On the battlefield of Onigashima, chaos reigned.
The fight between the all-powerful knight and BIG MOM raged on, destroying everything in their path like a moving natural disaster.
But honestly, neither side could do much to the other in a short time.
Their elemental attacks were evenly matched, and both had incredible defense.
—Technically, if Roman went all out, he did have some ways to hurt BIG MOM—like the electromagnetic railgun or a double-layered Haki-compressed slash.
But those attacks had a fatal weakness: they needed time to charge.
And this wasn't Whole Cake Island—it was Onigashima.
The Straw Hat Crew's top priority wasn't taking down BIG MOM, but defeating Kaido.
So, the battle became a test of endurance—who would give out first, BIG MOM or Roman and Nami?
The real deciding factor was another battle entirely—
"THUNDER—"
?!
In an instant, Luffy 'saw' a dangerous future!
Without hesitation, he dodged at high speed.
But Kaido had already swung his club!
With that single strike, Kaido seemed to bend the very fabric of space!
Even the air in front of him distorted and compressed, like a sponge being crushed in the middle.
The distance between him and Luffy shrank dramatically—his attack speed surged to an unimaginable level!
"BAGUA!!"
A flash of black lightning erupted—
It was an advanced Conqueror's Haki strike that could shatter anything!
Even the world's hardest diamond would crumble before it.
In a blinding instant, Kaido seized an opening.
Ignoring Ace's punch, he launched a brutal attack at Luffy!
Luffy was sent flying like a spinning top.
And as Kaido suddenly appeared behind him—
The remaining force of his Thunder Bagua crashed downward—
Then, the whole battlefield shook violently!
For a moment, it felt like no one was standing on an island anymore but instead on a battleship speeding across the sea—only to crash headfirst into an iceberg! People lost their balance, tumbling all over the place, rolling and crashing into each other. The Beasts Pirates' sprawling base collapsed into rubble in an instant.
Right away, the difference between the strong and the weak became clear. Those who leaped into the air using Moonwalk were all high-ranking fighters. Those who barely managed to stay on their feet were the elites. And as for the ones sprawled on the ground… well, they weren't even worth mentioning.
The Beasts Pirates' artificial Zoan users with flying abilities had a huge advantage, sneering down at the "ground crawlers" below them.
"These monsters..."
Charlotte Galette quickly spread a thick layer of butter to act as a cushion, stabilizing her younger siblings. As Big Mom's children, they were all expected to fight in battle. Many of them had stepped onto the battlefield as early as their teenage years. If they didn't want to die—
They had no choice but to grow stronger!
Of course, if they had older siblings like Galette who were willing to lend a hand, that was always helpful.
"Perospero, hurry up and take care of these weaklings so we can go help Mama!"
"Go, Biscuit Soldiers!"
On the other side, Charlotte Cracker commanded his army of Biscuit Soldiers, charging through the battlefield. In this world, it was common for strong fighters to rush into battle alone, so there was no such thing as "battle formations." That gave Cracker a perfect opportunity to shine—
Slash! Slash!!
Swords flashed, shields clashed. The Biscuit Soldiers carved through the battlefield, leaving chaos in their wake.
Each of these Biscuit Soldiers was as strong as a high-level pirate worth hundreds of millions. Working together with perfect coordination, they became deadly killing machines! One of them alone could wipe out dozens of samurai and Whitebeard Pirates. At this level, they were strong enough to interfere in battles between emperors. But—
"Collier Shoot!"
Out of nowhere, a black boot shot through the air.
Even though Cracker reacted instantly, raising his famed sword "Pretzel," the sheer force behind the kick still sent him stumbling half a step back.
"Oh? If it isn't one of the Vinsmoke brats."
Cracker looked at Sanji, who had just appeared in the air, and let out a laugh.
"It hasn't even been that long. Haven't even finished your honeymoon, and you're already coming at me?"
"You have no right to bring that up!"
Just hearing that made Sanji furious.
"Where were you, 'big brother,' when Pudding was being bullied?"
"Ha! In the Charlotte family, that's just how things are. Only competition, pressure, and danger can create real strength!"
Cracker spun his sword and slashed, leaving a massive sword mark hundreds of meters long across the battlefield. He smirked at Sanji, who had dodged the attack.
"We came from a pirate empire. If you aren't strong enough, you'll just get assassinated or kidnapped. I heard the Vinsmokes are even worse—you lot don't even have emotions! Compared to your family, was Pudding really treated that badly?"
!!!
"You're right. In this world, no one can survive without becoming stronger…"
Whether it was the Vinsmokes or the Charlottes, behind the dazzling image of the "War Army" and the "Four Emperors" were countless enemies waiting to strike, filled with nothing but hatred and a thirst for revenge.
A so-called "prince" or "princess" who didn't grow strong would only end up abandoned or dead.
But—
"That doesn't excuse letting Pudding get hurt! Strength can be built in a kind environment too—"
Sanji, clad in his black raid suit, launched a kick. His jet-black boot clashed against Cracker's sword, and the force of their Haki collision exploded in all directions!
"Let me, someone raised in a 'soft' environment, shatter your twisted pride!"
"If you think you can—"
With a wave of his hand, Cracker's Biscuit Soldiers all turned, raising their swords toward Sanji.
