PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

They didn't know much about Nagli, the man who once challenged the Pirate King and possessed Conqueror's Haki.

But they did know the reputation of Fujitora—personally endorsed by Fleet Admiral Sengoku as a fighter on par with the Admirals.

That level of strength was undeniable.

BOOOOM!!!

The overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki surged forth once again like a tsunami.

It barreled down on both Fujitora and Nagli, carrying with it an oppressive weight like a mountain pressing from above.

Below, Fujitora and Nagli's faces changed drastically.

It wasn't their first time seeing Luo Yu's Conqueror's Haki.

But they were still shocked.

Because in this sea, aside from the monstrous Rocks D. Xebec from decades past…

Luo Yu's aura alone had now become something of legend.

"Nagli, get moving! I'll hold him off!"

Fujitora's cane sword flashed from its sheath, glowing with a fierce violet hue as gravitational energy pulsed around him.

"Gravity Blade: Soaring Dragon!"

He slashed behind him, sending a torrent of gravitational pressure slicing through the air.

BOOM!

A howling maelstrom tore across the battlefield, sand and smoke rising like an apocalyptic dust storm.

The sheer force of the collision turned the sky dark.

Vice Admiral Doll looked stunned.

Just moments ago, Fujitora had been striking at Nagli with killing intent.

Now, he was shielding him.

She barely had time to register the change before Smoker let out a roar:

"Stop gawking and start evacuating civilians—now!"

"Evacuate?!"

Doll's face twitched involuntarily.

In her mind, this was a time to fight, to charge forward, to protect the people.

But the first thing out of Smoker's mouth had been "run".

Then she turned—and saw Luo Yu, making his next move.

His aura burst forth once more, world-breaking in scale.

She clenched her jaw and ran.

Now she finally understood why Smoker had mastered the art of evacuation so well.

It wasn't just strategy—

It was survival.

When Luo Yu attacked, it was never a clash—it was calamity.

If you weren't evacuating, then what else could you even do?

Buzz…!

The very air began to tremble.

Above the battlefield, a massive Haki-formed beast coiled through the sky.

The towering Tenfold Magic Circle of Ultimate Tier Skyfall shimmered into being—

And behind Luo Yu, his signature technique, the Hundred-Hand Guanyin, began to materialize again.

Triple-cast destruction was about to be unleashed.

At the foot of the battlefield, Nagli, who had just turned to flee, looked up.

His weathered face twitched as if the deep cracks on it were being torn wider by emotion.

Clenching his pipe between his teeth, he turned back, gripping his massive warhammer tightly.

He stepped beside Fujitora and let out a long, heavy sigh.

"At first," he muttered, "I just wanted to catch one last glimpse of you, little brother."

"Didn't expect to be recognized... and dragged into this."

He looked up at Luo Yu, eyes sharpening.

"But... if you're buying me time to escape, I'm afraid I have to decline."

"Still—this Admiral… why is he attacking us so insanely? Was there not even room to talk first?"

Fujitora gave a rare smile.

"Nagli-nii... if it weren't for you sparing me all those years ago, I probably wouldn't even be alive right now."

"I came to this country to investigate the destruction wrought by the Warlords... but ended up meeting someone who destroys Warlords instead."

"He's mad, for sure—but his method has a logic of its own."

"In his world, once you cross the lines he's drawn... it doesn't matter if you're a Warlord or a 'special combat asset'... he'll come at you like a force of nature."

"People like him... you just can't predict."

Nagli paused, surprised.

"Didn't expect you to hold such high regard for him…"

He narrowed his eyes toward Luo Yu.

"Still, I don't get it. Why's he chasing us like this?"

"Even after we both turned him down, he still won't stop."

"Why?" Fujitora blinked, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"According to the rumors... we're each worth a twenty-million berry performance bonus!"

...Twenty million?!

Nagli's brain short-circuited.

Out of all the reasons he'd considered—

Being sold for 20 million was not one of them.

The sheer cheapness of it made him question everything.

His face darkened. He looked toward the mounting pressure gathering above.

"This is getting ridiculous…"

He clenched his warhammer with both hands.

"Fujitora, my brother… let's shatter the heavens together."

"Gravity Blade: Fierce Dragon!"

"Giant Hammer Style: Flowing Sakura Conqueror Armament!"

BOOOOOOOM!!!

A downpour of devastating energy crashed down from the sky.

Two monstrous forces—Fujitora's gravitational slash and Nagli's Haki-infused hammer strike—collided with Luo Yu's triple-cast technique.

The resulting shockwave tore through the landscape like a hurricane.

Far off in the distance, where Smoker had dragged most of the survivors, even they turned pale.

Sandstorms whipped across the horizon.

The entire sea inlet vanished into a blinding explosion.

The ocean itself trembled.

Everyone's spine went cold.

They were only lucky because of one thing:

Smoker had run first.

Otherwise, they'd all be dead by now.

No one could tell how long the chaos lasted.

Eventually, the swirling smoke and dust began to settle.

The sea inlet—

Had been completely wiped off the map.

Only rubble and scorched earth remained.

As the fog cleared—

All eyes turned toward the center of the crater.

There, still standing atop the last patch of intact ground—

Was Luo Yu.

Shielded by the towering Hundred-Hand Guanyin, its limbs now fully coated in Armament Haki, he looked untouched.

Not a single strand of hair had moved.

He hadn't even needed to adjust his stance.

Even Fujitora and Nagli, now standing over a hundred meters away, covered in dust and debris—

Felt their hearts shudder.

At that moment of impact—

It was like standing in front of a collapsing mountain.

They would never forget it.

Nagli clenched his fists, then looked up.

"Admiral... why won't you give up?"

"Do you really think I'd bend just because of force?"

"Force?" Luo Yu took another swig from his gourd and smiled.

"No, Lord Nagli. I would never think so little of you."

"But I do believe in fate."

"Take Garp, for example. He and I were fated—so his grandson is still alive."

He looked up, his gaze piercing.

"Maybe you and I are fated too."

"And if that's the case—who knows what good might come of it?"

Garp?!

Nagli's expression stiffened.

Of course he remembered that bastard.

Years ago, when he encountered Luffy and his crew at the scrap island…

He had assumed it was coincidence.

But only afterward did he learn—it had all been Garp's trap, set up to make him test the boys.

Would fate repeat itself now?

And would this Luo Yu—

Be another "trap" he couldn't escape?