More than three years ago, this man who called himself "God" first appeared, committing the act of killing a Celestial Dragon.
This undoubtedly angered the Marines and the World Government, but they hadn't taken him too seriously, considering him merely a reckless madman.
However, after "God" defeated Vice Admiral Akainu, showcasing his overwhelming strength, the Marines and World Government could no longer ignore him.
Just as they were planning to assemble a force of powerful individuals to siege him, he vanished without a trace, only to reappear after more than a year.
And now, a year and a half later, this self-proclaimed "God" had committed an even more appalling act: He held a world-shaking auction at Sabaody Archipelago, auctioning off a Celestial Dragon!
This was far more egregious than simply killing them. Auctioning them off treated them as mere commodities, a blatant act of disrespect and defiance against their inherent "nobility."
Furthermore, after the auction, he had slaughtered numerous Marine and World Government elites, including Fleet Admiral Kong and one of the Five Elders!
This was simply unbelievable, unimaginable.
In the eight hundred years of World Government rule, such a thing had never happened. Yet, it had happened, right before everyone's eyes. A Fleet Admiral and a One of the Five Elders had been killed. This incident horrified countless people and sent shockwaves throughout the world.
And the man responsible for this, the man who had so thoroughly humiliated the Marines and World Government, had escaped unscathed.
He vanished once more, leaving no trace behind for another year and a half.
During this time, the Marines, the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons lived in constant fear, unable to truly rest.
Now, "God" had finally reappeared.
Just as domineering as before, he disregarded the world's order and rules, robbing everyone he encountered and seizing their Devil Fruits.
Although his reasons for wanting Devil Fruits remained unknown, his current trajectory was bringing him dangerously close to Marine branches, bases, and even Mary Geoise.
And once he arrived, how would the Marines and the World Government respond? They couldn't defeat him, but ignoring him wasn't an option either.
Not only were Marine Headquarters and the World Government in a predicament, but the Marine branches were as well. Because before this "God" reached Marine Headquarters, he would pass by several branches. And very soon, he would reach one particular branch.
This put the Marines stationed there on high alert.
"Damn it, he's coming! What should we do?!"
"Should we give him the Devil Fruits? They say as long as we hand them over, he won't attack and will spare our lives."
"We're Marines! Should we really bow down to a pirate?"
"Absolutely not! Even if we die, we must uphold the dignity of the Marines!"
The Marines at the branch were divided into three factions: One advocated compromise, prioritizing survival. Another insisted on fighting to the death, upholding the Marines' honor. And the last remained silent, observing the heated debate.
However, time was not on their side.
Because Hui had arrived.
He appeared at the Marine branch, issuing the same ultimatum he gave to the pirates: Hand over the Devil Fruits, or die. There were only two choices, no more.
"You want Devil Fruits? Dream on!" Before the branch's Rear Admiral could make a decision, an impulsive soldier charged towards Hui.
The man refused to compromise.
The result was instantaneous. His body was torn into pieces by golden light, utterly annihilated in an instant.
The Marine didn't even have a chance to react, unaware of how he died.
He hadn't even seen Hui make a move.
But this was to be expected. Who was Hui? A powerhouse on the level of the Six Paths.
He could effortlessly obliterate not just a mere Commodore, but even a Fleet Admiral. And this wasn't arrogance; he had done it before.
"It seems you've made your choice." Hui said, his voice indifferent.
His tone caused panic to erupt below…
"We..." Someone tried to speak, but it was too late.
In their frenzy, the soldiers who favored fighting lost all reason and launched their attack on Hui. Any chance of compromise had vanished.
In that moment, Hui's body erupted in a blinding golden light. Countless golden threads shot out from him, radiating in all directions.
The golden light pierced through bodies, each thread aimed directly at the forehead. Whether Rear Admiral or common soldier, none could withstand this golden light.
Even the people who advocated surrender, unable keep watching as their comrades die joined the fray, ot to mention the nutral faction.
The moment they attacked, their fate was sealed.
It wasn't long before every Marine in the entire branch was dead.
Hundreds lay lifeless.
And Hui, the architect of this carnage, collected all the Devil Fruits and departed, heading towards his next target.
The news quickly reached Marine Headquarters and spread throughout the world. Countless people gasped, yet found it unsurprising.
The man could kill Fleet Admiral Kong in seconds; how could a mere Marine branch possibly stand against him? The reason for their shock was the absolute ruthlessness of the act, leaving no survivors.
"Though his methods are merciless, those Marines were foolish to defy God." A pirate said gloatingly, filled with glee.
They had just been robbed by Hui themselves and shouldn't have been so happy. However, seeing someone suffer even more than them turned their misfortune into amusement.
"At this rate, he'll reach Marine Headquarters soon. I can't wait to see their reaction. Faced with this invincible man, will they surrender or fight to the death?" Another pirate said, eagerly anticipating the events that would follow.
It wasn't just pirates; the entire world's attention was once again focused on Hui. His every move had become the center of global attention.
Under this intense scrutiny, Hui drew closer and closer to Marine Headquarters. And there, the atmosphere had grown oppressively tense.
They were depressed to say the least.
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