Chapter 155: Super Buster Call!

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"Portgas D. Ace!!!" 

The demon-like roar echoed as a monstrous figure emerged from the searing flames, their temperature exceeding 10,000 degrees Celsius. Despite having half of his head smashed, Saint Saturn's body had fully regenerated, without a single burn left on his previously scorched form.

Rage boiled in Saturn's eyes as he glared at Ace. Never before had he experienced such fury. How dare this criminal, before the entire world, declare his ability to crush the head of the world's highest authority—an authority that should be untouchable. This audacious act, committed by none other than a "D," a person who embodied the very threat the World Government feared most. Ace was the very definition of instability, a force that could disrupt their ironclad rule!

If it weren't for the fact that Ace had consumed the Mera-Mera no Mi rather than the Mythical Zoan-Human Fruit: Nika, Saturn would have mistaken him for Joy Boy—the figure who once shook their rule to its core. But no, Ace couldn't be Joy Boy. He lacked the grace, the restraint. Joy Boy wasn't this shameless!

Saint Saturn looked on, anxious. Unexpectedly, the public execution's broadcast had ended. The entire world had just witnessed him—Jaygarcia Saturn, the Godhead of Science & Defense, and one of the Five Elders—have his head crushed by none other than a pirate. 

It was clear to Saturn now—Ace knew more than he let on. He understood the secrets of the Five Elders, that they could heal, that they were practically invincible. Ace had timed the end of the broadcast perfectly, allowing the entire world to see the gruesome blow without the knowledge that Saturn would recover!

Millions of people worldwide had watched as one of the Five Elders, the so-called pinnacle of power, had his head smashed by a man who bore the "D" name—a descendant of the Pirate King, a criminal with blood that should have never existed. The broadcast ended abruptly, leaving no room for Saint Saturn to reassert his authority. 

Fury raged through Saturn like never before. He had been humiliated—tricked by what he considered a mere insect.

"Huh? You didn't want the broadcast to end? Why so angry?" Ace teased, his voice laced with amusement as he effortlessly dodged Saturn's frenzied attacks, using his Observation Haki to predict each move with precision. It was almost as if he was strolling casually through the battlefield, completely unbothered.

"You Peasant!" Saturn's roar was deafening, his usual composure shattered. Ace had robbed him of the chance to reclaim his dignity. The Five Elders—who ruled the world—had been humiliated in front of everyone. What's more, they had failed to prevent the public execution of three Celestial Dragons. To add insult to injury, one of the Five Elders themselves had been struck down by Ace, and the whole world had seen it.

What would the world think now? How could they respect the authority of the World Government after witnessing such a scene? The thought drove Saint Saturn mad with fury.

It was one thing to fail to protect the Celestial Dragons, but to lose his head to the bloodline of the Pirate King—Portgas D. Ace—and for the broadcast to end like that? The rage was unbearable.

Saint Saturn's spider-like legs stabbed toward Ace repeatedly in a crazed assault. Each thrust was aimed to kill, but all they hit was molten lava, which Ace's flames had transformed into a Blazing Hell.

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!!" 

With every stab, the air filled with wisps of purple smoke, an indication of the deadly poison that laced Saturn's spider legs. Yet Ace continued to evade the attacks effortlessly, his Observation Haki working in perfect harmony with his abilities.

"I still don't quite understand how he regenerates like that..." Ace mused aloud, seemingly unperturbed by Saturn's relentless strikes. He wasn't just dodging—he was analyzing, using his Observation Haki to uncover the secret behind Saturn's immortality.

This regeneration was unlike anything he'd seen before. It wasn't a result of the Great Burial Ranks of the Ten Trillion Fire Dead techniques he himself wielded with the Mera-Mera no Mi. No, Ace's Fire Great Burial Ranks of the Ten Trillion Fire Dead, refined by his own exceptional understanding, was a hellish flame that surpassed the natural limits of fire. Its intensity could even reawaken the ashes of the enemies Ace had slain.

Even if the bodies of those enemies were shattered on the battlefield, their ashes would be stirred back to life under the unbearable heat of the Mera-Mera flames. But Saturn's recovery was different—there was something more, something elusive about his power.

In fact, the power of the Mera-Mera Fruit was still active, continuing to burn brightly as it drew from Ace's physical and mental reserves. Every burst of flame, every searing attack, was a drain on Ace's stamina and willpower. Yet, something about Saturn's recovery defied the natural order. He regenerated effortlessly, with no apparent cost to his energy or strength, as if this ability was simply part of his being—something intrinsic that required no sacrifice.

