209: Ron Takes Action

Gulp.

Countless ordinary people watching the battle unfold on their screens swallowed hard, their eyes filled with awe and disbelief.

"In just a blink of an eye… the entire battlefield has shifted! What terrifying power! This is the might of the Three Admirals… the highest combat strength of the Marines!"

"The Whitebeard Pirates are completely at a disadvantage now! And Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp haven't even joined the battle yet!"

Some were beyond excited.

"This is the supreme power that dominates the seas—this is the Marines!"

"No matter what, evil can never triumph over justice!"

"Go, Marines! Annihilate the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"Charge!"

Standing beneath a massive screen on the streets of Sabaody Archipelago, Rayleigh listened to the cheers of the surrounding crowd while watching the battlefield. The corners of his lips curled into a slight smile.

"This war… won't be so easily won by the Marines."

"After all… that guy hasn't made his move yet."

…

The Phoenix, Marco, noticed several Marine battleships locking their cannons onto the frozen Jozu. His pupils shrank in alarm as he shouted,

"Jozu!!!"

Without hesitation, he unleashed a powerful, Haki-infused kick against Fujitora's sword, forcing the admiral back a few meters. Seizing the opportunity, Marco spread his massive blue-flame wings and shot toward Jozu's position like a comet.

Fujitora, momentarily held back by a few pirates rushing in, couldn't stop him in time.

His expression remained calm as he tilted his head slightly, his all-white eyes narrowing.

"I can't let you pass that easily."

Raising his cane sword, he swung it through the air.

A surge of purple gravity waves erupted toward the sky, vanishing into the distance.

"What did he just do?!"

The Whitebeard Pirates watching this scene felt a deep unease, unsure of what was coming.

Then, a few seconds later, a sound rumbled from above.

Many lifted their heads instinctively—

The moment they saw it, even the strongest warriors—Sabo, Ivankov, and Jinbe—felt a chill run down their spines, cold sweat dripping from their foreheads.

"What… the hell… is that?!"

Terror spread like wildfire.

"What in the world?!"

"This can't be real!!"

Zoro, who was in the middle of clashing with Smoker, looked up. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"That's… a meteor?!!!"

"You're kidding!!!"

Usopp's jaw nearly hit the ground.

Nami, Sanji, Brook, and even seasoned Marine officers like Smoker and Hina all froze.

From the heavens, a colossal meteor, wreathed in burning flames, plummeted toward Marineford—carrying with it an overwhelming, inescapable force of destruction.

The sheer sight of it was enough to paralyze the battlefield in fear.

"This… is beyond terrifying," muttered Vice Admiral Tsuru as she gazed at the incoming catastrophe.

As the meteor descended, both Marines and Pirates alike stopped fighting, their expressions twisted in fear. No one wanted to be standing beneath that thing when it hit.

"Captain Marco!!"

Marco, who was flying toward Jozu, immediately noticed the impending disaster. Turning his head, his golden eyes locked onto the flaming mass hurtling straight toward him and Jozu.

"A meteor…?"

Whitebeard, watching the unfolding events, narrowed his eyes slightly. Just as he clenched his fist to strike—

"Hellhound!"

Akainu's magma-fist roared toward him, forcing him to halt his attack.

Whitebeard's eyes gleamed with murderous intent as he turned to face Akainu once more.

"You just don't quit, do you… you damn mutt."

With an earth-shattering punch, he unleashed another devastating shockwave, colliding against Akainu's molten fist.

BOOM!!!

The ground shattered, magma and seismic force splitting the battlefield in two!

…

With countless eyes watching, the flaming meteor continued its descent—racing toward Marco and the frozen Jozu.

"Damn it!"

Marco gritted his teeth, his wings spreading wide as his body fully transformed into the majestic blue-flame phoenix.

With a powerful flap, he launched himself into the sky to intercept the incoming catastrophe!

"Oh my, are you planning to take that head-on?"

Kizaru smirked as he watched the scene unfold.

"If that meteor lands successfully… two of Whitebeard's top commanders will be wiped out in an instant. This war will be decided right then and there."

Sengoku, Garp, Aramaki, and Gion all stared at the sky, watching Marco's desperate charge.

On the battlefield, Sabo, Luffy, Jinbe, Law, Moria, and countless others held their breath.

"Marco…"

Ace clenched his fists, his heart pounding.

Marco's subordinates shouted in unison—

"Captain Marco!!!"

The pirates of the Whitebeard Pirates stared anxiously at the figure soaring toward the incoming meteor.

Just as Marco, in his full Phoenix Form, was about to collide with the massive fireball—

Something completely unexpected happened.

That enormous meteor, hurtling down with unstoppable force, suddenly froze in midair!

Marco's eyes widened in shock as he came to an abrupt stop in the sky.

His mind went blank as he stared at the massive rock, now eerily suspended a hundred meters above Marineford.

"W-What...?!"

"The meteor... it stopped?!"

"You're kidding, right?!"

"What the hell is going on?!"

Gasps and exclamations erupted from both sides of the battlefield.

Sabo, Jinbe, Luffy, the Whitebeard Pirates, and even the Marines all stared at the floating meteor, their faces frozen in disbelief.

Sengoku's sharp gaze turned toward a certain figure in the sky—

A lone, tall silhouette that had remained detached from the battle until now.

