Super Card System

Seeing Uncle Kuma with his wildly free-spirited curly hair once again, Ian couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of familiarity.

On the other hand, Admiral Kizaru and Sentomaru both had unpredictable gloomy expressions.

Originally, with the Straw Hat Pirates surrounded by four Pacifistas, it seemed impossible for them to escape. However, the sudden behavior of Kuma PX-0 changed everything and disrupted Kizaru’s plan.

“I demand a reasonable explanation!”

Watching Kuma send away the Pacifistas, Kizaru couldn’t help but tilt his head and question him.

In truth, even though Kuma was once one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, very few people, including Kizaru, understood his abilities. Especially regarding those who were touched by Kuma and disappeared, nobody in the Marines, or even the entire world government, had ever confirmed whether they died or, as the legend suggested, were sent flying for three days and three nights. Only those who had been touched by Kuma knew the truth.

Regardless, Kuma’s behavior and the subsequent disappearance of those three Pacifistas were undeniable facts. In Kizaru’s eyes, it was an act akin to rebellion.

However, in response to Kizaru’s inquiry, Kuma calmly replied, “Don’t forget, I was once one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Unless it’s a matter of special concern to the World Government, I have no obligation to peacefully coexist with the Marines… I don’t have to answer your questions!”

Upon hearing this response, Kizaru’s expression grew even darker.

“What are you here for? What side are you on?” Admiral Aokiji asked Kuma with a furrowed brow. “Where do you stand, exactly?”

Kuma remained silent, offering no response. Suddenly, in a flash, he disappeared from his spot.

Moments later, he reappeared before Ian, crouching down, leaning close to Ian’s ear, and speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Ian, you must depart from this place as swiftly as possible and avoid entangling with the Marines.”

“Hmm?” Ian was taken aback and inquired, “What’s going on?”

“A major upheaval is about to rock this world! The Marines will mobilize swiftly,” Kuma whispered. “Take the Straw Hat Pirates and depart from here. Luffy is Dragon’s son, but for them, entering the New World is too early. If they continue to stir things up, the consequences could be dire.”

“A major upheaval?” Ian was astonished and asked, “Is it related to the Whitebeard Pirates? What’s the situation?”

However, Kuma did not answer him. Instead, he opened his palm and handed something to Ian, saying, “My current situation is precarious, so this is our last meeting. This… is my final gift.”

Ian looked down and saw a thin, triangular crystal chip in Kuma’s paw-like hand. It resembled the World Nobles’ identity chips he had received, but its shape was different.

“What is this?” Ian reached out to take it.

“You’ll understand when the time comes,” Kuma said, and with those words, he stood up and walked away without looking back.

The people present had no idea what Kuma had said to Ian, so as they watched him depart in this manner, they were left somewhat bewildered. Only Ian, gazing at the retreating figure of Uncle Kuma, felt a complex mix of emotions.

Ian had already pieced together the meaning of Uncle Kuma’s “last meeting.” He was likely referring to the fact that the Human Weapon project was coming to its final stages, signifying the imminent end of Kuma’s transformation.

Once the transformation was complete, Kuma would lose his consciousness, becoming a mere machine, devoid of independent thought, only capable of following preprogrammed instructions.

Ian was uncertain whether this constituted death, but he knew that even if he were to encounter Kuma in the future, he would no longer recognize him. Consequently, Ian’s heart was filled with a multitude of emotions.

He recalled the first time he had met Uncle Kuma, their reunion after the incident at Mary Geoise, and their interactions throughout the years. Uncle Kuma had always offered selfless assistance. Though he never displayed any emotion on his face when meeting Ian, he had always cared about Ian’s growth.

“Uncle Kuma…” Ian tightened his grip on the crystal in his hand, the last gift left by Kuma.

However, just at this moment, Admiral Kizaru had the audacity to shout after the departing Kuma, “Hey! Kuma, do you intend to leave just like that? There are still significant issues between us that need resolution!”

Hearing Admiral Kizaru’s incessant words, Ian suddenly felt a surge of resentment.

‘It’s all because of you! It’s all because of your Marines! If it weren’t for your damned Human Weapon project, Kuma would never have been involved and lost his will!’

Ian’s emotions were already on edge, and they suddenly erupted.

“Kizaru!!!”

Ian shouted explosively. Blue and white lightning crackled to life around him, starting as faint sparks and gradually growing stronger.

Sizzle! Sizzle-sizzle! Sizzle-sizzle-sizzle!

In the end, the lightning around Ian’s body writhed like a frenzy of serpents.

But it didn’t stop there. An illusion of a third eye appeared on Ian’s forehead. He drew his sword, the “Senbonzakura,” and initiated his Bankai. The next moment, the scattered cherry blossom petals swirling around him were infused with lightning, forming a massive ball of electricity around him.

Ian’s body began to rise slowly, floating in mid-air. This wasn’t the work of the Flaming Wings ability; it was the result of these powerful electrical currents. His hair and clothes fluttered without any wind.

