Chapter 73 : Buster Call!

[Monkey D. Luffy vs Enel, the Top Ten Peak Battles, the Conclusion of the Sky Island Arc, and the Post-War Recap...]

[This event occurred before the Thriller Bark incident, so the Straw Hat Pirates were still not fully assembled!]

[Due to the significance of the Sky Island incident, the excitement of the battles, and its core importance, it takes priority over the Thriller Bark incident!]

[Furthermore, very few people are aware of the Sky Island incident, and the news of Enel's defeat hasn't been reported.]

[So, the bounties for the Straw Hat Pirates have not increased.]

[They still retain the bounties they received after defeating the first of Seven Warlords before going to the Sky Island.]

[Captain, Monkey D. Luffy, bounty... 100 million Berries!]

[The rest of the crew: Robin, 79 million Berries; Zoro, 60 million Berries!]

[The other crew members' bounties are insignificant...]

At that moment, the Marine headquarters was in chaos.

As they watched the live broadcast, they had already suspected that the events on the Sky Island had taken place before their encounter with Moria. 

After all, Luffy hadn't used Gear Second or Gear Third during that time. Now, with the confirmation in the picture, their suspicions were confirmed.

Surprisingly, their speculations were correct.

The shock came from not only the ranking but also the revelation in the broadcast. Before heading to the Sky Island, Luffy had already defeated one of the Seven Warlords!

This victory had boosted his bounty to an astonishing 100 million Berries.

Now, the discussion in the council chamber turned awkward as they tried to determine which of the Seven Warlord Luffy had defeated. They ruled out Moria, Mihawk, and Bartholomew Kuma.

Moria had already been defeated.

Mihawk was considered too powerful for Luffy. Mihawk was Worlds No.1 Swordsman and was on par with the Four Emperors. Fighting against him can only result in Luffy's defeat or even death. It was more difficult to achieve than defeating an Admiral.

Bartholomew Kuma had made an appearance at Thriller Bark, so it couldn't be him.

That left only Doflamingo, Crocodile, Boa Hancock and Jinbei as possibilities.

All eyes were on those four as they felt the weight of the room's attention. Boa Hancock, proud and confident, raised her head and declared, "Any man would fall at the feet of this queen!"

"Defeated men could never be our consorts!"

Jinbei added, "It cannot be me. I am usually in the depths of the sea, rarely appearing on the surface."

Doflamingo smiled as he toyed with a silk thread in his hand. "It can't be me either. The Straw Hat boy's strength is insufficient to challenge me, and his Devil Fruit can't restrain me. I'm no fool like Moria."

These words offended the only remaining candidates. Crocodile who stood up with anger written on his faces and same was for Moria.

"You're a fool!" Moria retorted. 

But Doflamingo was not angered, responding sarcastically, "Your Shadow-Shadow Fruit might be powerful, but you lost to a rookie pirate who had just set sail. Is that not foolish?"

"You..." Moria seethed with anger, his usually pale face turning red.

Crocodile then chimed in, "I was the one defeated first?"

Doflamingo continued, "But it can't be me. The Straw Hat boy's power is not enough to challenge me. After all, his fruit can't restrict me. I'm not a fool like Moria."

As soon as these words left his mouth, Bartholomew Kuma and Doflamingo got into a heated argument.

"You're the fool!"

Doflamingo remained unfazed and continued, "Your Shadow-Shadow Fruit may be powerful, but you were defeated by a rookie pirate setting sail. Who's the real fool here?"

At this time, Crocodile spoke…

He was holding a cigar with a playful face.

"Oh?"

"Then, based on what you've said, it seems impossible for the Straw Hat kid to defeat you, leaving only me."

"I was defeated first?"

Doflamingo displayed a mocking smile. "But… Right now, you're the only possible candidate!"

Crocodile's eyes narrowed slightly, and he spoke slowly, "Are you suggesting that, apart from Moria, I'm the weakest among us?"

