Powerful Armament Haki flowed intensely from both Dorry and Brogy, converging at the edges of their colossal weapons. The combined might of the legendary giant warriors clashed directly against the destructive shockwave produced by the stolen power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. The resulting impact birthed a massive, invisible shockwave, possessing a raw, destructive force easily rivaling Luffy's Elephant Gun, if not surpassing it completely.
A deafening explosion tore through the atmosphere, shaking the very foundations of the broken islands. At that exact instant, a blinding light erupted from the epicenter of the clash, forcing every single combatant to shield their eyes. The tremendous shockwave twisted into a violent hurricane of force eight or nine, sweeping violently across the faces of every pirate, marine, and samurai on the sea. For a fleeting moment, time itself seemed to pause. The entire world was swallowed by the pure, intense light of the collision, suspending the fierce battlefield in an eerie, breathless animation.
It felt like an eternity passed before the blinding flash finally faded. Accompanied by the gentle patter of rain falling from the darkened Wano sky, a temporary peace settled over the chaotic waters. However, the sheer friction and immense heat generated by the two colliding forces had flash-boiled a massive amount of seawater. A thick, impenetrable white mist now shrouded the entire sea, swallowing the surrounding pirate ships in a heavy, humid blanket.
Just as the suffocating tension threatened to choke the warriors, a strong, sudden gust of wind swept through the area. It tore through the heavy fog, scattering the white mist across the open ocean and finally revealing the true, awe-inspiring scale of the battlefield.
Countless pirate ships sat densely packed upon the turbulent waves. The giant, bottomless Wano chasm acted as a terrifying natural border, dividing the immense armada into two distinct, heavily armed factions.
On one side sat the formidable Beasts Grand Fleet. This massive force was primarily composed of Kaido's fearsome Beasts Pirates, bolstered by Charlotte Linlin's powerful fleet. On the opposite side of the rushing chasm stood the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, ready for war.
A heavy aura of sheer, unadulterated hostility completely enveloped the sea. Every single person present understood the gravity of this historic moment. With the World Government seemingly eliminated by the Beasts Pirates, this colossal war would finally decide the true ruler of the seas.
On one side stood the old forces that had dominated the New World for decades: the terrifying alliance of the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates. Opposing them was the rising tide of the new era: the Straw Hat Pirates, the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates, the Heart Pirates, the Revolutionary Army, Red-Haired Shanks's crew, the fierce Giant Warrior Pirates, and former Warlords of the Sea.
At a casual glance, the sheer diversity and numbers of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet seemed to give them a distinct advantage. But one look at the bloodthirsty, excited glints in the eyes of the Beasts Grand Fleet warriors proved that the outcome of this war was entirely unpredictable.
The sea remained uncharacteristically quiet. Everyone held their breath, anxiously anticipating how the upcoming slaughter would erupt.
High upon the central execution platform, Kaido sat completely at ease. He casually drank fine sake from a massive gourd, thoroughly enjoying the heavy tension. Charlotte Linlin stood right beside him, though she lacked his relaxed demeanor. Big Mom's eyes were bloodshot, practically burning with pure hatred as she locked her sights on a specific young captain across the chasm.
"Straw Hat!" she growled, her voice dripping with venom.
Suddenly, a pathetic, wailing cry shattered the tense silence of the battlefield.
"Wuwuwu! Kin'emon, please save me! I don't want to die!"
Everyone's eyes immediately snapped toward the source of the noise. Kozuki Momonosuke, securely bound to the heavy wooden execution platform, thrashed wildly against his iron chains.
"Momonosuke-sama!" Kin'emon yelled, his face instantly twisting with overwhelming anxiety.
Completely ignoring the strategic formations and the shouts of their allies, the Nine Red Scabbards leaped into the air. They launched themselves desperately toward the execution platform to save their young master. But they did not even manage to cross the edge of the Beasts Grand Fleet's defensive line.
A massive, terrifying shadow suddenly fell over their heads.
"What is that?" one of the samurai gasped.
High above them, a giant, monstrous voodoo scarecrow materialized in the sky. Basil Hawkins's lethal Straw Man looked down at the samurai with a hollow, fierce expression before launching a devastating, sweeping attack.
The sheer force of the scarecrow's blow directly repelled the nine samurai. They were swatted out of the air like insects, sent plummeting helplessly toward the raging ocean below.
"ROOM."
A familiar, calm voice echoed across the waves. A translucent blue sphere rapidly expanded, covering the falling samurai. In an instant, the Nine Red Scabbards completely disappeared from the air, instantly swapped out and replaced by nine random pieces of broken debris.
The giant scarecrow hovered for a brief moment, seemingly processing the sudden disappearance. Then, the massive entity descended, landing heavily on the deck of a nearby pirate ship. Hawkins coldly directed his gaze toward the Straw Hat fleet.
"Trafalgar Law."
On the grassy deck of the Thousand Sunny, the Nine Red Scabbards hit the ground and caught their breath. Having just been saved by the Op-Op Fruit's power, they offered Law a deeply grateful look. They then turned their desperate attention toward Luffy and Shanks. The samurai realized a harsh truth: with their current strength, they could not even get close to the enemy lines, let alone rescue Momonosuke from the clutches of two Emperors of the Sea.
