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"Well, look at this. Someone with a death wish. Not bad, I admire your courage."

Shin watched as Saint Topman Warcury charged at him. The man's speed was impressive, and his aura was undeniably powerful.

Shin estimated his strength was likely on par with Garp's.

Sidestepping the man's punch with ease, Shin whipped his leg around in a powerful kick, striking him square in the abdomen. The sound was like a whip cracking against flesh.

CRACK!

The distinct sound of bone snapping echoed through the air. Saint Topman Warcury was sent flying backward like a rubber ball. Shin's expression remained placid; sending an Elder flying with a single kick wasn't something to be proud of.

"So that's all you've got? You're a bigger disappointment than I expected. How about this? All five of you attack at once. Maybe that'll be a little more fun."

Shin's eyes moved across the other Five Elders with undisguised provocation. Were they going to step up or not?

If they attacked together, there might be some entertainment to be had. One of them alone simply wasn't enough for a warm-up.

The Elders exchanged grim looks. While Saint Topman Warcury wasn't the strongest among them, he was far from the weakest. In truth, the power gap between the Five Elders was negligible. Yet Shin had practically one-shotted him.

If they were in his place, could they have held out any longer?

The thought gave them pause. They were hesitant to act, deciding it was better to wait for Akainu and the Marines to arrive.

What they didn't know was that Akainu wasn't coming. He had been intercepted by Whitebeard and his crew, who had engaged him in a full-blown battle—a form of support for Shin, though he hardly needed it.

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Saint Topman Warcury staggered to his feet, clutching his broken ribs, stoically refusing to cry out in pain.

His face was a contorted mask of fury, his eyes burning with the desire to tear Shin apart.

"Are you alright?" Saint Marcus Mars asked.

"I'm not dead yet," Saint Topman Warcury growled, turning to the others. "If we don't attack together, we'll be picked off one by one. I hope you all understand that."

Compared to the others, he had a much clearer picture of the situation. If they didn't fight him, did they really think Shin Uzumaki would just leave them be? The moment he decided to strike, the initiative would be entirely his.

They were already outmatched. If they let him control the fight, how could they possibly win?

Indeed, the once-arrogant Elder no longer believed he was a match for Shin.

"He's right. Let's get this over with. I'd like to see what the Five Elders are truly capable of."

Shin's gaze fell on the others with keen interest.

"Then let's not hesitate." Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro drew his blade—the Shodai Kitetsu—and a slash of dark energy shot towards Shin.

"Too slow. Your blade lacks speed. I'm truly disappointed," Shin said calmly.

He sidestepped the attack with a slight turn of his body, then kicked out at Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro.

Just like Saint Topman Warcury before him, the swordsman couldn't react in time.

He was sent flying, following the same path as the first Elder, though his injuries were even more severe. Saint Topman Warcury was built like a tank and specialized in physical combat, making him more durable. The swordsman, on the other hand, was not nearly as tough.

Of course, a single kick wasn't enough to take him out. Though he coughed up a mouthful of blood and looked to be in bad shape, he could still fight.

"How about we call a truce?" Saint Jaygarcia Saturn asked Shin.

"A truce?" Shin chuckled at his words. "You think that's even a possibility?"

Did they think he had come all this way for nothing? His goal was to wipe them out.

"Instead of mutual destruction, why not end it here?" Saint Jaygarcia Saturn said.

He held back his two hot-headed colleagues.

Right now, stalling for time was their best bet. It was just the five of them here. Though they had brought men with them, their subordinates were too weak to pose any threat to Shin Uzumaki.

They just had to hold out until CP0 arrived. Only those elites could provide any meaningful support. As for the Celestial Dragons, most of them were useless—corrupted by power, they possessed none of their own.

Of course, they had their hidden aces, secrets even the Elders weren't privy to, but those weren't here now. They could only rely on themselves. It was up to them to handle this, just as Lord Imu had commanded.

"Mutual destruction? That's hilarious. I'm genuinely curious—what makes you think you can hurt me?"

"How about we test that theory? I'm eager to see what you've got."

Shin's face was filled with disdain.

Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's expression darkened, but he was patient and held back his anger.

"I know you're trying to stall. But I suggest you don't waste your time. You think Akainu has time to come save you?"

Shin's deep-set eyes seemed to pierce right through the Elder's schemes. Of course, he could see he was stalling. But it was pointless—Akainu was already tied up with Whitebeard.

Don't ask how Shin knew. His Observation Haki was terrifyingly powerful, its range far exceeding a single island. The battle between Akainu and Whitebeard was well within his perception.

"Do you have a backup plan?" Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's heart skipped a beat.

Seeing Shin's expression, a seed of doubt was planted in his mind. Perhaps he really did have something else up his sleeve.

After all, this was Shin Uzumaki, the most dangerous man on the seas. He was powerful, and he certainly wasn't a fool. Coming to Mary Geoise couldn't have been a reckless act.

If they had known this would happen, they never would have provoked him. This situation could have been avoided entirely.

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