Chapter 114: ULTIMATE

—Sabaody Archipelago.

The Summit War of Marineford, sparked by the public execution of "Fire Fist Ace," between the Navy Headquarters and the Seven Warlords of the Sea vs. the Whitebeard Pirates.

To witness this battle that would determine the fate of the world—and to broadcast it—countless reporters, pirates, and civilians had gathered.

The image broadcast through the Visual Den Den Mushi in the plaza displayed a sight that looked like the end of the world. A battle between monsters beyond reason, befitting of the top of the world.

But there, they saw something outrageous.

Just as the shock of seeing weapons that looked like Warlord Bartholomew Kuma attacking pirates hit them, monsters began falling from the sky—and emerging from the sea.

“What... what the hell...!!”

“No way...!!”

A pirate ship breaks through the wall of ice and arrives.

Landing in Marineford’s plaza was a pirate so infamous, there wasn’t a soul unfamiliar with the name.

And for those who knew the past, the gathering of those faces... felt like the return of a legend.

“Boss!! Something huge is happening!!”

“Kuahahaha!!! This is incredible!! It’s BIG NEWS!!! That group is the second coming of Rocks!!!”

“R-Rocks...? B-But the Visual Den Den Mushi feeds are going down one after another...!”

“That’s no problem!! Just look!!!”

“!?”

The birdman—counted among the emperors of the underworld—was trembling with excitement at the footage, delighted at the chance to publish a monumental article. The younger staff looked confused by the name "Rocks" and worried about the transmission being cut, but the birdman waved it off.

Because he knew. Thanks to a deal, the battlefield’s footage would be fully transmitted here.

『Heeey!! This is Marine Headquarters, Marineford!! Today’s stream is brought to you by the Beasts Pirates, standing in for the World Government and Buggy the Clown!!! We’ll be showing you everything as-is, from shady government tactics they’d rather hide to the gruesome battlefield footage!! So sit back and enjoy~~!! This was your idol of the New World, Nue-chan~~!! Launching the filming UFO now!!!』

“!! That girl is...!!”

“It’s the Beast Girl!!! A former apprentice of the Rocks Pirates!! Vice Governor of the Beasts Pirates and the only elder sibling figure to Kaido of the Beasts!! Another insane live broadcast incoming!!”

The girl who suddenly appeared on screen looked cute at a glance—but for those who knew, her presence was nothing short of terrifying.

But the birdman was thrilled. Her streams were exhilarating, and they lit a fire in his journalistic heart. Even with government-issued censorship orders, he had managed to rebroadcast her footage many times and had seen countless scenes through her lens. And this time's footage—there was nothing more thrilling to a journalist.

President of the World Economy News Paper: “Big News” Morgans

“What are you doing just standing there!!? Film it!! This is a streak of Big News!! A MASS HARVEST of information!! Don’t miss a thing!!!”

“Y-Yes, sir!!”

Even amidst a world-shattering situation, the newsman didn’t waver. —Even if the World Government they were deeply tied to might collapse, they rejoiced and let their shutters flash.

---

At the battlefield—Marine Headquarters, Marineford—everyone turned pale at the arrival of these monsters.

“Why is Kaido here...!!?”

“Wasn’t he supposed to be clashing with Big Mom!?”

“But even the Big Mom Pirates are here!!”

“What the hell... even the Golden Lion Pirates are showing up...!!?”

The Marines distanced themselves from Kaido of the Beasts and Nue the Beast Girl, who had suddenly landed in what was supposed to be a secure plaza, and they went pale at the sudden arrival of other Emperors and Golden Lion’s ship.

Same with the Impel Down escapees in the frozen bay—and the Whitebeard Pirates.

“Kaido and Nue are here...!!”

“Damn them... stirring things up like this...!!”

“What was that giant thing that just fell from the sky!!? And there’s a ship in the air—and a UFO too...!! What’s going on!!?”

“That’s a Four Emperor, Straw Hat boy!! Kaido of the Beasts!! This is getting real bad, kyabble!!”

“There’s also Big Mom’s ship, and the Golden Lion’s too...!!”

“Tch...!! Is this a death wish or something...!!?”

