Chapter 113: Paramount War

"...I couldn't even save... a single comrade...!!!!"

For Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat crew he leads, that day was the day they came to realize their own weakness.

On their way to Fish-Man Island, the crew stopped at the Sabaody Archipelago. In order to rescue Camie, the mermaid they had befriended, they headed to the Human Auction House. There, Luffy punched a Celestial Dragon who had harmed Hatchan, a fish-man and their friend. Following that, they encountered “Dark King” Silvers Rayleigh, the former first mate of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and asked him to coat their ship.

However, the crew couldn’t survive the three days it would take for the coating to finish.

Admiral Kizaru arrived in response to the Celestial Dragon being injured. Alongside him came the Science Combat Squad Captain Sentomaru and the government’s human weapons, the Pacifistas.

"Let us never meet again... Farewell."

Then, by the hand of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the “Tyrant” Bartholomew Kuma... the crew was completely torn apart.

── But that didn’t mean they were dead.

Thanks to Kuma’s Paw-Paw Fruit powers, each of the Straw Hat crew members was sent flying to a different location.

The true reason behind this was still unknown to them.

Thus, each of them began searching—desperately and alone—for a way to reunite with their comrades.

But even then, Luffy was about to get caught in yet another storm.

The island he was sent to was Amazon Lily, the island of women ruled by the warrior tribe “Kuja.”

It was a land forbidden to men, isolated from the world, ruled by Boa Hancock—the “Pirate Empress,” captain of the Kuja Pirates, and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Because the island lay within the “Calm Belt,” people from outside rarely ever arrived.

But even an island cut off from the world cannot escape a storm large enough to shake the world itself.

── One week remained until the public execution of Portgas D. Ace, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.

"Right now... this country is...!! Protected by your title as a 'Warlord of the Sea,' you know."

In a chamber of Kuja Castle, where generations of Amazon Lily's emperors had lived, the old woman known as Elder Nyon urged the current empress, Boa Hancock.

Hancock had accepted the summons of the Seven Warlords—a gathering of power meant to oppose the invading Whitebeard Pirates, who were expected to come to retrieve "Fire Fist" Ace. However, she refused to board the Marine warship sent to retrieve her. Instead, she used her Love-Love Fruit powers to turn nearly all of the Marines into stone, then returned as if nothing had happened.

If she refused the summons, her title as Warlord would be revoked, and the full force of Marine Headquarters would descend upon Amazon Lily. The Calm Belt’s natural defenses meant nothing to Marine warships lined with Seastone on their hulls.

In short, if she left the Warlords, someone else would need to protect them—something Elder Nyon feared.

"If you lose your title, you’ll return to being just another pirate nation, and disaster will strike!!! To avoid that, we must... declare our connection to them—the ones we’ve been secretly cooperating with!!! Do you understand that!!?"

"...You're just afraid, aren't you?"

But Hancock flatly refused her advice.

She would not be controlled by anyone. She would not take orders. Especially not from the World Government.

So, the only ones whose orders she listened to were a certain pirate crew she reluctantly allied with. Even they had told her that whether she joined the upcoming war or not was up to her. Given that freedom, there was no way Hancock—who despised the Government—would choose to join.

So, Hancock threw out Elder Nyon, went to wash off the fatigue of her travels, and entered the bath.

── But that marked the beginning of the storm.

The man who suddenly crashed through the ceiling during her bath was none other than Monkey D. Luffy, who had already made contact with the island’s inhabitants after being flung there.

He had charged into the tallest building, looking for a pirate ship to take him back to Sabaody, and accidentally saw the one thing Hancock absolutely didn’t want anyone to see—her back.

Because of that, Luffy was sentenced to the "Duel to the Death" known as “Combat” by the Gorgon Sisters—middle sister Sandersonia and youngest sister Marigold.

Luffy struggled against their mysterious power, “Haki,” and one of the three women who had protected him—Marguerite—was nearly shattered in her petrified form.

"I told you to knock it off already, didn’t I!!!!"

── But in that moment, Luffy instinctively unleashed “Conqueror’s Haki” and stopped them.

"Aside from our elder sister and that person... I’ve never seen anyone else use this...!!!"

