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

“I learned a few tricks when I fought Kizaru last time…” The black sword emitted a pleasant hum, and the dark red patterns on the hilt turned purplish-black.

It was actively guiding Gern to reveal a hint of domineering aura.

"Buzz buzz buzz!" The low-frequency buzzing suddenly turned into a piercing shriek, and the space around the blade began to crack extensively.

Each leaping bolt of dark purple lightning tore a spiderweb of black cracks in the void.

“Now, with the cooperation of the Eight Desolations…” Gern gripped the hilt with both hands and slowly raised the black sword.

The most basic high-level stance caused the seawater within a radius of 100 meters to float up against gravity.

“This strike…” He stared into San Juan Wolf’s horrified eyes, his voice eerily calm.

"It will make you remember forever what it means to 'shatter the sky'."

"Heavenly Tremor - Void Rift!!" The world froze for a moment the instant the strike was unleashed.

"Crack—" A crisp sound of shattering echoed throughout the heavens and earth.

Starting from the blade's edge, the entire space cracked like a mirror that had been struck hard.

Spiderweb-like cracks instantly spread to a height of a thousand meters, each crack bursting with purplish-black destructive energy.

Driven by fear, San Juan Wolf instinctively raised his giant hand, only to disintegrate the moment it touched the crack.

“No…it…is…possible…” San Juan Wolf’s horrified expression froze on his face as his hand was severed.

But the cracks continued to extend, silently sweeping across his massive body.

Time seemed to be stretched.

Countless fine streaks of light suddenly appeared on the 180-meter-tall body of San Juan Wolf.

next moment--

"BOOM!!!" With a deafening explosion, the giant's body collapsed like a sand sculpture.

A huge gash was cleaved open in his chest, and every piece of flesh was decomposed into dust in the purplish-black lightning, causing a blood mist that rose a thousand meters high on the sea.

The aftershocks evaporated the seawater in the entire area, exposing the seabed, which was hundreds of meters deep.

As the blood mist dissipated, San Juan Wolf, shrunk to its normal-sized, mangled body, floated on the sea like a whale washed ashore.

Gern sheathed his sword and stood behind San Juan Wolf, the purple and black flashes on the blade gradually fading away.

"Can you still stand up now?"

……

[Salted Fish's comment: This book has a rating system now. Please give Salted Fish a five-star review, it's very important, thank you everyone!]

When the book circle opens later, Xianyu will start a topic.

Regarding the development of the Heaven-Shattering Fruit, such as a suitable technique like the Supreme Hadouken, or other methods, let's discuss it together...

Chapter 71 The Gap Between Brigadier Generals

The sea returned to calm in an instant, with only the massive body of San Juan Wolf floating in the water proving that the battle just now was not an illusion.

In the distance, as the warship approached, Saulo stood on the deck.

Looking at the scene before him, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his throat was so dry that he could barely speak.

“Hey, come on…” Saul’s voice trembled slightly.

“Brigadier General Gern.” He forced a smile, trying to hide his inner shock.

"We really owe you a lot this time, otherwise my men and I would probably be..."

"It's nothing, I just happened to be nearby." Gern didn't turn around, but simply waved his hand casually, interrupting him.

He then nimbly leaped back onto the deck of his warship, took the bandage from the sergeant, and skillfully rewrapped the Black Blade Eight Desolations.

White bandages spiraled around the blade, quickly concealing its black surface and dark red patterns.

He's still too weak. Even someone like San Juan could be crippled with a single punch by Garp, who'll be almost eighty years old in the future.

Gern also thought he could take it down with the Supreme Hadouken, but it still took so long because of its defense...

Thinking of this, Gern narrowed his eyes as he looked at the young man's black sword, Eight Desolations.

"Although the Eight Desolations can actively guide the domineering aura"

However, the Conqueror's Haki I released was still too weak and unstable.

Meanwhile, Saullo, seeing Gren's situation, was preparing to leave.

He quickly stepped forward and asked loudly, "Brigadier General Guern, aren't you going to come with me to escort San Juan Wolf back to Impel Down?"

This thing is so big, it would probably take at least four warships to tow it!

"Hmm?" Hearing this, Gern tightened the bandage and said without looking up.

"There's no need for that; my patrol mission isn't over yet."

When you sent the support message, I wasn't the only one who received it; the nearby bases must have already sent people over.

"So, this guy's in your hands. You're a brigadier general, you can surely handle this little thing, right?"

Faced with Gern's answer, Saul gave a wry smile and scratched his head: "That's true, but..."

Just then, a commotion broke out on Gern's warship.

Several naval soldiers escorted a man bound by seastone handcuffs over; it was none other than Samuel Kronos, the "cursed doctor" who had been captured by Gern earlier.

There were no traces of fungal hyphae left on his body, and he was listless, clearly having lost the ability to resist.

“This…this…” Saul’s eyes widened as he pointed at Samuel and exclaimed, “This, isn’t this ‘Cursed Healer’ Samuel Kronos?!”

A notorious pirate with a bounty of 1.14 billion! Commodore Gern, when did you capture him?!

Gern glanced at him, his tone flat: "Just before I met you."

This guy's Fungus Fruit is a bit troublesome, but it's not all that great.

“It’s just so-so…” Saulo opened his mouth wide, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Forget San Juan Wolf, even this listless 'Curse Doctor' Samuel Kronos could easily defeat Saul!

