Saint Mars felt utterly helpless. He had counted on Bickley returning him to Mary Geoise after victory, yet now that seemed impossible.
Imu had always guarded the secrecy of her lineage carefully. Even the Gorosei and the Celestial Dragons from the other nineteen countries were unaware of it.
Furthermore, the Elder recalled Imu stating that anyone outside their bloodline who learned the secret could not be allowed to live. Even if he begged for mercy, Imu would not spare him.
"If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. Let's face him!" Saint Mars finally declared.
This startled everyone nearby, particularly Kong and Sengoku. The Gorosei, loyal as they were to the Celestial Dragons, rarely prioritized words of action over decorum. In truth, their first instinct was always self-preservation.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Ashveil merely frowned at Bickley's grotesque attacks. Then, in an instant, he vanished, taking the surrounding space with him.
"Hahahaha! He's dead, kid! You dare challenge a god's power? Overestimating yourself!" Bickley laughed maniacally, the sinister sound amplified by his Conqueror's Haki, echoing across the Whitebeard Pirates' area and sending chills through the onlookers.
"Ashveil… Ashveil… failed?" Urouge's voice trembled. He could hardly believe the scene before him.
"Damn it! He killed Ashveil! I'll avenge him!" Marco's body ignited in a brilliant blue flame, transforming into a majestic Phoenix.
Diamond Jozu, Flower Sword Vista, and others also activated their combat forms. The Whitebeard Pirates had no fear of death now. Previously restrained by Ashveil's presence, they could finally fight freely.
Whitebeard had already activated his Tremor-Tremor Fruit powers, his narrowed eyes locking on Bickley, ready to strike the Celestial Dragon at any moment. The aura of the entire crew surged, and even the surrounding sea began to boil.
Bickley, sensing the rage of the Whitebeard Pirates below, only laughed.
"Hahahaha! You pitiful humans dare oppose me? Even Ashveil fell by my hand—what hope do you have? I'll kill all of you, along with the United Army!"
The United Army captives tensed, realizing they could be buried with him.
Then, a lazy voice cut through the tension.
"Hey, Bickley, you really think you defeated me?"
Ashveil appeared behind Bickley, clenching his fists, eyes locked on the madman above.
Bickley's face paled. Ashveil had just been hit by his Devouring Slash! Even the Conqueror's Haki infused in that attack had been nullified. Yet here he was, appearing directly behind Bickley—an impossible sight.
The Whitebeard Pirates' faces lit with relief and joy.
"Hahahaha! Ashveil, don't scare us like that!" Marco rolled his eyes, exasperated by Ashveil's unpredictability.
"Gurararara, See? I told you he'd be fine," Whitebeard laughed heartily.
"You… how is this possible? I clearly defeated you!" Bickley cried, disbelief etched on his face.
Ashveil's lips curled in a faint smile.
"Dodging your attacks is simple," he said, voice calm, eyes still fixed on the furious Sword Saint.
"Do you feel it?" Ashveil asked.
"Feel what?" Bickley snarled, confusion crossing his features.
"My Conqueror's Haki," Ashveil said evenly, "spreading all around you."
Bickley's eyes widened. Throughout their battle, he had sensed Conqueror's Haki, yet he had never fully grasped its implications.
Ashveil's Haki enveloped the area, extending outward, saturating the battlefield. To Bickley, it was overwhelming. Spreading Conqueror's Haki in such a manner—without concentrating it in one attack—was considered a foolish tactic by ordinary standards.
Yet the truth was far more sinister. Ashveil had mastered the Overlord Domain, a technique Imu had once described.
Bickley's eyes went cold. Overlord Domain… he had heard the term before, when Imu spoke of creating a Haki-saturated domain by evenly distributing it around oneself.
He had never understood the concept fully. Even with vast amounts of Haki, sustaining such a domain for a hundred meters demanded extraordinary skill and control.
And now, Ashveil had achieved it.
Bickley's mind raced. His hatred and disbelief blended with a growing dread. The battlefield had shifted. From this moment, he was no longer just facing a human. He was confronting the living embodiment of a godlike power.
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