21. The Arrival Of Kizaru, The Strength Of The Pacifists

Rayleigh gazed at Luffy and the others, a profound meaning shimmering in his eyes.

Perhaps, through these minor setbacks and challenges, they would emerge stronger. The imminent confrontation with the Admiral would serve as a valuable wake-up call.

Once they reached the New World, they couldn't afford to maintain their current relaxed state of awareness. As for whether Luffy could defeat the Admiral, Rayleigh didn't dwell on it. 

Dealing with Shichibukai like Crocodile might be feasible with sheer determination, but facing an Admiral was on a whole different level.

"It seems my old bones are in for another workout. It's been a while since I faced off against a Marine Admiral," Rayleigh remarked with a smile, his hand casually brushing against a long knife hanging from his waist.

Meanwhile, at the Mangrove area port on No. 20 Sabaody:

"It's a warship."

"Is the Marines mobilizing so quickly?"

"What's going on? Why are there so many warships?"

In this lawless zone where pirates abound, the sight of a warship docking sent waves of panic through the crowd.

Their anxiety only escalated when they spotted a figure standing on the ship's hull—a man who instilled fear in even the boldest of pirates: Admiral Kizaru.

As the warship fired, shells exploded onto the ground of Sabaody, scattering light in their wake. Pirates scrambled in terror, their panicked shouts filling the air.

"Moshi moshi?" Kizaru's voice echoed, but he seemed more preoccupied with a small phone bug in his hand than the chaos around him.

Surrounded by a ring of pirates, Kizaru stood nonchalantly in their midst, seemingly unfazed by their presence. Yet, it was the pirates who, under the weight of Kizaru's imposing aura, found themselves frozen in place, unable to move.

"It's odd. Why isn't the phone bug responding?" Kizaru mused, his tone slow and whimsical, giving off the air of a rather eccentric uncle.

"Never mind. By the way, do any of you know where the straw hat boy is?" Kizaru's smile remained intact as he addressed the trembling pirate before him. "Please tell me, or I'll have to arrest you."

"Go to hell, Admiral!" one pirate finally snapped under the intense pressure, raising a pistol and aiming directly between Kizaru's eyebrows.

The shot rang out, hitting its mark with pinpoint accuracy. But instead of blood and brain matter, only a glimmer of light appeared on Kizaru's forehead before quickly fading away, leaving him unscathed.

"If you're clueless, then there's nothing more to be done," Kizaru remarked, maintaining his easy smile as he delivered a swift kick.

The radiant burst of light knocked down all the pirates in its path before colliding with a thick, red tree, effortlessly shattering it.

"Monster, he's a monster!" a fortunate pirate who avoided the attack exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear as he witnessed the devastation around him.

"It seems I'll have to find him myself. How troublesome," Kizaru muttered, paying no heed to the fallen pirates as he strolled leisurely towards the heart of Sabaody, his Admiral's cloak swaying casually.

In the lawless expanse of Sabaody, Kizaru's demeanour remained calm and composed, as if he were merely out for a leisurely stroll.

Meanwhile, in Area 24 of Sabaody:

The bustling food street, once renowned for its delectable offerings, now lay in ruins. A blinding light pierced through the chaos, sending shockwaves rippling through the streets.

One by one, restaurants crumbled under the onslaught of the brilliant light, reducing the once-vibrant area to rubble.

Apu somersaulted backwards, landing amidst the ruins with a solemn gaze fixed on the towering figures before him.

"What manner of monsters are these? Aren't they Shichibukai bears? Why are there two of them emitting lasers as well?" Apu questioned, eyeing the bear-like beings standing before him. Occasionally, red light shimmered in their eyes while lasers emanated from their hands and mouths.

"Karma," Urouge's voice boomed as he emerged from behind, his massive form dwarfing the pacifists. With a swift punch, he struck one of the pacifists, only to find his blow met with a resistance harder than steel.

"It's futile. I won't entertain your questions. I am the sternest man alive," Sentomaru, wielding a massive axe, declared, addressing Apu. "These are creations of Vegapunk—humanoid weapons known as pacifists. They rival the cost of a warship and are more than capable of handling newcomers like you."

Apu couldn't help but grumble, though Sentomaru's explanation shed light on the adversaries they faced.

"Humanoid weapons?" Apu surveyed the surroundings, realizing that the food street was a gathering place for most of the supernovas.

Among them stood Capone Bege, Urouge, Drake, Trafalgar Law, Kid, a recently awakened Kira, and Hawkins, who seemed unperturbed by the pacifists as he delved into his divinations.

"Let's band together and take down these two metal giants first," Apu suggested, receiving nods of agreement from the other supernovas.

The pacifists' speed was blinding, their tracking abilities impeccable. They hadn't intentionally congregated here; rather, they found themselves cornered and forced together during their pursuit.

"Don't delude yourselves into thinking you can handle the pacifists with your current strength," Sentomaru warned, his voice booming.

"PX3, PX4, eliminate them!" Sentomaru commanded.

In moments, electric currents crackled from the pacifists' mouths, releasing a paralyzing aura that left the supernovas immobilized. Urouge lay on the ground, reverted to his normal size, blood seeping from two wounds on his shoulder. Drake, having abandoned his Allosaurus form, bore a gaping hole in his chest. Law leaned heavily on his knife, breathing heavily.

Only Apoo remained relatively unscathed, relying on ranged attacks.

The dire condition of Kid and Kira prevented them from contributing much to the fight.

"I underestimated you. You've managed to defeat PX3 and PX4," Sentomaru remarked, peering down at the battered supernovas.

"Is this the Marines' secret weapon? Not much to brag about, if you ask me," Kid retorted weakly before trailing off.

But his words were cut short as two colossal figures loomed ominously behind Sentomaru.

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