Chapter 584: Fullalehe Island · The Undercurrent of the Wild Banquet!Meanwhile, in the New World, on Fullalehe Island.This lawless land, known as a pirate's paradise, was currently filled with the thick scent of blood and the pungent smell of rum.In the deepest part of the giant skull fortress, a banquet full of violence and wildness was taking place."Zehahahahaha! Drink! Keep drinking!!!"Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach sat with his chest wide open, completely lacking any formal image.Liquor flowed down his messy black beard, landing on his hairy chest....Opposite this overlord of the sea sat a man covered in bandages.That was the remnant of the world-renowned Rocks Pirates from the old era—the great pirate Wang Zhi!!Not long ago, the Blackbeard Pirates had launched a full-scale assault on Fullalehe Island, which Wang Zhi had ruled for many years, in an extremely unreasonable manner.It was a one-sided crushing..."Teach, you despicable bastard."Wang Zhi's teeth were nearly shattered from clenching. He grabbed a bottle of wine from the table and poured it down his throat, trying to use alcohol to numb his physical wounds... and the humiliation in his heart."I am the 'Pirate Patriarch'! How dare you lay a hand on my territory?!""Zehahahahaha! Don't make it sound so bad, Senior Wang Zhi!"Blackbeard laughed as he set down the wine barrel and reached out to grab a giant roasted meat leg, taking a savage bite."The times have long since changed! If remnants of the old era can't adapt to the winds and waves of the New World, they should just obediently clear out their spots!"Unconcealable ambition and greed flickered in Blackbeard's eyes."However, I really do appreciate you, Senior Wang Zhi!"Blackbeard leaned forward. The pitch-black aura belonging to the Dark-Dark Fruit billowed around him, putting immense mental pressure on Wang Zhi across from him."Even though you betrayed Rocks at God Valleyback then, but... so what?""Loyalty among pirates is the most ridiculous joke in the world!""I only value strength!""Join me, Wang Zhi! Become a stepping stone for me to reach the peak of the world. That's much better than waiting to die on this crappy island!"Veins bulged on the back of Wang Zhi's hand as he gripped the wine bottle.As a great pirate who once commanded the winds and clouds, bowing his head to a junior was more painful than death itself.However, when he recalled the battle from a few days ago and the endless darkness Blackbearddisplayed that could swallow everything,...the bit of pitiful pride in his heart was ultimately crushed by the desire to survive."Hmph! Since I've already lost, my life is at your disposal."Wang Zhi gave a cold snort and turned his head away, which was a silent admission of this humiliating surrender."Zehahahahaha! Now that's someone who recognizes the situation!"Blackbeard erupted into another deafening laugh. He raised the wine barrel, preparing to continue the revelry.Just then, the wooden door was pushed open from the outside."Wihahaha! Captain! You'll never guess what incredible thing I just got!!!"Jesus Burgess, the Captain of the First Ship and 'Champion,' walked in arrogantly.Blood still stained his burly body. He was holding a roll of the latest newspaper that had just arrived, along with a gold-stamped black card.Following behind Burgess was Shiliew of the 'Rain,' who was puffing on a cigar and wiping blood off his blade!!And Laffitte, the 'Demon Sheriff,' who was walking with strange tap-dance steps."Burgess, your raspy voice is truly annoying.""...If it's not something important, I'm going to slit your throat."Shiliew exhaled a smoke ring and glanced at Burgess."Shiliew, don't be so arrogant!"Burgess glared at Shiliew, then quickly walked up to Blackbeard and slapped the newspaper onto the table."Captain! Something big has happened! Over in Wano Country, the sky has been turned upside down!"Hearing the words 'Wano Country,' Blackbeard, who was still eating meat, paused slightly.Laffitte twirled the cane in his hand, a strange smile curling on his lips, and spoke in an exaggerated theatrical tone:"Oh my, oh my, it seems you all don't know yet. Just this morning, the entire world was scared witless by this newspaper. That boy with the straw hat did something that made everyone tremble with fear.""Laffitte, stop beating around the bush! What exactly happened!"Blackbeard frowned, urging impatiently.Burgess pointed directly at the full-page color photo on the front page of the newspaper and roared loudly:"Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy! He took down Kaido of the Beasts head-on in Wano Country! Now his bounty is as high as 5.56 billion Berries!!!"As soon as those words came out.The entire banquet hall instantly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.The wine bottle in Wang Zhi's hand slipped to the floor, shattering into pieces."Took down... Kaido?!"Wang Zhi's eyes were wide and round, his face full of unbelievable shock.He knew all too well what kind of monster Kaidowas.That apprentice from back then on Rocks' ship, who was as hard to kill as a cockroach, had long since become an immortal monster after several decades!How could that straw hat kid, who had only been at sea for a few years, possibly do such a thing?!"5.56 billion... this bounty has already surpassed Whitebeard's from back then."Shiliew's hand tightened slightly on the famous blade raimei, a rare trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes.However, among everyone present, the one with the most violent reaction was Blackbeard, who had been sitting in the main seat!When he heard the name 'Monkey D. Luffy' and saw the photo of him laughing wildly on the newspaper,Blackbeard's pupils suddenly constricted!He would never forget that day!The fear of death, the resentment over his plans going bankrupt...Everything caused Blackbeard to feel a complex emotion toward Luffy that couldn't be described in words.He was afraid of him!Afraid to the extreme!Whenever he closed his eyes, he could almost feel the sense of despair from his chest being completely pierced through."Captain? What's wrong with you?"Burgess asked loudly, somewhat confused by Blackbeard's trembling body."Is it because yesterday's injuries haven't healed? Should I call the doctor to take a look?"Burgess's words immediately pulled Blackbeardback to reality from his extreme fear.Blackbeard gritted his teeth.I absolutely cannot let them see my fear!If I expose the cowardice in my heart at a time like this, this pack of hungry wolves gathered for profit will definitely tear me to pieces without hesitation!Blackbeard forced his trembling hands down onto the table.Using all his strength, he forced the fear that had seeped into his bones down into his stomach, then suddenly threw back his head."Ze... Zehahahahahaha! Zehahahahahahaha!!!"He grabbed the newspaper from the table and pointed at Luffy's photo, forcing an arrogant posture as if he didn't care at all."That Straw Hat kid! He really is something! He actually managed to pull that old monster Kaidooff his high horse!"Blackbeard grabbed a new bottle of strong liquor and gulped it down, trying to use the spiciness of the alcohol to hide the slight tremor in his voice."But this is exactly the situation we want to see, isn't it!""Kaido has fallen! Big Mom has gone crazy too! The rulers of the old era on this sea have completely collapsed!""...This is the perfect opportunity for our Blackbeard Pirates to expand globally! Zehahahahahaha!"Seeing Blackbeard's arrogant appearance, Burgessdidn't doubt him but instead followed with an excited roar."Wihahaha! The Captain is right! Doesn't matter who that Straw Hat kid is, if they dare block our path, we'll crush them all!"Only Shiliew, standing in the corner, keenly noticed that something was off with Blackbeard for a moment.Shiliew exhaled a puff of smoke and stared coldly at Blackbeard's back without pointing it out."But Captain."Laffitte danced over to the table and pointed at the corner of the newspaper with his cane."The Straw Hat kid is at the height of his fame right now, and Wano Country has become his territory!!""If we continue to expand in the New World, we'll run into them head-on sooner or later.""With our current combat power, if we face the Straw Hat crew that took down Kaido, our chances of winning might not be very optimistic."Laffitte's words were like a bucket of cold water, dousing Burgess's fervor.The atmosphere in the hall became somewhat heavy again.Everyone knew very well that a monster who could take down the strongest creature in a head-on duel was definitely not someone they could mess with casually right now.A shadow flashed in Blackbeard's eyes.He knew this better than anyone.Currently, because he only had the Dark-Dark Fruit, his overall strength was definitely at the bottom among the Four Emperors.If he met Luffy at sea, he wouldn't even be sure of escaping!I must find a way to get stronger power!Just as Blackbeard was feeling extremely anxious."Wihahaha! I almost forgot the main business!"Burgess slapped his thigh and pushed the gold-stamped black card he had brought in with the newspaper directly in front of Blackbeard."Captain! Look at this! This is something we scavenged when we sank a pirate ship yesterday!""It's an incredible invitation!"Blackbeard frowned and looked down at the uniquely textured black card.The edges of the card were stamped with dark gold patterns, and a striking pirate skull emblem was printed on it."Pirate Expo?"Blackbeard read out the gold-stamped words.Wang Zhi, who had remained silent, suddenly changed expression upon hearing those words."Pirate Expo? Could it be that lunatic known as the 'Festival Master'..."Wang Zhi's voice lowered, his eyes filled with deep wariness."That's right, Senior Wang Zhi."Laffitte elegantly took off his top hat and gave a slight bow."Buena Festa!! That warmonger who was from the same era as Pirate King Roger!!""