A tremendous explosion suddenly erupted across the battlefield as blazing flames raged like a tidal wave of destruction. High-temperature shockwaves swept across the surrounding area while a slightly charred figure plummeted toward the ground like a fallen meteorite.
Then a brilliant streak of fire cut across the night sky like a crimson comet, pursuing the scorched form that was falling helplessly toward the earth below.
In the dancing firelight, Ace's eyes blazed with supernatural intensity, as if the god of fire himself had descended to the mortal realm for judgment.
Just before Who's-Who could crash into the ground with a thunderous impact, Ace descended trailing a magnificent tail of flame. Blazing white fire erupted from his suddenly opened right palm as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow.
"Sacred Fire: Shiranui!"
The intensely hot flames followed Ace's swinging motion and struck directly toward Who's-Who, who lay on the ground completely unable to resist the incoming devastation.
The deafening explosion echoed across the entire island once again, and the resulting shockwave swept outward in all directions with tremendous force.
Amid the rolling heat waves and dissipating smoke, Ace stepped calmly from the center of the blazing inferno, immediately drawing the attention of every combatant on the battlefield.
Noticing that the fighting had briefly paused due to his spectacular finishing move, he turned and nodded acknowledgment to Deuce and Skull, before shifting his gaze toward the four remaining enemies surrounding Brook.
"Damn you!" Jack roared, witnessing another member of his elite forces fall in combat. Fury consumed him as he swung both massive blades wildly, attempting to cut everything in his vicinity to pieces. However, he could never manage to connect with Carrot's incredibly agile and swift movements.
The young mink remained flexible and adaptable, fully implementing the tactical principle Jerry had taught her: "When facing larger opponents, target their weak points." She continued darting around Jack's massive form while focusing her electrical attacks on his back and other vulnerable areas.
Carrot understood perfectly that given Jack's tremendous size and the physical enhancement granted by his Ancient Zoan transformation, she would almost certainly be unable to match him in raw strength. Therefore, she avoided direct confrontation entirely, using her superior speed and precision strikes to test the limits of his defensive capabilities.
Lightning crackled from Carrot's hands as her movements became even more ferocious during her high-speed assault pattern.
However, although her tactical approach was sound, Jack the Drought was no pushover opponent.
Having been attacked by Jerry using similar hit-and-run tactics during their previous encounter on Onigashima, Jack hadn't wasted the intervening years. He had made significant improvements to his agility and reaction time in preparation for exactly this type of opponent.
Beyond his ability to maintain his position as one of the Three All-Stars of the Beast Pirates, Jack's Observation Haki was formidable, perfectly complemented by extensive combat experience and finely honed battle instincts.
Because of these improvements, although Carrot's attack speed and movement velocity were impressive, she still couldn't completely surpass Jack's sharp reflexes and solid defensive techniques.
Therefore, when she launched her swift assault, Jack—despite having his back initially turned to her—spun around with surprising quickness. His twin blades gleamed with advanced Armament Haki as he not only deflected her lightning-enhanced attack but also seized the opportunity to launch a devastating counteroffensive.
Faced with this powerful retaliation, Carrot showed no fear whatsoever. Her small fist, wreathed in crackling electricity, pressed precisely against the flat side of Jack's blade. She used the momentum to twist her body gracefully and spring upward, perfectly avoiding her opponent's follow-up strike.
Carrot's evasive maneuver only intensified Jack's rage. Before she could stabilize herself in mid-air, he began swinging both weapons in a berserker frenzy.
Steel flashed through the darkness as what appeared to be chaotic slashing created an intricate web of death, intended to eliminate all possible escape routes and inflict severe injuries on his elusive target.
Sensing this attack pattern that resembled a torrential downpour of blades, a hint of serious concern flickered through Carrot's eyes. Dazzling electrical energy began radiating from her entire body.
