With that, Ashveil raised his hand calmly.
"Shinra Tensei!"
A powerful Conqueror's Haki burst forth from around Ashveil's defensive barrier, and within seconds, a violent gale swept across Marineford like a raging storm.
The force was overwhelming—Marines within a ten-kilometer radius were flung through the air as if they were leaves in a hurricane.
Kaido, recognizing Ashveil's terrifying power, quickly retreated from the center of the explosion after swinging his Club, releasing a fierce Thunder Bagua before pulling back.
In the blink of an eye, a golden Buddha statue appeared before Kaido, its massive hands outstretched in a defensive stance.
"Great Buddha Form!" Sengoku roared, his body expanding into a towering golden giant. Two waves of pure energy rippled from his palms to block the roaring shockwave.
But even with the full might of the Great Buddha Form, Sengoku could barely contain the overflowing power of Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki.
The blast tore through the battlefield; Sengoku's robes whipped violently in the wind, his beard blown apart by the sheer force. A metallic taste filled his mouth before he spat a spray of blood into the air.
He looked up in disbelief, voice trembling.
"Impossible… My Great Buddha Form can't even withstand it?!"
Nearby, Kong moved at almost the same instant. His already massive arms swelled, veins bulging like cords of steel.
"Haah!"
His muscles tightened as battle intent flared, cracking the ground beneath his feet. He gathered advanced Armament Haki—Sakura Flow—around his fist, then launched a thunderous punch toward Ashveil.
The very air screamed.
Before his fist even connected, the sheer pressure split the atmosphere, and the blackened Haki-coated punch collided head-on with Ashveil's shockwave.
Boom!
The explosion shattered the air itself. Sengoku's earlier blast had weakened the wave, but Kong's strike clashed with it again, erupting into a cataclysmic detonation that shook the island.
The center of Marineford cratered—a pit several kilometers deep carved into the earth. Debris and dust filled the air, scattering like a volcanic eruption.
As the haze settled, the silhouettes of Ashveil, Sengoku, Kong, and Kaido came back into view.
Ashveil stood calmly, arms folded across his chest, his expression unbothered.
The other three looked battered—blood at the corners of Sengoku's and Kaido's mouths, while Kong stood firm but grim.
Sengoku's cracked glasses gleamed white as he frowned deeply, lost in thought.
Kaido, panting heavily, felt a rare tremor of fear. The intensity of Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki was even greater than before.
Had he not understood Ashveil's attack patterns—and retreated the instant he released Thunder Bagua, aided by the protection of Kong and Sengoku—he might have been annihilated.
It was terrifying.
If he faced Ashveil one-on-one, Kaido knew the outcome.
One move… and he'd be finished.
Who in the entire sea could achieve that kind of strength?
Kaido's eyes trembled. This monster… could he already surpass Rocks?
Across the battlefield, Marines stared wide-eyed, unable to comprehend the sight before them.
"The entire Marineford might collapse at this rate!" one shouted in disbelief.
"Kong, Sengoku, and even Kaido… are being pushed back?"
Even Whitebeard, mid-battle with Garp, turned his head. Garp's fist froze mid-swing as both men stared at the storm raging in the distance.
Whitebeard's deep laughter rumbled like thunder.
"Gurararara! Ashveil, you brat—you really didn't lie to me! What a terrifying monster you've become!"
He grinned proudly. "To think you've already reached this level…"
He was genuinely glad he had taken this young man aboard his ship ten years ago.
Garp, beside him, scowled. Despite Ashveil's calm face, Garp could feel it—the same suffocating danger he once felt from Rocks himself.
"Sengoku, I'll help you!" Garp growled, kicking off the ground, ready to use Shave to join the fray.
But before he could, a massive sword intercepted him—Whitebeard's bisento slashed down, stopping him cold.
Garp hastily coated his fist in Armament Haki and blocked. The ground cracked beneath his feet, though his knees didn't bend.
"Gurararara! Garp, your opponent is me. Don't get distracted!" Whitebeard laughed heartily.
The tide of battle had completely reversed. Whitebeard now fought with renewed vigor, while Garp's expression hardened.
The Marines' grand assault on Ashveil had turned into a desperate struggle.
"Damn it!" Garp snarled, throwing another heavy punch, but his eyes kept flicking toward Ashveil.
The sheer dominance of Ashveil's counterattack reignited the morale of the Whitebeard Pirates. Ace, Jozu, Vista, and the others steadied themselves, no longer weighed down by pressure.
Meanwhile, the Marines hesitated, fear spreading through their ranks.
Back at the center of destruction, Kong clenched his fists, veins bulging again.
"This man… he's too dangerous," he growled. "The Marines cannot allow him to live."
Ashveil smirked.
"So what if you can't allow it? Why don't you just try killing me?"
Kaido's teeth ground together, fury boiling over.
"Bastard! You damned brat!" he roared—but even as rage filled him, he couldn't move.
No one dared make the first move.
Kong ignored Kaido's tantrum and turned to Sengoku.
"Well? Any ideas?"
Sengoku's sharp eyes narrowed.
"During the last exchange," he said slowly, "I pushed my Observation Haki to its limit… and I think I've found something."
Kaido and Kong turned toward him instantly, eyes filled with hope.
"Oh? What did you see?" they asked in unison.
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