...After being quiet for so many years, he suddenly sent out this grand invitation to the whole world."Laffitte's eyes became extremely dangerous."Moreover, he explicitly wrote the final prize of this Expo on the invitation.""—The lost treasure of Pirate King Gol D. Roger!""Roger's treasure?!"These few words were like a deadly magic spell, instantly igniting a frenzy in the entire hall.Shiliew's eyes narrowed slightly,"This is a bait that can make every pirate in the world go crazy.""Wihahaha! Who cares about the bait!"Burgess waved his thick arms, saliva nearly spraying out."That's something Roger left behind!""Maybe it contains the Eternal Pose to the final island, Laugh Tale!""...Or some kind of Ancient Weapon that can directly destroy the world!""...As long as we can grab it, the Straw Hat kid won't mean a thing!"In the hall, the officers of the Blackbeard Pirates all showed expressions of extreme greed.The nature of pirates was fully triggered at this moment.Roger's treasure!This was an absolutely irresistible fatal temptation for anyone with the ambition to fight for hegemony over the sea!Blackbeard stared intently at the black invitation on the table.His breathing became heavy.He craved power so much!Because he couldn't get the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, his thirst for power had reached a nearly pathological level.If that bullshit Expo really hid Roger's treasure, which was enough to subvert the world situation.If he could hold that power in his own hands!Then, he would never have to fear that Straw Hatkid who gave him nightmares every night!He could truly rule this sea, become the new Pirate King, and even... the King of the World!!!"Zehahahahaha! Buena Festa! That remnant of the old era really stirred up quite a massive commotion!"Blackbeard reached out his large hand and squeezed the gold-stamped black card tightly in his palm.The black aura of the Dark-Dark Fruit swirled frantically over his arm."However, this is clearly a trap."Wang Zhi reminded him in a cold voice."That guy Festa is definitely not the kind of saint who would kindly hand over Roger's treasure to others.""He didn't just invite all the pirates in the world; Marineford and the CP Organizations definitely won't sit idly by for this event.""And as far as I know, the monster 'Demon Heir' Douglas Bullet, who was personally defeated by Roger back then, also seems to have some shady dealings with Festa."Wang Zhi looked at Blackbeard, trying to make him remain rational."Going there is equivalent to stepping into the most chaotic meat grinder in the world!""Zehahahahaha! So what!!!"Blackbeard stood up, radiating a suffocating pressure.The fear in his eyes had been covered by greed."If a pirate doesn't take risks, can they even be called a pirate!""Whether it's Bullet or a Marine Admiral! In the face of Roger's treasure, they are all just our stepping stones!"Blackbeard spread his arms and let out a hysterical laugh toward the sky."Men! Prepare to set sail!""Target! The Pirate Expo! Go and snatch all of Roger's treasure for me!"...Chapter 585: Hachinosu, Garp Descends!"Boys! Get ready to set sail!""Target! The Pirate Expo! Go and snatch all of Roger's treasure for me! Zehahahaha!"Laughter echoed deep within the massive Skull Fortress of Hachinosu.The officers of the Blackbeard Pirates raised their wine glasses one after another, their eyes filled with extreme greed for the impending slaughter and wealth.However,"RUMBLE——!!!!"The entire island of Hachinosu shook violently at that moment, as if a magnitude ten earthquake had struck.The thick ceiling collapsed instantly, and giant stones mixed with thick smoke and fire rained down upon the banquet hall like a torrential downpour!"Waaaaah! What's happening!""Is it an earthquake! Or an underwater volcanic eruption!"The hall instantly fell into chaos. Pirates who were reveling just a second ago were crushed into meat paste by falling boulders the next, their shrill screams rising and falling.Burgess was sent flying by a violent shockwave, slamming into a wall, while the newspapers in his hand scattered all over the floor."Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack! Some bastard is shelling our fortress!"Shiliew of the Rain reacted extremely quickly. The moment the ceiling collapsed, his famous blade 'raiu' was already unsheathed.*Swish! Swish! Swish!*Several sharp, blood-colored sword slashes soared into the sky, instantly turning the giant stones falling toward Blackbeard's head into powder.But when Shiliew looked through the massive hole blasted above and saw what was falling from the sky, the pupils of this habitually cold-blooded swordsman suddenly shrank to the size of pinpoints!"Captain! Something's not right!""Those aren't ordinary cannonballs at all! They're... wrapped in a terrifying power that makes one's scalp tingle!""Zehaha... cough, cough, cough!"Blackbeard choked on a large mouthful of thick smoke. He scrambled up from his main seat in a disheveled state, his previously arrogant smile completely frozen on his face.He looked through the hole toward the sky.In the sky above Hachinosu, hundreds and thousands of pitch-black cannonballs were pouring down at a terrifying speed, covering the sky and the earth!Those cannonballs created dazzling sparks from friction with the air, each carrying extremely frightening kinetic energy."Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"The cannonballs smashed into the streets, buildings, and the port of Hachinosu...A sturdy stone building over ten stories high was instantly shattered from top to bottom when hit by a single cannonball, and even its foundation was smashed into a bottomless pit!"Which god-tier fleet is this? Big Mom? Or that Red Hair bastard?!"Blackbeard gritted his teeth, his hands gathering two clusters of dense darkness to forcibly swallow several cannonballs hurtling toward him."No! It's not a fleet!"To the side, 'Demon Sheriff' Laffitte spread the wings on his back and hovered in mid-air.Holding a monocular telescope, he stared intently at the lone warship on the distant horizon.When he saw the silhouette of that warship and the figure standing at the bow frantically swinging his arms, Laffitte's pale face, which always wore a weird smile, instantly lost all color."Captain... we... seem to have been targeted by some kind of unreasonable monster..."Laffitte's voice trembled like a leaf in the wind, and he couldn't even hold his telescope steady."It's a... Dog-headed Warship!""All the cannonballs... are being thrown by that old man... with his bare hands!""Dog-headed Warship?!"Upon hearing those three words, the faces of all the officers present, including the recently surrendered great pirate Wang Zhi, turned deathly pale in an instant!!!Blackbeard felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.He shoved Burgess aside, stumbling to the edge of the fortress to look out at the distant sea.At the edge of his vision,A warship flying the Marine flag of Justice was cutting through the waves, heading toward Hachinosu at full speed with an aura that crushed everything in its path.And at the very front of the warship, an old man with white hair but full of energy was grinning broadly without any decorum, letting out bursts of deafening laughter."Hahahahaha! Take a taste of my Fist Meteor Shower!"The marine hero—Monkey D. Garp!At this moment, he didn't even bother to wear his Justice coat, dressed only in a floral shirt.Beside him were two piles of cannonballs as high as small mountains.Garp's hands were moving so fast in the air they left afterimages, like two tireless windmills!"Boom boom boom boom boom——!!!"With every wave of Garp's hand, over a dozen cannonballs shot out with a piercing whistle that tore through the air.The speed at which he threw cannonballs was even denser than dozens of heavy cannons firing simultaneously!"Hahahaha! Exhilarating! This is truly exhilarating!"While frantically throwing cannonballs, Garpturned his head to look at the man beside him who had a face full of black lines."Sengoku! Don't just stand there watching! Come join me and stretch your limbs! It's been a long time since I've smashed a pirate's nest so thoroughly!"Standing beside Garp, dressed in casual plain clothes, was the former Fleet Admiral—Sengoku the Buddha.At this moment, he was glaring at his reckless old comrade with a gaze that looked like it could kill."Garp! You brainless brute!!!""What did I tell you before we left! This is a top-secret cleanup mission ordered by the high-level officials of the World Government!"Sengoku was trembling with rage, pointing at the distant, riddled Hachinosu and shouting."Our original plan was to use the sea fog as cover to quietly and completely surround these pirates!""Then use lightning-fast methods to directly capture that dangerous element, Blackbeard!""But look at you! We're still dozens of nautical miles from the island, and you're here shouting and throwing cannonballs!""