Sometimes, the situation can go from clear to chaotic in just a moment.
Like now.
Many things happened on this sea all at once.
First, in the New World, on the edge of the Beasts Pirates' territory.
That's the sea area where the envoy intercepted Jack the Drought and his pirates.
There, a "fierce," but more like a "one-sided" battle had just concluded.
Jack the Drought fought an envoy and was eventually defeated with his spine crushed while in his full mammoth form.
Then, the envoy leaped and kicked Jack off his Mammoth ship into the distant storm.
Jack's figure shot out like a giant cannonball, crashing into the storm.
Then, with a loud "plop," Jack's massive body hit the sea and sank to the bottom.
"Captain Jack!"
The pirates' eyes widened in shock.
Besides the Mammoth ship, Jack's fleet had many other ships.
The pirates on these ships were completely confused, unable to understand what had happened.
Although the battle between Jack and the envoy was loud, it was essentially just a few exchanges.
The crew on the Mammoth ship could react because they were close, but the pirates on the ships nearby, and most of them, had no idea what was going on!
They just saw the Mammoth ship suddenly change course and head straight for something on the sea that looked like a small raft.
Then, their captain, Jack the Drought, suddenly changed form and transformed into a giant mammoth on the Mammoth ship.
Suddenly, the mammoth seemed to be struck hard and slammed onto the deck.
A few seconds later, Jack's huge mammoth body was hit again by something, and he was sent flying out into the distant storm.
What in the world happened!
Jack the Drought was actually knocked flying by something!
This was unbelievable to Jack's subordinates.
But that was the reality. So, to save their captain, and more importantly, to "escape" whoever unknown entity could send their captain flying.
The pirates on the ships immediately turned their ships around and headed back into the storm.
...
Fortunately, the guy whose face they couldn't even see had no intention of pursuing them.
The Beasts Pirates were able to find and retrieve Jack from the sea in the storm.
As a Devil Fruit user, Jack naturally couldn't swim.
But due to his Fish-Man bloodline, Jack could breathe freely in the water and wouldn't drown.
So, all Jack had to do was wait in the sea for his subordinates to pull him out.
Even so, the piercing pain in his spine made Jack frown.
Underwater, Jack clenched his fists, making them creak.
He hadn't felt such absolute helplessness in a long time.
That guy... is he from the Four Seas Alliance?
Thinking of this, Jack's pupils suddenly contracted. He remembered the details of the mission his captain, Kaido of the Beasts, had assigned him before setting out.
Kaido ordered Jack: "Set out from Wano Country, pass through Fish-Man Island, and launch a surprise attack on Alabasta in the first half of the Grand Line."
That was the entire mission brief.
On the surface, it seemed fine, but Kaido's orders only included the specific route for Jack's action.
He said nothing about the "surprise attack" itself.
How to attack? What was the objective? How to deal with potential Marines?
Kaido said nothing about these more critical matters to Jack.
Although Jack didn't care much about such details, it involved a long-distance raid, so he raised his concerns.
But Kaido, with a grim expression, remained silent and finally told Jack to prepare for "battle."
Battle?
At the time, Jack didn't understand what Kaido meant.
But now, Jack, submerged at the bottom of the sea, understood.
The Four Seas Alliance must have realized that the Beasts Pirates would retaliate.
And Kaido knew this all along.
He figured that the Four Seas Alliance wouldn't want to have the battle with the Four Emperors take place at their home base, so they would most likely send their top forces to set the battlefield somewhere far from Alabasta.
If that were the case, then everything would make sense.
Because that's exactly what's happening now!
This sea area is a necessary route from Wano Country to Fish-Man Island, and the best interception point.
If the Four Seas Alliance wanted to move the main battlefield away from Alabasta, this would be the best location!
This also explains why that guy calling himself an "envoy" had such terrifying combat power.
He was probably one of the Four Seas Alliance's top fighters!
With that in mind, Jack understood many things.
He was likely sent out as a "decoy" in this campaign of the Beasts Pirates.
Jack had no complaints about this.
As Kaido had said, the only thing Jack could do was fight.
Wouldn't it be better if he could defeat that envoy?
If he couldn't defeat someone from the Four Seas Alliance, it would simply mean that Jack himself wasn't strong enough.
That would be the greatest insult to Jack!
"You damn bastard..."
Jack could feel the resilience his Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit granted him was rapidly healing his body.
It was a pity, though, that he wouldn't be able to participate in the fight for a while.
It was quiet underwater, giving Jack plenty of time to ponder Kaido's intentions.
If their side was just a feint, then who would launch the real war against the Four Seas Alliance?
...
On the other side.
Far from that sea area.
It was the inner sea of Wano Country!
A small boat belonging to the Marines was slowly moving forward.
That ship was a small, fast boat from the g-t Marine Branch, which had set out from Alabasta. It was the Marine expeditionary force led by Baro.
They had already begun to enter the waters near Wano Country.
This was an island surrounded by raging storms, massive waves, and cliffs and waterfalls, but the navigators under Baro were not simple, allowing their warship to safely navigate through the countless whirlpools and treacherous terrain.
According to Baro's original plan, he should have led his men directly to investigate Wano Country. However, he was now troubled by a problem.
"Hiss... I've got a bad feeling about this."
Baro held a sea chart in one hand and binoculars in the other, comparing them carefully.
"According to my chart, there should be an island here."
Baro blinked and looked at the empty sea in the distance.
There should have been a landmark island with a small hill shaped like a "horned skull," but now there was nothing.
"That's strange, where did the island go?"
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