Sandersonia said. To the Gorgon Sisters, only four people were known to wield Conqueror’s Haki.

Though surprised at first, they continued the battle, thinking Luffy couldn’t control it consciously. But once Luffy powered up with “Gear 2,” the tide of battle began to shift slightly in his favor.

Thrown off balance, Sandersonia nearly fell into a pit of spikes.

But as her clothes caught fire due to Marigold’s accidental attack, it was Luffy who used his body to hide her back in place of the burnt garments.

And from there, everything changed.

The Gorgon Sisters, moved—not exactly out of gratitude—offered to grant Luffy one wish, while also trying to expose his true intentions. Would he choose his own goal, or the lives of those three he barely knew?

But without hesitation, Luffy chose to save Marguerite and the others, bowing his head before Hancock.

Shocked by his selflessness, and disarmed of their hostility, the sisters invited him to Kuja Castle and asked him where he had seen that symbol on her back.

Luffy, unaware, mistook it for the tattoo on his fish-man friend Hatchan's body.

Then Elder Nyon arrived and revealed what was written in the newspaper—that Luffy had recently punched a Celestial Dragon.

Upon hearing this, they were speechless.

"To risk his life... fear no gods... and challenge the 'Heavens'... someone like that...!!"

"'Someone like that'?"

And then Hancock told him everything.

The arrogance and self-satisfaction from before had vanished. Her face pale, sweat dripping down her skin.

"We three sisters... long ago... were slaves to the 'World Nobles'...!!!"

"!!?"

Luffy was shocked to learn the sisters had once been slaves.

What followed was a recounting of a horrific past.

As children, they were abducted by human traffickers and suffered cruelty at the hands of the Celestial Dragons—the first "men" they had ever seen.

Even recalling it caused Sandersonia to scream and clutch her head from the trauma. The three of them had thought only of death back then.

And yet, they were still here. They had been saved.

"──But one night, four years later, a shocking incident shook the World Government. No one ever defies the Celestial Dragons—that’s the iron rule of the world."

Yes. No one opposes the Celestial Dragons.

To defy a god is a sin itself. That’s the world they live in.

However──

"In that world, one climbed the 'Red Line' with his bare hands... and another led an army into the Holy Land using a mysterious power."

Hancock recalled the day of their rescue—and the bloodshed.

She remembered the faces of the two people who had saved them, and revealed their names to Luffy—both of whom were great benefactors.

"The first was... the adventurer Fisher Tiger, who would later lead the Sun Pirates. He fought to liberate slaves from the city where many fish-men were oppressed..."

『Run!! Never get caught again!!』

His voice and image flashed back.

But remembering him naturally brought up the other.

Someone who looked the same then as they do now.

"The other... is the Vice Governor of the 'Beasts Pirates,' one of the Four Emperors... the great pirate known as 'The Phantom Beast Nue.'"

"! One of the Four Emperors... huh?"

Luffy responded, vaguely recognizing the name, but couldn’t quite place it. Unaware, Hancock continued.

"I still don’t know his true motives—not even now, thirteen years later... But they rampaged through the Holy Land. Though Tiger hated humans as a race, he freed thousands of slaves from every species without discrimination... And Nue-san, too, ordered her subordinates to free the slaves... while she, herself... slaughtered those Celestial Dragons... and showed that sight to all who were in the Holy Land."

『Look, everyone’s watching you～♡ They probably never imagined they’d get to see you die like this～!! Ahahahaha!!』

The Celestial Dragons were being directly subjected to fear, agony—and death—at the hands of the most terrifying creature in the world.

Because they were enemies she bore a grudge against, no pity welled up. But... the fear toward Nue was unmistakably strong.

Still, even as the Holy Land was engulfed in flames by Nue and Tiger, the women had fled for their lives just like the other slaves.

That’s exactly why Hancock and the others owed a debt to Nue and Tiger. So much so, in fact, that they still remained in contact with the former.

As for the latter, after the incident, he had formed the “Sun Pirates” in order to shelter and protect both fish-men and mermaids who had been slaves. He engraved the symbol of the sun on everyone’s bodies, whether slave or not, to cover up the mark of slavery. That is why the Sun Pirates' symbol resembles that of the slaves.

