"FIRE!"
"Bring the ship closer! Board them!"
The second half of the Grand Line—the New World—was truly a gathering place for monsters.
In Paradise, York and his crew had only encountered a handful of rival pirate armadas during their voyage. But here, since the day their massive 360-meter flagship splashed down from the Red Line, they had encountered a hostile pirate crew every single day.
The New World was a brutal filter. Most of the rookies who made it this far were utterly unable to adapt to the extreme, erratic climate—where it could rain lightning one minute and snow fire the next—and were desperately trying to flee back to Paradise.
Only a small number were actually thriving. And these hardened New World veterans, without exception, initiated attacks the moment they saw the skull and golden wheat of the Crimson Harvest flag.
"Destroy the Crimson Harvest Pirates!"
"Take down York! Claim his 4.5 Billion bounty!"
"The title of World's Strongest, and the world's most beautiful woman, Shakky! They'll all be ours!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
An intense naval battle erupted, cannon fire crisscrossing over the churning azure sea.
With thousands of pirates now manning the Crimson Harvest's massive hull, the flagship's heavy artillery was finally no longer just for show. Hundreds of cannons spewed dazzling tongues of fire, bombarding the ocean around the enemy galleons.
Some cannonballs directly struck the opposing ships, splintering wood and shredding sails. But the pirates of the New World, having survived this hellish sea, were not easily deterred by conventional artillery. Even as cannonballs rained down, the enemy officers leaped into the rigging, using flying slashes and Devil Fruit powers to detonate the shells in mid-air.
The two armadas quickly closed the distance. Grappling hooks were thrown, and a fierce, bloody boarding battle ensued.
"KILL!!!"
York stood high above on the sterncastle balcony, not actively participating in the slaughter. He silently watched the fierce fighting play out on the main deck.
The pirates of the New World were indeed significantly stronger and more ferocious than the thugs in Paradise. But apart from the Captains and top officers, there wasn't an insurmountable gap in strength between the grunts.
And speaking of officers... how many pirates in the New World were qualified to challenge the likes of Kaido or Dragon?
Therefore, the final outcome of the battle was inevitable. The opposing pirate crews were utterly crushed. Their surviving Captains, kneeling in pools of blood, all chose to surrender to save their lives, officially absorbing their remnants into the Crimson Harvest Grand Fleet.
The subsequent days of sailing followed this exact, grueling pattern.
A small skirmish every three days; a massive, fleet-level battle every five days.
The newly recruited members of the Crimson Harvest, who were originally considered first-class fighters in Paradise, complained endlessly about the sheer exhaustion. But despite their complaints, the meat grinder of the New World was rapidly honing their combat effectiveness.
There were still heavy casualties, of course. But those losses were masked by one absolute victory after another, and the constant influx of newly absorbed crew members from the defeated armadas.
Through these relentless battles, the name of the Crimson Harvest Pirates violently burned itself into the consciousness of the New World.
Originally, after the fall of the Rocks Pirates, the underworld believed that only Ochoku, Golden Lion Shiki, Whitebeard, and Charlotte Linlin had survived the catastrophe to carve out their own Emperor territories. They believed that York, Kaido, and the highly coveted Shakky had all died at God Valley.
But now, the Crimson Harvest had appeared out of nowhere, and survivors had personally witnessed Shakky standing at York's side.
Suddenly, the entire New World pirate community exploded in a frenzy of lust and ambition.
"For Shakky!! CHARGE!!!"
One pirate armada after another launched suicidal attacks against the Crimson Harvest flagship. The recruits, who had just adapted to the previous battle frequency, suddenly found their voyage becoming exponentially more difficult.
"Is the New World really this dangerous?!" a blood-soaked recruit panted, leaning on his sword.
"No wonder Captain York and the cadres are on a completely different level! Fighting like this every single day... everyone who survives this sea is a monster!"
Fortunately, although the frequency of attacks increased significantly because of Shakky's presence, the core combat power of Kaido, Dragon, and Stussy remained an impenetrable wall. In terms of officer-level combat, the Crimson Harvest had never suffered a single loss.
