The cold wind of Reverse Mountain cut through the sky as the Viltrumite approached the colossal natural formation that separated the oceans. It had taken him two days to get there, crossing the East Blue with both speed and impatience. During that time, he had tried to better understand the weaknesses of beings with seemingly indestructible bodies—like that smoke man who had crossed his path. Smoker had been one of the first enemies to frustrate him—his body dispersed every time he tried to kill him. The Viltrumite wanted to learn how to deal with beings like him, but he still had no answers.
Frustrated, he landed on various islands across the East Blue, trying to pass the time. He crushed buildings, destroyed villages, played at annihilating fortresses... but to his irritation, none of it was truly fun. They were just fleeting distractions, small disturbances that quickly became boring.
Now, he was here, standing before Reverse Mountain, ready to leave the East Blue behind.
And then, he saw it.
Anchored in front of the mountain was a massive Marine ship. The emblem of Justice fluttered on the sails, and dozens of Marines were in battle formation, ready to open fire. But the Viltrumite didn't care about them. His red eyes locked onto the only person on board who truly mattered.
Vice Admiral Momonga.
The Marines had predicted he would try to cross into the Grand Line and had taken precautions. Momonga had been sent to stop him. He wasn't just some captain or an ordinary commander. He was a seasoned warrior, someone who understood the brutality of the New World and knew that if they let this man pass, he would become an unprecedented threat.
The Vice Admiral leaped from the ship's deck and landed lightly on the water, standing on the surface with absolute mastery of Geppo. His katana gleamed, coated in a deep black—Armament Haki. His eyes analyzed every movement of the Viltrumite—Observation Haki.
The Viltrumite landed smoothly on the water in front of him, indifferent to the power he could feel emanating from the man before him.
"Do you really intend to stop me?" the Viltrumite asked, uninterested.
Momonga did not reply. In an instant, he moved.
The blade sliced through the air with absurd precision.
The Viltrumite did not dodge. He wanted to see it.
The strike connected—but instead of cutting through him, the force of the impact merely reverberated through his body. The katana stopped against his skin, unable to pierce through.
Momonga's expression hardened as he leaped back, gripping his blade tighter. The deep black energy around the weapon intensified, and he lunged again. Another slash, another direct hit.
Nothing.
The Viltrumite stared at him, feeling the strange force behind the attack. There was power here—something he hadn't encountered before. He touched the spot where the blade had struck, but there was no wound, no blood. Just a faint, lingering pressure.
"Interesting," he murmured, flexing his fingers. "You use that black energy to strengthen your attacks."
Momonga didn't hesitate. He clenched his fist, coating it with the same energy, and delivered a powerful punch to the Viltrumite's face.
A sharp shockwave exploded from the impact. The force sent ripples across the water, shaking the very air.
The Viltrumite felt it. Not pain—but force, a tangible impact unlike anything he had experienced before. His head barely moved from the blow, but he acknowledged it.
He wiped his chin, even though there was no blood. "Now that was something."
Momonga didn't relent. He attacked again, his movements honed through years of battle, his blade seeking any vulnerability.
But there were none.
The Viltrumite let him strike, let him push himself to the limit, but each blow—each perfectly executed attack—achieved nothing more than a dull thud against his body.
Then, he moved.
Faster than Momonga's Observation Haki could predict, he grabbed the Vice Admiral by the wrist and shot into the sky at an absurd speed.
The Marine fleet opened fire, trying to bring down the Viltrumite before he could escape with their superior. Cannonballs tore through the sky toward him.
But he just laughed.
"Let's see if you can predict my attacks. Or if you can withstand them."
The first punch that landed on Momonga twisted his entire body.
The Viltrumite could feel the resistance of the Vice Admiral's Armament Haki, but it wasn't enough to stop him. He struck again—and this time, two ribs shattered.
Momonga tried to retaliate, channeling Haki into every part of his body where the Viltrumite's attacks landed. But he couldn't keep up.
The Viltrumite's speed increased with each hit, and even Momonga's Observation Haki failed to predict the attacks.
The Viltrumite laughed maniacally as he pummeled the Vice Admiral in midair, tearing through his body with increasingly destructive blows.
Momonga was strong. Far stronger than anyone he had faced so far.
But it wasn't enough.
With the final punch, the Vice Admiral's body no longer moved.
Just a shredded piece of flesh, with no trace of life left.
The Viltrumite let go of what remained of Momonga, letting his pieces fall into the sea below. His uniform was drenched in blood.
But he was satisfied.
He turned toward Reverse Mountain ahead of him.
He was ready to cross it.
The Grand Line awaited him.
Author's Notes : Later today, I'll be releasing a supplementary chapter to explain the weekly release schedule. From now on, there will be five chapters per week, ensuring a steady flow of the story. But for this week, that's all! Thank you all for reading. See you next week!