High above the Grand Line, thousands of meters in the sky,
The towering Red Line Continent was clearly visible. The Straw Hat Pirates never imagined they would see this place in such a manner...
Their bodies were tightly bound by ship debris, rendering them unable to even struggle.
Higher up, Sout's arm, infused with Armament Haki, clasped a unconscious Luffy. He used his ability to speed away with him and his crew.
*Swish—*
Carol's figure appeared in mid-air.
Sout, sensing the sudden appearance, was not surprised and activated his ability.
He reactivated the buoyancy previously attached to Carol's cape, and Carol floated through the air towards him.
"Is this the target of Fleet Admiral Sakazuki?"
Sout smiled as he watched Carol approach.
"Indeed."
"But he doesn't seem to be any different."
"Too weak."
"And so are his companions."
He handed Luffy to Carol.
Carol took Luffy and, sensing his aura, shook his head and chuckled.
"Indeed..."
Compared to Garp's talent and strength, Luffy's current aura didn't look like his grandson's at all. At his age, Dragon was already a Vice Admiral.
"But everyone needs time to grow."
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki never misses."
"He must be hiding something."
Forcing growth is the easiest...
Sout nodded and asked,
"What about those guys below?"
Carol looked at the sphere of ship debris below and said in a low voice,
"Take them to your airship fleet."
"After all, pirates value 'companions' and 'partners' the most."
"Perhaps it will serve as a catalyst later."
He then took out a device and handed it to Sout.
"The red dots on it indicate the location of Monkey D. Dragon's fleet."
"They are expected to reach the entrance of the Red Line Continent the day after tomorrow."
"Return and take your positions. Act as circumstances dictate then, and attack Mary Geoise."
Sout took the device with its flashing red dots.
"Understood."
Carol smiled.
*Swish—*
He vanished instantly.
-----------
New World, Egg Head Island.
A secret laboratory in the clouds.
*Swish—*
Carol appeared.
"Phew—"
A hint of fatigue washed over him.
From the declaration of war at noon until now, he had barely stopped, teleporting across the world. He massaged his temples.
Carrying the unconscious Luffy, he walked towards the laboratory.
A mechanical whirring sound echoed as the door opened, revealing Vegapunk and his clones, along with Enel standing nearby.
Carol greeted them simply and handed Luffy to a Vegapunk clone, 'Buddha'.
"Use the Sleeper-Sleeper Fruit to accelerate his growth in conjunction with the nutrient solution."
"Try to see if it's effective, but be sure to bind him with Seastone."
Buddha nodded and said,
"No problem."
Vegapunk himself didn't approach. After all, as Dragon's son, he found it difficult to act against him, so he let his clones handle it.
Carol turned to Vegapunk.
"Doctor, are you ready to evacuate?"
Vegapunk nodded.
"Ah—"
"Everything is almost packed."
"Don't worry."
Carol nodded.
"That's good."
"Let's go, Enel."
Enel's expression was relaxed as he walked over, a slight smirk on his lips.
"Finally reaching that guy, huh?"
"Damn red-haired bastard."
Carol chuckled, amused by the lingering resentment towards the peer of the same age.
He placed his hand on Enel and activated his ability.
*Swish—*
They vanished instantly from Egg Head Island.
------------
New World, in the rear of the Cake Island and the Land of Wano.
A vast fleet, stretching as far as the eye could see, stood on the sea. What was different here was that everything was a dark green, like a strange world.
However, pirate ships passed by these warships without the slightest suspicion.
Everyone ignored this place; some ships even passed through the massive fleet without any anomaly.
On a giant mechanical sea beast sat a humanoid doll with bull horns, connected by several thin electronic tubes to the enormous sea beast behind it.
It stood at the very forefront of this fleet, just like the warships behind it.
Like predators in the dark, watching these prey unsuspectingly walk into a trap, only to be devoured in one bite...
------------
New World, Unknown Waters.
The Red Force, of the Red-Haired Pirates, sailed the sea.