~~~How is this a surprise attack! You're practically afraid they won't know we're here!"Facing his old comrade's fury, Garp not only showed no sign of remorse but instead picked his nose and carelessly swatted Sengoku's hand away."Oh dear, Sengoku, your temper is still so irritable. Be careful your blood pressure doesn't rise again."Garp patted his collar with a look of disdain."What do you mean by a surprise attack? Sneaking around is what those rats from CP0 do! We are dignified Marines!""Dealing with these pirates who think they're kings of the hill, we should openly and honestly smash their proud fortress to bits from the front!""...That's the only way to show off the might of our Marines! Hahahaha!""You—!"Sengoku was so angry his vision went dark, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.He helplessly let go and let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with deep exhaustion and helplessness.He knew he shouldn't have brought this brute along on the mission!However, Sengoku also knew very well that this mission was anything but ordinary.The origin of all this came from the near-pressuring mandatory orders of the Gorosei, the highest power center of the World Government!Ever since the Zephyr Incident, the whole world had been laughing at the Marines, believing that the power of Justice could no longer suppress those crazy pirates.To regain this rock-bottom prestige, the Goroseiissued a death order to the current Fleet AdmiralSakazuki:At least one existence of the Four Emperors level, or the most potential dangerous element, must be brought down in the shortest possible time!Use a slaughter of absolute victory to re-establish the absolute authority of the World Government!Of course, those high and mighty Celestial Dragons were only responsible for making demands; as for how to execute them, it was left entirely to Marineford to worry about.After overnight discussions between Sakazuki and the Staff Department,The Marine eventually locked onto two targets.One was the Four Emperors, Big Mom!!...Fleet Admiral Sakazuki personally led the team, with Admirals Kizaru and Fujitora going along for the cleanup.The other target was this great pirate entrenched on Hachinosu with massive ambitions—'Blackbeard' Marshall D. Teach!Although Blackbeard had not yet officially ascended to the position of the Four Emperors, he had caused a huge scene at Impel Down!!!At the same time, that extremely dangerous Dark-Dark Fruit had already made the Marine high-level feel deep apprehension.More importantly, in dealing with Blackbeard...The Marine had absolute certainty!Because Sakazuki had directly invited the two highest-ranking living fossils in the Marine—Garpand Sengoku!Two legendary existences joining forces, crossing ten thousand miles of sea, just to target one Blackbeard.To anyone, this seemed like a one-sided dimensional strike with no suspense!Sengoku looked at the smoke-filled Hachinosu in the distance, put away the helplessness on his face, and his gaze gradually became sharp."Forget it, now that it's come to this, it doesn't matter how much noise is made."Sengoku folded his arms, and the aura of natural authority around him gradually began to spread."That fellow Teach, although he is a cunning conspirator, is ultimately just a despicable scoundrel!!!""...Today, the two of us old-timers will clear this scourge from the sea in advance.""Hahahaha! Well said!"Garp stopped his cannonball-throwing action.He clenched his fists, his knuckles making a popping sound like beans cracking."I've long found that guy with the ugly laugh an eyesore! Today I'm going to beat the crap out of him!"...
Chapter 586: Hachinosu · Bone Fist & Dark Abyss!Meanwhile, at the edge of the skull fortress on Hachinosu.Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach was completely stunned!He stared at the two figures on the distant warship, his mind going blank, with only the word "absurd" remaining."W-what kind of joke is this?!""Garp... Sengoku... Why aren't these two old monsters enjoying their retirement at Marineford, and what are they doing in the New World?!""And... why are they coming for me!!! WTF?!?"Blackbeard roared inwardly, an unprecedented sense of grievance instantly overwhelming him.He admitted that his reputation in the New Worldwas indeed significant.He had occupied Hachinosu and recruited a group of desperadoes.However, he hadn't even sat on the throne of the Four Emperors yet!He was just a pirate with the Dark-Dark Fruit, still quietly developing his strength!Even if Marineford wanted to establish their authority, they should go find that bastard Red Hair, or go find that Straw Hat who just took down Kaido!Why?!Why did they have to mobilize the marine hero & the former Fleet Admiral, these two legendary figures who could be called the ceiling of combat power in the old era, to travel ten thousand miles just to wipe him out?!"What the hell did I do that was so heinous to deserve you guys going to such great lengths!!!"Blackbeard roared desperately in his heart.He felt the world's deep malice towards him.He had thought that as long as he stayed low at Hachinosu, played it steady, and slowly looked for opportunities, he would be able to rise again one day.But now, he had just finished bragging to his subordinates about his grand plans.And in the blink of an eye, Garp and Sengoku had come knocking on his door!Do the Marines not care about reason at all now?!Have they even abandoned the most basic principle of equal strength?!"Teach! What kind of trouble did you bring upon us, you bastard!"Ochoku, who was standing nearby, was also completely broken.This once-renowned great pirate was now pointing at Blackbeard's nose and cursing, tears almost streaming down his face in anxiety."I just surrendered to you ten minutes ago! Ten minutes! I haven't even finished a glass of wine!""You told me you wanted to rule the world?! And you ended up bringing these two scourges, Garpand Sengoku, here?! What kind of sin did I commit to have to be buried with you!"Ochoku's heart was filled with endless regret.If he had known this would happen, he would have rather died fighting Blackbeard earlier; it would have been better than facing that unreasonable old madman Garp!That was the terrifying existence who, back at God Valley, teamed up with Roger to completely crush their Rocks Pirates!"Shut up! How would I know why these two lunatics came here!"Blackbeard, burning with rage and anxiety, slapped the table next to him, sending it flying.He forced himself to calm down, his brain racing to find even a glimmer of hope."Run! Must run immediately!"This was the only thought in Blackbeard's mind.Facing these two legendary old monsters, he didn't even have the courage to resist.However, reality cruelly shattered his illusions....On the distant sea.On the bow of the warship.Garp took off his Hawaiian shirt, revealing those terrifying muscles etched with the marks of time.He didn't continue throwing cannonballs.Instead, he slowly raised his head, and from the eyes hidden beneath his graying eyebrows, an absolute sharpness that made the soul tremble suddenly erupted!"I don't have the patience to wait for you rats to crawl out slowly."Garp's voice was deep and resonant, like the whisper of an ancient dragon, rumbling across the sea.He slightly bent his legs."Bang—!!!"Accompanied by an eardrum-shattering sonic boom, the dog-headed warship under Garp's feet suddenly sank violently due to the terrifying reaction force, almost completely submerged by the seawater!And Garp's tall and burly figure shot up into the sky like a retrograde meteorite!One hundred meters! Five hundred meters! One thousand meters!In an extremely short amount of time, Garp's figure traversed thousands of meters, arriving directly at an altitude of one thousand meters above Hachinosu!He looked down from above at the pirates below, who were like ants."Hum—!!!"An extremely violent Conqueror's Haki erupted without reservation from within this aged hero!It was the absolute hegemony that had suppressed an entire era after countless life-and-death battles!Crimson-gold Conqueror's Haki lightning, like crazed angry dragons, rushed out from Garp's body and wrapped around his clenched right fist!A blinding light shone at the altitude of one thousand meters, as if a small sun had suddenly been born in the night sky.At the very tip of his fist, the Haki and power, compressed to the extreme, even formed a dazzling cross-shaped starburst!That was a terrifying pressure capable of shattering a continent!The pirates on Hachinosu below, the moment they felt this pressure, felt as if their hearts were being tightly gripped by an invisible giant hand.Countless pirates with bounties of tens of millions or even over a hundred million didn't even have time to let out a scream before they rolled their eyes, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed to the ground, completely losing consciousness."What... what kind of monster-like Haki is that?!"Shiliew's hand gripping raiu was trembling violently; his prideful sword heart actually