"Saint Saturn, something seems off. Should the battle really continue!?"
BOOM!!!ROOOAR—!!!
Beneath the chaotic sky, one side was awash with blazing magma and endless slashes, while the other was locked in frigid ice and rampaging fire dragons.
The Five Elders, existing in monstrous forms, did not choose to immediately enter the fray. Instead, all of their attention was focused on the two opposing sides—the Whitebeard Pirates and the Beasts Pirates.
If there was anything in this world that could truly make them feel fear…
It would only be overwhelming Haki.
In the world of pirates, Haki possessed a power that nearly countered all strange tricks and special abilities.The only real difference lay in the quantity of Haki one possessed.
Even the mysterious Imu, when facing Joy Boy's Haki, would be reduced to the pitiful state of a rat scurrying across the street.
And Whitebeard and Kaido were both universally acknowledged as among the strongest Haki users alive.
Facing either one alone, the Five Elders felt little concern.But facing both at the same time…
However, just as the other Elders began considering withdrawal, Saint Saturn immediately reacted.
"No!"
"If we retreat now, Akainu and the others won't stand a chance against two Yonko crews!"
"At that point, the entire Navy would collapse completely. That kind of price is something we absolutely cannot afford!"
"…That's true."
The bald Elder nodded in agreement.
As the strongest among the Five Elders, he too had no desire to leave the battlefield like this.
It wasn't because he relished combat—but because battlefields like this were far better places to accumulate merit than ordinary times.
After all, whether it was Whitebeard or Kaido, eliminating even one of them would make the world under the World Government's control far quieter.
Though Lord Imu didn't particularly care about such ant-like figures, without them, things truly would be much easier.
That thought wasn't his alone—it was shared by every one of the Five Elders.
In an instant, consensus was reached.
This battle could not be avoided.
…
…
On the other side.
Seeing that Zoro and Sanji had seized the initiative, both Kaido and Whitebeard, momentarily shaken by the pair's strength, finally snapped back to their senses.
Kaido raised his massive kanabo high and let out thunderous laughter.
"Wororororo…!"
"Five Elders, Navy Admirals, elite Marines, government forces…"
"Brats! This is a spectacle you'll only see once in your lifetime!"
"All of you—follow me!"
"Let the Beasts Pirates write history and usher in a brand-new era!!!"
Whoosh—
Pitch-black flames erupted from Kaido's body, forming vast clouds of fire.
In that instant, his body transformed into a colossal dragon, stepping atop the mysterious flame clouds as he flew straight toward the Five Elders.
"Five Elders—let me see your strength!!!"
"Wororororo…!"
His wild laughter shook the heavens, disturbing even the clouds themselves.
Yet behind that laughter burned a pair of enormous eyes, engulfed in flames of hatred.
Years had passed, countless events had occurred—but Kaido had never forgotten what truly opened his eyes to this world and set him on the path of piracy.
This world…Had been rotten from the very beginning!
So what did it matter if it became even worse!?
"Kaido, you brat…"
Saint Saturn, who had been watching Kaido closely, felt his own flame clouds rise in response.
"Saint Mars!"
He shouted, then bent all his spider-like legs and launched himself high into the air.
Kaido had escaped from his laboratory all those years ago, costing him a great deal of precious research data.
This was truly a meeting of sworn enemies.
Beside him, Saint Mars, in his Itsumade form, immediately spread his blade-like wings, whipping up a violent storm as he surged toward Kaido in the sky.
BOOM!!!
Dragon, bird, and spider—three ferocious monsters collided violently in midair.The terrifying shockwave blasted outward in all directions, like the end of the world itself.
"Kaido, brat—are you that eager to return to the laboratory?!"
Saint Saturn's eyes gleamed with malice, though his attack failed to cause the same explosive damage as before.
Even with his power, he couldn't inflict any obvious harm on someone of Kaido's caliber.
The frozen ice below shattered into countless fragments.
Fortunately, the Marines were all elites. They had already swiftly evacuated comrades knocked unconscious by Haki back onto the warships.
Sacrifices were unavoidable—but they had done everything they possibly could.
Yet before they could feel relieved, a bold, resounding laugh echoed once more from the distant horizon.
"Gurarararara~!"
"Monsters—your opponent isn't just Kaido, you know!"
BOOM!!!
Wielding his naginata, Whitebeard descended from the sky and slashed straight at the massive sand-worm Elder who had been observing Kaido's battlefield!
Jet-black Haki erupted like lightning, making the quake-infused naginata incomparably sharp.
In an instant, eerie green blood rained down like a downpour, splattering across the icy field.
The enormous worm-like body was split cleanly in two, the cut smooth as a mirror as both halves collapsed apart.
"He killed it!?"
On the Moby Dick.
Seeing their old man's overwhelming strike, the Whitebeard Pirates erupted in cheers.
But Buggy, arms crossed and standing apart, snorted arrogantly.
"Hah! What are you thinking!?"
"The Five Elders are immortal! Do you really think Whitebeard's slash could hurt him?!"
"Anyway, your mission is just to stall for time. Getting this far is already good enough!"
Having regained his swagger after earlier being teased using Red's name to mock Kaido, Buggy looked smug once more.
As if to prove his words…
The next moment, the sand-worm body that had been nearly split in half suddenly froze.
Then, at the smooth cross-section, fresh flesh rapidly sprouted, threads of blood and tissue reconnecting the two sides.
Before Whitebeard even landed, the sand worm had fully regenerated.
"Whitebeard!"
The Elder who had taken the blow—Saint Peter—immediately revealed an enraged expression.
His massive body writhed violently as he charged straight toward Whitebeard.
At the same time, the bald Elder, seeing Whitebeard enter the battlefield, pushed his glasses up sharply.
A cold white glint flashed across the transparent lenses.
In the next instant, his skeletal limbs and horse-like hooves leapt forward—his body seeming to teleport as he appeared right before Whitebeard.
"Whitebeard…"
"You shouldn't have come here."
CLANG!!!
The blood-black aura of Shodai Kitetsu slashed through the air, carving an icy arc—only to be forcefully blocked by Whitebeard's naginata.
Crack… crack…
Countless spatial fractures exploded outward around them, spreading like shattered glass.
"Heh…"
Whitebeard grinned as he faced the bald Elder.
"People are born free. You don't get to decide anyone else's freedom!"
"Freedom!? What a ridiculous word—who would've thought an old relic like you would still spout it!"
BOOM!!!
The gigantic sand worm coiled like a spring, then slammed down from above with immense force—only to be firmly stopped by Whitebeard's massive hand.
Quake-induced shockwave cracks spread once more along the worm's body.
Yet in the blink of an eye, the shattered flesh regenerated again, restoring it completely.
"So they really are immortal…?"
Whitebeard's eyes flashed as he fell into thought.
With a sudden surge of strength, he pivoted on his heel, spinning both the bald Elder and the sand worm together before violently flinging them away.
"Damn it!"
"Wasn't he supposed to be old and frail?! How does he still have this kind of strength!?"
Midair, the sand worm stared in shock at Whitebeard's display of might.
The bald Elder frowned as well, confusion glinting in his eyes.
According to intelligence reports, Whitebeard's body had indeed declined years ago.
That was precisely why the Five Elders had allowed the Navy to intensify targeted operations against the Whitebeard Pirates—seeking a chance to wipe them out completely.
Yet somehow, Whitebeard's body had seemingly rejuvenated by twenty years.
No injuries.Power restored to his prime.
This was the scenario they least wanted to see.
Because this man…
Truly wielded the power to destroy the world!!!
(End of Chapter)