Unlike Hahl Nok, who was alone and aimless.
At least the core members of the Red-Haired Pirates were alive. Benn Beckman's extensive knowledge allowed him to barely navigate.
However, due to the state of their ship and crew, it would still take some time to escape this world filled with lava and the smell of sulfur.
"Cough, cough."
Benn Beckman's cough was heard as he walked onto the deck.
He fanned the air in front of his face. The volcanic ash and sulfurous fumes were too irritating, even for a robust physique to endure breathing them for twenty-four hours straight.
"Are you alright, Shanks?"
After the communication ended, Shanks had walked out of the cabin and was standing on the deck, lost in thought.
Benn Beckman, concerned, came out to check on him.
Shanks shook his head and said in a deep voice,
"I'm fine."
"Don't worry, Beckman."
His gaze remained fixed on the distant horizon.
Benn Beckman shook his head with a wry smile, unsure of what to say.
*Sizzle—*
The sound of electricity crackled.
Benn Beckman's brow twitched. Without turning his head, he swung his hand and became a blur, striking backward.
*Clang!*
The sound of metal clashing echoed.
His Haki-infused arm collided with a golden staff.
The cadres in the cabin also heard the sound and rushed out, on guard.
Benn Beckman's expression was grim, and he spoke in a low voice,
"Enel."
Enel let out a soft breath, not replying. Instead, he scanned the surroundings and slightly tilted his head towards Shanks, who was turning to draw his sword.
"Your end has come."
"You red-haired bastard."
*Sizzle sizzle—*
Electricity surged from his arm, and with a surge of muscle, Beckman was uncontrollably sent flying backward.
The moment he was thrown back, a flash of sword light appeared.
*Boom—!!!*
The entire ship trembled.
Sakazuki's figure instantly appeared, crashing onto the deck.
His large hand, clad in black gloves, intercepted a blade of sword energy aimed at Enel. His fingers tightened slightly.
*Crack—*
The sword energy shattered into countless fragments and dissipated.
Red-Haired Shanks' expression turned grim.
"Sakazuki..."
His entire body was on high alert, ready to erupt at any moment.
But what followed made his blood run cold...
*Boom—!!!*
Another familiar figure, with scarlet eyes like a demon, shrouded in ghostly energy, crashed onto the deck.
*Boom—!!!*
And another, exuding an inexplicable majesty, radiating a faint golden light, crashed onto the deck.
Red-Haired Shanks was no longer thinking about fighting.
His immense Conqueror's Haki, accompanied by crimson lightning, roared across the heavens.
"Scatter and escape!!!"
He himself, holding Gryphon wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, unleashed several slashes, attempting to intercept these Marines.
Barrett grinned savagely and vanished instantly.
Sengoku's figure swelled, and a colossal Buddha form, nearly a hundred meters tall, appeared on the deck. The shockwave from his hands directly targeted the attacking Red-Haired Shanks.
Seeing Sengoku charging at him, Shanks' speed surged, and he disappeared.
Enel, in the back, smirked. With a crackle, he transformed into lightning and vanished, appearing to Sakazuki's side. His golden staff lunged towards a certain point.
*Clang!*
Sword and staff collided.
Observation Haki couldn't detect it, but the magnetic field could...
Continuous roars erupted.
The scattered escapees were kicked back by the super-accelerated Barrett, crashing into the ship's cabins.
A stout figure was kicked towards Sakazuki.
Sakazuki caught him, his dark hand clamping down firmly on Lucky Roo's head.
Barrett, right behind him, also held someone's head in his hand: it was a struggling Beckman...
Barrett's arm moved behind him, pushing towards Sakazuki.
Sakazuki, holding Lucky Roo, pushed forward as well.
The heads of Beckman and Lucky Roo, held tightly by the immense hands of Barrett and Sakazuki, slammed together.
*Splat—!!!*
The heavens and earth trembled.
Before the shocked eyes of the entire Red-Haired Pirates.