Hancock and her sisters, once enslaved, now refused to be ruled by anyone. If the truth about their slave mark was revealed, they would no longer be allowed to remain on the island.

So they let down their guard for no one, deceived the nation, and trusted nobody.

And when Hancock confessed and laid bare her emotions, Luffy didn’t ridicule her or care at all that she hated the Celestial Dragons.

Having gained her favor, Luffy was to be sent to the Sabaody Archipelago the next morning—but when he slipped away from the island’s party with Margaret and headed to Elder Nyon’s house, he learned something shocking.

"“The Seven Warlords” and “Navy Headquarters”...!!? They’re gonna fight the “Whitebeard Pirates”!?! What the hell’s gonna happen!!?"

That was the current state of the world.

The fact that Hancock was one of the Seven Warlords. And that the government’s military force, including the Seven Warlords, was going to war with one of the Four Emperors—the Whitebeard Pirates—was enough to startle even Luffy.

But what truly shocked and unhinged him… was the reason behind the war.

"“Whitebeard” is a man who never forgives a comrade’s death. And knowing that... they still went ahead and announced the “public execution” of Whitebeard’s brilliant subordinate, Portgas D. Ace...!!!"

It was a pirate named “Blackbeard” who joined the Seven Warlords by offering Ace’s capture as his bargaining chip.

The fact that the World Government had used Ace’s capture to finally make their move was staggering.

Even those with no connection to any of it would be shocked—but for Luffy, the impact was on another level. Because “Ace” was──

"He’s my brother…………!!! Ace is my big brother!!!"

"!!?"

Yes... Luffy and Ace had exchanged sake cups as kids and become sworn brothers.

If nothing was done, Ace might be executed.

If “Whitebeard” won, Ace could be saved──but if not, Ace would die.

The public execution was set for six days later. It would take place on the island of “Marineford,” home of Navy Headquarters.

Everything would be over before Luffy even reached Sabaody Archipelago.

Moreover, getting to Ace—held in the great prison “Impel Down”—was impossible through conventional means.

There was a special sea current called the “Tarai Current” connecting the three major government institutions, but the “Gates of Justice” placed at each entrance prevented anyone from entering. To make matters worse, Impel Down itself was located in the Calm Belt, an area no pirate could ever reach.

But that didn’t matter to Luffy. What mattered was... if he did nothing, Ace might die.

Ace had his own adventures. For Luffy, the younger and weaker brother, helping Ace was something that deeply conflicted him──

"I wanna go save Ace!!!"

With gratitude toward his crew, he clearly stated his resolve.

But it was a thorny path. The scale of the war was beyond imagination. A lone pirate like Luffy would likely be able to do nothing.

Hearing Luffy’s resolve, Elder Nyon told him the path with even the slightest chance of success. Going to Marineford was suicide. Rescuing a prisoner protected by the Seven Warlords and Navy Admirals was beyond difficult—flat-out impossible.

Thus, the only remaining path was to go to Impel Down, where a slim possibility still existed. But to get there, the only route was to board a Navy ship by having Hancock respond to the mandatory Warlord summons.

That, too, was a long shot. Hancock wasn’t the type to kindly listen to others’ pleas in the first place.

But──Straw Hat Luffy’s outrageous luck came through.

"You!! Could you ride the Navy ship and take me to the “prison” where Ace is being held!!!"

"If that is what you wish──then I... shall go wherever you ask"

"!!!"

"The Snake Princess!!! Has decided to go to the government’s stronghold!!!"

"There’s a saying in the East Blue… “Love is always!! Like a hurricane”!!!"

The illness that had once afflicted Hancock... was known as “lovesickness.” And the object of that love was Luffy.

And so, Hancock agreed to Luffy’s request, conditionally accepted the Seven Warlords’ mandatory summons, and set off for the world’s greatest prison—“Impel Down.”

──However, Hancock had one lingering concern.

(This war... will not end easily. Luffy may not be participating in it... no, I mustn’t tell him. It will only distract him.)

It was about the movements of certain individuals that had been reported in advance. Hancock hesitated, wondering if she should tell Luffy. But now was not the time—he needed to focus solely on rescuing his brother. She decided it was best not to mention it.

