Rose vines suddenly wrapped around the children's waists. Witte pulled them back to their seats like reeling in kite strings. Her ice-blue eyes swept over the restless little ones. "Where do you think you're going?"
Ace struggled, pointing at the money mountain. "That's five billion! It could buy—"
"I don't know how much it could buy. It could buy one uncle." Sabo pushed up his glasses and answered.
Ann's heavy sword slammed into the ground. "The rules say... minors are not allowed." Her little face scrunched up. Suddenly she pointed at Laboon, who was tangled in vines. "Then why can he go?"
Laboon: "Woo" (I can't go either. Can't you see I'm tied up too~)
Witte walked over and herded the children back to the "uncles' table." "Alright, children. Fried cutlets are coming. If you're late, you'll miss them."
"Gurarara!" Whitebeard took a gulp of sake. He suddenly pushed Marco forward. "My sons will represent the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Marco had dead fish eyes. "Dad, am I even the right age..."
"Shut up!" Whitebeard flicked his forehead. "In my eyes, you're all still kids!"
Jozu silently raised his diamond arm. "I think I might be a little old too..."
Vista's flower sword snapped. "Is that the point?!"
Rhett saw that his explanation was a bit unclear. "Let me be more direct, everyone. Of course, none of us in the Blood Dawn Pirates will participate. Also, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, Navy Hero Garp, and the three Admirals will not participate. Everyone else can."
"Let me explain the rules." Just then, the Golden City arrived at a rising sea current. A rising waterfall. That thing.
"From here, go east. There is a very tall island. See those rising sea currents? Like these."
"Sea racing. I will give everyone a Log Pose. On that island, there is a treasure chest. Bring that treasure chest back to the Golden City, to me, and you can take the five billion."
Rhett's figure slowly rose. Behind him, a giant blood-red throne formed. He shouted to the crowd below, "Do you want my treasure? I've put it all here. Go find the wealth you can't spend in a lifetime. Go compete."
"Everyone! The race has begun!!!"
---
The port of the Golden City instantly descended into chaos.
"Where is my ship?!" Mihawk was searching the sea for his small coffin boat. But with so many large ships around, it was no wonder his little boat had sunk.
"Fufufu..." Doflamingo's strings wrapped around the Kuja Pirates' giant snake. "Hancock, how about a partnership?"
Hancock: "Get lost! Perfume Femur!"
"Fufufufu!" Doflamingo's strings swung him back to his own flamingo ship. The entire ship was stretched like a slingshot. "I'll go ahead~"
---
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Buggy shouted. His pirate ship shot forward.
Shanks' Red Force, however, unusually stayed put. Beckman, a cigarette in his mouth, looked at his captain. "What are you waiting for?"
"Let them scatter." Shanks held his straw hat and smiled.
---
"BOOM!"
Germa's snail warship suddenly transformed. Six cannons aimed forward. "Electromagnetic Pulse Cannon! Full power!"
Judge's laugh was drowned out by the explosion. The ship used the recoil to be the first to enter the rising sea current.
"Mamamama Can't lose" Perospero's candy cables wrapped around three enemy ships, dragging them down as stepping stones. Katakuri's scarf fluttered in the wind. "Three o'clock. There's a whirlpool."
Marco's blue flames enveloped the Whitebeard Pirates' ship. "Jozu!!"
---
Momousagi's longsword traced an elegant arc. "Mr. Chaton, please steer seriously."
"Of course~~" Chaton's rose was in his mouth. The warship avoided the cannon fire at an incredible angle. "But is it right for the Navy to steal pirates' money? Please agree to go out with me."
"I reject. Mr. Sengoku said that money is the Navy's military budget. We carry the future of the Navy on our shoulders. Please be serious."
---
Shanks felt it was about time. The Red Force suddenly sank. The hull was coated in a bubble film. "Taking a shortcut~"
Beckman's gun barrel was smoking. "The rules didn't say you couldn't go underwater."
"Nice try." Buggy's head and one hand appeared above the Red Force. He poked a hole in the bubble.
In Buggy's eyes, there was not only an endless desire for treasure but also a persistence in causing trouble for Shanks. The desire to cause trouble for Shanks even seemed to outweigh his desire for treasure.
---
Mihawk's small boat lay quietly at the bottom of the port of the Golden City. He tapped the water with his black blade. "The waves are too strong..."
"SWISH—"
A slash split the current, creating a water-free zone. He then jumped onto his coffin boat and used his hands to pour the seawater out. He slashed downward again with his sword energy. Seawater rushed back in, lifting his small boat again.
---
In the open area of the banquet, countless surveillance Den Den Mushi opened their eyes. Above the chasing ships, every news coo had a surveillance Den Den Mushi on its head, recording in real time.
Whitebeard sat cross-legged in the spectator seats, his naginata beside him. "Gurarara! The kids are putting up a good fight!"
Garp's rice cracker bag was suddenly snatched.
"You little brat!" He chased Rhett's blood mist clone all over the venue. "Give me back my doughnuts!"
Kizaru's sunglasses reflected the chaotic scene. "Yeah so scary"
"Caw! This is the Moore & Moto commentary team! I am very honored to be a part of this grand event. Even more honored to be a commentator. I am so moved. Thank you, Lord 'Mist Lord'! Thank you, Lord 'Crimson Mist'! Thank you, Lord Emperor!"
"The craziest race in history has officially begun!" Moore stood on the highest observatory tower of the Golden City, his wings excitedly slapping the surveillance Den Den Mushi. "Let's skip the chit-chat and turn our attention back to the battlefield, I mean the racecourse."
Moto complained, "Uncle, this makes us look very unprofessional."
"THWACK!"
Moore: Ah, the sound effect for switching screens. How advanced.
Moto: You'd better hope there really is a screen switching sound effect.
Whoosh!! Splash!!
The mini Den Den Mushi on Moto's head immediately switched views. "Caw! First, we have Germa 66's technology warship! They're using electromagnetic cannon recoil to accelerate!"
The sea suddenly exploded. Marco's blue flames enveloped the Whitebeard Pirates' ship as it burst out of the waves. Moore commentated passionately.
"The Whitebeard Pirates are coming from behind! Wait—"
Momousagi's pink slash split the sea lane. "Navy Science Unit special thrusters! Activate!"
The dog-head warship's tail erupted in flames, instantly passing several ships. Moto's lens precisely captured Chaton kneeling on one knee. "Miss Momousagi! Marry me if we win!"
Momousagi breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, because this event was so important, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had upgraded the dog-head warship.