A certain spot on Beehive Island.
Halfway up a small mountain.
This side of the mountain was a sheer cliff. Unless one possessed flight abilities or special tools, it was impossible to reach this place.
CP0 Director Claude stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing at the violent battle raging across the sky. Beneath his mask, his expression was heavy with worry.
"Ares has clashed head-on with Rocks… which means Rocks has rejected the hostage exchange."
"So intense. Rocks' resolve to publicly execute the Celestial Dragons is absolute. No one can stop him."
Claude's mood sank further with each passing second. The execution date was drawing closer, and the plan was rapidly approaching total failure.
Beside him
Bound tightly and shackled with Seastone cuffs stood Charlotte Katakuri.
He too had seen the Azure Dragon in the sky.
"Ares… Big Brother Ares is that strong?" Katakuri murmured in disbelief. "Then who exactly is fighting the captain?"
He knew better than most how terrifying Ares was. Across the seas, there were very few who could truly contend with him.
"It's Rocks," Claude answered calmly, as if sensing Katakuri's thoughts.
"And the reason Ares is fighting Rocks… is because of you."
"I proposed using you as a hostage in exchange for the Celestial Dragons."
"I already expected the plan to fail. What I didn't expect was that Ares would actually fight Rocks for your sake. Looks like your captain really does care about you."
Katakuri froze.
His eyes trembled, emotions surging.
"So… Captain is fighting Rocks for me…"
But his heart quickly grew heavy.
"Rocks is someone even Mother fears."
Katakuri had grown up on Beehive Island. He had grown up listening to stories about Rocks. In his mind, Rocks was an untouchable existence. Unbeatable. Unchallengeable.
And more importantly
Within a pirate crew, challenging the captain's authority meant facing the captain's thunderous wrath.
Only one outcome was possible.
Victory or death.
"Is it… worth it?"
Mist clouded Katakuri's eyes.
After living on Beehive Island for so many years, he understood the cruelty of this world better than most.
Even his own mother, Big Mom, pursued only利益. Even her children were tools for her ambition.
Claude glanced at Katakuri's tear-filled eyes and let out a quiet sigh.
"You have a good captain."
"Truly enviable."
For a brief moment, even Claude felt a trace of envy stir within him.
At the same time
He still clung to a sliver of hope. In his hand was a Den Den Mushi.
"I just hope Shakky brings back good news… otherwise, the plan really is finished."
One bad report after another had left him feeling painfully small before the colossal existence that was the Rocks Pirates.
A sense of powerlessness crept into his heart.
High above the island
The scene resembled a vision of the apocalypse.
Dark storms. Razor-sharp slashes. Heaven-scorching flames.
All these destructive forces intertwined, turning the surroundings into a living hell.
"Ares really is monstrously strong," Captain John sighed. "With that kind of strength, there are few on the seas who can rival him. Unfortunately…"
"He picked the wrong opponent."
"Rocks."
His eyes reflected the terrifying battle unfolding in the sky.
Ares' Azure Dragon form dominated heaven and earth. Every inch of his body had become a lethal weapon, perfectly integrated into combat.
Boom!
Boom!
Under Ares' ferocious assault, several dark storms were dispersed, finally granting him a moment to breathe.
White vapor burst from his nostrils.
As the surrounding suction dissipated, he felt a rare sense of relief.
"That black smoke of the captain's is terrifying," Ares thought grimly. "It carries overwhelming devouring and crushing power. Slashes, flames… all of it gets destroyed."
Through this exchange, Ares clearly understood one truth.
The strength of a Devil Fruit depended greatly on the strength of its user.
The Dark-Dark Fruit was so terrifying because Rocks himself was terrifying.
"It's far stronger than the Blackbeard Teach from that sudden memory fragment…"
Compared to Rocks, Blackbeard's Dark-Dark Fruit was laughably weak.
But before Ares could think further
The black abyss below suddenly condensed again, forming new dark storms that shot skyward.
This time
They did not rush him blindly.
Instead, they moved in precise formations, like disciplined soldiers.
Even more terrifying
When two storms converged, they merged into an even more dreadful dark vortex.
"Ares," Rocks' voice thundered. "Your strength exceeds my expectations. Even Newgate or Shiki might not be confident of defeating you."
"But you are still not the strongest."
"And you will not escape my Dark Storms."
Savage light flared in Rocks' eyes.
The dark storms grew even more violent, tearing at the clouds and forming massive vortexes that looked capable of dragging the heavens down.
Attraction forces collided and compressed from all directions, warping space itself.
At the storm's center, Ares felt pressure unlike anything before.
The crushing wind made breathing difficult.
Ares opened his dragon jaws.
Blue crescent-shaped sword waves burst forth, slicing through the void with terrifying sharpness and streaking toward the dark storms.
"Severing Wave Wind Blades!"
Clang!
Clang!
When the blue sword light struck the rapidly spinning dark tornadoes, clear metallic sounds rang out.
Black smoke splashed violently, yet the tornadoes kept advancing.
"These storms are even stronger than before," Ares grimly assessed. "Destroying them will cost enormous stamina and Haki."
Overexertion now would put him at a severe disadvantage.
He needed a better solution.
At that moment
The special function within his mind activated again.
Time slowed.
The Dark Storms replayed in ultra-slow motion.
As he carefully observed, Ares gained new insight.
"Besides the Dark-Dark Fruit's inherent traits and Rocks' strength…"
"These tornadoes share the same property as natural tornadoes."
"Rotation."
Instantly, another memory surfaced.
His recent battle with Chinjao, leader of the Happo Navy.
When Chinjao used the Eight-Impact Fist, he rotated his body at extreme speed, generating momentum.
Ares did not fully understand the mechanics.
But he knew one thing.
It made attacks stronger.
"…Maybe," Ares thought, eyes narrowing, "I can try that too."
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