Drenched to the skin, the crowd—reporters among them—couldn't douse their frenzy. Faces twisted with excitement, they'd long forgotten their own names.
The Fifth Emperor Creed versus Big Mom—easily the most explosive headline in ten, twenty years. Add Shiki versus Redfield, Aokiji versus Katakuri… this might be the story of thirty, even fifty years.
"Is this Creed's coronation fight? If he can fight Big Mom to a standstill, his Fifth Emperor status is ironclad."
"You're behind on your facts. Creed already clashed with Kaido—dead even. His power is Emperor-tier; he just lacks matching influence."
"Back-to-back draws with two Emperors—and look at the state he's put Big Mom in. Is Creed aiming for the highest throne?"
"Big Mom won't go down easy! She's enraged—that's her true form!"
"Look—Shiki's running Redfield down. Redfield's slipping!"
"Float-Float Fruit lets him command the sea, and the man's using four-sword style. Who beats that?"
"Ha! Nail this story and I'll coast on paid leave for three months!"
"Shut it and look around! Fish-Man Island is floating in midair, not sitting on the sea. That's clearly the Float-Float Fruit. If Shiki loses control and the island falls, we'll be paste."
Saner heads finally voiced the obvious danger.
"Ah! I forgot about that!"
"Damn that Shiki—he's using us as hostages!"
"Cursed pirates! I hope Admiral Kuzan arrests the lot!"
"Tch! And I praised Creed a minute ago—what a fool I am."
"How's Kuzan doing? Did he beat Katakuri? Save us already!"
"Wait—isn't that Vice Admiral Ain? One of the Navy's admiral candidates!"
The journalists, newly aware of their own peril, swore and fumed—until they spotted a powerhouse nearby. Seeing Ain steadied them a touch, though her eyes were fixed on Creed's battlefield; she had no mind to spare for them.
"Marines! Marines, where are you? Save us—we're CP0!"
The shout drew Ain's gaze. From a shattered compound staggered two men in white suits, wrists and ankles shackled, faces swollen like pig heads—clearly tortured, though by whom was anyone's guess.
"How are you here?"
A flash of electricity—Ain blurred forward. One clean draw, and clink—she sliced their shackles apart.
"You're Vice Admiral Ain, an admiral candidate? Good!"
The tall, thin one lit with recognition and relief.
"Vice Admiral Ain, stop Shiki's people! We carry critical intelligence for Mary Geoise—failure is not an option!"
The stouter agent even started ordering her around.
"You'd better not run. If I catch you, I'll peel your skins and crack your bones!"
Several pirates burst from the next courtyard, blades leveled at the two CP0 agents.
Boom!
Ain lifted a hand; lances of lightning dropped from the sky and charred them where they stood. Shiki hadn't dared bring a large force—the men he'd brought were barely at marine rear admiral level. None could stand a single strike from Ain.
"Good! Move!" the CP0 pair yelped and sprinted toward the island's rim—only to skid to a halt as they peered past the edge into rolling white cloud.
"Where are we? Isn't this Fish-Man Island?"
"It's… in the sky? How did it end up in the heavens—are we dreaming?"
"So it is! Can't believe we're having the same dream, brother!"
Boom!
The entire island lurched.
From far off, a roar rolled across the air: "Creed! Let Big Mom go, or I'll drop Fish-Man Island! I'll smash it to pieces!"
Shiki.
Ain's heart leapt. She flashed into the sky and swept her gaze over the sea.
Far out, a massive silhouette bobbed up and down: Big Mom. Not far from her stood Creed atop the water, sword in hand. He was a touch haggard—soot-streaked, clothes rent and marked with blood—but compared to Big Mom coughing brine in the surf, he was worlds stronger.
Shiki floated more than a thousand meters off. He wanted to rescue Big Mom immediately, but knew it wouldn't be easy—hence the threat to the hostage island.
"Mama!"
Lightning and fire winked overhead; Zeus and Prometheus dove to hoist Big Mom. But gravely weakened, the two Homies struggled to lift her nine-meter frame; gone was their earlier, effortless zip.
"Retreat—now!" the sword Napoleon barked from Big Mom's grip.
"Leaving? Did you ask our captain?"
A cloud of blood fell, crushing sword pressure slammed down, and Zeus—on the verge of launch—was forced back into the sea with Prometheus and Napoleon in tow.
Redfield.
Whirr!
A gold arc screamed in from afar. Redfield slipped aside as it split the ocean for a hundred li and held it parted—a grotesque road across the sea.
Shiki's Zanpa (Slash Wave).
"Creed, I'm out of patience," Shiki said coldly. Far away, Fish-Man Island dropped several hundred meters in an instant—millions screamed as the ground fell out from under their feet.
(End of Chapter)
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