On the battlefield, Whitebeard gritted his teeth, muscles straining as he used every ounce of strength to withstand the combined might of Kaido and Charlotte Linlin. The very air quaked beneath their power.
Yet, Kaido and Linlin were far from alarmed. Instead, twin grins spread across their monstrous faces, eyes gleaming with battle-lust.
"Whitebeard, you old fossil," Kaido growled, voice like rolling thunder. "You haven't fallen as far as I thought!"
Linlin's laughter followed, shrill and booming. "But let's see if you can handle the next one, old man!"
"Zeus! Prometheus!" Linlin bellowed, summoning her homies.
Two souls emerged—one blazing with fire, the other crackling with lightning. Linlin planted a foot on Prometheus, while Zeus hovered above, lightning sparking wildly. Her massive figure rose into the air as Kaido's form began to shift, scales glimmering as he entered his hybrid state—part man, part dragon.
In the sky, the two Yonko swung their weapons in unison. Power roared outward like a living storm, merging into a single devastating force that tore the heavens apart.
Marco's eyes widened, his instincts screaming.
"Old man! Be careful! That blast'll wipe out everything for kilometers!"
"Don't take it head-on!" he shouted, wings beating frantically.
But it was too late. The speed of their combined strike was unreal—even Whitebeard couldn't dodge in time.
"Damn brats!" Whitebeard roared, veins bulging. "They've grown stronger than they ever were on Rocks' crew! Guess I'll just have to meet them head-on!"
Raising Murakumogiri, he coated his entire body in the densest layer of Armament Haki. His Conqueror's Haki surged, shaking the ground as he prepared to block the monstrous attack.
Then—
A deep black light flashed across the battlefield. It shot through the air and collided with Kaido and Linlin's technique, Overlord Destruction, exploding with enough force to make the sky itself tremble.
The unexpected interference drew everyone's eyes.
It was none other than Dracule Mihawk, his sword gleaming with jet-black Haki.
His new technique unleashed countless condensed slashes that collided with the Yonko's devastating strike. Each sword beam hit like a cannon barrage, filling the air with an ear-splitting rumble.
Smoke billowed violently.
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes. "It was blocked? When did Mihawk become this strong?"
The sheer pressure from Mihawk's slash rivaled the shockwaves of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit itself. Even Kaido and Linlin faltered momentarily, eyes narrowing at the intensity.
Linlin barked a laugh. "Mihawk! You've grown even stronger, haven't you? Truly terrifying for a swordsman!"
Kaido smirked, gripping his kanabo. "Heh, impressive—but still not enough. This is our combined might! You can't stop Overlord Destruction!"
The smoke cleared, revealing the energy wave still surging forward—smaller now, but far from harmless.
"Old man, look out! Brutal Charge!"
Diamond Jozu burst forward, his body gleaming like crystal. Coated in shining jewels and Sakura Flow, he intercepted the attack head-on.
The explosion shattered his diamond armor, and the massive shockwave sent him flying backward.
"Jozu!" Marco shouted, flames bursting from his wings. He dove after his comrade, blue fire wrapping around Jozu's wounds and healing them instantly.
Whitebeard's deep voice boomed. "You alright, brat?"
Jozu coughed, wiping blood from his lip. "Yeah, Pops. Just cracked my armor."
If anyone could tank a blow like that, it was Jozu—the man whose physical defense ranked among the greatest of the New World.
Kaido snarled. Linlin's grin twisted.
"Mihawk... and that diamond bastard..." Kaido muttered darkly.
"They've ruined our entrance," Linlin spat. "I wanted to crush their spirits, not trade blows!"
Whitebeard laughed heartily. "Gurarara! Kaido! Linlin! Is that all your 'Hakai' can do? Gurarara!"
Across the battlefield, Sengoku's expression hardened.
"Admirals—Vice Admiral Tokikake—support Kaido and Linlin!"
The Marines moved instantly.
From above, Kizaru descended at the speed of light, his body glowing golden.
"Don't get too full of yourself, Whitebeard. The fun's just getting started," he said lazily, before unleashing a flurry of light bullets.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Moby Dick trembled under the relentless barrage.
Then Aokiji raised his hand, releasing a wave of freezing mist. A colossal ice pillar erupted beneath the pirate ship, instantly freezing the surrounding sea.
"The Moby Dick's trapped!" one of the helmsmen cried. "He froze the whole ocean!"
Aokiji's voice was calm and cold. "Let's see you escape this, even with wings, Whitebeard."
From the frontlines, Tokikake drew his blade, releasing a crimson slash aimed directly at Whitebeard. The slash carved through the air like molten steel.
Whitebeard met it head-on, swinging Murakumogiri. The clash sent the red slash rebounding, curving back toward Tokikake at double the speed.
Tokikake's eyes widened.
"He reflected it?!" he exclaimed. "His Armament Haki... it's stronger than mine!"
A booming laugh erupted behind him.
"Now this is what I call fun!"
A tall, muscular man with jet-black hair leaped from the Marine ranks—his fist glimmering as it struck the reflected slash.
The impact resounded like thunder, shattering the air and cracking the Moby Dick's deck beneath them.
He had stopped Whitebeard's redirected strike with his bare hands.
The battlefield fell silent for a brief moment, the air heavy with tension.
______
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