Boom!
The Death Sand Serpent whipped its massive tail, while the Hellbone Warhorse thundered forward on skeletal hooves. A killing chill surrounded them as they lunged across the vast glacier, closing in to completely end Souta Kiryuu, wielder of the Quake Arts.
"Stop your pointless struggling, Souta Kiryuu!"
Seita, still in peak condition, sneered as he watched Souta Kiryuu panting heavily.
The borrowed strength of his final flare was nearly spent. Once Souta was finished, Seita had to return at once to the Holy Land of Mary Geo—before any unexpected variables took place.
After all, Azuma Araryu and the Revolutionary Army were still near the Red Continent. He was only here because Lady Im had personally granted him permission to descend.
Once Souta Kiryuu died, Lady Im would activate the Arcane Summoning Array herself and pull him back.
Honestly, having to repeatedly trouble Lady Im to personally intervene in dealing with pirates was the greatest shame for servants such as them.
"Gurarararara... If I struggle a little harder, maybe I can drag one more of you Elder Stars down to hell with me."
Souta Kiryuu knew his life was finished. There was no delusion of surviving this.
Saten, the one who killed Ace, was already flung into the sea. And Nasu Jūrō, who slew Foss and Gil, was next.
His eyes locked onto the Hellbone Warhorse, burning with hatred so deep he wanted to tear its flesh apart and drink its blood to avenge his sons.
"Aaah!"
Souta swung his great glaive, Cloud-Cleaver, his body battered and broken, yet forcing himself into a desperate battle against two Elder Stars.
Clang!
Cloud-Cleaver, one of the Supreme Blades, clashed once again with the First Generation Demon-Cutter. The Death Sand Serpent had no intention of dueling at all—its massive jaws snapped straight toward Souta's legs.
Blood ran from Souta's mouth as he clenched his teeth, wringing out the last fragments of life from his ravaged body. The Quake Arts detonated, blasting the gigantic sand worm into the distance.
The battlefield devolved into a pure struggle of life and death.
Not far away—
Another explosion thundered across the glacier as Korugiri, transformed into the Boar of the Sealed Pits, clashed violently with Kaidō.
But one-on-one, the Sealed Boar was no match for Kaidō in his draconic half-form. He was beaten back again and again, the rotting wounds across his body never having time to fully regenerate.
"Wurorororo! Now this is a fight!"
Kaidō roared with exhilaration as he brutalized Korugiri. It felt even better than beating Shanku.
In the sky—
"Fegrande Shanku! I command you one last time—stand aside!"
Masu seethed with fury. If not for the Red-Haired Pirates blocking the way, he would already be down there helping Korugiri besiege Kaidō.
If they could destroy the Souta Kiryuu Pirates and the Kaidō Pirates today, then wipe out the Big Mother Pirates next—
The era of the Four Emperors would be finished.
With that complete, the World Government could turn its entire force against Araryu and the Revolutionary Army.
Shanku's expression was dark. He had already accepted that Souta Kiryuu would fall today, and the Four Emperor forces were already crippled.
The World Government should be celebrating.
Yet now it seemed the Navy and Government had played him like a fool instead. Or perhaps the situation had simply spiraled beyond everyone's expectations.
"One Souta Kiryuu is not enough! You and those useless pirates under Kaidō—we don't even consider them a threat! Step aside or the Red-Haired Pirates will fall next!"
Masu saw no reason to show courtesy. Once Seita and Nasu Jūrō killed Souta, or CP0 brought back Saten, the victory would be absolute.
The World Government would be the sole beneficiary.
As for the Navy? Let them die.
They could always conscript more.
Even the traitor Garp dying would please the Elder Stars.
Shanku trembled with frustration. If he weren't exhausted and wounded from the earlier battle against Kaidō and Barrett, he would have struck Masu down himself.
Now, he relied on the Crimson Dragon and Beckman to restrain Masu.
The war continued.
Viewers across the world had expected that another Elder Star arriving would end the battle swiftly.
Instead, Shanku had switched sides, halted the war with Kaidō, and was now confronting an Elder Star.
Another Elder Star had been knocked into the ocean by Souta Kiryuu.
The war was locked in stalemate.
But with Souta's condition worsening, a turning point was inevitable.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted among the Navy fleet.
The heavily injured Admiral-Candidate Chajū had fallen.
Shiryu of the Rain, the bloodthirsty swordsman under Araryu's banner, brutally executed his former comrade.
"Chajū!"
Peach Rabbit Giyori's eyes filled with grief. She had never liked that perverted man endlessly proposing to her, but they had grown up as comrades.
"Yehahahaha! Woman, you'll soon die under the judgment of my thunder!"
Ainoru cackled. Proud as he was, he wouldn't bother finishing off a dying opponent himself—that's what monsters like Shiryu and the Moon-Huntress Katerina lived for.
Shiryu drew his cursed blade, Thunder-Rain. Blood erupted instantly. He kicked the corpse aside and licked the blood from his lips with cold delight.
In the next heartbeat he blurred into motion, slaughtering everyone aboard Chajū's ship.
Screams echoed across the fleet.
Giyori clashed fiercely with Ainoru.
On another ship, Flamescald Jhin fought Bogart, fire and sword-ki erupting with each strike.
On the glacier's edge, Drought Jack slaughtered stranded marines while several vice admirals tried desperately to stop him—and died for it.
Kuzan and Garp tried to break away to help, but Barrett and Big Mother bound them in brutal combat.
They could only watch as their men were butchered.
Meanwhile, at G-1 Base.
When the Red Earl blocked Isaac, the freed Tyrant Kuma and Pirate Empress surged forward.
Araryu's roar shook the battlefield.
Everyone could see how badly Araryu wanted Isaac dead.
Even injured, they would not allow that man to escape into the sea.
...
Hey everyone! Want to read ahead and unlock up to 100 early-access chapters? 📖Plus, enjoy even more exclusive novels! Join my Patreon now and dive into the adventure!
patreon.com/Rawink00