"It's quite lively down there."
Staring at the battlefield below, Meiser grinned in mid-air. "Let me say hello."
Seeing Meiser's eager expression, Buggy exclaimed in disbelief, "Hey, Meiser! Right now you should be thinking about how to land safely!"
The only person they could rely on now was Meiser with his Water Release Technique.
If this guy didn't care about them... they might all die!
"Don't worry, there's a huge water pool down there." Meiser glanced downward. "We won't die from the fall."
"Eh?!"
Hearing Meiser's words, Buggy instinctively looked down and noticed the increasingly large water pool.
"There really is one!"
Why would there be an enormous water pool on this frozen sea surface?
"Well, if there's seawater, then we indeed won't die from the fall," Bon Clay nodded.
Then, as if remembering something, he immediately cried out, "But we're Devil Fruit Ability Users!"
"Relax, you won't die!"
After saying this, Meiser turned his attention back to the distant plaza.
Then, Meiser activated his ninjutsu.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Poof!"
An identical clone appeared beside Meiser, both staring at the Marine Headquarters plaza.
"A clone?!"
Seeing the clone beside Meiser, Whitebeard visibly paused before exclaiming in surprise, "This kid is that Blood-Eyed Ninja?"
"That's right, Pops, it's him," Marco confirmed.
"This kid is really a ninja?!"
"This is my first time seeing a living ninja."
The Whitebeard Pirates stared at Meiser in the sky, their eyes filled with astonishment.
"What is this guy planning?"
Sengoku, who understood Meiser's abilities, watched the airborne figure warily, instinctively sensing something wrong.
"Hey now, this brat isn't planning to attack from mid-air, is he?" Borsalino remarked.
Watching the two figures rapidly forming hand seals, Borsalino unconsciously furrowed his brow.
But before he could do anything, Meiser in the sky launched his attack.
"Ninja Art: Multiple Thunder Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"BOOM!!"
Several massive water dragons crackling with electric arcs materialized in mid-air, roaring toward the distant Marines.
"ROAR!!"
Then these enormous water dragons charged forward, rushing toward the Marines in the distance!
"Hey!"
"They're way too big!"
Seeing the several water dragons infused with thunder power, the Marines on the Marine Headquarters plaza were stunned.
If they got hit by that attack, wouldn't they be wiped out?
"Is this the ninjutsu ability of the Blood-Eyed Ninja?"
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes at the thunder-water dragons rapidly approaching the Marine Headquarters plaza from the sky.
Then he murmured, "But such a technique might not necessarily be effective."
After all... among the Marines, there is an Admiral capable of freezing the entire ocean!
As if confirming Whitebeard's thoughts, Aokiji appeared before the several lightning-wreathed water dragons in the next instant.
Without hesitation, the man launched his attack.
"Ice Age!"
Crack—
In the blink of an eye, those enormous water dragons were frozen solid into blocks of ice by Aokiji.
However, because the Thunder Water Dragon Bullet Technique was imbued with thunder power, Aokiji's elementalized body suffered a direct blow.
Bzzzt—
"Lightning Release Technique?"
Sensing the terrifying thunder power, Aokiji immediately fully elementalized his body.
The next moment...
Crack!
Struck by the thunder power, Aokiji's body rapidly developed cracks.
Then, due to momentum, the frozen dragons crashed into him, shattering him into pieces of ice!
BOOM!!
The shattered fragments of Aokiji plummeted rapidly toward the plaza below.
Closely following were the several water dragons that had been frozen into ice!
"Whoa!"
"As expected of Admiral Aokiji!"
"Blood-Eyed Ninja, see that? This is Admiral Aokiji's power!"
Witnessing the water dragons frozen into ice, the Marines burst into cheers.
Seeing this, Meiser curled his lips into a smile. "You're celebrating too early~"
His attack wasn't over yet!
The next moment...
BOOM!!
The ice dragons crashing into the empty ground exploded into countless shards of ice, rapidly shooting out in all directions.
