For a moment, everyone’s eyes on the enormous deck were focused on Lucas.
Even Vice Admiral Doll was no exception.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea had never been particularly well-liked within Marine Headquarters.
However, with the World Government’s rules and regulations standing in the way, the Marines could only be angry in silence.
Normally, when the forces under a Warlord of the Sea threw their weight around and abused their privileges, ordinary Marines would simply turn a blind eye.
At a time like this, with Marine Headquarters on the verge of war against the Four Emperors, even more people would probably choose to stay out of it.
Even Doll, as a Vice Admiral, would think twice before getting involved, simply to avoid affecting the upcoming war.
But then she remembered that there was a newly appointed Marine Admiral standing before her who never did things according to convention.
A strange curiosity began to grow in Doll’s heart.
She wanted to know what Lucas would do.
"People from the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
Lucas took a gulp of liquor.
"Having people from the Seven Warlords show up at a time like this really is a headache."
"But they’re only people working under a Warlord. They’re not an actual Warlord themselves. What is there to be afraid of?"
"I’ll kill the people causing trouble, and you save the civilians. No problem, right?"
BOOM!
The moment his words fell, everyone present froze.
Before they could even react, the Conqueror’s Haki dormant within Lucas’s body exploded like an enraged tidal wave.
BANG!
The enormous surge of Haki was almost tangible, spreading outward like a shockwave.
Its speed was astonishing.
In an instant, it slammed toward the chaotic Nanohana Port.
Everything in its path was swept away.
The pirate ships moored at the port were torn apart like paper.
The sudden display caused everyone’s expressions to change drastically.
They had indeed wanted to know whether Lucas would take action against the forces of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
But they had never imagined that Lucas would attack without so much as a warning.
More importantly, his attack was practically indiscriminate, leaving them no time to react.
"Admiral Lucas, if you want us to save people, at least give us some time to prepare! We can’t catch up now!"
Doll’s expression also turned slightly grim.
She was already beginning to regret wishing for Lucas to intervene.
She had indeed guessed that Lucas liked to act outside the norm.
But this was far more unexpected than she had imagined.
Beside her, Smoker could only smile bitterly.
With his Smoke-Smoke Fruit, he had certainly become increasingly specialized in escaping.
But looking at the almost tangible Conqueror’s Haki crashing toward the port with unstoppable force, even if he used every ounce of strength he had, he still wouldn’t be able to catch up.
All he could do was stand there and watch helplessly.
However, just as that thought emerged in his mind, an indescribable pressure erupted across the port.
BOOM!
The pirates causing trouble around the outskirts were instantly blown away by the tangible Conqueror’s Haki.
The enormous force continued forward without losing momentum, crashing toward the Marine soldiers and Royal Guard troops on the shore.
They were certainly happy to see the lackeys of the Seven Warlords of the Sea being swept away.
But when they realized that they were about to become targets of the attack as well, none of them could smile anymore.
"Just as expected of the Marines’ new Admiral."
"I thought he’d simply leave these people from the Seven Warlords to run wild and force me to deal with them myself."
"I didn’t expect his way of doing things to be quite this surprising."
"Still, I rather enjoy saving people."
A figure wrapped in a black cloak pushed through the crowd and stepped out from behind the Marine soldiers.
Behind him stood an old man wearing a sheepskin hat, with unkempt silver hair and a pipe clenched between his teeth.
However, when the old man saw the overwhelming shockwave bearing down upon them, he merely tightened the tattered sheepskin coat around himself and continued shrinking into the crowd instead of stepping forward.
The Marine soldiers and Royal Guards stared anxiously at the figure who had suddenly appeared before them.
They indeed didn’t dare attack the people associated with the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
But at the same time, they didn’t want to watch innocent people die.
Yet just as that thought arose in their minds, the black-cloaked figure suddenly made his move.
"Gravity Blade: Raging Tiger!"
BOOM!
A purple shockwave collided head-on with the incoming Conqueror’s Haki.
As the enormous shockwaves rolled backward, the entire port was instantly engulfed in clouds of dust.
The pirates who had been fortunate enough to avoid the initial wave thought they had managed to escape with their lives.
The next moment, they were swallowed by the aftershocks of the two forces colliding.
The sight caused Doll, Smoker, and the others to contract their pupils in shock.
They had originally thought that when Lucas said, "I’ll kill the people causing trouble, and you save the civilians," he had been speaking only to them.
They had never imagined that someone capable of blocking Lucas’s Conqueror’s Haki was actually hiding at the port.
Only now did everyone suddenly remember that Lucas had mentioned something earlier.
There seemed to be a target on the list of special combat forces at Nanohana Port.
"Admiral Lucas, is the person who just intervened the special combat power target you mentioned?"
Hina hurriedly asked.
"No."
"He already rejected Old Man Sengoku, so at most, he only counts as half."
"My target is someone else."
Lucas took a gulp of liquor and leaped down onto the port.
Doll and the others were stunned.
Hearing Lucas’s answer, they immediately realized that the person who had just intervened was probably one of the two special combat forces who had rejected Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s invitation in the message they had received earlier.
But when Lucas said that his actual special combat power target was someone else, they couldn’t see the slightest clue as to who he meant.
At least, when they had looked over the port earlier, they hadn’t noticed anyone particularly outstanding.
The enormous cloud of dust covering the port gradually began to disperse.
Doll and the others didn’t waste any more time. They quickly leaped toward the shore.
Looking at the port that had been reduced to ruins and the pirate corpses scattered everywhere, the muscles in their cheeks twitched slightly at Lucas’s habit of acting without warning.
But their attention was immediately drawn to the black-cloaked figure.
Looking at the purple robe and tightly closed eyes, Doll instantly recognized his identity.
"This really is the special combat power that Fleet Admiral Sengoku mentioned—Fujitora Issho."
"Why is he here?"
Smoker and the others were also stunned.
They finally understood why the man had been able to block Lucas’s attack.
After all, during the high-level meeting held that day, Sengoku had specifically mentioned that these two special combat forces possessed strength comparable to that of an Admiral.
If they could join Marine Headquarters, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.
But apart from Fujitora Issho...
Was there really anyone else here who could be worthy of the title of special combat power?
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