Chapter 543 - 383

Chapter 384: A Sword Strike Splits the Sea!Two world-destroying forces magnified infinitely in everyone's sight.A golden sun and a pitch-black abyss.The remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates reflected those two forces in their eyes, their faces filled with determination and tragedy.They were ready to burn their last lives in this sea, alongside their acting Captain.Just as the golden sun, with a diameter of over a hundred meters, and the dark fist, capable of devouring everything, were about to collide, triggering an earth-shattering explosion—Buzz!!!An invisible yet terrifying aura, like a king presiding over all, swept across the entire battlefield like a tsunami!Everyone engaged in battle, whether the Blackbeard Pirates' cadres or the Whitebeard Pirates' Captains, strangely froze at this moment.Thousands of ordinary crew members, still clinging to life, didn't even have time to scream before they collectively foamed at the mouth, rolled their eyes, and fell down in swathes like harvested wheat, completely unconscious.Even Ace and Teach, these two men standing at the peak of the battlefield, felt a primal tremor, and the power they had pushed to its limit actually paused abruptly.Teach's arrogant and twisted face showed an expression as if he had seen a ghost for the first time.This is... Conqueror's Haki?!?!Immediately after, a slightly lazy, yet undeniably steady voice, as if it bypassed the ears, directly echoed in the depths of everyone's minds."This is enough.""Give me some face, everyone."Before the words finished, a terrifying slash, wreathed in ominous red-black lightning, silently descended from the sky.It came without a sound, yet it was so fast that everyone's eyes couldn't keep up.Ace's 'Flame Emperor,' capable of incinerating islands, and Teach's 'Dark Emperor,' capable of devouring everything, were like two fragile soap bubbles before this slash.The two world-destroying energies, the moment that slash passed, simply vanished into thin air.As if they had never existed.Everyone was stunned. o(ﾟДﾟ)っThe residual power of the slash, its momentum unchecked, landed with pinpoint accuracy in the central sea where the two fleets were clashing."Chii~~~"A soft sound.The viscous and chaotic sea, as if cut by a divine blade, boomed and split to both sides.A bottomless sea canyon, seemingly leading straight to hell, appeared starkly before everyone.The scene that had slept at the bottom of the sea for thousands of years, along with the wreckage of countless ships, was clearly exposed to the air.After a few seconds of dead silence, the separated seawater seemed to react, roaring back together with a world-shattering sound, and the towering waves it created forcefully pushed the two previously intertwined fleets to opposite sides of the canyon, completely separating them.Ace and Teach were both continuously forced back by the aftershock of this power, and after steadying themselves, their faces were filled with a horrified expression that screamed, "What the hell is this?"Teach's expression finally shifted from arrogance to extreme gloom and apprehension.He stared intently in the direction the slash had come from, his teeth grinding audibly.As the dense fog dispersed, a warship with sleek lines and a majestic dragon head carved into its bow had, at some unknown point, sailed into the center of the battlefield, stopping precisely above the newly closed sea canyon.It was like an arbiter, using absolute power to forcibly bring this fated duel to a halt.The Red Force.The flagship of the Red Hair Pirates!At the bow, a man stood quietly, one hand resting on his famous sword, Gryphon, at his waist.He wore a simple white shirt and patterned trousers, his fiery red short hair gently fluttering in the sea breeze, and the three scars on his face were strikingly prominent.His expression was calm, yet his eyes were as sharp as blades, capable of seeing through everything in this world.It was none other than one of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks.Behind him, the cadres of the Red Hair Piratesstood in a line, each exuding an aura of "I am not to be trifled with."First Mate Benn Beckman, cigarette in mouth, calmly aimed his long gun at the Blackbeard Pirates' flagship.Just the act of aiming caused the sniper, Van Auger, known as 'Supersonic,' on the opposite ship to stiffen all over, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat, unable to even muster the courage to raise his own gun.Lucky Roux, while heartily gnawing on a bone-in piece of meat, chuckled as he surveyed the disheveled Blackbeard crew, but there was not a trace of humor in his narrowed eyes, only cold scrutiny.And Yasopp merely glanced silently at the battlefield, then cast his gaze towards the distant horizon, as if sensing something, muttering in a voice only he could hear:"That kid's aura... seems to be nearby~~~""It's you again! Red Hair!!!"Teach's face was extremely grim, he glared fiercely at that figure, letting out a beast-like growl,"You've interfered with my good deeds time and time again!!!"Shanks' gaze swept over him, his tone calm, yet each word carried immense weight."Teach, I'm not here to fight."He paused, and there was more in his eyes."But if you insist on continuing, then we will be your opponents."He didn't release killing intent, nor did he raise his voice.But these words themselves were the most terrifying threat in the world.Teach's chest heaved violently, flames of anger nearly erupting from his eyes.But he ultimately forced this impulse down.He looked around; his crew, after three days of bloody battle, were already at their limit, and several cadres were wounded.On the other side, the Red Hair Pirates were all in peak condition, their morale soaring.Though arrogant, he was by no means foolish.If they continued fighting, his side would gain no advantage, and might even be completely wiped out here.After weighing the pros and cons, Teach's face once again forced out his characteristic, grating and unpleasant smile."Zehahahahaha~~~ As expected of Red Hair, always so nosy!"He laughed loudly, giving a reluctant command."I'll remember this debt for today! Let's go!!!"The Blackbeard Pirates' ships quickly turned around, and a massive darkness spread from beneath Teach's feet, enveloping the entire fleet. In a distortion of light, they miserably vanished beyond the horizon.Crisis averted.The Whitebeard Pirates could no longer hold on; their taut nerves relaxed, and many collapsed onto the deck, panting heavily.Ace, barely supporting his almost overdrawn body, looked with complex emotions at the man on the bow of the opposite ship.Just then, Shanks' figure flickered, and the next second, he had silently appeared on the battered deck of the Moby Dick, standing steadily before Ace.He looked at the young man before him, covered in blood, yet with eyes still burning with an unyielding flame. On his always smiling face, a complex smile, mixed with relief and emotion, appeared."You've become very strong, Ace."Shanks' voice carried a profound weight, as if it had traversed time."Captain Roger would be proud of you...""That Whitebeard guy, too."