...Until this day.
A pirate ship with dark red sails—similar in color to the Crimson Harvest—appeared on the horizon.
Painted on the main sail was a skull with a prominent, curly black mustache. Below the emblem were the unmistakable English letters: GOL · D · ROGER.
"Captain York!" a lookout screamed from the crow's nest. "It's the Roger Pirates!!"
The long streak of unbroken victories had made the Crimson Harvest recruits lose some of their awe for the New World veterans. However, the sheer, mythological reputation of Gol D. Roger still struck fear into their hearts.
Hearing the name, several squad leaders couldn't help but advise York.
"Captain York! The Roger Pirates are not to be trifled with! Perhaps we should alter course and avoid them for now?"
"Avoid them?"
York looked at the squad leader, his face full of genuine amusement.
"You want me to run from him? What a joke!" York drew his sword, pointing it at the approaching Oro Jackson. "LADS! BRING THE SHIP CLOSER!"
"WOOOOOOO!!!"
The newest recruits hesitated, intimidated by the name. But the 2,000 hardened veterans of the Crimson Harvest—the ones who had survived the grueling battles of the past month—let out an impassioned, bloodthirsty roar.
"BATTLE!!"
"BRING THE SHIP CLOSER!!"
"TAKE DOWN THE ROGER PIRATES!!"
Above the turbulent sea, the two legendary pirate crews sailed directly toward each other.
York and Roger, sharing a tacit understanding, each stood at the very peak of their respective figureheads.
"YORK!!" Roger was the first to shout, his booming voice carrying over the crashing waves. "Shakky is on your ship, isn't she?!"
"I didn't expect the famous Roger to hunt me down specifically for a woman!" York sneered back. "That's right! She's on my ship!"
Upon hearing this, Roger grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"My men! You heard that, didn't you?!" Roger roared to his crew. "Save Shakky! Defeat York!!"
The crew of the Roger Pirates responded with a unified, enthusiastic roar.
"Shakky-chan! We've come to save you!!"
Before long, the two massive ships collided head-on. Both hulls were crafted from the indestructible Treasure Tree Adam, resulting in a deafening crack that shook the ocean, but neither ship suffered structural damage.
Roger took the lead, drawing his cutlass to leap onto the Crimson Harvest's towering deck.
But someone was even faster than him.
A nimble, blonde-haired figure leaped from the high mast of the Oro Jackson, soaring over the gap and landing lightly on the deck directly behind York.
York didn't even turn around. He kept his eyes locked on Roger below.
"Yo. Rayleigh. Long time no see."
Silvers Rayleigh didn't respond to the greeting. His eyes were completely focused on York's back. He drew his longsword in a flash of cold steel and charged.
"THUNDER BAGUA!!"
A massive, thick spiked club, violently wreathed in black and purple lightning, swept in from York's blind spot.
Rayleigh was instantly startled. Forced to abandon his strike on York, the Dark King twisted his body mid-air, bringing his longsword up to parry Kaido's devastating sneak attack.
CLANG!!
With an ear-splitting crash of metal, both men were blasted backward by the kinetic force.
Rayleigh hadn't coated his blade in Advanced Conqueror's Haki yet, and Kaido hadn't activated his Zoan transformation. Rayleigh skidded further backward across the deck than Kaido, but Kaido had possessed the momentum of a sneak attack, making it an even exchange.
"Worororo! Rayleigh!" Kaido laughed, resting the club on his shoulder. "You want to challenge our Captain already?! You didn't ask me for permission first!"
Rayleigh's expression was solemn. From that single collision, he instantly gauged Kaido's monstrous growth since God Valley. He knew he wouldn't be able to defeat the giant quickly.
Rayleigh lowered his sword slightly, speaking in a deep, tense voice. "Where is Shakky?"
"Shakky?"
A playful, mocking smile spread across Kaido's face. He hadn't expected there to be history between the Dark King and their crew's leading lady. He glanced at York, who still hadn't bothered to turn around. Kaido immediately understood that Rayleigh was just a clown playing out an unrequited crush.
