Regarding Vice Admiral Tsuru's underestimation of his status as the "world's strongest defensive man," Sentomaru felt genuinely offended. But out of respect for Granny Tsuru, he swallowed his complaints and focused on his assigned task of subduing the scattered pirates.
The arrival of Zephyr and his science unit had completely transformed the battlefield dynamics. What moments ago had been a desperate Navy retreat now evolved into a systematic encirclement operation, their forces reorganizing with military precision.
Katakuri, still coordinating the evacuation of his less combat-capable siblings, suddenly stiffened as his Observation Haki flared a warning. Without hesitation, he launched a devastating Slicing Mochi attack.
The mace-like projection, hardened to steel-like density with Armament Haki, collided with Momousagi's sword Konpira in a shower of sparks that lit up the smoke-filled air.
"Navy?!"
Katakuri's sharp gaze swept the battlefield, noting that Momousagi had somehow disengaged from her previous opponent. Sure enough, across the fractured terrain, Hancock was locked in fierce combat with the legendary Zephyr, their clash sending tremors through the ground with each exchange.
Meanwhile, an almost surreal battle unfolded between the Kuja Pirates and the Pacifista units. Primitive arrows met cutting-edge laser technology in an absurd display that somehow remained evenly matched. The sight of Haki-enhanced projectiles deflecting photon beams would have been comical under different circumstances, but it perfectly illustrated the supernatural equalizing power of willpower made manifest.
"Smoothie, protect the evacuation! Cracker, handle those Navy forces," Katakuri commanded with crisp authority.
As the family's true second-in-command, his tactical decisions carried the weight of absolute obedience. If the Navy completed their encirclement while his weaker siblings remained exposed, their situation would become catastrophically passive.
Both Sweet Commanders responded instantly to his orders, moving with the fluid coordination of siblings who had fought together for years.
Katakuri himself turned his full attention to Momousagi, a grim smile playing beneath his scarf. If I cannot overcome that woman Hancock, surely a Vice Admiral should prove more reasonable.
Coincidentally, Momousagi held identical expectations about her odds against the Charlotte family's strongest commander.
While the ground battle raged with increasing intensity, the aerial confrontation between Garp and Naruto had devolved into something resembling an elaborate sparring session. They traded blows with mechanical precision, punch followed by kick in an almost turn-based rhythm that suggested neither combatant truly sought a decisive victory.
The casual nature of their exchange even allowed for conversation between strikes.
"Speaking of which, I saw your grandson," Naruto mentioned casually, absorbing Garp's iron fist to his jaw before retaliating with an elbow that sent the veteran flying.
"Hahaha! You met that kid Luffy too? What did you think?" Garp asked, using his momentum to execute a perfect mid-air recovery before delivering a heavy axe kick downward.
Naruto caught the descending attack with one hand, his grip firm as steel as he twisted his entire body to hurl Garp like a shot put across the sky.
"He's a spirited kid. I saw the captain's shadow in him."
"Hahaha! Nonsense! Luffy isn't like that guy at all," Garp laughed while unleashing a devastating Rankyaku. Despite his preference for close-quarters combat, the Marine hero had mastered all Six Powers to absolute perfection, even contributing innovations that improved the techniques for future generations.
Of course, some naval rumors credited Garp with creating the Six Powers entirely, but those were simply exaggerations born from respect.
Facing Garp's enhanced version of the air-cutting technique, Naruto responded by transforming his arm into a sword edge, generating his own slashing attack.
Their opposing forces met in mid-air with zero net effect, perfectly canceling each other out.
"What's this? Did you also eat a Devil Fruit, kid?" Garp's experienced eye had caught the momentary transformation of Naruto's limb.
"Yeah, the 'Munch-Munch Fruit,' taken from the Celestial Dragons," Naruto replied with the enthusiasm of someone showing off a prized possession to a friend. "I got several of them. Gave one to Big Mom, still have some left. Want one?"
Garp's booming laughter echoed across the battlefield.
"Stop talking nonsense. How could this old man accept a criminal's stolen goods?" Even as he spoke, his fist connected with Naruto's face in another exchange of their ongoing dance.
This time, however, Naruto didn't allow the momentum to carry him away. Instead, he steadied himself and regarded Garp with sudden seriousness.
"Consider it payment for a favor."
"What do you want to say?" Garp's curiosity was piqued by the shift in Naruto's demeanor, though his hands continued their mechanical assault to maintain appearances for the observers below.
"That kid Ace returned to Paradise. He said he's going to hunt down Blackbeard."
The mention of Ace's name caused Garp to pause mid-swing, his weathered features clouding with concern.
"That kid has no accurate understanding of his own strength. I think he'll most likely get into serious trouble. If you have time, go look after him."
Garp's response came in the form of a thunderous Fist Bone Impact that sent shockwaves rippling outward.
"Hahaha! This old man already knows such things without you telling me!"
Having successfully conveyed his warning about Ace, Naruto felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Garp had practically raised the boy; with his intervention, Ace shouldn't be foolish enough to march toward his own destruction.
Honestly, Naruto sighed internally, I really do have a caretaker complex. Always endless worries no matter which world I'm in.
Captain Roger, you'd better thank me properly from beyond the grave.
Their entire exchange had occurred without interrupting the rhythm of their mock battle, but even this brief communication was enough to shock the spectators below.
Among them, Doflamingo experienced the most complex internal turmoil. His signature sunglasses concealed the rapid calculations flickering behind his eyes as he weighed his options with the cold precision of a born survivor.
"Doffy, should we..." Diamante's hand rested on his sword hilt, ready to draw against either faction at his captain's command. The hostile glares from all directions made their neutral position increasingly untenable.
Doflamingo hesitated, his mind racing through scenarios and outcomes.
The current battlefield remained balanced on a knife's edge. Excluding Big Mom and Kizaru, who had vanished into their own private war zone, everything hinged on the eventual outcome of the aerial duel between those two monsters overhead.
What he needed was to identify and join the winning side before the battle reached its conclusion.
Emotionally, Doflamingo preferred standing with the pirates against the World Government that had stripped away his birthright. But pragmatically, he couldn't afford to lose his Warlord status. That legal protection formed the cornerstone of his resource accumulation strategy, allowing him to operate in both legal and illegal spheres simultaneously.
The Donquixote Family still needed time to consolidate their position and develop their strength. Premature exposure would doom everything he'd worked to build.
Alternatively, helping the pirates eliminate these Navy forces might delay his eventual exposure while providing valuable hostages for future negotiations.
The choice had to be made now.
Bang!
Under his watchful gaze, Naruto Uzumaki was sent flying over a hundred meters by Garp's devastating punch, appearing to lose ground in their contest.
"Attack. Help the Navy," Doflamingo commanded with cold finality.
His String-String Fruit powers activated immediately, invisible threads seizing control of several nearby pirates and forcing them to turn on their own allies. Simultaneously, his other hand condensed a whip of superheated strings that glowed with dangerous energy.
"Overheat!"
The technique lashed out toward the Kuja Pirates with lethal intent, the woven strings cutting through the air like a razor-edged serpent.
Vice Admiral Tsuru observed Doflamingo's choice with visible relief. She could sense the scales of victory finally tilting in their direction.
The Empress, witnessing several of her Amazon warriors injured by what amounted to a sneak attack, felt her expression darken like a gathering storm. The temperature around her seemed to drop as her legendary temper began to surface.