Among the Whitebeard Pirates, the commanders who knew them well—and Whitebeard himself—wore bitter expressions. Luffy, unaware of their identities, caught sight of a giant larger than even Whitebeard and asked Ivankov and Jinbe as they ran. Among them, Musashi seemed particularly aware and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

And the Seven Warlords—

“Kaido and Nue, you say~~~~!!?”

“Fu... fuhuhuhuhuhu...!!! This is insane...!! Is this the end for the Navy...!!?”

“...! (Kaido and Nue...!!)”

“This is chaos... I never expected the battlefield to escalate this far... heh.”

“........”

Moria voiced his alarm with a mix of resentment and fear, while Doflamingo laughed with feigned confidence, cold sweat trickling down his face. Hancock stood out with a similarly severe expression. Kuma said nothing, and though Mihawk remained calm, he observed the shifting battlefield with a faint smile.

Then came the Navy’s reaction again. The admirals who had returned to the plaza, Sengoku and Garp on the execution platform, and Ace, the condemned prisoner—all saw them from the closest distance. Everyone felt a chill down their spines.

“No way... are you kidding me...!!”

“Damn... we’re in trouble now~~...!!”

“Tch...!! You bastards... why the hell are you here!!!?”

“This can’t be... the return of Rocks...!!?”

“...!! You scum...!!! What are you here for!!! Answer me, Kaido!!!”

Akainu and Sengoku demanded answers in rage. Slightly to the right of the plaza center, where Kaido had crash-landed, Nue peeked out from his shoulder. Surrounded by countless Marines, neither showed the slightest fear. Kaido turned toward Sengoku and answered.

“Worororo!!! Isn’t it obvious just by lookin’!? You Navy lot are wagin’ a war with the Whitebeard Pirates... so we came to END that war!!!”

“—Ma~mamama!!! That’s right!!!”

“!!”

Following Kaido’s words, from the left side of Marineford—with a thunderous roar—a monster appeared in the plaza. One of the Four Emperors, shoulder-to-shoulder with Whitebeard and Kaido.

“A party♪ A party!!”

“Kill 'em all♪”

“Whitebeard and the Navy♫”

“Kill everyone!!”

“War begins♫ Sweet, sweet delight♫”

The ones marching in while singing were not humans—but a variety of other life forms. Leading them was a massive old woman—a monster who controlled souls.

“—We’re here to end this war... and start our war!!! Sengoku~~!! Whitebeard~~~!!!”

“Th-That’s Big Mom~~~!!!?”

Tossing a shattered Pacifista at the Marines in the plaza, she shouted. It was Charlotte Linlin, captain of the Big Mom Pirates and one of the Four Emperors.

But it didn’t stop there. From the ship floating like an island in the sky, a man appeared.

With a cigar in his mouth, he looked down upon the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates with a fearless grin.

“To put it bluntly!! Sengoku!! Newgate!! Turns out our interests just happened to align… Jihahaha...!! Before we all chase after our own ambitions… first, we decided to eliminate you nuisances!!!”

"!!?"

"H-Hey... don't tell me...!!!"

The one who uttered those words was none other than the legendary pirate from before the Great Pirate Era—Supreme Commander of the Golden Lion Pirates, Golden Lion Shiki. The moment he spoke, everyone—Marines, pirates, and civilians alike—reached the same dreadful conclusion.

The balance of the world's three great powers is maintained only because the Four Emperors are constantly at odds.

None of them would ever serve under another. Their beliefs, ambitions, and personalities are too different. Cooperation is impossible, which is why conflict persists.

But if that conflict were to disappear—then even a child could understand what would happen.

"That's right!! Our Beasts Pirates and—"

"—the Big Mom Pirates—!!"

"—and the Golden Lion Pirates!!!"

The pirate kingpins declared it. A declaration that cast the world into despair—

"We’ve formed a Pirate Alliance to destroy the Whitebeard Pirates and Marine Headquarters!!!"

"!!!?"

It was proclaimed to the entire world.

"Yaaay!!! So with that said, we’ll be killing everyone, so nice to meet you all♡"

"...!! This has to be Nue's plan...!!"

"Kaido and Big Mom are like cats and dogs...!! And that goes for Golden Lion and Whitebeard too... All of them from the former Rocks Pirates—they all hated each other...!! Except for one person... Nue!!! This is your doing, isn’t it!!?"

