The massive snake suddenly moved.
Its head snapped off from its neck and shot into the air with terrifying speed. The severed head twisted violently, its jaws opening wide as it lunged straight toward Ace's neck.
Ace had already used his Observation Haki to track the aura of the original attacker. However, the moment the snake's head separated, the original presence vanished completely.
Because of that sudden disappearance, Ace's Observation Haki failed to detect the real attack.
He had no defense prepared.
The snake head moved with frightening speed.
Crunch.
The jaws slammed shut around Ace's neck.
In a single bite, Ace's head was severed.
His headless body remained standing in place while the detached head vanished from sight.
"Ace!!!"
Luffy's eyes widened in shock as he shouted.
Across the battlefield, Garp also turned his head toward Ace's direction. His brows furrowed deeply, and worry immediately appeared on his face.
"Ace!"
Marco also cried out in alarm when he saw the scene.
For a moment, the battlefield seemed to freeze. Everyone's gaze fell onto the motionless body that had just lost its head.
Not far away, Rolan glanced at the scene and shook his head slightly.
"You people really don't understand what Observation Haki is for."
His voice carried faint disdain.
Then the strange sound began.
Sizzle. Sizzle. Sizzle.
A harsh grinding noise echoed through the air.
Golden liquid slowly began leaking out from the cracks of the snake's mouth. The streams of glowing fluid flowed through the air like molten metal before gathering around Ace's headless body.
The golden liquid quickly formed shape.
First a skull.
Then muscles.
Then skin.
Within seconds, a completely new head formed on Ace's neck, glowing faintly with golden light.
Ace blinked and stretched his neck slightly.
"You scared me to death."
The newly formed golden head spoke casually.
Luffy stared for a moment before releasing a huge breath of relief.
"Haha! Ace, you're fine! That's great!"
He patted his chest dramatically as his heartbeat slowly returned to normal.
Around them, many pirates also let out relieved sighs after witnessing Ace stand back up unharmed.
Ace raised his hand toward the snake's body.
"Golden Hellfire."
The moment the words left his mouth, blazing golden flames erupted from his palm.
The fire shot forward like a torrent and instantly engulfed the snake.
In just a moment, the entire creature turned to ashes.
The temperature of the flames was so terrifying that the surrounding stones and walls melted into flowing lava.
The ground bubbled and cracked as the heat spread outward.
After finishing the attack, Ace lifted his head and looked toward Luffy.
"Luffy, I haven't even helped Whitebeard become the Pirate King yet. How could I possibly die?"
Luffy immediately raised his fist high into the air.
"I'm the man who will become the Pirate King!"
Not far away, Garp heard the conversation between the two brothers and his face darkened.
"You idiots! Luffy! Ace! Who told you two to become pirates!"
He stepped forward angrily and threw a punch toward Luffy.
However, the punch was clearly lacking its usual power.
Luffy easily dodged it.
He stuck out his tongue and made a playful face at his grandfather.
"Hehe, Grandpa! We're already pirates now!"
Garp's nostrils flared violently as white smoke seemed to burst out from them.
"Damn it! Just my luck to have grandsons who keep angering me!"
His furious voice echoed across the battlefield.
Meanwhile, on another part of the battlefield, a different confrontation was unfolding.
"Hahahaha! Franky, this is the opponent I chose first. Go find someone else!"
A swirl of yellow sand gathered in front of Franky before gradually forming into a familiar figure.
It was Crocodile.
The former Warlord stood there calmly with a cigar between his fingers.
Franky showed no anger at having his opponent stolen.
He was never someone obsessed with fighting. His true passion was invention and engineering.
His ultimate goal was to catch up to, and even surpass, the World Government's greatest scientist, Vegapunk.
Since Crocodile had already chosen this enemy, Franky simply shrugged.
"OH! Then I'll leave him to you, Crocodile."
The white clothed man standing opposite them trembled with anger as he watched the two casually decide his fate.
"Damn ants! Today I will capture both of you and take you to Mary Geoise as slaves!"
His voice dripped with cruelty.
"I'll sell you to the World Nobles and make you lick their feet!"
His gaze slowly moved toward Franky's powerful metallic body.
"Hmm. Before I came here, Big Mom Palace gave me an order. She told me to bring back a strong male concubine. Her current ones can't handle the pressure anymore."
He pointed directly at Franky.
