Chapter 48: Death Sentence

The clash between two forces—the Big Mom Pirates, deeply rooted in the New World, and the Beasts Pirates, who recently entered the New World and rapidly expanded their influence—was on a completely different level from the battles of ordinary pirates.

"——Alright, let’s fire the opening shot!! Blast ’em to hell!!"

"——Hey, here they come!! Fire back!!"

The ships anchored on both sides exchanged cannon fire—a common sight in naval battles. But the real battlefield was on the shore—the island itself.

"Mochi Thrust!!!"

"Hmm~, decent power. But your Haki’s still lacking, don’tcha think?"

"Tch…!! Stop critiquing me like some damn instructor…!!"

At the center of the battlefield stood Charlotte Katakuri, the second son of the Charlotte Family and the strongest, most flawless man among his siblings.

Yet, his spear techniques were ineffective against his opponent. Even his lethal strikes were effortlessly deflected by a spear of the same form.

His attacks were blocked. This was no ordinary foe he could overwhelm with sheer force. Gone was his usual composure—Katakuri, facing a girl who appeared far smaller than him, raised his right leg and multiplied it mid-swing, launching a fierce assault.

"Willow Mochi!!"

"! Not bad~♡ You’ve really trained your Mochi-Mochi Fruit powers—couldn’t use ’em this well back in the day!!"

"Of course…!! I must attain flawless strength…!! To achieve perfect victory…!!"

Katakuri’s Mochi-Mochi Fruit was a Special Paramecia-type Devil Fruit, granting him the ability to freely create, manipulate, and even transform his own body into mochi.

This gave him a fluid, Logia-like physique, capable of nullifying ordinary physical attacks.

But his opponent was a master of Haki. No matter how formless his body became, if they could grasp his true form, evading damage was the only option.

Worse yet, his own attacks weren’t landing. He thought they might connect—but every strike was dodged by a hair’s breadth or effortlessly caught, as if to highlight the gap in their strength.

An unprecedented struggle. The sight of Katakuri—the undefeated man who pursued flawless victory—fighting in a sweat was a shock to his admiring younger siblings.

"B-Big Brother Katakuri…!!"

"Dammit… Then I’ll back him up…!!"

"!! Hey! Get the younger siblings outta here!! Nue’s targeting them!!"

"Oi!! Don’t step forward!! You’ll di—GYAAAAAAHHH!!?"

Perospero, the eldest son, noticed the gaze of the Beasts Pirates’ right-hand—the "Monstrous Beast" Nue—and barked orders. But Mondor, the 19th son of the Charlotte Family, guarding the younger children, was struck by an aerial attack and sent flying.

He was part of the generation that didn’t know Nue, yet even he sensed her terror and strength, realizing it was better not to recklessly engage.

——But to Nue, it meant nothing.

"Mondor!!? Damn it… that bastard…!!"

"Bro!! We can’t just leave this to Big Bro Katakuri…!! We gotta help!!"

"Yeah, you’re right!! If we all attack at once, we can take her do—"

"——Take me down? Ahaha, you’re really underestimating me, huh, Oven?"

"Gh…!!?"

Oven, the fourth son, tried rallying his siblings for a coordinated assault—but his words were cut short as Nue’s taunting voice loomed over them. With effortless ease, she swatted away Katakuri’s punch like shooing a mosquito, sending him flying dozens of meters back.

Then, she turned to the brothers and sisters she once knew, flashing them a terrifyingly cheerful grin.

"Did you forget what happened when you were little~? ——Then I’ll just have to remind you~~~~♡"

"Eeek…!!?"

"H-Hey!! Don’t freeze up!! That’s exactly what she wants!!"

"B-But, Peros…!!"

Perospero forced down his own trauma as he urged his siblings to stay strong.

But Nue only mocked their resolve, conjuring countless UFOs in the sky before sending them crashing down.

"If you forgot, I’ll make you remember!! ——"Mysterious Phenomenon"… "Rainbow UFO Terror Invasion"!!!"

"!!!"

"WAAAAHH~~!!? U-UFOs~~!!!"

"And they’re rainbow-colored…!! Fall back!! It’s a bullet hell out here!!!"

Floating in the sky were dazzling, rainbow-colored UFOs.

Red? Blue? Green? Their unstable, ambiguous hues made them impossible to pin down—and with their relentless assaults and hails of fire, they plunged the Big Mom Pirates into the depths of terror.

Katakuri, realizing the nature of the UFOs, ordered his soldiers to fall back while he launched attacks to thin their numbers. Fewer UFOs meant fewer bullets, easier evasion, and fewer casualties.

But… Nue wasn’t about to let that slide. Even as the UFOs rained chaos, she remained free to act.

"You can deal with the UFOs if you want… but ignoring me? That’s a no-no~."

"!!"

In that instant, Katakuri’s Observation Haki flared, his face paling as he sensed her move. He swiftly stretched out an arm, hurling his siblings out of harm’s way—just as—

"‘Spear of’~~~~~~~~"

Nue poised her spear midair, taking aim at the soldiers below. With a surge of power, she hurled it.

"——‘Gungnir’!!!"

"!!!"

——A spear throw infused with Haki and Nue’s full strength tore through the atmosphere, unleashing a shockwave that… cracked the island itself, scattering devastation in its wake.

"Hmm… Maybe I overdid it a little?"

As she descended to retrieve the spear—now embedded in the shattered earth—Nue noted, with mild surprise, that fewer had died than expected.

Guess that’s Katakuri for you. He’d read the attack and shielded his allies. For someone with still-developing Observation Haki, he’d done well. Even her casual strikes, though not serious, had been properly intercepted.

"W-What kind of destructive power is that…?!"

"Tch… She’s gotten even stronger than before…!"

"This is bad…!"

The younger siblings had survived, though the UFO barrage left them struggling. The most notable was Cracker—small but resourceful, desperately shielding himself with biscuit barriers as he fled. Not bad for his age. Not that flimsy biscuits would last long, of course. Pathetic, really. Weak abilities are such a pity…

…But any power could grow formidable with training. Just like—

"——A right-arm punch. And from behind, no less? Classic Katakuri~!"

"Tch!!!"

She dodged his sneak attack with Observation Haki, then effortlessly weaved through his follow-up barrage.

"Even among Observation Haki users, those with sharper mastery will always outclass you. Still far from ‘perfect,’ huh?"

"Shut up…!! I won’t show you any weakness…! I’ll defeat you—!!"

"…Ambition’s good. But you’re still not worth my time. So, bye-bye now~~~~♡"

"!! Wait—! Don’t you dare run…!!"

Knocking Katakuri aside, Nue ascended skyward. He immediately raised his spear to pursue—only for a certain ally of hers to intervene. The clang of steel rang out as his new opponent stepped forward.

"!!! ——Move. Now."

"——The hell…?! Who the fuck do you think you’re ordering around?!"

A towering figure, twice Katakuri’s size and clad head-to-toe in black—King.

His blade was already drawn, intercepting Katakuri’s spear. Well, of course. This isn’t just me versus everyone—it’s the Beasts Pirates vs. the Big Mom Pirates. More of their crews were joining the fray, and King, with his flight, had arrived swiftly.

Confident in his strength, Nue called out:

"King~~~~!! I’ll leave this to you~~~~!!"

"Tch. These clowns? I don’t need backup."

"You’re underestimating us…!!"

The clash of King’s sword and Katakuri’s spear erupted. Hmm… Yeah, King’s clearly stronger overall. But Katakuri’s Observation Haki was sharper—he quickly adapted, dodging or deflecting King’s attacks with precision. His reflexes were impressive, but raw power tipped the scales. And King wasn’t lacking in skill either.

Then, from behind King, another figure lunged.

"Katakuri!! I’ll handle this—! ——‘Heat Fist: Denashi Strike’!!"

"!! Wait, Oven—!"

Oven’s fist superheated—the power of the Netu Netu no Mi—as he drove it toward King. Katakuri’s warning came too late.

King caught the blazing fist with Armament Haki, unfazed.

"——You think that pathetic heat can hurt me…?! Die."

"Wha—GUAAAAHH!!?"

"Oven…!!"

"Brother Oven!?"

"What the hell is that guy...? Fire and wings...!?"

King's right hand seized Oven's face, slamming him into the ground like a ragdoll. The children on the other side gasped in shock, but to us, this was only natural. Fire doesn’t work on King. Sensing Oven’s impending death, Katakuri moved to intercept with a punch—only for King to block it effortlessly with Armament Haki.

"Hmph... Worried about your little brother? Don’t be. I’ll turn you both to ash...!!"

"Shut up...!! How dare you—!! I’ll be the one ending you...!!"

The taunt ignited the battle between King and Katakuri. Oho~! Now this is getting heated. King held the advantage, but Katakuri’s unpredictability made it an interesting match.

Yet their duel wasn’t the only bloodshed. Carnage spread like wildfire.

"KYAAAA—!!?"

"Big Bro!!"

"Tch... Weaklings, fall back!! 'Demon Majin'—!"

Daifuku, the third son, rubbed his belly, summoning a pitch-black djinn—the living lamp of the Hoya Hoya Fruit. The djinn raised its spear, aiming to shatter the UFOs—until our resident mood-maker crashed the party.

"——EXXXCIIIIITE!!!"

"Gh—!? GUOOOH!?"

"W-What the—!? That fatass just sent Daifuku’s djinn flying!?"

Ah, Compote, the eldest daughter, looked shocked at the sudden appearance of our "fatass." (Though, uh... pot calling the kettle black? But hey, everyone’s thinking it.) Queen, however, was already in full swing.

"Muhaha!! Time for my EXCITING SHOWTIME~♫ Ready or not, Big Mom Pirates!!"

[FUNK!!]

Queen and his underlings joined the fray, his massive frame sending soldiers flying as his mechanized weapons wreaked havoc.

"Let’s pump Big Mom’s brats full of my 'Plague EXCITE Bullets'!! Hahaha! Watch your kids writhe in disease 'til they croak!!!"

"Fire the plague rounds!!"

"R-Run awa—GYAAAAHH!!?"

"!! Damn it... Poison!?"

Queen’s orders unleashed a barrage of plague bullets, turning Big Mom’s soldiers into agonized wrecks. Hmm, nasty. These mass-produced weapons were brutal—efficient, too. While King painted the battlefield in flames, Queen’s plague didn’t even need his direct presence to spread. (Luckily, none hit the kids—Daifuku blocked with his djinn.)

——Sure, we had the upper hand, but the Big Mom Pirates lived up to their "Four Emperors" rep. Their forces were deep, packed with Devil Fruit users—mostly Paramecia, their bizarre abilities giving our troops hell. (Though they’d pulled their youngest from the front—unlike us.)

"Fufufu~ Holding back the kiddos? How cute. But we... don’t do half-measures. ♡ ——Go!!"

[——GYAOOOOO!!!]

"!!? What’s that shadow...!?"

"Beasts...!?"

At my command, figures surged onto the battlefield with bestial roars. Behold—our prized Zoan corps. Small in number, but years in the making.

And leading them? No ordinary animals.

"No way... Dinosaurs!?"

"Impossible... They’re extinct—!!"

"Idiots!! It’s a Devil Fruit power!! That’s a human!! Stand your ground!!"

"——Oh my, some aren’t fazed at all. Tsk. You lot! Put more fear into it!!"

"OOH...!! Tear them apart...!!"

"Hihihi... Run if ya wanna live!!"

"GYAHAHA!! Let’s show ’em REAL power!!"

[ROOOOOAR———!!!]

Leading the charge were two dinosaur Zoan users, followed by a dozen other beastly Devil Fruit wielders—all high-ranking officers of the Beasts Pirates, handpicked for their strength. Some were given fruits; others were recruited already empowered.

...But in their beast forms, you’d never guess: they were kids. Teens, even pre-teens. Some no older than ten.

Yet they were fighters. In our crew, age didn’t matter—only power. And these brats wanted this. The carnivorous Zoans made them fiercer, too... So why not deploy them?

Not that we needed them to win. After all—we had me... and Kaido.

"Turn to cinders...!!!"

"!! MOVE!! DODGE—!!"

"——'Boro Breath'!!!"

The colossal dragon in the sky incinerated the battlefield with a searing beam. Ships vanished in an instant. The already one-sided fight tipped further in our favor.

