Sunlight spilled over the azure waters of the Caister Kingdom's sea. A gentle breeze blew, and flocks of seagulls soared freely in the clear sky.
On the calm sea surface, the massive fleet of the Big Mom Pirates was riding the wind and waves. The Queen Mama Chanter led the way as the flagship, advancing with several dozen warships in tow. The flags on the ships snapped sharply in the wind, proclaiming the majesty of the Big Mom Pirates. The crew members stood ready for battle, each gripping their weapons tightly, faces etched with tension and excitement.
"Shihahaha, is this a challenge to me?" Golden Lion Shiki stood at the bow of a pirate ship floating mid-air, looking down at the distant fleet and letting out his signature mad laugh. His long golden hair fluttered in the wind, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Just then, a white cloud rose from within the Big Mom fleet.
Charlotte Linlin, her slightly swollen belly prominent, held the great sword Napoleon and closed in on the airborne fleet at an astonishing speed. Her pink hair flew wildly in the wind, her eyes burning with raging fury.
As a great pirate who had set sail at the age of five, she would never tolerate anyone violating her territory. Yet this bastard, Shiki, had attacked her subordinate forces twice in just one year, clearly not putting her in his eyes at all.
Facing the onrushing Charlotte Linlin, Shiki didn't retreat. Instead, he revealed an excited smile. As former comrades who had fought side-by-side in the Rocks Pirates, he knew this female pirate's strength all too well.
Shiki carefully drew his two famous swords, Sakura Jū and Kogarashi, from his waist. With a push from his legs, his whole body shot towards his opponent like an arrow from a bow. His movements were fluid, displaying the experience accumulated from decades of battle.
"Shiki!" Charlotte Linlin roared, gripping Napoleon with both hands and bringing it down on the Golden Lion with a force that could split mountains and shatter rocks. Not to be outdone, Shiki crossed his dual blades, meeting the strike with sharp sword aura.
Their weapons traced perfect arcs in the air, emitting sharp whistling sounds.
BOOM——!
Two immense forces collided violently in the sky. Black-red lightning formed from their clashing Haoshoku Haki intertwined and flashed in the void.
The terrifying shockwave instantly scattered the surrounding clouds. The intense pressure of their Haki caused nearby seagulls to lose consciousness, plummeting into the sea like rain. The sea surface churned with massive waves under their clash, and the very sky seemed to change color.
The distant fleets had to adjust their course to avoid being caught in the aftermath.
"Shiki, you bastard, go die!" Charlotte Linlin roared, unleashing her monstrous strength and actually forcing Shiki back several meters. Her power was so immense it could shake the entire sea. Her muscles tensed, veins bulging, showing she was exerting her full force.
"Shihahaha, Linlin, your monstrous strength is as terrifying as ever! But, who the hell do you think I am?!" Shiki stabilized himself mid-air and swung his right arm sharply. A fierce, enormous slash cut through the sky, heading straight for Charlotte Linlin. His movements were clean and precise, without the slightest hesitation.
"Zeus!" Charlotte Linlin called to the thundercloud beneath her.
"Yes, Mama," Zeus quickly responded, carrying its master at extreme speed to evade the sword slash. The massive slash landed on the sea surface, directly cleaving open hundreds of meters of water, forming a bottomless trench that was rapidly filled by the surging seawater.
"Elbaf Spear: Ikoku Sovereignty!" Charlotte Linlin attacked again, swinging Napoleon to release a gigantic sword aura shockwave. This attack contained the terrifying power of the Giant Warrior techniques, enough to destroy an island.
"Zappa!" (Slash Wave) Shiki swung both arms. Two enormous sword slash waves converged and merged mid-air, forming an even more colossal slash. This was the Golden Lion's proud sword technique, one that had made countless strong men tremble in fear.
BOOM——!
Their attacks collided once more, unleashing hurricane-force winds. The shockwaves spread out, severely affecting the sea surface hundreds of meters below their feet, churning up monstrous waves. The aftershocks of this battle even impacted the distant fleets, forcing the ships to adjust their course to dodge.
The crew members frantically operated their ships, terrified of being drawn into this fearsome battle.
Both Charlotte Linlin and Golden Lion Shiki were powerhouses standing at the pinnacle of piracy. Each of their blows could tear the sea asunder. They continuously fought in the air, the terrifying shockwaves forcing the Big Mom Pirates' fleet on the distant sea surface to retreat further and further.
Every one of their collisions was accompanied by deafening explosions, as if they intended to utterly destroy this stretch of ocean.
And it was at this moment that, on the sea surface from another direction, ten large three-masted sailing ships were sailing towards the center of the battle. Flying from their masts was none other than the flag of the Beasts Pirates. These ships had a unique design, their hulls decorated with patterns of various fierce beasts, indicating their master's identity.
Onboard, the captain of the Beasts Pirates, Kaido of the Beasts, stood at the bow watching the battle high in the distance. His physique was burly, his muscles knotted, with a pair of huge horns on his head. Behind him, the senior officers of the Beasts Pirates—Bullet, Queen, Kuzan, Moria, Urouge—were basically all present, aside from King the Conflagration, who was chasing the Slashing Pirates in another sea area, and Bartholomew Kuma, who was holding down the fort. Each of them wore serious expressions, closely monitoring the distant battle.
"So this is Golden Lion Shiki and Charlotte Linlin? Judging by their display, they're not weak at all compared to the Captain!" Kuzan said, watching the distant fight. His tone held a note of surprise, clearly not expecting the two to be so powerful.
"Muhahaha, of course! They are both top-tier great pirates. Every move they make influences the situation in the New World. Even the Marines wouldn't casually go to war with them," Queen said, puffing on a cigar. His tone was relaxed, showing his anticipation for this battle.
"So strong, so amazing. I really want to fight!" Bullet said, his eyes gleaming brightly. His fists were clenched, betraying the fighting spirit within.
"Kishishishi, so this is a great pirate? Someday, I'll have that kind of strength too," Moria said, looking on with yearning. His eyes shone with the light of ambition.
"As expected of the strong ones even the Captain regards highly," Urouge said, placing his hands together. His tone was full of respect.
Just then, a sword slash shot towards the warship where Kaido was—no, it was aimed directly at Kaido himself.
"Kaido, you bastard! Still watching the show?!" Simultaneously, Charlotte Linlin's somewhat flustered and angry voice rang out. At this moment, facing Golden Lion Shiki, Charlotte Linlin was already doing more defending than attacking. Her breathing was slightly labored, showing she was beginning to feel the strain.