Under everyone's gaze, Carl raised his hand to the mask on his face and slowly removed it.
In the sunlight, his golden pupils sparkled brilliantly, captivating everyone present.
Poire's mouth stretched into a grin that nearly reached her ears, while Galette and Pudding stood frozen in shock. To them, Carl's face was even more perfect than they had imagined, delivering an overwhelming visual impact.
Having grown up mostly around their brothers and other odd-looking men in Big Mom's crew, they had rarely seen anyone who could be described as handsome. But for those who had fought in that fateful battle long ago, Carl's face was the stuff of nightmares.
Daifuku and others leapt from their seats, drawing their weapons, each one as tense as if facing a life-or-death situation.
The wedding guests were filled with regret, no one had expected the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, a Celestial Dragon, to appear at the wedding.
Pekoms looked particularly distressed, recalling the events of the previous night. He wanted nothing more than to slap himself for his missteps.
In the corner, Judge of the Vinsmoke Family quickly reviewed the events of the banquet from the day before, relieved that he hadn't offended the Celestial Dragon. He thought to himself, If a fight breaks out, I'll just take my family and leave. Big Mom and her people can deal with this, someone like Carl is way out of my league.
Dragon, who had not seen Carl's face in years, felt his body tense up. Just the sight of Carl standing silently and gazing at him was enough to send chills down his spine. He instinctively took a step back.
Whitebeard and Big Mom, upon seeing Carl's unveiled face, immediately heightened their Observation Haki. Carl was someone who commanded such respect that even two Emperors of the Sea had to remain vigilant.
They noticed Dragon's reaction and exchanged disdainful glances. Dragon's earlier confrontation with Carl had left him scarred, both physically and mentally. His Conqueror's Haki had nearly been obliterated by Carl back then.
As the mask in Carl's hand dissolved into shadows, he spoke coldly to Dragon, his voice steady and sharp:
"Dragon, how much have you improved over the years?"
No sooner had the words left his lips than a deep violet aura erupted from Carl, instantly covering the entire wedding venue.
Boom!
With a deafening roar, the ground surrounding Carl collapsed, leaving only the area he stood on intact. In the blink of an eye, a once-vibrant park transformed into a massive crater.
Standing atop a towering stone pillar, Carl gazed down at the abyss below. Galette was left utterly dumbfounded by the scene, whispering, "What… just happened?"
Stussy, holding her hands to her mouth in shock, murmured, "Oh my, Master, have you gained a new power?"
Carl chuckled softly. "Yes. This one's quite useful."
With that, a pair of massive black wings unfurled from Carl's back. He snapped his fingers, and a stone platform rose into the air, lifting Stussy and the others to safety.
Carl turned to Stussy and said, "Keep an eye on them."
Then, without another word, he leapt from the platform. His wings fluttered lightly, keeping him suspended in midair.
Moments later, several figures shot out of the crater. Zeus carried Big Mom and Whitebeard into the air, where they hovered before Carl.
A gust of wind coalesced into Dragon's form. The three of them wore grim expressions, and Dragon gritted his teeth, saying, "There's no mistaking it—that was Issho's power! How is it in your hands?"
Carl merely smirked and raised a finger. Dark violet rings of energy formed at his fingertip, gathering into a pulsating beam entwined with black lightning. Without hesitation, he aimed it at Dragon.
"Gravitational Light Cannon!"
The beam moved at lightning speed, reaching Dragon in the blink of an eye. His pupils constricted as he hastily activated Armament Haki to shield his remaining arm.
The impact was immediate, sending Dragon hurtling backward.
Big Mom and Whitebeard made no move to help. To them, if Dragon couldn't withstand a single attack from Carl, he wasn't worthy of being their ally.
When Dragon finally returned, clutching his trembling arm, neither Emperor spared him more than a glance.
Big Mom turned to Whitebeard and grinned. "Mamama! Newgate, it's been over thirty years since we last fought side by side, hasn't it?"
Whitebeard, who had been watching his sons emerge from the crater below, paused. A flicker of nostalgia crossed his face.
"Indeed… over thirty years…"
Before he could finish reminiscing, a jet-black blade sliced through the air toward him. Instinctively, Whitebeard tilted his head, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike.
However, his crescent-shaped mustache wasn't so lucky. A third of it was cleaved off, leaving him with an uneven and comical appearance.
Carl smiled. "Whitebeard, do you like your new look?"
Whitebeard's face twitched, veins bulging on his forehead.
With a roar, he summoned a tremor, wrapping his fist in seismic energy and slamming it down.
Crack!
The air shattered like glass, sending shockwaves rippling toward Carl. Below, the trembling Cake Island quaked as Teach, who was struggling to climb out of the crater, nearly tumbled back in.
Yet Carl remained calm, his body flickering like a shadow before solidifying again.
Dragon began to explain, "He can turn his body intangible…"
"Shut up!" Whitebeard barked, giving Dragon no room for commentary.
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+255 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg