Chapter 84: The Fierce Battle of the New World
ââSomewhere in the New World.
"After those damn brats, now it's you bastards... Tch, every last one of you keeps tramplinâ over our turf... I got no business with ya, but if you wanna fight, donât expect mercy."
"We got business with YOU, ya dumbass...!!"
The white whale-shaped ship was the Moby Dick, the flagship of the Four Emperorsâthe Whitebeard Pirates. Standing at its bow, glaring down at the dozens of Marine warships blocking their pathâand at the Marine Vice Admiral Sakazuki leading themâwas a giant over six meters tall, wielding a naginata: the Four Emperor himself, Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate.
"T-thatâs Whitebeard...?!"
"What kind of Conquerorâs Haki is that...?!"
"...!"
The Marines were all elite soldiers, worthy of being deployed to the New Worldâyet even they broke into cold sweat under the sheer presence, pressure, and Haki of a Four Emperor. Though he shouldâve been past sixty, the aura of the man hailed as the Strongest Pirate in the World hadnât dulled in the slightest. No matter how many ships or soldiers stood against him, he was never an opponent they could afford to underestimate.
"Pops. The Beast Pirates chasing Red-Hair just clashed with the Navyâtheyâve started fighting."
"Tch, that so? Hope they donât wreck the island... Whatever. Marco, take a detachment and head there first. If we leave Kaido and that idiot Nue running wild too long, itâll cause problems."
"Got it. Then youâllâ"
Marco, commander of the Whitebeard Piratesâ 1st Division, delivered his report and took his orders.
The Whitebeard Piratesâ main force wasnât limited to a single ship. Sixteen division commanders, each leading a hundred men, operated under Whitebeardâs direct command. Alongside the flagship Moby Dick, they had four additional shipsâtotaling over 1,600 crewmates. They were the strongest pirate crew reigning over these seas.
That number might seem small for a Four Emperor, but Whitebeard had more subordinate crews than any other, and when combined, his forces surpassed even his fellow emperorsâ. Bound by loyalty and familial bonds, this massive fleet of pirates gathered around Whitebeard was one of the key reasons his crew remained the Strongest in the World.
So Whitebeard ordered Marco to take a squad ahead.
Marco hesitated for a moment, his words laced with concernâbut Whitebeard just grinned, twisting his lips as he answered.
"Quit your worryinâ. Who the hell do ya think I am?"
"!"
Whitebeard raised his naginata, pouring his Haki and power into itâthe ability of the Gura Gura no Mi, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
The combined force of his strength and Haki split the earth, parted the waves, and tore through the heavens.
"ââIâM WHITEBEARD!!!"
"!!!"
"WAAAGHHHâ?!"
Distance meant nothing to that shockwave. Several Marine ships were sent flying into the sky from a single swing of Whitebeardâs blade. Watching this, Marco stepped back, a smirk forming on his face.
"Guess I was worrying for nothing..."
Indeed, Whitebeardâs strength was still absolute.
That strength was the very essence of what made a Four Emperor.
But that same strength was also why Marco couldnât shake his unease about the future.
And then there was the other matterâthe one being hunted by another Four Emperor. He wasnât worried, exactly... but he did wonder how they were holding up.
"Alright then... Letâs go see if that Red-Haired bastardâs still alive."
With that, Marco and several squads set sail, leaving the battlefield behind.
Even in the New Worldâa sea of ice, impossible climates, and creatures defying all logicâthis scene was pure hell.
"GYAHAHA!! Kill Red-Hair!!"
"The Marines too!! Take out anyone with a name!!"
"This is our chance for a promotion!! Bring me as many heads as you can!!"
To pirates, the skull on their flag was a symbol of deathâand their crewâs pride.
"Vice Admiral!! Theyâre crossing the ice to attack!!"
"Then we meet them head-on!! Above all, we CANNOT let two Emperors make contact!!"
"YES, SIR!!"
And the pirates bearing that twin-horned skull were the most feared in these seasâthe crew most worthy of being called deathâs heralds.
Most of those crossing the frozen sea wore horned helmets, wielding kanabĹ, swords, spears, and guns with murderous intent as they charged the Marines.
That alone was a terrifying sightâbut what made it even worse were the figures floating in the sky... and those foolish enough to fight them.