"Ahahaha!!! ‘My doing’? You’re giving me way too much credit~! I just thought a little class reunion might be fun, so I did a bit of planning and played coordinator. Total coincidence the perfect venue just happened to be right here, you know~?"

As I scattered confetti and enjoyed the moment, Whitebeard, from within the bay, deduced what had happened, and from the execution platform, Sengoku shouted at me with a furious glare. I smiled and gave him a roundabout confirmation. It's true—I was the one who proposed to Kaido that we temporarily join forces to wipe out both Marine HQ and the Whitebeard Pirates.

That said, the decision was Kaido’s. And Linlin’s. And Shiki’s. We had originally intended to join the war anyway, so I paid Linlin a visit—not to join her, but at least to ensure she wouldn’t attack us while we were attacking. But then Kaido and Linlin started trying to kill each other, so I sat back and watched. After a full day of fighting, I stepped in, and we decided to work together.

Next was Shiki. I went all the way to Merveille, his hideout island, and proposed it to him. Man, the scheduling was a nightmare. I had other things to do, so I had to keep going back and forth between Paradise and the New World.

Still, it paid off. The reunion happened. Even if it’s only until Whitebeard and the Navy are destroyed, the fact that this alliance came together at all is nothing short of a miracle. If all goes well, maybe the alliance can continue after the war... Not that it matters much either way.

Truth is, Kaido, Linlin, and Shiki aren’t exactly friends now. They just formed an alliance because it benefits them. All of them see the Navy as a nuisance and want Whitebeard’s head.

Which is precisely why we formed this Pirate Alliance—to crush those two powers. We even worked together to stall Red-Hair, using our mobile Sky Island to get all the way here.

If everything goes according to plan, we might even be able to take down the World Government itself. And when that happens—that world is our ideal.

"To us, the execution of Fire Fist Ace means nothing!!! Him included, we’re going to massacre the Whitebeard Pirates and every single Marine on this battlefield!!! And then we’ll wipe out the World Government!!!"

"That’s when the world becomes a world of pirates!!! One step closer to making our dream a reality♡"

"Pirates are the rightful rulers of the seas!!! It's wasted on the stupid Celestial Dragons and the Navy!!!"

This is the ideology we proclaim. A world ruled by pirates.

Even if we each walk different paths, that common goal is what brought us together again—to destroy the World Government once and for all, and make our own profit from it.

We make our declaration. The visual Den Den Mushi I tampered with is linked to the Sabaody Archipelago, several nations, and even our territories. Not the entire world, but those who didn’t see it live will soon hear about it through the reporters gathered at Sabaody. No one will claim ignorance of our ambitions.

"And furthermore—to the kings of each nation hearing this, and to all your citizens—be prepared!!!"

To create a world of pirates.

"In this Paramount War, Marine Headquarters will be completely annihilated!!! There will be no one left to protect you from pirates!!!"

A world filled with fear and war—a world where violence is the supreme law.

And ruling over it will be... us!!!

"On this day, we’ll turn this Grand Line into a true pirate paradise!!! The Four Seas will follow!!! Once the Navy is gone, pirates will rule it all... If you oppose that, we’ll just kill you!!!"

"Now let’s go, all of you!!!"

"UOOOOHHH!!! Kill all the Marines and Whitebeard!!!"

Our subordinates, who supported our ambitions, descended upon the plaza, each baring their fangs—let the battle begin.

"The so-called strongest pirate, Whitebeard, will die!!! Watch closely, all you fools who believe in peace!!! We’ll show you who the true strongest really is—right here, right now!!!!"

"UWOOOOOOOOH!!! The strongest is us—the Beasts Pirates!!!"

And so, we move.

But of course—we aren’t the only ones making a move.

"Ha~hahaha mamamamama!!! Kill every last Marine and Whitebeard pirate you find!!!"

"Yes, Mama!!"

The Big Mom Pirates descended on the opposite side of the plaza.

"Jihahahaha!!! Let’s go!!! Dr. Indigo, is everything ready?"

"Yes, everything’s in place. We’ll release it behind the Whitebeard Pirates."

"Good! Then we attack!!! It’s payback time!!! Get ready, Whitebeard!!! Marines!!!"

Behind the Whitebeard Pirates, from a fleet floating in the sky, the Golden Lion Pirates prepared to strike.

