Somewhere in the New World.
Several days before Luffy and his crew reached Alabasta, the Big Mom Pirates had set sail from their base, Whole Cake Island, charting a slightly curved course towards the Red Line.
The indirect route wasn't a detour, but a calculated decision based on wind and currents. A longer route, if it harnessed favorable conditions, could be faster than a direct one.
The fleet, including Big Mom's flagship, the Queen Mama Chanter, was currently engaged in a head-on clash with the Marines.
"Mamamama! I thought Kanata would be here, but it's you lot!"
Laughing loudly, Big Mom charged towards Sakazuki, who stood unflinchingly in her path.
Sakazuki, an admiral and a magma human thanks to the Magu Magu no Mi, returned her assault. A direct hit from his magma fists would inflict severe burns, yet…
"You old hag…!" Sakazuki growled.
Big Mom, despite exchanging blows with Sakazuki barehanded, showed no signs of burns. Her Haki, combined with her inhumanly resilient body, provided ample protection.
"Out of my way, Sakazuki! I want Nico Robin! I need her power to become King of the Pirates!"
"You think I'll let you pass?!"
The power of a Yonko was undeniable. Even an admiral like Sakazuki had little chance of victory. He was forced to fight with unwavering focus.
He would normally prioritize minimizing casualties among his men, but such considerations were a luxury he couldn't afford in this battle. The Marines scattered as magma erupted from the clash, while Big Mom, grinning, drew Napoleon, her sword, ready to end the stalemate.
"Fine. Then let's start by taking your lifespan!"
"I have nothing to give you! Die, Big Mom!"
As Big Mom raised her Haki-infused sword, Sakazuki dodged while slamming a magma-infused punch into her. Meanwhile, Berg clashed with Katakuri.
"Quite the welcoming committee. You haven't had much time to prepare, have you?" Katakuri remarked.
"Emergency protocols override standard procedures. We can't allow you to reach Paradise. The collateral damage would be catastrophic."
"I see. A wise decision. You're proving to be quite the challenge."
Three of Big Mom's Sweet Commanders, her top executives, were being held back by Admiral Berg, Borsalino, and Mihawk, who had been summoned as a Warlord. The fourth commander was absent, presumably left behind to defend their territory.
Doflamingo was unmotivated and fought with minimal effort. Moria, clearly yearning to go towards Kaido, reluctantly engaged his opponent. Kuma intercepted Big Mom's children.
Jinbe, stationed near Fish-Man Island, was prepared for an underwater battle should they attempt to bypass the blockade. The five summoned Warlords, each with their own motivations, had answered the call.
Refusal, after all, meant forfeiting their Warlord status, and the benefits it provided were considerable. Only Kanata, engaging Kaido's forces single-handedly, and Crocodile, whose removal was imminent, were exceptions.
"And you haven't had much time to prepare either," Berg pointed out.
As Berg had observed, the Big Mom Pirates, while formidable, weren't at full strength. Many of their allies and subordinates, scattered across various territories, hadn't been recalled in time for the departure.
Nevertheless, they outnumbered the hastily assembled Marine forces. Overwhelming them was possible, but the summoned Warlords and the steadily arriving Marine reinforcements were proving to be a nuisance.
"We can't risk letting Nico Robin escape. I'm wasting precious time dealing with you."
Having finally located Nico Robin after a long search, they couldn't afford to miss this opportunity. The Marines' intervention was understandable.
Katakuri, while slightly puzzled by the speed of their response, decided to address that later. The admiral before him was strong. A moment's carelessness could be fatal. Even with the unstable footing of the ship limiting their movements, the battle was intense.
(If only we could reach Alabasta…)
Katakuri thought before accepting the reality of the situation and focusing on the fight.
***
At the same time, another clash was unfolding.
The Beasts Pirates who set sail from Wano Country in the New World, and the Twilight Pirates who departed from Hachinosu, collided head-on. Unlike the battle between the Big Mom Pirates and the Marines, the battlefield here was a vast expanse of ice, created by Kanata's ability.
"Attack the ships! Immobilize them!"
Chiyo issued orders via Den Den Mushi. Their objective was Nico Robin's escape. Delaying the enemy was sufficient. Large-scale casualties were undesirable. Chiyo understood Kanata's intentions and prioritized containment over destruction.
In the distance, Feiyun was seen wielding Queen like a club, while Ragnell engaged King, preventing him from rampaging.
Containing the executives would significantly weaken the Beasts Pirates, but the sheer number of Smile users, artificial Devil Fruit users who had recently joined their ranks, was overwhelming. Even Twilight's elite forces, honed through constant training, were struggling to hold them back.
"Things would be so much easier with that idiot or Komurasaki…" Chiyo muttered.
Teach, "that idiot," was currently on vacation, unreachable having forgotten his Den Den Mushi. Kozuki was unavailable due to a critical assignment, and Kaie was too far away to be recalled in time. While their forces were roughly equal in number, the sheer quantity of Smile users gave the Beasts Pirates an advantage. Teach or Kozuki, with their wide-area attacks, would have significantly simplified the battle, but there was no point dwelling on absent allies.