The heads of Lucky Roo and Beckman, clutched by two colossal monsters, exploded like watermelons, turning into mist...
Red-Haired Shanks' bloodlust intensified to the point of being tangible.
"Sakazuki!!!"
Gryphon in his hand spat wisps of red lightning. A sword energy hundreds of meters long, as if threatening to cleave the ship in two, pushed Enel towards Sakazuki, while Shanks himself vanished and charged at Sakazuki.
Sengoku's figure appeared. With a raise of his hand, a full-power Buddha Shockwave shattered the sword energy.
At the same time.
Barrett, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, rampaged through the cabins.
The few remaining high-tier fighters were all dead. The rest...
A figure's chest was shattered by Barrett and thrown out.
Enel raised his hand, a spark of electricity flashed from his fingertip, shooting towards Sakazuki's flank.
Sakazuki, following the direction of the lightning, struck out with his hand.
*Clang!*
His dark hand tightly gripped Shanks' Gryphon.
Their eyes met, his indifferent tone laced with killing intent.
He swung his free hand backward.
*Splat—*
The headless corpse of the ship's doctor, Deck, rolled limply onto the deck.
Red-Haired Shanks' eyes blazed with fury. He wanted to draw his sword and attack, but Sakazuki was not Enel. Even though Gryphon, clutched in his hand, spat explosive sword energy, leaving bloody gashes on his palm, he couldn't break free from Sakazuki's grasp.
Sakazuki raised his free hand and punched Shanks in the chest.
The immense force sent them crashing into the cabin.
Inside the cabin.
Bodies littered the floor.
Barrett grabbed the heads of the last remaining two Red-Haired Pirates cadres and, as they were dragged along, they crashed into the sight of Shanks...
*Splat!*
Blood mist exploded...
Shanks had completely lost his mind. His scarlet eyes showed no trace of consciousness.
He, once known for the world's strongest Conqueror's Haki, truly possessed it. Crimson Conqueror's Haki, accompanied by lightning, surged, and the entire ship instantly disintegrated.
The multiplied sword energy forced Sakazuki to release his grip.
Then, a sky-piercing crimson sword energy appeared overhead, pressing down as if the sky were collapsing.
Sengoku's expression turned grave. His hundred-meter-tall Buddha form stomped his feet, charging directly into the clouds. Aiming at the center of the immense sword energy, he clasped his hands together and pushed outward.
A circular shockwave, like a ki blast, connected Sengoku's palms, continuously outputting power, grinding and shattering the sky-piercing sword energy.
The berserk Red-Haired Shanks prepared to strike again.
*Splat!*
Barrett's large hand directly grabbed his wrist. The other hand gripped his shoulder, attempting to twist his arm.
Shanks' wrist instinctively turned, and Gryphon followed, lunging towards Barrett behind him.
Barrett twisted his body and dodged.
Before Shanks could pursue, a *crack* was heard...
Sakazuki appeared, striking Shanks' chest. It instantly caved in, and Shanks almost spat blood.
He gritted his teeth, blood mixed with bone fragments and internal organ bits dribbling from the corner of his mouth.
The intense pain and the sense of impending death jolted Shanks back to clarity, but it was too late...
Sengoku descended from the sky and suppressed Shanks' body with a raised hand.
Sakazuki placed his hand on Shanks' neck, veins bulging. He squeezed tightly, preventing him from breathing. His indifferent voice echoed,
"You won't see that day..."
Your schemes, your hopes, whatever they may be, you will not see that day...
Red-Haired Shanks' face turned red, his eyes bulging. This was the result of suffocation and Sakazuki's immense strength.
He could understand the look in Sakazuki's eyes and knew what he meant.
But Sakazuki gave him no opportunity...
His large hand gripped Shanks' neck tightly, preventing him from uttering a word or a threat...
He watched indifferently as his breath slowly faded...
Completely dead...
*Splat!*
His neck exploded.
The lifeless corpse could no longer resist.
A head flew off...