This phenomenon violated the fundamental law of the sea: the principle that all power must come at a price. Every force in this world required balance—if one gained power, they had to give something in return. For example, Ace's Great Burial Ranks of the Ten Trillion Fire Dead, the technique that created the legion of charred skeletons, required him to constantly expend physical and mental energy to maintain the immortality of those ash-born soldiers. Yet, Saturn's recovery was entirely different—it demanded no such price.

In the terms of Ace's previous world, it blatantly violated the law of conservation of energy. This wasn't the work of a Devil Fruit, at least not any conventional one. There were many fruits that allowed users to recover from injuries quickly, such as the Healing Fruit, the Hormone Fruit, or the Ope-Ope Fruit. But in all those cases, the user's own strength and mental energy were consumed to heal their wounds. Once exhausted, the user's ability would cease to function.

But with Saturn, something felt entirely off. His rapid regeneration didn't seem to follow the basic rules of Devil Fruits. And yet, Ace was certain—he had struck the real Saturn.

"I need to test this again," Ace thought to himself, his eyes narrowing as his pupils constricted in focus.

Suddenly, the air crackled with tension. "Bzzzt! Boom!" Violent streaks of black and purple lightning tore through the atmosphere, responding to Ace's growing intensity. Wrapping around his fists, the lightning coiled and sparked.

After breaking through with his Conqueror's Haki, Ace had reached a new realm of strength, thanks to his exceptional mastery and understanding of his Conqueror Haki. He could now forcefully entwine Conqueror's Haki with the blazing heat of his flames—a combination previously thought impossible. Though the fusion wasn't yet perfect, it was more than enough to unleash immense power.

"That man... he's grown stronger again in the heat of battle."

Gion, witnessing the fierce scene, murmured aloud. During the Enies Lobby incident, Ace had fed on the fear and submission of his enemies, turning that energy into nourishment for his Conqueror Haki, immediately strengthening it. And now, after the public execution of the Celestial Dragons, and with the defeat of the Navy itself, Ace's Conqueror's Haki had visibly intensified once more.

Sengoku stood nearby, watching Ace in disbelief. He had seen Ace struggle to harness his Conqueror's Haki with the flames that burned hotter than 10,000 degrees Celsius just moments ago. Now, Ace's Conqueror Haki had clearly grown too powerful, capable of being forcibly entwined with those terrifying flames. 

The realization hit Sengoku hard. Ace wasn't just using the execution as a statement—he was feeding on it. The fear, the rage, and the energy of the event were all strengthening his Haki, pushing it to a new balance.

Even the power of Sengoku's own Devil Fruit, the Mythical Zoan: Human-Human Fruit, Model: Buddha, which transformed him into a giant golden Buddha, paled in comparison to the strength Ace had now attained. Ace had surpassed the level of the Four Emperors—the figures who had ruled the seas like gods for so many years. He had ascended to a new realm of overlord-level strength.

"Is this why he initiated this world-shaking public execution?" Sengoku muttered to himself, wiping sweat from his brow as he struggled to comprehend what was unfolding. "Is this man truly at his limit, or... is his true power still beyond the horizon?"

Sengoku's thoughts swirled as he gazed at Ace, now distant but looming large in his mind. Ace had only been at sea for a year, and his strength, still growing, was already unparalleled. His Haki could absorb and thrive on the chaos of events he created, turning even major global incidents into fuel to strengthen himself. What were the limits of such a man? Could his power truly reach the heavens?

As Sengoku wrestled with these thoughts, Gion, too, couldn't shake the unsettling feeling in her chest. She had witnessed this before—back at Enies Lobby—when Ace's Conqueror Haki had used fear and chaos as fuel to grow stronger. Now, she could feel it happening again. His aura was becoming more intense, more bizarre.

Gion looked at Ace, her heart pounding in her chest. Ever since that day when she had stood against his Conqueror's Haki and muttered the words, "I plead for mercy," something had changed within her. She could feel it now more than ever—there was something truly strange about this man.

In her mind, Gion replayed the moment when Ace had given her instructions. It wasn't real—it was just a simulation, but even in that imagined scenario, she had complied without hesitation. The realization struck her that Ace's Conqueror Haki had influenced her behavior, even in a mere mental rehearsal. And now, standing before him once again, his Conqueror's Haki had grown stronger, suffusing the air around them. Under its potent effect, any thought of resisting him seemed to vanish, replaced instead by a strange, unbidden desire to draw closer to him.

Gion clutched at her chest, her breathing growing increasingly erratic. Something about Ace's presence was overpowering her will.