Elsewhere, Ulti and Page One, two of the Tobiroppo, the Beasts Pirates' elite executives, were growing increasingly frustrated with their opponent.
"Damn it…!" Ulti growled.
Ulti and Page One were siblings, both Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit users with the Ryu Ryu no Mi. Their draconic forms, combined with their inherent strength, had earned them their positions among the Tobiroppo at a young age. Yet, they were being toyed with by a single man. A member of the Einherjar, Twilight's elite warriors.
"You bastard… why are you naked?!" Ulti yelled.
Their opponent, inexplicably, was completely naked. Despite this, he effortlessly held them back with a single sword. While acknowledging his strength, Ulti and Page One found the situation utterly mortifying.
"Don't show my little brother anything indecent, you pervert!" Ulti shrieked.
"Yeah, don't show… wait, that's my line!" Page One retorted.
As Page One corrected Ulti, she transformed into her hybrid form, leaped into the air, and launched a powerful headbutt towards the naked warrior.
"Take this, you pervert! Ulti Headbutt!"
The naked warrior, instead of dodging or blocking, met Ulti's Haki-infused attack with a headbutt of his own. He hadn't even attempted to use his sword.
BOOM!
The clash of Haki-reinforced skulls resonated like colliding metal, the impact cracking the ice beneath their feet. While a normal person would have their skull caved in, the naked warrior merely rubbed his forehead, seemingly unharmed.
"…That stung. Impressive power."
"You bastard…! You took that head-on and that's all you have to say?!"
"No, it actually hurt. Such force… By the way, may I have your name?"
"Huh? It's Ulti, Pachycephalosaurus!"
"Stop adding that, sis," Page One sighed.
"Shut up!"
Ignoring Ulti's outburst, Page One noticed the naked warrior staring intently at her. He pulled her back, separating her from their opponent, and transformed into his hybrid form. They were in the middle of a battle. This wasn't the time for distractions.
Seeing Page One's serious expression, Ulti turned her attention back to the naked warrior, lowering her stance, ready to attack.
"Ulti… your spirit is admirable. Perhaps we could go out together…"
"No way, you perverted bastard!"
Rejected without a moment's hesitation, the naked warrior slumped his shoulders, dejected.
Page One seized the opportunity and lunged, attempting to bite him, but the naked warrior instinctively hardened his arm with Haki, blocking the attack. He dropped his sword, grabbed Page One with both hands, and delivered a powerful kick to his stomach. Page One gasped and was thrown backwards.
"Page One! You bastard, how dare you hurt my little brother!"
Ulti charged, but the naked warrior retrieved his sword and deflected her headbutt and slashed at her. Despite his eccentric behavior, he was one of Twilight's strongest warriors. Even Ulti and Page One, two of the Tobiroppo, couldn't easily defeat him.
***
Cannon fire rained down on the Beasts Pirates' ships. Pirates who had reached the New World were familiar with naval bombardment. Simply increasing the number of cannons wouldn't sink many ships. However, with Kanata free to act, it was a different story.
(Kaido's not here? I can't imagine him not being on his flagship…)
Kaido, their primary target, was nowhere to be seen.
Defeating either Big Mom or Kaido individually was a difficult task, even for an admiral. Neutralizing them would require Garp or Sengoku at the front lines, but the former was currently on assignment in the East Blue, and the latter, as Fleet Admiral, couldn't be easily deployed. Therefore, Kanata had been tasked with confronting Kaido, the "Strongest Creature in the World," but he was conspicuously absent.
King and Queen, Kaido's top executives, the All-Stars, had been confirmed. The Tobiroppo, the next strongest, were also present. Only Kaido was missing.
"Did he slip past us…?"
At that time, the dragon was riding on a cloud of flames. Kaido, alone, could easily cross the Red Line and reach Paradise without using the sea routes. If that was the case, they would have to confront him in Alabasta. That would be problematic.
(…I don't want to rely on him, but I have no choice but to unleash Douglas Bullet.)
Unleashing Bullet, a former comrade with whom she had a complicated history, would exponentially increase the collateral damage, but Kaido alone could easily destroy a country. They couldn't afford to hesitate.
As she sliced a Beasts Pirates ship in half with a casual swing of her spear, Kanata contacted her subordinates via Den Den Mushi. The message would reach Bullet through her waiting messengers. All she could do now was decimate the Kaido-less Beasts Pirates fleet.
"—!"
As she prepared to sink another ship, she sensed something approaching at high speed. A dark shadow gliding just above the ice – a Pteranodon, King.
King charged towards Kanata, grabbed her arm with his teeth before she could react, and slammed her into the side of a Twilight ship. He had intervened, knowing that if Kanata was left unchecked, the casualties would be catastrophic. He glared at Kanata and tightened his grip.
"You shook off Ragnell?" Kanata asked.
"I'm faster. That woman can't stop me."
King's flames blazed as he launched a series of attacks in his hybrid form.
"Karyuudon!"
