Click!
A light sound, and flames leaped up.
Beckman unhurriedly lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, letting the harsh smoke circle in his lungs before slowly exhaling.
The white smoke blurred his instantly sharpened expression. "You really are something, Natural Disaster Kai."
"However, what I rely on isn't just firearms."
Beckman's gaze toward Kai ignited with long-absent, blazing fighting spirit. He hadn't encountered an opponent who could excite him this much in a long time.
"Then let me get a good look!"
A somewhat mocking laugh suddenly rang out near Beckman's ear.
"Dragon Claw!"
The next moment, the tall dragon-human figure descended from the sky like teleportation, claws striking directly at Beckman's head.
Beckman's pupils contracted sharply, his reaction incredibly fast. He instantly reversed his rifle, gripping the barrel with the stock as weapon. Pitch-black Haki covered it like a tide, transforming it into an indestructible black iron club as he swung upward to block.
BOOM!
Stock and dragon claw collided violently without pretense.
Terrifying shockwaves exploded outward in rings as the ground beneath them shattered and sank like fragile cookies. Violent tremors spread in all directions.
Black-red Conqueror's Haki lightning frantically crackled and jumped around both fighters. The air itself seemed torn by this ultimate power collision, releasing unbearable wails.
"Ora ora ora ora!"
Kai pressed his advantage relentlessly, his claws becoming countless afterimages in continuous heavy strikes like violent storms. His face showed exhilarating joy. "The future's images are becoming clearer!"
"Future sight isn't invincible!"
Beckman remained composed, calmly wielding his rifle to block Kai's mountain-splitting strikes. Stock and dragon claws created endless sparks and explosions.
He even managed to seize tiny gaps in his airtight defense to counterattack with fierce kicks.
Their combat aftershocks directly cleared the battlefield within nearly a hundred meters. The massive air currents, frantically crackling and scattering Haki lightning, made it impossible for surrounding pirates from either the Beast or Red Hair crews to even approach. They could only watch in shock from afar.
"To actually fight Kai-sama to this extent!"
"Beckman-san's holding his own!"
Both sides' pirates simultaneously felt this shocking thought. They very cooperatively scrambled away from this battlefield turned forbidden zone.
Of course, they simply couldn't stay anyway.
Just then, Kai's cunning heavy punch struck Beckman's chest, while almost simultaneously Beckman seized the opportunity for a heavy stock strike, smashing down hard on Kai's collarbone.
Bang! Bang!
Two muffled sounds rang out nearly simultaneously.
Both men grunted as tremendous force sent them flying backward.
Kai plowed a massive furrow over a hundred meters long in the ground, finally embedding deeply into a hard, rocky mountain, creating a human-shaped crater.
Deep in the rocky mountain, Kai explosively broke free from the rock layers trapping him. The already severely damaged peak could no longer support itself, releasing tooth-aching groans before thunderously collapsing.
Countless boulders tumbled down, dust rising skyward.
When Kai somewhat disheveledly cleared the fallen rocks and earth from his body, emerging from the dust, a pitch-black cannonball arrived perfectly before him.
"Are you really cosplaying Garp?"
Kai shouted, having just escaped the ruins with no time to react. He could only watch helplessly as the cannonball struck his chest.
He now understood Beckman's meaning. No matter how strong future sight was, it was ultimately just an active skill requiring use.
Facing this perfectly connected, relentless series of attacks, he had no opportunity to employ future sight.
BOOM!
The powerful impact and subsequent violent explosion directly sent Kai flying again.
This was far from over! In the distance, cannonballs infused with Armament Haki pursued the airborne Kai. Precise as guided missiles with targeting systems.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Kai took several more direct hits midair. But he quickly adjusted his posture, beginning to dodge with ease.
Troublesome.
Besides decent physical abilities, Beckman's Haki was ridiculously strong, even slightly surpassing his own. Worthy of a man whose strength rivaled Red Hair's.
However, Kai's gaze sharpened, his fighting spirit undiminished. He wasn't without chances for victory.
Kai leaped up, instantly escaping the cannonball pursuit range, thunderously landing at the base of a hundred-meter-tall solitary peak.
He extended both arms to embrace the mountain, claws digging deep into the rock face. Kai took a deep breath, every muscle instantly tensing and bulging.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Kai roared, suddenly exerting force. The ground beneath couldn't bear this inhuman strength, instantly forming a large crater. "Rise!"
Crack—crack—RUMBLE!
A series of heart-stopping rock fracture sounds rang out.
The next second...
That hundred-meter mountain peak, accompanied by Kai's raised arms, broke at the base and was forcibly uprooted from the earth!
"Go! My Flying Peak!"
Kai aimed at Beckman's position, using all his strength to hurl that massive mountain like throwing a giant bowling ball!
Yes, his advantage was that incomparable strength far exceeding Beckman's.
The massive peak left Kai's hands with terrifying whistling sounds, instantly attracting everyone's attention on the battlefield.
"A mountain flying in the sky?"
"How can such a monster exist!"
Red Hair Pirates stared at the flying peak, faces full of disbelief and terror.
"Amazing!"
"Worthy of Kai-sama!"
Human joy and sorrow aren't universal. The Beast Pirates erupted in earth-shaking cheers and roars, their morale greatly boosted!
Meanwhile.
Beckman, having finished firing cannonballs, looked up at the massive mountain approaching at unscientific speed, his pupils contracting.
"Damn, this ridiculous?"
Even with his composure, he couldn't help cursing. He'd only seen such pure monstrous strength in the Whitebeard Pirates.
Even Diamond Jozu, famous for strength, probably couldn't achieve this level.
"But thinking such moves can defeat me is too wishful!"
Beckman spat out his cigarette, his gaze becoming incredibly sharp.
