Marineford.
Sengoku, Garp, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and others stood atop the high walls, their expressions complex and grave.
Once upon a time, how strong was their Marine force?
Now, they were like tigers fallen into flatlands, bullied by dogs, a beaten hound kicked by all.
"Did the Five Elders say when they could reinforce us?" Garp inquired with a complicated expression.
Sengoku said with a stern face, "No."
"They told us to await news."
Sakazuki, upon hearing this, said with dissatisfaction, "Await news? Await news? If we wait any longer, we will all die."
The warships of the Xuanwu Navy before them had already aimed their cannons at them. With just one order from Benedict, all of Marineford would cease to exist.
And now, they were still being told to wait for news.
"Watch your words, Sakazuki," Monkey Fist stared at the heavily injured Sakazuki and said coldly.
Ryokugyu and others from the World Government also looked at Sakazuki with coldness.
This scene infuriated Sakazuki, who was about to erupt further, yet at this moment, he was utterly speechless.
One reason was the sheer numbers and retained strength of the enemy, while he was now at the end of his rope, not enough for them to deal with.
"There are only two outcomes: death, or surrender," Borsalino suddenly said.
"Borsalino, what do you mean by that?" Monkey Fist, crackling with electricity, stared at Borsalino, a murderous glint in his eyes, and said in a deep voice.
Borsalino shimmered with golden light. Facing someone like Monkey Fist, if he wasn't cautious, he might very well lose his life.
"It doesn't mean anything special. I'm just reminding everyone how we want to choose to die," Borsalino pouted and said with a smile.
"How to die?" Ryokugyu chuckled, revealing a somewhat eerie smile.
Suddenly, branches shot out from the ground.
Borsalino instantly flickered and flew into mid-air.
"As expected of a Logia-type Devil Fruit user, such reaction speed is truly incredible."
Seeing that he couldn't keep Borsalino, Ryokugyu sighed and said.
"Ryokugyu, stop."
"Are you trying to incite internal strife?"
Sengoku, not expecting Ryokugyu to suddenly make a move at this time, immediately roared in anger.
"Internal strife?"
"How could this possibly be internal strife? I am merely cleaning house."
"Have you not understood?"
"He is inciting us to surrender."
"Those with wavering resolve have already hesitated."
Facing Sengoku's roar, Ryokugyu was unfazed. On the contrary, he appeared very calm.
Monkey Fist, Roshian, and a host of CP organization members also gathered together at this moment, deliberately encircling the area where Sengoku and the others were.
"Nonsense!"
"Do not disturb the morale here."
"It is you who are fearful in your hearts and secretly wish to surrender."
Sakazuki was the first to express his displeasure, directly entering his elemental form and launching an attack on Ryokugyu with lightning speed.
Borsalino had saved his life, after all.
Regardless of whether Borsalino's words were intentional or unintentional, it was not excessive to step forward to speak for Borsalino, or even to attack in his defense at this time.
Monkey Fist's eyes flashed with playful murderous intent. He instantly arrived before Ryokugyu and threw a punch crackling with lightning.
"Raikaku!"
Bang!
Sakazuki was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the wall, smashing through the parapet. If he hadn't reached out to grab the edge of the wall at the last moment, he would have fallen into the sea.
"Meigo!"
Sakazuki charged forward and attacked again.
"Stop!"
Sengoku intervened again, pulling Sakazuki directly down from mid-air.
However, at this very moment, countless vines shot out from the ground, instantly binding both Sakazuki and Sengoku.
"Ryokugyu," Garp said with a stern face, preparing for battle.
At this point, Garp could not just stand by and watch.
He could not gauge Ryokugyu's personality.
After all, Ryokugyu's methods were somewhat similar to Barolomick's; these growing tentacles could absorb the strength of others for his own use.
Facing Garp's hostility, Ryokugyu chuckled. Lush branches began to grow from his body, transforming him into a towering tree.
Garp, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and others immediately dodged upon seeing this scene.
However, as they moved, dense branches instantly surged out. Before Vice Admiral Tsuru and the others could fully react, many were already controlled.
"Hahaha, you shall obediently become my nutrients."
Ryokugyu no longer concealed himself at this moment.
He launched his attack recklessly.
"You're asking for it!"
Garp instantly entered combat mode. His massive fist grabbed the attacking vines and with a forceful pull, the entwining vines were directly snapped.
He then ran on the vines, charging towards Ryokugyu.
Monkey Fist rushed over immediately and engaged Garp.
"Meteor Volcano."
Releasing the Magma-Magma Fruit, he burned away the entangling vines. Sakazuki, having regained his freedom, unleashed his full power.
Magma cannonballs, like meteors, flew towards the towering Ryokugyu.
With a thought from Ryokugyu, thick vines continuously swung in front of him, blocking most of the magma cannonballs.
Although some landed on him, the burning speed was not as imagined.
"It's useless."
"I possess the Mori-Mori Fruit. The plants created by me will possess different attributes, such as enhanced toughness, resistance to cutting, and resistance to burning."
Seeing Sakazuki's shocked expression, Ryokugyu laughed heartily.
"Sakazuki, your strength is impressive. You are fully qualified to allow a demon to descend upon this world."
"Hehehe!"
As Ryokugyu finished speaking, a massive mouth opened beneath Sakazuki's feet.
It was a mouth formed by densely interwoven tree vines, with sharp wooden spears deep within.
The speed was so great that even as Sakazuki attempted to elementalize and escape, he was a step too slow.
This massive mouth, as if it had swallowed a giant magma ball, continuously emitted white smoke, and a considerable amount of magma flowed out from the gaps, dripping onto the ground.
Ryokugyu stared at Sakazuki, his eyes flashing.
Hundreds and thousands of vines transformed into sharp spears and instantly shot out, piercing towards Sakazuki.
"Sakazuki!"
Sengoku, having just broken free from the vines' entanglement, cried out in horror as he saw Sakazuki in grave danger.
Boom!
At this very moment, a figure descended from the sky.
A roaring sound echoed.
Vines shattered, magma splashed.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for killing a Devil Fruit user, obtaining one Magma-Magma Fruit. Does the host wish to summon special forces using the Devil Fruit?"
Benedict slowly floated down, surveying the entire battlefield, and said with a smile.
"What is going on here?"
"Internal conflict?"
"Hehehe, how interesting."
"However, Sakazuki is not someone you can kill."
"Only I can kill him."