"We're surrounded!?"
Kuzan frowned deeply, his expression grim as he scanned the surroundings.
Although this operation could be considered a full mobilization of Marine power—the Fleet Admiral Akainu, the sole remaining Admiral Kuzan, and five Five Elders who were monsters in their own right…
The moment he saw three Yonko crews choosing to unite at the same time, a bead of cold sweat slid uncontrollably down Kuzan's forehead.
"This just got troublesome…"
He looked around at the Marine soldiers collapsed across the ice and warship decks, at a complete loss as to how they were supposed to break out of such a desperate situation.
"Damn pirates!"
At this moment, even the ever-arrogant Akainu wore the same troubled expression.
What shocked him even more was this—
The Marines and Cipher Pol had long deployed large numbers of reconnaissance ships and agents around Yonko like Whitebeard and Kaido.
Yet from beginning to end, he had received no intelligence whatsoever about Whitebeard or Kaido arriving in these waters.
Granted, manpower shortages and the World Government's shifting strategic focus had kept Akainu from closely monitoring those two Yonko for quite some time—but to seal information this completely…
It was more than enough to prove that these pirates already had an intimate understanding of Marine intelligence channels and operational plans!
Akainu's eyes burned red as he tried in vain to understand how this was even possible.
What he didn't know was—
Those CP elite agents and even several CP0 members who were officially listed as "dead" in World Government archives were now all under Red's control.
It could be said that the very best of the World Government's intelligence apparatus was now entirely within the Akatsuki, constructing a worldwide intelligence network for the Straw Hat Pirates.
Many of them had even personally participated in the creation of the World Government's intelligence systems in the past.
As for the CP headquarters today, what remained were mostly worthless scraps—
Paper-pushers, emergency trainees dragged out to fill quotas, and a small number of sycophantic incompetents.
The fact that Spandine and Spandam, father and son, could consecutively serve as heads of such a crucial intelligence organization like CP9 said everything.
Over eight hundred long years, the World Government's internal structure had already rotted to the core.
Thus, once Red gave the order, the Akatsuki elites merely applied a few simple methods and effortlessly blinded both the World Government and the Marines.
These were answers Akainu would never reach, no matter how much he racked his brain.
—Whoosh!
At that moment, a figure suddenly descended from the sky, landing directly in front of Akainu.
The next instant, an oppressive force extremely similar—yet subtly different—from Conqueror's Haki surged straight toward him.
"Hah~! I told you the strongest one should be left to me, didn't I?"
Standing atop the ice, Roronoa Zoro grinned. His aura surged violently, yet his sharp eyes remained unnervingly calm as they locked onto Akainu.
"Hey, Marine."
"Your opponent from here on out—is me!!!"
Zoro let out a low shout.
—Elsewhere.
Having lost at rock-paper-scissors, Sanji landed unwillingly in front of Kuzan.
Though facing Kuzan, his gaze kept drifting toward Zoro.
"Damn it… next time, I'll win for sure!"
Sanji swore bitterly to himself.
At the same time, blazing flames suddenly erupted from his body, instantly melting the ice beneath his feet into a massive crater.
Only then did he refocus, turning his gaze back to Kuzan.
After converting the flames into temperature-less Life Flame, he spoke softly:
"Marine… don't disappoint me."
Pokémon-ization… Activate!!!
The moment the words fell, Zoro and Sanji simultaneously entered Pokémon-ization.
In an instant, the demonic aura around Zoro solidified, transforming into three enormous, sinister dragon phantoms. Each coiled around the hilts of his three swords, forming a dark-purple draconic wing sigil that imbued his blades—already unified with his body and steel—with the power of Dragon and Ghost attributes.
Sanji was no less imposing.
A dragon's roar—seemingly from the depths of the soul—rang out.
The flames behind him shifted, forming a colossal dragon illusion awakening from slumber, mirroring the bloodline factor power constantly stimulated by his Raid Suit.