There were four days left until Impel Down. Six days left until the public execution. That was their time limit.

If the worst came to pass, she would even ask them for help to save Luffy and his brother. For Luffy’s sake, Hancock quietly steeled her resolve.

---

The most significant reason why a “Yonko” can remain a “Yonko” is due to the overwhelming strength of the Yonko themselves.

This applies to “Whitebeard” as well—however, the reason why “Whitebeard” is often cited as the most formidable among the Yonko has much to do with his own unique power.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!?"

"A tsunami…!!!"

"Report—blgh!! Ah—do something about the ship!!!"

"Aaaaahhhhhhh~~~!!!"

Twenty-three Navy ships had been monitoring the Whitebeard Pirates’ main vessel, the Moby Dick.

All of them were simultaneously sunk by a sudden, massive tsunami.

Of course, the New World is a sea where mysterious phenomena—unthinkable in other seas—occur all the time.

But this tsunami was no act of nature. It had been caused by the hand of the “Strongest Pirate.”

"Oyaji. Looks like all the warships are down."

"──Yeah. Now our movements won’t be detected… Let’s move while we can."

"Yeah!!"

On the deck of the Moby Dick, 14 of the 16 division commanders directly under Whitebeard had gathered, making preparations and planning a war to rescue their “family.”

Naturally, at the center of it all stood the giant man who had just used the Devil Fruit known to possess the power to destroy the world—the Gura Gura no Mi—to trigger a “seaquake” and sink all the warships with a tsunami.

『Captain of the “Whitebeard Pirates,” “Whitebeard” Edward Newgate. Bounty: 5,046,000,000 berries』

A legendary man who once rivaled the “Pirate King” Gol D. Roger.

With Roger gone, he was the pirate considered closest to the Pirate King’s throne.

…But even he was already a 72-year-old man. His body was connected to multiple medical devices, and his condition was only barely managed day to day through medication. Ailing and aged.

Yet his strength still did not disgrace the title of Yonko.

Naturally, he had declined from the peak of his prime—where he had been universally called the strongest without question—and even his sons who had known him for years recognized this.

Still, to the average pirate, his strength hadn’t waned in the slightest. Encountering him would be enough to make them abandon all hope of survival.

──Of course, how other Yonko saw him was another matter. No, he had definitely declined, and even “Whitebeard” himself was fully aware of that.

Even so, abandoning a son was never an option for him. He was a man who held “honor” sacred, never forgiving the death of a comrade.

That is precisely why he became a legend.

The Whitebeard Pirates and even their allies admired such a man.

"Oyaji!! That Musashi girl…!!"

"!! …I see…"

And among those who admired Whitebeard were many outcasts.

But even among them, one individual stood out as an extreme case.

The report that came from Marco, the 1st division commander, was about something that person had done—and it was enough to darken Whitebeard’s expression.

That person was a girl who had been aboard the ship as a guest of the Whitebeard Pirates for several years, and had been close with Ace.

The Whitebeard Pirates had half-recognized her as one of their own──although officially, due to her origins and personality, she was treated merely as a guest──that’s who she was.

──Impel Down, LEVEL 6…“Eternal Hell.”

A phantom floor that officially did not exist.

The lowest level of the great prison, where only legendary criminals were kept—those who had committed atrocities so grotesque, or had caused incidents so inconvenient for the World Government, they were never even reported in the news.

And currently, the most important prisoner in that level was none other than the 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates—“Fire Fist Ace.”

"I would’ve given my life to stop this war!!! Huff… I wanted to rescue you, Ace-san…!!!"

"…Jinbei… that’s enough. It just hurts now…………!!!"

But Ace wasn’t the only one in that cell. Sharing the same cell with him were the Warlord of the Sea, “Knight of the Sea” Jinbei—who had staunchly opposed the war and rampaged through Mary Geoise—and…

"Truly… to think I of all people would fail…!!! Ace… I’m sorry… If only I had saved you… no, if I’d just stepped in to stop Blackbeard in the first place…"

"…Musashi… this is my fault… not yours… and yet, you ended up captured too…"

Yes, there was a small girl named Musashi in that cell—bearing two horns on her head.

