Golden light converged, and Borsalino's figure appeared at the center of the battlefield.
Whoosh—
As soon as he materialized, a sharp whistling sound of steam assaulted him.
Borsalino raised his right hand and extended his index finger. A golden cross of light rotated, and a laser beam shot out, colliding with the steam spear and exploding.
Boom!!!
The massive explosion was like the birth of a sun.
Borsalino's body dissolved into points of light, propelled by the air current towards Kuzan. He solidified beside Kuzan and let out a long sigh:
"Kowai ne~"
"These Four Emperors are all like monsters when it comes to strength."
Beside him, Kuzan, who had frozen the air around him, slowly exhaled a breath of cold air:
"Indeed."
"Quite troublesome..."
Opposite them, far away.
Heil Nock floated in the air, steam rising from his body:
"Another one..."
His expression was unreadable as he contemplated whether to continue.
Borsalino on the other side said softly:
"Why don't we call it a day~"
"It's a bit too early for a fight now~"
Heil Nock let out a cold laugh:
"Easy for you to say."
"If the island they attacked was one of your Navy's."
"Would you be so relaxed?"
Borsalino said with some helplessness:
"Well~"
"You'll have to ask our Fleet Admiral about that~"
The atmosphere immediately grew colder.
Thinking of Sakazuki, Heil Nock's eyes narrowed:
"Go back and tell Sakazuki that guy..."
"Don't push it too far. Mutual destruction benefits no one."
With that, he retracted his killing intent, and the steam rising from his body slowly dissipated. He flew into the distance.
Compared to Smirk Port behind them, the 'cooperation' with the Vinsmoke family was a more important matter.
Kuzan behind him let out a sigh of relief:
"It's finally over."
Borsalino looked troubled:
"We were threatened~"
"What are we going to do~"
Kuzan rolled his eyes at Borsalino:
"Let's call Sakazuki first."
Borsalino nodded slightly, took out a Den Den Mushi, and teased:
"You should address him as Fleet Admiral, Kuzan~"
Kuzan's face darkened, and he waved his hand.
The Den Den Mushi on the other end connected. Borsalino briefly described Heil Nock's threat.
Then, Sakazuki's indifferent voice came from the Den Den Mushi:
"Mutual destruction?"
"Does he think he's worthy of that?"
"Cooperate with Kuzan and erase Smirk Port from the map."
"Leave no survivors."
"Then, continue organizing the fleet to attack the next island."
Kuzan's eyes widened in disbelief. He was about to speak when Borsalino stopped him with a raised hand and said to the Den Den Mushi:
"Understood~"
After hanging up, he let out a long sigh:
"Hoo~"
"Don't be too impulsive~"
Kuzan frowned deeply:
"What kind of joke is this? Smirk Port isn't just full of pirates; civilians make up the vast majority. Are we going to wipe them out too?"
Borsalino said with some helplessness:
"Don't you understand Sakazuki's personality?"
"This is a war for the future of the world. The lives of a few civilians won't deter our Fleet Admiral for a moment~"
"If you had contradicted Sakazuki just now, then they would truly be dead~"
"First, control all the pirates on the island and have your fleet transport the civilians~"
Kuzan's expression eased slightly, but he still struggled... although Borsalino's words made sense...
Borsalino said nothing. Sometimes, one had to figure these things out for themselves.
If ordinary people or soldiers' lives could threaten Sakazuki, then they underestimated Sakazuki's resolve...
For the fate of the world's future, not a shred of softness could be allowed...
If not for the great battle between Sakazuki and Sengoku last time, Borsalino would have suspected Sakazuki was an emotionless robot...
But it was a pity that it was only that one time.
Now, Sakazuki seemed to have completely turned into an emotionless robot.
Even when Enel was heavily injured in Wano Country and Borsalino brought him to Sakazuki, Sakazuki showed no reaction...
So there was no need to mention mere civilians and those Marines...
Kuzan pondered for a moment, then slowly exhaled:
"Fine."
He took out a Den Den Mushi and called the waiting fleet.
After a while.
As the Marine fleet slowly appeared and the pirates prepared to fight again, intending to report upwards...
"Ice Age!"
Kuzan's voice echoed across the island.