"WAHAHA!! Pathetic!! They actually think they can fight Kaido and Nue?!"
"Theyâll be charcoal in no time. No point aiming for themâletâs go after the Navy instead!"
To the pirates, those figures were both fearsome and reassuringâthe very reason this place had become the most terrifying battlefield in the sea.
The ones who embodied the title of Strongest and Most Feared Creatures in These Watersâ
The Beast Piratesâ Captain and Vice-Captain.
The battle of these sworn siblings.
"ââLet the "LIVE SHOW" begin!!"
"Die, "Red-Hair"...!!!"
"Sorry, but I canât afford to kick the bucket here...!!"
A small shadow and a massive one loomed in the sky.
Nue, soaring on strange red-and-blue wings, unleashing barrages of bullets from her UFOâand Kaido, in the form of a colossal dragon, raining down fireballs.
To ordinary men, these attacks were unstoppableâcataclysmic enough to wipe out small islands in an instant.
Yet Red-Hair stood firm, his beloved sword Gryphon flashing as he sliced through every projectile, shielding his ship.
"Even after losing an arm, your swordsmanship hasnât dulled."
From the icy battlefield below, another slash struck down a UFOâthis one from the Worldâs Strongest Swordsman, Dracule "Hawk-Eyes" Mihawk, who had once dueled Shanks daily.
The skill Mihawk had witnessed back then hadnât rusted. Losing an arm mightâve weakened Shanks as a pure swordsman, but his overwhelming Haki more than compensated.
In fact, his overall strength mightâve even grown.
A strange realizationâand one not lost on the trickster soaring above.
"Heh... No wonder Queen lost. Seems like UFOs alone wonât cut it!!"
"!! ââThe "Phantom Beast" is moving!!"
"HERE SHE COMES!!"
Nue, who had been attacking from her UFO, suddenly shot toward the Red-Hair Piratesâ ship in a straight, high-speed dive.
Her pure flight speed surpassed even Kaidoâs. Though Kaidoâs massive frame spanned hundreds of meters, Nueâs agility and reflexesâenhanced by her Observation Hakiâlet her evade every counterattack, hunting her prey with even greater freedom than on land.
Her trident gleamedâjust seconds from piercing the shipâ
But before it could land, something faster intercepted her.
"Not gonna let you pass...!!"
"! Oh right... Youâre "light" itself, arenât you?!"
"Damn right... Speed IS weightâhow about a kick at the speed of light...?!!"
â!â
Right before Nueâs eyes, Vice Admiral Borsalino of the Navy suddenly appeared in midair.
As a Light Human, he required a brief charge-up, but there existed no one in the world faster than him.
In the blink of an eye, he moved from the ground to the sky, flipped in midair, and delivered a downward kick with the speed of light itself.
As a result, Nue was slammed diagonally downward, crashing to the ground.
âNue-san!!â
âShe got blown away!! Is she okay!?â
Even the lower-ranking members of the Beasts Pirates couldnât help but show a hint of panic at that attack.
But just seconds later, that worry turned into even deeper trust and admiration.
âHmm... So thatâs what an attack at the speed of light feels like, huh? Kind of underwhelming. Living off the name alone, arenât you?â
âWha...!? She took Vice Admiral Borsalinoâs attack and didnât even get scratched...!!â
âSheâs a monster...!! Even if she looks like a girl, sheâs still a damn beast...!!â
As Nue casually walked across the icy ground like nothing had happened, the Marines were stricken with fear. It hadnât looked like she used Armament Haki to block the blow, and yet there wasnât a single drop of bloodâthis went beyond monstrous.
âLight Human... I think you'd look better as my spotlight.â
âIâll pass on that, thanksď˝ď˝ď˝!! All units, keep up the attack without hesitation!!â
âYes, sir!!â
At Borsalinoâs order, the Marines gave a sharp reply and began firing cannons from their warships. They landed on the ice and engaged the Beasts Pirates head-on to try and stall them.
âShigan!â
âGuh!?â
âBeasts Pirates!! Feel the pain of the comrades we lost to you bastards!!â
âGah!!?â
âIce Saber.â
â!!â
Compared to the Navyâs elite, the lower-ranking Beasts Pirates werenât particularly strongâeven if they were part of a Yonkoâs crew.
