Chapter 193: The World Watches as the Great War Begins
"Hey, hey, are you serious with that kind of power...?"
Kizaru narrowed his eyes. "Has that little punk gotten even stronger since entering the New World...? No wonder Sakazuki couldn't take him down after a whole night of fighting."
In his line of sight, the young man named Shane stood at the prow of his ship, arms crossed, his black hair whipping wildly in the wind. The oppressive aura rolling off him was almost tangible, making the very air feel thick and heavy.
As the distance closed and their gazes locked, Kizaru saw a manic excitement ignite in the other man's eyes, his mouth slowly stretching into a wide, predatory grin—
"You're early, old monkey!" Shane's right hand went to the hilt of his sword as he roared with laughter. "It's been two months! It's good to see you again! Here's a little welcome-back gift, on the house!"
VWOOM!
The moment the katana Masamune left its sheath, the world seemed to twist!
Black-and-red lightning, like coiling dragons, wreathed the blade. His Conqueror's Haki exploded outwards, and the sea for a thousand meters in every direction was instantly crushed into a massive, spherical vacuum!
In the next instant, the blade slashed horizontally!
"Divine Departure—!"
A crimson wave of energy erupted from the sword's edge, like a primordial beast breaking its chains. Wherever the slash passed, the sea recoiled, a vacuum tunnel hundreds of meters wide torn through the water!
"This is..." Kizaru's heart pounded. The lazy look on his face vanished, replaced by one of grim focus. The blinding glare of the attack dyed his entire field of vision crimson.
That's Red-Hair's... no, that's the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger's ultimate technique!
The wrinkles on Kizaru's face twitched. His first instinct was to turn into light and dodge. But then he remembered he was on a warship. He could dodge, but could the fleet?
I have to take it head-on!
Kizaru took a deep breath. Blinding golden light gathered in his palms. He shot into the air, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Yasakani Sacred Jewel!"
Countless dazzling bullets of light rained down like a meteor shower, slamming into the crimson slash in mid-air!
BOOOOM—!!!
A deafening explosion ripped through the sky. The shockwave kicked up a monstrous tidal wave, and the entire sea around Dressrosa trembled violently. The horrifying commotion not only made King Riku and the others on the rock wall gasp in shock, but it also alerted various interested parties who had been monitoring the situation from the surrounding waters—
To the northwest, about a few dozen nautical miles away, a red airship emblazoned with the words "WE NEWS" drifted lazily over the sea. This was the personal vessel of "Big News" Morgans, fully equipped with an editorial office and a small printing press, ready to become the mobile headquarters of the World Economic Journal at a moment's notice.
At that moment, on the airship's deck, a white albatross in a suit and top hat was excitedly peering through a pair of binoculars.
"Big news! This is big news!" Morgans was so excited his feathers were trembling. "To be able to witness a battle between these two... this trip was worth it!"
The Marine fleet surrounding Dressrosa was a relatively minor incident at first, and news of it had traveled slowly. But after five days of brewing, all the major powers in the New World, including the Four Emperors, had received the report. The World Economic Journal, of course, had been one of the first to know. Three days ago, Morgans had already begun to speculate.
King Riku has held out for five days and still won't surrender? Why? Who's backing him?
He had smelled a story. For the king of a mere affiliated nation to stand up to the World Government, he had to have a powerful backer. He had expected one of the Four Emperors to show up, but the result was a complete surprise.
It was Shane.
—And that was even better!
People were, by nature, drawn to the new and exciting. That kid, Shane, was the hottest topic on the seas right now. With him as the main character, the story would be even more popular than if it had been one of the old Yonko. And his newspapers would sell even better!
"Get closer! Closer! This distance isn't nearly enough to get the perfect shot!" Morgans turned and barked his orders with a laugh. He was an emperor of the underworld, a notorious miser, but above all else, he was a true journalist! And a true journalist would stop at nothing to get the best pictures for his loyal readers!
Meanwhile, in a more distant stretch of sea, a massive, whale-shaped pirate ship sailed peacefully.
"Pops!" Marco hung up the Transponder Snail and hurried to the center of the deck, addressing the man seated on the giant throne. "We just got an urgent report from Dressrosa. Admiral Kizaru has made a move, and the new Warlord, Enel, is with him. The reason for the escalation is that he has arrived... the World's Greatest Swordsman, Shane, is heading straight for Dressrosa with his crew."
