Betty lifted her flag once more, sweeping it through the air. Layers of black stone walls erupted around her and Ivankov, forming a fragile barrier. It was the only defense they could muster in this desperate moment.
As expected, the aftershocks of the Sword Saint's attack shattered the walls instantly, reducing the fragments to dust. In a blinding flash, both of them were consumed, disappearing without a trace.
Sabo, the only one left, teetered on the edge of madness as he watched his comrades vanish.
In a desperate surge, he replicated Dragon's Fist technique, his arm flowing with Armament Haki, forming a dragon-head pattern, and he charged into the oncoming aftershocks. A roar, identical to Dragon's own, erupted from him.
Boom!
The force of Sabo's strike met the holy sword's aftershocks, producing a sharp clang as metal collided with Haki-infused energy. For a moment, the blinding light faltered under Sabo's strength, and he gasped, realizing he had momentarily withstood the attack.
But the Sword Saint's assault was far from over. Light erupted from every direction again. Sabo's Dragon Fist had only delayed the inevitable; the Sword Saint's strike continued relentlessly, filling the battlefield with dazzling slashes from all angles.
The brilliance overwhelmed Sabo's senses, blinding him completely. A deafening roar filled his head, and he collapsed to the ground, swallowed by the radiant light. The World Government's headquarters seemed to vanish in that instant.
Above, the Sword Saint hovered midair, sliding his holy sword back into its sheath. His grotesque visage slowly returned to its usual handsome form.
"Hmph, inferior human. You remain nothing more than that. Ashveil, mark my words, today I will eliminate you!" he declared, cold fury in his voice.
His battle with Dragon had been merely a warm-up.
Without hesitation, a sphere of Conqueror's Haki erupted beneath his feet. The Sword Saint launched himself toward Ashveil's location with devastating speed.
As Imu's lifelong guardian, his mission was singular: destroy any human who threatened her. The Whitebeard Pirates were not his target; only Ashveil warranted his full wrath.
Boom!
Like a rocket slicing through the atmosphere, the Sword Saint left a white streak across the sky, moving at near-teleportation speed. The friction between him and the air roared across a ten-kilometer radius, forcing everyone below to look upward.
"Look… what is that?"
"Faster than a meteor! I only caught the tail!"
"It… it looks like a person!"
"Impossible… can someone really fly like that, at such speed?"
Skepticism and awe filled the crowd. No one could comprehend a human moving faster than a meteor without being incinerated by air friction.
Meanwhile, Ashveil relaxed in his dormitory, sipping red wine from Dressrosa. Beside him, Hancock carried a tray of assorted fruits, her regal presence unshaken.
Urouge stood ready for any command. The Whitebeard Pirates, rich and triumphant, spent their days in leisure. Bonfires, picnics, and laughter filled their ships, while the mundane tasks of cleaning, supply, and base construction were handled by loyal subordinates.
On this day, a massive roar tore through the sky. Workers paused mid-task, looking up in shock at a meteor-like figure streaking toward the Whitebeard Pirates.
Kaido of the Beasts and Charlotte Linlin, still stranded on Ashveil's territory, froze as construction hammers halted mid-strike.
"Is that a meteor?" Linlin muttered, eyes wide. "Even in daylight, it shines that brightly?"
"Not just bright… look at the speed," Kaido added, astonished. "It's… it's moving faster than light…"
Nearby, World Government personnel who had failed to secure ransom watched nervously, their hearts racing at the phenomenon above.
"Look! A meteor! Can I make a wish?" Iron Fist Garp chuckled, seemingly delighted.
Garp, ever mischievous, seemed to thrive in this laborious environment, completely forgetting the United Army's failure. For him, work had become a form of amusement.
"Garp, how can you laugh at a time like this?" Vice Admiral Tsuru snapped, covered in mud and dust, her usual composure gone.
Sengoku's glasses reflected the intense light above. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the rapidly approaching object.
"How… how strange," he murmured.
"Are you imagining it?" Garp asked, curious.
"No, look closer," Kong added, his expression grave. "That's no meteor. It's a human flying at incredible speed."