Luffy felt Kin'emon's pleading gaze. The young captain's eyes immediately hardened into sheer resolve.
"Leave it to me, Kin'emon. I'm definitely going to save Momonosuke."
With that promise, Luffy cracked his knuckles and took a firm step forward, fully prepared to launch himself into enemy territory.
Before Luffy could make his move, Kaido suddenly stood up from his seat. The imposing movement instantly drew the attention of everyone on the battlefield. The massive pirate walked to the edge of the platform, looking out over the boundless, crowded sea. He reached into his thick coat and pulled out an old, heavy flintlock pistol. He pointed it directly at the terrified boy tied beside him.
"Hey, Oden's brat. Do you recognize this gun?"
Momonosuke's face was completely drained of color. He trembled violently, looking as if his mind was about to break from the sheer terror.
"I don't know!"
"Then let me educate you. This is the exact gun I used to execute your father, Kozuki Oden, all those years ago!"
Momonosuke gasped, his eyes rolling back slightly. A warm puddle of yellow liquid quickly formed at his feet as he lost all control of his bodily functions in absolute fear.
Seeing this humiliating display, Monkey D. Garp, heavily chained nearby, roared with immense anger.
"Kaido! You look absolutely pathetic bullying a weak child like this!"
Kaido slowly turned his head, glancing sideways at the legendary Marine.
"Marine Hero Garp. Do you honestly think bullying the weak is a pathetic thing to do?"
"It's disgraceful, Kaido!" Garp barked back, showing absolutely no sign of a broken prisoner. His eyes blazed with an unyielding, fierce spirit.
Kaido simply grinned, revealing his sharp teeth. "Interesting. Truly interesting. Worororo!"
His deep, booming laughter echoed ominously across the ocean. Hearing that dark amusement, a sudden, cold sense of unease crept into Garp's heart.
His fears were instantly validated when Kaido barked a new order to his men.
"Bring our former Fleet Admiral up here!"
Garp's expression instantly changed to pure horror. He strained against his seastone cuffs, his voice dripping with deeply suppressed rage.
"Kaido! What the hell are you planning to do?"
"What am I planning? You'll see soon enough."
Amidst the heavy, metallic clanging of thick chains, former Fleet Admiral Sengoku was forcibly escorted onto the platform. He fell to his knees under the watchful eyes of thousands of pirates and marines.
Kaido completely ignored Sengoku for the moment. Instead, his sharp gaze scanned the distant Straw Hat fleet until he locked eyes with a specific young man composed of fire.
"Roger's son!"
That booming shout instantly drew the entire battlefield's attention to Portgas D. Ace.
Ace blinked in surprise. He stood completely stunned, not entirely understanding why the Emperor of the Sea was suddenly addressing him. But as Kaido continued speaking, the horrifying reality set in.
"When you were born, your mother desperately wanted to protect you. She used sheer willpower to extend her pregnancy, hiding you in her womb for twenty full months just to preserve Roger's bloodline. But do you have any idea what the price of that miracle was? Do you know how many innocent infants and pregnant women lost their lives to the Marines during those twenty months because they were desperately searching for you?"
Ace froze. The fiery confidence completely vanished from his face, leaving his eyes wide and hollow.
Garp, who had been shouting arrogantly just moments before, suddenly fell completely silent. He stared at the wooden planks of the platform, unable to look his adopted grandson in the eye.
Sengoku, who had just been dragged out with an unyielding, stoic expression, instantly turned pale.
Kaido swept his intense gaze over the thousands of people gathered on the sea. His voice echoed like thunder.
"Do you all honestly think I chose this specific location for a public execution just to attract the world's attention? Do you think I'm just looking for a massive slaughter? No. I am here to settle a very old score. I am going to make every single person on this sea see exactly who is truly righteous, who is truly evil, and who holds the title of the most wicked force in this world. Do you think the most wicked people on this earth are the Celestial Dragons?"
Kaido slowly aimed his flintlock pistol directly at Figarland Garling Saint, the former Supreme Commander of the God's Knights and Shanks's father.
"No. The Celestial Dragons are undoubtedly wicked, dirty, and unbelievably ugly. But there is a specific group of people on this sea who are far more disgusting than them. These are the hypocrites who hide behind the names of justice, freedom, and dreams while committing atrocities far worse than anything the Celestial Dragons ever dreamed of. Starting right now, we are going to settle these debts one by one."
Kaido smoothly shifted his aim. He pointed the barrel of the gun directly at the kneeling Sengoku, but his cold eyes remained entirely focused on Fire Fist Ace in the distance.
"Tell me, Roger's son. Do you think this former Fleet Admiral deserves to die? This is the man who orchestrated the Flevance incident. This is one of the main culprits directly responsible for the brutal slaughter of countless innocent infants and pregnant mothers on Baterilla. Does he deserve death? Or do you honestly believe that, simply because you carry the blood of the Pirate King, all those innocent mothers and babies were meant to be sacrificed just so you could be born?"