Ren Takashi locked onto Kizaru with Observation Haki. With a cold gaze and a steady stance, he unleashed a searing energy beam over ten meters in diameter.
BOOM!!
The beam split the air with a thunderous crack, its trail sizzling with lightning and sonic booms.
He brandished the Magic Sword of a Thousand Blades—his Overload technique, combining the power of thunder, the might of the dragon horns, and the finesse of a master swordsman. It was, without doubt, Ren's most powerful move to date.
All ten of Kizaru's clones paled, and in unison, they activated their Observation Haki to its fullest, swinging their blades to intercept.
"Kizaru!!" Garp's voice rang out in the distance, filled with urgency and dread.
He could tell—without a doubt—that Kizaru's life now hung by a thread.
"I'll fight to the death!!" Kizaru roared, his face twisted with fury. All nine remaining clones surged forward, blades raised, hoping to create an opening.
It was better to grasp at survival than wait for death. Even a second of distraction could mean the difference between life and a fatal blow.
But the Overload descended like judgment from the heavens. With overwhelming power, it shattered all nine clones in a single sweep—then continued hurtling toward Kizaru's true body.
Kizaru's pupils shrank. His clones were obliterated before he even had time to blink.
"Ice Wall!!!"
Just then, Admiral Aokiji arrived, cloaked in freezing mist.
With a wave of his hand, walls of ice rose to intercept the beam.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The energy beam smashed through three ice walls in rapid succession before slicing straight toward Kizaru.
Kizaru dodged at the last second, but the energy blast still clipped his shoulder—and kept going, streaking across the sky.
"Kizaru!!"
"Kizaru!!"
Two voices cried out from opposite sides.
Garp and Aokiji raced over, their faces ashen the moment they laid eyes on him.
Kizaru's right arm had been severed at the base, blood gushing like a fountain.
His broken arm lay on the ground nearby, still twitching.
Kizaru staggered back, his face pale. After a brief moment of numbness, a surge of agony shot through his body.
"Aaaagh!!!"
His scream echoed through the sky. He turned toward Ren with disbelief.
Aokiji and Garp shared a grim look.
A Marine Admiral's arm… severed. It was a humiliation none of them could accept.
"Ren Takashi!!!" Garp growled. His voice was cold enough to freeze blood.
He glared at Ren, his killing intent boiling over.
Ren's face was calm but stern. A dark vein pulsed on his cheek.
He'd almost killed Kizaru.
If Aokiji hadn't arrived in time, Kizaru wouldn't have escaped. Losing an arm was the least he would've suffered.
Aokiji's expression darkened. "Ren, that's enough!"
He stepped forward protectively, standing in front of Kizaru.
"Enough?" Ren scoffed as if he'd heard the most ridiculous joke. "You two tried to kill me moments ago, and now you want to call it off?"
"Kizaru said Garp was angry? So what?"
"I'm standing here just fine. If Aokiji hadn't interfered, he'd have lost more than just an arm!"
Kizaru trembled. He opened his mouth but couldn't refute it.
The victor becomes king, the loser a criminal.
He had nothing to say.
"That's enough, Ren!" Aokiji's tone grew colder, his breath fogging the air.
"Captain, are you okay?!"
Nami and Robin arrived, riding a floating cloud.
The battlefield had shifted during the clash. The women had defeated Ghost Spider and Dalmatian, and now rushed to support their captain.
"Robin..." Aokiji looked up at her with a complicated expression.
She had indeed found a good captain and partner.
Unfortunately, she was now on the side of pirates.
Ren glanced at Aokiji, then turned and walked toward Nami and Robin.
Aokiji didn't dare let him get too close to Kizaru again. If Ren teleported, Kizaru would die before they could react.
"Next time we meet, I won't hold back."
— — —
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Garp and Aokiji rushed Kizaru to the infirmary. Marine soldiers were stunned to see the unconscious admiral—especially the arm in Aokiji's hand.
Who had done this?!
Kizaru had the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit. Even if he couldn't win, he could always escape. Yet now…
The news of Kizaru's defeat spread like wildfire.
— — —
Inside Marineford War Room.
"Garp, tell us what happened. Spare no detail!!"
A high-level emergency meeting was called. All Vice Admirals and above rushed in.
Everyone stared at Garp.
For once, he wasn't joking around. Head bowed, he recounted everything—up to the moment Kizaru lost his arm.
"So... Ren Takashi severed Kizaru's arm?"
"Is his Armament Haki that powerful already?!"
The room went silent.
Fleet Admiral Zhang Guo looked around the table and asked lowly, "Garp, what do you think of Ren?"
Garp thought for a moment, then said, "His teleportation is the real threat. Everything else—strong, yes, but manageable."
A measured assessment.
The Thunder Fruit was powerful, but not without precedent.
Then Sengoku turned to Aokiji. "Why didn't you report Robin's presence earlier?!"
Aokiji's heart skipped a beat.
"Ah… Marshal Sengoku… that's… I mean… uh…"
He fumbled for an excuse. Fortunately, Garp hadn't revealed Ren's final words, or Aokiji would've been in deeper trouble.
Finding Robin should've been good news.
Now it felt like a curse.
Vice Admiral Tsuru cut in, "Zhang Guo, this must be reported to the Five Elders. If we don't act, Mary Geoise might fall in days."
All the admirals nodded. Even Kizaru had lost to Ren.
Zhang Guo held his aching head.
So much had happened in a single day. He didn't even know where to start. If the Elders found out everything…
"How do we handle this?" one admiral asked.
Zhang Guo just shook his head. "Let the Five Elders decide."
"Everyone—avoid engaging Ren. If you run into him, retreat."
Some chuckled bitterly. When had the Marines ever feared a pirate so openly?
But what else could they do?
The meeting ended. As they filtered out, Garp stopped Sengoku.
"I need a few days off to find Luffy."
Sengoku sighed. He knew what this meant.
"Find him fast. And get him to quit piracy."
His voice turned serious.
"If Ren finds out you're Luffy's grandfather, he'll kill him without hesitation."
"Don't let someone you love die first."
— — —
Elsewhere…
"Kizaru and Garp both left… we missed him again. What was his name?!"
"Block the news—if this leaks, the whole world will laugh at us!"
"Zhang Guo, you've failed us! Can you even remain Admiral? If not, find a replacement!"
Zhang Guo wiped his brow. Finally… it was over.
"How's Kizaru?!" one of the Five Elders with golden hair asked grimly.
But another one—the calm, sword-wielding Elder—spoke:
"The urgent matter is this: How do we handle Ren Takashi?"
Teleportation.
Combined with lightning speed. Even he couldn't guarantee escape.
"It's troublesome… but not invincible." the sword Elder said.
"If we take action—"
Zhang Guo asked, "Master, who exactly are you sending?!"
The others: "…"
They avoided eye contact.
The sword Elder coughed. "There is no better option."
— — —
To be continued…