Chapter 183: The Ice Cavalry's Charge!
"Hmph, honestly..."
The voice was cold, carrying an unmistakable trace of utter boredom that cut sharply through the cacophony of the battlefield.
The thick, suffocating fog that had previously blanketed the coastline was completely and violently dispersed.
The sheer, overwhelming pressure of the Dragon's Might had torn the mist to shreds, sweeping away the dust and debris to reveal the clear, war-torn earth below.
Standing at the epicenter of this apocalyptic clash, completely unbothered by the scorching temperatures, was the slender, elegant figure of Esdeath.
Facing this terrifying strike from the sky, which was enough to make any strong, battle-hardened combatant in the New World radically change their expression in fear, she did not even flinch.
Her flawless, porcelain face only showed a hint of profound impatience.
"I already told you once, didn't I?" she sighed, her breath pluming into a cloud of white frost in the superheated air.
"Fire... it doesn't work on me."
The blazing inferno descending upon her seemed to infuriate her rather than intimidate her.
"Fine."
She slowly raised her head, her ice-blue eyes locking onto the descending calamity.
A cruel yet breathtakingly exquisite smile began to bloom on her lips, a smile that promised absolute devastation.
"Since you are so deaf to my warnings, then I'll show you what true 'strength' actually is!"
Before the final echo of her words could fade into the roaring wind, she charged forward.
She moved with an explosive speed that defied her elegant attire, stepping directly into the path of the inferno, sword tightly gripped in her hand!
Extremely cold, soul-chilling freezing air surged wildly from every pore of her body, erupting like a dormant volcano of absolute zero.
The moisture in the air instantly froze, and a jagged, crystalline path of thick frost instantly solidified on the ground along her charging route!
That surging cold air didn't just spread outward; it quickly converged and covered the slender rapier in her hand.
The temperature around the blade dropped to impossible depths, warping the very light around it.
Then, on the thin steel blade, a gigantic ice blade, dozens of meters long, rapidly grew and solidified at a visible, terrifying speed!
The sheer mass of the weapon should have been impossible to lift, yet she wielded it as if it were as light as a feather.
That was no simple, fragile ice blade born from mere winter weather.
It was a weapon compressed from countless millions of tiny ice crystals, packed tightly into the most impossibly dense molecular structure.
Its hardness far surpassed the legendary steel of this world, gleaming with an indestructible, diamond-like luster!
Its sharpness was enough to cut through anything, dividing the very air currents as it swung.
On one side of the battlefield was the roaring, pitch-black Fire Dragon, carrying the ancient, incinerating heat of the Lunarian race!
On the other side was the silent, extremely cold Ice Blade, holding the power to plunge the world into an eternal ice age!
Under the countless shocked, unblinking gazes of the pirates and warriors present, the two opposing forces met.
Two figures, one impossibly large and wreathed in black flames, and one relatively small but exuding an aura of absolute death.
Carrying terrifying, world-ending power capable of completely overturning the laws of nature, they violently collided once again!
"Boom—!!!"
The pitch-black Fire Dragon and the extremely cold Ice Blade violently collided under the wide, watchful eyes of everyone on the coast!
The sound of the impact was not a mere explosion; it was a deafening, metallic screech that threatened to rupture the eardrums of everyone standing within a mile.
A massive shockwave of displaced air and steam erupted outward, instantly flattening the surrounding terrain and uprooting ancient trees.
Under the countless horrified, trembling gazes of the Beast Pirates, the impossible happened.
The roaring, indomitable black Fire Dragon, which had previously incinerated all obstacles in its path, stopped dead in its tracks.
It unexpectedly crashed into what seemed like a wall of divine iron that would never melt under any circumstance.
Then, the unthinkable occurred as the massive manifestation of black flames began shattering inch by inch, starting directly from its snarling head!
The violent, uncontrollable flame energy was instantly neutralized.
It was completely annihilated by the invasive, extreme cold of Esdeath's power, stripping away its heat in a fraction of a second.
The majestic inferno was reduced to pathetic, blackened cinders, turning into dark sparks filling the sky.
