Chapter 41: The Squirrel That Runs Between Realms
Whitebeard noticed Loki's ship long before it fully entered the waters near Wano. The massive Giant vessel cut through the sea like a floating fortress, its shadow stretching across the waves.
He glanced at it once, then calmly looked away. It was not his place to intervene in another Emperor's territory. With a quiet command, he and the Whitebeard Pirates continued toward Wano.
Ren pulled out his Den Den Mushi, its tiny face mimicking his calm expression. "Hey, Denjiro. The Whitebeard Pirates are coming to meet Hiyori. Take her to meet them."
"Wb—Whitebeard Pirates?? Yes, Ren-sama!" Denjiro's startled voice echoed through the receiver before the call ended.
Ren hung up and rested his staff across his shoulders, both hands draped over it lazily. His posture looked relaxed, but his eyes were focused on the approaching Giant ship.
Beside him, Yamato mirrored the stance, her kanabo resting on her shoulder. The wind whipped her white hair as she stared ahead.
Laughter rolled across the sea like distant thunder. On the massive ship stood Loki, towering even among giants. Even a normal Giant would have seemed small next to him.
Ren laughed softly, and his body began to expand. Muscles stretched, bones enlarged, and within moments he matched Loki's towering height.
"Dogahahahahah! So you are the Money King??" Loki's voice boomed proudly.
Ren grinned. "And you must be the Giant Prince Loki. What brings you here?"
"Of course to see just how big and strong you are. Dogahaha!" Loki replied, his golden eyes gleaming with excitement.
Ren chuckled and plucked a strand of hair, forming a clone beside him. The clone gently gestured to Yamato.
"Give us space," Ren said calmly.
Yamato smirked. "Don't lose too fast."
Ren's grin widened. "You wish."
Morgan's balloon drifted closer, camera ready, but Ren's clone raised a hand. "Don't move any closer. Stay as far away as possible. You don't want to be trapped in a battle between the Monkey King and a true Dragon."
Morgan blinked rapidly. "Kuhahahaha! I don't understand, but I'll stay back!"
Loki leapt from his ship onto the open sea, standing upon it with sheer physical balance. Ren followed, and together they moved farther away until Wano became a distant silhouette.
Ren tilted his head slightly. "So, you want to start with Devil Fruit… or Haki?"
Loki grinned broadly. "Dogahaha! Let's have some fun before we start the real fight." He lifted his massive hammer.
Ren's eyes sharpened as he looked at it carefully. "Is that the hammer that ate a Mythical Zoan?"
Loki froze for half a second. "How do you know that??" His expression darkened slightly. "Now that I think about it… you talk like you know my Devil Fruit. Who are you??"
Ren laughed loudly. "Hahahahah! Don't worry. I'm not with the World Government."
Loki narrowed his eyes but did not attack yet. "Well, anyways, I heard about you from Shirahoshi. She talks a lot about you."
Ren tilted his head, then nodded casually. "Right. Your father and Neptune were friends. Heck, they were even planning your wedding, right? Now what, jealous?"
Loki's mouth twitched. "That was just old people talking nonsense. And how do you even know that???"
Ren shrugged. "That's a secret. Now then, shall we start?"
Loki's grin returned, wild and fearless. "Dogahaha! I like you already."
He swung Ragnar downward without warning.
Ren met it head-on with his staff.
Conqueror's Haki exploded from both of them at the instant of impact. The sky split cleanly above their heads, lightning cracking through the heavens. The sea beneath their feet dented violently, and a massive wave rose outward from the collision.
Far away, Yamato stared with her mouth slightly open. "Thi—this…??"
The pressure in the air felt suffocating, yet her eyes burned with excitement. She began to laugh. "There are really so many strong people in the world. I won't be left behind."
On another route, Marco paused mid-flight. "That Haki…"
Jozu's jaw tightened. "It's like two Emperors clashing."
Whitebeard himself muttered quietly, "Monster."
Back at sea, Loki pulled Ragnar back. The hammer shimmered, then suddenly shrank and transformed.
Where a massive warhammer had been, a gigantic squirrel with glowing eyes appeared, its fur etched with ancient runes. Its long tail flicked once before it leapt.
Ren's eyes gleamed with recognition.
The creature dashed across the air itself, leaving streaks behind it as if invisible branches connected sky and sea. In an instant, it reformed into a hammer behind Ren and slammed toward his back.
Ren twisted and blocked, but the impact still pushed him across the water.
"Ratatoskr," Ren muttered.
Loki laughed loudly. "Dogahaha! The messenger of the World Tree! Ragnar ate the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Ratatoskr!"
Ren steadied himself. "The one who runs between realms, carrying words between dragon and eagle."
"Exactly!" Loki roared. "Ragnar doesn't just hit. He moves between paths others cannot see!"
The squirrel form reappeared mid-air, sprinting in zigzags around Ren faster than the eye could follow.
Ren closed his eyes briefly. Future Sight activated.
When Ragnar reformed to strike again, Ren was already there, staff intercepting it mid-transformation.
Loki grinned. "You're not bad!"
"You're not either," Ren replied calmly. "For someone who just took the throne."
A faint shadow passed through Loki's expression. "Dogahaha! You talk as if you know Elbaf's politics."
Ren's gaze remained unreadable. "The sea whispers things."
Loki's grip tightened slightly, but he attacked again without pressing further. Ragnar shifted forms repeatedly—hammer to squirrel, squirrel to hammer—striking from impossible angles.
Each time Ren countered, Conqueror's lightning exploding between them.
"You're enjoying this," Loki said mid-clash.
Ren smirked. "A fight without schemes? Yeah. I am."
Loki roared with laughter. "Good! Elbaf respects strength, not titles!"
Their weapons collided again, and this time both infused Conqueror's Haki deeper. Black lightning arced violently, splitting clouds for miles.
The sea between them sank lower from sheer pressure.
"Dogahaha! Money King! Show me your real power!"
Ren's eyes gleamed. "Careful what you ask for."
He stepped forward, Internal Destruction Haki flowing into his staff. The next strike bypassed Ragnar's outer durability and cracked against its core.
The squirrel screeched and reformed instantly.
Loki's grin widened. "You can damage Ragnar? Interesting!"
Ren rolled his shoulders. "You wanted fun before the real fight. I'm warming up."
Loki burst into laughter again. "Dogahahaha! Good! Because I'm not done either!"
Ragnar leapt skyward in squirrel form, tail glowing brightly. For a brief moment, glowing pathways shimmered across the sky like invisible branches.
Ren's eyes narrowed. "So you can create routes now."
The squirrel darted across one glowing line and reappeared instantly behind Ren, hammer slamming down.
Ren blocked, but the shockwave split the sea again.
Both of them laughed as they pushed against each other, neither giving ground.
From afar, Yamato clenched her kanabo tightly. "So this is the level beyond Emperor…" she whispered.
The sky above Wano remained split long after their weapons separated.
Loki grinned fiercely. "Money King… don't die on me."
Ren's answering smile was sharp and steady. "You first, Giant Prince."
And once more, the Monkey King and the Messenger of the World Tree charged at each other, shaking the New World with every step.