Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
"We cannot allow another Joy Boy to emerge in this world!"
"To be safe, I think the five of us need to go personally!"
The blond Five Elder's voice was cold and sharp as a blade.
The Elder holding the Kitetsu I stood up, his eyes slicing across the room like drawn swords.
"If all five of us go, it would create too much noise. That could trigger unnecessary panic."
"Besides, that brat named Lucian Thorn is quite the enigma. He always seems to have another card to play. We must prepare a contingency."
He proposed, "Let's send one of us first to test the waters. We can gauge Nika's power and uncover Lucian Thorn's secrets."
"How about it?"
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
The remaining three Elders nodded without hesitation.
All eyes turned toward the scarred, cane-wielding, mustached elder.
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn.
"Saturn, we'll have to trouble you to go ahead."
Saturn slowly rose. Tapping his cane gently on the ground, he said expressionlessly, "Understood."
"If things go wrong, we'll activate the teleportation array immediately."
"Mhm."
Meanwhile, at Marineford.
The battlefield could no longer be called a battlefield.
It looked more like a massive, absurd, and chaotic rubber amusement park!
"Hahahahahaha!"
The laughter of liberation echoed through the skies. Nika, in the form of Peak Luffy, darted freely across the battlefield, running and leaping without restraint.
The icy ground beneath his feet—no, the entire island of Marineford—had become soft, twisted, elastic like rubber!
"I-I can't keep my footing!"
Thud!
A Vice Admiral stumbled, as if stepping into cotton candy, and crashed flat on his back. He tried to stand, but the ground undulated like waves, making it impossible to regain balance.
"Hold steady! Everyone, hold steady!"
Marines toppled everywhere. Forget fighting—even standing up was a luxury now.
"W-what the hell is this ability?!"
It wasn't just them!
Even the Whitebeard Pirates and their allied forces struggled to remain upright on the rubber terrain. Basic footing became a challenge!
Sengoku, in his Golden Buddha form, swayed with the undulating earth. His face turned grim as he roared:
"Secure the execution platform!"
"Forget everything else! Now! Immediately! Execute Fire Fist Ace!"
Atop the execution platform, two executioners steadied themselves and raised their long blades high.
Just as the blades were about to fall—
"Gomu Gomu no—"
From afar came the absurd laugh of Nika Luffy.
"Gigant Pistol!"
A massive, blackened fist imbued with Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki came roaring in from a distance!
BOOM!!
The two executioners were swatted like flies. They didn't even have time to scream as they were blasted into the sky, vanishing from sight!
"Hahahahahaha!"
The entire execution platform trembled violently under that punch!
Nika Luffy stomped hard on the rubberized ground!
BOOM!
His body shot into the sky like a cannonball, and in the next moment, he appeared in front of Sengoku.
"Shockwave of Buddha..."
"Bastard!"
Sengoku roared as his massive golden palm, radiating shockwaves, smashed toward Nika Luffy!
But Luffy simply grinned. His body twisted like a noodle, easily dodging the blow.
The next instant, he was directly in front of Sengoku.
A punch!
Just a simple punch!
Bang!
Sengoku's massive Buddha form staggered backward from the blow, disbelief written all over his golden face!
"How is this possible?!"
Before he could react!
Luffy's arms stretched infinitely, like two giant white pythons, and snatched Aokiji and Kizaru from afar!
"Hahahaha! Time to fly!"
With a laugh, he flung them!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two Admirals, caught off guard, were sent flying in twin arcs, crashing into distant rubble!
Then Luffy leapt high again, one leg enlarging massively, and stomped toward a cluster of Vice Admirals!
"Gomu Gomu no—"
"Gigant Stomp!"
RUMBLE!
The ground shook violently. Dozens of Vice Admirals were trampled flat, thrown into utter chaos!
The battlefield had become a one-man show starring Nika Luffy!
Elsewhere...
Two Whitebeards—one old, one in his prime—watched with slack jaws.
"Gurararara... What the hell is this kid?" the elder Whitebeard muttered.
Peak Whitebeard furrowed his brow. "Strange... I tested our Tremor-Tremor power just now, and it can't affect this rubber ground at all!"
Their fruit could shake anything—even space. But now, all vibrations were absorbed and nullified by the soft terrain!
The whole battlefield bounced and swayed in rhythm with Luffy's laughter and movements.
The war for the summit had turned into a grand carnival.
High above, Marco, in his Phoenix form, flew over to where Lucian Thorn floated using his ability.
"Lucian! Is this what you meant by Peak Straw Hat Luffy's strength?!"
"Of course. What do you think? My choice wasn't wrong, was it?"
"I admit it... You were foresighted." Marco said sincerely, then added, "But I'm curious. What fruit did that kid eat? Why does he exhibit traits of all three types: Zoan, Paramecia, and Logia?"
"He can alter terrain—that's Logia awakening."
"His body changes shape freely—that's Paramecia awakening."
"This current form is clearly a Mythical Zoan transformation!"
"Three powers in one... unheard of!"
Lucian's smile deepened.
"Marco, have you ever heard the real name of that fruit?"
"Because for 800 years, the World Government has deliberately hidden its true name."
He spoke slowly and clearly:
"Its true name is—"
"Hito Hito no Mi, Mythical Zoan, Sun God Nika Form!"
"What?!"
Marco's pupils contracted. "God?!"
"That's right. The Sun God," Lucian said calmly. "Its most famous past user was named Joy Boy."
While everyone was mesmerized by Nika...
This timeline's Luffy, like a ghost in the chaos, rushed up to the execution platform!
He used the key he'd gotten from Mr. 3 to unlock the Seastone handcuffs on Ace!
Clink!
The cuffs dropped.
Ace was free!
"Luffy!" Ace looked at the white silhouette nearby, then at his brother. "That form... do you know anything about it?"
"Nope!" Luffy's eyes sparkled. "But it feels... super strong!"
Above, Lucian saw it happen. In a flash, he flew to the two Whitebeards.
"Pops, the goal's achieved."
"It's time to go!"
Old and Peak Whitebeard exchanged a glance and broke into hearty grins.
"Gurararara!"
"Ace has been saved!"
Whitebeard's booming voice echoed across Marineford using his quake power!
"All sons of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"Full retreat!!!"
However!
Just as Whitebeard gave the order—
A sudden change!
The once-clear skies above Marineford went pitch black without warning!
A massive black energy sphere, brimming with ominous aura, tore through the clouds and descended from the heavens!
Then!
A glowing, blood-red six-pointed magic circle suddenly unfolded in the center of the battlefield!
From within that circle, a figure slowly emerged.
A frail old man in a black suit, scarred forehead, leaning on a cane.
His appearance brought an indescribable, eerie aura that blanketed the entire battlefield!
Everyone froze.
Atop the execution platform, when Sengoku saw who it was, the color drained from his face in an instant!
Far more shocked than when Peak Rayleigh had appeared earlier!
"S-Saturn-sama?!"
"Y-You came in person...?"