But the Beasts Pirates werenât made up of just small fry either.
âTch... Even if heâs new, that Marine just treated one of our precious fighters like trash!!â
Nue leapt high into the air again, then gently floated backward and landed on something above. Seeing this, the Marines erupted in confusion.
âWh-what the hell is that!?â
It looked like something protruding from the ship.
It had horns, stepped off the ship, wielded a massive kanabo club, and approached with thunderous thud thud footsteps.
âThe Numbers are coming out!! Clear the way!!â
âGyahaha!! Crush âem flat!! Letâs follow him!!â
The Beasts Pirates raised their voices and charged forward in step with the figureâs advance.
Indeed, that creature too was a member of the Beasts Piratesâa monstrous being with horns on its head.
Standing on its shoulder, Nue pointed toward the ground and gave an order.
âSmash âem to pieces like the trash they areâgo, Hatcha!!â
âNagigigi!!!â
â!!!â
At Nueâs command, the creature swung its kanabo down at the Marines.
It smashed a hole into the icy ground and flattened dozens of Marines in a single strike. The sheer impact left the others stunned.
âHeâs huge...!! Is he a giant...!?â
âNo, heâs even bigger!!â
âIbi!!â
The monster, who couldnât speak human language, had a body nearly 40 meters tall.
It rampaged with a kanabo sized to match that massive frame.
âIf you do a good job smashing them, Iâll give you food and sake later, so do your best!!â
âHachacha!!â
âThereâs plenty of meat rolling around down there, so help yourself⪠All right, Iâm counting on you!!â
âHachaaď˝!!â
Beasts Pirates âNumbersâ Hatcha
Riding on his shoulder, Nue spoke to Hatchaâone of the monster squad known as the Numbers. He charged toward the Marines once again.
Just having a creature larger than a giant run wild was already a nightmare. But its power matched its size, and its speed defied all expectations.
âWe canât just leave this to the Numbers...!!â
âRed-Haired and the Navy fleet... both are mouthwatering preyâĄâ
âAnyone who resists will get totally, absolutely, completely slaughtered!!â
â! Oh boy, here comes more trouble...â
But the advance didnât stop there.
Kuzan froze enemies or pierced them with his Ice Saber as he furrowed his brow at the new group approaching. He recognized more than a few of the faces now.
After all, they were the Beasts Pirates officersâthe Headliners.
âCâmon, câmon, keep pushing forward!! Anyone who takes down someone with a name gets a shot at moving upâHeadliners get a chance to challenge the Flying Six!! And if youâre Flying Six, maybe youâll get to challenge a Lead Performer!!â
â! No way, seriously!?â
âThat really lit a fire in me!!â
âAs expected of Nue-san...!!â
âGuess weâve got no choice now...!!â
Those words fired them up as they exited the ship. To the crew of the Beasts Pirates, a promotion was worth more than any treasure.
Enticed by the reward, even the Headliners began pushing aside the lower ranks to reach the front lines.
And it became immediately clear just how dangerous they were. After allâevery last one of them was a Devil Fruit user.
âBoar Charge... Rampage!!!â
â!!?â
âA boar!?â
âIshishishi!! Letâs see if you can stop this kind of power!!â
ăBeast Pirates "Tobiroppo" Page One, Ancient Zoan Type: "Spinosaurus"ă
Amidst the battle, roughly twenty of the Beast Pirates' top-tier combatantsâthe Tobiroppoâare engaged. And every single one of themâ
"We ainât leavinâ a single enemy standinâ!!"
"Huh? âNot leavinââ?!"
"Lies!! Tonkatsu Combat⌠Slash-Slash Dance!!!"
"!!!"
ăBeast Pirates "Tobiroppo" Ulti, Ancient Zoan Type: "Pachycephalosaurus"ă
âare Zoan-type Devil Fruit users.
"Gonna catch âem all⌠⥠No one escapes my web⌠Spider Net!!"
ăBeast Pirates "Tobiroppo" Black Maria, Spider-Spider Fruit, Model: "Tarantula"ă
"Yâall so slow itâs makinâ me yawn!! Eagle Talon!!!"