Using his Kenbunshoku Haki, he marked all the pirates and, with a single ability, instantly froze one-third of the island, precisely without leaving a single pirate. 138 Reading Network
The power of an Admiral was an absolute crushing force against all the pirates below.
Following that, warships arrived, and countless confused civilians boarded the warships with all their belongings, heading to an unknown destination...
As the warships loaded with civilians slowly sailed away from the island and retreated, dazzling lights illuminated the sky above the island.
Numerous light bullets rained down on the island, each like a high-explosive bomb. Under the continuous explosions, in just a moment, the island slowly sank into the sea...
--------
Not to mention Heil Nock discussing 'cooperation' with the Vinsmoke family and the resulting fury and actions after hearing the news.
Meanwhile, Enel's fleet was invincible.
In just a few days, they conquered seven islands before stopping...
Going further would be the Sobbie Island, where Shanks' subordinates had been gathering successively in recent days, forcing the Navy's advance to halt.
Klennny Island.
An island closest to Sobbie Island, and currently the island where Enel's fleet was stationed.
The islanders gradually evacuated to Sote's floating fleet. The Marines who refused to leave were not forced to stay, and were allowed to make their own choices.
Enel and Sote stood on the highest cliff by the shore, overlooking the sea.
Sote sat directly on the edge of the cliff:
"We have to stop attacking here, right?"
Enel nodded:
"Mm."
"Shanks' captain has gathered on the next island to set up defenses."
"It will be difficult to achieve any results by attacking further."
"And Shanks disappeared suddenly not too long ago."
"He's probably coming to find us."
"Barrett Big Brother is heading this way."
Sote looked wistful:
"Four Emperors..."
Just as he was about to say he really wanted to see them, Enel's body suddenly crackled with electricity.
Sizzle—
With a flick of his wrist, a golden trident appeared in his hand, which he swung to the left to block!
Clang!
The dark golden trident collided with the Griffin, sparks flying.
The resulting shockwave swept outwards.
Sote sprang up warily. When did... he completely lose his senses...
Enel's expression was blank. He blocked the Griffin with his left hand and slightly turned his head to the left:
"Red-Haired Shanks."
On the edge of the sea to the left, a tiny black dot appeared... it was the ship of the Red-Haired Pirates.
A hint of surprise flickered in Shanks' eyes:
"As expected of a candidate for Marine Admiral..."
His Kenbunshoku Haki was something even Kaido wouldn't dare to underestimate. Didn't you see that Sote, beside Enel, didn't sense him, yet Enel had time to condense a weapon to block the attack.
This peer of his... is interesting...
The Griffin in his hand clashed with the dark golden trident, emitting sparks of Conqueror's Haki lightning.
Although Enel's expression was blank, he was inwardly startled.
His Kenbunshoku Haki couldn't sense Shanks, but its range was vast.
Here, being the island closest to Sobbie Island, he had increased the range of his Kenbunshoku Haki.
The first to be sensed were the several powerful presences on the Red-Haired Pirates' ship, but then he realized something was wrong.
There was someone whose magnetic field he could sense, but whose Kenbunshoku Haki he couldn't, charging forward at an abnormally fast speed.
Although this feeling was very strange, Enel reacted immediately, condensing a weapon to block to the left...
Enel's eyes narrowed slightly, and he let out a soft exhale:
"What a terrifying ability..."
Shanks' lips curved into a slight smile:
"But it didn't cause you any harm, did it."
Enel said softly:
"Pure coincidence."
Shanks chuckled:
"Is that so?"
Sizzle—
Where the two weapons crossed, the lightning suddenly intensified.
Boom!!!
A violent explosion swept outwards, causing the entire cliff to collapse.
Two figures, one red and one blue, intertwined and shot towards the sky, lightning and sword energy erupting in the air.
Sote floated in the air, looking up at the sky, and immediately used a Den Den Mushi to issue a full alert, ordering everyone to retreat to the warships.
Meanwhile, the Red-Haired Pirates' ship was rapidly approaching the island.
Lucky Roo jumped onto the railing, a large leg of meat in his hand, and took a big bite:
"This time I'm going to get my revenge properly."
The punch from Barrett still made him ache when he thought about it. Now that he had the chance, how could he let it go.