"I don't go easy on traitors!"
——————
"Huff… Huff… I saw it coming, but that was still way too fast…"
On the other side, Luffy struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from his forehead. If not for his advanced Observation Haki predicting the attack, taking Kaido's "Thunder Bagua" head-on would've left him in critical condition.
"Not bad. Looks like you won't go down in one hit again…"
"Luffy, are you alright?"
Kaido wasn't chasing after him—not because he was done talking, but because Ace had stepped in to block his path.
Taking Ace's punch head-on just now—though Kaido wore a cold, confident smirk—actually hurt quite a bit.
"You two brothers are impressive, but do you really understand what it means to be the Pirate King?"
"It's not just a fancy title. It holds the biggest secret in the world—the ultimate power! The moment you sit on that throne, you have to bear the responsibility that comes with it—"
"I don't care about all that!"
Luffy clenched his fists, shaking off the blood dripping from his hand.
"I'm going to be the Pirate King!! Because the Pirate King is the freest person on the seas!!"
Freedom?
Such arrogance!
ROOAARRR—!!!
A soul-shaking roar echoed across Onigashima. A massive azure dragon, twisting and coiling, shot up into the sky. Its blue scales shimmered under the Gecko moonlight, its long antler-like horns stretched outward, and its five razor-sharp claws gleamed coldly. A gaping maw opened wide as if to swallow Luffy and Ace whole.
—That wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between my teeth!
"You brats have no idea what that throne truly means. It's not freedom at all! It's the greatest *shackle* in the world! The moment you sit on it, you'll have to face an eight-hundred-year nightmare!"
The massive dragon lowered its head, looking down at the two young men before him.
"Killing you now is honestly a bit of a waste."
"But once you're dead, your crew, your treasure—everything you've gathered to reach the top—will be mine!"
"And with that, I'll be one step closer to the Pirate King's throne!!"
Hearing Kaido's greedy, ruthless declaration, Big Mom, who was battling Roman and Nami, turned her head in anger.
"Damn you, Kaido! *I'm* the one who will become the Pirate King!!"
"Ma-ma-ma-ma~~ Once I get Wano Country's treasure, I'll crush you myself!"
...
"Tch, you guys sure know how to underestimate people."
Ignored by Big Mom, Roman took a deep breath among the retreating knights.
In that brief moment of gathering power, black lightning crackled wildly across his massive sword.
—A fusion of two Haki techniques!
At the same time, surging magma coiled around his blade, while an icy chill spread along its edge. As heat and cold clashed, the air expanded and contracted, creating a powerful atmospheric shift.
The swirling winds began to spiral faster and faster. The tornado wrapped around the sword, pulling in dirt, rocks, and debris, growing in strength by the second. In the blink of an eye, it expanded into a colossal tornado, dozens of meters wide, stretching from the ground to the sky.
The ice, turning into mist, formed swirling storm clouds. Fueled by the raging winds, waves of energy surged outward. Roman's Haki blended seamlessly with the storm—his sword borrowing the force of the wind, the wind raging against the sky, spinning faster and faster, its power climbing higher and higher!
"Combined Attack: Song of Ice and Fire!"
It sounded like a long process, but in reality, it had only taken a few seconds to charge up.
With a mighty swing of his sword, the massive tornado of magma and ice merged into a chaotic force and crashed down, roaring toward Big Mom!
Like storm clouds crashing into the moon, its devastating power could shake mountains and split seas!
Big Mom finally snapped her head around.
"So what if I underestimated you?!"
With her furious roar, the sky exploded with thunder!
Lightning streaked wildly across the battlefield, flashing in all directions, creating a chaotic storm of electricity. Behind her, a towering wall of flames erupted, intertwining with the lightning. Fire and thunder crashed together, merging into a raging inferno of destruction.
Blazing heat, endless explosions, searing light—fire and destruction engulfed everything!
"Emperor's Sword: Blade of Ruin!!!"
In an instant, Napoleon, wreathed in lightning and fire, clashed against Roman's tornado-empowered blade!
A massive explosion erupted from the impact!
Lightning, fire, wind, and Haki-infused sword energy tore through the battlefield. The ground beneath them was ripped apart, entire sections vanishing in an instant. Even the deep underground rock layers groaned as they shattered and surged upward. Countless stones and debris were blasted into the air, then crushed to dust by the raging winds, and finally vaporized in the storm of lightning and fire.
It was like a volcanic eruption—pure devastation beyond words!
The battlefield, spanning hundreds of meters, had transformed into a massive crater, as if a giant meteor had slammed down from the heavens. The destruction was so overwhelming that it was beyond human comprehension.
"Tch, as expected of a Four Emperor."
After their direct clash, Roman gracefully withdrew, his enormous frame stepping back three times. With each step, the ground quaked violently, leaving behind deep, shattered craters.
The diamond armor on his sword arm had cracked and shattered, but in the next second, it seamlessly regenerated.
"Nami, looks like we need to step it up too."
"Alright."
"I'm going to kill you brats!!"
BIG MOM's shoulder was covered in blood, clearly injured, making her even more furious! As she erupted in rage, the towering Omni-Knight charged at her again with sword and shield in hand.
*A mere Four Emperor?* Even if it was a head-on fight—
*Who's afraid of who?!*
(End of Chapter)
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