"That's… the fifth strongest fighter of the Straw Hat Pirates!?"
"The King of the Insect Tribe—Usopp!"
"As expected of someone bold enough to call himself 'King'—he's unexpectedly powerful!"
On the ground, witnessing Usopp enter the battlefield and immediately land an effective strike on Alicia Mirabelagon, both Boa Hancock and Gecko Moria—who had been battered around by her for quite some time—couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Even after undergoing Pokémon-ization, their strength had risen to the peak level of top-tier Yonko Commanders.
But against a monster like Mirabelagon—who not only possessed Admiral-level combat power but also an undying body—they could do little more than stall her briefly.
In the sky, Mirabelagon gritted her teeth, enduring the strange sensation spreading through her body as she glared viciously at Usopp in the distance.
"They're just a bunch of filthy insects! Do you really think such petty tricks will work on me!?"
Swish—
The pitch-black blade rose once more. She prepared to swing it down and cut down the clown before her.
But then—
"…Ugh."
The monstrous crow-tengu's body suddenly froze mid-motion. No matter how hard she tried, she could not bring the blade down.
"Heh… You let my bugs crawl inside your body. That was pretty brave of you~"
Whoosh~
Behind Usopp, a massive flower suddenly bloomed into existence. Its petals spun in midair, propelling him backward and out of Mirabelagon's attack range.
Clearly, Usopp was not incapable of flying.
At over Level 60 as a Pokémon, his base stats alone were enough to contend with renowned powerhouses. Techniques like Moonwalk were something he had long mastered.
He simply lacked the confidence to use them in front of top-tier opponents—so he usually didn't.
"You damned bastard!"
Watching Usopp retreat into the sky, Mirabelagon instantly realized that the giant stag beetle from earlier had been nothing more than a trap.
But what she could not understand was this—
How could a swarm of frail insects make her movements this stiff?
At that moment, Usopp's faint laughter drifted through the air again.
Of course he knew what was happening.
After all this time, his efforts had finally borne fruit.
He had achieved his long-standing goal:
To hatch insect tribes born with innate Pokémon moves.
That's right.
Through relentless effort, combined with the terrifying reproductive power of the swarm—and artificial selection—Usopp had successfully created multiple insect tribes that were born with inherited Pokémon Egg Moves.
And the parasites now inside Mirabelagon were one such tribe.
Unlike other insect strains that inherited battle moves like Flamethrower or Quick Attack, this parasite strain had inherited an Egg Move that most Bug-type Pokémon possessed—
Stun Spore.
One insect alone was pitifully weak. Even if it used a Pokémon move, it would never affect someone like Mirabelagon.
But when tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions of insects used Stun Spore simultaneously…
Even a medical examiner might only sigh apologetically and say:
"Sorry… we found a small amount of blood within the Stun Spore."
Stun Spore flowing through one's bloodstream was an entirely different matter from mere surface contact.
Even someone as powerful as Mirabelagon could not escape paralysis.
"So next, I just need to hard-CC you here until Red and the others get back, right?"
Floating in midair, Usopp grinned. Even so, seeing Mirabelagon's body grow increasingly stiff, he still wasn't satisfied and released a vast additional swarm from within himself.
Unlike the parasites—
Every single insect in this swarm had received Red's enlightenment and Usopp's specialized training.
Each possessed its own Pokémon move.
They were precious beyond measure.
In an instant, thick clouds of yellow powder formed above Mirabelagon's head, raining down and enveloping her body.
At last, she fell into complete paralysis, unable to move, plummeting from the sky.
A faint electric current crackled across her body.
No one had expected it—
The seemingly strongest of the Five Elders, Alicia Mirabelagon, had been subdued so easily by Usopp with just a few tricks.
"This… this is unbelievable?!"
Hancock and Moria, who had merely admired his methods before, now shivered as they looked at the fallen crow-tengu who couldn't even grip her blade.
Thank goodness.
Thank goodness that cunning bastard was on their side.
"You lot!!!"
Lying on the ground, Mirabelagon strained to turn her head toward the battlefield where the other Five Elders were fighting.
Her expression twisted as she roared:
"Attack me!!!"
"Attack me now!!!"
"Hm?!"
"That was Mirabelagon's voice!"
Saint Warcury shook his dizzy head as he struggled to his feet.
In just this short time, he had already taken no fewer than ten kicks from Sanji, and the ground beneath his feet felt unreal—soft, unstable, as though he might collapse at any moment.
Meanwhile, Saint Mars and Saint Peter also climbed out of their respective craters.
In theory, although they were not as overwhelmingly powerful as Mirabelagon or Saint Nusjuro, they still possessed Admiral-level strength.
Itsumade's aerial supremacy, the Sandworm's burrowing ability, the Boar's overwhelming defense—
Abilities that could dominate battlefields elsewhere were rendered useless against Sanji's extreme speed.
Even Warcury—who could withstand nearly all physical attacks—was left baring his teeth in pain under Sanji's blazing flames.
"It's definitely Mirabelagon's voice… Something happened over there!?"
The three elders exchanged bewildered glances.
After all, in terms of destructive power, Mirabelagon surpassed them. With neither the Straw Hat captain nor vice-captain present on that battlefield, how could she possibly face an opponent she couldn't handle?
"What do we do?"
"Saint Peter, why don't you travel underground and check on her!?"
Blocked by Sanji's wall of searing flames, they had no idea what was happening beyond.