And within the bay—

"!!!"

"Uwah!!?"

Whitebeard shattered the remaining ice wall completely using the power of quakes, and took up his massive glaive—one of the Supreme Grade Blades, Murakumogiri.

"This battlefield... is a deathtrap. Anyone who wants to run, go ahead. I won’t stop you. But I’m going. If you're coming with me—"

"Old man...!!"

And in a voice filled with Haki, he gave a final warning.

"—then throw your life away and follow me!!!"

"...UOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!"

"That's right!!! Who gives a damn about the Yonko!!!"

"We're not abandoning Ace!!! We're getting him out for sure!!!"

"Anyone who gets in our way—won’t live to regret it!!!"

"Crush everything in our path... and rescue Ace!!!"

But—even though everyone knew… running away wouldn't be shameful... not a single soul turned back.

"...!! No matter who we’re up against..."

And the Marines—

"We cannot afford to be wiped out so easily!!! This is the core of the world's justice—its military strength!!! If we fall here… who will protect the people!? The justice called 'righteousness' and 'duty' will never die!!!"

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku...!!"

"...!!"

Standing atop the execution platform was Marine Headquarters Fleet Admiral Sengoku. A man who upholds the very banner of "Ruling Justice" speaks now as a mere soldier.

Does he already know—escape is no longer an option? Or maybe… Sengoku, and a select few, have decided they’ll remain to the bitter end.

Would a man like Sengoku, seeing all this unfold, still choose a head-on clash? Even in a situation this dire, there are limits. He’s a general capable of retreating when the odds are against him.

Which means—the more likely plan is to engage, then fall back.

"I will not retreat!!! We must carry out Fire Fist's execution at once… and drive back these pirates!!!"

"!! …Sir!!!"

But—their resolve was already firm.

Everyone here… yes, those who have decided—they’ve steeled themselves.

They’re ready to wager their lives for what they believe in—and take lives in return.

"Now then... time for me to show you... that I’m not who I used to be!!"

Like 36 years ago… this place, this battlefield of monsters—"The Paramount War."

"To all those who’ve made up their minds and cast away the fear of death!!! Die in terror before this unknown aerial bombardment!!!"

This moment—has finally begun.

---

On the icy terrain formed within the crescent-shaped bay, the Marines, the Whitebeard Pirates, the Impel Down escapees, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea were all tangled in chaotic battle.

But they were all equally wary—of another group of pirates infiltrating from the flanks of the bay.

"Haa... This is bad!! We’ve gotta move, now!!"

"Yeah!! At this rate, we won’t even get the chance to rescue Ace!! But Pops is already on the move!! Luffy-kun, we’ve got to break through, and fast!!"

"Right!!"

"Get outta the way, cabbages!! DEATH WINK!!!"

Luffy, Jinbe the Knight of the Sea, Ivankov, and the others pushing forward to rescue Ace hadn't wavered in their goal. Together with the Whitebeard Pirates, they charged toward breaking through the battlefield.

But there were others on the move with a completely different goal—the Impel Down prisoners, now under the command of “Buggy the Clown.”

"Captain Buggy!! This is bad!! That’s three of the Four Emperors out there, including Whitebeard!!"

"And on top of that, the Golden Lion’s here too!! If this keeps up…!!"

"Yeah... this is nuts…!! This is way too nuts…!! We shouldn’t be here…!!!"

Buggy was trembling. He had temporarily allied with Whitebeard, and his ego had been sky-high thanks to the praise of the prisoners—but now, of all times, the Four Emperors Kaido and Big Mom had shown up. And just to top it off, the Golden Lion was here too.

If he stayed in a place like this, he was as good as dead. His only thought was that he had to escape, no matter what he had to give up. But right at that moment—prisoners, clearly just as terrified, spoke up in shaking voices.

"If this keeps going… we might actually take the heads of Kaido and Big Mom!!!"

"...Huh?"

"No way... Captain Buggy!! You... you're planning to take down not just the Navy but nearly all of the Four Emperors in this chaos!?"

"That temporary alliance with Whitebeard... it was all part of the plan, wasn't it!? You predicted this!!"

"You even foresaw Kaido and Big Mom entering the battle—something not even 'Buddha' Sengoku could predict!?"