wavered in the face of this absolute violence.Blackbeard's pupils had shrunk to the size of pinpricks.He tilted his head back, watching the figure plummeting from the sky with the cross-shaped starburst, cold sweat soaking his back.This sense of oppression was even more despairing than the punch Luffy had delivered through his heart back then!Is this... the marine hero who forced Pirate King Roger into a desperate situation several times?!"Turn to dust for me! You pirate scum!"High in the sky, Garp's roar was like divine punishment from the God of Thunder, shaking the heavens.His right fist, carrying that dazzling crimson-gold cross-shaped starburst, came crashing down towards the core fortress of Hachinosu with an unstoppable force!"Bone Fist · Galaxy Impact!!!"Facing this world-destroying strike capable of instantly wiping the entire island off the map.Blackbeard knew he had nowhere to run.In the face of such a technique, any attempt to dodge became a luxury.If he couldn't withstand this strike, he and his ambitions would come to a complete end today, on this island!"What kind of joke is this! I am Marshall D. Teach! I am the man who will become the King of the World!!!"In this desperate situation, Blackbeard bit the tip of his tongue, the intense pain forcibly stimulating his nerves, which had been paralyzed by fear.He no longer held anything back.The Dark-Dark Fruit ability within him was pushed to its 200% limit under the threat of death!"Devour everything for me!""Boom—!!!"Darkness capable of swallowing even light erupted frantically from between his hands!This darkness, carrying terrifying fluctuations of gravitational distortion, spread madly upwards in the blink of an eye like a black curtain covering the sky, attempting to completely envelop the entire Hachinosu."Darkness of the End · Star-Devouring Abyss!!!"Blackbeard roared, controlling that endless abyss capable of devouring all things, and smashed head-on into the falling crimson-gold Galaxy!On one side was the absolute crushing power representing the highest military force of the old era Marines!!On the other was the desperate counterattack representing ultimate greed and abyssal gravity!!The crimson-gold cross-shaped starburst and the bottomless darkness were about to have the most tragic and ultimate collision hundreds of meters above Hachinosu.The air was wailing!! Space was twisting!!
Chapter 587: Hachinosu, Ochoku Defeated in One Punch!"Rumble—!!!!"The moment the two forces collided, the space within a radius of several hundred meters was instantly squeezed out of shape, twisting like a fried dough twist."Swallow it for me!!"Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach pushed his hands upward with all his might.That sun-blotting black curtain writhed frantically, trying to completely envelop, decompose, and devour the falling mass of crimson-gold starlight into the endless dark abyss.Unfortunately, he had far underestimated the weight of a man who had tempered his Taijutsu and Haki to the world's pinnacle!"Stop dreaming, Teach!"Garp was in mid-air, his gray hair dancing wildly in the wind pressure. He slammed his right fist down once more, letting out a deafening, wild laugh."This old man's fist isn't something trash like you, who only knows how to rely on Devil Fruits, can stomach!""Crack—!"The blinding crimson-gold starlight flared up, and the violent Haoshoku tore a massive hole right through the curtain of darkness!Light poured down!"What?!?!"Blackbeard's face paled in shock.Although Blackbeard relied on the pull of the Dark-Dark Fruit to barely cancel out most of the Galaxy Impact's kinetic energy!!The remaining aftershocks had completely broken free of restraint. Like an unavoidable meteor shower, they bypassed Blackbeard's head and slammed violently into Hachinosu below!"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!"It was practically doomsday!!A giant, bottomless crater several hundred meters in diameter emerged amidst the roar of the massive explosions!Hundreds, even thousands of great pirates with bounties in the tens of millions or even over a hundred million,...as long as they were grazed by even a tiny bit of this shockwave, their fragile bodies were crushed to pulp under that extreme kinetic energy, turning directly into a blinding blood mist that drifted through the sky!...The wild wind howled, and dust swirled.Blackbeard gasped for air as he strode out from the blood mist and dust permeating the sky.He himself hadn't suffered any substantial damage....As the most deeply hidden Emperor-level combatant on the sea, even if he couldn't consume a second fruit, his freakish constitution and the defensive buffer provided by the Dark-Dark Fruitwere enough to withstand such terrifying aftershocks.However, at this moment, Blackbeard's expression was ugly to the extreme, so dark it looked like it could drip water.He looked around at the foundation he had just conquered, his seat not even warm yet, which had been turned into a massive, blood-filled pit by Garp's casual punch."Garp... you damned old lunatic...""Is this how the marine hero says hello?!""You Marines keep prattling on about justice, but when you slaughter people, you're ten thousand times more cruel than us pirates! Zehahahaha!"Blackbeard tried to use wild laughter to mask the dread in his heart.He knew perfectly well that the punch just now was merely a warning shot!If he really fought one-on-one against this old man who had refined Haki into his very bones, plus Sengoku on that warship on the distant sea who hadn't made a move yet... he would die!!!He would absolutely be beaten to death here by these two old fogies!"Don't try to twist the narrative, pirate scum."Garp stood atop the ruins, his knuckles cracking loudly."This old man only knows that for tumors like you who bring chaos to the world, erasing you physically is the purest form of justice!"A flash of anxiety crossed Blackbeard's eyes; he absolutely could not face this desperate situation alone.He spun around and roared at the disheveled great pirate, Ochoku."Ochoku! What are you still dazing for!""Do you really think that if you hide on the side and don't intervene, that old lunatic Garp will let you off!"Ochoku spat out a mouthful of silt. Hearing Blackbeard's shout, his old face twitched violently in anger."Teach! You jinx! I've been screwed over by you!""Zehahahaha! What's the use of saying that now!"Blackbeard pointed at Garp on the high ground, then at the distant warship, his tone ruthless."We're grasshoppers on the same string now! Garpand Sengoku clearly intend to wipe Hachinosu off the map entirely!""Only by joining forces with me and burying these two ghosts of the old era here do we have a chance of survival!""Bring out the spirit you had on Rocks' ship back then! Ochoku! If you want to die, I'll personally send you on your way right now!"Blackbeard's words were like sharp knives, each one piercing Ochoku's vital points.Ochoku clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.Humiliation!Extreme humiliation!First, he was beaten into submission by a junior, and now he was forced to join forces with this despicable fellow to fight against his former nightmare!But Blackbeard was right.If they didn't fight for their lives, no one would leave this island alive today!"Teach... if I survive today, I swear, sooner or later I'll twist your head off and use it as a wine jug!"Ochoku let out a beast-like roar of extreme reluctance.Then, he suddenly dropped to his knees and slammed his large hands onto the shattered rock layers of Hachinosu."Shima Shima no Mi: Resonance!!!"In that instant, the entire island of Hachinosuactually twitched violently like a living thing!"Rumble—"The earth split open into countless terrifying abyssal fissures.The wreckage of the collapsed skull fortress and tens of thousands of tons of giant Rocks were drawn by this power, frantically converging and reorganizing toward Ochoku's position!Ochoku's body vanished into the Rocks in a very short time, completely merging with the entire island.He was assimilating the island!"Crack! Crack!"Accompanied by the ear-piercing sound of grinding and squeezing rock, a terrifying stone giant several hundred meters tall, cobbled together from building debris, soil, and steel, rose from the center of the ruins!This behemoth blotted out the sun, its massive shadow instantly enveloping the entire battlefield.On the stone giant's face, Ochoku's ferocious old visage vaguely appeared. From those eyes made of crimson lava, a fury suppressed for decades erupted."Garp—!!!"Ochoku, in the form of the stone giant, let out a world-shaking roar, the sound waves shattering the surrounding surviving buildings."Today, I'm going to use the weight of this entire Hachinosu island to completely crush your old bones!"Looking at this hundred-meter stone giant emitting endless pressure, Garp didn't retreat in the slightest. Instead, he stood on the high ground with his hands on his hips and let out an extremely loud laugh."Hahahaha! Ochoku, you idiot who hasn't improved at all!""After all these years, you still believe in this kind of bluffing trick! Being big doesn't mean you're strong!"Before he finished speaking, Garp bent his legs slightly. The giant piece of rubble under his feet actually couldn't withstand the power of his tensed muscles