Benedict's punch was incredibly powerful, horrifying Sengoku and the others.
Sengoku braced himself, ready to withstand the aftermath of Benedict's attack with his golden form's formidable defense.
Sengoku had no other choice. If he dodged, the soldiers behind him would surely perish.
"Ultimate Defense!"
Sengoku stepped forward, emanating golden light as he concentrated all his strength in front of him.
Regardless of the final outcome, he had tried his best.
The swordsman, Kaihou, and others also gave their all.
After throwing his punch, Benedict fell silent, awaiting good news from the system.
Hito Hito no Mi, Daibutsu Form.
Animal Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Kaihou Form.
Mato Mato no Mi.
These three fruits were all excellent.
Benedict was particularly anticipating whether Sengoku's and Kaihou's Devil Fruits would yield critical hits, providing him with two drops of five-colored awakening potions.
However, just as Benedict's expectations were high, a terrifying energy descended from the sky.
The power contained within this energy made Benedict's expression change; it was a force no weaker than his own punch.
Boom!
The two forces collided, erupting instantly.
Sengoku and the others were immediately engulfed by the terrifying energy, a situation Benedict did not find surprising.
The powerful energy surged, impacting the surroundings in an instant.
The ice surface shattered completely, and the corpses on it plunged into the vast ocean, swept away by the seawater. Nearby warships were struck by the impact of the water, capsizing or causing people inside to be thrown about.
On the side of the Xuanwu Navy.
Kuzan stood on a warship with Kenshiro. Unable to evade, they could only endure the impact.
Kuzan, in particular, pushed his Devil Fruit ability to its limit, the ice repeatedly shattering and being reinforced.
Kenshiro continuously threw punches, using his strength to counter the incoming shockwaves.
Kuzan and Kenshiro's desperate efforts were not in vain.
At least, behind them, many warships were struggling but not in complete disarray.
As the explosive energy dissipated, the entire battlefield was in ruins.
However, Benedict remained suspended in the air, his gaze fixed with extreme solemnity on the distant sky.
He didn't know how this was achieved.
At this moment, there was nothing visible in the sky.
But the attack had indeed descended from above.
This sudden attack, though it didn't cause Benedict any harm, had caught him off guard.
As a result, Benedict had no time to concern himself with Sengoku and the others.
"Kenshiro, lead the troops to evacuate this area."
Benedict didn't know if the previous attack would come again, or if it might land elsewhere.
Therefore, as a precaution, Benedict instructed Kenshiro to lead the troops to withdraw.
Kenshiro did not hesitate; he quickly organized the troops and rescued the soldiers who had fallen into the water.
Meanwhile.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, weak, was helped onto the deck by soldiers. Seeing the surrounding devastation and Benedict suspended in mid-air, she immediately made decisive arrangements.
Her orders were the same as Benedict's: retreat.
Both sides were withdrawing in tacit understanding, each trying to bring their people along.
"Report, we have found Admiral Sengoku."
Soon, a soldier reported to Vice Admiral Tsuru, greatly delighting her.
With Zephyr's fate unknown, if Sengoku were also in trouble, the Marine Headquarters would truly descend into chaos.
On the other side.
Benedict's figure had ascended to an altitude of nearly ten thousand meters.
The higher he went, the colder it became, the wind grew stronger, and the biting cold intensified.
However, there was no machinery or giant creatures here, as Benedict had imagined.
But where had that attack come from?
Benedict's gaze fixed on the even higher reaches of the sky.
From afar, at this moment, Benedict felt a peculiar sensation, as if a pair of colossal eyes were confronting him from outside this world.
Benedict remained silent.
Should he continue flying upwards?
To fly beyond this world, into outer space?
"No matter who you are, one day, you will appear before me."
"On that day, I will destroy you."
After staring for a long time, the feeling of being watched disappeared. Benedict clenched his fist and said in a deep voice.
This was an unknown power that made him feel a profound sense of crisis.
The battle in the West Blue had concluded.
In summary, this was a failure for the World Government.
Kuzan had left the Marines.
Sengoku, Kaihou, and others had suffered severe injuries. Their strength was greatly weakened due to sinking into the sea.
What troubled Sengoku and the others the most was that Zephyr had not been found.
Neither alive nor dead, neither body nor trace.
Amidst these tumultuous waves, Zephyr's life or death remained unknown.
But compared to these matters, Benedict, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and even Whitebeard, Dragon, and others who were closely monitoring the battle, were more interested in and wary of the sudden, massive pillar of light.
"Newgate, you must be careful. The power that the World Government possesses is merely the tip of the iceberg of what we have tested."
Roger's voice echoed in Whitebeard's mind.
These were the words Roger had specifically instructed Whitebeard with after his journey around the world and his return from the final island, when discussing the battle of the gods back then.
Looking at the interrupted broadcast, Whitebeard fell into deep thought.
Was the power displayed just now a power controlled by the World Government?
...
Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
Upon seeing the beam of light descend, the subsequent interruption of the broadcast, and sensing the aura emanating from the depths of the palace, the Five Elders all stood up, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.
Immediately, they moved with extreme speed towards the inner chambers of the palace.
There lay the 'Empty Throne', meant only for the King of the World.
No one should have been seated there, yet a blurred silhouette, like a descending deity, occupied it.
"Imu-sama!"
When the Five Elders saw the figure, they were immediately terrified and knelt to the ground, losing all their usual haughtiness. All that remained was abject subservience.
"Useless!"
The powerful aura dissipated, the terrifying energy gradually faded, and the figure vanished.
However, it left behind two words.
Merely these two words struck immense fear into the Five Elders, instilling a deathly gaze that felt like impending doom.
Fortunately, after leaving the two words, Imu-sama had disappeared and had not attacked them.
The Five Elders dared not look up, lowering their heads as they retreated. After closing the door, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
However, they soon fell into silence.
"Imu-sama is greatly disappointed in our actions."
"It seems we can no longer hold back."
"We must completely resolve the Xuanwu Navy."
"It is also time to release the bait we captured."
...