With the orders given, the Marine war machine finally sprang to life.
Battleships, each equipped with artillery, slowly began to move, advancing and retreating in a coordinated dance. In an instant, the Marine formation opened up a passage in the middle, and the densely packed Battery Forts on both sides, like beehives, prepared to unleash their firepower.
Simultaneously, as the formation shifted, Battleships, led by Marine Headquarter Vice Admirals and other high-ranking officers, organized into groups of three to five, readied themselves in the middle of the passage. Like blades in a meat grinder, they weren't there to intercept but to cause maximum destruction.
Once enemies charged in, they would have to pay a heavy price to leave. Marines held the advantage in Battleship quality, artillery firepower, and mid-tier combat strength. They were confident they could crush any enemy.
The Hundred Beasts Pirates, who had attacked with a pointed formation, were now too late to change their formation. Any wavering at this moment would only throw their side into chaos, allowing the enemy to pick them off one by one.
Kaido, who understood warfare well, would never make such a basic mistake. He stood at the forefront of the pointed formation, raising his club.
"Follow me!"
With those words, Kaido stomped his feet, sending a massive Pirate Ship into a seesaw motion. Leveraging the explosive power generated by his legs, he rushed towards the nearest Battleship.
Facing Marine's "Abyssal Jaws," the Hundred Beasts Pirates, attacking with a pointed formation, could only use sheer force to break through. They aimed to destroy the nearest threatening Battleship formation, tearing open a path to advance.
With Kaido's strength, achieving this seemingly impossible feat was not difficult.
However, at this moment, Akainu and Aokiji, who had long prepared themselves, struck simultaneously.
Powerhouses like Kaido had a massive impact on the outcome of a battle. One such individual could decide victory or defeat, so it was impossible to let Kaido enter the Marine formation.
Meigo - Nether Hound!
Raving Pheasant Beak!
Magma with temperatures exceeding a thousand degrees and ice masses with bone-chilling sub-zero temperatures suddenly formed, crashing straight into Kaido as he leaped.
"Where do you think you're going, Kaido!" With a furious shout, Akainu's body was surrounded by a fearsome torrent of magma, melting Aokiji's ice mass and surging into his own magma.
Boom!
With a resounding crash, magma scattered in all directions. There was no apparent damage to Kaido, who had been attacked by two Admirals. He lifted his club and blocked Akainu's fist.
"Hahaha! Want to fight, Akainu?"
Thrown several hundred meters away by the attack, Kaido took the opportunity to crush a Pirate Ship beneath his feet. Then, he shook his legs and charged towards Akainu with wild laughter.
'Ice Age!'
At this moment, a bitterly cold wind suddenly blew, and the sea instantly froze. The waves ceased to churn, and the world turned white as Aokiji froze all the ships of the entire Hundred Beasts Pirates fleet in place.
Tsuru certainly wouldn't miss such a golden opportunity. Although the distance was not quite close enough, it was within the outer range covered by Battleship firepower.
She immediately picked up a Den Den Mushi and ordered, "All ships, open fire freely, target the Hundred Beasts Pirates!"
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The Battleships, ready to unleash their firepower, erupted with thunderous roars. Dense cannonballs formed a continuous dark cloud, blocking out the sunlight, and the sea's surface grew dim.
"Not good! It's Marine's artillery!"
"Counterattack! Everyone, counterattack!"
Pirate Ships were thrown into chaos, their futile attempts to fire back in vain.
However, the Marine's Scientific Force had developed artillery over hundreds of years, and their cannonballs had a range that no ordinary pirate crew could match.
Their cannonballs were still potent even when they fell into the sea hundreds of meters away from the outermost Battleships. In contrast, the Marine's cannonballs showed no mercy, piercing through almost half of the formation!
Bang! Bang!!
In a synchronized volley, the Hundred Beasts Pirates suffered heavy losses, with burning ships and bodies scattered everywhere.
The Ice Age not only froze the Pirate Ships but also left Kaido entangled in countless Ice Masses, rendering him immobile. However, the bone-chilling Ice Mass, deadly with just a touch, didn't trouble Kaido. Within moments, cracks appeared on the outer edges of the Ice Mass.
Crash...!!
Ice crystals shattered as Kaido exhaled a plume of white smoke, brandishing his weapon toward Aokiji with a savage grin.
At this moment, Akainu, who had been gathering power, unleashed a surge of molten lava the moment Kaido broke free from the ice. It surged forth like fire from hell, accompanied by billowing thick smoke.
Dai Funka - Great Eruption!
Boom... Kā Chā!!
The sea, frozen by the Ice Age, instantly revealed a densely cracked surface. Beneath the melting Ice Mass, seawater was exposed, but there was no chance for waves to form.
The lava promptly evaporated it, enveloping the battlefield in scalding steam.
"This Magma Bastard!"
This Great Eruption thoroughly enraged Kaido. He roared repeatedly, charging towards Akainu, their battle entwining. It was both expected and unexpected that two Admirals were tangling with the most powerful combatant on their side.
On a Pirate Ship, King swung his renowned blade, taking a step forward and soaring into the air before swinging downward.
Cremation·Purgatory Flame!
Huā Lā La!
As the blade descended, it unleashed an endless torrent of towering crimson flames that looked strange and eerie. These red fires fell onto the Ice Mass, instantly transforming the once frigid sea into a blazing inferno akin to Hell.
In this extreme heat, within a few breaths, the frozen ships broke free from the Ice Mass, continuing their charge toward the Marine formation.
Despite the vast coverage and terrifying temperature of these fiery flames, not a single strand of hair on their own ships was harmed. This showcased the tremendous control of their owner!
"Conflagration" King, truly lived up to being the leader of the Three Disasters in the Hundred Beasts Pirates!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Cannonballs continued to launch one after another. The distinctive fluid-shaped patterns of the Plasma Cannon streaked across the sky, relentlessly pounding the Pirate Ships.
"Ah!!"
"Help! My hands...!!"
"It's on fire, someone, help put it out!!"
The battle had only just begun but both sides had just entered each other's range, yet the fleet of the Hundred Beasts Pirates, consisting of hundreds of ships, had already suffered nearly a fifth of its total losses!
This fifth represented thousands of lives! This was the war prowess of the strongest force in the Grand Line, reigning over the sea, the Marine Headquarters!
In the vast expanse of the sea, there was simply no one who could rival them!
Bang Rumbled!
In the sky above, the Aircraft Force arrived over the battlefield, casting down countless white spots of light, saturating the Hundred Beasts Pirates with a bombardment.
Casualties continued to rise, yet Marines suffered minimum to no casualties, paying only in terms of expended cannonballs.
"Aircraft, Plasma Cannon..."
King dodged a Plasma Cannon with a flash, his gaze profound as he looked toward the Marine formation.
He knew that all these changes were brought about by that man. While the Hundred Beasts Pirates had won more than lost in previous skirmishes with Marines, never before had there been such significant casualties right at the start.
"We can't allow the Aircraft Force to continue their bombing!"
With this thought, King unfurled the twin wings on his back. A whirlwind of fiery red flames enveloped him, and a phantom composed of flames appeared behind him.
Swoosh!
A crisp chirping echoed across the sea. In an instant, Ash's figure shot up, like an aurora streaking across the sky. In the blink of an eye, he cut through the Aircraft Force from the side.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Boundless flames illuminated the sky. Rainbows bloomed amidst the fiery clouds, and the temperature skyrocketed!
Blossoms of fireworks erupted in the crimson sky. With a high raise of his blade, Ash roared in fury.
"Cremation·Cloud Blaze!!"
(End of this chapter)