He unleashed a barrage of slashes with both wings, keeping Kanata at bay. Kanata, instead of dodging, took the attacks head-on, her ice body shattered and reformed instantly.
"That doesn't even tickle! You initiated this, yet you seem hesitant. Come on, try harder."
"Tch!"
King ascended, narrowly avoiding Kanata's counterattack. He looked down at the scarred icy landscape. He couldn't afford to take those attacks directly.
Yonko, like Kaido and Big Mom, were forces of nature, not to be measured by ordinary standards.
"Karyuudon!"
He unleashed a dragon-shaped blast of magma-like flames towards Kanata. The intense heat melted the ice, but Kanata casually sliced through the flames with her spear.
King sensed her counterattack and extinguished his flames and attempted to retreat at high speed – but Kanata, who should have been far away, was suddenly before him.
(She matched my speed…?!)
"Lost in thought?"
A Haki-infused kick, crackling with black lightning, struck King's neck, sending him bouncing across the ice and crashing into a Beasts Pirates ship. His Ancient Zoan durability and natural resilience saved him, but he still clutched his neck in pain.
"Damn… that woman's kick… My neck…!"
"King! Are you alright?!"
"Stay back!"
As his subordinates approached to offer medical aid, King dodged, narrowly avoiding Kanata's attack that sliced through the ship.
"Tch!"
King's flames reignited and he drew his sword and faced Kanata in his human form. He parried her Haki-infused spear, but Kanata forced King to defend until she created an opening.
Kanata unleashed a powerful uppercut that sent King, all six meters of him, soaring fifteen meters into the air. As he reached the apex of his involuntary flight, he saw Kanata before him. He raised his sword to defend, but Kanata deflected it with her spear and delivered another Haki-infused kick, which caused him to crash into the frozen sea.
"…He's still conscious," Kanata muttered.
She knew how tough King's exterior was, prioritizing internal damage over superficial wounds. While he had sustained considerable damage, he was still conscious. As Kanata landed on the ice, King, coughing up blood, stood up and glared at her defiantly.
"Damn it…!"
"You can still stand? Impressive."
The Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates frequently clashed with the Twilight Pirates. While she hadn't fought King directly, she had encountered Ragnell and Komurasaki, gaining a general understanding of their strength. King was tougher than she anticipated.
"Where's Kaido?"
"You think I'll tell you?"
"No. But I don't mind. I'll just eliminate you all and leave Kaido defenseless."
Decimating his forces here would simplify their eventual confrontation with Kaido. That was her current objective. King, while resilient, wasn't invincible.
Kanata infused her spear with Haki, preparing to end the fight, when she sensed an ominous presence descending from the sky. A familiar presence.
Dark clouds obscured the sun, and a massive dragon emerged. Blue scales, immense Haki, an aura of absolute dominance – Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, the "King of the Beasts."
"Kanata!"
Thunder rumbled through the dark clouds and lightning struck the sea as Kaido roared.
"There you are, Kaido!"
King was forgotten. Kanata smiled and turned her attention solely on Kaido.
"You've been having fun with my crew, haven't you?! Are you ready?!"
"Draw your weapon. You've come before me without your babysitter, Big Mom. Don't expect to leave alive!"
Kanata leaped into the sky, intercepting a bolt of lightning with her spear and redirecting it towards Kaido, infused with her Haki.
Kaido transformed into his hybrid form, swung his iron club, Hassaikai, above his head, and unleashed an upward strike.
"Thunder Bagua!"
Their Haki-infused attacks collided, the shockwave dispersed the dark clouds. They both landed on the ice, and Kaido stood before King to protect him.
"Sorry, Kaido…" King muttered.
"Don't mention it, King. You did well. Go get your wounds treated. I'll handle her."
Kaido grinned and rested Hassaikai on his shoulder.
"It's been a while… haven't gotten rusty, have you?!"
"Perhaps. I haven't had any decent opponents lately. I might be a little out of practice."
Kanata had sensed Kaido's increased strength in their earlier clash, but she simply shrugged and spoke nonchalantly.
Kaido became amused by her feigned modesty. He laughed. Was that the attack of someone "out of practice"?
"I want Nico Robin, but I rushed back because I wanted to fight you. Entertain me, Kanata!"
"…So, that's it."
Jack, another All-Star, was absent. Several of the Tobiroppo were also missing, along with some of the Gifters, the Smile users. Kaido had likely transported them to Alabasta before returning. She didn't know about the Big Mom Pirates, but given their course towards Wano, they might have joined forces.
"Glad I took precautions."
Kaido was often talked about only for his reputation for brute strength, he wasn't stupid. He was allied with Big Mom. The route through Fish-Man Island required coating the ships, a time-consuming process. He could have devised a plan to reach Paradise quickly. Junshi and Lycoris were her insurance.
"Wororororo! Let's begin!"
"Still as noisy as ever – let's see how much stronger you've become!"
BOOM!
They both unleashed their Conqueror's Haki, AND their weapons collided without even touching.. The impact split the icy earth, shook the air, and trembled the heavens.