The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

Immediately afterwards, dozens of thick, tough, dark green vines covered with thorns and barbs burst forth from the ground beneath Samuel Kronos!

The vines moved incredibly fast, instantly wrapping the barely alive Samuel in a tight, dark green cocoon.

Then, the vines suddenly contracted and exerted force, dragging the "cocoon" along the ground at an astonishing speed.

It rolled and dragged along, heading straight for the back of a half-collapsed metal bunker at the edge of the battlefield!

None of the three—Kizaru, Enel, and Kuzan—made a move.

It wasn't that they didn't have time to react, but rather that the moment the vines broke through the soil, all three of them felt the domineering aura of the newcomer!

The vines dragged Samuel all the way behind the bunker and came to rest at his feet.

A tall figure emerged from the shadows behind the cover.

The person who came was naked from the waist up and wearing worn-out work pants on the bottom.

His dark green curly hair looked a little messy, and he wore his signature sunglasses, except that the lenses had a few cracks.

It is none other than Aramaki, the former Marine Admiral and now a member of the World Government's "Knights of God"!

Aramaki casually held a standard military knife in his right hand.

What's most eye-catching is the tattoo on his left chest that reads "Shikawa Shinju" (死川心心).

There was a hideous knife wound that almost pierced through his entire left chest!

The wound is so deep that the skin and flesh are rolled back, and the bone is visible.

The chilling, severing will emanating from the wound proved that it was a trace left by Conqueror's Haki!

Huang Mu's face was somewhat pale, and his breathing was heavier than usual.

He first glanced at Samuel, who was wrapped up like a dumpling by the vines at his feet.

He then looked up at Kuzan in the center of the battlefield, muttering curses under his breath.

"Damn it... if it weren't for Lord Satan's death order..."

"I'm determined to get a few of the Blackbeard Pirates' officers out of here, no matter what... Nobody wants to get involved in this mess!"

He moved his left shoulder, which aggravated the wound on his chest, causing him to grimace in pain and curse even more fiercely:

"Rescuing someone from the 'world's greatest swordsman' is fucking playing with your life!"

I risked taking a knife from him to barely manage to take those three good-for-nothings (Van Auger, Burgess, and Shiliu) with me... and what was the result?

Those three good-for-nothings were in worse shape than the last; that bastard Shiryu was practically half dead.

"You couldn't help at all, and you made me take this terrible blow for nothing!"

Hearing this, we know that the knife wound on Aramaki's chest was clearly a "souvenir" left from when he rescued someone from Hawkeye's men.

The damage caused by the Conqueror's Haki binding severely slowed down the recovery speed of his immortality, which originated from the Deep Sea Contract.

After venting his frustrations, Aramaki turned his gaze to Kuzan, his tone softening slightly, but still carrying a hint of displeasure and a urging tone as if he were completing a task:

"Hey, Kuzan! You're a former admiral too, your brain should be better than those pirates', right?"

I'm on a mission to "rescue" someone, and I'm taking you with me. Don't dawdle, get over here now!

"I'll cover your retreat, it's better than you staying here alone to be ganged up on by these two monsters, right?"

The appearance of Huang Mu and the meaning behind his words caused a subtle change in the situation.

Enel frowned, not recognizing Aramu.

Looking at this guy who suddenly appeared with such an arrogant tone, a look of contempt flashed in his eyes.

So he raised his golden staff, pointed it at Aramu from a distance, and turned to Kizaru to ask...

"Kizaru, who is this guy? He's got quite the big mouth."

"Oh, him? A guy who became a naval admiral but still thinks about climbing the ranks through 'connections' and 'luck'~"

I heard that he put in a lot of effort behind the scenes to get to that position.

"A nepotism hire?" Enel sneered, his disgust undisguised.

"Is he yet another ant who relies on worldly power rather than his own 'divinity' and strength? Disgusting."

In Enel's worldview, nothing relies on pure power.

The act of gaining status is despicable and ridiculous.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Kuzan, upon recognizing the newcomer as Huang Mu...

And after understanding that the other party was sent by Satan to "rescue" Blackbeard's officers (including himself),

His tense nerves and solemn expression visibly relaxed, and he even let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

The pressure was instantly relieved so much!

He was all too aware of his current situation.

Facing the combined attack of Kizaru and Enel alone, especially since Enel possessed Conqueror's Haki, which was effective against Logia-type Devil Fruits.

It's only a matter of time before he's defeated, and there's even a high chance he'll be completely eliminated.

This is an absolute gap in strength that courage or belief cannot bridge.

But now, the Wilderness has appeared.

Moreover, the objective was clear: to rescue people and retreat. It was not a fight to the death.

Now, with Huang Mu's own strength also not to be underestimated, even though he was injured...

However, its Logia-type Mori-Mori Fruit ability is extremely advantageous in terms of cover-up, delay, and creating chaos.

With his support, Kuzan's chances of escaping would greatly increase.

From facing a desperate situation alone, to having someone provide cover and assistance during the retreat...