"A legendary crewmate fears nothing!! That's our Captain Buggy!!"

"How high are your expectations, damn it!!!"

Mr. 3 snapped at their ridiculous overestimation of Buggy. Honestly, this wasn’t the time for comedy, but they couldn’t move carelessly either, so for now they focused on dodging the surrounding attacks.

"H-hey, you guys… seriously now—"

"Jiha ha ha ha!!! Look who it is... that red-nosed freak from Roger’s crew!!"

"Ah!? Who’re you calling red—wait, Golden Lion!?"

When he heard the insult, Buggy instinctively shouted back. But then he looked up—and saw the floating man with swords for legs and a steering wheel jammed into his head: the golden-maned beast, “Golden Lion Shiki.”

"So… you’re here to rescue Roger’s kid too, huh?"

"...!! Y-yeah!! I’ve teamed up with Whitebeard for now, damn it!!! (I'm done for, I'm gonna die, I’m really gonna die...!!!)"

Buggy cried inside. He blurted out Whitebeard’s name hoping to scare Shiki into backing off. But thinking about it, that would never work. Worse—it might make things worse. If he claimed to be Whitebeard’s ally, the Golden Lion would surely attack. He was sure this was going downhill fast—

"Oh...? That’s a coincidence. I’ve got a little something in mind too—hm?"

"Huh...? Whoa—!!?"

"!!!"

Just as Shiki was about to reveal what he was thinking, a shockwave ripped through the air. The ground trembled. The sea churned. There was only one man in the bay capable of launching such a devastating attack.

Shiki barely dodged it, grinning as he looked toward the attacker. A reunion after twenty years.

"Jiha ha ha!!! That’s quite a greeting, Whitebeard!!! We were crewmates once, remember!? Let’s share a drink like the old days!!"

"Don’t spout nonsense, Golden Lion!! You’re the one who attacked first!!!"

"Oh... is that so? By the way... think you’ll be able to save Roger’s son? I could lend a hand if you want? Jiha ha ha ha!!!"

"...!! I ain't got time to deal with your crap right now, dumbass!!!"

"Even if you don’t, I do!!!"

"!"

"The ship’s floating!! Is that the Golden Lion’s power!?"

As Shiki spoke, a Navy warship that he had already touched began to rise into the sky—and he sent it crashing down toward Whitebeard. It was the power of the Float-Float Fruit, which allowed him to make anything he touched float. Warships were nothing; he could send dozens more crashing down if he wanted. This was barely a warm-up. Just a little greeting to Whitebeard.

Naturally, Whitebeard crushed the incoming ship with ease—and Shiki had already predicted that.

"I saw it coming, Whitebeard!! Now leave your head behind!!!"

“!”

“John Giant!!!”

And this was a battlefield where multiple powers clashed. It was only natural that the Marines would take the opportunity to strike when Whitebeard was distracted defending against the Golden Lion’s attack. Charging in was none other than Vice Admiral John Giant—the first giant to ever join the Navy—swinging down with a massive blade.

But yet another intruder appeared. Descending on a cloud was the monster who ruled over the Land of Sweets.

“Mamamama!! Still playing house with your ‘family’ like always, huh!? Whitebeard~~~~!!!”

“!!? It’s Big Mom!!”

“Watch out!! Get out of the way~~~~!!!”

“Take this—Elbaf’s spear...!!!”

One of the Four Emperors, Big Mom—Charlotte Linlin—raised her blade high, standing atop Zeus, the special soul-infused thundercloud born from her Soul-Soul Fruit powers. Sensing the sheer destructive force of the incoming attack, both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines leapt away at full speed. Standing in the path was John Giant.

“Ikoku!!!”

“!!?”

“Vice Admiral Giant~~~!!”

“Uwoahh!!?”

The shockwave from her swing pierced straight through John Giant in a single blow. Even after that, the attack continued, mowing down everything in its path until it was finally halted by Whitebeard’s naginata, imbued with the power of an earthquake.

“Sorry, but I’m going to kill every last one of your sons!! They’re adopted anyway, so who cares, right? Not like mine!! Hahaha—Mamamamamama!!!”

“Linlin...!!!”

“Hah... Hah... That move... kinda looked like that old giant guy’s attack...!!”

