"In the face of absolute strength, strategy is child's play?"
Sabo and the others froze.
They had followed Dragon for years.
They knew his stern, no-nonsense demeanor—he rarely praised anyone, let alone openly admired them.
And yet now, he had spoken of Luoyu with unprecedented respect.
"Dragon, aren't you overestimating him?" Klar couldn't help but speak.
"No matter how strong he is, he's facing two Emperors. And according to intel from our channels, there are… others involved too."
"This is a death trap. Otherwise, Garp wouldn't have asked you to wait here and deliver the message."
"If Luoyu knew what was really happening in Totto Land, he'd probably back off. Worse, his recklessness might get Admiral Candidate Gion killed."
"Commander, I agree with Klar," Haku added, nodding.
Sabo remained silent, but his gaze toward Dragon showed agreement.
The other commanders said nothing, but their silence spoke volumes.
Dragon's smile only deepened. He patted Klar on the head and said with a chuckle:
"If you doubt him, why not ask him yourself?"
"Admiral Luoyu, eavesdropping from the shadows isn't very polite, is it?"
He's here?
Everyone's expression changed.
They had been so caught up in their debate, they hadn't noticed his arrival.
But the fact that Luoyu had approached unnoticed—despite their strength and status—was telling.
Dragon had gathered his chief of staff Sabo and all four regional commanders for this meeting.
They had hoped their presence would exert subtle pressure on Luoyu.
But before they could even try, he was already behind them.
"Dragon, I wasn't eavesdropping. You were just talking too loud. And let's be honest—when the topic is me, it's hard not to get drawn in."
Luoyu sat atop the watchtower, then leapt down to the dock, raising his gourd with a grin.
"Anyway, if Garp went through all this trouble to have you wait for me—and with everyone gathered—I assume you've got something big to tell me."
"Let me guess… it's about the Four Emperors' kill trap?"
Klar and the others stiffened.
They hadn't expected Luoyu to call it out so directly.
Before they could respond—
Sabo moved.
"Admiral Luoyu, Dragon just praised you. I want to see if it's deserved."
"And I still owe you—for Ace and Luffy!"
"Everyone—if not now, when?"
With a roar, Sabo launched himself like a cannonball toward Luoyu.
The four commanders exchanged helpless glances.
But with Sabo already attacking, they had no choice but to follow.
"Dragon Claw Fist!"
In a flash, Sabo closed the hundred-meter gap.
His right hand transformed into a dragon's claw, coated in jet-black Armament Haki.
With no flourish, he struck straight at Luoyu.
At the same time, the four commanders surrounded Luoyu, their attacks raining down like a storm.
But Luoyu didn't move.
He simply looked up.
Susanoo of the Martial God erupted.
A towering, hundred-meter armored figure materialized around him, its armor solid and gleaming.
The commanders' faces changed.
They had only seen this form once—during a Den Den Mushi broadcast.
Their attacks landed—
BOOM!
The shockwave was deafening.
Sabo's Dragon Claw slammed into Susanoo's armor.
Inside, Luoyu remained seated, sipping from his gourd.
Sabo's eyes flashed with fury.
"I refuse to believe this defense is unbreakable!"
"Dragon Claw Fist: Dragon's Breath!"
BOOM!
Compressing his Haki to the limit, Sabo unleashed a devastating burst—like a dragon's roar.
To Luoyu, it resembled a variant of the Navy's Six Powers.
But Susanoo's armor remained unscathed.
Luoyu spoke calmly:
"Sorry. I stopped using those techniques years ago."
"If that's all you've got—then get lost."
VMMM!
A crimson blade, a hundred meters long, rang out as it was drawn.
Susanoo's sword.
Sabo froze.
He had trained in Dragon Claw Fist for over a decade.
And yet, to Luoyu, it was outdated.
As the slash came down like lightning, Sabo's hair stood on end. He tried to retreat—
But it was too late.
"Wind Rend Slash!"
BOOM!
A thousand-meter slash, formed from hurricane-force winds, collided with Susanoo's blade.
The resulting explosion swept across the battlefield like a storm.
Sabo was hurled backward, as if struck by an invisible hammer.
He crashed into a mountain hundreds of meters away.
Dazed, blood churning, he looked back at the battlefield.
The four commanders had also been blown away, their faces filled with shock.
And standing between them and Luoyu—
Was Dragon, who had intercepted the blow.
Only now did Sabo understand why Dragon had praised Luoyu so highly.
In the face of absolute strength… all tricks are paper tigers.