The flames dissipated with a hollow, hissing wail, falling to the earth like ash in a grand, melancholic funeral.
"Pfft...!"
Esdeath let out a soft sound of amusement, her cruel smile widening as she lightly spun her delicate wrist.
The massive Ice Blade, its momentum completely undiminished by the collision, tore through the remaining embers.
Carrying unparalleled, immense force that could cleave a mountain in two, the heavy frost heavily struck King's own blade.
The physical impact was catastrophic.
King, a man known as a 'Calamity' whose physical strength was legendary, felt an overwhelming, mountain-toppling force surge toward him.
The shock traveled up his arms, violently jarring his bones and forcing a muffled groan from his throat beneath his mask.
He was sent flying backward helplessly, as if struck head-on by a high-speed, runaway sea train.
His massive, black-clad body was completely out of his control.
He traced a miserable, high-speed parabola in the air, skipping across the sky like a thrown stone.
Before he could unfurl his wings to stabilize himself, he crashed heavily into the dense pirate crowd behind him!
The impact knocked over a huge large number of people, crushing his own subordinates beneath his massive weight in a chaotic tangle of limbs and shattered weapons!
The entire scene fell into a suffocating, terrifyingly silent lull.
No one dared to breathe.
"King... King-sama was actually... knocked flying head-on?"
A pirate stammered, his voice cracking with sheer disbelief as the horrific reality set in.
The members of the Beasts Pirates nearly popped their eyeballs out, their jaws dropping to the frozen earth.
To them, King was the invincible right hand of Kaido, a god of destruction who had never been overpowered in a direct, physical clash.
However, the battlefield was a place where distractions were punished by death.
Just as everyone's attention was completely drawn to the flying King and the crater he had created, the shadows shifted.
A sinister, high-pitched whining sound pierced the silence.
A deadly laser beam suddenly shot out from the flank of the battlefield at an extremely tricky, cowardly angle!
"Black Fire!"
The voice that accompanied the attack was raspy, filled with a malicious, opportunistic glee.
The one who had launched the sneak attack was none other than another All-Star of the Beasts Pirates—"The Plague" Queen!
Stepping out from the cover of the panicked crowd, this was an incredibly bloated, huge fat man.
He was casually chewing a thick cigar, sporting a vibrant golden ponytail that bobbed with his movements, and wearing a pair of stretching overalls.
However, the most dangerous part of him was currently raised and aimed: one of his arms had been heavily modified into a cold, lethal mechanical prosthetic.
His ruthless, calculating gaze, which completely contradicted his comical and funky appearance, narrowed with lethal intent.
He was currently locked firmly onto Esdeath.
He had waited for the exact micro-second after she had just knocked King away, knowing she was momentarily between strength exertion cycles!
Her sword was swung wide, her posture open.
The timing of this cowardly ambush was absolutely, terrifyingly perfect!
"Despicable bastard!"
Yamato watched from the sidelines, her eyes splitting with sheer rage as she witnessed the dishonorable tactic.
She couldn't help but curse loudly, her voice echoing over the frozen plains.
That disgusting guy Queen was as contemptible, underhanded, and shameless as ever!
"Well done! As expected of Queen-sama!"
"Haha! Let her be arrogant! She's dead now!"
The subordinates of the Beasts Pirates instantly snapped out of their paralyzed shock.
The momentary despair was replaced by a collective, euphoric wave of adrenaline.
They erupted in deafening cheers, their voices overlapping in a massive chorus of bloodthirsty joy.
It was as if they could already vividly see the beautiful, terrifying woman being instantly pierced through the heart by the blazing laser beam.
Yamato felt her blood rush hotly to her head, completely unable to stand by and watch.
She gripped her legendary kanabo, "Genzo," tightly with both hands, her muscles tensing as she got ready to charge forward to intercept the light.
But this time, before she could even take a single, desperate step forward, the situation shifted.
She heard the perpetually calm, unfazed man standing securely beside her softly utter a few, simple words.
