Island of the End, Northeastern Jungle Zone.
The gray mist drifted like tangible ghosts across the lifeless island.
What was once a dead black forest, twisted trees like dried corpses drained of vitality, had become even heavier under Renzo's Domain of Sloth. Every step here consumed twice the stamina.
And yet, in this gray land of death, a violently out-of-place emerald green began to spread.
"Lahahaha! That's it! This is my stage!"
Aramaki stood bare-chested atop a massive root like a coiling serpent.
Beneath him, the scorched earth transformed.
Seedlings burst through stone. Flowers bloomed in the mist. Vines lashed outward like tentacles.
In mere seconds, the dead forest turned into a lush but deadly jungle.
Unlike others, Aramaki didn't hide his presence.
After being "educated" by Rehn, he was still arrogant, but smarter.
Instead of hiding, he made the battlefield his own.
"This… is nature's gift."
He plucked a giant red flower, sniffing it with a cruel smile.
Then, his eyes sharpened.
Through the countless roots beneath him, the forest became his senses.
Two presences approached from the left..
"Two lost rats… good timing. I'm hungry."
His fingers turned into wooden spikes as he casually placed a cigarette in his mouth, unlit, just for style.
Behind the Rocks
Two figures stood back-to-back.
One: a stocky brute, muscles like granite, skin gray-brown, "Rock Crusher" Ogg, bounty 280 million.
The other: a lean assassin in black, "Shadow Blade" Karl, bounty 210 million.
They had teamed up earlier.
Here, going solo meant death.
"Oi… feel that?" Ogg whispered.
"This place changed… plants just appeared out of nowhere."
"I know," Karl said coldly.
"There's something strong ahead… and these plants… feel alive."
"Since you're here, why hide?"
A voice came from above.
They looked up, Aramaki sat on a branch, smiling down.
"Hand over your tokens. I might let you leave with dignity."
"It's him… Aramaki!"
Ogg recognized him.
Karl narrowed his eyes.
"A Logia user… but he got wrecked by that fat guy earlier. He can't be fully recovered."
"We can win!"
"Damn right!" Ogg roared.
"I've got Armament Haki too!"
"ATTACK!"
"Rock Crusher Punch!!"
Ogg launched like a cannonball, haki-coated fist smashing forward.
"Shadow Fang Strike!!"
Karl split into afterimages, blades striking throat and heart.
Aramaki didn't move.
"Pathetic."
"All Things of Nature: Tree Binding Burial!"
The ground erupted.
Massive roots, over a meter thick, shot up.
They didn't attack directly, insteaad they formed a giant cage.
BOOM!
Ogg's punch hit, only scraping bark.
The roots were as hard as steel.
"WHAT?!"
Before he could react, they wrapped around him like serpents.
"BREAK!!"
He struggled, but the roots secreted a strange fluid.
They were… draining his stamina.
"My strength… it's disappearing?!"
Karl fared worse.
His speed meant nothing in the jungle.
Giant carnivorous plants snapped his afterimages apart.
He tried to retreat, a vine caught his ankle.
"Don't rush off."
Aramaki dropped down casually.
His hand touched the roots.
"Forbidden Forest."
The roots tightened.
"AAAAAHHH!!"
Ogg screamed as his bones creaked and haki faded.
"How… this strong…?!"
Karl, cornered, was equally desperate.
They finally understood,
Against Rehn, Aramaki looked weak.
Against them, he was overwhelming.
A combatant with an Admiral-level potential.
"I said… hand over the tokens."
Aramaki lit his cigarette.
"I don't kill weaklings. It's beneath me."
He pointed upward.
"And the 'field' is shrinking. I'm busy."
They exchanged looks.
'No chance to win.'
Fight longer, and they'd be drained dry.
"…Fine. Take it."
Ogg threw one token.
Karl followed.
"Good."
Aramaki waved his hand.
The roots released them violently and the tokens flew into his grasp.
"Now get lost."
They fled immediately.
Two tokens left each, still hope.
Aramaki looked at his spoils.
"Two collected."
"This… is efficiency."
...
Marine Headquarters, New Marineford, Mess Hall.
The entire mess hall had become a giant theater.
Thousands of Marines sat watching the live broadcast, snacks in hand, provided by G-5.
When Aramaki created a forest and crushed two 200M+ pirates, the place exploded.
"WHAT THE HELL?!!"
A sergeant bent his spoon in shock.
"Who IS that guy?!"
"A Logia! Definitely a Logia!"
A lieutenant commander shouted, "I've never seen a plant-type like this… this is god-level creation!"
"Changing terrain… only Admiral Akainu and Admiral Aokiji could do that before!"
"Is he… Admiral-level too?!"
"Where did G-5 even FIND these monsters?!"
A young Marine stared at his bland stew.
"…I want to transfer to G-5…"
"I heard they eat dinosaur steaks there…"
"SHUT UP before the MPs hear you!"
Even vice admirals upstairs were serious.
"Thoughts?" asked Onigumo.
Yamakaji replied calmly, "It's not just scale. Look closely, he's draining stamina."
"In prolonged fights… he's unstoppable."
"If he grows further…" said Momonga, "He's Admiral material."
"…What a waste," Onigumo sighed.
"Renzo got him first."
Silence followed.
G-5 wasn't just a rogue branch anymore.
It was becoming a monster nest.
....
Sky Garden
Borsalino sipped a glowing cocktail.
"Oh, the Woods-WoodsFruit~."
"Seeing it live… quite impressive~."
He glanced at Renzo.
"You're lucky~. A Logia like that… just shows up?"
Renzo didn't open his eyes.
"Luck?"
He shook a finger lazily, "No."
"This is what happens when you build the right 'tree.'"
"If the bed is soft enough…"
"The food good enough…"
"And the pay high enough…"
He smiled faintly.
"Monsters will come on their own."
"This… is real justice."
Borsalino paused, then laughed.
"Makes sense~."
"Maybe I should upgrade the cafeteria at HQ~."
He looked back at Aramaki, Sitting atop his forest throne, tokens in hand.
Alive with eerie vitality even under the gray domain.
"…Still…"
Borsalino rubbed his chin.
"That kid's pretty arrogant~."
"I wonder…"
"If he meets the black-blade guy…"
"Or the fire user…"
"Will he cry~?"
Renzo yawned.
"Who knows."