No one could hold Kaido. No one could hold me. Victory was inevitable—

"——Oh!? Well, if it isn’t... Streusen! Long time no see~♡"

"...You’ve grown strong, Nue...!! Unrecognizable from back then...!!"

The tiny old man launched a slash at me midair—I dodged, but the attack turned my bullets and UFOs into... ingredients. The work of the Big Mom Pirates’ head chef, "Gourmet Knight" Streusen, and his Kuku Kuku no Mi. A bothersome power, turning anything into food.

(And honestly? The geezer’s strong. Not just some ex-Rocks Pirates chef—his swordsmanship’s legit.)

But the balance of power had already shifted.

"Think you can stop me~? Fufufu♡"

"Buying time is our victory...!! I’ll halt you here...!!"

"...Oh, I’ll humor you—but thinning your forces first is just efficient!! ——'Barrage Chimera'!!"

"Tch...!!!"

I unleashed a storm of erratic bullets, pressing Streusen. He deflected them, transforming each into harmless food with his saber—but for how long? The UFOs weren’t done yet.

"Now then... Let’s begin the upheaval~♡"

With a grin, I rained hell upon my former comrade—and thrust my spear forward.

---

The battlefield had become a sea of flames—a hellscape.

Above, a colossal dragon soared amidst swarms of UFOs. Below, the earth burned as Devil Fruit powers and cannonfire clashed in a frenzy.

Though the Big Mom Pirates outnumbered their foes, they found themselves struggling against the Beasts Pirates' elite—monstrous fighters whose strength far exceeded expectations.

They needed to hold out. Just until their captain, Charlotte Linlin, arrived. Every member of the Big Mom Pirates knew: once Big Mom joined the fray, victory was assured. But the battle wouldn't end in an instant. They had to whittle down the enemy's forces as much as possible.

And among them, their most reliable warrior was locked in a desperate fight against one of the Beasts' strongest.

"Hah...! Hah...!!"

Katakuri's ragged breaths cut through the scorching air as he clashed with King, the "Wildfire," in a duel of titans.

King's flaming greatsword crashed down—Katakuri caught it with his spear, muscles straining as he was forced back. But he wasn't just enduring. With the fluidity of his Mochi-Mochi Fruit and the precision of his Observation Haki, he weaved through attacks, countering with devastating blows of his own. His fist, sheathed in Haki, morphed mid-swing—

"Who said... I can't fight anymore...?!"

"Tch—!!"

The punch slammed into King's gut, sending the winged warrior skidding back. But even a clean hit like that barely fazed him—King's inhuman durability and Armament Haki absorbed the impact, and he retaliated with a crushing swing. Katakuri dodged.

"Pathetic punch. You think that weak Haki can hurt me...?! Mochi bastard!!"

"Predictable. You really thought that sluggish Observation could land a hit...? Your dinosaur brain must be as slow as your reflexes!!"

"You've got nerve... I'll roast you to a crisp!!"

"Try it...!!"

Katakuri twisted his body, evading King's relentless slashes while landing precise counters. The battle became a war of attrition—each strike chipping away at the other's stamina, neither yielding an inch.

Around them, allies and enemies alike could only watch, locked in their own struggles.

"King-sama's in hybrid form...! What kind of monster is that guy fighting?!"

"Even Big Bro Katakuri can't put him down...! Just what is he?!"

No one could intervene. The Beasts Pirates held the advantage, but the Big Mom crew's Devil Fruit abilities—especially those of Linlin's children—proved maddeningly effective at stalling their advance.

Then—the balance shattered.

"Guh...!!?"

Streusen, the Big Mom Pirates' head chef and a veteran fighter, collapsed, his body riddled with holes.

Perched atop a UFO, Nue twirled her trident with a grin.

"Aaaand~ coup de grâce! ♪ Wow, you went down faster than I thought. Guess age really does slow you down~ Fufufu! ♡"

"!! Shit—he's gonna die!!"

"Tch—'Candy Wall'!!!"

Perospero hurled up a barrier of hardened sugar—steel-like in durability—between Streusen and Nue's killing strike. Yet the girl didn't even blink. A single swing of her spear reduced it to splinters.