ăBeast Pirates "Tobiroppo" Whoâs-Who, Ancient Zoan Type: "Saber-Toothed Tiger"ă
"Anyone who gets in the way of avenging Queen gets blasted!! âElephant Sneeze: Elephant Hackshoo!!!"
ăBeast Pirates "Tobiroppo" Sasaki, Ancient Zoan Type: "Triceratops"ă
Harnessing their animal traits, the Tobiroppo tear through the Marines, hunting for high-profile heads and glory. Their strength far surpasses that of ordinary soldiersâbut the Marines, too, have those who exceed them.
"Guh-ah!!?"
"Donât falter just âcause theyâre Devil Fruit users!! Gang up on âem!!"
Vice Admiralsâmasters of Rokushiki and Haki, some even Fruit users themselvesâstand toe-to-toe with the Tobi Roppo, unshaken. Among them, two monstrous Vice Admirals fight so fiercely they stifle the enemyâs momentum, despite the Tobi Roppo and Numbers joining the fray.
"Talk about overkillâŚ"
"Gaaaahâ!! My armâŚ!! Damn itâŚ!!"
A Tobiroppo collapses, limbs frozen solid by the Chilly-Chilly Fruit, a Logia-type power. Others struggle against Vice Admirals, realizing too late the gap in strength. Yet itâs not just the Tobi Roppo seeking gloryâ
"âKuzan!! Look out!!"
"!"
"âDie."
The moment the Marine shouts, a massive shadow looms behind Kuzan, lashing out with a whip-like trunk to send him flying. Kuzan evades with Observation Haki and fluid movement but takes minor damageâhis attacker, a Haki user, strikes with lethal intent. The assailant, fittingly, is an ancient beast of the ice age: a mammoth.
"Beast Piratesâ Jack⌠A mad dog through and through, just like the rumors sayâand still just a kid."
"Shut up. You die hereâŚ!!"
Kuzan narrows his eyes at the infamous, unhinged brute. A teenager with this much power is terrifying. And Jack isnât the only ancient beastâthe Tobi Roppo are all Ancient Zoan users.
"Wahaha! Rushing back here was the right callâŚ!!"
"Canât let Jack and Sasaki steal the spotlight. Avenging Queenâs dumb ass ainât my style, but this? Now weâre talkinââŚ!!"
"âŚ!! Ancient Zoans⌠What a painâŚ!!"
Three of the Tobi RoppoâJack, Sasaki, and Whoâs-Whoâclash with Marine Vice Admirals, unleashing their powers. Ancient Zoans boast strength, endurance, and ferocity surpassing regular Zoans, making them the undisputed kings of close combat. Combined with Haki, they rival even the Logiaâs title as the "strongest" Devil Fruits.
Meanwhile, others exploit the icy terrain to target the Red Hair Pirates.
"Fight!! P-Pe-tan~⥠Donât lose, Pe-tan~⥠Fiâkyaa~! I slipped~!!"
"âOi, quit foolinâ around and go somewhere else!! Donât follow me!!"
"Who you callinââ!!?"
"Guh-uh!? Stop!! I canât see shâGYAAAAAHâ!!?"
"! Kyaa~!!"
"Ulti-sama!? Page One-sama!? What in theâ!?"
Two child prodigiesâboth Tobiroppo candidatesâcharge across the ice. Ulti, clinging to Page Oneâs back, covers his eyes mid-sprint, causing him to trip and faceplant into the ice, skidding helplessly. As their crew panics, Ulti hops off, trembling at her motionless brother.
"âŚHumans are so fragile, go~n."
"âHalf of thatâs YOUR fault!!"
"âAh! Youâre alive, Pe-tan! Now get uâWHO YOU CALLINââ!!?"
"Guh-ah!? Sis, wait!! The enemyâsâ!!"
Ulti, ever the tyrant, resumes tormenting Page Oneâuntil a distant click interrupts her. On the Red Hair Piratesâ ship, their sniper, Yasopp, exhales sharply after shooting Page Oneâs footing.
"Tch⌠That bratâs tough for a kid tooâŚ!! Damn pain in the ass fighting a damn kid as a combatantâŚ! Seriously, what the hellâs up with Kaido and Nue not even getting a scratch from lead bulletsâŚ?!"
