While the battle at the castle gates reached its climax, a one-sided massacre quietly commenced across Hachinosu Island's streets.
On one particular street, Mihawk advanced steadily with blade in hand, his footsteps light yet radiating overwhelming presence.
Before him, dense clusters of pirates retreated with each step he took, their hearts in their throats.
Many trembled as they backed away under the pressure of the World's Greatest Swordsman.
"Kill him! He's alone!"
Suddenly, a pirate captain found courage from somewhere, roaring with wide-eyed fury as he charged at Mihawk.
"Hawk Eyes, I'll fight you to the death!"
As this captain surged forward, the hundred pirates behind him not only failed to follow but seized the opportunity to turn and flee.
A few among them showed slight conscience, shouting back at their captain while escaping.
"Hold them off, Captain! We're getting out first!"
"You're magnificent, Captain! We'll remember your sacrifice! After you die, we'll erect a gravestone for you!"
???
Shocked that his crew—who'd fought alongside him from Paradise to the New World—would abandon him, the pirate captain skidded to a halt just before reaching Mihawk, whipping his head around.
Seeing not a single soul remained behind him, he erupted in furious curses.
"You worthless scum! Come back! All of you, get back here!"
Witnessing this farce, Mihawk's lips twitched slightly before he cleanly raised his blade, his cold voice ringing in the captain's ears.
"Don't worry, they won't leave you behind. Since you all love Hachinosu Island so much... stay here forever."
Before the words faded, Black Blade Night descended without hesitation.
A slender green slash shot forth, skimming the ground with terrifying energy waves.
The pirate captain bore the brunt, watching helplessly as his torso separated from his lower body, his vision spinning into darkness.
The fleeing pirates were overtaken by slashing waves in the blink of an eye.
Under these world-class slashes, the pirates blocking the path were neatly bisected like butter cut by a hot knife.
Their upper bodies maintained a forward charging posture mid-air while their lower halves collapsed powerlessly to their knees.
The next second, the entire street was dyed crimson as agonized screams rose one after another.
Mihawk walked expressionlessly through the bloodbath and dismembered limbs, his sharp gaze sweeping toward the distant battlefield.
...
Unlike Mihawk's elegant yet lethal slaughter, Yamato's battlefield was filled with wild frenzy.
"HAHAHAHA! So exhilarating! Call more reinforcements!"
Yamato roared excitedly while shouldering her kanabo, charging forward like a white beast plunging into a flock of sheep.
Before her stretched an endless dark mass of pirates.
"Stop that madwoman!"
"Fire the cannons! Blast her to pieces!"
Yet cannonballs detonated within three meters of her, triggered by an invisible aura that left her completely unharmed.
"Thunder Bagua!"
Yamato leaped high, her kanabo wreathed in black-red lightning, before smashing down upon the densest cluster of pirates.
BOOM—
A terrifying shockwave erupted, instantly creating a massive crater in the ground.
Dozens of surrounding pirates were sent flying by the violent blast, their bones shattered.
A pirate captain with a bounty exceeding 300 million bellowed as he raised an armament-hardened giant shield, attempting to withstand the blow.
"CRACK!"
The great shield shattered instantly.
The kanabo's momentum unabated, hammering him deep into the ground.
"Too weak! Is this all you've got?"
Emboldened by her successful strike, Yamato swung her kanabo and charged back into the crowd.
"Thunder Bagua!"
"Thunder Bagua!"
"Once more, Thunder Bagua!"
Yamato's attacks were simple and brutal—merely swinging her club with pure strength and haki to crush all enemies before her.
Yet these straightforward assaults made countless notorious New World pirates tremble in fear.
Hundreds scattered like startled birds amid a series of miserable screams, all desperate to escape Yamato's sight.
...
In another area reduced to flattened ruins, the rampaging Chopper finally ceased his indiscriminate destruction.
No standing pirates remained in this zone—most slept eternally peaceful under his violent attacks, while the few lucky survivors had long fled at the first sign of danger, never daring to approach the terrifying monster again.
"ROAR—"
Chopper tilted his head skyward and released a pained roar, his crimson eyes filled with struggle and madness.
"CHOPPER!"
A loud shout echoed as Luffy burst forth from a pile of rubble.
The moment his voice rang out, Chopper sharply turned and mercilessly swatted him away.
"BAM!"
Luffy was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through a dilapidated building in the distance.
Before the dust could settle, Chopper's massive form charged forward, plucking Luffy from the debris and clutching him tightly in his palm.
Lowering his head, Chopper's enormous bloodshot eyes fixed intently on the tiny Luffy in his grasp—filled with both the urge to crush him completely and a flicker of internal struggle.
"Chopper! Wake up! It's me! Luffy!" Luffy shouted from within the giant grasp.
Chopper's movements hesitated slightly, the madness in his eyes seeming to recede for a fleeting moment.
At that moment, a trembling voice came from behind another pile of ruins nearby.
"Chopper!"
Usopp scrambled out, his entire body shaking, face streaked with tears and dust.
Yet he mustered the greatest courage of his life to confront the monster.
"Chopper! Snap out of it!"
The shouts from his two companions brought a flicker of clarity to Chopper's eyes, but the next second, it was completely swallowed by even more violent madness.
"ROAR—"
Chopper let out an ear-splitting roar, violently flung Luffy away, then raised his other colossal paw and slammed it down toward the tiny Usopp!
"!!!!"
Unexpectedly, Chopper had lost control to such an extent.
Usopp's eyes were instantly filled with terror, his legs trembling so badly he could barely stand.
But he didn't run.
Watching the enormous paw descending upon him, Usopp suddenly spread his arms wide and shouted with all his might, his voice hoarse and desperate.
"Chopper! Stop! Stop it now!"
Chopper paid no heed to his words.
Just as Usopp was about to be crushed into paste.
A powerful aura abruptly arrived.
The next instant, a figure flashed into existence, standing squarely in front of Usopp.
Thud—
A dull, explosive sound echoed.
The expected bloody carnage did not occur.
Chopper's massive paw, capable of smashing mountains, was effortlessly blocked by a single hand.
The one who blocked Chopper's attack was naturally Orion.
"Chopper, you really shouldn't abuse drugs like this in the future."
Orion slowly looked up, his gaze meeting Chopper's crimson eyes, and revealed a gentle smile.
The next moment, Conqueror's Haki erupted abruptly, precisely targeting Chopper, then intensified with overwhelming force!
"Aoooo—"
Chopper let out an uncontrollable, piercing howl.
Under the absolute suppression of the Conqueror's Haki, his mountain-like body began to tremble violently and rapidly shrank at a visible pace.
Finally, the monster vanished.
Chopper reverted to the small, blue-nosed reindeer, his eyes rolling back as he fell unconscious.
Usopp remained standing in place, staring blankly at Orion.
Only when Orion walked over, bent down, and picked up the unconscious Chopper did Usopp snap out of his daze.
His nerves, stretched to the breaking point, suddenly relaxed.
Usopp could no longer hold himself up; his legs gave way, and he fell to his knees with a thud.
"Fleet Admiral..."
He looked up at the approaching Orion, managed to say only those words, then lost control of his emotions and burst into tears like a child.
Just then, Nami, Nojiko, and Koala quickly ran over.
"Chopper! What happened to him?" Nami asked anxiously, looking at the unconscious Chopper in Orion's arms.
"He's fine," Orion smiled. "He just overdid it with the drugs. He'll be okay after some sleep."