and was instantly covered in spiderweb-like cracks."Bang!"Garp shot into the high sky like a black cannonball!"In front of this old man's fist, a big guy like you is at most a slightly more durable sandbag!"Garp was in mid-air, his right fist pulling back sharply."Buzz—!"Ink-black Armament Haki instantly hardened on his knuckles, followed by streaks of violent black lightning that began to frantically interweave and leap on Garp's right fist."Big! Big! Big! I'm going to crush you!"The stone giant Ochoku had become roared, lifting a massive rock palm large enough to cover half the harbor. With a whistle that tore through the wild wind, it swatted toward Garp in mid-air like he was a fly."Stop embarrassing yourself!"Absolute dominance showed in Garp's eyes. Facing the giant hand, he threw his right fist out fiercely."Genkotsu Meteor!!!""Boom—!!!!!"A fist not much larger than a normal person's collided with a rock hand dozens of meters long in mid-air!At the moment of contact, the violent black lightning on Garp's knuckles penetrated the surface of the giant rock hand with an utterly overbearing posture!"Crack... Bang bang bang bang!"That thick arm made of tens of thousands of tons of rock actually began to explode in a chain reaction, starting from the palm and going all the way up under Garp's unstoppable punch!Giant fragments of rock fell frantically from the sky like raindrops.Garp's momentum didn't decrease; he turned into a streak of black lightning, piercing through the stone giant's entire right arm and finally slamming a fist right into the center of the stone giant's broad chest!"Boom—!"A visible ring of white air exploded from the stone giant's chest.The violent Armament Haki directly penetrated the thick layer of rock, accurately striking Ochoku's real body hidden deep within!"Ugh, aaaaaah—!!!"The massive stone body instantly lost control, a giant hole pierced through its chest by Garp.Then, this terrifying creation, hundreds of meters tall, completely collapsed amidst the roaring sounds, turning into countless falling Rocks."Puff-waa—!"Ochoku's real body tumbled out from the pile of collapsing Rocks and slammed heavily onto the ground.His eyes rolled back, and a large mouthful of blood mixed with visceral fragments sprayed from his mouth. His entire sternum had completely caved in.Just one punch!Ochoku, who possessed strength at the pseudo-Admiral level, was directly devastated, lying half-dead in a pool of blood!...
Chapter 588: Hachinosu, Total War!"Hahahaha! What a guy who can't take a punch!"Garp did a somersault in mid-air, preparing to land gracefully.At that very instant, an extremely cold and dangerous aura suddenly attacked from behind him!"Zehahahaha! Old man, you enjoyed hitting me, didn't you? I'll take this opening!"Blackbeard, who had been lurking in the distance like a venomous snake, finally seized Garp's brief opening.His eyes widened, and the Dark-Dark Fruit power in his hands had been pushed to its limit.The deep darkness twisted and extended rapidly in his palms, actually transforming into two pitch-black spears dozens of meters long!"Black Hole: God-Slaying Spear!!!"Blackbeard roared and threw them forward with both hands.The two dark spears, like two crazed poisonous dragons, lunged toward the center of Garp's back at a tricky angle!However, Blackbeard's calculation was ultimately wrong.Because on this battlefield, besides Garp, there was another top-tier existence who had been silently watching the entire situation....On the sea dozens of nautical miles away.On the bow of that massive dog-headed warship.Former Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha looked at Blackbeard's insidious actions on Hachinosu, and a shivering sharpness instantly erupted from his eyes behind his frog glasses."Teach... you despicable villain who only knows how to hide in the dark and sneak attack, did you really think I didn't exist!""Hum——!!!"As Sengoku took a step forward, a dazzling golden light... instantly soared from his body into the sky, lighting up the surrounding dozens of nautical miles of sea as bright as day!"Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Daibutsu!!!"Sengoku rapidly expanded within the golden light, transforming into a golden Buddha dozens of meters tall, radiating a sacred and inviolable aura!He did not choose to cross the sea to land on the island, but instead stood directly on the bow of the warship and pushed his huge golden palms forward through the air toward Hachinosu!"Behave yourself! Buddha Shockwave!!!"The moment this palm was pushed out, the entire sea seemed to stop flowing.A massive spherical shockwave with a diameter of over a hundred meters skimmed across the sea surface, crossing the distance of dozens of nautical miles with a devastating speed, heading straight for Blackbeard's position!Even more hair-raising was that thick black-red lightning was actually entwined around this golden shockwave!...On Hachinosu.Blackbeard was still laughing wildly at his imminent successful sneak attack, but in the next second, his Observation Haki frantically issued a death warning!He jerked his head around and looked toward the distant sea.Unconcealable horror showed in the depths of his pupils!That golden shockwave mixed with black-red lightning had already crushed its way before his eyes like a tsunami!"Damn it!! That old geezer Sengoku!!!"Blackbeard's scalp tingled; he no longer cared about sneak-attacking Garp in mid-air.He gritted his teeth, forcibly withdrew the dark spears aimed at Garp, and poured all the darkness power within his body into the space directly in front of him without reservation!"Block it for me!! Great Dark Heaven!!!"An incredibly thick curtain of darkness suddenly formed in front of Blackbeard."Rumble————!!!!!"The Buddha Shockwave slammed into the dark curtain without any fancy tricks!The earth-shattering roar caused the entire Hachinosu to shake violently, and the rocks at the edge of the harbor collapsed in sheets under the aftershocks of the collision, falling directly into the boiling sea."Ugh-aaaaah!"Blackbeard's feet plowed two deep bloody furrows in the ground, and he was pushed back a full hundred meters before he barely managed to forcibly swallow and neutralize that terrifying Buddha Shockwave."Huff... huff..."Blackbeard's arms hung down weakly, a trace of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, and the expression on his face had become distorted to the extreme.The cooperation between these two old guys was simply impeccable!If they continued to fight individually like this, his Blackbeard Pirates would definitely be wiped out here today!"Men! Stop playing dead for me!"Blackbeard spun around and let out a hysterical roar at the executives scattered around the ruins who had already been scared out of their wits."If you don't want to be thrown into Impel Down to wait for death, then all of you show me your life-risking stances!"Blackbeard extended a thick finger, pointing straight at Garp ahead."Shiliew, Burgess, Laffitte, Van Auger! All of you, go help that useless Ochoku!""I don't care what means you use, I don't care how many people die, you must drag this old madman Garp to death here!""..."Following Blackbeard's roar, one figure after another radiating a dangerous aura slowly walked out from the shadows of the ruins.Shiliew of the Rain spat out the cigar in his mouth, a bloodthirsty cold light flickering in his eyes.He slowly drew the Famous Sword Raimei from his waist, its crimson blade emitting a chilling killing intent amidst the smoke."What a lousy order, actually making us deal with that marine hero."Shiliew sneered, but his footsteps did not retreat in the slightest,"However, slaying a legend of this level seems like quite a nice thing to do.""Wihahaha! The Captain has spoken! Regardless of whether he's a hero or not, I'm going to tear him to pieces today!"Burgess roared, the muscles on his arms bulging exaggeratedly. Wearing special metal bracers, he strode forward!!Laffitte spread the wings on his back, hovering in mid-air, and spun his cane into a bizarre sword flower....At this moment, all the core executives of the Blackbeard Pirates locked all their killing intent onto Garp alone!"Zehahahaha! Sengoku!!!"Having arranged the tactics, Blackbeard jerked his head around, and that terrifying black aura belonging to the Dark-Dark Fruit surged out of his body once again."You two ghosts of the old era, don't be too arrogant!""Let me see whether your Buddha form is harder, or my darkness is better at swallowing everything!"Blackbeard spread his arms, and endless darkness danced frantically around him like tentacles!!His goal was very clear; he wanted to use the special nature of the Dark-Dark Fruit to engage in an absolute power duel with Sengoku!In the center of the ruins, Garp stood alone facing the surrounding executives of the Blackbeard Pirates, as well as Ochoku, who was struggling to crawl back up.This white-haired marine hero not only showed no panic but instead raised his hands and cracked his knuckles forcefully."Hahahaha! Now this is more like it, you pirate scum!""Since you're so eager to seek death, then today I will stomp all you pests to death at once!"...On the distant sea, Sengoku's Buddha form radiated dazzling golden light, and the warship was approaching Hachinosu at full speed."Stubborn fools. Today, I will let you witness what true despair is!"Sengoku's majestic voice echoed across the horizon.For a moment, this Hachinosu, known as the Pirate Paradise, completely turned into a Shura meat grinder with no way out.Two legendary Marines of the old era against the entire Blackbeard Pirates and the entire lawless island.Darkness and golden light intertwined, and Haoshoku lightning constantly tore through the dark clouds in the sky.This total war, enough to change the landscape of the New World, finally erupted in its most tragic form!...
