Electric sparks snapped and crackled through the air like whip lashes. The very space around them seemed to tear apart under the immense pressure, while the ocean waves churned violently. It was a scene of absolute destruction, a harbinger of doom for anyone caught in the middle.
Judge and his children stared in complete shock, their faces frozen with terror. While they understood the terrifying power of Conqueror's Haki, they had never witnessed a clash of this magnitude. The sheer intensity was beyond anything they had imagined.
Judge's eyes flickered toward Sanji, who stood calmly in the background. Sanji made no move to join the fray, showing no intention of stepping forward. In truth, Sanji did not possess the Conqueror's Haki, meaning he lacked the specific kingly disposition required to stand among the absolute peak powerhouses of the Straw Hat crew. Yet, it was this same Sanji who had effortlessly dismantled the entire Vinsmoke family. The vast, insurmountable gap between the so-called rulers of the North Blue and the true legends of the sea was on full display.
The battle of wills raged on, neither side willing to yield an inch. Every combatant present was pushed to their absolute limits just to remain standing. However, the situation aboard the various ships told a different story. On the massive vessels of the Big Mom Pirates and the Blackbeard Pirates, subordinate combatants were collapsing like dominos, their consciousness snuffed out by the overwhelming pressure. Meanwhile, on the Thousand Sunny, only small creatures like Momo and the fish in the tank had fainted.
This stark contrast made Blackbeard and Big Mom growl in frustration. It was a humiliating realization: while they commanded vast armies of fodder, the Straw Hat crew was composed entirely of elite monsters. A direct clash of pure strength might result in an outcome no one could predict.
Boom! The six distinct waves of Conqueror's Haki finally collided and rebounded with a deafening roar. Zoro was forced to take three steps back to stabilize himself, while Blackbeard and Katakuri each stumbled half a step.
Luffy and Big Mom, however, remained completely motionless.
Then, there was Carl. He actually took a confident step forward. The sudden disruption of the Haki stalemate had occurred because Carl chose that exact moment to surge his output, effectively ending the confrontation on his own terms.
Blackbeard, Big Mom, and Katakuri narrowed their eyes as they stared at Carl, a deep, primal fear settling into their hearts. They finally understood the true weight of the power he possessed.
"Luffy, choose one," Carl said, his voice casual despite the gravity of the situation.
"Then I'll take Blackbeard," Luffy replied. He twisted his neck, his bones popping with a rhythmic crack. "I gave him a punch back at the Summit War, and he's still standing. Time to finish that."
"Fine. Leave the hag to me," Carl said.
He stepped onto the giant blade blocking the doorway and launched himself into the air. With his left hand, he drew the Third Generation Kitetsu, unleashing a massive shockwave that tore through the air directly at Big Mom.
Big Mom didn't hesitate. She ripped the hat from her head, transforming it instantly into her giant sword, Napoleon. She swung the blade downward with terrifying force.
"Ikoku Sovereignty!"
The two shockwaves collided mid-air and shattered instantly, creating a violent hurricane that sent countless members of the Big Mom Pirates flying into the sea.
Luffy took to the sky simultaneously, his feet dancing across the air as he used Sky Walk to close the distance toward Blackbeard.
"Zehahaha! Straw Hat boy! You want to pay back that punch from the Summit War? I'll give you a taste of hell instead! Dark Lion!"
Blackbeard roared with wild laughter. Dense, shadowy energy erupted from his body, taking the shape of ferocious lions that lunged toward Luffy. Luffy didn't slow down; he moved with impossible speed, effortlessly weaving through the shadows.
"Gum-Gum... Gatling!"
Luffy's fists flew like bullets, slamming into Blackbeard. Blackbeard didn't attempt to dodge, instead coating his forearms in thick Armament Haki to tank the blows head-on.
The war between the emperors had officially begun, and their subordinates were not standing idle.
"ROOM!"
Law snapped his fingers, opening a massive spherical space. With a precise flick of his sword, he sliced through several enemy ships, rearranging the wreckage on the sea to create a stable landing platform.
Before Law could capitalize on his positioning, a glob of sticky rice flew toward his face.
Startled, Law activated his Shambles ability to swap places, but the moment he reappeared, a spear of hardened mochi pierced the spot he had just occupied. Left with no other choice, Law coated his entire body in Armament Haki, only to be swept away by a flurry of hardened rice cake strikes.
"Ahem!" Law coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood, yet a sharp, confident smile remained on his face. "That was close. I almost thought I was dead. So, the second-in-command of the Big Mom Pirates decided to target me? Katakuri, you've made a serious mistake choosing me as your opponent. You're truly unlucky today!"
Katakuri didn't waste time with words; he blurred forward to close the distance. In his view, aside from Luffy and Carl, the most dangerous threats on the Straw Hat crew were Zoro, Sanji, and Law. He had to eliminate them as quickly as possible so he could return to support his mother. Law was the most strategic player, so Katakuri decided to take him down first.
On the other side of the battlefield, Zoro leaped onto the platform Law had constructed. He drew his blades and unleashed a colossal, crescent-shaped slash aimed directly at Blackbeard's ship.
A flash of crimson light cut through the air, and Zoro's attack vanished into nothingness.
Shiryu descended, a cigar clenched between his teeth, standing firmly between Zoro and his target.
They were destined rivals. Although Shiryu had emerged victorious in their previous encounter at Dressrosa, the fight had left a bitter taste in his mouth. He knew he hadn't truly defeated Zoro in a pure display of swordsmanship; the man had simply been exhausted.
Since the opportunity had arrived again, they wouldn't stop until one of them was dead. Shiryu intended to finish the job for good.
"Yo, old rival. Are you ready to meet your end?"
Zoro smiled, tying his green bandana tightly around his head. He gripped the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji with his teeth. For Zoro, this victory was not just about the battle; it was the final step toward proving he could ascend to the rank of the world's greatest swordsman. If he wanted to reach the pinnacle, he had to conquer the challenges in his path.
"Zehahaha! Let me, Burgess, take care of the rest of these pests!"
Laughing like a champion wrestler, Burgess leaped from his ship, his elbow glowing with immense power as he aimed a crushing strike at the Thousand Sunny.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning crackled, and a black leather shoe slammed into Burgess's chin, launching him high into the sky. Burgess looked up to see Sanji floating in mid-air, smoke trailing from his cigarette.
Burgess sighed in annoyance. He knew nothing would come easily—this crew was built differently.
"Straw Hat crew! Die!" Cracker bellowed, landing on Law's platform.
He clapped his hands repeatedly, summoning an army of biscuit soldiers that charged toward the Thousand Sunny. However, before the soldiers could get halfway, they were blocked by a wall of wax figures. These were not simple statues; they were meticulously crafted, exact replicas of Kaido holding his massive mace.
"Hey, hey, hey. You have your biscuits, and I have my wax," Mr. 3 said, adjusting his glasses. He continued to churn out wax creations, while Miss Golden Week sat nearby, calmly painting them to provide buffs. The painted figures were incredibly lifelike, imbuing them with a strange, unnatural strength.
Cracker watched as his soldiers were held back by the wax replicas, his teeth grinding in frustration.
"You bastard! You're actually copying my moves?" Cracker cursed.
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