Reloading, he took aim again and fired with Haki. In essence, it was just that simpleâbut for the Red Hair Pirates, currently forced into a fighting retreat, this sniping tactic was brutally effective. Thanks to Yasoppâs superhuman marksmanship, they managed to pick off pursuing enemies and shoot down the UFOs chasing them while returning fire.
Of course, he was also targeting the massive and smaller floating objects in the skyâbut those things were monsters.
"Ahaha!! If this were a shooting game, youâd loseâGuh!? âŚ!! Pfft! Pfft! Ughhh, shooting bullets into my mouth while Iâm talking is so lame!! Even I donât eat lead, yâknow?!"
"âThen just transform already. Ignore these piss-ant bullets."
"Ehhh~!! But that just makes me a bigger target, and this formâs way easier to move in! Plus, that form isnât cute, and Iâm not in the mood today!! âOh, here they come again."
"âŚ!! You caught it with your bare hands⌠This ainât a damn game of catchâŚ!!"
Neither Kaido nor Nue considered long-range Haki-infused bullets a threatâthey could effortlessly catch every single one without bothering to dodge. At first, Yasopp had aimed for the head, but the bullets couldnât pierce Kaidoâs scalp. So this time, heâd fired into Nueâs mouth mid-sentenceâonly for her to spit it out in disgust. Still no penetration.
What the hell are their bodies made of?! He wanted to scream, but at least it was more effective than normal bullets, so he kept firing. This time, though, they seemed to predict it with Kenbunshoku, catching it mid-air.
"âŚ!! TchâŚ!!"
"Aww, so close!! You dodged it!! Ughhh, avoiding my bullets is just mean!! Try catching one for once~!"
"Donât lump me in with freaks who catch bullets with their bare handsâŚ!!"
And then, to make it worse, she threw the bullet back at him, forcing Yasopp to dodge with Kenbunshoku. Nue cackled, delighted by his frustration.
"But damn, youâre good!! Makes me wanna recruit you~! I heard the Red Hair Pirates were stacked with high-bounty elites, but you guys really know how to put on a show!!"
"!"
Nue closed the distance again. A straight shot was dodgedâagainst an opponent who could maneuver freely in midair, even Yasoppâs skills had limits.
But "hard" doesnât mean "impossible." Deliberately, Yasopp shifted his aim away from Nue.
"Ahaha!! Canât land a hit, so youâre going for the UFOs now? Fine by me! Shoot âem down all you want!! I can make as many as IâNgh!?"
"âCouldnât predict this one, huh?"
Suddenly, Nue was struckânot injured, but visibly irritated as the bullet bounced off her temple and ribs. Not from the front, but the side. She realized the truth instantly: the third shot. Yasopp had fired at a UFO, letting the bullet ricochet into her.
"âŚAhahahaha!! Ricochet shots?! I thought you just missed âcause Iâm too fast!!"
"Sorry to disappoint, but Iânever miss my mark!!"
"! âHell yeah!! Now itâs getting fun!!"
No wonder he was called "Chaser" Yasopp.
Faced with the skills of one of the New Worldâs greatest snipers, Nueâs excitement only grew. But she wasnât the only monster hereâKaido ignored the bullets entirely, closing in on the Red Hair Pirates.
"Get obliteratedâŚ!!!"
"âŚ!! That damn breath attack again!!"
"Captain!!"
Shanks leapt from the ship, gritting his teeth as his sword clashed against Kaidoâs blast. Most wouldâve been vaporized, but Shanksâ Haki and swordsmanship barely held it back.
"âCanât fulfill our agreement if you keep hiding in the skyâŚ"
"!!"
"âHawk Eyes."
On the ground, at the edge of the frozen battlefield, Mihawk stood as the Red Hair Piratesâ rearguard. With a swing of his black blade Yoru, he unleashed a colossal slash aimed at Kaido and Nue.
Yet neither reactedâexcept for Nue glancing over and casually calling out.
"âThatâs annoying too, so Iâll leave it to you~âĄ"
"âUnderstood."
"!"
"! ThatâsâŚ!!"
"The slash was stopped?!"
The worldâs strongest slash froze mid-air with a metallic clang. Kaido and Nue hadnât movedâbut someone had intervened. Marines and pirates alike saw it: a black silhouette, flames burning on its back, cutting in.