Chapter 589: A Bunch of... Scum!Meanwhile, Onigashima!Inside a hidden underground cave, the remnants of the Beasts Pirates were like stray dogs who had lost their protection, leaning dejectedly against the rock walls.The All-Stars, who once ruled Wano Country, now breathed incredibly weakly due to the loss of their lifespans.Queen leaned against a stalactite, his once-rotund body having shrunk significantly due to the loss of vitality.Jack lay in a puddle, his body covered in battle scars and the markings of weakness.King the Conflagration sat cross-legged in a corner; though he maintained his posture, his graying hair and dim eyes spoke of the exhaustion of their life essence."Clack, clack, clack!!"Black Maria walked to the center of the cave with unsteady steps, casually lighting a broken tobacco pipe and taking a deep puff."Stop trying to hold on, everyone!!""Wano Country has completely changed!! The fortress has been reduced to ruins, and even Boss Kaido was defeated by the Straw Hat... his fate is unknown!! The samurai have also reclaimed political power!!""We... no longer have a place to stand.""You stinking woman, shut up!"In the corner, Ulti suddenly stood up.She pointed at Black Maria's nose and cursed loudly; if Page One hadn't been holding her arm tightly, she would have wanted to rush over and tear the other woman's mouth apart."How could Boss Kaido possibly die! He is the strongest creature on this sea!""...Even if that bastard wearing the straw hat got lucky and won once, Boss Kaido will definitely come back!""Big sister is right!"Page One clutched his still-bleeding chest, struggling to agree with Ulti."Our Beasts Pirates absolutely cannot admit defeat here."Among the Tobi Roppo, Who's-Who and Sasakihad already died in battle; now only the three of them remained struggling to survive, but the rift within these few survivors was growing wider.Black Maria gave a cold laugh, not backing down because of Ulti's accusations."Face reality, Ulti!! Look around you, look at the miserable state of the All-Stars!!""Less than a tenth of our combat power remains. If the Marineford fleet surrounds us now, we won't even have the strength to fight back."She paused, her tone becoming more realistic:"That man, he didn't drive us to extinction!!""If we take the initiative to lay down our weapons now and surrender to the Straw Hat... it's the only way we can survive.""Surrender?!"Jack, who had been lying weakly on the ground, suddenly let out a roar like a wild beast.He used all his strength to prop up half his body with his hands, his bloodshot eyes staring fixedly at Black Maria as blood overflowed from the corners of his mouth."Even if I'm caught by the Marine and cut into a thousand pieces, I will never betray Big Brother Kaido! If anyone dares to mention surrender at this time, I'll snap her neck first!""Jack, is your head filled with nothing but muscle?"Black Maria did not yield at all."You three All-Stars, your life essence is almost exhausted!!""...Even if we wait here for Boss Kaido to return, how many more days do you have to live?"The atmosphere in the cave instantly dropped to the freezing point.Black Maria's words pierced their most fatal weakness."Enough!!"King the Conflagration, who had been resting with his eyes closed, finally opened them slowly."Those who want to leave can go now, I won't stop you!!"King pressed his hands on his knees, forcing himself not to collapse, his back still held perfectly straight."But my life, King's life, was given to me by Big Brother Kaido!!""Until I see his corpse with my own eyes, I will never bow my head to anyone!!""...Even if the fire of my life is exhausted, I will die on this land waiting for his return."As the second-in-command of the Beasts Pirates, King's statement made the restless remnants stop arguing.Black Maria sighed and tapped her tobacco pipe against a rock."Since you want to wait for death here, I won't be joining you."She stood up, preparing to walk out.At that very moment."Rumble—!!!"A violent tremor suddenly came from the thick rock layer above the cave.Immediately after, a terrifying pressure, violent to the extreme, instantly penetrated the rock layer and descended unreservedly upon everyone's heads.This pressure was too familiar, yet more brutal and heavy than any time in their memory!The illuminating torches all went out at once.All the remnants of the Beasts Pirates, including Black Maria, instantly lost the strength in their legs and knelt uncontrollably on the ground."This aura is?!"King's eyes widened suddenly, his withered heart beating violently in his chest."Bang—!!!"The rock layer at the top of the cave exploded.The thick clouds in the night sky were forcibly torn apart, and streaks of purple-black lightning as thick as buckets intertwined crazily in the air.Amidst the flying gravel and lightning, an Azure Dragon, large enough to blot out the sun, descended into the center of the ruins with the power to tear through the heavens.The moment the Azure Dragon landed, its massive body rapidly contracted and transformed, finally turning into a burly figure seven meters tall.—Kaido of the Beasts!This Four Emperors, who had just been knocked into the deep sea by Luffy, had actually crawled out of the abyss of death once again."Kai... Boss Kaido!"Queen and Jack looked at that familiar figure, tears instantly streaming from their eyes.Ulti and Page One were even more excited, unable to even speak a complete sentence.Black Maria lay trembling on the ground, her heart filled with lingering fear.If she had really walked out of the cave just now, she would probably have been crushed by this violent Haki by now."Big Brother Kaido... you've finally returned."King used his long sword to support his body and barely stood up.He looked at Kaido's shocking array of scars and lowered his head deeply."Your subordinate is incompetent... I failed to hold Onigashima and let you down."Facing his subordinates' self-blame and weeping.Kaido did not explode into the expected thunderous rage.He casually threw the broken hassaikai onto the ground and then, without any regard, sat cross-legged directly on the muddy Rocks."Disappointed? What's there to be disappointed about."Kaido grabbed the wine gourd at his waist, tilted his head back, and poured the strong liquor down his throat."Slap!"Kaido casually wiped the wine stain from the corner of his mouth and suddenly looked up,"Worororororo! A loss is a loss! I was defeated! Completely and utterly defeated!""The straw hat brat indeed possesses the absolute power to change this era!! He is the legendary Joy Boy!!""...To be defeated by such a monster, my twenty years of waiting were worth it!"Hearing Kaido admit defeat so frankly, all the remnants present were stunned.In their memory, Big Brother Kaido would never bow his head to anyone.But at this moment, the warrior-like demeanor shown by Kaido instead made the awe in their hearts even deeper."The boring toy that is Wano Country no longer has any value."Kaido put down the wine gourd, a sharp light flashing in his amber dragon eyes."Since the old era has been smashed, let's go see just how much that brat can turn this world upside down!""Leave this godforsaken place and find a hidden island to rebuild our strength!""...As long as I'm not dead, there will always be a place for our Beasts Pirates on this sea!"These words were like a shot of adrenaline, instantly igniting the extinguished hope in the hearts of the remnants.However, just then, Kaido's sharp gaze finally fell upon King, Queen, and Jack in front of him.Kaido's brow instantly knitted into a tight knot.As a powerhouse who had trained his Observation Haki to the top level, he keenly sensed the abnormality of these three most capable subordinates.Their life essence, which should have been as vigorous as a furnace, was now like a candle in the wind, so weak it was almost imperceptible; their life source had been exhausted to the extreme."What happened?"Kaido's voice suddenly deepened,He stepped in front of King in one stride, his huge palm grabbing King's shoulder."Your life essence... why is it exhausted to this extent! Who did it?!"Facing Kaido's questioning, King shook his head bitterly."Big Brother Kaido, it was the God's Knights."King's breathing became rapid, enduring the pain of internal organ failure as he briefly explained what had happened."After your battle with the Straw Hat, a woman calling herself part of the God's Knights enveloped us in a bizarre formation!!""