Golden light converged, and Borsalino’s figure appeared at the center of the battlefield.

Whoosh—

Just as he materialized, a sharp shriek of steam came piercing toward him.

Borsalino raised his right hand and extended his index finger. A golden cross-shaped light spun, and a laser beam shot out, colliding with the steam lance in a fiery explosion.

BOOM!!!

A massive explosion bloomed like a rising sun.

Borsalino’s body scattered into particles of light. The shockwave blew him toward Kuzan’s position, where he reformed beside him and exhaled slowly.

“Scary~”

“These Yonko are all monsters, one after another~”

Beside him, Kuzan condensed from thin air into solid ice, exhaling a plume of frosty mist.

“Indeed.”

“It’s quite a hassle…”

Across from them in the distance—

Knock hovered in the air, steam billowing off his entire body.

“Another one…”

His expression was unreadable as he considered whether to continue.

Borsalino spoke calmly from the opposite side.

“How about we call it here~”

“It’s a bit too early for this fight~”

Knock let out a cold laugh.

“Easy for you to say.”

“If it were your Navy island being attacked,”

“Would you still sound this relaxed?”

Borsalino gave a helpless little shrug.

“Ma~”

“You’ll have to ask our Fleet Admiral about that~”

The atmosphere instantly grew cold.

Thinking of Sakazuki, Knock narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Go back and tell that guy Sakazuki…”

“Don’t push it too far. A fight to the death benefits no one.”

After finishing his words, he retracted his killing intent. The steam rising around him slowly dispersed, and his entire figure flew off into the distance.

Compared to Smir Port, ‘cooperation’ with the Vinsmoke family was clearly a higher priority.

Kuzan let out a quiet breath.

“It’s finally over.”

Borsalino frowned slightly.

“We got threatened, huh~”

“What should we do~”

Kuzan rolled his eyes at Borsalino.

“Call Sakazuki first.”

Borsalino nodded slightly, took out the Den Den Mushi, and teased,

“Remember to use honorifics, Kuzan~”

Kuzan’s face darkened, and he waved his hand.

The Den Den Mushi connected, and Borsalino briefly described Knock’s threat.

On the other end came Sakazuki’s indifferent voice.

“A fight to the death?”

“Him?”

“You and Kuzan will erase Smir Port from the map.”

“Leave no survivors.”

“Then move the fleet to attack the next island.”

Kuzan’s eyes widened in shock. He was about to speak when Borsalino raised a hand to stop him and said to the Den Den Mushi,

“Understood~”

He hung up and exhaled slowly.

“Fuu~”

“Don’t act on impulse~”

Kuzan’s brows furrowed tightly.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Smir Port isn’t just pirates—most of the population are civilians. We’re going to wipe them out too?”

Borsalino looked helpless.

“You know Sakazuki’s personality.”

“This is a war about the world’s future. A few civilians won’t slow our Fleet Admiral down for a second~”

“If you’d confronted Sakazuki just now, they really would have died.”

“Control all the pirates on the island first. Then get your fleet to transport the civilians~”

Kuzan’s expression eased a little, though a hint of struggle remained… Even if Borsalino was right…

Borsalino said nothing further. Sometimes, this kind of thing had to be accepted personally.

If civilian or soldier lives could sway Sakazuki, then people were underestimating his resolve…

When the fate of the world was at stake, there could be no room for hesitation.

If not for that massive battle between Sakazuki and Sengoku last time, Borsalino would’ve suspected Sakazuki was some emotionless machine…

But unfortunately, it had been only that one time.

Now, Sakazuki seemed to have truly become an emotionless machine.

Even when Enel was seriously injured in Wano last time and brought before Sakazuki, the man hadn’t shown the slightest reaction…

So a few civilians and marines were nothing. They couldn’t threaten Sakazuki at all…

Kuzan wrestled with his thoughts for a while before slowly exhaling.

“Fine.”

He took out the Den Den Mushi and called the standby fleet.

…

Some time later.

As the Navy’s fleet approached, the pirates on the island regrouped to fight back. They were about to report the situation when—

“Ice Age!”

Kuzan’s voice thundered across the island sky.

Using Observation Haki to scan the area, he marked every pirate and in an instant froze a third of the island—without missing a single target.