"Worororo!" Kaido laughed, anticipating Rayleigh's reaction when he finally saw Shakky in York's arms. Kaido extended his thumb, pointing toward the luxurious three-story sterncastle.
"She's up on the third-floor balcony over there. But whether she actually wants to see you... is not something I can decide."
Rayleigh took a deep breath, his grip tightening on his hilt. He nodded slightly to Kaido.
"Thank you."
Rayleigh turned, facing the massive, armed blockade of Crimson Harvest pirates standing between him and the sterncastle.
"Don't stop him! Let him pass!" York's voice echoed from the bow.
The pirates immediately parted like the Red Sea, clearing a path.
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed. From York's nonchalant reaction and Kaido's mocking smile, the highly intelligent First Mate had already deduced the heartbreaking reality of the situation. But he was unwilling to give up without seeing Shakky with his own eyes. He had to ask her in person if the invitation she had given him years ago still counted!
With heavy steps, Rayleigh advanced toward the sterncastle.
Back on the Oro Jackson.
Roger and Scopper Gaban perceived the exchange on the enemy deck through their advanced Observation Haki. They didn't wait any longer.
Led by Roger, the elite officers of the Roger Pirates leaped onto the Crimson Harvest's deck.
"YORK!!" Roger laughed wildly, leaping high into the air. "You made me suffer quite a bit back at God Valley!"
"Weren't you happy?!" York grinned, finally turning around.
Roger gripped his legendary cutlass, Ace, with both hands. Thick, terrifying arcs of black and red Conqueror's Haki lightning exploded from the blade, possessing the might to split mountains.
"DIVINE AVOIDANCE (Kamusari)!!"
York clenched his right fist. He didn't use his Devil Fruit. He channeled every ounce of his own Supreme King Haki, wrapping his knuckles in dense, black and red lightning. He kicked off the deck, soaring into the sky to meet the Pirate King head-on.
"Fist Bone: CRUSHING FIST!!"
KABOOM!!!
Sword and fist collided in mid-air.
An apocalyptic shockwave of black and red lightning erupted across the ocean. The sheer, crushing pressure of their combined Conqueror's Haki instantly knocked out nearly half of the Crimson Harvest crew. Thousands of recruits rolled their eyes back and foamed at the mouth, collapsing to the deck.
"Con... Conqueror's Haki..."
Magha the Great Serpent—the Supernova York had subdued on Sabaody—stared blankly at the apocalyptic collision above him, barely able to remain standing.
"This... is this the Captain's true strength?!" Magha gasped.
"Haha! Kaido! Your opponent is me!"
Scopper Gaban leaped onto the deck right behind Roger, spinning his twin axes. He immediately locked eyes with the towering giant. "I wonder if you can take one of my swings!"
Kaido's eyes narrowed. Facing the infamous Scopper Gaban, Kaido didn't dare be careless. He immediately activated his Mythical Zoan power.
Blue scales erupted across his skin, horns grew from his skull, and a massive tail slammed onto the deck as he entered his Human-Beast Form.
"THUNDER BAGUA!!"
The greenish-purple elemental lightning of the Azure Dragon intertwined with the black and red lightning of Advanced Conqueror's Haki. Under Kaido's monstrous swing, the spiked club collided mid-air with Gaban's twin axes.
RUMBLE!!
Dark, storm-heavy clouds had gathered in the sky the moment Kaido transformed. But when the weapons of the two top-tier monsters collided, the shockwave shot upward.
The dark clouds violently parted to the left and right.
Visually, it was as if the sky itself had been sliced in half.
"The sky... it split open..." Magha fell to his knees, utterly dumbfounded. "This... this is the strength of the officers?!"
The Roger Pirates continued pouring onto the deck. The next Crimson Harvest officer to step forward to meet them was Dragon, his hands swirling with hurricane-force winds.
The greatest pirate war of the era had officially begun.
.....
.....
.....
Support me and read advance chapters on patreon.com/ImmortalDaoWriter