Whitebeard’s brow furrowed as he glared at Big Mom. His eyes said it all: he would never forgive such a thing. Luffy, too, paused for a moment, the familiar technique reminding him of a move he’d seen a giant use before.

──And while chaos erupted in the bay, the plaza was also growing increasingly frantic with Marine movement.

“Split into three squads! The left and right will engage the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom Pirates!! The center will handle Whitebeard’s crew and the Golden Lion’s!!! Get into formation now!!!”

“Yes, sir!!”

Under Sengoku’s command, the Marines began moving to repel the pirates.

The area that stirred the strongest determination—and fear—among the Marines was the right side of the plaza, from the execution platform’s perspective: the Beasts Pirates’ territory.

“That’s Nue!! Avenge Master Zephyr!!”

“Don’t let your guard down!! She may look like a girl, but she’s a monster!!!”

“Kaido’s there too...!! A single misstep means death!! Stay sharp!!”

The Marines surrounded Kaido and Nue, their resolve intensifying. It was Nue—floating beside Kaido—who had taken the life of Zephyr, the man who had trained them all. Many of the Marines harbored burning hatred toward her.

But Nue only laughed mockingly at their resentment.

“Thanks for that, by the way!! Did you enjoy the gift of your precious teacher’s severed head? Ahahaha!!”

“You bastard!!”

“Oh dear, getting so angry... but don’t worry!! I’ll make sure every one of you... ends up in the same place as Zephyr!!!”

“Worororo!! I’ll kill them all!!! Let’s go, Nue!! Let’s tear this place apart!!!”

“Sure thing!! Let’s see just how much you can dodge!!!”

“!! Kaido and Nue are on the move!!!”

“!? A UFO...!!”

Leaping from Kaido’s shoulder and floating into the sky, Nue conjured a UFO. It began to move—its target: Marines, pirates, everyone. The first to take flight was a red UFO.

“Unidentified... ‘Wrath of the Crimson UFO Incoming!!!’”

“!!?”

“Uwaaaahhh!!”

The red UFOs formed ranks, unleashing a rain of flaming projectiles down onto the battlefield. While each individual UFO wasn’t especially strong, their overwhelming numbers made them a terrifying threat. And because they were airborne, taking them down was no easy task.

“Burn to ashes...!!!”

“This is bad!! Everyone fall back~~~~!!!”

But something even worse was about to happen.

Kaido transformed and floated into the air, just like Nue—except his form was massive, unmistakably terrifying.

“A giant dragon in the sky...!!”

“What the hell is that!!? It’s freakin’ huge!!”

“That’s Kaido...!!!”

Even from within the bay—or from anywhere in Marineford—the massive form was impossible to miss. For those seeing it for the first time, including Luffy, it was a shocking sight.

Just the sight alone could awaken a primal fear and crush one’s fighting spirit. The "Strongest Creature in the World." Living up to that title in full, Kaido, still in his dragon form, inhaled deeply as he descended toward the ground—then exhaled with force.

“Heat Breath: Boro Breath!!!”

“!!?”

In an instant, a massive blast of searing heat engulfed countless Marines and punched a hole through the Navy Headquarters’ fortress.

“A hole in the fortress…!!”

“He’s a monster…!! The UFOs won’t stop either… How are we supposed to fight something like this!?”

Young Marines in the plaza—like Coby and Helmeppo—could only look up, trembling with fear.

This was the “Strongest Creature.” The man known as the “Beast.”

And this was the “Most Terrifying Creature.” The woman known as the “Demon Beast.”

Their strength etched itself violently into everyone’s minds—making it painfully clear that ordinary men stood no chance.

But these were the Navy’s elite. Not everyone would simply freeze. Led by the Vice Admirals, many began to counterattack—using Geppo to leap into the air and confront the UFOs and Kaido.

“Don’t back down!! With a target that big, it’s not hard to land a hit!! Chip away at him!! Wear him down!!”

“Yeahhh!!”

“—Exactly what I was thinking~~”

“Kizaru-san!!”

A beam of light shot out with a sharp pyuun—piercing through a UFO and detonating against Kaido’s body.

The UFO was obliterated, but Kaido, taking the hit, glared fiercely at Kizaru, showing no signs of injury. Nue, too, let a smile spread across her face upon seeing a familiar face.

