Dark clouds rolled in, blanketing the entire sea. At first glance, they seemed so low they could touch the ocean's surface, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
Just as Sakazuki ended his call with Xayuki, the thunderous roar of lightning split the heavens, shattering the silence under the heavy clouds.
Blinding bolts of lightning streaked across the sky, tearing through the darkness like sharp swords, illuminating the turbulent sea below. The flickering light made the water's surface seem apocalyptic, as if the end of days were near.
This was the New World, the most perilous sea in the entire world.
After the storm of lightning and thunder passed, torrential rain poured down relentlessly, connecting the heavens and the earth into a massive, unbroken curtain of water. Everything within this sea region was enveloped in the downpour.
In the flashes of lightning, the fleet of the Akainu Army, led by Sakazuki, pressed forward without hesitation. The warships surged through the towering waves, engines roaring at full power as they sped toward their destination.
Standing in the command cabin, Sakazuki's fiery gaze was fixed ahead. When he first joined the Marines, he believed that becoming an Admiral would allow him to act freely and accomplish what he truly wanted. However, reality proved otherwise.
As an Admiral, he was constantly shackled by responsibilities—protecting the Celestial Dragons, seeking permission to engage the sea emperors of the New World, and navigating the bureaucratic constraints of the Holy Land. These restrictions had always held him back, preventing him from unleashing his full potential.
But those days were over.
The Navy was no longer bound by the whims of the Holy Land. The young Fleet Admiral at the helm of Marine Headquarters had given him the freedom to act.
Most importantly, this young leader didn't leave him to fight alone. For the first time, Sakazuki felt as though he had a true pillar of support.
And it wasn't just a feeling. Xayuki wasn't merely his personal backing—he was the foundation of the entire Navy.
With this fearless young commander standing firm in Headquarters, Sakazuki was confident that not only he but also Kuzan, who was heading toward the Big Mom Pirates' territory, could fight without distractions. The Big Mom Pirates would not be allowed to interfere in his war against the Beasts Pirates!
Brrr-brrr-brrr!
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi on the table rang.
"Admiral Sakazuki, we've lost sight of the Beasts Pirates' fleet. The rain is too heavy, and our observation range is severely limited!"
"Don't worry!"
Sakazuki refocused, his voice steady and commanding. "If our vision is limited, so is theirs. Maintain the current course and continue forward!"
Meanwhile, the massive fleet of the Beasts Pirates was also being swallowed by the torrential rain. Their ships rose and fell with the surging waves, pressing onward through the storm.
On the deck of the lead warship stood over a hundred members of the Beasts Pirates, including Headliners, Gifters, and Pleasures, forming a formidable force of more than three hundred.
At the forefront were two towering figures—the Calamities, the most powerful subordinates of Kaido.
The first was King the Conflagration, the leader of the Calamities. He wore a black double-breasted coat and a mask, his tall and muscular frame accentuated by his black wings. As the user of the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Pteranodon, King was not only a Zoan Ancient-Type Devil Fruit user but also carried a bounty of 1.39 billion Belly. He was Kaido's right-hand man, a warrior of extraordinary strength.
Standing beside King was Queen the Plague, another Calamity. Queen, the user of the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Brachiosaurus, was a rotund figure with a bald head. His bounty, though slightly lower than King's by 70 million Belly, was still formidable.
Both stood silently in the pouring rain, allowing the downpour to drench them as they stared at the stormy sea ahead. Their eyes betrayed a mix of sorrow and silent fury.
They had just received devastating news: Jack the Drought, who had set out to rescue members of the Donquixote Family, had been ambushed by Sakazuki due to faulty intelligence. Jack's ship, along with its entire crew, had been sunk to the ocean's depths. Knowing Sakazuki's ruthless nature, they realized that Jack's chances of survival were slim to none.
Boom!
Crack!
The deafening crash of thunder echoed continuously as bolts of lightning tore through the sky, illuminating the sea as if it were broad daylight.
In the fleeting brightness, the silhouette of a fleet surged forward through the waves, heading straight toward the Beasts Pirates.
Before Queen and King could react, the lightning vanished as abruptly as it had come, and the rolling black clouds once again plunged the sea into pitch darkness.
Despite the brief flash, King's exceptional vision allowed him to clearly spot the approaching warships in the distance.
Without hesitation, he turned and issued a decisive order: "Signal all ships—prepare for boarding combat!"
Boom!
King's voice was drowned out by another clap of thunder.
In the next instant, more lightning illuminated the sea, revealing the Marine fleet in stark detail.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Taking advantage of the brief illumination, the Marine warships unleashed a barrage of cannon fire.
Dozens of cannons roared in unison, launching a dense volley of shells that tore through the air, raining down upon the Beasts Pirates' fleet.
"Damn it!"
Hearing the shrill whistling of incoming shells, King's expression darkened beneath his mask.
As the flash of lightning faded and darkness reclaimed the sea, the sound of the shells tearing through the air grew louder.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions erupted one after another in the pitch-black night. The shockwaves from the detonations swept across the sea, sending towering sprays of water mixed with rain crashing onto the decks of the Beasts Pirates' ships.
Standing on the deck, King remained vigilant. With his immense strength and mastery of Observation Haki, he swiftly drew his blade and sliced several incoming shells in half.
The moment the shells were cut, they exploded in midair, casting a fiery glow over the deck. The flames illuminated the chaos as the Headliners, Gifters, and Pleasures scrambled to intercept the incoming barrage.
In just one round of cannon fire, the Beasts Pirates' fleet was thrown into disarray. The decks of the struck ships were filled with wails of pain, and one unfortunate vessel, hit by over a dozen shells simultaneously, was engulfed in flames. The crew suffered heavy casualties, and the ship was soon consumed by fire.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Watching the flames rise from the distant ship, King roared into his Den Den Mushi, "Abandon the burning ship immediately! Get off now!"
As the leader of the Calamities, King was not only a powerful warrior but also a seasoned strategist. He knew that in a battle of this scale, a burning ship would not only illuminate the surrounding area, exposing their fleet, but also become an easy target for the enemy's cannons.
His fears were soon realized.
The moment King's voice trailed off, the sound of cannon fire echoed once more from the Marine fleet hidden in the darkness.
Boom!
The barrage of shells rained down relentlessly, targeting the area around the burning ship.
More to come in the next update!
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