He finished the leg of meat in no time, tossed the bone into the sea, and bent his body slightly.
With a stomp of his foot, he shot out, like a round cannonball, smashing towards the retreating Marines.
The others on the ship also looked helpless, jumping out one after another and charging towards the island.
On the island.
Law, who was directing the retreat,'s expression drastically changed as he sensed the charging figure:
"Room!!!"
With no time to discern, soldiers and pirate corpses nearby were all teleported onto the warship.
Then, he drew the long sword at his waist and slashed out fiercely at Lucky Roo.
Lucky Roo grinned savagely, his entire body covered in black Busoshoku Haki, and he recklessly broke through the imbued slash, charging towards Law:
"Your Haki is too weak, Navy brat!"
Law's pupils constricted. Just then...
A barely visible blue stream of light shot into Law's ability field.
Lucky Roo, who was charging at Law, his savage grin not yet gone, suddenly had his stomach cave in... then Lucky Roo's face contorted, his eyes bulging as if about to pop out.
Barrett's figure appeared in front of Lucky Roo, his arm deeply embedded in Lucky Roo's stomach...
"Your Haki is too weak, fat pig..."
Boom!!!
A deafening roar.
Lucky Roo's figure flew backward like a violently flung deformable baseball, crashing towards the approaching crowd.
Yassop behind him's expression drastically changed... This is bad!
Barrett's Oni Kidou mode transformed into a blue stream of light, several times faster than the violently flying Lucky Roo, and charged forward.
His menacing arm, left and right, embraced Yassop and the ship doctor Deck as if they were brothers slinging arms...
The two, unable to resist Barrett's irresistible immense strength, were taken back to the Red-Haired Pirates' ship.
Tap tap—
With a few footsteps.
Yassop and Deck, with Barrett's thick arms around their necks, dared not move rashly.
The charging individuals, after catching Lucky Roo, returned to the ship one after another, their weapons aimed at Barrett. Beckman's eyes narrowed:
"This is troublesome..."
His ability... is simply unsolvable... what kind of speed is that...
His powerful Kenbunshoku Haki could sense it, but the speed was simply not enough to keep up...
Barrett looked at the weapons, completely unfazed. He held the two men by their elbows and slowly walked towards Shanks' seat.
The people around were enraged and wanted to make a move, but were stopped by Beckman...
Barrett, holding the two men, leisurely sat on Shanks' seat:
"Although I'm a little late..."
"But..."
A sinister smile appeared on his lips as he stared at Beckman:
"Checkmate..."
The surrounding members were indignant, but Beckman's expression remained unchanged, yet he dared not act rashly...
It wasn't time for a decisive battle yet, so Beckman wasn't worried, but the situation had reached a stalemate...
--------
In the sky.
Enel's golden trident had, at some point, melted into a long saber.
Still imbued with black Busoshoku Haki, it clashed with Shanks' Griffin.
Clang!
The two blades met.
Enel's eyes shifted, and he let out a light chuckle:
"Your 'partner' seems to be in trouble."
Shanks' expression tightened, but he remained unconcerned:
"Ah—"
"But it's enough to capture you, isn't it."
Enel said softly:
"I'm really being underestimated..."
Boom!!!!
The clashing blades erupted violently, and a shockwave of air spread outwards in a white circle.
Shanks and Enel were sent flying back respectively. Adjusting their forms in mid-air, they stomped their feet and charged at each other.
Screeech—
Their figures instantly crossed.
Enel's form shattered violently, disintegrating into foam and vanishing as if cut in half.
Shanks, on the other hand, without even looking back, swung his sword upwards.
The roar of thunder echoed through the sky and sea.
A thunderous giant hundreds of meters tall, wielding a thunderous Kongo, stood in the clouds, aimed at Shanks, and leaped down with extreme speed.
Shanks below slashed out with sword energy, which surged towards the thunderous giant.
The slash, intertwined with Conqueror's Haki and flashing with lightning, collided with the tip of the thunderous club wielded by the thunderous giant as it stabbed downwards.
The resulting impact and lightning cleansed the dark clouds in the sky. Countless clouds were dispersed, revealing behind the clouds.
The thunder god incarnation, holding a thunderous hand crossbow, aimed at Shanks...