When an Admiral took action, the pirates below didn’t stand a chance.

The warships arrived soon after. Countless bewildered civilians boarded the Navy vessels with whatever they could carry, not knowing where they were headed…

As the fully loaded warships sailed away, heading to the rear, blinding lights flared in the sky above the island.

Countless beams of light rained down, each one like a high-explosive bomb. Under the continuous bombardment, the island sank beneath the sea in mere moments.

…

Leaving aside Knock’s furious reaction and the Vinsmoke family’s movements upon hearing this news—

Enel’s fleet advanced with overwhelming momentum.

In just a few days, they captured seven islands in a row before halting their march…

Ahead lay Spubi Island. Shanks’ Red-Haired crew had been gathering there over the past few days, forcing the Navy’s offensive to a stop.

Krony Island.

The island closest to Spubi Island—Enel’s fleet was currently stationed there.

The islanders had been gradually evacuated onto Skarn’s floating fleet. The Navy didn’t force those unwilling to leave, letting them choose for themselves.

Enel and Skarn stood atop the highest cliff on the shore, gazing out at the sea.

Skarn sat down casually at the cliff’s edge.

“Our advance stops here.”

Enel nodded.

“Yeah.”

“The captains under Red-Hair have already gathered on the next island to prepare defenses.”

“Pushing forward won’t yield any real results.”

“And Shanks disappeared a while ago.”

“He’s probably on his way here.”

“Bullet is heading this way too.”

Skarn’s expression grew distant.

“The Yonko, huh…”

He was just about to say he wanted to see it for himself when—

A surge of crackling lightning suddenly burst from Enel’s body.

Zzzzz—

With a flick of his hand, a golden trident appeared in his grip and swung to the left.

Clang!

The jet-black golden trident collided with Gryphon, sparks flying in every direction.

The shockwave erupted outward.

Skarn abruptly stood up on guard.

When… did this happen? He hadn’t sensed it at all…

Enel’s face was expressionless as he blocked Gryphon with his left arm and slightly tilted his head to the left.

“Red-Haired Shanks.”

At the far edge of the sea on the left, a tiny black speck appeared… it was the ship of the Red-Haired Pirates.

There was a hint of surprise in Shanks’s eyes.

“As expected of a candidate for Admiral…”

His Observation Haki was something even Kaido couldn’t underestimate. Skarn, who stood right next to Enel, hadn’t sensed anything — yet Enel had the time to condense a weapon and block the attack.

This guy of the same age… is interesting…

The clash between Gryphon and the pitch-black golden trident crackled with streaks of Haoshoku lightning.

Enel, though expressionless, was inwardly startled.

His Observation couldn’t sense Shanks — but his range was vast.

And since this was the island closest to Sphinx Island, he had expanded his observation range.

What he first sensed was several powerful presences on the Red-Haired Pirates’ ship. But soon after, something felt wrong.

There was one person whose magnetic field could be sensed but whose presence couldn’t be detected with Observation, rushing at a speed far beyond human.

Though this sensation was bizarre, Enel reacted immediately, condensing his weapon and raising it toward the left…

Enel narrowed his eyes slightly and let out a low murmur.

“That’s a terrifying ability…”

Shanks’s lips curled upward.

“But it didn’t hurt you, did it?”

Enel said calmly,

“Just a coincidence.”

Shanks chuckled lightly.

“Is that so?”

Zzzzt—

Where the two weapons clashed, the lightning’s output suddenly surged.

BOOM!!!

A violent explosion swept out, collapsing the entire cliff.

One red and one blue figure entwined as they shot into the sky, sword aura and lightning exploding above.

Skarn hovered in midair, looked up at the sky, pulled out the Den Den Mushi, and immediately issued a full alert. At the same time, all personnel began retreating to the warships.

Meanwhile, the Red-Haired Pirates’ ship was rapidly approaching the island.

Lucky Roux jumped onto the railing with a huge meat leg in hand, tearing off a big bite.

“This time, I’m gonna pay them back properly.”

That punch from Bullet still ached faintly when he thought about it. Now was the perfect chance — no way he’d let it pass.

