You can read ahead up to 90 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
In the underworld, there is no right or wrong, only profit.
As long as the profit is sufficient, even government property can be sampled and tested.
Smoothie quickly grasped the situation. Between the government's enforcers, the Marines, and the pirates' pinnacle of power, the Yonko, Umit and Stussy had chosen the Marines over the Yonko.
They understood that the BIG MOM Pirates were finished.
When a Yonko loses its intimidation factor, the only force on the seas to truly fear are the Marines. The choice of the alliance was obvious.
**"Despicable!"
For a moment, Smoothie was so angry she almost spat blood.
"Sorry, Senior Officer, the plan has failed."
Dante stood up with his back drenched in warm blood. He didn't bother to wipe it off, but saluted in place, acknowledging his failure.
Had they not been exposed, those weapons would have been quietly delivered to the BIG MOM pirates' front lines. The soldiers inside would have been able to coordinate with the outside forces, easily capturing the positions and setting up a siege.
Rowen was aware of Sengoku's arrangements, but he hadn't expected Dante to be the executor. After a moment of surprise, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, Dante. Now that I'm back, the war is over."
The last time he fought BIG MOM, his power was hampered by the interference of the Thunder Will. He hadn't been able to use his full power.
Dante's eyes widened at the realization. Rowen wasn't one to boast; if he made such a declaration, he would back it up.
In the world of One Piece, the strong rules. The words of the strong are law.
The threats of the weak are empty bark, while the promises of the strong are commitments.
Failure to end the war would be an indelible stain on Rowen's reputation.
At that moment...
**"Arrogant fool!"
Smoothie, her eyes bloodshot with rage, lunged forward to retrieve her fallen sword.
An invisible force began to spread, distorting and compressing the air as her blade moved through it.
By combining the Squeeze-Squeeze Fruit with her sword technique to such an extent, Smoothie truly lived up to her title as one of the "Sweet Commanders".
However...
**"Too slow!"
A low whisper echoed in her ears.
**"What?!"**
Smoothie turned in shock, only to find a terrifyingly dark weapon thrusting at her. Dante was also alarmed and turned as well, but his peripheral vision confirmed that Rowen was standing beside him, his real body unaltered.
**"Could it be...!"
Dante's mind reeled. In the next instant...
**Slash!**
A flash of black lightning cut through the air, and Smoothie's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked down. A diamond-shaped hole pierced her chest where her heart should have been, leaving a void of darkness.
In the blink of an eye, Dante noticed a weapon in Rowen's hand.
Neither Rowen's position nor his actions had changed, not even the fluttering of his clothes. Only the tip of the Thunder Dragon's crescent-shaped halberd sparkled with a few lightning bolts.
**"Smoothie..."
Katakuri closed his eyes in grief.
He had been defeated once by this very move, by Rowen's speed, which completely outstripped his own reflexes. Even his ability to foresee the future couldn't counter such speed, which was beyond their level.
No matter how powerful an attack is, it means nothing if it cannot hit its target.
**Thud!**
This attack not only destroyed Smoothie's heart but also vaporized her blood. In the air, Smoothie's pupils rapidly dilated before she fell to the ground, her longsword slipping from her grasp and flying out.
**Clang...**
One of the Sweet Commanders and the Minister of Juice, Charlotte Smoothie, met her end.
**"Katakuri!"
To Rowen, annihilating the Four Sweet Commanders seemed like a trivial task. He turned his head and shouted, **"I'll give you one last chance to save yourself. Convince Brûlée to take the person you want to protect and leave."**.
"After today, Totto Land will cease to exist!"
Whoosh... Bang!!
As if to prove Rowen's words true, the sky was now adorned with falling stars, with countless white liquid-like meteors obscuring the sun and quickly causing terrifying explosions upon impact!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Upon receiving the signal, the soldiers hidden in the containers opened their hatches one by one. Under the command of various commanders, they poured into Chip Island from all directions.
This was a battle of annihilation, and no prisoners were to be taken!
Surrendering might not guarantee survival, but resistance would certainly mean death!
As he watched Totto Land go up in flames, Katakuri knew that there was no right or wrong at this point.
"I understand. I'll go now!"
With that, Katakuri found a mirror. After testing it with his hand and confirming that it was safe to enter, he stepped through.
"You should do something as well, Dante. Leave this place."
Dante gasped as he looked at Big Mom, who was convulsing on the ground like a fish out of water and promptly ran off into the distance.
In fights at the Yonko level, even watching is a powerful statement.
He didn't want to witness Rowen's power; he only wanted to become stronger himself.
Watching Dante disappear into the distance, Rowen turned around and calmly said, "Don't count on your sons getting out of this alive, Big Mom. Aokiji and Garp are leading the charge. Do you think any of them can resist?"**.
The situation had become so tense. Among the Big Mom Pirates, only Big Mom could stand up to Rowen and vice versa.
So while the New World seemed to be alive with battles, actual clashes were rare.
With Rowen holding off Big Mom and the possibility of the Air Force intercepting Totto Land's reinforcements, the loss of the front line was inevitable.
The disparity in high-end combat power was too great. A single Yonko faction simply couldn't compete with the Marines. That was the consensus on the sea.
"You... made me angry, Soryu!"
Big Mom stopped trembling, raised her head to the sky, and spoke angrily with a calm expression on her face.
"Should I be honored then?" Rowen sneered and raised his Thunder Dragon Halberd.
"Prison Dragon Lock Heaven Formation!"
They had fought each other before and had a certain understanding of each other's abilities. Without any testing attacks, Rowen unleashed his ultimate move.
But...
Boom!!!
White electric light illuminated the surroundings as thunder rumbled. Rowen knelt on one knee and rammed the thunder halberd into the ground. He slowly looked up at Big Mom, who stood before him slightly breathless and raised an eyebrow.
"You had spies in Baltigo, right?"
He had only used this move once in Baltigo, but Big Mom was able to see his one weakness.
"Let me teach you something, little brat. Once your trump card is revealed, there will always be someone who will find a way to counter it. That goes for everyone!"
Big Mom didn't answer directly, as it was pointless to dwell on that now.
The focus was on how to break Rowen's seemingly unbreakable ultimate move.
The Prison Dragon Lock Heaven Formation seemed overwhelmingly strong, and indeed it was.
Even Big Mom herself couldn't guarantee her survival.
But its activation speed was too slow!
Compared to Rowen's other attacks, it wasn't on the same level.
Without the premise of a surprise attack, it was difficult to be effective in a battle at the same level.
Dragon didn't lose to Rowen's terrifying trump card but to the loss of initiative. Caught off guard by Rowen and Akainu's coordinated attacks, he became dizzy and distracted, focusing only on evasion and forgetting the most terrifying aspect of Soryu.
In his battles, he never wasted his efforts!
"Without the help of your companions, you can't defeat me alone!"
Big Mom roared in anger, flames surging on her arm, her Homie's soul fleetingly flickering before erupting into a flame tornado hundreds of meters in diameter.
To Rowen's Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), it appeared as a tornado, but from a frontal view, what approached was a sea of flames that engulfed everything from all directions, leaving no gaps.
Against a speed-based opponent, a cover-style attack was most effective!
(End of Chapter)