Technology had granted Sanji potential beyond human limits.
Pokémon power, however, turned that potential into reality.
A blazing dragon emblem suddenly appeared on his fluttering cape.
Its eyes flared, and endless flames spread from the cloak across Sanji's body, dyeing his black combat suit into the shape of living fire, radiating boundless light and heat.
BOOM!!!
Two overwhelming surges of Conqueror's Haki, like the might of divine dragons, erupted from them and crashed down upon Akainu and Kuzan.
Feeling the pressure, Akainu and Kuzan—who had not taken them seriously before—instantly furrowed their brows.
At the very least…
Judging from this aura alone, these two were far more than ordinary Yonko commanders.
——
"Three Sword Style · Demon · Dragon Blade · Slash!!!""Ifrit Jambe · Shoulder Cut · SHOT!!!"
Boom!
Without hesitation, Zoro and Sanji launched their attacks.
Though only probing strikes, the two seemed to transform into raging dragons—
One surged forth from the abyss of despair, drenched in bloodlust and cleaving forward with razor-sharp wings.
The other rose from bottomless hell, bringing world-scorching flames into reality, intent on devouring everything in its path.
"Damn pirates!"
"No matter what's going on, looks like we have no choice but to fight!"
Akainu and Kuzan immediately entered combat mode.
"Inugami Guren!!!""Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!!!"
A massive magma hound and a towering ice bird shot forward to intercept Zoro and Sanji.
BOOM!!!HISSS—!!!
Zoro's slash split the magma hound in two—yet the molten mass writhed and reformed, attempting to engulf him.
Meanwhile, the ice bird collided with blazing flames, erupting into boiling steam and dense white mist.
In the end, the enormous ice bird prevailed, crushing through the flames and charging toward Sanji.
However—
"As expected of a Fleet Admiral and an Admiral!"
Facing the counterattack, Zoro and Sanji exclaimed almost casually in unison.
Their auras flared again.
Zoro roared:
"Dragon Pulse · Dark · Dimensional Slash!!!"
A pitch-black dragon erupted from Akainu's shadow, blasting him skyward like a colossal slash.
"What!?" Akainu exclaimed.
Before he could react, the dragon compressed into a glowing energy sphere and slammed into his abdomen.
BOOM!!!
Shadow Sneak + Dragon Pulse detonated simultaneously, the shockwave tearing apart the clouds above.
At the same time, Sanji shouted:
"Sizzly Slide · Dragon Armament!!!"
ROAR!!!
A massive fire dragon erupted from Sanji's body.
Unlike Zoro before, Sanji became the heart of the dragon, controlling it from within.
This wasn't Pokémon-ization—just one of his normal techniques.
The dragon roared, unleashing flames like a storm.
The intense heat rapidly melted the ice below, shaking the entire battlefield.
Marine Vice Admirals snapped out of the dual Conqueror's Haki pressure and shouted orders:
"Move!!!""Evacuate the wounded—withdraw immediately!""Reform fleet formation! Prepare for naval combat!"
They knew—
From this moment on, this battlefield no longer belonged to them.
——
"When did Zoro and Sanji get this strong!?"
Aboard the Moby Dick, Ace stared in disbelief.
Even Whitebeard's eyes flickered with surprise.
These weren't ordinary Yonko commanders.
Even Marco and others felt a chill of fear.
Thank goodness…
They were allies.
Normal players shouldn't share a server with cheaters.
——
"Red… is it really okay to let Zoro and Sanji fight Admirals one-on-one?"
Usopp asked anxiously.
Red chuckled.
"Relax. Their outcome is already decided."
"They've mastered that power."
He smiled in anticipation.
Mega Evolution.
After three months of training, Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy had all mastered complete Pokémon-ization.
Red had even bound Mega Stones to Zoro and Sanji.
Only one could use it at a time…
But when that trump card was revealed—
Red eagerly awaited the World Government's reaction.
(End of Chapter)