His voice lacked any trace of panic, carrying only the absolute weight of a king's authority.
"Albedo."
The name hung in the air, sharp and clear.
"As you command, Suzaku-sama."
The response was a silken whisper, dripping with an almost obsessive level of devotion and immediate obedience.
A pitch-black phantom instantly flashed out from the shadows directly behind Suzaku.
It moved with a speed that made the high-tech laser beam seem like it was crawling in slow motion.
The next moment, the air warped violently.
Albedo had already manifested on the battlefield, having spread her arms wide open.
She looked like a dark, majestic guardian deity descending from the heavens.
Standing firm and resolute beside Esdeath, she was directly facing the incoming, world-destroying laser beam head-on!
"Hmph! Another one coming to die!"
Seeing a new target throw herself into the line of fire, Queen revealed a cruel, deeply ferocious grin.
"My laser isn't something just anyone can block! You'll be vaporized into atoms!"
The surrounding pirates joined in on the mockery, their confidence soaring.
"Is this woman crazy?"
"She actually wants to use her bare, fragile body to block Queen-sama's ultimate attack?"
"She's dead, hahahaha... she's entirely dead!"
The cruel, mocking jeers from the massive army of the Beasts Pirates rose and fell like a toxic, auditory wave.
However, Albedo, who was standing completely still at the direct center of the impending storm, couldn't even be bothered to look at the deadly light ray.
Her focus was elsewhere.
Her radiant, golden vertical pupils merely glanced sideways at Esdeath beside her.
Those inhuman eyes carried a heavy, visible hint of deep resentment and petty dissatisfaction.
"If it weren't for Suzaku-sama's absolute command..."
Albedo's voice was smooth but laced with venom, her words meant only for the ice general to hear.
"...I truly wouldn't want to step in and help a woman who only constantly tries to steal the spotlight in front of Suzaku-sama."
Esdeath's eyebrow twitched at the insult, but there was no time for a verbal spar.
Before Albedo even fully finished speaking her complaint, she lazily spread her pale left hand forward.
An ink-black Magic Barrier, inscribed with pulsating, otherworldly purple runes, instantly unfolded in the air directly in front of her!
"Boom...!!!"
The blinding, highly concentrated laser beam slammed solidly onto the center of the pitch-black barrier!
The resulting collision was cataclysmic, erupting in a sound even louder and more piercing than the clash of weapons from before!
Violent, blinding energy shockwaves scattered wildly in all directions like a miniature sun going supernova.
The sheer intensity of the light forced everyone on the battlefield to throw their hands up and tightly shield their eyes!
"Haha! Blown to ashes, right!"
"This is the undeniable consequence of opposing our invincible Beasts Pirates..."
The maniacal laughter echoing across the harbor abruptly, violently stopped.
The silence that followed was heavier than the ocean depths.
Because when the dense smoke and glowing dust completely cleared, the horrifying truth was laid bare.
The exquisite figure wearing a pure, immaculate white dress and possessing dark demonic wings was still standing there.
She was completely unharmed.
Let alone being severely injured or vaporized, not even a single, microscopic speck of dust had touched the hem of her gorgeous dress.
The pitch-black barrier suspended in the air hadn't even rippled under the concentrated heat of the laser.
It remained as smooth and unblemished as a mirror of dark glass.
The arrogant, mocking expressions on the faces of the thousands of Beasts Pirates members completely froze in place.
Their mouths hung open in silent, collective terror.
Wh-What kind of sick joke is this?
Queen's pupils constricted sharply, a cold sweat breaking out across his massive forehead.
His ultimate sneak attack had been swatted away like a minor nuisance.
But he was, after all, a battle-hardened Great Pirate with a bounty exceeding a billion Berries.
His momentary shock lasted only a fraction of a second, quickly and immediately replaced by an endless, humiliating fury.
"Bastard! Don't you dare look down on me!"
He roared, his voice cracking with indignant rage.
"Wedding Heat Fist!"
His mechanical right arm instantly went into overdrive, the gears grinding as the metal turned a blinding crimson.