Simultaneously, they were still crackling with surging thunder power!
Bzzzt—
"Not good!"
Watching the ice shards flying in every direction, Aokiji—gradually reforming his human shape—narrowed his eyes sharply.
"I've been tricked!"
Zap!
"Ahhh!!"
The Marines struck by the lightning screamed in agony before their eyes rolled back and they collapsed to the ground.
"You should like this gift, right~?" Meiser said.
With a faint smile at the Marines glaring at him with fury, Meiser then followed Luffy and the others, plunging into the sea.
BOOM!!
"Hey!"
"Did you all see that?!" reporters on the Sabaody Archipelago exclaimed excitedly. "That guy who appeared on the Marine Headquarters battlefield—he's the Blood-Eyed Ninja of the Straw Hat Crew!"
"He's actually a real legendary ninja? That's unbelievable!"
"With just one move, he took out so many elite Marines... Is this his true power?"
"Too terrifying!"
"Wait, that's not right!" a man suddenly realized, his voice filled with disbelief. "Weren't the Straw Hat Crew completely wiped out? Why are he and the Straw Hat Boy still alive?"
"Quick, this is huge news!"
The reporters stared intently at the live broadcast, rapidly jotting down everything they were witnessing.
"So this is the Blood-Eyed Ninja's methods?" Capone Bege said grimly, his eyes fixed on Meiser in the footage. "What a fearsome guy."
If that guy had manipulated seawater instead, wouldn't he have been eliminated in an instant?
At that thought, Capone Bege mused inwardly: 'It seems I shouldn't make an enemy of him lightly.'
"Apoo-pa-pa~" Apoo laughed heartily. "I never expected the Straw Hat crew to participate in a war of this scale. Quite surprising, isn't it~"
"Don't you think so, Hawkins?"
Hawkins, who was sitting on a rock fiddling with his cards, didn't respond to the man. Instead, he kept frowning while arranging the cards before him, as if facing some difficult problem.
Seeing this, Apoo felt somewhat helpless but didn't say anything further—after all, this guy really did enjoy playing with those cards.
"The Straw Hat-ya and the Ninja-ya actually dare to participate in this war at Marine Headquarters. Truly astonishing," Law expressed his surprise. "This is a war where even Admirals and Four Emperors might fall. Aren't those two afraid of being killed?"
"Captain, why would they go there?" Bepo asked.
Hearing Bepo's question, Law fell silent for a moment before shaking his head. "Not sure, but it might be related to Fire Fist Ace."
Otherwise, those guys would have no reason to join a war of this magnitude, right?
"Gehihihihi, what surprising brats."
Moria watched the screen showing Meiser climbing out of the seawater with Straw Hat Boy and laughed loudly. "To actually dare cause trouble for the Marines at a time like this."
Truly a man worthy of his recognition!
Gehihihihi!
"That guy again, huh."
Absalom looked at Meiser on the screen and unconsciously touched the spot where he had been stabbed through by the other's sword.
"What, do you hate that brat?" Moria glanced at Absalom.
Absalom remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I don't hold any grudge against the Blood-Eyed Ninja."
Not only did he not resent the other, but he actually felt grateful to that man.
After all... it was because of him that their captain managed to pull himself together, wasn't it?
"I see."
Moria nodded and didn't pursue the matter further.
"That kid is getting more and more impressive." Shakky watched Meiser with a smiling gaze. "As expected of someone who managed to break out of Impel Down."
"Hahaha, well said!" Rayleigh laughed heartily. "I believe they'll definitely succeed in rescuing Ace!"
Then the man picked up his liquor gourd and took three large gulps before stopping.
"Refreshing!"
Watching Rayleigh drink so heartily, Shakky said with a smile, "Almost finished, right? Want another bottle?"
As she spoke, Shakky pulled out another bottle of liquor she had prepared in advance.
"Ahem, no no, one bottle is enough."
Glancing at Shakky who was smiling like a fox, Rayleigh cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Anyway, let's watch the broadcast, watch the broadcast."