"Oh? This is getting interesting, Momousagi," Crocodile remarked with a smirk. "Looks like there's an unspoken truce between us. Maybe one day, you'll bend my way too—drive my soul, even!" His laughter was dry, filled with amusement as he observed the silent struggle within her.

Though Crocodile's taunts were meant to provoke, Gion did not retaliate. Her hand pressed harder against her chest as she fought to keep her composure. Deep down, she knew Crocodile wasn't wrong. Ace's Conqueror Haki had done something to her—it was undeniable. She found herself in silent agreement with the pirate's cruel words. What had Ace's Conqueror Haki awakened in her?

Her eyes, now clouded with confusion, remained fixed on Ace, drawn to him despite everything. Meanwhile, the battlefield continued to rage.

"Don't run you Peasant!!!" Saint Saturn's enraged voice thundered through the air, as he was losing control.

"Calm down, Saturn!" Saint Ju Peter and Saint Mars's voices echoed in his mind, urging restraint. "Find a way to call for reinforcements!" But their words went unheard. The public had witnessed the unspeakable—a "bug" like Ace had smashed the head of a Celestial Dragon, and Saint Saturn had lost all reason.

Ace, unmoved by the chaos, casually wrapped his Conqueror's Haki around his fists, his dark red eyes now swirling with a thick, ominous shade of purple-black. He turned toward Saturn, his voice low and dismissive, "You're being too noisy."

With that, Ace's fist ignited with violent energy, a product of his intense mastery over both flame and Conqueror Haki. "Fist Bone Impact!" he declared as the air around him exploded with force.

"Boom!" The entire Sabaody Archipelago trembled under the sheer might of the strike. Saint Saturn, caught in the blast, had no chance to resist—the sheer force of Ace's Conqueror's Haki ripped his body apart in an instant.

The shockwave from the attack was so powerful that it fractured the archipelago itself. GR-1 through GR-15 were severed from the rest of the island chain, and the massive mangrove roots that held the archipelago together splintered into debris, floating helplessly in the air.

"Everyone, evacuate! This battle is something you cannot engage in!" Sengoku's voice thundered across the battlefield, commanding the high-ranking Navy officers. Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals, all capable of coating their bodies with Haki, rushed to obey. The effort to stop Ace's public execution had failed, and now even the execution platform was no longer a safe haven.

As chaos reigned, the members of the Entei Pirates ascended aboard Raki, who had transformed into her majestic Suzaku form. There was no longer any refuge on the battlefield—everything had turned into a death trap.

"Gion! Evacuate now!" shouted Chaton, his Haki barely holding off Enel's relentless attacks. His voice was filled with concern as he called out to his comrade.

"You go ahead," Gion murmured, her head still bowed. She didn't lift her gaze to meet his.

"What did you say?!" Chaton's eyes widened in shock, his voice rising in disbelief. But before he could argue further, a sandstorm mixed with crackling lightning swept toward him.

"She said to go away. Didn't you hear her?" Enel's voice crackled with arrogance, a smug grin on his face.

Crocodile joined in, his laughter echoing through the chaos. "Gion is under our protection now. Don't worry yourself too much, Chaton."

Fury flashed across Chaton's face. "Gion!" he roared, desperate to understand what was happening. But as he looked at her, kneeling in exhaustion behind Crocodile and Enel, he realized something was seriously wrong.

"Get out of here, or you'll die," Crocodile warned coldly, his tone suddenly serious. He and Enel had no interest in prolonging this pointless confrontation. Ace was their priority, and he needed to focus all his strength on defeating the Five Elders.

A Marine Vice Admiral rushed in, grabbing Chaton by the arm and pulling him back toward the coast amid the wreckage of shattered roots and crumbling buildings. "Vice Admiral, we have to retreat!" he urged, knowing that staying any longer would only result in certain death.

As the Navy scrambled to escape, Chaton looked back one last time at Gion, his heart heavy with helplessness. She remained kneeling, head bowed, seemingly lost to whatever influence had taken hold of her.

Crocodile and Enel stood in front of her, their laughter filling the battlefield. "Guhahahaha!" "Yahaha!"

Suddenly, a sharp, shrill sound pierced the air—the unmistakable noise of a Den Den Mushi. "Buster Call, activated!" The terrifying words rang out across the battlefield.

Sengoku's eyes widened in horror. The signal was coming from Saint Saturn himself.

"Don't think you'll leave here alive!" Saint Saturn's broken body began to reform once again, his relentless regeneration defying all logic. As he stood back up, a massive five-star magic circle appeared in the sky above.