"Wha—!?"

"The Pero Pero Fruit's candy powers~ Not bad at all! Sweet and tasty, just how I like it~♡"

"Damn you...!!"

"Ehehe, flattery won't save you, Peros~ ♪ Now then—"

"—'Crush Biscuit'!!"

A tidal wave of biscuit soldiers surged from behind her. Nue didn't flinch—but Perospero paled when he saw who'd launched them.

"No, Cracker!! RUN!!"

"Too late~! Ahaha, still just a crybaby, aren't you, Cracker?!"

"—GYAAAAAAAAHHH!!?"

Her spear pierced through the biscuits like paper, gashing Cracker's right chest. He tumbled across the ground, screaming. Nue plucked a shattered biscuit from the air, chewing lazily as she looked down at him.

"No matter how hard you try... some fights are just unwinnable, Cracker~ ♪ Gotta have the strength to back it up~ Mm... though I'll give you this—your biscuits do taste legit. ♡"

"D-DAMN YOUUU—IT HURTS SO BAD!!!"

"...!! Even Cracker's biscuits...!!"

Cracker, the Biscuit Human of the Bisu Bisu no Mi, was still inexperienced—yet the hardness of his combat biscuits was renowned even among his siblings. They turned brittle when wet, but Nue had just chewed through them dry, as if they were mere snacks. What kind of monstrous jaw strength does she have?!

Katakuri was locked in his deathmatch with King. Streusen was down. No one remained who could stop Nue.

And above them all, the sky belonged to the UFOs—and the colossal dragon, Kaido.

"Bout time we wiped these brats off the map...!! Move aside, Nue!!"

"Mmm~ fine, fine!! Blame Linlin for being so damn slow!!"

"!! —Dammit...!!"

Kaido inhaled, gathering searing energy in his maw—another Boro Breath ready to reduce the Big Mom Pirates to cinders. No one could stop it.

"We're too late...!!"

"Is this... the end...!?"

Katakuri and Perospero could only watch helplessly as the apocalyptic blast loomed—

——Until it happened.

A presence so overwhelming, it made both Nue and Katakuri snap their heads upward in shock.

There was only one person in the Big Mom Pirates who could intercept Kaido’s wrath.

"——KAAAAIDOOOOOOO!!!"

"!!! —Took you long enough, LINLIN...!!"

A shadow split the flames, deflecting the blast with a single swing. Riding thunderclouds, commanding the sun, wielding a sword—this pirate queen was the nightmare her children had been waiting for.

And in this moment, their savior.

[——MAMA!!!]

"HA~HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! So you’ve been playing with my sweet, precious children, have you, Kaido...? Nue...?! I’ll thank you properly for that!!!"

——Charlotte Linlin, "Big Mom."Bounty: 2,488,000,000 Berries.

One of the Four Emperors ruling the New World. A monster who erased nations for candy.

And now, she had arrived.

The Big Mom Pirates erupted.

"This is our victory...!!"

"Get 'em, MAMA!!"

"We’re right behind you!!"

Morale surged back into the battered crew.

Meanwhile, the Beasts Pirates’ rank-and-file faltered at the sight of her.

But not their leaders.

The two strongest of the Beasts Pirates raised their weapons without fear.

"Don’t go thinking you’ve won just yet...!!"

"That’s right!! We came specifically to pick a fight with you, Linlin!!"

"!!!"

Kaido, now in human form, swung his club downward with earth-shattering force. Nue adjusted her UFOs, locking onto Linlin.

For a split second, Linlin seemed almost impressed by their unyielding resolve—before grinning wildly and meeting Kaido’s strike with her own Haki-clad blade, Napoleon.

The collision of Conqueror’s Haki sent shockwaves ripping through the battlefield.

"Tch...! A clash of Kings...!!"

"Stay back!! Get caught in that, and you’re dead!!"

"Ugh...! Such monstrous Haki...!!"

Black lightning-like energy crackled across the sky. At least three confirmed users of Conqueror’s Haki stood on that island—and their collision unleashed enough force to split the heavens.

For a moment, the two sides seemed evenly matched—until Linlin’s laughter boomed over the chaos.