She focused her concentration and combined her increasingly sophisticated Observation Haki with her natural mink agility. At the critical moment, her petite form used the recoil from deflecting attacks to dance like a leaf on the wind, moving gracefully among the forest of deadly steel while managing to hold her own against Jack without sustaining any significant damage.
On the other side of the battlefield, the remaining members of the Flying Six exchanged meaningful glances before gritting their teeth in determination. They were preparing to coordinate their efforts and break through Brook's relentless assault when they suddenly felt a scorching presence approaching—completely different from the supernatural cold that had been dominating their immediate area.
As a flaming fist blazed past their position, they hurriedly dodged to the side. When they looked more carefully, they discovered that another powerful enemy had suddenly joined the battle.
"Yohohoho! Mr. Ace, you finally arrived!" Brook paused in his combat routine and raised his hand to wipe away nonexistent perspiration. "You really had me working up quite a sweat, even though I don't actually have skin that can produce sweat!"
Brook had made tremendous efforts to apply sufficient pressure on the Flying Six, preventing them from easily breaking out to join the siege against his crewmates while ensuring their tactical plan could proceed smoothly.
The evidence of his dedication was clearly visible: several enemies bore obvious injuries, the surrounding area had been alternately burned and charred by Black Maria's web-based attacks, then frozen solid by Brook's supernatural techniques.
However, Brook's heroic stand hadn't come without personal cost. His clothing was torn in multiple places, and various injuries—including several cracked and broken bones—were clearly visible across his skeletal frame.
Fortunately, such damage wasn't particularly serious for someone with Brook's unique physiology. After positioning himself beside Ace, he produced some milk seemingly from nowhere and poured it down his throat. His fractured bones began healing one by one at a rate visible to the naked eye.
"Ah, thank you for your hard work, Brook. But now..."
Before Ace could complete his statement, a booming voice suddenly echoed throughout the entire area, interrupting whatever he had been planning to say.
"Muhahaha! You idiots, it's time to wake up and get back to work!"
The speaker was clearly using some kind of amplification system, and the sound reverberated from every direction. This announcement caused many Beast Pirates members who had previously been rendered unconscious by Jerry's Conqueror's Haki to begin regaining consciousness at an accelerated pace.
"Oh no! Tama, Kotatsu, hurry! We need to get back to the ship right now!" Carina immediately shouted to the little girl and their feline companion, who were positioned not far from her location.
The infiltration team was preparing to execute their tactical withdrawal when they suddenly found themselves surrounded by Gifters, Pleasures, and other Beast Pirates members who were climbing to their feet and shaking off the effects of their enforced unconsciousness.
High atop the skull-shaped fortress, Kaido's massive kanabo and Jerry's seemingly insignificant fishing rod continued their fierce duel. Each collision sent shockwaves rippling outward like waves on a pond, blowing away all nearby sand, stones, and debris with tremendous force.
Feeling Jerry's incredible strength transmitted through their locked weapons, Kaido suddenly burst into hearty laughter: "Boy, attempting to invade my territory with just a handful of brat—that's remarkably foolish, even by pirate standards!"
"I'll give you one final opportunity," the Emperor continued with genuine amusement. "As long as you agree to join my crew, I won't hold today's invasion or our past encounters against you!"
Hearing this unexpected offer, Jerry looked directly into his opponent's eyes without showing the slightest sign of weakness or consideration: "You can forget about that suggestion entirely, Kaido. If we had met each other decades ago, perhaps we might have found some common ground for negotiation."
"But now?" Jerry's gaze shifted to the point where his fishing rod met Kaido's kanabo, both weapons crackling with advanced Haki. "Now we have no choice but to fight and discover whose will proves stronger!"
The philosophical exchange hung in the air between them, but both combatants understood that words had reached their limit. Only battle would determine the ultimate victor in this clash between the old guard and the new generation of pirates.
Some conflicts could only be resolved through the ancient language of combat, and Jerry was more than ready to speak fluently in that brutal tongue.