Shakky rolled her eyes. Look how scared this guy got.
Whatever, can't be bothered with him.
Meanwhile, in the New World.
In BIG MOM's Totto Land, some people were also watching the live broadcast being transmitted from Sabaody Archipelago.
"Katakuri-ni, it's Meiser! It's Meiser!" Galette exclaimed excitedly.
After leaving Sabaody Archipelago, she had asked her brother to use their family's intelligence network to gather as much information as possible about the Straw Hat Pirates.
The result was news that the Straw Hat Pirates were suspected to have been completely wiped out, which had devastated her, making her think her man had died.
Seeing Meiser again gave Galette a feeling of having regained something lost.
"I saw it," Katakuri said.
It seemed this young man Galette favored indeed had some capabilities.
Good. Only someone like this was qualified to become his brother-in-law!
"Is this guy that Meiser who can use Ninjutsu?" Charlotte Smoothie stared at the man on the screen, a trace of shock reappearing in her eyes.
This was her first time seeing what it looked like when a ninja performed Ninjutsu.
This ability to manipulate water... it was practically the natural enemy of Devil Fruit Ability Users like them!
If this guy could truly become a member of their Charlotte Family, the strength of Totto Land would definitely become even greater!
"Did the Straw Hat Pirates rely on this Meiser's Ninjutsu to escape from two Marine Admirals?" Charlotte Daifuku said.
"That's possible."
"Water Release Technique... such an enviable ability!"
Others chimed in one after another, all marveling at the power of ninjas.
"Rather than that, I'm more curious about why he went to Marine Headquarters," Charlotte Perospero said. "Could it be they have some connection with Whitebeard?!"
At these words, everyone's expressions immediately changed.
Then, they all turned their gazes to Galette, their eyes becoming complicated.
If the Blood-Eyed Ninja was truly one of Whitebeard's people... then he probably couldn't become a member of their family.
But Galette, under their stares, acted as if she hadn't heard their words, still looking at Meiser on the screen with eyes that seemed to sparkle with little stars.
Perospero: ...
Had his words been wasted?
"Whether he is or isn't, we'll naturally know after he comes to the New World," Katakuri said calmly. "But I don't believe he's one of Whitebeard's people."
Although he didn't know the purpose of the other's visit to Marine Headquarters, his intuition told him this man definitely wouldn't be Whitebeard's son!
At this moment, Galette spoke up: "Meiser definitely isn't one of Whitebeard's people."
"How can you all be so certain?"
Katakuri didn't speak, just turned to look at Galette, who then said: "Because he said himself that he doesn't belong to any of the Four Emperors - he's a member of the Straw Hat Pirates!"
"But what if—"
"I believe him!"Galette said with an upturned corner of her mouth." "I believe he wouldn't lie to me."
Perospero: ???
Wait, what's with this lovesick maiden act?
You just believe whatever he says?
Is that right!
Forget it, we'll just investigate properly after this kid comes to the New World.
No matter what, he needed to clarify whether the other party was truly not affiliated with any of the Four Emperors.
After all... this concerned the family's interests!
At this moment, Smoothie said: "Perhaps we can find the answer from this war."
"That's true."
Charlotte Oven also nodded: "And... if Whitebeard dies at Marine Headquarters, we won't need to worry about this matter anymore."
By that time, it wouldn't matter even if the Blood-Eyed Ninja had once been Whitebeard's man, because... that old geezer was dead!
Daifuku nodded, then revealed a ferocious smile as he said, "It'd be best if that old geezer dies at Marine Headquarters! That way we can seize Whitebeard's territory!"
Hearing his words, everyone exchanged glances before bursting into laughter together.
If they could truly seize Whitebeard's territory, then... Totto Land's domain would continue to expand!
Thinking of this, everyone laughed even more heartily.
However, unlike the others, Galette kept her gaze fixed on Meiser.
"Meiser, you must survive this war!!!"