『Self-proclaimed Vice-Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates 2nd Division, “Mad Beast Musashi.” Bounty: 534,000,000 berries』

"Hahaha… don’t worry about it…!! Torture like this—I am quite used to it…!! Doesn’t affect me at all…!! More importantly… I’m thinking of a way to get you out. So just hang in there a bit longer…"

"…Musashi…"

The girl, chained and covered in blood, still smiled. Years ago, she had been one of Ace’s companions when he first challenged the Whitebeard Pirates.

To save Ace, she had single-handedly attacked the naval fleet escorting him—five ships total—sinking two before being captured.

Even then, she escaped once and launched an assault on Impel Down itself, sinking about three more ships, before being captured again and imprisoned in the same cell as Ace and Jinbei, in the lowest level.

But still not giving up, she now used her head, trying to find a way to escape and save Ace. Her tenacity weighed heavily on Ace, filling him with guilt.

He felt that perhaps… he really wasn’t worth saving after all.

"…Yeah. That’s right… I still haven’t given up either… I believe in “miracles” and “chances”…!!!"

"…………!!!"

But it wasn’t just Musashi who hadn’t given up—Jinbei hadn’t either. Knowing Musashi’s origins, his feelings were complicated, but Jinbei believed the sins of the parent should not be visited upon the child. He harbored no ill will toward Musashi.

"Kuhahaha… Looks like things are gettin’ pretty interesting outside… Seems like there ain’t a better chance than this to take down “Whitebeard”…!!! Even I can’t help gettin’ excited…!!!"

"……!! You bastard…!!!"

"You’re saying you’re gonna take Oyaji’s head…!?"

"Not just me…!!"

Hearing the conversation, the prisoners of LEVEL 6 stirred.

Kill Whitebeard, take his head, end Whitebeard’s era, watch that bastard die—it all came out of their mouths fearlessly as they began to riot.

"Musashi… Jinbei… “Fire Fist”…!! Remember this well…!! There are countless “silver medalists” in this sea who shed bitter tears simply because they couldn’t defeat “Whitebeard” or “Roger”…!!! Kuhahahaha!!!"

"…Hmph… A washed-up former Warlord sure likes to bark…"

──Thirty-three hours remained until Ace’s public execution.

Musashi, for Ace’s sake, never gave up and kept thinking of the next move.

But the situation would take an unexpected turn.

Thanks to a visit from one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—Boa Hancock.

"!? (Hancock…!? Why is she here………… Could it be… by father or mother’s orders…?)"

"…! (That’s… Musashi…!! Why is she imprisoned here…!? Do Nue and the others know about this…?)"

When they met during the visitation for Ace, both women, familiar with each other, showed a flicker of emotion. But they could not react or greet one another. There was supposed to be no connection or relationship between the two.

So Hancock limited herself to a single glance and quickly concluded her conversation while the prisoners and guards cowered in fear of Warden Magellan’s poison. Hearing what she said, Ace then relayed it to Jinbei and Musashi.

"──My brother…!! …He’s here…………!!!"

"!? “Straw Hat Luffy” is…!?"

"......You're talking about that Straw Hat kid you always mention...!! Reckless..."

Yes—thanks to Hancock’s guidance, Monkey D. Luffy had successfully infiltrated Impel Down and was now descending deeper and deeper into hell.

"YEAHHHH~~~!!! Took down the hell-beast!!!"

Impel Down, LEVEL 3: "Hunger Hell."

A place where fierce criminals with bounties over 50 million berries gathered. It was here that Luffy, after recruiting the imprisoned Buggy, Mr. 3, and Mr. 2, had just defeated the jailer beast Minotaurus.

The fact that there was now one intruder and three escapees was already known to Chief Warden Magellan, every officer, and even the Marines outside.

──And Musashi had sensed this development, however faintly.

"…Don’t come, Luffy…!!!"

"…………(No doubt about it. I can feel strong presences and several others moving from above... Magellan must have mobilized with the guards. Hannyabal and the jailer beasts too. If Straw Hat Luffy somehow manages to reach this level and unlock the cell, it won’t be too hard to escape with three people... but escaping from Magellan and making it all the way here...)"

