“Crrrk... crrrk...”

  A few days ter, in the Castelló Sea deep within the New World, a massive naval fleet posed of ships of varying sizes stretched across the water. Reinforts from the G-10, G-11, and G-12 naval branch fortresses had joihe formation, and the fleet—brimming with unstoppable momentum—advaraight toward the pirate stronghold of Haosu Isnd, also known as Beehive Isnd.

  “Admiral Kong, we are approximately half a day’s journey from Haosu Isnd!”

  On the lead ship, which beloo Admiral Kong himself, Vice Admiral Sengoku stood with a grave expression as he reported, “But so far, we haven’t spotted a single pirate ship.”

  “Those pirates are ing. They’re definitely plotting something. Make sure the entire fleet remains on high alert!”

  The t Admiral Kong stood firmly, arms crossed as he gazed at the vast, seemingly empty sea ahead. “By the way, has Zephyr adapted to the powers of the Ice-Ice Fruit?” Kong turned his sharp gaze toward Sengoku. His tone was heavy. “His abilities will be critical in this operation. We ’t afford for him to falter at a crucial moment!”

  “Rest assured,” Sengoku replied without hesitation, “Over the past few days, Zephyr has thhly familiarized himself with the Ice-Ice Fruit’s abilities.”

  Sengoku knew his former academy mate well. Although Zephyr’s idealistid overly benevolent nature had once been frustrating, ret years had ged him. He was still kied, but he no longer hesitated to act decisively against pirates. This transformation made him a stronger and more reliable soldier.

  “Admiral Kong! We’ve spotted something unusual ahead!”

  A lookout suddenly shouted from the crow’s . “There’s a ship approag from the sky, but it’s stopped at a distand hasn’t e closer!”

  “What?”

  “Could it be Golden Lion Shiki?”

  Both Kong and Sengoku’s expressions darkened.

  “Just one ship?”

  Using his spygss, Kong observed the distant vessel h over the sea. He wasted no time and barked an order: “Maintain course and speed! All ships, switch to first-level alert!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  The bring sound of horns echoed through the fleet. Through the loudspeakers ected to the transponder snails, Kong’s ands reverberated across the ships. In moments, marines began assembling with precision and haste, ready for battle.

  “Heh heh, that’s quite an intimidating force you’ve mustered there…”

  Far off on the sea, a pirate ship hovered briefly in the air before desding onto the water. Golden Lion Shiki, cigar ched between his teeth, sneered as he surveyed the vast naval fleet from the bow of his ship. Turning to Whitebeard Edward e, who was seated nearby, he grinned maliciously.

  “The move is yours, e!”

  “Gurarararara! Alright, let’s give them something to think about.”

  Whitebeard stood, his massive frame t at the ship’s bow. Pnting his enormous naginata, Murakumogiri, firmly, he took a wide stance. Veins bulged across his muscur arms as he smmed both fists into the air.

  Boom!

  Boom!

  The atmosphere itself cracked uhe immense force of his blows. Spiderweb-like fissures spread outward, splitting the very air. The sea oher side of the pirate ship began to distort violently, ing in unnatural patterns. Then, like the ebb of an enormous tide, the water receded into the distance.

  “Gurarararara! Let’s let them stew for a moment.”

  Whitebeard grinned, resting his naginata casually on his shoulder, as if the spectacle were merely a trivial dispy. The ourbulent waves became eerily calm, leaving the sea unnaturally tranquil.

  “Something feels… off.”

  On the lead navy ship, Kong frowned as he surveyed the uling stillness of the o.

  “Looks like they’re trying to send us a message,” Sengoku muttered grimly, his voice heavy with foreboding. He had faced Whitebeard before and uood the devastating power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit all too well.

  On a nearby rge battleship, several figures were seated, each occupying their own space.

  “Heh, only sending a single ship to provoke us?”

  Chewing on his words, “The Drill” jao—one of the Shichibukai—sneered as he spped his bald, newly restored drill-shaped head. Staring at the distant pirate ship, he mocked, “Are those fools in the Rocks Pirates so scared they’ve lost their nerve?”

  Surprisingly, the drill-shaped head jao had lost long ago was now miraculously restored.

  “Don’t kid yourself. If they were cowards, they wouldn’t have had the guts to mess with the Heavenly Tribute!”

  “Iron Hammer” Naguri tered from his seat.

  “Hmph, it’s just one ship. A single on shot would be enough to blow them to bits!”

  A burly youth with a rough appearance, a helmet, crossed his arms and scoffed. He had relutly accepted the invitation to bee a Shichibukai after his elder brother Byojad their crew were captured by the navy. Though he roud, the promise of freedom for his brother and rades had swayed him. Unlike him, Byojack was weak and frail—sickly, even—uo fend off children, and most of their crew members weren’t much stronger.

  While the youth himself didn’t fear the navy, his loyalty to his rades had forced his hand. This arra spared them from the navy’s relentless pursuit, letting them roam the seas freely once again.

  “Hey, you’ve been quiet ever since b this ship,” jao grumbled as he walked over to anure seated he ship’s edge.

  It was a well-dressed, proud-looking man holding a wine gss. He sat aloof, admiring the vast o sery as though no one else was there.

  “You’re one of us now—a Shichibukai. Even if we’re not rades, shouldn’t you at least greet us?”

  The man turned his head, his demeanor id arrogant. Draped in a pristine red cloak, his refined appearance trasted sharply with the others.

  “rades?”

  His cold, cutting tone silenced jao.

  “Don’t misuand. You’re not worthy of that title. The only reason I agreed to join the Shichibukai and ahe Wover’s call was to cross bdes with the stro fighters on the seas.”

  “Crrrk... You’re awfully full of yourself!”

  Turning toward him, World bared a sly grin, his eyes filled with provocation.

  “You bastard…”

  jao’s expression darkened. In a fsh, he lunged, his razor-sharp drill-shaped head aimed straight at the arrogant man.

  g!

  Sparks flew as a sleek bck scorpion-handled umbrel intercepted jao’s attack with pinpoint accuracy. The tip of the umbrel met jao’s drill head, holding firm against the impact.

  “Hmph...”

  The csh geed a shockwave, making the battleship groan and sway uhe intense force.

  “Hey, hey…”

  A booming voice emerged from below deck. A hulking, dark-skinned figure—nearly four or five meters tall and built like a bck bear—stepped onto the deck, ughiily at the otion.

  “You Shichibukai sure are something. The battle hasn’t even started, and you’re already fighting among yourselves?”

  “Heh, I was just testing his strength to see if he deserves to be so cocky!”

  jao withdrew with a grin, spping his head as he ughed. The Red t, Redfield, however, remained posed. With one hand gripping his umbrel and the other holding his wine gss, he appeared utterly indifferent—almost as though the scuffle had never happened.

  After giving jao and the t Admiral Bck Bear a brief, dismissive gnce, Redfield folded his umbrel, swirled the deep-red liquid in his gss, and resumed gazing out at the o. His demeanor, unshaken, gave no sign that anything had occurred.

  Bleam