But Peter shook his head.
"Impossible!"
"I've tried multiple times already. That Black Leg—Sanji—not only has terrifying speed, but his Observation Haki seems nearly at the level of future sight…"
"Every time I tried to break past the flames, he interrupted me."
More importantly—
Each of Sanji's attacks had utterly killed him once.
Even with immortality as a passive buff, repeatedly experiencing death was starting to leave psychological scars.
"Well, well~"
"In just a moment, you three are already chatting?"
A teasing voice suddenly echoed from above.
The Five Elders looked up in unison to see Sanji, having taken a Super Potion, fully restored and returned.
The consumption of the Speed-Speed Fruit wasn't trivial.
Even with enhanced recovery from its acceleration effects, Sanji's stamina had bottomed out multiple times.
But holding back three Five Elders at once demanded sacrifice.
Compared to the destruction they would cause if they escaped, a few Super Potions were a small price for the Straw Hat Pirates.
Sanji knew very well—they had no way to eliminate the Five Elders.
For now, all they could do was stall.
"…Though."
"When did that idiot Usopp get so damn capable!?"
Sanji subconsciously glanced toward the distant battlefield, as though he could see through the boiling fire wall.
A comrade's growth was something to celebrate.
But if that growth was too explosive…
He couldn't help but reflect—had he been slacking lately?
He had just touched the threshold of awakening the Speed-Speed Fruit, finally catching up to that moss-head—
Only to see a powerhouse he himself found troublesome subdued so easily by Usopp.
For a moment, Sanji's heart was a complicated mess.
"Do we really have to be this competitive?!"
With a long sigh, he transformed into a streak of black shadow and appeared behind the Five Elders once more, beginning another round of merciless beating.
Meanwhile—
Having witnessed Mirabelagon's fall, Saint Nusjuro found himself caught in a dilemma.
He understood her intention.
She wanted someone to destroy her body so she could regenerate anew through her immortality.
But—
"Oi! Old man, where are you looking!?"
Clang!!!
Boom!!!
Blazing sparks erupted as four blade tips collided midair, unleashing a terrifying shockwave.
Fortunately, thanks to the Straw Hats, all civilians had already evacuated the island.
Otherwise, the aftershocks alone would have reshaped the entire landscape.
"Trying to save your companion?"
Meeting Nusjuro's gaze at close range, Roronoa Zoro smirked coldly.
"Don't bother. I'm not letting you pass."
"You'd better swallow that idea."
"More importantly… shouldn't you start getting serious?"
"Your strength should be more than this, right?"
Boom!!!
As Zoro finished speaking, a surging pressure burst forth from his body, racing along his blades toward Nusjuro.
The fusion of extreme Conqueror's Haki and the Pressure ability reached its peak in his hands, forming a ferocious aura unique to him alone.
Nusjuro's face darkened.
Partly due to the overwhelming pressure—
But more because of the disdain in Zoro's tone.
"You brat… You'll pay for those words!"
Clang!
Sparks scattered as Nusjuro exerted force, pushing Zoro back.
No matter how one looked at it, even if Red had assisted somehow in that previous battle—
The fact remained that this man had slain Admiral Akainu.
His future was immeasurable.
The urge to rescue Mirabelagon faded.
Killing this swordsman before him seemed far more important.
"If you want to see my true strength…"
Sss—
An aura from the depths of the underworld surged from Nusjuro's body, accompanied by chilling frost that instantly froze everything around them.
"Hmm? Power like Brook's?"
Zoro's brow twitched as he sensed the shift.
He sharpened his focus.
At this moment, Nusjuro had finally cleared his distractions.
Now, he would fight as a true master swordsman.
Their auras collided violently in midair.
Thunderous booms echoed as black lightning crackled from clashes of Conqueror's Haki.
"Underworld Abyss · Hell Slash!!!"
Boom!!!
The Shodai Kitetsu, pitch-black under Armament Haki, swung down.
A massive slash capable of splitting the world itself shot forward at terrifying speed.
Zoro's lips curled upward, eyes blazing.
"Now that's more like it~"
He assumed his Three Sword Style stance.
Though none of his blades had yet become true Black Blades, a closer look revealed subtle changes—
The Great Grade Meito Wado Ichimonji, the Ryo Wazamono Narukami, and even the ordinary-grade Sandai Kitetsu were all deepening in hue.
Perhaps because he wielded three swords at once, none had yet fully blackened.
But during this battle, Zoro noticed something—
Every time Sandai Kitetsu clashed with Shodai Kitetsu—especially when it gained the upper hand—
Its color darkened further.
The stronger Nusjuro's slashes grew, the more pronounced the change.
It was as if Sandai Kitetsu were devouring Shodai Kitetsu's power.
Perhaps this was the nature of a cursed blade.
That was why Zoro had provoked him.
If his guess was correct—
He might soon forge his own Black Blade.
Why should Shodai Kitetsu be Supreme Grade while Sandai Kitetsu remained inferior?
Today—
My slash will make your name known!
Buzz—
As if responding to Zoro's will, Sandai Kitetsu flashed crimson, its edge growing sharper.
Boom!!!
In an instant, the two great swordsmen vanished—
Only to collide midair in a violent eruption of force.
"How lively~"
At the same time—
Thousands of meters above Abra Island, figures hovered mysteriously among the clouds, observing the battle below as if it were entertainment.
(End of Chapter)