"One Piece: Sign-In at the Start to Get Ryūjin Jakka"

BOOM!

A deafening explosion echoed across the sky. But the scorch marks from the flames were quickly repaired by the tree's incredible life force—fire couldn't even take hold!

What kind of terrifying regeneration was this?

This thought flashed through Akainu's mind—but he had no better solution.

Meanwhile, Spandine, standing before Roya, was drenched in cold sweat.

He had seen Akainu's previous attack even more clearly than the others.

When the attack hit… not even a ripple appeared—it was completely neutralized in a blink.His eyes were now full of terror.

Roya wasn't foolish at all—he was terrifyingly confident in his own strength!

Realizing this, Spandine instinctively began backing away. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, he scrambled to his feet and fled toward the shoreline.

He had to run! This monster was beyond anything he could handle!

Watching Spandine flee in a panic, Roya's gaze flickered with disdain.

Run?Where do you think, you can run to?

SHING!

Roya drew Ryūjin Jakka, his blade letting out a sharp hum.

"All things in creation, turn to ash — Ryūjin Jakka!"

As his voice fell, flames danced in the eyes of both Olvia and Robin.

A second later—an inferno erupted into the sky!

This time, the spiritual pressure was hundreds—even thousands—of times stronger than before.To those who sensed it, it was like a tangible form of Conqueror's Haki.

Roya stepped forward—each step cracking the ground beneath him.His blade, sharp and brimming with power, carved through the air with a booming arc.

"Ryūjin Jakka First Form — Caressing Slash!"

The slash flashed with overwhelming spiritual pressure.

A sky-splitting flame roared forth!

A titanic wave of fire surged directly toward Aokiji and Akainu, reflected in their shrinking pupils.

They had no time to hesitate—immediately unleashing their strongest techniques in defense.If they couldn't break Roya's defense, they had to stop this slash—Or the ten warships behind them would be utterly annihilated.

"Ice Age!"

"Meteor Volcano!"

Not just the two of them—even the three remaining Vice Admirals launched everything they had to support them!

BOOM!

But even with the combined might of all the Vice Admirals, their attacks were swallowed up by Roya's flame slash—

Feeding it instead, making the flames grow even more massive and devastating!

BOOM!

The massive flaming arc tore through Spandine, who hadn't gotten far.

Then smashed into Aokiji, Akainu, and the other Vice Admirals!

Even Akainu, empowered by the Magma-Magma Fruit, couldn't withstand the searing heat of the slash.

They were all blasted away!

Under Roya's precise control, the slash then surged toward the warships offshore.

In a split second, the ships were shattered—Flames engulfed the sea, sending tens of thousands of tons of seawater into the air like a massive rainstorm.

As the sea rained down, it washed away the smoke and fire across the island.

Once more, Ohara fell into a quiet, clear stillness.

Olvia's lips trembled. As one of the few Oharans who had traveled beyond the island,She had never seen anyone as powerful as Roya.

"S-So strong..."

Her eyes shimmered with awe.

At this moment, to her, Roya was radiant beyond words.

Out at sea...

Roya's previous attack had stirred the ocean itself.

Wreckage from the shattered warships now floated across the waves.

Spandine, clutching his wounds, dragged the unconscious Aokiji and Akainu onto a wooden plank.

"Useless! Both of you are useless!"

"You couldn't beat one guy! You couldn't even break his defense! How dare you call yourselves Admiral candidates?! What a joke!"

Though cursing furiously, Spandine still dragged their heavily injured bodies.

Luckily for him, the slash was aimed at Aokiji and Akainu—

He had dodged early and was only burned across his back.

But Aokiji and Akainu, both Devil Fruit users, had been knocked unconscious.With their powers suppressed by seawater, they were as good as helpless.

If Spandine left them, he would lose his own head next.

After a grueling effort, Spandine finally managed to send word to the Five Elders.

As the head of the Special Intelligence Division, he had the authority to contact them directly.

And to shift blame from himself, he exaggerated Roya's power to the heavens—

While throwing the Navy completely under the bus.

"My Lords, the Buster Call failed!"

"All my men fought valiantly but were slaughtered! The Tree of Knowledge came alive, and the Buster Call was defeated in a single move by a fire-wielding monster!"

"Even Vice Admiral Akainu, despite his Magma Fruit, was burned by this man's flames!"

"And the Navy? Completely useless! Cowards, the lot of them! They were routed instantly! Ships destroyed, soldiers crippled—it was a disaster!"

"The Navy clearly didn't take this mission seriously at all—how can they disrespect you like this?!"

Spandine's subtext was clear:

"The enemy was too strong; we tried our best. But the Navy messed it all up. Please go easy on me."

The Five Elders frowned on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.

They didn't entirely believe him.

If things were really that bad, how did Spandine survive?

But what truly disturbed them was what Spandine described—The Tree of Knowledge coming to life, and the sky-scorching fire.

Roughly three days ago, on Seagull Island, there had also been a blazing inferno when the Fruit of Surgery was stolen.

Both events involved an overwhelming flame that left no room for resistance.

They were almost certain—it was the same person behind both.

"Who is this man? What is his goal?!"

To have an enemy so powerful and mysterious—one that repeatedly opposed them—filled them with rage.

But without knowing his identity… how could they retaliate?

BANG!

One of the bald Five Elders slammed his palm onto the table, shattering it in fury.

"We need to mobilize more forces to track this person down! We have too little information—no name, no face, no idea of his ability or motive!""As for Ohara… we'll suppress the news of the Buster Call's failure at all costs!"

If word got out that the Buster Call had failed, it would embolden rebels across the seas.

It had to be silenced.

"Raise his bounty to 3 billion Berries. Offer 100 million for any useful intel!""Instruct all intelligence agents worldwide to prioritize finding this man while continuing their usual missions!""He won't escape the World Government's net!"

"As for Ohara… leave it be. But anyone from Ohara found outside the island—kill them on sight.""And investigate the Tree of Knowledge thoroughly. How could it come to life?!""Also—it's time to clean house in the Navy."

Once the Five Elders finalized their plans, they put them into motion immediately.

Meanwhile, the news of the Buster Call's failure,The return of the mysterious powerhouse, And the resurrection of the Tree of Knowledge...Began to spread like wildfire across the seas.