“Kizaru, huh… A laser like that won’t work on me…!!”

“Borsalino~ Aha, drew the short straw again? Poor thing~♡”

“Well, I’ve got experience, you know~~… This kind of thing was bound to happen sooner or later…!!”

Kizaru—one of the Navy’s top fighting forces—spoke in his usual laid-back tone. But it wasn’t pure confidence; the faint sweat on his forehead betrayed the pressure he felt.

After all, back when he was a Vice Admiral, he fought the Beasts Pirates and was severely injured. The pain from those wounds now throbbed, dragging up the bitter memories.

Even so, that experience made him volunteer to take on the Beasts Pirates now.

Nue, knowing this, grinned playfully, her beastlike eyes gleaming—but then she backed away.

“Well, that’s cute and all♡ But sorry—there’s someone I want to say hello to first!! You guys have fun playing with Kaido and my UFOs!!”

“!! The ‘Demon Beast’ is moving… heading for the bay!!”

Ignoring Kizaru and separating from Kaido, Nue sped through the air, straight for the bay. Her target lay ahead: Whitebeard. Raising her spear, she called out with a cheerful shout.

“Long time no see!! Whitebeard~~~!!!”

“! Nue…!!”

“Ahahaha!! Gotcha wide open~~~!!!”

Whitebeard reacted and moved to respond.

But just before their clash, someone soared through the air to intercept her—Whitebeard’s First Division Commander, “Phoenix” Marco.

“Nue…!! Oyaji doesn’t have time to waste on the likes of you!!”

“Ah, Marco~~~!! Long time no see!! As expected of the ‘Phoenix.’ Still using those sneaky powers of yours, huh!!”

“Look who’s talkin’, yoi!!”

Marco blocked Nue’s strike, regenerating as he stopped her advance. She praised his power and abilities, but Marco snapped back—he wasn’t about to take that from her.

But then—

“Captain Marco!! Look out!!!”

“Hm!? —Wha…!!?”

A crewman from the Whitebeard Pirates shouted from below on the ice.

The very next moment, Marco was kicked hard from the side and slammed down into the icy ground.

“!! That guy…!!”

It wasn’t Nue. A much larger figure loomed—a towering black form, fire blazing from his back. The silhouette was unmistakable. A creature from ancient times. The man landed heavily, standing between the Whitebeard Pirates and their enemies. The Marines and pirates alike called out his name.

“A Pteranodon form…!! No doubt about it… One of the Beast Pirates’ All-Stars…!! ‘King the Wildfire’!!!”

“…!! King… you bastard…!!”

“Hmph. ‘Phoenix’ Marco… You’re a problem. I’ll erase you quickly!!!”

The towering figure, over six meters tall with burning black wings, was one of Kaido’s top lieutenants—the All-Star known as “King the Wildfire.”

Seeing Marco trying to get in Nue’s way, King, in his Pteranodon form, launched the kick that sent Marco flying and now faced him on the ice. Nue glanced back at King and called out.

“Ahaha!! I’ll leave the rest to you, King!!!”

“—That’s the plan. I won’t let you interfere with Nue-san.”

“…!! Then try and stop me, yoi!!!”

Marco kicked off the icy ground, launching a blazing blue flying kick toward King. King blocked with his arm, red flames roaring to meet the blue.

And while they clashed, Nue finally reached Whitebeard.

“!!!”

Nue swung her spear infused with Haki. Whitebeard met it with his own Haki-imbued naginata—and the heavens split open.

“The sky’s been torn apart!!”

“Damn!! Oyaji’s under attack!!”

“She’s using Conqueror’s Haki too!! Stay sharp!!”

“…!! That girl… I saw her before… on the ship…!!”

The Whitebeard Pirates were stunned. For some, it was confirmation of her monstrous strength. For Luffy, it was recognition—he had seen that girl once before.

Ignoring all of them, Nue and Whitebeard finally exchanged words.

“Mmm~ Nice power♪ But haven’t you gotten a bit rusty, Whitebeard~~~♡?”

“…You talkin’ to me, you damn brat!? You’re a hundred years too early to judge my strength, Nue!!!”

Their Haki clashed in an explosive shockwave. Whitebeard grimaced, while Nue—her beastlike eyes gleaming blood-red—grinned with savage delight.