The few Marines who were still conscious followed Sakazuki's orders and sailed the battleship to the uninhabited island. We traveled in silence. When we arrived at the island, the two of us jumped off and faced each other.
"Fighting you is very unfortunate. You've helped us Marines many times and saved many lives. So I'll ask you once more. Don't turn your back on the World Government. Reconsider."
Sakazuki tried to persuade me again.
"Admiral, what would change if I became a Celestial Dragon? Nothing would change. The orphans would still be abandoned, and the many women I saved from pirates would become slaves. I cannot abandon them."
"It can't be helped. I'm going to miss the liquor and sausages you used to give us."
This guy seemed to think he would win, of course. Not knowing how wrong that judgment was.
'Well, after getting hit a few times, his mind will change. He'll soon realize who he's made an enemy of.'
We faced each other and took our stances. As soon as Sakazuki took his stance, lava began to drip from both his arms, and black smoke began to rise. Then, he quickly approached, forming a lava mass in his palm, and thrust it at me.
"Meigō!"
I wrapped my arm with Busoshoku, deflected the attack, and immediately kicked Sakazuki's abdomen. However, as if anticipating the kick, Sakazuki instantly turned his abdomen into magma, creating a space to evade the kick.
KWA-KWANG!!!
'Did I underestimate him?'
But the kick I had thrown distorted space and devastated the rear of the island. This was possible because I had used the 'Void' (空) of the Ultimate Void Fist in my kick. Because of that, Sakazuki seemed slightly surprised.
"So you're a Devil Fruit user related to space, taking things out of it and distorting space with your attacks."
Sakazuki stepped back slightly and said. Seeing me use my Inventory and distort space with my attacks, he seemed to think that.
"Yes. I don't know the exact name of the Devil Fruit I ate, but I just named it the 'Space-Space Fruit'."
Actually, there was no such thing as a 'Space-Space Fruit.' But since he was misunderstanding, I said that because it would be more convenient for using my abilities.
"Hmm... That's a fruit I've never heard of. A Devil Fruit that controls space would certainly be a Paramecia type. Then what was the flame technique you used in Alabasta?"
"That was compressing explosive power and then releasing it."
I roughly made an excuse for the Alabasta incident. Sakazuki made a troubled expression and said.
"I see. Well... It seems I've made a difficult enemy."
"Honestly, I don't feel like fighting either, as I have close ties with the Marines. I'd appreciate it if you'd step back."
At that, Sakazuki chuckled and said.
"That's not possible. I have my pride, you know. Anyway, it's a shame. If you had become a Marine, you would have been a good comrade."
We finished our brief conversation and took our stances again. This time, Sakazuki swung his fist first, coming at me.
"Daifunka!!!"
With those words, Sakazuki's fist turned into a lava mass, growing larger and larger, and began to engulf me. I decided that since things had come to this, I would actively use spatial techniques. So I used the 'Cursed Technique Reversal: Red (赫)' of the [Limitless] technique from Jujutsu Kaisen to deflect Sakazuki's Daifunka to the side. Then, using 'Blue (蒼)', I gathered a large amount of seawater from the nearby sea and threw it at Sakazuki.
"Cool you down a bit!"
Seeing the incoming seawater, Sakazuki quickly struck the ground with his fist wrapped in lava.
"Heat!!! 'Kasaikyū'!!!"
BOOM!!!
Then, giant lava fists erupted around Sakazuki, blocking the seawater. When the seawater and lava met, a large amount of steam began to obscure the view, but since both of us had excellent Kenbunshoku Haki, it was no hindrance at all.
Sakazuki jumped toward me, brought both hands together, and struck down, coated in magma.
"Gankai Gōda!"
CRASH!!!
I activated [Limitless] and wrapped my arms with [Busoshoku] to block the attack. There was a reason I blocked it this way. Because [Busoshoku] is so overpowering that it even diminishes the effect of [Limitless], I had to respond like this.
"Damn, that technique of yours is really tricky to break through. Stretching space to block attacks."
The [Limitless] technique is a different concept, but since it deals with space, Sakazuki's words weren't entirely wrong.
"Magma is just as tricky. It's hard because of the heat."
Actually, it wasn't that hard. Because my [Fire Resistance] rank was SSS, this was just a courtesy. However, the impact coming with [Busoshoku] was dangerous.
"This doesn't seem like it's going to end easily."
