Terrifying currents of air were sucked violently into the giant dragon's open jaws.
Even before the attack was unleashed, the pressure alone made the battlefield tremble.
Gilman and the others instantly realized what Redyat was about to do. Their expressions changed sharply. There was no time to retreat. Redyat's preparation was brief, but the power gathering in his mouth was already overwhelming.
That terrifying energy could be felt even from a great distance.
Soon, it reached its peak.
"Dragon's Breath!"
The two words echoed through the heavens.
In the next instant, a terrifying beam of pitch-black energy erupted from the dragon's mouth, streaking straight toward the Marine formation below.
The Dragon's Breath, infused with dense shadow power, descended like divine punishment.
Its might far exceeded expectations. There was no room for hesitation.
The three Marine Admiral candidates moved at once.
"Miasma Dragon!"
Atchison roared as he stepped forward. Purple-green miasma exploded from his body, rapidly forming the shape of a dragon that surged upward to meet the incoming attack.
The Miasma Miasma Fruit was not known for raw offensive power. Its true strength lay in its insidious poison and auxiliary effects. But at this moment, Atchison held nothing back.
Even so, it was not enough.
With a thunderous explosion, the miasma dragon stalled the Dragon's Breath for a brief moment before being completely dispersed. The black beam continued its descent.
"Sonic Impact!"
Nickt followed immediately. A powerful, air-distorting force condensed between his hands in front of his chest. As he thrust forward, a visible shockwave ripped through the air, roaring skyward.
A violent explosion rang out as the sonic blast collided head-on with the Dragon's Breath.
Nickt's ability was formidable, but it had limitations. Sonic attacks were far more effective against living beings than against condensed energy. The Dragon's Breath had no ears to rupture, no nervous system to disrupt.
The ripple-like vibrations weakened the beam slightly, but it kept advancing.
Nickt strained with everything he had, his attack resembling a continuous beam of force. Still, the Dragon's Breath pushed forward at a visible speed.
Kaido's Dragon's Breath was known to erase mountains. Redyat's was weaker in raw heat, but the corrosive nature of shadow energy made up the difference.
Finally, Nickt could not hold it any longer.
The Dragon's Breath, weakened but still terrifying after the resistance of two Vice Admirals, crashed downward.
At that moment, Gilman made his move.
He instantly transformed into his complete beast form, a massive Titan Boa. His enormous body coiled tightly, scales coated in thick Armament Haki.
The Dragon's Breath slammed directly into him.
The impact shook the earth. Smoke and debris exploded outward, obscuring everything.
Gilman took the attack head-on.
Countless eyes were fixed on the scene.
When the smoke finally cleared, the result drew sharp breaths from the crowd.
The area where Gilman had been struck was mangled. Even his Haki had failed to fully block it. Flesh was torn, and shadow energy continued to corrode both his body and his defenses.
Yet this was not a fatal injury.
As an Ancient Zoan, Gilman's physique was terrifying. His wounds regenerated at a visible pace. In just a short time, the damage healed completely.
The audience marveled at the regenerative power of Ancient Zoans.
But more than that, they were stunned by Redyat's strength.
A single Dragon's Breath had forced three Admiral candidates to defend together.
High above, Redyat was calm. He reverted to a humanoid form with massive dragon wings spread from his back, hovering in the air.
He glanced at Atchison.
"The war has begun," Redyat said indifferently. "You, the Miasma Miasma Fruit user. Come fight me elsewhere. As for the remaining two, they belong to Teach."
"Arrogant pirate!" Atchison snapped. The words ignited anger among the Marines. Being dismissed so casually was intolerable.
The unfolding battle was already far beyond their expectations.
Nickt steadied his breathing and looked up. "What's your name?"
That single Dragon's Breath had made one thing clear. This man was no ordinary subordinate. As Teach's second-in-command, he possessed strength close to Teach himself.
Redyat smiled faintly.
"Patrick Redyat," he said. "Remember it. Though you may never hear it again." [T/N: I have decided to change Redyat's last name to something more fitting his identity. From: Barolich Redyat to Patrick Redyat.]
That surname sent ripples across the world.
Patrick.
In the New World, several peak-level figures stiffened. Memories long buried were stirred. Redyat's figure began to overlap with someone from the past.
They had not noticed before. That man had vanished from the seas four or five years ago. Without the name, no one would have made the connection.
Now, they were certain.