...""God's Knights... stripping away reason... burning lifespan..."Hearing these words from King, Kaido's tall body suddenly froze in place.The wheels of time spun rapidly back in his mind, instantly freezing on that world-shaking battle more than thirty years ago.God Valley!On that day, the sky was also covered by black thunderclouds.That invincible man lost all reason and turned into a black monster that only knew destruction.Ultimately, in that state, he was completely defeated by the joint efforts of Garp and Roger.For thirty-eight years, Kaido had always thought that Captain Rocks had succumbed to inner demons while practicing some forbidden move in pursuit of greater power.Until this moment!Looking at these three capable subordinates whose life essence was nearly dried up, and hearing of the same evil methods as back then.A hair-raising truth crashed into place in Kaido's mind!There was no such thing as succumbing to inner demons!"World Government... Celestial Dragons..."Kaido's body began to tremble violently.For a martial artist like Kaido, who valued a powerhouse's dignity more than life itself, you could defeat him, or even kill him.But you must never strip away his will and treat him and his most valued subordinates as soulless toys to be trampled upon at will!This was the most cruel insult to him as a warrior!"Unforgivable...""Toying with my subordinates like marionettes... treating the powerhouses of this sea like trash to be discarded at will...""Buzz—!!!"Conqueror's Haki erupted unreservedly from his body!The thunderclouds that had just calmed down in the sky once again crazily gathered and swirled under the pull of this rage."Those scum from the World Government!!!"Kaido looked up,His eyes were completely filled with bloodshot veins; it was an awakening to the grievances of the old era, and even more, a declaration of war against the hypocritical gods."I will definitely skin you alive!!!"...
Chapter 590: Setting Sail!Wano Country, the port on the outskirts of the Flower Capital.The early morning sea breeze carried a hint of chill, gently brushing across the shimmering surface of the water.The sails had been lowered, ready at any moment to welcome a brand-new voyage....At the port, a dense crowd had gathered to see them off, yet they did not make much of a clamor.Kozuki Hiyori wore a brand-new, light emerald-colored kimono.Her breathtakingly beautiful face was filled with an inseparable longing and reluctance to part.Recalling the madness and tenderness in that Captain's cabin a few days ago, Hiyori's heart still beat incredibly fast.That broad, burning chest was the only safe harbor she could rely on in this scarred land.But now, the man who had given her a second life was about to set sail once again."Luffy-sama..."Hiyori's voice was very soft,She lowered her head slightly, not wanting others to see the tears in her eyes."Can you really... not stay for a few more days?""The reconstruction of the Flower Capital has just begun, and the people all hope to admire your heroic presence a bit longer."She found a high-sounding reason, but her slightly trembling tone betrayed her truest plea as a woman to stay.Luffy looked at the fragile woman before him who was trying her best to maintain her princess-like poise.He didn't speak, but instead reached out and, without any hesitation, pressed his hand onto Hiyori's head....mussing up her long, smooth green hair."Shishishi! A pirate's journey never stops.""Hiyori, you are the ruler of Wano Country now!! You have to build this country up well, so that everyone can eat their fill every day!""...If you encounter any trouble you can't solve in the future, just shout my name toward the sea, and I'll definitely fly back to help you!"Hearing this promise, Hiyori bit her rosy lower lip.She forced herself not to let the tears fall and nodded heavily.She knew she couldn't become a shackle that bound Luffy's footsteps....On the other side nearby, the Mink Tribe's farewell was much more direct and lively.Carrot hugged Chopper tightly, rubbing tears and snot all over him."Waaaah... Chopper-kun! I'll definitely miss you! You must come visit Zou!"Carrot cried while frantically rubbing her cheek against Chopper's fur."I know already! Let go of me quickly, I can't breathe!"Chopper's face turned red, his two little hooves flailing in the air....Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, the two Kings of the Mink Tribe, knelt on one knee in front of the thousand sunny."Lord Luffy, you saved Wano Country, and you saved us Minks. We will never forget this immense kindness!"Inuarashi looked solemn, his tone filled with absolute loyalty.Nekomamushi said:"If there is ever a time you need us, just say the word! These old bones of ours are ready to die for you at any time!"The atmosphere at the port was warm and touching....However, on the deck of the thousand sunny, the vibe was entirely different.Uta stood by the ship's railing with her hands on her slender waist.She stared down at Hiyori, who was tightly clutching the corner of Luffy's clothes, and stomped her feet in anger."Honestly! Is that princess ever going to be done? She's going to tear his clothes!"Uta puffed out her cheeks, making no effort to hide her jealousy."Luffy! Get on the ship already! We still have to attend that Pirate Expo! We'll be late if you keep dawdling!"She urged loudly, trying to assert her childhood friend's'sovereignty' in this way.Nami, standing beside her, also had her arms crossed; though she didn't speak, a displeased light flickered in her beautiful eyes.As the Navigator, she just wanted to drag Luffyback onto the ship immediately, away from that pitiful-looking vixen."Young little sisters, don't be so angry."Vinsmoke Reiju, wearing her sexy pink and black Raid Suit, leaned against the railing with her long legs crossed.She held a glass of freshly poured fruit wine, swirling it gently as the liquid reflected a charming luster under the sunlight.Reiju looked at the reluctant pair below, a mature woman's smile curling at the corners of her mouth."That's just how a man's charm is~~""A truly powerful king will always have admirers around him!!""You pink-haired woman, mind your own business! If you hadn't launched a sneak attack during the chaos a few days ago, I wouldn't be this angry!"Uta turned her head and retorted huffily.Nami also gave a cold snort, clearly still brooding over Reiju's bold actions during the banquet.Reiju wasn't angry; instead, she stuck out her pink tongue and licked her rosy lips, the smile in her eyes deepening.Yamato, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the Shura field battle between the girls.She stood excitedly at the bow, wearing her white open-chested kimono with her Spiked Club resting on her shoulder."Delta Island! The Pirate Expo! Roger's treasure! Just hearing these words makes my blood boil!"A fanatical light of adventure flashed in Yamato's eyes as she jumped up and down on the deck."I can finally go out to sea and adventure with Luffy again! I must see every corner of this world!"...On the other side,Trafalgar Law leaned against the railing, his expression somewhat gloomy.He pulled down the brim of his spotted hat and frowned deeply as he watched the dawdling Straw Hat crew."Straw Hat-ya! Stop wasting time!"Law finally couldn't help but urge them, a hint of irritability in his voice."The Pirate Expo hosted by that old fox Buena Festa is definitely a massive trap!!""The eyes of the whole world are fixed there now. If we don't set off quickly to seize the initiative, I'm afraid we'll run into a lot of unnecessary trouble."Bepo nodded repeatedly beside Law:"Sorry, the Captain is right, we must set off immediately."Hearing Law's urging, Luffy finally turned around.He waved vigorously toward the crowd seeing them off."Everyone! Take care!"Then, Luffy's legs suddenly pushed off the ground, and he soared into the air like a light cannonball.He did a somersault in mid-air and landed steadily on the lion head of the thousand sunny.Luffy turned around, facing the vast and boundless sea, pressed his hand onto the straw hat on his head, and took a deep breath."Everyone! Set sail! Target: Delta Island!"The anchor slowly rose as the capstan turned, and the massive sails billowed out under the sea breeze....However, at the very moment the thousand sunnywas about to leave the port."Rumble—!!!"...