"I have a lot of people waiting, so I'd like to finish quickly. So I'll use a bit more power."
While we were fighting, I had glimpsed the merchant ship that had gone to Loguetown returning. So now, I had no intention of holding back.
"So you're finally coming out with your true strength."
"It's going to hurt a bit."
With those words, I used the [Limitless] technique 'Blue' to close in at tremendous speed, getting right into Sakazuki's chest. I coated my fist with [Haoshoku] and struck his abdomen. This was an attack that was hard even to know to block. Because it was that incredibly fast.
THUD!!!
"Keugh!!!"
My attack didn't end there. Still in that position, I spun around, raised my leg high, and stomped down on Sakazuki's shoulder.
CRACK!!!
"KAARGH!!!"
With that blow, Sakazuki coughed up blood and fell to his knees.
"Cough... Th-This can't be... This speed..."
"I compressed the space between me and my opponent to move. This way, even if you notice the attack, it's hard to block."
This was a technique Gojo Satoru often uses; the principle is to set a coordinate and then strongly pull oneself to that point.
"Even if I grant you Haoshoku, the application of your fruit ability is beyond imagination."
Since it was beneficial for me that he kept misunderstanding like this, I didn't say anything.
"Shall we continue?"
"Of course! It's far from over."
Sakazuki's entire body gradually began to turn into a mass of magma.
"I've changed my mind. You need to die here. Now that you've become an enemy, your strength is a great threat to the Marines and the World Government."
Then, he suddenly began punching repeatedly into the sky. Countless masses of magma flew into the sky, formed into fists, and began to pelt the uninhabited island.
"Ryūsei Kazan!!!"
BOOM!! KABOOM!! KABOOM!!
I was moving quickly, dodging the attacks. However, the island was quickly being devastated.
"I never expected you to come at me like this."
But that wasn't the end of his attack. Sakazuki wound his right arm back and, timed with my dodging of a falling magma mass, thrust his fist.
"Inugami Guren!!!"
The large magma mass that shot from Sakazuki's fist took the shape of a dog's head and flew toward me with terrifying speed. Indeed, Sakazuki, being very experienced, had attacked at a timing that was difficult to dodge.
I could have increased my speed and dodged, but instead, I coated my fist with [Haoshoku] and countered with the Ultimate Void Fist.
KWA-GA-GAK!!!
Then, before the Inugami Guren could reach me, space was distorted, and it scattered and disappeared around me. But that wasn't the end. The shockwave passed through the Inugami Guren and devastated everything in front of me.
'Oh no, was that too much? The attack came at such a perfect timing, so I put a bit of force into it...'
As it was, half of the uninhabited island seemed to have disappeared with that single blow. But Sakazuki, kneeling, having wrapped his whole body in Haki and crossed his arms to block, seemed to have endured it. As if to prove it, behind Sakazuki, thanks to his taking the impact, some land remained.
"Keugh... Cough..."
But after taking such an attack, his body couldn't be unharmed. After enduring the attack, Sakazuki braced himself on the ground and coughed up a handful of blood.
"Let's stop here. I still have affection for the Marines."
If it weren't for the original story, I would have wanted to kill him right here, but I held back. Besides, I didn't really desire the Magma-Magma Fruit.
Sakazuki raised his head, glared at me, and said.
"Keugh... You... How are you so strong?"
"Well, you could say I was lucky."
As I've said before, the reason I'm strong is truly because of luck. Because I obtained Game Life. It's true that effort was involved, but without Game Life, I wouldn't have even been able to start in the first place.
Just then, a flare shot into the sky from Merchant Island. Hina had probably given the signal before pressing the button.
"I'll be going now. I hope we don't meet as enemies again, Admiral Sakazuki."
Leaving Sakazuki on the uninhabited island, I used the Six Style 'Geppo' to jump off the air and quickly fly toward Merchant Island. As I flew, I looked back at the uninhabited island. Sakazuki was being helped by other Marines onto the battleship. His limbs weren't severed, and he wasn't seriously injured, so I thought he would recover quickly. The people of the One Piece world have good regenerative abilities.
As I was moving toward the island, Merchant Island shook with a loud noise.
RUMBLE...!!!
Then, a large amount of smoke rose from below, and the island began to slowly rise into the sky. I was able to arrive on the island just in time.
"You're back!!"
As soon as I arrived, Hina hurriedly ran out and hugged me.
"Yeah, I'm back. I keep my promises."