After blocking the slash, it dove toward Mihawk, delivering an overhead strike of monstrous force. The impact of their blades colliding shook the icy battlefield.
Even Mihawk recognized this figure. His hawk-like eyes narrowed as he muttered the name of the man before him.
"Beast Piratesâ right-hand⌠King the Wildfire."
"Hawk Eyes⌠I never called myself a swordsman. But since I do wield a bladeâconsider that âWorldâs Strongestâ title of yours retired. Tough luck."
"âŚA devastating style. I seeâyou earned your reputation."
Two legends of the New World, crossing blades for the first time. A dream matchup for any swordsmanâyet King spoke down to the worldâs strongest, and Mihawk acknowledged his might.
Ancient Zoan power, raw strengthâKingâs brutal slashes left no room for Mihawk to relax. In sheer force, the advantage was his.
"No good!! Canât get close!!"
"Hawk Eyes vs. King!? Anyone near themâs dead meat!!"
"Tch⌠King, you bastardâstealing Hawk Eyes from meâŚ!!"
Even the Beast Pirates kept their distance. Kingâs battles were deadly enough, but against Mihawk? Stray slashes meant certain death.
Yet none denied it: aside from Kaido and Ulti, only King could face Mihawk.
The sole exception? Whoâs-Who, another swordsman, who clicked his tongue and glared at the duel with seething frustration.
"âTick-tock~!! Time for punishment!!"
"NueâŚ!!"
With Mihawk occupied, Nue took to the skies, drawing wary stares from Marines and Red Hair Pirates alike.
"Murasame."
"!? What theâher spear just multiplied!?"
Marines gasped as the trident in Nueâs hand split into two. Gripping the second copy in her right hand, she wound up like a pitcher taking aim.
"First throw~~⪠Spear ofâ"
"âŚ!!"
In that instant, Kuzan, Borsalino, and every Haki-sensitive Marine or pirate grimaced. They knewâthis attack would be catastrophic. But it was too late to stop.
"ââGungnir!!!"
"!!!"
The spear tore through the air at laser-like speed.
A simple throw, yet packed with enough force and Haki to send shockwaves rippling outwardâpiercing a warship, skewering the sea, and splitting the ocean floor beneath.
"GYAAAAAAAAHHHâ!!?"
"A warship⌠gone in one hitâŚ!!"
The vessel shattered, then exploded. No mere girl could wield such power, but everyone knew: this was a monster wearing a girlâs skin.
And yet, the terror remained. Nue laughed as destruction rained, then summoned another spear with Murasame.
"Câmon, no need to fuss over this much~! Ahaha, hereâs throw number two~!!"
"!!? Stop her!! NOW!!"
Theyâd just witnessed the devastation. Letting her spam those attacks meant annihilation.
"Ama no Murakumo."
"Whoopsie!!"
"! Admiral Borsalino!!"
Borsalino intervened, manifesting his light-blade to clash with Nueâs spear. Both fighters wielded Hakiâbut Nueâs skill outmatched his.
"Could you not pop warships like balloonsâŚ? Haaah⌠Paperworkâs gonna be a nightmareâŚ"
"Just blame it on natural disasters? Relax~! Iâm sure Sengokuâll forgive youâitâs me, after all! So just sit back and enjoy the show!!"
"Iâm sure he would⌠but I canât just let youâŚ!! Any chance youâll back off? Makes our retreat easierâŚ"
"Jokeâs on you!! Pirates canât show weakness. Get it? âYou invaded our turf, hurt our crew. For pirates, ânegotiationâ comes after⌠payback."
"Ghkâ!! âŚ!! Damn it all~~âŚ!!"
A gash split Borsalinoâs abdomenâblood spilled. Nueâs thrust had outpaced his evasion. Not fatal, but enough to slow him down.
"Bet you wonder: Will I kill you first, or will Kaido wipe out your fleet~~? Either wayâentertain me as long as you can, âkay? âĄ"
"âŚ!!"
"Admiral Borsalino!!"
"TchâŚ!! Ice Ball!"
"!"
Seeing Borsalino struggle, Kuzan summoned an ice pillar, scaling it to strike at Nueâa technique meant to freeze her solid.