It blazed with fierce, scorching flames, fueled by the advanced technology within his cyborg body.
The arm transformed into a scorching, massive iron claw, trailing a wake of burning ozone as it lunged violently toward Albedo!
At the exact same time, seeing that both of their invincible All-Stars had been completely blocked and stalled, the elite officers realized the danger.
The remaining "Tobi Roppo" exchanged grim, decisive glances.
Who's-Who, his face hidden behind his crimson mask, made an immediate, cold-blooded decision.
He smoothly drew his long sword from its scabbard, the blade glinting menacingly, and began roaring at the top of his lungs.
"Don't just stand there like idiots! They're severely outnumbered!"
He pointed his blade directly at Suzaku's relaxed group standing in the distance.
"Attack together! All of you, charge!"
His authoritative voice cut through the lingering panic, snapping the fodder back to reality.
"Let them witness the true, overwhelming numerical advantage of our Beasts! We absolutely cannot let the All-Stars fight alone!"
The command was the spark needed to ignite the powder keg.
"Ooh ooh ooh...!"
Thousands of pirates were instantly ignited by the battle cry.
Their fear transformed into bloodlust, roaring and shouting in absolute unison.
They surged forward like a massive, unstoppable flood of beasts released from a broken gate.
Weapons raised, teeth bared, they were launching a frantic charge toward Suzaku and his small group!
It was a classic, ruthless display of Human Wave Tactics, designed to drown the enemy in sheer bodies!
However, facing this surging, terrifying tide of "Beasts," the atmosphere on the opposing side was far from fearful.
Esdeath, who had just been forcefully "saved" by Albedo, showed an expression of extreme, unadulterated displeasure.
Her pride was a fragile, dangerous thing.
Having someone interfere with her glorious, blood-pumping fight was bad enough.
But having a rival companion purposely steal her thunder right in front of her master made her incredibly, murderously unhappy.
"Hmph... trying to win based on sheer numbers?"
A cruel, frighteningly cold light flashed deep within her ice-blue eyes.
She looked at the charging horde of thousands not as a threat, but as an annoyance begging to be eradicated.
"That's truly... laughably naive!"
She completely ignored Queen's approaching fiery fist, leaving him to the succubus.
Esdeath violently plunged the razor-sharp rapier in her hand straight back into the frozen ground.
She slowly raised both of her hands upward, her posture grand and terrifying, as if embracing the entire battlefield in her cold grasp.
"Ice Cavalry!"
The technique's name left her lips like a death sentence pronounced by an empress.
In an instant, extreme, atmospheric-freezing cold air spread wildly outwards, centered entirely on her!
The ground didn't just freeze; it cracked inch by inch under the sudden shift in temperature.
Countless massive ice crystals shot up from the bedrock, piercing the earth like jagged teeth!
Under everyone's horrified, paralyzed gaze, the chaotic ice crystals frantically grew and magnetically combined.
They moved with supernatural purpose, quickly taking definitive shape before the charging pirates' very eyes.
They were knights.
Towering, heavily armored figures, each holding an elongated, wickedly sharp ice crystal spear.
Each knight was firmly seated, riding atop a massive, terrifyingly muscular warhorse made of frost!
Half-man, half-horse, their entire bodies were meticulously composed of unbreakable Eternal Ice.
There was no life in them, only destruction, with eerie, spectral blue Soul Fire flickering ominously deep within their hollow eye sockets!
One, ten, a hundred, a thousand...
In just a few short, agonizing breaths, the impossible had manifested.
An army of thousands of silent, deadly, and perfectly aligned Ice Legionnaires had fully formed.
They appeared in perfect formation behind Esdeath, standing completely silently on the cracked earth.
They were forming a flawless, heavily armed Death Phalanx that could make even the most seasoned army in the world completely despair!
The charging Beast Pirates stumbled, their battle cries dying in their throats as they found themselves facing an army that mirrored their own numbers.
After Esdeath impatiently waved her hand forward with a look of absolute disdain, the Ice Cavalry rushed toward the members of the Beasts Pirates!
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