes and muttered silently to himself.
"Life Leech."
A brilliant cyan light erupted between the palms. In two sudden flashes, the energy was absorbed, flowing through the wooden arms and back into Buggy.
He felt it immediately.
A wave of pure vitality surged through his body. Strength, raw and overwhelming, flooded his muscles. His breath deepened. His vision sharpened. His senses came alive.
It was intoxicating.
And yet, despite the temptation, Buggy did not smile.
He knew the path before him. This technique, if abused, could easily become an addiction. The idea of draining the life of others for power, becoming something no longer man, nor monster, was a fate he would never accept.
He only ever used Life Draw against true enemies. Equals. Threats to his very existence.
Never against the weak. As the thought passed through his mind, the limp body of Seraphim Rocks, drained and scorched, fell from the sky.
The Lunarian flame had vanished.
His form was reduced to something mummified, hollow, and eerily silent as it slammed into the earth.
Boom.
The impact sent a tremor through the battlefield. It wasn't just the fall that shook them.
Another Admiral-level combatant had fallen. And once again, it was Buggy who had done it.
Even Imu, the one who sat at the throne above all others, gazed down at Buggy with narrowed eyes and a tightened jaw.
For the first time, there was no scorn in that gaze, only a grave, cold curiosity.
Then came the whisper, soft and incomprehensible to all but him:
"…Have you already reached planetary level?"
---
Enjoyed the chapter?
You can read 40k words ahead and gain exclusive access to even more content over at P*treon.c*m/Marioni!