Enel widened his eyes as he watched Ian. As the Goro Goro no Mi user, he had an acute awareness of the power of lightning, and among those present, he was the one who understood just how terrifying the lightning on Ian’s body had become.

“Damn it!”

Observing the unusual phenomenon surrounding Ian, Admirals Kizaru and Aokiji no longer had the luxury of considering the departing Kuma. They immediately regarded Ian as a formidable adversary, ready to confront him as if facing a major threat.

Meanwhile, Zoro, Nami, and the others noticed Ian’s unusual emotional state and sensed that something was amiss. Recognizing the danger, they hurriedly urged everyone to move away from the scene.

The Supernovas, including Hawkins, who had felt Ian’s escalating anger, were unsure of what had transpired between him and Kuma moments ago, leading to the sudden outburst of the Seven Warlords. Still, they were not fools. Drake and Scratchmen Apoo, one on each side, supported Hawkins and swiftly retreated.

“You should leave as well!” Enel suddenly turned to Urouge beside him.

It was unclear what had transpired between Enel and Urouge earlier, but Urouge, who had previously ambushed Enel, surprisingly showed no hostility toward him. Similarly, Enel did not retaliate against Urouge, and instead, he advised Urouge to depart.

Everyone instinctively sought to escape, even Doroni and Matthew, who controlled the Ark in mid-air, immediately activated the Jet Dial, steering the Ark away from the area.

Overhead the skies of Sabaody Archipelago, a swarm of dark clouds had gathered, shrouding the entire sky in an ominous, gloomy darkness. It felt as if a catastrophe was imminent. Even some of the local animals and insects emerged from their burrows, panic-stricken, and fled toward the distance.

The only ones unable to escape were Admirals Kizaru and Aokiji. As they observed the surge in Ian’s energy and aura, they realized that they were about to face Ian’s devastating attack.

“Laser Beams!”

Admiral Kizaru couldn’t allow Ian to unleash his ultimate attack so easily. He immediately extended his index finger and fired several laser beams at Ian.

However, these laser beams dissipated upon contact with the electrical sphere surrounding Ian’s body. In the face of the more potent energy, the lasers proved ineffective.

Admiral Aokiji refrained from taking direct action, but his lower half had already transformed into ice crystals. He extended his arms and created a thick, semi-circular ice shield above himself and Kizaru, intending to use it for protection.

At that moment, the electrical sphere surrounding Ian suddenly contracted as if it were drawn into his body. Then, with a vigorous downward swing of his right hand, a tremendous thunderous boom filled the sky as a colossal lightning bolt struck the ground.

“One billion volts! A genuine lightning strike!” (Misaka Mikoto’s ultimate)

In the instant the lightning appeared, it was as though the entire world was cloaked in an all-encompassing lightning brilliance, drowning out all other colors.

Ian channeled all of his Nen, like a catharsis, and brought forth a genuine lightning strike on the Sabaody Archipelago. The reach of this lightning was so vast that it encompassed the entire area where everyone was situated, effectively engulfing the entire Yarukiman Mangrove.

Compared to Enel, Ian’s lightning strike could truly be called a “divine retribution.”

In the thunderous explosion of the lightning, trees turned into charred remains, soil scattered into the air, and the lightning strike brought an explosive shockwave. Only Luffy, Zoro, and the others who managed to reach the periphery in time were sent flying by the powerful gust of wind.

Amidst the raging lightning, Aokiji sensed the ice shield above them disintegrating in the face of the thunderous assault. He was compelled to exert all his strength to sustain the ice barrier.

However, at this very moment, both Aokiji and Kizaru felt the ground beneath them give way, and they involuntarily descended.

They realized that the ground on the Sabaody Archipelago had collapsed due to the lightning!

Consequently, Aokiji could no longer maintain the ice shield, just like Kizaru. Both of them employed Busoshoku Haki to harden their entire bodies and resist the force of the lightning.

The lightning came and went swiftly, yet in that brief instant, a massive chasm had appeared in the Sabaody Archipelago. Approximately one-tenth of the island’s surface area had vanished, obliterated by Ian’s lightning, and fallen into the sea.

Ian floated in the air, catching his breath, and observed the scene of seawater flooding the area beneath him. He then turned and departed the scene.

After Ian left, Aokiji and Kizaru descended from the sky. When they initially noticed the ground collapse, they couldn’t afford to fall into the water and had to rely on Geppo to remain suspended in mid-air. However, once the lightning had dissipated, they could no longer maintain this technique.

Due to their use of Haoshoku Haki to protect themselves, they didn’t sustain significant injuries. Nonetheless, the powerful electrical currents were far from pleasant. Aokiji and Kizaru’s hair emitted a burnt smell, and only a few tufts remained. Their clothing was in tatters, and they were practically undressed, convulsing from the aftereffects.

As they stood on the opposite side of the ground, Aokiji gazed at the colossal cavity that had appeared before them and couldn’t help but wryly smile.

Even the esteemed Admirals of the Navy had narrowly avoided a potentially disastrous fall. It was truly a terrifying display of redirected anger.