The sudden cataclysm struck terror into every Marine present, plunging them into absolute fear. Even Vice Admiral Tsuru and Fleet Admiral Sengoku widened their eyes in disbelief, staring at the apocalyptic storm descending upon them.
"Great Buddha: Manji Shockwave!"
Sengoku's eyes were bloodshot, Conqueror's Haki bursting out in a furious roar. His body swelled into a towering golden Buddha nearly a hundred meters tall. From his palms erupted a massive, spinning energy wave in the shape of a swastika, whirling like a windmill to intercept countless bolts of purple lightning.
But Sengoku's desperate counterattack could not compare to the devastating strike Souta Kiryuu had spent over an hour preparing.
Outside Sengoku's barrier, the rest of the fleet wasn't so fortunate. Battleships and Marines were obliterated in an instant—torn apart by endless lightning, shredded by howling wind blades, and suffocated by seeping poison. The Judicial Tower on the rear island was wiped clean from existence, erased as if it had never been. On the main island, Enel's annihilating Island-Devouring Thunderstorm obliterated the courthouse, leaving behind a massive whirlpool that swallowed half of the front island as well.
The continuous discharge of lightning lit up the surrounding seas. Fish and sea beasts floated lifeless on the surface as the waters boiled under the storm. On the island itself, Marines vanished in a chorus of screams, their bodies consumed alongside the courthouse by the blinding storm of destruction.
"Souta Kiryuu!!"
Sengoku coughed blood, his furious gaze locked on the dragon above, his eyes brimming with killing intent so fierce it looked as though he would devour Souta alive.
But the crimson-violet storm clouds had already exhausted their power. After unleashing the Lightning Storm, they faded—first back to black clouds, then to gray, then finally dissolving into white before vanishing altogether. On the other side, the obsidian thunderclouds Enel had summoned dissipated as well, the skies clearing into calm blue once more.
Sunlight pierced through, illuminating what now looked like a vision of hell: the smoldering ruins of Enies Lobby.
"Still alive, huh, Sengoku?"
Souta's eyes narrowed on the massive golden Buddha struggling in the wreckage. He had known this strike alone wouldn't be enough to kill a Mythical Zoan user of Sengoku's caliber. Still, the power of his technique needed refining, needed to grow stronger.
"You'll pay for this!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru's voice rang with fury as she took in the carnage. Her anger burned like fire—this monster had severed himself from the world, choosing to stand as humanity's enemy with no chance of reconciliation.
"Is that so?" Souta's voice was calm, his eyes fixed on Sengoku with an unsettling hunger. The thought of drawing the Admiral's blood tempted him.
On the Ark Maxim, the crew was struck dumb, unable to process the sheer scale of destruction. An entire island had been erased.
Far away, even a golden battleship and its accompanying fleet had witnessed the island's annihilation, struck silent in awe and horror.
"Admiral Kizaru, it seems Sengoku's fleet has already reached Enies Lobby. Please, you must provide support immediately!" A Marine officer trembled as he spoke, his mind already racing with dark thoughts—had their Fleet Admiral been killed in that terrifying strike?
Kizaru narrowed his eyes at the devastation in the distance. That level of attack likely hadn't killed Sengoku, but the rest of the Marines? Without a doubt, they'd been decimated.
"Saint Fosse, I'll head there first."
After a pause, Kizaru decided he couldn't risk waiting. Sengoku might still be in danger.
"Go. But make sure to stall Souta Kiryuu. Don't make the same mistake Aokiji did by letting him slip away!"
Saint Mameye Fosse's expression was grim. That strike had rattled even him. He himself could not summon such a calamity.
"I'll do my best..." Kizaru muttered, his face twisting with unease, before his body turned to light and disappeared.
On the Ark Maxim, Viola, her vision freshly restored from the blinding lightning, spotted the golden battleship approaching. When she recognized Kizaru aboard, she immediately reported to Kuma.
"Admiral Kizaru is here!" she shouted, panic lacing her voice.
At once, Kuma ordered the Ark Maxim to set sail, retreating from Enies Lobby at top speed. He teleported off the ship to alert Enel and Souta.
Enel reluctantly returned to the Ark after Kuma's warning, though the itch to fight the legendary Admiral gnawed at him. Still, hearing that Kizaru was stronger than both Souta and Kuma at present forced him to restrain himself. There would be time later.
Souta, too, abandoned his idea of harvesting Sengoku's blood. If Kizaru and Sengoku joined forces—and with Aokiji still looming in the background—being cornered would mean disaster. The objective today was already achieved. The future would offer plenty of chances.
"Tell the Five Elders to keep an eye on Mary Geoise. Next time, I might pay them a visit!"
Hovering in the skies above, Souta laughed wildly, his voice dripping with menace. Sengoku and Tsuru glared back with murderous intent, but before they could act, the dragon vanished, soaring away.
Once Souta returned to the Ark Maxim, Kuma added one of his Paw Paw travel boosts, launching the ship away at extreme speed to avoid pursuit. He couldn't risk Admiral Kizaru catching up and putting Bonney and the crew in jeopardy.
"Was there really a need to run this fast? I think we could've taken them!" Enel boasted, still basking in the intoxicating power of his Island-Devouring Thunderstorm. His confidence was swelling—he believed that together with Souta and Kuma, they could face anyone.
"Our time will come. I expect a lot from you, Enel. Grow strong enough to fight Kizaru on your own." Souta smirked. Today, he had only managed to wound Sengoku through meticulous preparation. In a true one-on-one duel, with only six months of Haki training behind him, he likely couldn't defeat the golden Buddha. But in a year? He was certain he would.
"Give me time. I'll take down a Marine Admiral myself!" Enel declared arrogantly.
Law and Capone exchanged skeptical looks, closing their eyes and rolling them. They didn't believe Enel had it in him.
"Are you mocking your god?" Enel snapped, catching their disdain. Sparks of lightning flared across his body.
"Control yourself. A true master doesn't let emotions rule him. Prove your worth through results." Souta's tone was steady, a calm reminder to temper Enel's reckless nature.
Enel went quiet, staring with dead fish eyes at comrades he still considered beneath him.
"Captain, I want to go to Sabaody Archipelago—to declare war on the Celestial Dragons!" Kuma raised a stack of World Government flags. Bonney clutched two massive banners of her own, her eyes burning with excitement. The thought of torching flags in the bustling archipelago thrilled her. The chance of encountering a Celestial Dragon and skyrocketing their infamy made her heart race.
"Don't tell me your Paw Paw boost is already sending us to Sabaody..." Souta muttered, eyebrow twitching.