The atmosphere immediately became relaxed and pleasant. Everyone accepted this "reasonable" explanation, and their admiration for Lawen deepened even further—not only was he incredibly strong, but he was also so considerate of his companions!
However, only Law himself knew that the truth was far from that.
Looking at his friends laughing and playing, he felt a pang of emotion.
Hiding one's strength? I'm almost starting to believe it myself!
The truth is, his Haoshoku was always at the intermediate level; it was okay for dealing with regular enemies, but not enough to scare off the Golden Lion.
The reason why top-tier Haoshoku was able to suddenly emerge this time is all because Sabo spent too much Gin!
They simply don't value money!
But... just what exactly did that guy pay for?!
The effect is outrageous! It directly upgraded his Conqueror's Haki from intermediate to top level!
Could it be that they destroyed the ancestral tomb of some ancient royal family... no, it's more like they drained the treasure vault of some Celestial Dragons?!
I wonder if Sabo is in any danger. I wish him all the best.
...
South Blue,
On an unknown island, deep in a dense forest,
The hurried footsteps rustled on the thick layer of fallen leaves, breaking the silence of the forest.
Sabo darted swiftly through the woods, his signature top hat nowhere to be seen, his short, gin- colored hair soaked with sweat and clinging to his forehead.
The normally impeccable aristocratic formal wear now had several scratches, making it look somewhat disheveled.
He dared not linger for even a moment, because the ever-present, heart-pounding pressure behind him was gripping him tightly.
"How scary~ Sabo-kun ~"
A lazy, slightly mocking voice seemed to ring out in my ears, accompanied by the sight of Gin- colored particles flashing and weaving through the forest.
" The Chief of the General Staff of the Revolutionary Army, he's really fast!"
Kizaru Borsalino's figure appeared on the tree trunk at times and transformed into a streak of light at others. His speed far exceeded Sabo's limits, making the chase more like a cat-and-mouse game, full of teasing and an overwhelming gap in strength.
The main purpose is to cast a long line like Sabo and catch a big fish!
Arrest all of Sabo's accomplices who came to rescue him!
This is how you maximize the value of the other party!
Otherwise, he would have captured Sabo long ago.
now,
Sabo gritted his teeth, pushing his agility to the limit, his mind racing as he considered how to escape.
He knew that in a simple speed contest, he had no chance of defeating Marineford's top fighter.
Just then, the ground in front of them suddenly caved in!
The prolonged running and intense tension caused a slight deviation in his judgment of where he was stepping, resulting in him missing a step and instantly losing his balance!
"Oh no!" Sabo thought in alarm, his body already falling downwards uncontrollably.
He instinctively curled up to protect his vitals and rolled down a steep slope, finally falling into a dark cave with a "plop" and disappearing beneath the surface of the dense forest.
Unbeknownst to him, this seemingly natural opening was actually the entrance to a Gin mine that a pirate crew called "Shattered Gin " was secretly excavating!
The cave's interior is not naturally formed, but shows obvious signs of human excavation, with crisscrossing tunnels supported by wooden frames, and the air is filled with the smell of earth and a unique genus of Gin.
Almost the instant Sabo fell in, a beam of light condensed at the entrance of the cave, revealing Kizaru's tall figure.
He grimaced, staring at the dark entrance to the hole, and said in his distinctive accent, "Oh dear, oh dear~ Did it run into a mouse hole? This is troublesome~"
Although he said it was troublesome, he did not hesitate at all. His body transformed into elements again, turning into a stream of light and shooting directly into the mine.
For a powerful figure like him, the darkness and complexity of the terrain posed no real obstacle.
at the same time,
A large group of pursuing Marine Soldiers and several calm and powerful Marine Vice Admirals also quickly arrived and surrounded the mine exit, which was not very large.
Torches and searchlights illuminated the cave entrance as bright as day; guns were loaded and swords were drawn, instantly creating an atmosphere of extreme tension.
A stern-faced officer wearing the epaulettes of Vice Admiral ordered in a deep voice: "Completely seal off all possible exits! Sabo is an important cadre of the Revolutionary Army; we cannot allow him to escape! Admiral Kizaru is already inside; he has no chance of getting away!"
The Marines echoed in unison, forming a tight formation that completely surrounded the mine.
In their eyes, Sabo inside the cave was already trapped, and it was only a matter of time before he was captured. Deep in the dark mine, an even more dangerous struggle between two trapped beasts was about to unfold!
Outside the mine,
The atmosphere had shifted from a tense chase to a relaxed sense of certainty. The shady woods and scorching sun clearly reflected the relaxed expressions on the Marine Soldiers ' faces.
"Looks like Admiral Kizaru is personally leading the charge. That Revolutionary Army kid is definitely not going to get away," a marine holding a rifle said to his companion with a smile, even casually taking out his water bottle and taking a sip.
"Yes, Admiral might have already handcuffed him."
Another marine chimed in, already envisioning the scene back at base: "When we get back to base, we might be able to throw a victory celebration! We've captured the number two figure in the Revolutionary Army!"
"Hehe, hopefully there will be extra bonuses and vacation time..."
Although the several skilled Marine Vice Admirals were not as relaxed as the ordinary soldiers, their tense nerves eased slightly.
They stood around the cave entrance, wary of any potential accidents, but Benn was already convinced that Sabo was theirs for the taking.
After all, they had absolute faith in Admiral Kizaru's abilities. One of the middle-aged Vice Admirals even sighed slightly, seemingly feeling that making such a fuss was a bit of an overreaction.
However, in this moment filled with ease and anticipation—
Boom!!!
A deafening, terrifying explosion, seemingly originating from the depths of the earth, suddenly rang out!
The entire island trembled violently!
It didn't come from the cave entrance, but rather from the ground beneath their feet, along with the entire mine structure, as if it had been violently crushed from the inside by an invisible giant hand and then thrown upwards!
Solid rock and soil were torn apart and blown away like fragile cardboard!
Huge rocks, mixed with smoke and dust, shot into the sky, like a flower of death suddenly blooming!
Marine Benn, who was standing near the cave entrance, had no time to react and was violently thrown away by the sudden shockwave of the explosion!
The screams and cries of terror were instantly drowned out by the roar of the explosion...
But this is just the beginning!
Even before the smoke and dust from the explosion had dissipated, an indescribable and extremely tyrannical will, like a sleeping ancient dragon, awakened and roared into the sky from the depths of the blasted mine!
Buzz—!!!
That wasn't a sound, yet it was more penetrating than any other sound!
That's Conqueror's Haki, pure to the extreme!
....
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