"Oh?" Whitebeard looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
As one of the last titans of the old era, he was always wary of the Marines' attempts to expand their influence in the New World. Dressrosa's strategic location meant he would never allow it to fall completely into the World Government's hands and become a forward base for the Marines. He had been waiting for King Riku to make his choice. If he had surrendered, that would have been that. But if he chose to fight, Whitebeard had been prepared to pay the Marines a visit and remind them of a few things.
—The New World was not a place where the Marines could do as they pleased!
"Gurararara!" Whitebeard's laughter boomed like thunder. "So that's why King Riku held out for five days! He had a backer of that caliber on his side!"
He slowly rose to his feet, his massive frame casting a giant shadow.
"Pops, should we..." Marco hesitated, testing the waters.
"No," Whitebeard said, shaking his head, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "I know you're on good terms with him, but... my foolish son, this is his battle. We will not, and should not, interfere."
"However..." Whitebeard's voice grew grave. "We won't interfere, but neither will anyone else... Keep a close watch on Marine Headquarters. If they send any more forces into the New World... Marco, you know what to do."
"Yes, Pops!"
Back at Dressrosa.
The crimson slash and the storm of golden light finally faded.
Thud!
Kizaru landed on the deck, stumbling back a few steps before steadying himself. His face was grim. He looked around. Just as he'd expected... he had managed to block the brunt of the attack, protecting the soldiers under his command.
However, the wave of Conqueror's Haki was unstoppable.
As far as the eye could see, on all ten-plus warships arrayed in a crescent formation, every single Marine soldier and low-ranking officer had fainted, their eyes rolled back in their heads. They lay strewn across the decks like harvested wheat. The Rear Admirals, Commodores, and Captains who remained standing were only conscious because they had only been hit by the aftershock.
"So this is the power of a so-called 'Conqueror'..." Enel said, his face paling as he looked at the unconscious soldiers. A cold sweat dripped down his temple. "A power that I, a god, have yet to master... How can a mere mortal from the Blue Sea possess such might?"
Oh, heavens... how unfair you are!
Momonga gritted his teeth. This idiot is spouting nonsense again... But there was no time for that. He drew his sword and leaped into the air. "All hands! All who are still conscious, take the helms! Bring the ships to shore! Then, split into two groups! One will use Moonwalk to secure the high ground and intercept attacks from Dressrosa! The other will follow me and engage the officers of the Curtain Call Pirates!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral!" came the replies from the other ships. The fleet surged forward, heading for Dressrosa at full speed.
Aboard The Curtain Call.
Shane sheathed his sword, watching the Marine fleet's change in formation. "Trying to take the high ground and split our forces?" he sneered. "In your dreams... Nojiko, freeze the sea! Immobilize those ships! Then, you and Robin take Nami and secure the high ground on Dressrosa! You three will be in charge of defending the city and protecting the civilians!"
"Right, big brother," Nojiko nodded. With her and Robin's Logia and Paramecia powers, their wide-area attacks were perfect for defending the cliffs from above. It would also free up the more powerful Kuma to join the main battle. She glanced at Nami, who was slumped over on Gin's back, pale and looking half-asleep. Nojiko gently shook her awake.
Shane's gaze swept over the rest of the crew. "Mochi, you lack combat experience. Stay with Chef Zeff and guard the ship. Be ready to provide support if the situation changes. Gin, and everyone else, you're with me! Kizaru is mine! Pick your opponents from the rest of the Marines... Do you understand?!"
"YES, CAPTAIN!" the crew roared in unison.
"I'm going down!" Nojiko vaulted over the railing, diving headfirst toward the sea. Just before she hit the water, she thrust her arms forward and unleashed the full power of her Devil Fruit.
"ICE AGE!"
BOOM!
A frigid wave of ice and snow erupted from her palms, spreading in all directions with devastating force. Crack! Crackle! With a deafening roar, the churning sea was instantly transformed into a vast, frozen plain, glittering under the sun.
"Dammit, the ships are stuck!"
"That move... isn't that Admiral Aokiji's technique?! How can that pirate girl use it too?!"
"You idiot! It's the Snow-Snow Fruit! I heard it's even superior to the Admiral's Ice-Ice Fruit!"
"Seriously?! Dammit, why is every member of this crew so damn troublesome..."
"We have no choice! We'll have to leave the ships and attack with Moonwalk!"
"It's frozen. Nami, it's time to go!" Nojiko said, back on the deck, pulling Nami to her feet.