Thanks to her naturally strong Observation Haki, Musashi could sense the movement of presences far above and deduced that Magellan and his officers were now taking action. In order to escape with Ace from here, the handcuffs and the cell were obstacles that had to be removed.

The best option for that was to have Luffy, who was likely outside, find some way to do it. However, the odds of Luffy defeating Magellan—or even fleeing from him and reaching this level—were extremely slim.

Perhaps she should instead pin her hopes on the strange presence she felt from the upper floors—neither man nor woman. Realizing she could now only rely on others, Musashi clenched her teeth in frustration.

---

—32 hours until Ace's public execution.

In the seas of the New World, the incident occurred.

"…………"

The name of the ship sailing through the raging waters was the Red Force. The flag it flew bore a skull marked with three scars.

It was the emblem of the "Red-Haired Pirates," one of the infamous Four Emperors ruling the New World.

On the deck stood the famed executives. Unlike the other Four Emperors, they didn’t boast massive numbers of crew or subordinates, but their bounties averaged higher, forming a well-balanced and formidable pirate crew.

Though the organization was constantly growing, the phrase "elite few" suited them more than any of the other Four Emperors.

And leading those renowned executives from the deck, gazing toward the distant sky, stood a man with red hair. Three scars over his left eye. A one-armed man missing his left arm—he was known as one of the Four Emperors, a man said to be uncontrollable if angered.

『"Captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, Red-Haired Shanks" — Bounty: 4,048,900,000 Berries』

"……Did you see it?"

"Yeah. There's a hell of a lot of them."

"The number… easily over a thousand… damn, what a ridiculous ability, as usual."

With his sharp eyes, Red-Haired Shanks sensed through the clouds—still invisible to the naked eye—using Observation Haki. He asked his long-time comrades, the executives beside him. The capable first mate, Benn Beckman, nodded, while Yasopp, a master sniper with the epithet "Chaser," also sensed the presence on the distant horizon with his refined Observation Haki and voiced the number, gritting his teeth. Taking on that many was nothing short of a hassle.

"Boss!! We got a call on the Den Den Mushi!!"

"It’s here… hand it over."

A chubby man holding a bone-in meat, also a capable combatant and executive named Lucky Roux, reported that a call had come through the Den Den Mushi in Shanks’ possession. Shanks took the call with a stern expression, unfazed.

"──It’s me."

『Ah, hellooo~! It’s me, the idol of the New World~』

The voice came through the Den Den Mushi. A girl’s voice, you could say—cute, even.

But Shanks and his executives knew full well just how troublesome this girl was. How malicious, too.

That’s why he responded with a sharp voice. Shanks’ expression and tone, infused with Haki, were enough to make the newer members of the Red-Haired Pirates break into a sweat. The deck was tense—because of who they were dealing with.

"What do you want?"

『What do I want? — Fufu, ahahaha…!! That’s my line, don’t you think?』

"……What are you talking about?"

Shanks asked the caller for her purpose—only to be met with a cryptic, amused laugh.

He questioned her meaning, but her tone dropped slightly, just a little lower than before.

『Don’t play dumb. You sensed our movements in advance and tried to stop us—that was you, wasn’t it?』

"! …I see… so you noticed."

『Of course I did. Who do you think I am?』

"I know. I know all too well… “Nue, the Beastly Phantom.”"

Shanks spoke her name. The newer crewmates swallowed hard. —So it really was that "beast."

That name, the elder sister-figure of the monster Kaido, was one known to all in the New World. There were more than a few Red-Haired Pirates who had once wandered into the Beast Pirates’ territory and paid for it. Even if one didn’t see her in person, entering her territory made her threat very clear.

And to Shanks and his executive crew, the Beast Pirates held unpleasant memories. Even as a fellow Emperor, they couldn’t afford to let their guard down. Both Shanks and Nue voiced their mutual awareness of each other’s intel and exchanged thinly veiled insults.

『It’s been four years since you became an Emperor. You’ve been skulking around trying to weaken our growing forces all this time—we saw through it from the start.』

"I see. So, did you catch the rat that was running around?"