Chapter 591: Four Emperors Alliance!"Rumble—!!!"The originally clear sky underwent a drastic change without warning.Heavy, leaden clouds converged frantically from all directions at a speed that defied the laws of nature, completely blanketing the sky over Wano Countryin the blink of an eye!Sunlight was instantly swallowed, and day turned into night.Fierce winds rose suddenly, and the once-calm sea seemed to transform into a rampaging beast, kicking up waves over ten meters high that crashed violently against the harbor's reefs."Crack!"Thick bolts of purple-black lightning tumbled violently within the oppressive clouds.Simultaneously, a terrifying sense of pressure that made one's soul tremble enveloped the entire Wano Country harbor without reservation.The laughter and chatter at the harbor vanished instantly.All the civilians and samurai looked up in horror, their legs shaking uncontrollably under this fearsome pressure...."What's going on?! Is a storm coming all of a sudden?"Usopp hugged the thick mast in terror, his face pale and tears nearly bursting forth."No... this isn't a normal weather change!"Nami gripped her clima-tact tightly, cold sweat sliding down her smooth forehead.Her perception of the weather was the sharpest; this power was not a natural storm at all, but some kind of man-made extreme phenomenon.Zoro's right eye snapped open, and he unhesitatingly drew the famous sword Enma from his waist.Deep green asura Oni Aura instantly erupted from the blade."An extremely dangerous aura is rapidly approaching!"Sanji spat out the cigarette in his mouth, and the blue-and-black interwoven Diable Jambe ignited directly, as he prepared to strike at any moment...."Roar—!!!"A violent dragon's roar, loud enough to shatter eardrums, echoed from the deepest part of the clouds.Immediately afterward, the heavy dark clouds were forcibly torn apart.A massive azure dragon, large enough to blot out the sun, descended straight toward the harbor with a terrifying power that seemed to tear the sky!"That's... Kaido?!"Yamato's ice-blue eyes widened, her face filled with unbelievable horror.The Spiked Club in her hand was trembling slightly."He's not dead! That monster is actually still alive!"Chopper collapsed onto the deck in fright, clutching his head and screaming loudly."Boom!"The azure dragon's massive body crashed heavily onto the open ground less than five hundred meters from the thousand sunny.The violent shockwave kicked up dust that filled the sky, and the rocks on the ground cracked inch by inch under the immense force.The moment it landed, the azure dragon rapidly shrank and transformed....As the dust gradually cleared, everyone finally saw the appearance of this Four Emperors.At this moment, Kaido's left side was covered in the gruesome scars previously inflicted by Luffy, and even one of his iconic giant dragon horns was broken.But simply by standing there, the pressure belonging to an apex predator still felt suffocating.And beside his mountain-like body, there was a figure familiar to the straw hat.King the Conflagration!!"Kaido! You bastard, you still dare to come here seeking death!"Zoro roared, his three swords instantly assuming a combat stance as he made to charge off the ship."Everyone, prepare for battle! We can't let him get near the ship!"Law gritted his teeth!!Facing the straw hat alliance, which was on the verge of an all-out fight, Kaido unexpectedly made no move.He looked at the group standing ready and casually slammed the battered hassaikai onto the ground."Clang!""I didn't come here today to fight you brats!"...Meanwhile,Luffy sat on the figurehead, the casualness on his face vanishing.He stared sharply at Kaido, and with his top-tier Observation Haki, he clearly saw the extreme rage in the other's eyes.It wasn't anger directed at the Straw Hat, but hatred toward some higher-level existence."Then what are you here for? Have I not sent you flying far enough yet?"Luffy retorted bluntly.Kaido ignored Luffy's mockery.He reached out with a massive palm and grabbed King's shoulder."Open your eyes wide and take a good look at my subordinate!""I barely survived at the bottom of the sea and intended to accept defeat and leave Wano Countryto you."Kaido's chest heaved violently, his dark yellow dragon pupils bloodshot."But when I saw my three All-Stars tortured into this ghostly state by the World Government! I couldn't swallow this insult!"Kaido's voice grew louder, as if he wanted to completely vent the anger in his heart."Those hypocritical gods hiding in Mary Geoisetreat the powerhouses of this sea like disposable trash! They trample the dignity of warriors under their feet!""This is an insult to me! It's the most extreme desecration of all pirates who fight on the sea!"These words caused a great shock in the hearts of the Straw Hat Pirates members on the deck.They had indeed encountered that terrifying God's Knights on Onigashima before, and had personally witnessed the Three Disasters undergo demonic mutations."Joy Boy! Or rather, Monkey D. Luffy!"Kaido suddenly pointed at Luffy at the bow, a crazy light flashing in his eyes."Aren't you going to liberate everything! Didn't you even overthrow my rule!""Those Celestial Dragons hiding on the Red Lineare the biggest cancer of this world!"Kaido took a deep breath and said something that made everyone's skin crawl."I want to form a temporary alliance with you!""Let's join forces and launch a surprise attack on the Holy Land Mary Geoise!""Let's smash that high-and-mighty, hypocritical throne to pieces!"A single stone stirred up a thousand waves!The entire Wano Country harbor instantly fell into a deathly shock.The sea breeze seemed to stop flowing."An... alliance?!"Nami was the first to break the silence."A surprise attack on Mary Geoise?!""...That's the headquarters of the World Government! There are the Three Admirals of Marineford, CP0, and now that terrifying God's Knights! We're going there??!"Usopp rolled his eyes and collapsed onto Chopper, foaming at the mouth."Luffy, I can't do it! I've caught the 'I'll die if I go to the Holy Land' disease!!"Veins bulged on Law's forehead."Straw Hat-ya! You absolutely cannot agree to such an absurd request!""...Allying with a Four Emperors to attack the Holy Land has completely deviated from the logic of sailing!"Law tried to wake Luffy up with reason."The eight hundred years of the World Government's heritage is not something we can contend with right now! Even with Kaido, attacking Mary Geoise is a near-certain death situation.""This is too irrational!""Our primary goal should be to rest and recover, not to poke that most dangerous hornet's nest!"However, facing everyone's opposition!Zoro shouldered the wado ichimonji,"Although I hate this long worm and want to slash him the moment I see him,"Zoro looked up at the silent Luffy and touched the wound on his chest that was still faintly aching."But if this is the Captain's decision, I don't care. It just so happens my sword wants to taste the blood of those so-called World Nobles again."Sanji lit a cigarette, took a deep breath, and exhaled a trail of white smoke."I agree with Mosshead!! Those bastards playing gods in front of a lady, that debt hasn't been settled yet!!""...The decision is yours, Luffy."Everyone's eyes converged on the man wearing the straw hat.Luffy sat on the figurehead, his head lowered.He certainly knew what was hidden in Mary Geoise.The abnormal recovery power of the Gorosei, and Imu who sat upon the Empty Throne.Going there would definitely be entering a tiger's den, a Shura field.That arrogance of treating all life like ants made Luffy feel extremely disgusted."You hurt my companions and think you can walk away unscathed?"Luffy slowly raised his head.Pure white lightning unexpectedly began to jump across the surface of his body uncontrollably, letting out ear-piercing crackles."Kaido.""Those guys in white capes severely wounded the swordsman and cook on my ship!"Luffy stood up abruptly, his right hand pressing firmly down on the straw hat on his head, a wild fighting spirit erupting in his eyes."Since they dared to touch my people, I must personally settle this debt!""I accept your proposal!"Hearing Luffy agree, Nami and Usopp collapsed onto the deck in despair.Law was even more furious, gritting his teeth, but he knew he couldn't change the decision of this single-celled organism.But then, Luffy's tone shifted."However, Kaido.""We don't need to press in with a massive army. And I don't intend to take my crew!!"As soon as these words were spoken, the entire audience was stunned."Straw Hat, what do you mean?"Kaido frowned."If we go with a fleet, it will turn into a long, drawn-out total war... It's too much trouble!!""Besides, I don't want my companions to face that kind of pointless danger again."Luffy extended his thumb, pointing to himself and then to Kaido."You said'surprise attack' just now, right?""Since it's a surprise attack, the fewer people, the better."A dangerous curve hooked the corner of Luffy's mouth."Just the two of us.""You and I will fly directly to the top of the Red Lineand smash their nest to smithereens!"Hearing this proposal, even Kaido was stunned.Two pirates, without a single soldier, going to challenge the highest center of power of the World Government?This crazy idea was even more outrageous than when he went to challenge Marineford alone!After a brief moment of shock,"Worororororo!!!"Kaido threw back his head and let out a heaven-shaking laugh that echoed through the skies."Just the two of us to challenge the Holy Land? How crazy! This is exactly the kind of spirit the man who defeated me should have!"Kaido laughed until tears nearly came out."Fine! Then it shall be as you say! I'll fly you up to Mary Geoise!"Luffy turned his head and looked at his crew behind him."Everyone! Just follow the original plan and go to Delta Island to participate in that Pirate Expo!"Luffy showed a brilliant smile."Go and have a great time, and while you're at it, help me get Roger's treasure back! Once I've sent the Celestial Dragons flying, I'll find you there!"The alliance of the two Emperors was officially established at this moment in the most insane and unbelievable way....[Because of the ensemble cast and multiple plotlines, it's a bit messy. I hope for your understanding! ♡＾▽＾♡][The content for [Stampede] and [Raid on the Holy Land] will be written after the two major battles of [Cake Island] and [Hachinosu] are resolved! (◕ˇ∀ˇ◕)][After all, it's already the late stage of the story, so I need to pick up the pace! (*^ω^*)]