"Ugh..." Nami flopped around like a fish in a dry pond. "Nooo! I just got a chance to rest! Let me sleep a little longer..." For the past five days, she'd been forced to act as the ship's engine for over eight hours a day. Eight hours! She'd never worked so hard in her life! If it weren't for Zeff's amazing meals keeping her energy up, she would have been completely drained.
"This is what you get for slacking off on your training..." Nojiko sighed, effortlessly hoisting Nami onto her shoulder. "Don't worry, you can rest all you want once we're up there. We won't need you to fight. Just keep an eye on things for me. I can handle the rest!"
With Nami wailing, Nojiko shot a blast of cold air from her feet, creating an ice ramp leading all the way up to the top of Dressrosa's rock wall. Robin followed with a light laugh, using Moonwalk to ascend. In a matter of moments, they had joined King Riku and the others on the wall.
Kuma, understanding Shane's plan, nodded to Nojiko and Robin, then launched himself off the wall with a blast of air, rocketing down toward the ice plain.
"Thank you, all three of you!" King Riku said, hurrying over, his eyes filled with gratitude. "If you hadn't arrived in time, even with Mr. Kuma's help... the consequences would have been unthinkable!"
"It's no problem," Nojiko said, setting Nami down. Nami sat on the ground, dazed, but when she saw Viola, her eyes snapped open.
"Eh? Another Robin?" She looked from Viola to Robin and back again, then burst out laughing. "It's true! You two look so much alike! Your hair, your figure, the shape of your face... Robin, you could be twins!"
Robin and Viola exchanged a surprised glance. They did, in fact, look remarkably similar.
"There is a bit of a resemblance," Robin smiled. "But it's limited. In fact, Nami, I think that little princess over there looks even more like you."
A little princess? Nami looked over and her eyes met the curious gaze of a twelve-year-old Rebecca. Eh? She froze, completely speechless.
BOOM—CRACK!
Kuma landed on the ice plain, his impact shattering the surface. He stood up and surveyed the battlefield. To the north, in a wide, open area, Lord Shane and Kizaru were already locked in a fierce battle, their figures blurring as they clashed. Flashes of black-and-red Haki and golden light filled the sky.
To the other side, the famous swordmaster and Admiral candidate, Gion, had engaged Kuina. Their powerful slashes were carving deep trenches into the ice.
In that case, my opponent must be...
Just as Kuma narrowed his eyes—
CRACK!
A bolt of azure lightning struck the ice right in front of him. As it dissipated, Enel appeared, floating in the air. He tilted his head, looking Kuma up and down before sneering, "Hey, Blue Sea mortal. You're the one they call the Tyrant? I sensed your presence from the start. Compared to that Shane fellow... you don't seem like much."
So he came for me, Kuma thought. He slowly stood up straight, brushing the ice from his clothes. "The new Warlord... the one they call 'God' Enel?"
"It is I, God himself!" Enel declared, spreading his arms wide with a boisterous laugh. "So you've heard of me! It seems accepting that curly-browed fool's invitation wasn't a complete waste of time... Listen well, mortal. To die by my hand today will be the greatest honor of your life!"
He pointed his golden staff at Kuma, and the thunder drums on his back began to hum with blue light.
"El Thor!"
CRACK—!!!
A terrifying pillar of lightning, several meters in diameter, descended from the heavens! The blinding blue light bleached the world white, the bolt tearing through the clouds with the power to annihilate everything in its path, aimed squarely at Kuma's head.
Kuma, who had been listening silently, had already removed his gloves. As the lightning descended, his expression remained calm. He didn't move to dodge, simply raising his right hand to reveal the soft paw pad on his palm.
POP!
The next moment, the azure lightning was deflected. Before Enel's disbelieving eyes, it shot right back at him!
What?! Enel's pupils contracted. How did he do that?! What kind of power is this?!
The lightning bolt slammed into Enel with a deafening roar. He was completely engulfed in the blinding blue light, and wild currents of electricity filled the air. As the smoke cleared, Enel reappeared. He was physically unharmed, but his hair was a mess, and smoke was rising from his head. The arrogant look on his face was twisted into a mask of fury.
He gritted his teeth. "Mortal! How dare you—"
Before he could finish, Kuma had vanished.
So fast!
Enel's Observation Haki screamed a warning, but before he could react, a massive hand was already pressed against his chest.
"Pad Cannon," Kuma's gentle, magnetic voice said. A transparent white bubble of air emerged from the paw pad on his palm, instantly pressing against Enel's chest and rapidly expanding—
BOOM!!!
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