"MAMAMAMA...!! If that’s how it is, then you’d better be ready to die like real pirates!!!"

"You’re the one dying today, Linlin...!!!"

"Besides—we’re always ready to die!!!"

And with that, the true battle began.

The war between the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates plunged into hell itself.

---

"Just one more push!! Crush them~~~!!!"

"Hold on!! A little longer!!!"

"OOOOHHH!!!"

——The ferocity of the battle had begun to affect the very weather around them.

Storms and lightning raged incessantly, beneath which the roars of the pirates echoed.But the tide had unmistakably shifted in one side’s favor—all because of the difference in strength between the two leaders.

"You damn hag… just die already…!!!"

"HA~HAHAHA!! You washed-up fossil!! You really think you can beat ME?!!"

"Tch… not yet… not yet…!!!"

The battle had raged for an entire day, and only now were signs of exhaustion beginning to show on both sides.But normally, neither Kaido nor I would tire from just a single day of fighting. Against the overwhelming force of "Big Mom," however, our stamina had clearly been whittled away, our bodies now marked with wounds and grime.

Of course, Big Mom wasn’t unscathed either—her stamina had been drained too. But—because she’d joined the battle later, she hadn’t lost as much endurance.Most of Big Mom’s children, who’d been fighting from the start, had already been forced to retreat. But with the reinforcements from the Big Mom Pirates arriving late, the Beasts Pirates were being steadily pushed back. A few of them, mostly Zoan users, were still fighting—but it was only a matter of time before they fell.

The only way to turn this around was to take down the leader—to take down Big Mom herself.But no matter what we did, we couldn’t break her. Kaido and I had already pushed past our limits, crossing a new threshold through the brink of death—and yet, Big Mom still stood beyond even that.

"About time… you started wearing down a little!!"

"MAMAMAMAMA…! To think you could fight me this long is impressive enough…!! But it’s still not enough, is it?!! You’re just not strong enough!!!"

"We ain’t won yet… so quit gloating!!!"

Another clash of weapons coated in Armament Haki—though the blades themselves never touched. It was the result of their massively concentrated Haki, an advanced form of Armament Haki that allowed them to project it outward, even enabling internal destruction.

Of course, Kaido and I had long since mastered this. But now, our Haki was awakening even further—yes, even to the point of infusing it into our abilities.

"‘Mystery of the Unknown’…!!"

I conjured UFOs, wrapped them in Haki to harden them, turning them pitch-black, and unleashed this new technique.

"—‘Black UFO Onslaught: Murderous Intent’!!!"

"!! —Black UFOs… Haki?!"

Linlin grinned fearlessly—but there was no mistaking her surprise. That’s right, a swarm of UFOs clad in Armament Haki. Their charge could shatter steel, their barrage bringing even greater destruction.

And above all, they wouldn’t break easily. Their durability was on another level compared to normal UFOs. Cannons wouldn’t even scratch them, and half-hearted attacks wouldn’t bring them down.

But—

"HA~HAHAMAMAMA…! Take this… ‘Spear of Elbaf’…!!"

Linlin raised her sword, pouring Haki into it—Oh crap, here it comes…!!

"—‘Ikoku Sovereignty’!!!"

"!!!"

A shockwave erupted from her blade, tearing through the air and piercing everything in its path. Several of the Black UFOs were destroyed, but I managed to dodge.

"Outta the way, brat!!! UOOOOH—!!!"

But Kaido was dead-set on blocking it—and he did.Yet even with his monstrous strength and Haki, he couldn’t fully withstand its force.

"MAMA-MA!! Take a flight, Kaido!!!"

"Guh—OOOH…!!!"

"Kaido?!"

Kaido was sent flying, the shockwave blasting through houses, boulders, and even the jagged earth itself.He wasn’t dead—still conscious—but that had to have hurt like hell. This was bad. Kaido getting blown away was one thing, but the battle itself was nearing its conclusion.

"Give it up!! Beasts Pirates!! This is your loss!!"

"We’ll give you a taste of the New World’s baptism!!"

"Tch… damn it…!! At this rate, as a crew, we’re pretty much done for!!"

There were barely any fighters left. Tough ones like King, Queen, and the other ability users were still standing, but they were barely holding on rather than fighting back.

