The earth quaked. The town trembled. Three shadows—raging, bloodied, relentless—crashed again and again through the shattered ruins, leaving trails of devastation: crumbling ground, bursts of magma, shockwaves splitting the very air. The earth groaned beneath the strain, metal spheres screamed across the sky, and explosions of dust burst like tidal waves across the ruined streets. Over a hundred Marines had already retreated to the harbor, clutching their rifles, shielding their battleships from the storm of debris. Their palms were slick with cold sweat. What began as stunned awe slowly twisted into blank-eyed numbness. The three combatants fought like beasts in a cage—merciless, unhinged. No one dared to breathe too loudly. This kind of battle was far beyond them. Rushing in would do nothing but get them killed... and maybe distract Commodore Darren and Rear Admiral Sakazuki long enough to lose the fight. "They're like three monsters!!" "They're tearing the entire town apart...!" A towering pillar of magma erupted into the sky. "Kahahahaha!! What a rush!! Marines!!" Douglas Bullet burst from the smoke like a rabid beast. His body was drenched in wounds, blood streaking his golden hair, his form barely holding together. But his eyes still burned—bright red with battle-lust. Sakazuki's cap was long gone. Blood ran freely down his face, but he grinned like a madman, eyes sharp beneath his buzzcut. "Chasing the title of 'strongest in the world'? You're nothing but a deserter—a coward who ran from his own army!" A roaring surge of magma exploded from his arm. Haki-darkened fists and volcanic destruction collided in a thunderous blast. The shockwave exploded outward from them both, rippling the earth like a sea. Dust leapt in rings from their feet. Then the ground finally gave out beneath them—ripping open in a spiderweb of canyons, magma spewing from the depths. Sakazuki plunged into the molten lake—emerging moments later like a demon born of fire, flames trailing behind his punch. "Hound Blaze Lotus!!" Bullet laughed maniacally, refusing to retreat. Every ounce of Armament Haki he had surged into his fist. White shockwaves burst around his knuckles as the air was torn apart. The impact shattered the land. Buildings were blown away like paper. Both men spat blood simultaneously, their bodies thrown back, pale and heaving. But then—Sakazuki grinned. A cruel, knowing grin. Bullet's eyes snapped wide. The sharp metallic sound of a coin being flicked rang out—piercing through the chaos like a bell of judgment. "Go to hell, pirate." Sakazuki's voice was low. Flat. Final. And then—his body exploded. Not into blood—but into lava. Voluntary elemental transformation. Through the molten gap in Sakazuki's form, Bullet saw a blurred figure in the distance—and something shot into the air from his hand. That silver coin spun in slow motion, reflecting fire, magma, blood, smoke, ash... and a flicker of blue electricity dancing between bloodstained fingers. Bullet's instincts shrieked. Dread flooded his spine. From the Marines' perspective, the three men now formed a straight line. And Sakazuki—stood directly between Darren and Bullet. Darren's blood-soaked black hair whipped in the wind. The silver coin turned jet black, then vanished in a blur of velocity. "Magnetic Overload: Railgun!" One month of brutal training. Enhanced Haki. Refined Devil Fruit mastery. All of it poured into one shot. The coin ignited the sky—launched through the supercharged magnetic field at a speed no eye could follow. Through shattered ruins. And through everything in its path— —Until it became a beam of orange-red light screaming toward Bullet. His eyes bulged. Blood leaked from his lips as he roared and threw up a desperate fist. "Don't underestimate me, MARINE!!" With one last gasp of will, he activated his Clank-Clank Fruit. Metal and stone surged from the battlefield, wrapping his arm like living armor. A massive cannon formed around his right arm—barrel glowing, pressure rising. Steam blasted from vents. The cannon ignited. "I will become... the strongest in the world!!" The clash lasted but a second. Brilliant white light swallowed everything. Bullet's Haki armor shattered. The fusion cannon shattered. Flames exploded into the sky. Darren dropped to one knee, pale as death. He gasped for air, body drained to the bone. He couldn't lift a finger. But his eyes locked onto the inferno ahead. Sakazuki fared no better—his breathing ragged, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. His guts screamed from internal bleeding. Marines stared, dumbstruck. "No one could survive that." His left hand clutched his right shoulder. His entire right arm was gone. Blood poured in rivers from the stump. The world fell silent. Only the sound of fire crackling and labored breathing remained. Bullet's voice was hoarse. He raised his head—looked at Darren and Sakazuki—and then burst into wild, wheezing laughter. "What a fight... What a glorious f***ing fight!!" His voice echoed like the howl of a mad devil. "...Before you finish me," he grinned, "tell me your names, Marines." Sakazuki stepped forward. Blood ran down his legs, dripping from torn uniform pants. Smoke coiled from his arm, magma bubbling to the surface. "You're not worthy of our names, pirate filth." He raised his fist, standing over the broken Bullet like a judge delivering a death sentence. Murderous intent surged. "Wororororo... Now that was a battle worthy of blood." A deep, thunderous laugh rolled from the distant sky. Clouds gathered—black as ink. Thunder cracked the heavens. The Marines turned pale. And Darren and Sakazuki— —felt a chill run down their spines. Their pupils shrank to pinpricks.