Then Hina, with a worried face, touched my body all over, checking.
"You're not hurt anywhere?"
"Of course not."
"Hoo... That's a relief. The aftereffects of the fight reached us here, so I was tense."
Hina was worrying unnecessarily, but the fact that someone worried about me like this made me feel good.
After reaching high in the sky, Merchant Island began to slowly move toward Sky Island, using the Breath Dials I had pre-installed as propulsion. The island's residents all came out, admiring the view and looking around.
"Wow~ We're flying in the sky!"
"I can't believe such a large island can fly!"
After several days, we arrived at the Sky Island. I attached the island next to the Sacred Shrine (now the King's Palace) in Skypiea, and created a bridge out of iron clouds to fix it in place. The Sky Island residents also helped, so it progressed quickly.
Vivi and Robin were also quite surprised to hear that we had turned our backs on the World Government.
"So it ended up like that. I suppose the World Government is inevitable."
Robin sighed, saying she had expected it to come to this. Perhaps recalling the Ohara incident she had experienced long ago, she looked quite bitter.
"Now this is our final base, so we need to prepare thoroughly. If the World Government takes this from us, it's over. So everyone needs to train hard."
They answered simultaneously.
"Understood."
"Understood."
After my conversation with my wives, I also explained various things about the Sky Island to the island residents. They were all surprised to learn that I was the king of Elysium, the Sky Island kingdom. However, I haven't yet told them about sea level or Vivi. Thanks to having told the Sky Island residents in advance, the atmosphere was generally welcoming.
I gave the island residents a vacation for the time being. During their vacation, they went here and there on the Sky Island, sightseeing and hearing stories about what happened there. Naturally, I had people inform them of dangerous areas and block them off, so no mishaps occurred.
There wasn't any particular change in the organization. The Merchant Island residents continued to live on Merchant Island, and the Skypieans and Shandians also lived as before. But there was a problem with the Sky Island as well. Angel Island, where the residents lived, was located quite a bit below Upper Yard, where I was. If something happened, the residents could be attacked first.
So I was planning to separate Angel Island, raise it up to Upper Yard, and connect it to the King's Palace. That wasn't all. Although all work had been suspended since Merchant Island turned its back on the World Government, I had no intention of stopping the work on Merchant Island.
So, together with 'Mobil,' the artisan who built Maxim, I began modifying three merchant ships. Using Breath Dials to hold wind, Milky Dials to hold Sky Island clouds, and Impact Dials to hold impact, so they could fly.
I could have simply installed an Arc Reactor engine like on Maxim, but since I wasn't operating the merchant ships myself, if they encountered a strong enemy or were captured by the World Government and the cutting-edge technology leaked, it would be very troublesome. So I had no choice but to modify them using other methods.
While proceeding with that work, I continued delivery work for the Peace Main Pirates, and while covering my face, I traveled to Loguetown and other kingdoms to check the situation.
Then, I saw the newspaper. My bounty had been raised to a whopping 3 billion berries all at once. Additionally, Hina's was 700 million, and Robin's, under the name 'Haruko,' was 600 million. Probably, the fight with Sakazuki played a large part. The funny thing was Robin. Robin's original bounty was 79 million berries, but Haruko's bounty was several times higher.
"Huh... Really... I wonder what Robin will say when she sees this."
Another interesting point was the phrase written below my bounty: 'Capture Alive.' This was surely Shalria's doing. It seemed she still hadn't given up despite that incident.
"This girl is persistent too."
And there was also an article, which read as follows:
-The Merchant King Splits with World Government... Merchant Island Disappears Overnight-
Merchant Island, which had maintained a friendly relationship with the World Government for a long time, suddenly vanished from the map. As a result, it is believed that Taejin, known as the 'Merchant King,' has fallen out with the World Government, and speculation about the background is rife.
According to multiple sources, there were signs of a naval battle in the waters near Merchant Island, and afterwards, the entire island disappeared without a trace. Although the exact details are not yet known, it is suggested that the World Government and the Marines may have been directly involved.
This incident has caused great shock among many kingdoms. In particular, with the suspension of the distribution of high-quality liquor produced on Merchant Island, the price of those products has skyrocketed more than threefold in a short period. Some merchants say, "As supply has been cut off, prices will continue to rise," and there are even speculative moves based on scarcity.
Meanwhile, the World Government and the Marines have not released an official position on this incident, and the whereabouts of the Merchant King also remain unknown.