The difference in the room for maneuver and the chances of survival is like night and day.

So Kuzan instantly analyzed the pros and cons.

Without further hesitation, the ice beneath his feet surged, and his body began to slowly move towards the direction where Huang Mu was.

Meanwhile, the chilling aura surrounding them not only didn't lessen, but intensified, and the number of Ice Thorn Spears increased once again.

Pointing towards Kizaru and Enel, they adopted a clear defensive and rear-guard posture.

“Wildgrass…” Kuzan’s voice came through the icy mist, revealing little emotion. “I am indeed more convenient than those three guys.”

He didn't say thank you because it was essentially a transaction based on orders from the World Government.

However, this implies that they will cooperate with the retreat.

Aramaki grinned, seemingly quite satisfied with Kuzan's "getting the hang of things".

So he slung the sword over his shoulder, spread his fingers on his free left hand, and pointed it toward Kizaru and Enel.

"Stop talking nonsense! Get over here now! I don't want to get entangled with these two monsters any longer!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble violently again, and even more thick vines burst forth from the earth.

A dense and ever-growing barrier of thorns quickly formed in front of him and Kuzan, attempting to cut off Kizaru and Enel's pursuit route.

Meanwhile, smaller spore vines with paralyzing toxicity also spread along the ground towards the feet of Kizaru and Enel.

The retreat has begun.

As Kizaru watched the rapidly forming plant defenses and Kuzan begin to move, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses, and the golden light at his fingertips shone even brighter.

"Oh dear~ You think you can just run away already? Kuzan~ And this 'connected' gentleman?"

Enel snorted coldly, raising his golden staff high, and thunderclouds instantly gathered above his head.

"Want to leave? Have you asked 'God' for permission?!"

"Heh." Huang Mu sneered, "Hey, generals are all of the rank of general, they won't have any face when they fight."

"Besides, even the world's number one swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk, couldn't stop me from saving people."

"Now, just the two of you? Don't be ridiculous!"

"If we really want to leave, you really can't stop us!"

Chapter 691 Blackbeard: I'm scared!

Life is impermanent, the large intestine wraps the small intestine.

Just as Aragaki was cursing and swearing as he helped Kuzan retreat, on the other side of the battlefield in Gern...

A battle of wits without any fancy moves, without any flashy results.

All that's left is pure physical brute force!

Blackbeard had completely lost his previous arrogance as one of the "Two Emperors".

Clutching his still-bleeding nose and cracked cheek, he stood frozen in place, frantically swallowing hard.

There's nothing I can do!

He watched the battle unfold before his eyes.

No, that can no longer be called a "battle".

It was a one-sided, overwhelming spectacle, a feast of violent aesthetics.

The host of the feast was Gern.

Because of his Dark-Dark Fruit ability

This man, known as "Tianzhen"

At this moment, he even fully utilized the power of the Heaven-Shatter Fruit!

With only a pair of fists crackling with Conqueror's Haki lightning and that black sword "Eight Desolations" capable of cutting through anything, he...

Saint Satan, who possesses the immortality granted by the "Abyss Contract" and manifests in the form of a Zoan-type Mythical Beast, Ushimon...

It was hacked beyond recognition!!

"Black Shock - Combo!!"

With a sudden lunge, Gern unleashed a hundred punches in an instant, all powered by Armament Haki!

For a time, every punch landed squarely.

Satan Saint still attempts to rely on his eight freely retractable spider legs for offense and defense.

But then, a flash of cold light appeared, and the first foot was severed at the root!

A punch wrapped in Conqueror's Haki slammed into the joint of the second foot, twisting and deforming the foot!

The third one, the fourth one... Gern was so engrossed in the fight that he didn't even bother using his knife.

He grabbed the foot with both hands, his muscles bulging, and Conqueror's Haki penetrated his body, forcefully tearing it off from Satan Saint's body and throwing it away!

"Ugh!!!!"

Satan's screams, which started as anger, gradually turned into pain, and finally became nothing more than a twisted hiss.

The demon's face was contorted in agony, his fierce eyes flashing as he attempted a mental assault.

But it couldn't stir up the slightest ripple in the face of Gern's condensed and tangible Conqueror's Haki.

"Conqueror's Haki... can it actually suppress this kind of 'immortality'?!" Blackbeard was shocked.

If I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes, I would have seen the wounds Satan Saint inflicted by Gern's Conqueror's Haki attack.

The recovery process became extremely slow, with some deeper wounds almost completely stopping healing.

He couldn't believe that what he desired had a weakness! (This is the first time Blackbeard learned that 'immortality' could be countered.)

"However, that's not the point. The point is... right now, who the hell is the monster?!"

Blackbeard roared inwardly.

A person who doesn't use Devil Fruit abilities, but relies solely on physical skills, Haki, and a sword.

The guy who could cut the Five Elders, who possessed immortality and the powerful physique of a mythical beast, into this state...

Is this really a level that humans can reach?