Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 203: Buster Call

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Suddenly, an invisible wave swept across them.

The space shifted from feeling like "lake water" to "solid rock."

"She's here too!" Aoki's eyes flickered, but he quickly regained his composure.

If the World Government was planning to take action against him, how could they not bring someone who could restrain him? With the three navy admirals—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—along with a user of the Imprisonment Fruit from the Knights of God, he wondered if there might be any other hidden powerhouses in the mix.

This lineup really showed how seriously they were taking him.

The World Government's murderous intent towards him was probably stronger than that towards anyone else. The hatred was palpable.

Aoki looked at Shakky. "Is it possible to leave now?"

Shakky hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "It's complicated. While the navy has surrounded the Sabaody Archipelago, they've only blocked the main ports, so it's not an unbreakable blockade. Getting out to sea isn't the difficult part—it's the matter of how to shake off the navy once we're there. As soon as we set sail, they're bound to find us, and we'll likely end up facing an attack from the three admirals."

Aoki's mind worked rapidly.

Could he count on the criminals and outlaws in the Sabaody Archipelago to cause a distraction for the navy?

That thought was immediately discarded. The most notable pirates here were the so-called "supernovas." Even the strongest generation of supernovas—Luffy's generation, famously called the Worst Generation—had been easily toyed with by Kizaru alone. If Kizaru had taken the encounter seriously, more than half of them would have perished in the Sabaody Archipelago.

Now, with the three admirals assembled here, these so-called "lawless criminals" would be nothing more than chickens before a storm.

Aoki looked up. "Do you think the navy might consider launching a Buster Call against the Sabaody Archipelago?"

"Under normal circumstances, no. The Sabaody Archipelago is Celestial Dragon territory, and they wouldn't allow the navy to destroy their domain. But…" Rayleigh glanced at Aoki with an unspoken message.

The meaning was clear. You've caused them an unprecedented level of trouble.

The Celestial Dragons may not care deeply for each other as individuals, but they are fiercely protective of their reputation. To erase the disgrace and vent their fury, they just might be willing to sacrifice even the Sabaody Archipelago.

Aoki quickly made a decision. "We must leave as soon as possible."

Whether the navy opted to launch a Buster Call or conduct a thorough search of the island, staying here would put them in an increasingly dangerous situation.

Rayleigh peered outside and said, "If we try to leave now, we'll have to force our way out."

Aoki shook his head. "No, we'll split into two groups. You'll take Hancock and the others, and wait at the beach. I'll create an opportunity, reveal myself to attract attention, and cause a bit of chaos. Use that as a chance to escape."

Fortunately, he had Rayleigh and Shakky to help. It would have been far more complicated if he had to take Hancock and her sisters along by himself.

Shakky asked, "Are you sure you can handle this alone?"

Aoki replied, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Shakky stopped asking questions; she trusted Aoki's abilities. After all, even after killing a Celestial Dragon, he'd managed to escape from Mary Geoise.

Hancock and her sisters, who had seen Aoki's power firsthand, had even more confidence in him.

But things weren't exactly as they imagined. Only one day had passed, and Aoki's "Ultimate Form" hadn't fully recharged. Right now, he didn't have the strength to directly confront even one of the navy admirals, let alone all three.

Still, if his goal was simply to escape, then it wouldn't be difficult for him.

After all, he had suspected that the World Government might send reinforcements, so he hadn't stayed here without preparing.

"There's one last thing," Shakky added. "How will you catch up with us?"

"Don't worry about me," Aoki answered. "When the chance comes, head straight for Amazon Lily without waiting. I'll find a way to join you there."

Hancock looked at Aoki, who gave her a slight nod.

Everyone moved at once.

Rayleigh and Shakky led the three Hancock sisters out of the bar first.

At this moment, chaos had overtaken the Sabaody Archipelago, especially in areas 1 to 29, where anarchy reigned. Most of the residents in these areas were outlaws—pirates, assassins, bounty hunters, slave traders, and the like. All of them had a long-standing enmity with the navy.

Now, with the navy's large-scale arrival and the unprecedented deployment of the three admirals, it seemed they were preparing to annihilate the entire Sabaody Archipelago. No one could sit idly by.

The navy's intentions had quickly spread, and the mere presence of the admirals stirred unease. It was clear that the primary target was Aoki, but no one believed the navy would turn a blind eye to others in their sweep.

The navy's current stance was clear: they would rather capture innocent people than let a target escape. No one was willing to gamble that they'd be spared.

Moreover, the wisdom of survival dictated that when giants clashed, it was best to stay far away. The saying "When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the pond will suffer" resonated with everyone. Be it a navy admiral or a notorious villain with a bounty in the billions, these were forces beyond their control. Even if they weren't the targets, they could easily be caught in the crossfire.

In reality, not only were the criminals in areas 1 to 29 on edge, but residents in other zones also trembled in fear.

Confronted with the navy's vast might, which could extinguish lives without a second thought, everyone felt an instinctive terror. Many in the Sabaody Archipelago wielded considerable influence, with connections even reaching the Celestial Dragons. But what truly frightened them was that all attempts to reach these backers had failed.

Outside Area 60, navy warships had sealed off the docks completely.

On the deck of one of the vessels, three imposing figures stood side by side. The navy soldiers around them looked on with admiration, witnessing a rare assembly of the three admirals.

However, the expressions of the three men were not particularly pleasant.

"There's no need to go in and search! We have the authorization—we can initiate the Buster Call and obliterate this island!" Akainu's face was as cold as his tone was resolute. "This island should've been wiped out a long time ago. This is the perfect opportunity!"

Aokiji looked at the dreamlike island before them, his expression serious. "There are still many innocent people on the Sabaody Archipelago. Once the Buster Call is activated, no one will survive."

"This is the price to pay to eradicate evil!" Akainu took a slow drag of his cigar, his gaze steely. "Kuzan, don't forget the orders from the Five Elders. Eliminating the target is our top priority!"

Aokiji met his gaze, unwilling to back down. "Our priority is killing the target, but we don't even know if he's still on the island. How can we disregard so many lives just to activate the Buster Call?"

"Then let's vote," Akainu cut him off sharply.

Aokiji fell silent. The two of them had never agreed on much, and if it weren't for the mission, they wouldn't even be speaking to each other now.

Both turned to Borsalino.

"It's such a beautiful island; what a pity it'd be to destroy it like this," Kizaru drawled, hands in his pockets. "But I support activating the Buster Call."

Aokiji sighed, realizing there was nothing more to be said.

Akainu, satisfied, gave the command with a wave. "Order all warships to prepare for bombardment!"

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