"Did she get frozen!?"
"Is it overâŚ!?"
"âŚ!! Look again!!"
Nue froze from the attackâbut only for an instant.
Smiling inside the ice, she shattered it from within through sheer force and stepped out. Then she popped one of the broken shards into her mouth, crunched down on it, and grinned with delight.
"Mmm~⥠Torture by ice? Cold and tingly, but not bad~~~... Still, Iâm not really into the whole âbecoming a sculptureâ thing⥠Oh! But hey, want to try making a statue of me next time? One made of ice!! Iâd love to put it somewhere around the Winter Island in our territoryâhow about it?"
"Donât be stupidâŚ!! I might consider it if you people back down!!"
"Too bad. Thatâs not happening!!"
ââŚ!!â
Kuzan formed an ice spear and moved to strike Nue, but she swatted it away along with him using her own spear, slamming him back down into the frozen earth. Then Nue turned her gaze to a point on the ground and shouted.
"âHEY!! Clumsy Jack!!! Even if itâs Kuzan youâre up against, how do you let someone get away in a one-on-one fight!?! What the hell were you doing!? Are your eyes just for show!?!"
ââŚ!! Sorry, Nue-sanâŚ!!"
Nue scolded Jack, who had supposedly been battling Kuzan on the ground. Even though Kuzan was considered a monster even among Vice Admirals, that wasnât an excuse. There was no room for justifications.
Jackâs recklessness and earnestness were well-known even among the Beasts Pirates. The world saw him as a madmanâwhich wasnât exactly wrongâbut that reputation stemmed from his nature.
He often charged headlong into fights regardless of how strong the opponent was, sometimes earning gloryâand sometimes failure. Thatâs why his seniors often reprimanded him.
But thenâit happened. Nue slightly shifted her body and looked toward the cause.
"Geezâwhat a popular girl I am⥠But isnât it awful to shoot at a cute girl while sheâs giving advice to her underlings⌠Ben Beckman~?"
"Youâve got some nerve⌠How old are you anyway? I heard youâve looked like that for over forty years nowâŚ"
"That partâs a mystery~⪠But I am forever a cute fifteen-year-old girl at heart⥠âStill, shouldnât you be paying attention to someone else right about now?"
"âŚ!! Yeah⌠looks like I should beâŚ!!"
Ben Beckman, first mate of the Red-Haired Pirates.
He had fired a bullet at Nue, but she dodged and exchanged words with him. Just as she said, Beckman realized this wasnât the time to be focused on her.
Because of his presenceâthe strongest creature, now returned to his human form.
"âKaidoâs here~~~!!!"
"!!!"
Aboard the Red Force, the ship of the Red-Haired Piratesâ
The figure landing on its deck was the most powerful and fearsome pirate sailing these seas.
"âRed-HairâŚ!!!"
"!!!?"
Even if that deck had been part of some island, the result would have been the sameâonce Kaido landed, destruction followed.
There was no escape at this point. Being at sea meant they needed a ship to fleeâand even if they tried, Kaido could fly. He would chase them to the ends of the world.
"âŚLooks like weâve got no choiceâŚ!!"
"âDonât worry⌠itâll be over in an instant!!!"
Kaido raised his kanabo.
Shanks raised his sword, coating it in Haki, and brought it crashing down to block the strike.
"!!!!"
"!!?"
At that moment, a black thunderclap-like shockwave surged from the deck, tearing through sea and sky, reverberating across the entire battlefield.
"Th-ThatâsâŚ!!"
"! Just like the rumors saidâŚ"
"âŚHmph. I figured⌠But barely managing to block Kaidoâs blow, huhâŚ?"
Everyone was stunned by the phenomenonâwhether they knew what it was or not.
Kaido, too. But it wasnât the fact that his attack was blocked that surprised him. After all, in terms of pure strength, Kaido still had the upper handâRed-Hair was smashed down through the shipâs cabin.
But as Shanks stood up again, Kaido spat the words with visible irritationânaming the nature of his power.
"So youâve got Conquerorâs Haki tooâŚ? Cheeky bratâŚ!!!"
"Then try and crush meâŚ!!! Weâre not going down to youâŚ!!!"
âAnd with those words, once again, two Conquerors clashed in the New World.
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