Rather than retreating, he leaped up, actively meeting that sky-obscuring mountain.
Beckman's pitch-black right leg rose like a battle axe in midair. Black-red Haki lightning instantly coiled around it as he kicked hard at the mountain's center.
BOOM!
Powerful Haki unreasonably penetrated the mountain.
Then.
Under everyone's shocked gaze, that massive peak began disintegrating from within. Countless cracks instantly spread throughout before thunderously shattering.
Countless rocks of various sizes fell like a grand meteor shower toward the ground below.
Though still impressive, it could no longer cause major impact.
"Dragon Claw!"
Within this falling stone curtain, Kai again swung his claws, charging at Beckman.
Beckman immediately swung his black iron stock to block.
In this stone-rain environment, neither retreated as they exchanged punches and kicks, claws and strikes, again engaging in the most primitive, brutal combat.
"That's practically another Emperor's battlefield!"
Who's-Who, fiercely battling Roaring Gab, glanced at the earth-shattering commotion in the distance, his eyes full of indescribable complex emotions.
That newcomer he once confidently competed with for All-Star position had now become a man he could barely see the back of.
"Of course! He's Kai-aniki!"
Even while struggling against Limejuice, Jack proudly shouted, his voice full of honor.
"Hmph! Do you have time to worry about others?!"
Limejuice snorted coldly, his electricity-wrapped iron rod attacking even more fiercely like a viper at Jack's openings.
The two instantly resumed intense combat.
As Chagos Island became a fierce battlefield, two groups of notable visitors almost simultaneously arrived at this sea area's periphery.
"Mama Mama! That boy Kaido's strength seems unchanged."
Aboard Queen Mama Chanter, Charlotte Linlin gazed at distant Chagos Island emanating terrifying waves like natural disasters, laughing with interest.
"And that boy called Kai looks quite good. Better than his wanted poster."
Her massive eyes flashed with undisguised hunger and possessiveness.
Hearing this, Katakuri, standing silently beside her, suddenly looked up. His expression changed beneath his white scarf as alarm bells rang in his heart with an extremely ominous premonition.
Mama wouldn't see someone handsome and again think of forcibly kidnapping them for marriage, would she?
This wasn't unfounded worry. Given Mama's personality, the possibility was frighteningly high!
Katakuri quickly stepped forward, reporting gravely to divert his mother's attention. "Mama! Latest intelligence shows Marine fleets have also arrived, lurking in nearby waters off our flank."
Indeed, Charlotte Linlin's attention was successfully diverted as her massive head turned. "Oh? Who came?"
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Admiral Aokiji, and Vice Admiral Garp." Katakuri reported thoroughly, his tone grave.
Hearing this luxurious top-tier lineup, even Charlotte Linlin frowned.
She still vividly remembered Garp joining Roger in the God Valley battle against Rocks. Adding a Fleet Admiral and Admiral...
These three together could annihilate an Emperor crew.
"Mama, what should we do now?" Katakuri requested instructions.
"Wait!"
Charlotte Linlin's eyes flickered with calculating light. "Wait until Beast Pirates and Red Hair Pirates determine a winner."
Rashly intervening now carried too much risk.
"Yes!"
Katakuri secretly sighed with relief. As long as Mama didn't suddenly go crazy wanting to steal men.
Coincidentally, on the Marine fleet side, Fleet Admiral Sengoku made a nearly identical judgment.
"Pass the order! All ships maintain silence and closely monitor Big Mom Pirates' movements! As long as they don't actively interfere, ignore them!"
"Let Beast Pirates and Red Hair Pirates exhaust each other first."
Sengoku on the bow decisively ordered.
Only then could they gain maximum results at minimum cost, completely controlling battlefield initiative.
"Report!" A hurried colonel quickly approached, saluting with a loud but tense voice.
"Sengoku-san, urgent message from forward reconnaissance! Whitebeard Pirates are showing unusual movements! Route analysis suggests seventy percent probability they're heading for Chagos Island!"
Sengoku's brow immediately furrowed tightly. "It's really getting more lively."
The situation he least wanted to see was finally happening.
"Complete chaos."
Nearby, Aokiji leaned on the railing, his tone carrying helpless resignation.
This way, all New World pirates worthy of Emperor status would gather on this unremarkable island.
This wouldn't become another God Valley, would it?
Thinking this, Aokiji curiously turned to Garp picking his nose. "Garp-san, how does this scene compare to God Valley?"
Garp's nose-picking paused as he casually flicked his finger. "Without that bastard Rocks, it's far inferior."
Aokiji became interested, asking, "Tell me about Rocks. Was he really as strong as legends say?"
"Him..."
Garp was about to open up, recalling those buried memories.
"Garp!" Sengoku's stern voice immediately interrupted, his eyes warning. "Mind discipline!"
God Valley involved too many secrets the World Government desperately concealed, especially regarding Celestial Dragons. Absolutely not for casual discussion in public.
"Yes, yes, got it."
Garp waved dismissively, continuing his nose-picking endeavors.
Seeing his old friend's attitude, Sengoku could only tiredly sigh, turning back to the cabin to handle seemingly endless paperwork.
Though physically on the New World's frontlines, Fleet Admiral duties forced him into dual operations, remotely handling numerous Marineford matters.
He'd grown several gray hairs and needed another dye job.
When would this miserable life end?
Time ran like a wild donkey. Once started, it wouldn't stop.
Three days later.
This war had reached its turning point.
Chagos Island no longer resembled its former self. Once peaceful and quiet, it now bore battle scars everywhere: giant craters, charred trees, and congealed black blood.
Fighting never ceased as injured pirates continuously left battle while others returned bandaged.
"Time to end this!"
After another fierce collision, Kai punched Beckman back, his lips curving confidently.
They'd expended enough. The moment to tip war's victory scales had arrived!