Bai Ye: After All, It's Just A Bunch Of Hypocritical Guys / Akainu Shot!
Now.
On this unknown desert island, destined to attract the world's attention, the battle begins.
"…Marine Admirals."
"The World Government's most loyal servants, CP0 members, at the beck and call of the Celestial Dragons…"
"And over thirty warships. Is this… another Buster Call?"
Bai Ye stood calmly on the deserted island, his gaze sweeping over the approaching Marine fleet.
Every detail of the terrifying lineup fell into his sight—an army of warships, countless Marines, and special troops wearing masks, dressed in the signature uniforms of the World Government's CP0 agents.
Disdain flickered in Bai Ye's eyes as he spoke slowly, his voice calm yet cold.
"It's ironic. What should come has come. And what shouldn't have come… has come too."
Though his voice was not loud, it echoed across the eerie silence of the desert island, clearly audible to all.
On the Marine warships, the soldiers gazed nervously at Bai Ye. Despite the overwhelming force they brought with them, the sight of this lone, unshaken figure—standing tall and fearless against the fleet—made their hearts tremble.
This was no ordinary enemy.
Bai Ye was the man for whom the Marine Headquarters had mobilized "nearly all possible forces" to destroy.
Yet here he stood, facing the full might of Marine and World Government forces as if it were nothing. His calmness and composure were more terrifying than any weapon.
For the ordinary soldiers, simply witnessing this scene without breaking down or panicking was a feat in itself.
"Humph!"
A cold snort broke the tension, drawing the Marines' attention.
"As Marines, why are you hesitating in the face of such evil? Take action!"
The voice came from one of the CP0 members—a man wearing an antler-shaped mask.
He stared at Bai Ye, standing openly on the island as if mocking their presence. Beneath the mask, his eyes burned with a mixture of anger and astonishment.
To him, Bai Ye was nothing more than an old relic of the past—a remnant of a bygone era that should have long been swept away by the new.
In this territory, firmly controlled by the Marine and World Governments for decades, Bai Ye's defiance was nothing short of an insult.
The man with the antler mask issued an immediate order to the fleet.
In response, Akainu and Kizaru, standing aboard the lead warship, exchanged a brief glance. Their expressions grew colder as they watched the massive fleet adjust its position.
The pitch-black muzzles of dozens of warships turned toward the island.
"Evil?"
Hearing the word, Bai Ye's eyes grew colder, his gaze sharpening.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sound of cannons erupted across the sea.
Black cannonballs shot into the air like raindrops, filling the sky as they hurtled toward the island.
The man with the antler mask clenched his fist, his voice filled with triumph as he shouted, "That's it! Anyone who dares to challenge the World Government will meet the most miserable end!"
But his confidence was short-lived.
He failed to notice the subtle shift in the expressions of Akainu and Kizaru.
Both Admirals instinctively looked toward the island, sensing something strange.
The air seemed to distort, as though some unseen force was warping the very fabric of reality.
"What… is this?"
The antler-masked man looked up, his voice trembling with confusion.
On the island, Bai Ye stood unmoving.
In that moment, all the cannonballs—every single one—froze mid-air, as if time itself had stopped.
A suffocating Reiatsu began to spread, emanating from Bai Ye.
His presence alone made the soldiers on the warships feel an overwhelming pressure, one that seemed to crush their very souls.
Bai Ye raised his hand, slowly clenching his fingers into a fist.
His cold, piercing gaze locked onto the warships ahead.
"Who defines evil?" he asked, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
"Who has the right to declare what is evil?"
Turning his sharp gaze toward Akainu and Kizaru, Bai Ye let out a cold snort.
"In the end, what stands before me is nothing more than a group of hypocrites."
He raised his fist.
"Hitotsume no Saezuri."
The air in front of Bai Ye seemed to tear apart as his fist moved with incredible speed, faster than the eye could follow.
BOOM!
A deafening sonic boom echoed across the battlefield as his attack landed.
In an instant, the majority of the cannonballs exploded mid-air, their fiery remains scattering in all directions.
Thick smoke and dust filled the sky, obscuring the battlefield.
The few cannonballs that escaped the initial blast were caught by the immense Reiatsu and redirected—hurtling back toward the Marine warships.
"What… What is this madness?!"
The antler-masked CP0 agent stared in disbelief as the redirected cannonballs rained down toward the tightly packed fleet.
He clenched his teeth, panic flashing across his face. If those cannonballs struck the fleet, it would cause devastating casualties before the battle even began.
The man prepared to act.
But before he could move, Kizaru stepped forward, his tone laced with mockery.
"Now, now… That's enough carelessness for one day."
Golden light particles formed around Kizaru's hands as he raised them toward the sky.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Unlike the Pacifistas, who could only fire single lasers, Kizaru—one of Marine's highest combatants—unleashed hundreds of lasers at once.
The golden beams shot through the air, detonating the redirected cannonballs before they could strike the fleet.
The antler-masked man exhaled in relief, but before he could issue a new order, Akainu's harsh voice cut through the tension.
"Enough!"
The Admiral's piercing gaze fell on the CP0 agent, his fists already glowing with molten lava.
"Stand down and watch. If you're here to 'supervise,' then act like a supervisor."
"You…" The masked man's face twisted in anger, but Akainu ignored him completely.
With a powerful leap, Akainu launched himself into the air, lava pouring from his fists as black smoke trailed behind him.
"This ends now," Akainu growled, his voice filled with fury.
"Dai Funka!"
The decisive battle had begun.