"Heat Breath!"
A terrifying torrent of dragon fire tore through the atmosphere, scorching the very air as it surged forward. The blast carried an aura of pure destruction, aimed directly at the Veðrfölnir. The members of the Beasts Pirates watched the spectacle with fanatical adoration in their eyes. This was their Governor, the man known as the Strongest Creature in the World—Kaido of the Beasts! They were certain that under this single, overwhelming attack, any enemy would be reduced to nothing but ash.
However, the atmosphere on the deck of the Veðrfölnir remained profoundly calm. Donquixote Doflamingo adjusted his sunglasses, letting out his characteristic, mocking laugh. "Fuffuffuffu! What spectacular fireworks we're seeing today," he remarked.
Crocodile exhaled a thick ring of cigar smoke, snorting with clear disdain. "It's nothing but brute force. How uncivilized," he muttered.
"Kishishishishi! Kaido! Your breath is still as unoriginal as ever!" Moriah's eyes flashed with the burning fire of long-awaited revenge.
Jiru stood at the bow, facing the incoming destructive dragon's breath without flinching. His voice was calm as he gave the order. "Eneru."
"Yahahaha! Your divine decree shall be obeyed, my Kami!" Eneru let out a fanatical laugh from the depths of the ship. In the power core room, he had been eager to display his divine power to the world. "Witness it, mortals! This is true 'Divine Judgment'!"
Eneru unreservedly injected his lightning power into the ship's core. Instantly, the dark golden patterns across the Veðrfölnir lit up with maximum brilliance. Dozens of massive circular thrusters on the sides and hull ignited with dazzling blue light as the energy output reached its peak.
"All cannons, fire!" Tom's voice boomed from the dock control room.
The Veðrfölnir finally revealed its ferocious side. Armor plates slid open to reveal dozens of giant laser cannons shimmering with blue electricity. Whoosh—! The thick blue beams converged in mid-air into a massive torrent of energy, meeting Kaido's Heat Breath head-on.
Boom—!!!
The two destructive forces—blue lightning and crimson fire—collided violently. For a moment, the world lost all sound and color. A colossal energy ball expanded at the point of impact before exploding with a roar that shook the sea. A world-shattering shockwave swept outward, clearing every cloud above Onigashima. Below, the sea was pushed down dozens of meters, forming a massive depression that triggered a hundred-meter-high tsunami.
Thick smoke and steam obscured the sky, blinding the combatants. Jiru stood at the bow, letting the violent winds flap his greatcoat. "Hmm, it's certainly stronger than it was back then," he mused silently. "At least his spit is decent now. This is good; if he were too weak, this would be boring."
He didn't want to waste any more time. "Little ones, get to work!"
With that command, Jiru vanished from the deck. In the next heartbeat, he tore through the smoke and appeared directly before Kaido in his massive Azure Dragon form.
"Let me test just how hard these new scales of yours really are!" Jiru's voice rang in Kaido's ears. He gripped his black-gold naginata, Nidhogg. Black-red sparks of Haoshoku Haki coiled around the blade, emitting an ominous hum.
"God Avoidance!"
Without holding back, Jiru unleashed the signature technique of the late Pirate King. A hundred-meter-long black-red crescent slash tore through the air, carrying the domineering will to cut through everything. It struck fiercely toward Kaido's dragon head.
"Orororororo!! Excellent!" Kaido roared, a hint of madness flashing in his enormous eyes. He didn't dodge; he charged. Mid-air, his massive body shrank as scales and muscles reorganized into his hybrid form—his most effective combat stance. He swung his kanabo, Hassaikai, which was also infused with top-tier Haoshoku Haki.
"Thunder Bagua!"
Clang—!!!
The clash of the naginata and the kanabo erupted with a sound wave more terrifying than the previous energy explosion. Black-red lightning danced like serpents between them, and the space beneath their feet seemed to crack under the unbearable pressure. The battle had instantly entered a white-hot phase, with every collision shaking the very foundation of Onigashima.
As the two leaders clashed, the monsters on the Veðrfölnir could no longer restrain themselves. "Fuffuffuffu! The banquet has finally begun!" Doflamingo spread his arms and leapt from the ship, falling ten thousand meters toward the ground. He traced a strange arc through the air, heading straight for Jack the Drought. "You brute force mammoth, let me teach you the art of elegant slaughter!"
"Kishishishishi! Queen! I'm coming for you!" Gekko Moriah followed closely. Despite his size, he moved with surprising agility, extending his shadow like a venomous snake toward Queen the Plague. The humiliation he suffered years ago in Ringo would be repaid a hundredfold today.
Crocodile, with a cigar firmly in his mouth, transformed into a swirling sandstorm and drifted down toward the Tobi Roppo. "A bunch of brats in strange clothes... you're fit to be executives?" he asked with pure disdain.
Gild Tesoro stood with his hands in his pockets, his golden suit shimmering. "Money is the most powerful force in this world," he declared. "Today, you beasts shall witness the might of the Golden Empire!" He began scattering gold specks like snow over the battlefield, targeting the remaining Tobi Roppo.
Dracule Mihawk was the last to move. He opened his hawk-like eyes, glanced at Jiru's duel with Kaido, and then locked onto King the Conflagration. "A Lunarian? Interesting."
He made no unnecessary movements. He simply gripped the hilt of his Black Blade, Yoru, and vanished. He reappeared before King, bringing down a simple, unadorned slash.
Clang!!!
Sparks flew as King drew his sword to block. The impact sent King sliding back dozens of meters, leaving deep gouges in the stone. He looked at Mihawk in astonishment; there were no flashy abilities, just pure, terrifying swordsmanship. "You... are Hawkeye Mihawk!"
"Indeed," Mihawk replied calmly. "Coincidentally, Yoru has not yet tasted the blood of a Lunarian."
On the other side of the field, Doflamingo engaged Jack. "Elephant Tusk Stab!" Jack roared, wielding his weapons like a berserk mammoth. Doflamingo simply danced through the air on a web of strings, firing off sharp "Overheat" attacks that left bloody marks on Jack's hide. "Fuffuffuffu! Too slow! Too clumsy! A guy like you isn't even fit to carry Lord Jiru's shoes!"
Meanwhile, Queen and Moriah were locked in a chaotic struggle. "Mwahahahaha! You bastard! You dare show your face here again?" Queen yelled, firing mechanical arms and lasers. Moriah laughed back, "Kishishishishi! Your body is interesting, Queen! You'll make a fine addition to my zombie collection!".
Crocodile and Tesoro were like tigers among sheep. Facing Ulti and Page One, Crocodile merely waved a hand. "Sandstorm!" Yellow sand blinded them before he activated "Erosion Cycle," draining the moisture from their bodies until they were shriveled and weak.
Tesoro snapped his fingers at Drake and Sasaki. "Golden Fountain!" Liquid gold gushed from the earth, solidifying around them until they were nothing more than lifelike golden statues. Who's-Who and Black Maria were pinned to the ground by gold bullets before they could even get close. It was a complete disparity in strength.
High above, Eneru piloted the Veðrfölnir like a god. "Yahahaha! Repent before your God!" Countless laser beams rained down, clearing out the Beast Pirates' fodder with surgical precision. Each shot was followed by a scream and scorched earth.
Onigashima had become a purgatory of blood and fire. Jiru and Kaido fought in the highest reaches of the sky, their Haki clashing like thunder. Mihawk and King dueled atop the giant skull dome, while the rest of the crew dismantled the All-Stars and Tobi Roppo with ease. The World Tree Pirates had arrived, and they did so with absolute authority.
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