The same arrogance. The same bearing. A striking resemblance in appearance. Terrifying potential.
And even more shocking, that man had left behind an heir.
Marine Headquarters reacted instantly.
"Investigate immediately!"
Patrick was not a common surname. The last man to carry it was one who had shaken the entire sea.
"Red the Aloof" Patrick Redfield.
Deep within Impel Down, in the sixth level known as Eternal Hell, a silent cell stirred.
A prisoner bound by Seastone chains slowly opened his eyes. His wrists and ankles were pierced with Seastone nails. Such treatment was reserved only for monsters the Marines feared above all else.
This was the legendary lone pirate.
With his unparalleled Observation Haki, Redfield could already sense what was happening above.
Back on the battlefield, Redyat spoke again, his voice cold.
"King against king. General against general. This war was decided the moment it began. You never had a chance."
He drew the long sword at his waist.
Zetsuei.
Those who understood swords gasped. It was unquestionably a famous blade.
Behind him, the Nightfall Pirates advanced toward the Marine formation.
"Nelson," Teach said calmly. "Split the battlefield. Don't let them execute their plan."
"Yes, Captain."
Nelson smiled. His body vanished instantly.
In the next moment, he appeared directly in front of the Marine formation.
Before anyone could react, the three Admiral candidates were already caught by his Sneak Sneak Fruit ability.
Atchison disappeared in an instant, sent to one side of the battlefield.
Redyat's wings beat once, and he shot after him.
Gilman and Nickt were sent to the opposite side.
"Haha! Then let the slaughter begin!" Teach laughed as he flew into the air, charging straight toward them. "The war officially starts!"
The battlefield was cleanly divided.
Redyat versus Atchison.
The Nightfall Pirates versus the Marine forces.
And finally, the Dark Emperor Teach versus Gilman and Nickt.
The Marines' prearranged strategy collapsed instantly.
Only now did the audience understand what Redyat meant by having no power to resist. From the beginning, the initiative had belonged entirely to the Nightfall Pirates.
And this was exactly the kind of battle everyone wanted to see.
As Teach's laughter echoed, the Nightfall Pirates surged forward.
Clemons led the charge.
His muscles swelled grotesquely, compressing until his skin split, revealing crimson muscle fibers hard as steel. With a violent burst of power, he leapt hundreds of meters, crashing into the Marine ranks like a meteor.
The impact created a massive crater. Marines were flung in all directions.
Laffitte followed, wings spreading as he became a streak of blood-red light. In a blink, dozens of Marines fell.
Pouf descended amid drifting scale powder, butterfly wings spread wide, sword flashing as he joined the fray.
Nelson appeared repeatedly among the Marines, his blade flashing. Many fell before they even realized he was there.
Gar charged forward with his hunting knife and adamantine claws, tearing through resistance with brutal efficiency.
Wallace advanced like an iron fortress. His molten steel fists smashed weapons apart and melted blades.
Pito's agile form darted through the battlefield, claws harvesting lives with ruthless precision.
Kaguya swept through the ranks with twin bone blades, bone spikes erupting from the ground to impale his enemies.
Van Augur fired methodically, each shot blooming into a spray of blood.
Otto hovered above with eight mechanical arms extending from his back. Marines were grabbed, crushed, and flung aside.
Then his arms transformed.
Before stunned eyes, the mechanical limbs reshaped into twin Gatling guns.
The moment they fired, the battlefield changed.
A deafening barrage erupted. Bullets poured out in an endless stream. Marines fell before they could even scream.
Otto twisted his body, sweeping the guns across the battlefield. Bodies collapsed one after another, riddled with holes.
Unlimited ammunition.
Hundreds died in moments.
Even some Nightfall Pirates stared in shock.
Behind the executives, the rest of the crew poured in, cutting into the Marine lines.
The Nightfall Pirates held a clear advantage in strength. Casualties mounted rapidly. Still, the Marines had numbers and elite officers of their own.
Fifteen Rear Admirals at the Captain level moved in, each comparable to pirates with bounties of two hundred million.
Below them were countless Commodores and Captains.
They targeted the Nightfall Pirates' executives, attempting to contain the slaughter.
But after a year of brutal growth, the Nightfall Pirates were no longer what they once were.
Some executives had already reached a level where only Marine Vice Admirals could stand against them.
Even through the broadcast, the difference was unmistakable.
Absolute power.
And the war had only just begun.