『Ahaha…!! Acting like some sort of “balancer,” are you? You sure are full of yourself……!!!』

With a slight provocation from Shanks, the atmosphere beyond the Den Den Mushi turned menacing. It was clear how much that irked her. The Red-Haired Pirates didn’t know it, but for Nue to show such irritation was rare.

Indeed, the Red-Haired Pirates had been covertly harassing the Beast Pirates, aiming to hinder their expansion. Through indirect maneuvers that barely avoided escalating into actual skirmishes, and although the damage wasn’t direct, having it continue for four years certainly delayed their growth—and frayed tempers.

Moreover, unlike the Beast or Big Mom Pirates, the Red-Haired Pirates didn’t have a fixed base, making them harder to track than other Emperors. Even Nue, who inexplicably knew many things, didn’t have much intel on them. Hence, the Beast Pirates bore a not-so-small grudge toward the Red-Haired Pirates—not overwhelming, but not insignificant either.

That said, the ones more afraid of that grudge were the low-ranking members of the Beast Pirates. They knew better than anyone how terrifying Kaido and Nue could be. The very idea of drawing their ire was horrifying. Normally, those two would try to turn strong opponents into subordinates instead of killing them—but once angered, those they deemed true “enemies” rarely survived. One of those rare survivors… was Red-Haired Shanks.

『…Still, I’ll give you credit for standing tall as an enemy. It’s boring fighting weaklings all the time……!!』

"So… you are in the mood for a fight."

『That’s right.』

Holding the Den Den Mushi, Shanks spoke as he watched flying objects emerging one after another from the distant clouds. The crew stirred. The UFOs themselves were one thing, but more than anything… it was the sheer number.

Red, blue, green, rainbow-colored—each UFO appeared to block the Red-Haired Pirates’ path.

『Roughly 1,000 in total. That’s half the number of UFOs I can summon at once… and they’re all here to deal with you……!!』

"……!! …Quite the grand welcome."

『You can take it as a sign of respect. Of course, I don’t think this alone will turn you into sea dust… but it will buy some time♡』

"!!"

A thousand UFOs created by Nue’s ability, filling the sky. Taking out each one wasn’t hard—if you had enough strength.

But the UFOs flew through the air, making them hard to hit with cannons. Attack methods were limited.

And then there was the number. They wouldn’t fall behind, but even the Red-Haired Pirates, one of the Four Emperors, would have to spend time.

And that was enough to delay their arrival.

『Ahahahahahaha!!! Just sit there and soak it in!! Tomorrow will be the greatest show ever!!! A world no one could’ve predicted… is about to begin!!!』

"……Nue……!!"

"! They’re coming!!"

Over the Den Den Mushi, Nue made her grand declaration. At the same time, the UFOs launched an all-out attack on the Red-Haired Pirates.

Shanks called out her name with firm resolve—his tone made it clear he would never allow this. Nue laughed in response.

『Fufu, if you want to stop me, be my guest. Weaklings or strong—everyone’s welcome♪ Feel free to join the party♪ —Though if you’re too late… there might not be many guests left!!』

"……We won’t let that happen. We’ll stop you… no matter what……!!!"

『I’m counting on it. If you make it in time, I’ll give you the honor of facing me♡ —Later then.』

Click. The Den Den Mushi cut off.

Shanks sensed how dire the situation truly was. He unleashed his Haki across his entire body, drew his sword, and gave the order to his crew.

"Take them down!! Push through at full speed while dealing with the UFOs!!!"

"OOOH!!!"

At their captain’s command, the crew responded, and the Red-Haired Pirates began their battle against the thousand UFOs filling the skies.

—And the story kicked into high gear.

"I'm going!!! To Navy Headquarters!!!"

"If I use my power... you and I can both get out of here. It's not a bad deal. There's something in it for both of us."

"Please, I'm begging you!!! Take me with you!!! I swear I'll be useful!!!"

"We meet again, 'Straw Hat Luffy'!! I, too, wish to save Ace!!! I can be a force to help you, so let me out of here!!!"

"Let's cause an unprecedented uncontainable ultra-panic here in Impel Down!!!"

"Woooooaaaahhh～～!!!"

"Alright, boys!! Now’s our best chance!!! If you want to breathe the outside air again, raise hell like your life depends on it!!! Kickoff time!!!!"

