Before the gate, Yamato, Black Maria, and Haruko stood watching the battlefield below. Their expressions remained completely calm.
"They really are a group of impressive little fellows. They broke through our defensive line so quickly," Black Maria praised with a soft smile.
"However, passing through here won't be so easy," Haruko said indifferently. Even if they did not go all out, they had no intention of going too easy on the enemy. It would still take a massive amount of effort for these pirates to bypass them.
Within a few moments, the members of the three major pirate crews successfully converged with their captains.
"Luffy, leave this place to us! The mission for you three captains is to deal with Kaido and Big Mom. You absolutely cannot waste your stamina here," Jinbe said.
"That's right, Captain, leave this to us! We will definitely stop them!"
"Kid, go quickly!"
The loyal members of the three crews all shouted similar encouragement to their leaders.
"Though we'd like to do exactly that, the opponent clearly won't let us have our way," Law said, shaking his head.
Luffy and Kid felt the same way. After all, the individuals blocking their path were not the actual Yonko, yet they possessed a level of strength that felt just as daunting. While their crewmates were remarkably strong, they were still not powerful enough to face opponents of that caliber alone.
"Everyone, an enemy of the Yonko level is now blocking our path. For the sake of victory, we must do everything possible to pin them down! Are you prepared?" Jinbe asked seriously.
"Of course! No matter what, we must hold them back!" The pirates looked at each other and nodded heavily. They all understood that it was now time to risk their lives. As long as they could cover their captains' entry into Onigashima, the real final battle would truly begin.
"Good, then—"
"Luffy! Aren't you going to challenge the Yonko? How can you get stalled at the front gate? Fire Fist!"
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed from behind them. A massive flash of fire streaked across the sky, accompanied by a figure falling toward Onigashima like a crimson meteor. Flames scorched the heavens as if countless gunpowder charges had exploded all at once, impacting in a single direction like a giant fist of fire smashing down. The direction of the strike was aimed exactly where Yamato stood.
"He's here, my second disciple!" Yamato's gaze instantly became sharp. She looked up, drew her kanabo from behind her back, and swung it out fiercely to meet the attack.
Boom!
Flames shot directly into the sky, and the surging heat melted the surrounding earth, submerging an area of over a hundred meters in a sea of fire. Two figures flickered out of the inferno, retreating into the distance to gain some ground.
"Not having seen him for just a few short years, that little fellow's strength has grown quite a bit," Black Maria remarked with a hint of emotion.
"He did inherit the bloodline of the Pirate King, after all. It would be strange if he hadn't made progress," Haruko felt this development was only natural. After speaking, they both looked up toward the sky, only to see a large blue bird soaring over the battlefield.
"Marco the Phoenix! Even he has come," the two women muttered, surprised by his sudden appearance.
The former First Division Commander and Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates had both arrived on the scene, clearly intending to aid the Straw Hat brat.
"It seems we've arrived just in time, yoi," Marco said, hovering in mid-air as he looked down at the crowd.
On the scorched earth, Yamato stood firmly. The surrounding ground had been melted down by an entire layer, yet the earth directly beneath her feet remained perfectly intact. The light of the fire condensed on the ground and transformed into a human figure; it was Ace.
"I was wondering why you hadn't arrived yet, my second disciple," Yamato said, looking at him with a faint smile on her face.
"Haven't I arrived now, Yamato? This time, I won't be defeated by you so easily," Ace replied, staring at her while still remaining as full of fighting spirit as before.
"Then I'll have to test that properly," Yamato said, casually swinging the heavy kanabo in her hand.
"Ace!" The moment he saw his brother, Luffy felt incredibly surprised and immediately raised his hand to shout happily.
"Luffy, now is not the time for reminiscing! Don't forget what you came here to do. Go!" Ace said without turning his head back.
"Oh! Leave it to me! I will definitely defeat Kaido!" Luffy promised confidently.
"To think even two major commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates have come here. This guy's connections really are incredible," Law and Kid thought to themselves. One was the only son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and the other was once the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates; both were exceptionally powerful experts.
"Tra-guy, Hedgehog-guy, let's go!" Luffy gave a quick call and rushed straight toward the interior.
"If you want to pass through here, you'll have to go through us first," Black Maria and Haruko said, stepping forward to block the path ahead.
"Don't go blocking our general here, yoi," Marco called out from the sky. He made his move immediately, diving toward Black Maria and Haruko while kicking out with a giant, flame-wreathed bird claw.
Clang!
The naginata and the kodachi met the airborne attack, erupting with a powerful shockwave of compressed air. Both Black Maria and Haruko were shaken back by the force of Marco's strike.
"Thanks!" Luffy shouted as he saw Marco successfully holding back the two women.
"Go quickly, and don't lose, yoi! If you lose, all of our efforts here will be completely in vain, yoi," Marco nodded in response.
Thus, Luffy, Law, and Kid successfully entered the interior of Onigashima.
"We'll chase after them too!" The members of the three pirate crews took the opportunity to rush inside as well.
"Pursue them! We can't let them escape!" The warriors of the Beasts Pirates also hurriedly gave chase to cut them down.
Soon, the area behind Onigashima became much quieter, with intense battle vibrations coming from only two major locations nearby. On one side, King the Conflagration was locked in a fierce battle with the Straw Hat Pirates' swordsman, Zoro. On the other side, Queen the Plague was engaged in a brutal fight with the Straw Hat Pirates' cook, Sanji.
"The meddlesome people have all left, so it's our turn now," Yamato said, looking at Ace as her gaze became incredibly sharp.
"I couldn't ask for more. Fire Fist!" Ace transformed completely into flames, constantly swirling like a massive fire tornado before condensing into a figure that descended from the sky, throwing a devastating punch at Yamato. The scorching fire rushed toward her, melting the surrounding rocks before the blow could even land.
"This temperature has already begun to surpass magma. For the exact same technique, its power has increased countless times compared to a few years ago. Very good! It just so happens that I can also manipulate flames. Let's see whose fire is superior! Flame Bagua!" Yamato shouted in a low voice. Fire instantly surged along her kanabo, transforming into a fierce fire dragon that coiled around the weapon.
In the next second, Yamato swung out with immense force. The fire dragon roared loudly, colliding directly with the giant fist of fire smashing down from above.
Boom!
The flames of the two fighters collided violently, and the intense heat constantly spread out in all directions, soon submerging the entire coast.
Sizzle!
The stray flames rushed into the sea, instantly evaporating the cold seawater into thick clouds of steam.
Next, Yamato and Ace continuously exchanged heavy blows. Their figures flickered across the battlefield while thunder and lightning flashed, fire sparked, and powerful Haki vented out into the air. Red and black lightning ravaged the sky as two distinct forces of Conqueror's Haki erupted simultaneously.
"You've even mastered the advanced application of Conqueror's? Then let me see to what extent you can use it," Yamato's eyes were burning with excitement as the Conqueror's Haki on her own body began to be released without any reservation.
In an instant, half of Onigashima's sky was completely filled with crackling red and black lightning.
"This person's Conqueror's Haki is far too strong," Ace thought, surprised but not at all nervous. He naturally knew his current Haki was inferior to his opponent's; after all, in terms of pure spirit and willpower, he certainly couldn't compare to Yamato just yet. However, even if his Conqueror's Haki was currently weaker, it did not mean he was helpless.
"Yamato, the me of today is no longer the same as before!" Ace gave a low roar, the flames on his body becoming even more surging and tightly condensed. The scorching high temperature completely distorted the surrounding air. He transformed entirely into fire, racing through the air like a roaring river of flames, rushing toward Yamato with unstoppable momentum.
Zzt! Zzt!
Red and black lightning broke out, falling alongside the river of flames. Watching this strike approach, Yamato's eyes were like torches, as bright and dazzling as two golden stars.
"Thunder Bagua!"
With a soft shout, Yamato gripped the kanabo tightly with both hands. Red and black lightning mixed with golden thunder light as she shot forward at high speed to meet the incoming attack.
Boom!
The violent flames shot straight into the sky, illuminating all of Onigashima, and the terrifying Haki dispersed the thick clouds above.
On the other side of the path, Black Maria and Haruko had also entered their human-beast forms, joining forces to fight fiercely with Marco the Phoenix. The White Wolf, the Demon Spider, and the Phoenix—the three of them fought together like ancient, fierce beasts locked in a bloody slaughter.
Meanwhile, inside the castle of Onigashima, Luffy, Law, and Kid had already broken deep into the Beasts Pirates' headquarters. They were racing all the way up to the rooftop, for their targets were located there.
"Stop them! Don't let them pass through here!" Along the way, there were still members of the Beasts Pirates defending the corridors, though there weren't very many of them left. The main forces of the Beasts Pirates had basically been deployed elsewhere on the island, leaving only a few hundred people inside the castle itself.
"Get out of the way!" Luffy, Law, and Kid easily knocked away everyone blocking their path; they would soon reach the rooftop.
Bang!
A massive door was smashed open, and bright light shone down onto the faces of the three captains. Their Observation Haki told them that Kaido and Big Mom were right ahead. Their two terrifying auras felt like ancient, fierce beasts, completely unhidden and overwhelming. The three looked at each other and then stepped firmly toward the open space behind the shattered door.
This was the summit of Onigashima, a mountainous area that was incredibly empty and vast. Kaido and Big Mom were sitting comfortably on a stone platform, casually drinking alcohol as if they were simply waiting for someone to arrive. As for the chaotic situation across the rest of the island, they didn't care at all, because they knew the final outcome of this great war would be decided solely by them.
When the door was smashed open, both Kaido and Big Mom slowly looked over. Then, three figures walked out into the open air: Luffy, Law, and Kid.
"It really is three brats," Big Mom said. She immediately spotted Luffy, and a cold light flashed in her eyes. She had certainly not forgotten that the Straw Hat brat had caused a massive scene at her tea party and had even ruined the cherished photograph of Mother Carmel. That was the only photograph she had left; thinking about it even now still made her absolutely furious.
Kaido put down the wine gourd in his hand and slowly stood up to his full height. Big Mom did the same. The two Yonko stood there like two massive guardian gods, radiating a terrifying pressure that weighed heavily on the surroundings.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time. I thought you'd be stuck outside by that brat and unable to enter. It seems some unexpected helpers have appeared on the coast," Kaido said, guessing the situation immediately. Just now, when Yamato's Conqueror's Haki was released without restraint, Kaido had sensed it clearly.
"Kaido! I will personally defeat you and take Wano back!" Luffy took a few steps forward, looking directly at Kaido with a determined gaze.
"Worororo! Brat, I still have some expectations for you. I hope you can bring me some genuine fun; you'd better not die too quickly," Kaido laughed heartily. He had never taken his opponent seriously from the very start.
"And me! Let me enjoy some fun too, brats," Big Mom also laughed, her gaze toward them becoming incredibly terrifying.
Facing two Yonko at the same time, the expressions of the three captains became remarkably solemn.
"They really are monsters, but they are exactly the kind of opponents worth defeating," Kid said, revealing an excited smile.
"If only it were really that simple," Law muttered, focusing his mind with all his might. The two Yonko standing before him made his scalp tingle with danger, but at this point, he had absolutely no way back. They had to win this battle.
"We must win," Luffy said, clenching his fist with unwavering resolve.
"Then listen to me first. Two Yonko working together are far too troublesome. Once they join forces, it's no joke. To win, there's only one viable strategy, and that's to separate them," Law quickly explained his plan.
"Can't you just use your spatial ability to separate them directly?" Kid asked.
"If I could, I would have already done it. The Haki on their bodies is simply too strong; my ability loses its effect against them. Therefore, we can only use physical force to separate them," Law clarified.
Hearing Law say this, Luffy and Kid raised no objections. "Then we'll do exactly as you say—separate them first."
"Have you finished discussing, brats? Have you found a way to defeat us yet?" At this time, Kaido grabbed his massive kanabo and shouldered it, while Big Mom beside him called out her three trusty homies: Zeus, Prometheus, and Napoleon. Big Mom stood firmly on Prometheus, holding the great sword transformed from Napoleon in her hand while Zeus floated casually beside her.
The two Yonko's auras were gradually released into the air, and the pressure was extremely frightening.
"Kaido!" With a loud roar, Luffy shot out, rushing directly toward the massive captain.
"Straw Hat-ya!"
"This guy—"
Law and Kid were both momentarily stunned by the sudden movement. This idiot wasn't following the plan at all and had launched an attack without even giving a signal. It was completely clear that this guy simply wanted to take on a Yonko in a straight one-on-one fight.
"Move!" Law and Kid saw right through Luffy's thoughts and really wanted to give him a few kicks, but for the sake of the bigger picture, they endured the frustration. In the next second, they also rushed out at full speed, their target being Big Mom.
"Worororo! You want to fight me one-on-one? Then I'll fulfill your wish!" Kaido laughed loudly. Even if Luffy hadn't come to him for a solo fight, he would have taken the initiative to seek one out himself. After all, their last battle had ended far too abruptly, leaving him feeling completely unsatisfied. This time, Kaido was prepared to beat the Straw Hat brat into absolute submission.
"Prepare to die, Big Mom!" Kid roared, an amazing magnetic force erupting from his body as he began attracting countless iron objects across Onigashima toward his position.
"Room! Scalpel!" Law held his long sword, Kikoku, and directly activated his Devil Fruit ability, launching a swift attack aimed at Big Mom.
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