"I think you're perfect. You should be able to last at least half an hour."
Franky flexed his massive arms proudly.
"You idiot! I'm Franky! At least two hours, starting point!"
Crocodile's face darkened instantly.
Inside his mind he sighed.
Do you even hear what you're saying?
That nickname of yours really isn't wrong.
Crocodile exhaled a stream of smoke before glancing sideways at Franky.
"Why don't you go serve that Big Mom Palace yourself then."
Franky waved his hand dismissively.
He pulled out a comb from his pocket and slicked his blue hair back in a dramatic motion.
"NONONO! My waist isn't prepared for those disgusting pigs!"
Crocodile turned his gaze toward the white clothed man again.
"It seems my partner isn't interested in going with you. Why don't you stay here instead?"
The man's name was Eight Legged Rampage.
At this moment his expression had completely twisted with anger.
So these two were deliberately mocking him.
"Two ants! Neither of you will escape today!"
His body suddenly began to transform.
Bones cracked and flesh expanded until his entire figure turned into a gigantic crab monster with massive claws.
Franky stared for a moment before pouting.
He turned to Crocodile casually.
"Then take your time playing with him. I'm going back to watch the ship."
The moment he finished speaking, jets blasted from Franky's body.
He shot into the distance at high speed.
Eight Legged Rampage had already declared his intention to capture them, so how could he allow one to escape?
He aimed directly at Franky's back.
His mouthparts opened and he spat out a massive bubble.
The bubble shot through the air toward Franky with incredible speed.
Pop.
Before it could reach him, a blade made of yellow sand suddenly appeared and sliced the bubble apart.
Eight Legged Rampage slowly turned his head.
His gloomy eyes locked onto Crocodile.
He knew exactly whose attack that was.
Crocodile lowered his arm calmly.
"Thinking about attacking someone else right in front of me? You're looking down on me too much."
Mockery filled his voice.
Eight Legged Rampage stared at him coldly.
"Fine. I'll deal with you first. Then I'll capture that pervert."
Crocodile took a deep drag from his cigar before laughing.
"Hahahaha. I wonder where you get your confidence."
He raised his arm.
"Desert Greatsword."
His entire right arm transformed into a massive blade nearly ten meters long.
Dark Armament Haki slowly covered the entire sand blade, turning it pitch black.
With a powerful swing, Crocodile slashed toward the giant crab.
However, Eight Legged Rampage didn't move.
He didn't dodge.
He simply allowed the blade to strike him.
Clang!
A deafening metallic sound exploded through the battlefield.
The massive sword crashed directly against the crab's shell.
Bright sparks burst outward, lighting the surrounding area.
At the same time, a powerful shockwave spread in all directions.
The tremendous force pushed the crab's eight legs downward as they bent against the ground.
But even under such force, the shell remained intact.
Crocodile frowned.
"What a hard shell."
He hadn't expected that a nearly full power strike enhanced by Armament Haki would fail to cut through it.
Eight Legged Rampage looked up at him with obvious contempt.
"Ant. Your attacks are too soft. Haven't you eaten?"
Among the members of the God's Knights, his shell was famous for its incredible hardness. Few defenses could rival it.
He had absolute confidence in it.
His eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Sky Breaking Pincer!"
His massive claw snapped toward Crocodile's neck.
The speed was terrifying.
In the blink of an eye, the pincer appeared directly in front of Crocodile.
But Crocodile had already predicted the attack using Observation Haki.
His neck instantly dissolved into swirling yellow sand.
His head separated from his body as the pincer passed through harmlessly, scattering grains of sand into the air.
However, Eight Legged Rampage didn't stop there.
He opened his mouth again and spat out another giant bubble.
This time the bubble expanded rapidly and trapped Crocodile inside.
Crocodile immediately raised his hand.
A violent sandstorm slammed against the inner surface of the bubble.
But the bubble was far tougher than expected.
The attack failed to break it.
Crocodile launched two more strikes in quick succession.
The result was exactly the same.
The bubble remained completely intact.
Seeing Crocodile trapped successfully, Eight Legged Rampage became extremely smug.
"Sand Crocodile? Nothing impressive."
"No one I've trapped in this bubble has ever escaped."
After speaking, he turned around and prepared to chase after Franky.
But at that exact moment, a sudden flash of red lightning burst from inside the bubble.