Hancock's exit and Germa's cautious observation didn't make much of a ripple. The tension on the island finally ignited with a greedy, irrational roar.
"The treasure chest is mine!" A pirate captain with a bounty of over 400 million, driven mad by the five billion, couldn't hold back any longer. He swung his blade and charged toward the treasure chest in the center of the field.
That single movement was like pulling the trigger.
"Looking for death!" / "Kill him!" / "Stop him!"
Several angry shouts rang out almost simultaneously.
But the first to react wasn't the nearby Warlord alliance or the Whitebeard Pirates. It was —
"Super · Disassembly!" Buggy roared. Dozens of split arms shot out like a purple meteor shower, overtaking the charging pirate captain and his crew in an instant. Under the horrified eyes of countless onlookers, those figures, along with the ground beneath them, were decomposed into countless neat cubes. They didn't even have time to scream before they clattered to the ground.
"Fufufu! Trash should be cleared out!" Doflamingo's voice was almost simultaneous. He curled his fingers. Several pirates trying to approach the treasure chest from another direction suddenly twisted. Like puppets controlled by invisible strings, they started attacking each other!
"String-String Fruit: Puppet Theater!"
"Sandstorm!" Crocodile swung his gold hook. A giant sandstorm erupted out of nowhere, lifting over a dozen pirates from another group, along with their weapons, high into the air. Then they were slammed back down!
Mihawk didn't even move. A tiny green slash shot out, silently cutting a small pirate ship that had been trying to attack the island from the sea — along with its cannonballs — cleanly in half!
Mihawk: Are you blind? Can't you see my boat is right below me? I absolutely need to get a bigger ship. Absolutely!!
The big names' casual clean-up instantly stopped the small-time pirate alliances in their tracks. They retreated in fear, realizing they might not even be qualified to be cannon fodder.
---
In the plaza, Whitebeard frowned. It was too familiar. He looked at Rhett, who had left the allied nations and Navy aside to play with the children, and at Witte, who was standing beside Rhett.
This was how Rocks had selected the strong back then. Whitebeard muttered, "Rhett, what exactly are you planning?"
---
Back on the battlefield.
But the understanding between the big names (or rather, their mutual caution) ended there.
Almost the moment the small fry were cleared, Doflamingo's strings shot toward Buggy's split arms like snakes. "Fufufu... Star Clown, your ability is too annoying!"
"Candy Maiden!" Perospero also took the opportunity to attack. The giant candy puppet extended its sticky tentacles, working with Doflamingo's strings, trying to trap Buggy.
"Shanks!" Buggy shouted.
"Got it!" Shanks laughed. Gryphon left its scabbard. He didn't slash at Doflamingo or Perospero. Instead, he drew a giant arc, precisely cutting all the strings and candy tentacles aimed at Buggy. "Don't touch my little brother!"
Buggy: "?? Shanks, who's your little brother?! You're asking for trouble!"
"Super · Disassembly!"
"Divine Departure!"
"Whoever wins is the big brother!" x2
Buggy's eyes were no longer filled with desire for the five billion. Only the obsession with becoming Shanks's big brother.
"Marco!" Jozu shouted. His completely diamondized body charged like a tank into the middle of the Doflamingo alliance and the Big Mom alliance, trying to scatter them.
"Tch, how troublesome!" Marco complained, but his blue flame wings spread. He appeared in front of Jozu in an instant. His leg, wrapped in blue flames, kicked at Katakuri, who was trying to stop Jozu. "Can't let you interrupt Jozu!"
Katakuri's trident was already coated in advanced Armament Haki. He blocked Marco's kick easily. His Mochi-Mochi Fruit absorbed the impact. "I foresaw... your coordination."
"Flower Storm · Great Delphinium!" Vista's figure moved like a ghost. His right hand repeatedly went into his pocket and came out with flowers blooming.
His twin swords released countless petal-like slashes. They weren't the main attack. Instead, they cleverly aimed at Doflamingo and Perospero's feet, forcing them to move and defend, disrupting their rhythm.
"Mochi Bomb!" Katakuri, though held up by Marco, still had the energy to summon mochi bombs and send them bouncing toward the charging diamond Jozu.
"BOOM!!!"
The diamond and the explosion created a deafening roar.
---
The battle exploded in an instant. And it strangely formed —
Buggy, Shanks, Marco, Jozu, Vista and some Whitebeard commanders, though they had different goals, found themselves fighting together in a brief, chaotic alliance. Their attacks were aimed at Doflamingo, Crocodile, Perospero, and Katakuri, who formed a temporary "villain" alliance.
Doflamingo, Perospero, and Katakuri were forced to defend against this sudden fierce attack. Mihawk stepped back a few paces, still observing. Crocodile cursed and raised a sandstorm to attack the Whitebeard group.
The remaining small-time pirate alliances were completely dumbfounded. They couldn't even get close to the treasure chest. Just the scattered Haki and Devil Fruit shockwaves were enough to send them flying.
The island had turned into a true hell. Roars, collisions, and explosions filled the air. Under the temptation of five billion berries, the top forces of the New World were colliding with everything they had.
---
In the Golden City, the audience watching through the Den Den Mushi was speechless. The intensity of this "game" far exceeded everyone's imagination.
Rhett played with the children, watching everyone's strength. The corners of his mouth curled into a meaningful smile. He hadn't put up five billion just for fun. He needed to see if, should he be away for a long time, the children could suppress the seas.
And he needed to evaluate how strong these future great pirates had become because of his influence. He didn't have time to find out one by one.