The incoming slash reached King before he could react.
For a brief moment, his body locked in place as a violent tremor spread through the air around him. The force behind the attack did not simply travel forward; it pressed inward from every direction, disrupting movement and forcing his muscles to stiffen.
By the time he forced his body to respond, it was already too late.
The slash struck.
A sharp tearing sound cut through the air as blood followed immediately after. King's natural durability, combined with his Armament Haki, offered almost no resistance against the attack. The force tore through his defenses and carved a deep wound across his chest, exposing bone beneath.
The impact drove him backward through the air.
Even so, he did not fall.
Pain registered, but it did not slow him.
Instead, his gaze shifted immediately toward the source of the attack.
In the distance, a massive ship had appeared near the island they had been approaching. Its size alone was enough to dominate the surrounding waters, and even from this distance, its presence was unmistakable.
King's expression darkened.
He recognized it.
At the same time, he moved.
Ignoring the injury, he pushed forward with a burst of speed, heading directly toward Yamato. His objective was clear. If he could seize her now, everything else would become irrelevant.
Before he could close the distance, a streak of blue flame intercepted him.
The flames spread outward, forming a pair of wings that cut across his path and forced him to halt.
A figure emerged from within the fire.
"Long time no see, King."
The man's voice carried a relaxed tone, as if this were nothing more than a casual meeting.
King stared at him, his expression growing colder.
"Marco."
The first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates stood between him and Yamato, the blue flames around him flickering steadily.
Marco's posture appeared loose, almost careless, but there was no mistaking the control behind it.
"You made quite a mess," Marco continued, glancing briefly at the damaged deck and the scorched air above. "Fires, explosions, even the sky has been stirred up. This isn't exactly something we can ignore in territory protected by the Whitebeard Pirates."
King frowned slightly and glanced upward.
Only then did he notice the change.
The sky, which had been clear earlier, was now covered in dense clouds. Faint flashes of lightning flickered within them, illuminating the darkness at irregular intervals.
The disturbance was far too obvious to be natural.
It was something that could be seen from a great distance.
His gaze shifted slowly.
This time, it settled on Ornn.
Ornn leaned against the railing, steadying his breathing as the Lion King continued to mend the damage inside his body.
The pain had not disappeared, but it had dulled enough for him to remain standing.
When King looked at him, Ornn did not look away.
Instead, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
King's eyes narrowed.
In that moment, several details connected.
The magma.
The deliberate explosion earlier.
The clouds now gathering overhead.
Realization followed immediately.
"This was your plan," King said.
It was not a question.
Ornn nodded.
"I never intended to defeat you," he said calmly. "That was never a realistic outcome."
His tone remained steady, as if he were simply explaining a conclusion rather than revealing a strategy.
"The clouds serve two purposes."
He lifted his gaze slightly toward the sky.
"First, they attract attention. A disturbance of this scale is difficult to ignore, especially in territory claimed by another Yonko."
Marco raised an eyebrow slightly, his interest clearly piqued.
"And the second?" he asked.
Ornn's gaze shifted briefly toward Yamato before returning to King.
"If no one had come, I would have used the storm instead."
King's expression did not change, but he understood the implication immediately.
Lightning.
Combined with Yamato's ability, it could have created a temporary opening.
Not enough to win, but possibly enough to escape.
Ornn continued without pause.
"Even if that failed, it would still be better than being taken back to Onigashima."
The logic was simple.
There was no arrogance in his words, only calculation.
For a moment, silence settled over the deck.
Then Ornn let out a slow breath.
"Fortunately, it didn't come to that."
Marco studied him for a moment, then scratched his cheek lightly.
"That's interesting," he said. "But I'm curious about something."
He tilted his head slightly.
"How did you know we'd be nearby?"
Ornn did not answer immediately.
Instead, he glanced toward King, then back at Marco.
The meaning was clear without words.
Not here.
Not now.
Marco blinked once, then let out a small laugh.
"You've got some nerve," he said. "Giving me instructions like that."
Even so, there was no sign of displeasure on his face.
Instead, he turned his attention back to King.
King's gaze moved between the two of them before settling.
Behind Marco, Yamato still stood, clearly weakened but unwilling to retreat.
In the distance, the massive ship continued to approach.
The situation had changed.
Completely.
After a brief pause, King spoke.
"I can let that boy go," he said.
His tone was measured, but the meaning was firm.
"But the girl stays."
Marco's expression shifted slightly.
King continued.
"This is the bottom line of the Beasts Pirates. If you refuse, then consider it a declaration of war."
The words carried weight.
Not as a threat, but as a statement of consequence.
Marco fell silent.
Despite his usual relaxed demeanor, the gravity of the situation was not lost on him. A direct conflict between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Beasts Pirates would not be a simple clash.
It would escalate.
And once it did, it would not remain contained.
For a moment, the deck grew quiet.
Before Marco could respond, a voice spoke from behind him.
"Wings made of blue flames… golden hair…"
Yamato looked at him carefully.
"You're the 'little pineapple' from Oden's journal, right?"
Marco froze.
For a brief moment, he did not react.
Then his entire expression shifted.
"Little… pineapple?" he repeated.
The words sounded almost foreign coming from him.
Something stirred in his memory.
A familiar voice.
A distant laugh.
Fragments of a past he had not thought about in years.
Marco let out a slow breath.
When he looked up again, the hesitation in his expression was gone.
"We're taking both of them," he said.
His tone was calm, but firm.
"There's nothing left to discuss."
King's gaze hardened.
The air between them grew heavier.
The sea remained quiet.
But everyone present understood the same thing.
The situation had moved beyond negotiation.