Moria: "..."

You two talk as you like, but don't involve me!

Doflamingo continued to wear that mocking expression and spread his hands out. "Don't you already know about this?"

Crocodile smiled, but there was a hint of menace in his smile.

"We both are Warlords!"

"But, it seems to me that you're weaker than I am, perhaps you should be the first to fall to the Straw Hat pirates."

"Or... shall we test it?"

Upon hearing this, Doflamingo's smile vanished.

In his hand, several transparent threads slowly emerged.

Simultaneously, beside Crocodile, a swirl of sand materialized...

For a moment, the two of them were tense, as if they were on the brink of a brawl!

It was at this moment...

"Enough!"

The voice of Sengoku resonated, and he had a serious expression on his face.

"The Shichibukai are personally appointed by the World Government, and each of you is formidable."

"But then again, it doesn't matter who is defeated first, as it remains uncertain!"

"Besides, you two have been at each other's throats from the start."

"I can't control your actions outside, fight as you please, but remember this is the Marine Headquarters!"

"If you dare to engage in combat, I guarantee that you won't return to your own territory, but instead will be incarcerated in Impel Down!"

Boom!

When Doflamingo and Crocodile heard this, they promptly retracted their abilities.

Although they harbored significant animosity towards each other, they didn't dare to defy the Sengoku, as he could intimidate anyone, regardless of their identity or strength.

They had no doubt that if they genuinely clashed...

Even without the Sengoku' intervention, the three Admirals, Kizaru, Aokiji, and Akainu, would unite against them.

The combined might of the three Admirals was enough to drive even the Four Emperors away.

Regardless of their personal grievances, they weren't foolish enough to challenge that.

Just as Sengoku observed Crocodile and Doflamingo cease their confrontation and heaved a sigh of relief, a new predicament arose.

Akainu, who had remained silent until then, stood up. His face was as dark as a storm cloud, and his words shocked everyone present.

"Fleet Admiral, please permit me to utilize the Buster Call to annihilate the Straw Hat Pirates and their homeland!"

Thunderstruck!

The moment those words left his lips, shock filled the room.

Sengoku and Aokiji were stunned, and even Kizaru, who had a penchant for idleness, widened his eyes in disbelief.

As for Crocodile, Doflamingo, and the other Warlords, they were equally taken aback.

It felt like a surreal hallucination, and everyone wanted Akainu to repeat his statement.

What did he just say?

Utilize the Buster Call? Seriously?

Is he insane?

As is well known, the Buster Call is authorized by the World Government for the Marine Headquarters to launch an indiscriminate bombardment on the designated area!

It's a ruthless attack that spares nothing.

Under the watchful eye of ten warships and numerous elite Marines, everything is reduced to ashes.

This is arguably the Marine Headquarters' and World Government's most brutal method!

The Buster Call is used sparingly in the annals of the Marine's history.

But now, Akainu was proposing to decimate the Straw Hat Pirates and their homeland with a Buster Call?

This is madness!

Especially when Garp, the Straw Hat Pirates' captain's grandfather, stands right there.

In front of Garp, he request authorization to unleash a Buster Call on his grandson?

And on his village?

Luffy's hometown is also Garp's hometown!

Is he out of his mind?

For a moment, Aokiji, Kizaru, Mihawk, Mingge, Crocodile, the Pirate Empress, and the others all turned their attention to Garp.

And, as expected...

"Sakazuki!!!"

Garp's previously benign countenance contorted into an expression of pure fury.

Anger consumed his aged features.

Boom!

A tremendous force descended upon the entire council chamber.

Even the floor beneath him cracked at that moment.

The overwhelming aura left everyone in the room, including the three Admirals and Mihawk, trembling.

Garp's eyes widened as he stared at Akainu. He uttered each word with deliberate intensity, "If you dare to deploy the Buster Call..."

"I promise you, I will rip your head off before that!"

**********

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