And Kaido and I were reaching our limits too. At this rate, it’s another total wipeout.I had to do something—but before I could think further,

"You’re next!!!"

"!! Tch…!!"

Linlin raised her sword, ready to bring it down. And she’d even wrapped Prometheus around it—she was serious.Blocking was impossible. At the very least, I had to avoid a direct hit—twisting my body, I focused entirely on evasion.

"—MAMA!!!"

“Haaah!! What the hell!?”

—It happened just then. The attack stopped at the sound of someone shouting—whether it was one of Linlin’s children or her subordinates, it was hard to tell.

“—Mama! The Na-vy’s-come-out-to-sea!!”

“What did you say!?”

Linlin’s eyes shot wide as she furrowed her brows, and a murmur rippled through the battlefield. Everyone turned their eyes to the sea—and saw it.

“It’s a Navy fleet…!!”

“No way, now of all times…!!”

“This is bad!! We’re in no shape to take on a fleet like that right now…!!”

“……!! Damn bastards…!!”

Even the Big Mom Pirates didn’t want to face off with a Navy fleet after a battle this fierce. With Linlin around, it was hard to say whether they’d win or lose—but either way, the casualties would be massive.

The timing was perfect—and also the worst. We were in danger too. Staying here and continuing to fight was not a smart move.

“Mama!! We’ve got to retreat—now!! If we don’t, we’re all gonna—!!”

“Ghh～～～～!!! —We can’t land the finishing blow… dammit…!! I won’t forgive you, Navy… you’re gonna pay for this…!!!”

Linlin, frustrated, gritted her teeth and turned her back to us—likely because she’d seen the state her children and crew were in. Once she made her retreat clear, her subordinates quickly followed suit and began to pull out of the battlefield.

“Huff… huff… Dammit… We’ll pull back… for now…!!”

“Persistent bastard…!! I swear I’ll kill you one day—remember that…!!”

The fight between Katakuri and King ended in a rough draw—though it looked like King had the slight upper hand. Sensing the shift in the situation, they both backed off. Katakuri glanced our way for a moment—but quickly averted his eyes and ran toward his ship.

Before I knew it, Queen had gathered the remaining troops.

“Get the ones still alive onto the ship!! We’re leaving the island!! We’re not about to start a war with the Navy now!! Move it!!”

“Y-yes, sir!! Lord Queen!!”

“Alright!! —Nue!! Lord Kaido!! Let’s get out of here while we can!!”

“…Haaah… Guess we have no choice. Even for us, running might be the better—”

Just as I let out a sigh and began to steel myself for retreat, Kaido came charging back after having been blown away earlier. He looked out to the Navy fleet offshore and—

“—Damn it, it was just getting good…!!! I’m gonna kill every last one of ‘em…!!!”

“Hey, Kaido!!”

“L-Lord Kaido!?”

Kaido transformed into a dragon and shot up into the sky—then charged straight at the fleet. It all happened so fast I couldn’t even stop him. The crew was in complete shock. A frantic Queen turned to me in a panic.

“W-What do we do, Nue!! Kaido’s at it again…!!”

“Oh, for crying out loud!! Fine, screw it!! You guys get outta here first!! I’m gonna raise some hell and drag that idiot back myself!!”

“What!? Nue, you too~~~!?”

“That’s suicide!!! This is way too reckless!!!”

Shut up. If it’s come to this, then I’ll blow off some steam from losing to Linlin by teaming up with Kaido to sink that Navy fleet. Or, uh, at least get something out of it. I might be worn down, but Kaido and I have both gotten stronger. No way we’re losing to just some fleet—

—A few hours later.

“—Kaido of the Beasts, captain of the Beasts Pirates!! And Nue the Demon-Beast, vice-captain of the Beasts Pirates!! These two are hereby sentenced to death for numerous crimes!!!”

—We managed to sink about six Navy ships between the two of us… but we still got caught. They hauled us onto a massive prison ship and, since we were labeled as insanely dangerous criminals, they sentenced us to death on the spot—and carried it out immediately. The guillotine blade drops onto Kaido’s and my necks. —Ugh, seriously!! Next time we’re not losing or getting caught, got it!?