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The gravitational force erupted violently. Momonga, about to unleash another furious slash, froze, feeling an invisible force pulling him forward.
At the same moment, Deva Path strode across the immense blade, taking several giant steps.
The distance between them closed in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Deva Path's right hand pressed against Momonga's forehead.
"End this…. Shinra Tensei."
Hum!
As the cold words escaped his lips, a chilling premonition surged through Momonga's heart. An incomparably more terrifying, repulsive force than before erupted downward with a thunderous roar.
Under this simultaneous pull and repulsion, Momonga's colossal form was instantly pinned to the warship's deck. The repulsive force expanded, engulfing the entire warship in the blink of an eye.
Whoosh!
The seawater around the warship erupted into the sky, creating a fountain-like spectacle. The massive warship began to shake violently, its sturdy hull cracking and splitting under the repulsive force.
Kā cā cā!
Standing on The Logan, No. 8 clearly saw that just three seconds after Deva Path had charged onto the warship, the entire vessel was forcibly submerged. The hull crumbled, and Marines screamed in terror as their pupils constricted sharply.
Just a clone? No. 8 muttered, his apprehension toward the impassive Rojen beside him growing even stronger.
Escaping from the impenetrable fortress of Impel Down couldn't possibly be due to mere luck or special powers. Golden Lion relied on his overwhelming charisma, but what about this kid?
Boom!
Under Deva Path's control, the warship began to groan and disintegrate. Vice Admiral Momonga, the legendary Sea King slayer, lay bleeding profusely, his eyes rolled back, already unconscious.
"Before the darkness, you are utterly helpless!"
"Well done, well done!"
Seawater surged violently over the warship, drowning the screaming Marines as they were swept away by the raging current.
Seeing the water about to engulf him, Deva Path bent his knees and leaped again.
This leap carried him a hundred meters above the sea.
In the blink of an eye, he landed on another warship. His arrival caused the vessel to groan and shake violently.
With one hand raised to his chest, Deva Path coldly surveyed the panic-stricken Marines before him.
"Fire! Fire now!"
Gunfire erupted, countless bullets streaking toward Deva Path.
"Shinra Tensei."
Deva Path strode forward, extending his right hand to unleash a repulsive force.
The ferocious repulsion, like a devastating Impact Wave, swept through the Marines in an instant, sending them flying into the sea, their consciousness fading.
Just as before, a single medium-strength Shinra Tensei blast shattered another warship.
Deva Path Doro effortlessly dismantled the final vessel in three breaths.
Returning to The Logan, Deva Path said quietly, "Such opponents are utterly meaningless."
Rojen merely chuckled.
Three warships and a Vice Admiral had fallen before Deva Path Doro in less than a minute. Rojen was thoroughly satisfied with the clone's overwhelming power.
"Set off!"
With that command, The Logan resumed its course.
When the Marines arrived again, their eyes were heavy as they gazed at the approaching ships on the horizon.
"We can't even delay them any longer?"
"That kid... he's gotten even stronger!"
Admiral Kizaru had arrived, but even with his incredible speed, he was too late.
Twice before, his confrontations with Rojen had ended in failure. As the one who had faced Rojen the most, Kizaru approached him with utmost caution and seriousness.
"Admiral Kizaru, Rojen didn't engage us himself. It was a strange monk!"
Hearing this news, Kizaru's expression grew even more grave.
"Describe him in detail. What did he look like?"
After the Marines provided a composite sketch of Deva Path's appearance, Kizaru's eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Who is this?"
Though Kizaru couldn't recognize him, Marine Headquarters quickly identified the figure.
"Monster Monk Doro, bounty of 550 million, captured by Marine Headquarters twenty years ago and imprisoned in Impel Down. Though his strength has waned, he should not be underestimated!"
"Looks like that kid Rojen brought others with him when he broke out. This is getting complicated!" Sengoku's voice was grave.
Impel Down was still tallying the full extent of the losses and escaped prisoners from Rojen's breakout.
"Aiya, aiya, aiya! This is getting really scary. That kid is becoming more trouble by the day, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. I really don't want to take this risk."
Kizaru's head ached. He had no desire to wade into this murky water.
If they continued the pursuit, people might actually die!
"Come back. Ignore Rojen for now. We'll act once we've devised a perfect plan."
Sengoku hung up the Den Den Mushi after speaking in a deep voice.
"What a relief," Kizaru sighed, his body dissolving into motes of light that vanished swiftly from the scene. Facing Rojen—and possibly a horde of Impel Down monsters—was more courage than he possessed.
The Logan sped onward, Rojen once again choosing a route that cut through Sea King territory.
"West Blue, huh?" Rojen murmured, gazing at the distant horizon. Deva Path raised the sails to their full height, while the steam engines maintained maximum speed at all times.
The Vivre Card pointed directly toward West Blue.
"It seems our fates are still intertwined, young man," No. 8 chuckled after learning Rojen's destination.
"Aren't you going to play with me a little longer, old man?" Rojen joked.
No. 8 was immensely powerful, and traveling with him would provide maximum security.
"No, I'll leave after we cross the Calm Belt. I miss my hometown. Thank you, young Rojen," No. 8 said, shaking his head.
"You're welcome. We're just helping each other out," Rojen replied with a smile and a nod.
Half an hour later, The Logan roared, its sails stilled as it entered the Calm Belt. But with steam power driving the ship, its speed remained high.
"Avoid the areas ahead with visible protrusions or bubbles on the surface. Those are resting places for Sea Kings," No. 8 advised Deva Path calmly, showing no fear or apprehension upon entering the Calm Belt.
The latter nodded coldly, effortlessly maneuvering The Logan.
In the blink of an eye, The Logan reached the vanguard of the Sea King swarm, its hull slicing through the waves as it leaped over them.
Miraculously, despite the Sea Kings' thrashing bodies, they remained undisturbed by The Logan's passage.
After three hours of smooth sailing, The Logan had left the Grand Line far behind, gradually venturing deeper into the Calm Belt.
"Once we cross this stretch, we'll be in the West Blue!"
Traversing the Calm Belt offered the fastest route to the West Blue, promising the greatest time savings.
As dusk gradually descended, painting the sky with twilight hues, night finally fell.
Just as the sun completely vanished below the horizon, No. 8 spoke up.
"Be careful, Rojen!"
(End Of This Chapter)