"Wooooahh!! Our savior!!! Captain Buggy!!!"

"Zehahahaha!! Just waiting here for death in this pitiful afterlife...!! How about it, you lot!! Why don’t we have ourselves a little bloodbath in the cages!!! The survivors, I’ll take you out of here as my new crew!!!"

"...A war between 'Whitebeard' and the Navy, huh..."

"You're still alive...? The man once called 'Demon’s Heir'...!!!"

At Impel Down, the greatest prison break in history was about to unfold.

But just a few hours later──a statement was broadcast to the entire world, leaving all ears in disbelief.

"Your father is!!! The 'Pirate King' Gol D. Roger!!!!"

"!!?"

The shocking truth that the Pirate King's bloodline had survived.

And what came next──were the pirates of the New World. The grand fleet under Whitebeard.

"Gurararara... How many decades has it been, Sengoku?"

A total of 47 ships and 50,000 men.

Leading 14 division commanders and famed subordinate pirates was... the man whose legend lives on to this day.

"My beloved son──he’s safe, isn’t he...!!!!"

One of the Four Emperors──‘Whitebeard’ Edward Newgate.

"Don’t think you’ve won just because your forces outnumber ours!! We might be the ones to meet our end here... that man..."

──He has the power to destroy the world!!!!

As the voice of Fleet Admiral Sengoku rang out, a massive tsunami approached.

Charging in was the Four Emperors’ 'Whitebeard Pirates'. Standing against them were the 'Navy Headquarters' and the 'Seven Warlords of the Sea'.

The summit war, destined to change the era no matter who won or lost──began with key participants missing.

Thus, the true "Summit War" only began about an hour into the conflict.

With the arrival of the Impel Down escapees led by Straw Hat Luffy, and the government’s human weapons—the Pacifistas.

When the Transponder Snail visuals cut out──it happened at the exact moment when, originally, a subordinate was supposed to stab 'Whitebeard'.

"!!!"

Something massive──fell from the sky.

"What the hell!? Where did that come from!!?"

"A monster...!!?"

The strong live... the weak die...!!!
That’s all there is to this world.

"Aaahhh... Guess... I just can’t die after all...!!!"

"!!!"

"Th-that’s...!!!"

"!!? No way!!"

The man──was searching for a place to die.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!! Reporting!!! From the left flank... i-it’s the ship of the 'Big Mom Pirates'!!!!"

"R-report!!! Multiple UFOs incoming from the sky!!! And... the 'Beasts Pirates'!!!!"

"There’s also a golden ship!!! That’s... n-no way... is that the 'Golden Lion’s'...!!!?"

"Wha──!!?"

If you were to speak of him... he suffered seven defeats as a pirate──and was captured 23 times by either the Navy or enemy ships. He endured torture after torture, living on as a condemned man.

And now... he has "committed suicide". A rare suicide by jumping from the sky island──then threw himself into the heart of the war, hoping to die fighting an enemy that just might be able to kill him.

Let me say it again. A man, alone. Or perhaps with just one or two others, challenged the Navy and the Emperors, was captured 23 times. Tortured over 1,000 times. Sentenced to death 60 times.

Sometimes he was hanged, but the chains broke. Sometimes he was placed under the guillotine, but the blade shattered. He was even impaled, but the spears snapped... The number of giant prison ships he sank totals 18...!! In short──

"It’s been a while... you old bastard Whitebeard...!!!"

No one could kill him...!!!
──And that includes the man himself...!!

His hobby is suicide. The man’s name is──

"Kaido...!!!"

One of the Four Emperors──'Kaido of the Beasts'

"If it’s one-on-one, Kaido’s the guy"—people always say.

Land, sea, and air... of all living things in this world... he is called the Strongest Creature of them all...!!!

"Now then, it’s showtime♡ Pirate Whitebeard♪ Scarier than demons♫... that’s what that old nursery rhyme says. But are you really scarier than us...? The whole world’s gonna find out!!!"

"Yeah... move it, you bastards!!! To tear down this boring world... we’re about to start the greatest war in the world!!!!"

──At this very moment, all 'fate' was shattered.