In just a few bites, he devoured the meat leg clean, tossed the bone into the sea, and crouched slightly.

With a stomp, he shot out like a round cannonball, smashing toward the retreating Marines.

The rest of the crew wore helpless expressions, but jumped off one after another, charging toward the island.

…

On the island.

Law, who was directing the retreat, sensed the incoming presence and his face changed drastically.

“ROOM!!!”

With no time to distinguish friend or foe, all nearby Marines and pirate corpses were teleported onto the warship.

He then drew his blade and swung it sharply toward Lucky Roux.

Lucky Roux grinned, covering his entire body in pitch-black Haki. He shattered the slash enhanced by Law’s ability and charged forward without restraint.

“Your Haki’s too weak, Marine!”

Law’s pupils contracted sharply.

Just then—

A barely visible streak of blue light shot into the range of Law’s ability.

The grin on Lucky Roux’s face froze before he could react. His stomach suddenly caved inward… his face flushed red, and his eyes bulged.

Bullet’s figure appeared before him, his arm deeply embedded in Lucky Roux’s gut.

“Your Haki’s too weak, fat pig…”

BOOM!!!

A thunderous impact.

Lucky Roux’s body was flung back like a deformed baseball, crashing into the incoming Red-Haired crew.

Yasopp’s face darkened.

This was bad!

Bullet turned into a streak of blue light, overtaking Lucky Roux’s flying body several times over.

His threatening arms reached out to either side, casually wrapping around Yasopp and the ship’s doctor.

Like old brothers with arms slung over each other’s shoulders—

But the two men were pinned helplessly by Bullet’s overwhelming strength as he dragged them back onto the Red-Haired Pirates’ ship.

Tap, tap—

Footsteps echoed.

Yasopp and the doctor didn’t dare make any reckless moves, locked by those thick, crushing arms.

The few who had rushed forward caught Lucky Roux, returned to the ship, and aimed their weapons at Bullet. Beckman narrowed his eyes slightly.

“What a pain…”

This guy’s ability… it’s practically unbeatable… that damned speed…

Even if they could sense him with Observation, their bodies couldn’t keep up.

Bullet looked at the weapons aimed at him with total indifference. Still clutching the two men with his elbows, he slowly walked toward Shanks’s seat.

Around him, the crew looked furious, ready to act — but Beckman stopped them.

Bullet casually sat down on Shanks’s seat with the two men still clamped in his arms.

“Though I arrived a bit late.”

“But…”

A cruel grin spread across his lips as he stared at Beckman.

Some of the crew scowled. Beckman’s expression didn’t change, but he didn’t dare move rashly.

It wasn’t time for the final showdown yet. Beckman wasn’t worried — but for now, the situation was deadlocked.

In the sky.

At some point, the golden trident in Enel’s hands had been smelted into a long blade.

Still coated in jet-black Busoshoku Haki, it clashed against Shanks’s Gryphon.

Clang!

The two blades collided.

Enel’s eyes flickered as he let out a faint chuckle.

“Looks like your ‘companions’ are in trouble.”

Shanks’s face stiffened slightly, but he didn’t care.

“Ah—”

“But as long as I take you down, it won’t matter, right?”

Enel replied coldly,

“You’re underestimating me…”

BOOM!!!!

The blades collided with explosive force. A violent shockwave spread out, forming a white ring of air that expanded outward.

Shanks and Enel were both blown back, adjusting midair before stomping forward again to charge at each other.

Zzzla—

Their figures crossed in an instant.

Enel’s form shattered like a bubble, split clean in half and disappearing.

Shanks didn’t even look back. He swung his sword upward.

Thunder roared through the sky and sea.

A colossal lightning giant, hundreds of meters tall, stood on the clouds wielding a Vajra staff formed of pure thunder.

It lunged downward at Shanks with blinding speed.

Shanks’s upward slash surged toward the lightning giant.

A strike wrapped in Conqueror’s Haki and crackling lightning clashed against the tip of the thunder Vajra.

The explosion of force and lightning tore through the storm clouds. Countless clouds were scattered, revealing what lay behind—

The embodiment of the Thunder God, holding a lightning crossbow, aimed straight at Shanks…

———–

The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg. 414 chapters in total

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep