Originally, he had thought that this journey through time and space—this mission to "summon reinforcements"—would be nothing more than a brief meeting with Peak Luffy.
He never expected an uninvited guest to show up… and such a surprising one at that.
Lucian slowly lifted his eyelids, ignoring the highly alert Luffy next to him and Marco, who was preparing to greet Luffy.
His gaze pierced through dozens of meters, and his Observation Haki ignored all physical obstacles, locking precisely onto that pile of rubble.
Then, he smiled.
It was a smile laced with amusement, curiosity, and a powerful, undeniable confidence.
"Friend who's been tailing us all this time…"
Lucian's voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly in the ears of everyone present.
"You've enjoyed the show long enough—don't you think it's time to show yourself?"
His tone was light, like he was greeting an old friend.
"There's no need to keep hiding. You've been discovered."
The moment his words fell—
Marco's expression changed dramatically.
"What did you say, Lucian?!"
He spun around, his eyes wide with disbelief. 'Besides the three of us—how could there be anyone else?!'
"Where?!"
Lucian didn't respond.
His eyes remained locked on the coordinates given by the system.
As the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, a seasoned elite warrior, Marco had absolute confidence in his Observation Haki.
And yet, from the very beginning, he hadn't sensed a single shred of life in this area besides the three of them!
How was that possible?
Sweat beaded across Marco's forehead in an instant. He didn't dare let his guard down—he immediately unleashed his Observation Haki to the limit!
Invisible perception spread outward like a vast net, scanning in every direction from him as the center.
Every inch of land—swept.
Every piece of rubble—searched.
But…
Nothing!
Absolutely nothing!
Aside from the blazing, sun-like life forces of Lucian and Luffy, there was not a fourth soul in this place!
Marco's nerves tightened to the breaking point.
If Lucian wasn't joking…
Then there was only one possibility.
The strength—or more precisely, the stealth—of the hidden fourth person had already surpassed the limits of Marco's perception!
That thought sent a bone-chilling cold up Marco's spine and straight to the top of his head.
An enemy he couldn't detect… what kind of terrifying monster would that be?
'It must be someone frightening!'
Unlike Marco, who was horrified, Luffy was purely excited.
He didn't understand stealth, or perception, or Haki domains—but he understood Lucian's words just fine.
There was someone else following him!
Luffy's black-and-white eyes instantly lit up with roaring battle spirit. He grinned, his expression filled with eagerness for a challenge, and swept his gaze across the surrounding ruins.
"Come out already! Let's fight!"
The boy's voice still carried that fearless bravado, echoing across the silent battlefield.
But no answer came.
The ruins remained deathly still, as if Lucian had been speaking to thin air.
The atmosphere grew increasingly eerie and heavy.
Marco's nerves were taut to their limits. Faint blue flames had begun to rise around his hands—ready to transform into his Phoenix form at a moment's notice.
Only Lucian remained relaxed and composed.
Looking at the unmoving rubble, his smile deepened.
"Seems like you're a cautious one."
He spoke as if to himself, then took a step forward.
Boom.
It was a light step—but it landed as if pressing down on everyone's heart.
"Since you won't come out on your own…"
Lucian slowly raised his right hand, spreading his fingers wide, aiming directly at the rubble.
"Then I guess I'll have to invite you out myself."
The moment those words left his mouth—
A terrifying aura exploded from deep within the rubble, without the slightest warning.
It wasn't Conqueror's Haki, nor was it killing intent.
It was something far more ancient, more primal—as if it came straight from the underworld—
A ghostly presence!
Icy.
Dominating.
Fierce.
The instant this aura appeared, the temperature of the entire area seemed to plummet by dozens of degrees!
The air filled with something… something utterly unlike Conqueror's Haki.
The blood drained from Marco's face in a flash. His pupils shrank sharply as he cried out in shock:
"This aura—!"
Only Luffy's expression shifted from seriousness… to a grin.
Because he could feel it—that sharpness within the aura, a cutting edge capable of severing anything!
And more importantly—he recognized it.
He was familiar with it!
Beneath the rubble—
In the shadows of utter stillness—
A single eye, sharp as a hawk and cold as a blade, slowly opened.