"Soru: Tiger Hunt!!"
Fukurokuju — the former CP9 elite and leader of the Flying Six — transformed into his full Sabertooth Tiger form, vanishing from sight in a blur of explosive speed.
His long, razor-edged fangs gleamed with jet-black Armament Haki, tearing through the air as he lunged toward Limejuice, who was soaring above using Geppo.
Fukurokuju — Bounty: 546,000,000 Berries
Zoan-Type: Cat-Cat Fruit, Ancient Model — Sabertooth Tiger
His bounty was only slightly below the lowest of Big Mom's Four Sweet Commanders — Charlotte Snacker, who stood at 600 million.
"Tch—! Move. You're in my way!"
Limejuice — wearing his distinctive bandana, purple-tinted shades, and wielding his lightning-charged staff — stepped elegantly on the moonwalk air, swinging his weapon down to meet the sabertooth's fangs.
CRACKLING—!!
Armament Haki and lightning collided violently, sparks scattering like shattered stars.
As one of the core fighters of the Red-Haired Pirates, Limejuice's strength was just under the group's three pillars:
Vice Captain Benn Beckman, Sniper Yasopp, and Cook Lucky Roux.
The Red-Hair Pirates were known for having the most balanced strength structure among the Yonko crews — unlike the Beast Pirates, whose ranks varied wildly between The All-Stars and the Flying Six.
Which is why they were often called:
"The Iron Fortress Crew."
"Fuhahahaha~! I've had enough of you smug bastards!
With the Ararlion Pirates joining the field—this time you're going to be crushed!!"
Fukurokuju's savage laughter cut through the sky like blades.
For years, every clash between the Beast Pirates and the Red-Hair Pirates resulted in Shanks pushing Kaido back — a humiliation that still stung.
This time, things would be different.
On the ground below, Sasaki — in his Triceratops hybrid form, wielding twin blades — intercepted Bonk Punch, the Red-Hair Pirates' muscular navigator whose arms were tattooed with a coiling red dragon-serpent pattern.
Sasaki — Bounty: 472,000,000 Berries
Zoan-Type: Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Model — Triceratops
He grinned, jaws wide with primal aggression.
"Gya-hahaha!! You're not going anywhere! You're all paying today!"
Steel clashed, the two men locked in a brutal contest of strength — sparks flying into the air like burning embers.
Bonk Punch's expression hardened — he needed to break free to save Howling Gab.
Meanwhile—
A massive black spider descended, spewing pale-white webbing to trap Doc Hongou, the Red-Hair Pirates' ship doctor.
"Oh my my~ Come now, doctor… Why don't you play with me instead?"
The enormous, venomous Black Maria, now in her massive spider hybrid form, licked her crimson lips while flames danced on her Wheel-Oni staff.
Black Maria — Bounty: 480,000,000 Berries
Zoan-Type: Spider-Spider Fruit, Ancient Model — Rosamygale Grauvogeli.
Her venom was infamous — which was precisely why Hongou was assigned to counter her.
"That form is hideous! I don't have time for your nonsense!"
Hongou darted and weaved, trying to slip through the web — but the nested webbing spread across the battlefield like a death net.
"No escape.
Binding Web Prison!"
White silk tightened — trapping Hongou in place.
Elsewhere, the injured siblings Ulti and Page One attempted to stand — but they were too weakened.
The human-ape duo Bonk Punch and Monster Tamer Masta smashed both of them back into the ground — the earth cracked, blood sprayed.
"Damn you!!"
Just as the duo broke through the encirclement —
"Booze Fireball!!"
Vasco Shot stumbled into their path — face flushed, eyes hazy — vomiting ignited alcohol in a roaring torrent of flame.
The two dodged upward just in time—
But—
"Nya-hahaha— Island Crush Palm!"
A giant stone hand — conjured by the towering Avalo Pizarro — smashed them down with crushing force.
"Ben!! Masta!!"
Their comrades shouted in horror — but they were too far away to intervene.
Meanwhile—
The swift falcon form of Shiryu of the Rain streaked toward Lucky Roux and Howling Gab like a shadow.
"Meat Roller!!"
Lucky Roux spun into a rolling cannonball of pure muscle and momentum — slamming into Shiryu mid-flight.
But Shiryu had already shifted back to his humanoid form.
His blood-soaked blade [Thunderstorm] flashed — his eyes glowing a predatory red.
"Not bad… You'll do.
Hell Style — Crimson Flash."
The two clashed —
Steel sang.
Air split.
Blood sprayed.
Lucky Roux landed heavily, a deep gash opening across his shoulder — but the wound immediately began closing, his monstrous regeneration kicking in.
"So you're one of those monsters… huh," Roux growled.
And Shiryu smiled.
A smile that meant he wanted to carve more.
Then—
A scream shattered the battlefield.
"GAAAAH—!!"
Howling Gab.
A blade had already pierced his chest.
But the one holding it…
was wearing a Red-Hair Pirates uniform.
"GAB!!!"
Shanks and Yasopp both saw this moment in their future-sight.
But foresight changes nothing if you cannot break free.
They were trapped, clashing blades against monstrous enemies, unable to intervene.
Reality unfolded exactly as foreseen.
The disguise shimmered — skin shifting — form melting into a seductive, feral silhouette—
Catarina Devon, the Crescent-Moon Hunter.
"Muru-muru-muru… Seems the first head is mine, after all."
Her grin was wide.
Cruel.
Triumphant.
She twisted the blade, shredding Gab's organs from the inside.
No doctor in the world could save him.
Howling Gab — Red-Hair Pirates combatant —
who had fought bravely enough to kill a Flying Six member while gravely wounded—
was executed in ambush, mid-battle.
A warrior's death — but a bitter, brutal one.
The war had claimed its first true casualty.
And the battlefield…
began to tilt.
...
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