His voice was low and steady.

"So, you've finally decided to make a move… 'Traveler' Ron."

Garp's fists clenched as he focused on the same figure.

The entire battlefield fell into an eerie silence.

Then—

He moved.

Ron took a step forward, walking through the sky as if gravity did not exist.

His single movement immediately drew the eyes of everyone on the battlefield.

Both Marines and pirates stopped fighting, turning their heads to look at him.

Even Whitebeard and Akainu—who had been locked in a violent clash—paused and shifted their attention toward the man in black.

Across the world, millions of people watching the battle through their screens held their breath.

"The legendary 'Traveler' Ron!"

"He's finally making his move!"

His long black hair swayed in the wind as he descended toward the battlefield, his face calm and unreadable.

And yet, despite his composed demeanor—

An invisible pressure loomed over everyone.

Then, he spoke.

"I've seen the power of the Whitebeard Pirates..."

"I've seen the strength of the Marines..."

His deep azure eyes locked onto the execution platform where Sengoku and Garp stood.

With a subtle smirk, he added:

"So this… is all the Marines have to offer?"

"Hmph... You're even weaker than I expected."

Silence.

Then—

The air crackled with tension.

Sengoku narrowed his eyes.

Garp, in contrast, let out a chuckle, baring his teeth.

"You're one cocky brat, huh?"

Around them, both pirates and Marines were left in stunned silence.

Many couldn't believe their ears.

"Did… did he just call the Marines weak?!"

Akainu wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, his face darkening with rage.

"That little bastard..."

Admiral Kizaru slowly pushed up his sunglasses.

"Oya oya… these young people nowadays, always saying such dangerous things..."

With a sudden flash, Kizaru disappeared.

When he reappeared, he was directly in front of Ron—

His hands raised, forming a bright golden glow.

"Yasakani no Magatama—"

A violent barrage of light bullets exploded toward Ron.

However—

Ron vanished.

Kizaru's pupils shrank.

—He had disappeared from his Observation Haki.

Then, behind him—

A voice whispered.

"Where are you aiming, Kizaru?"

Kizaru's expression shifted.

Without hesitation, he activated his Light Form, his body dissolving into photons.

But the moment he reformed on the ground—

Ron's voice appeared behind him again.

"Tell me, Kizaru… have you ever been kicked before?"

Kizaru's heart skipped a beat.

Before he could react—

BANG!

A devastating side-kick, infused with advanced Haki, slammed into Kizaru's gut.

"Guh—!!"

A choked sound escaped from the Admiral's lips.

His body was sent flying across the battlefield like a shooting star.

BOOOOM!!

He crashed violently into Marineford's fortress wall, leaving a massive crater in his wake.

The massive fortress wall and the buildings behind it collapsed with a thunderous crash!

BOOOOM!!

Everyone present—whether Marines or Whitebeard Pirates—was left in complete shock.

"K-Kizaru… got sent flying?!"

"With just one kick...!"

"That was Admiral Kizaru! How is that even possible?!"

"!!!"

On the Den Den Mushi screens broadcasting the battle to the entire world, countless viewers sat frozen in their seats—eyes wide, mouths hanging open, unable to utter a single word.

To them, an Admiral like Kizaru was already an untouchable force, standing at the pinnacle of power.

And yet—

Just now, he had been kicked away like a ragdoll by none other than Traveler Ron.

"H-He's a monster!"

The Whitebeard Pirates couldn't tear their eyes away from the man standing at the shattered center of the battlefield.

On the execution platform, Sengoku's expression grew grim.

"So, that was a glimpse of Future Sight from the third stage of Observation Haki… but even with that, he shouldn't be able to match Kizaru's speed. Just what exactly did he do?"

"I don't know."

Garp clenched his fists tightly, his eyes flickering with a rare fighting spirit.

"That brat… his mastery over Haki has already reached this level?"

"Tch… he really is a monster."

…

In the midst of the gathered crowd, Trafalgar Law stared at the scene, a cold sweat rolling down his forehead.

"That was... spatial movement?!"

As the Surgical Fruit user, Law understood the difference between pure speed and spatial manipulation better than anyone.

And what Ron had just displayed—

Wasn't just speed.

It was instantaneous teleportation.

That was the only way he could have completely outpaced the Light itself.

…

"Two Thorn Spears!"

SWOOSH!

Two massive ice spears came hurtling toward Ron from the side, leaving a trail of frozen ground in their wake.

Without even turning his head, Ron casually clenched his fist and threw a punch into the air.

BOOM—!!

A shockwave erupted outward, completely shattering the ice spears before they could reach him.

Then—

Ron finally turned his head, his lips curling into a smirk.

"It's been a while, Aokiji."

From a distance, Aokiji stood with half his body already frozen over, his breath visible in the cold air.

His expression was serious, his sharp gaze fixed on Ron.

"It's only been two years… but to think you've already reached this level…"

Aokiji could feel the sheer depth of Ron's power.

It was vast.

Endless.

Like a bottomless abyss, stretching beyond what the eye could see.

And in his eyes—

Ron, at this moment, was even more terrifying than Whitebeard himself.

Ron chuckled softly.

Resting one hand casually on the hilt of his blood-red sword, his piercing blue eyes locked onto Aokiji.

"So… you planning to fight me too?"

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