Despite both being brigadier generals, Gern's strength and record were far beyond his reach.

Thinking of this, Saul looked at San Juan Wolf floating on the sea, then at Samuel being escorted, and a complex emotion welled up inside him.

Sigh, there's a difference even between brigadier generals! You'd think Gern was a general!

"Brigadier General Guern, you really are..." Saul took a deep breath and said with a wry smile.

"Compared to you, I, a brigadier general, am practically just here to make up the numbers."

Gern finally raised his head, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Don't overthink it. Everyone has their own responsibilities."

Saul shook his head and sighed, "No, this can no longer be described as 'duty'."

You've defeated two notorious pirates with bounties exceeding one billion!

However, hehehe, once General Zephyr and Warrant Officer Gion hear this at headquarters, they'll definitely be happy for you.

“Gion?” Gern frowned when he heard Saul mention the name Gion.

“Hey, Brigadier General Gern, I know about your relationship.” Saul winked mischievously.

"No, what do you know?"

"Before I went on my mission, I did take some documents to Brigadier General Gern's house!" Saul said, narrowing his eyes with a smile.

"When you're on a mission, Warrant Officer Gion helps tidy up the house."

Moreover, Professor Zephyr's wife has frequently introduced you to our officers and Professor Zephyr's students.

"I never expected that Warrant Officer Gion would have such a gentle side!" Saul continued with a laugh.

"She's a well-known ice queen when she goes on missions with Vice Admiral Tsuru! Hehehe!" (Note: Saulo is under Vice Admiral Tsuru's command, so she often goes on missions with Gion.)

At this point, Gern was completely ignoring Saul's words, only rubbing his temples helplessly and muttering to himself, "Teacher Zephyr's 'act first, then inform later' tactic was truly ruthless..."

At the same time, the naval soldiers on the warship also cast admiring glances at them.

But they were whispering amongst themselves, mostly about defeating the pirates.

"Brigadier General Gern is too strong. That's the 'Mobile Catastrophe' San Juan Wolf!"

"I heard he defeated Major General Borsalino before, and now he's easily taken care of an enemy of this caliber..."

"It's truly our good fortune to be on a mission with Brigadier General Gern!"

"Never mind, it seems I'll have to meet with Gion when I get back." Ignoring the discussions, Gern turned to the sergeant and said...

"Make a note: San Juan Wolf is being escorted by Brigadier General Saulo. We will continue our patrol mission."

Sergeant immediately nodded: "Yes, Brigadier General Gern!"

Seeing this, Saulo did not press the matter further.

He straightened his back and solemnly saluted Gern: "Brigadier General Gern, thank you for your support this time!"

I will be responsible for safely escorting San Juan Wolf and Samuel to Impel Down.

Gern nodded casually, then waved his hand: "Alright, hurry up and go, don't waste time."

Saul smiled, turned to his men, and shouted, "Attention everyone! Prepare to drag San Juan Wolf and contact the nearest naval base for reinforcements!"

With the order given, Saul's warships began to get busy.

The soldiers sprang into action, some taking charge of communication, others preparing ropes and tools for dragging.

At the same moment, Gern's warship slowly traced an elegant arc as it sailed toward the distant horizon.

The steel behemoth cleaved a white trail across the sea, gradually disappearing from the sight of the Sauro fleet.

On the deck, the sea breeze gently rippled the hem of Gern's military uniform.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly fixed on the gradually shrinking silhouette of the Sauro warship.

"Brigadier General Gern." At that moment, the sergeant quietly approached him and whispered, "Should we turn back to Kasven Island?"

"Hmm?" Gern tilted his head slightly, raising an eyebrow: "Back to Kasven Island?"

"We discovered the real ship of the 'Curse Doctor' on the side of the island."

“His ship was already…” Gern’s words suddenly stopped.

Then, a playful smile appeared on his lips. "What a 'curse doctor,' actually using multiple burrows to his advantage."

Noticing the change in his superior's expression, the sergeant immediately added, "It's said that the ship contains that guy's wealth accumulated over many years..."

“Treasure?” Gern suddenly raised his voice, interrupting him righteously, “Watch your words, Sergeant!”

That's ill-gotten gains from pirate looting; it should rightfully be used for our naval fleet's military expenditures!

Chapter 72 Two Devil Fruits!

In the waters near Kaswin Island, Gern's warship slowly approached a bend in the island's waters.

Inside the island's bay, a pirate ship entangled in mycelium lies quietly at rest.

The ship's hull was decaying, and the deck was covered with a layer of grayish-white fungal carpet, as if the entire ship had been eroded by some kind of organism.

The air was filled with a damp, musty smell, which was unpleasant.

"Brigadier General Gern, we have already confirmed..."

"This ship is the real pirate ship of 'The Cursed Doctor' Samuel Kronos." The sergeant reported in a low voice, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

"There are no living people on board, but the mycelium is still active, so we need to be careful."

“Step back a little.” Gern nodded, placing his right hand on the wooden planks of the ship. Immediately, a few vibrating particles appeared and precisely covered the entire ship.

"Ripples!" As soon as the words were spoken, all the mycelium on the surface of the ship was precisely shattered.

This is the advantage of the natural system – it's highly adaptable!

After finishing, Guern stepped directly onto the deck, his boots making a soft "rustling" sound as they stepped on the shattered mycelium.

"Take inventory of the treasure and move it away, and do it quickly," Gren ordered.