"Dragon! The Navy is here!"
On the island, Karasu, who had been closely monitoring the Navy's movements, shouted loudly at Dragon below.
"The Navy is here? Looks like it's time for us to stop."
Hearing Karasu's voice from the sky, Ben Beckman looked at Dragon in front of him and smiled.
It's undeniable that the pressure this person exerted was immense. If it weren't for the Red-Haired Pirates' seamless teamwork, they might have suffered casualties fighting Dragon. Instead, they only ended up with some injuries.
Dragon didn't respond but frowned, looking toward the direction of the Navy's fleet.
On the other side, Nicholas and Shanks were clashing swords, with dark purple and crimson lightning intertwining around their blades.
Sparks flew where the blades met.
The air around them grew violently unstable, with visible sword auras sweeping out, cutting through everything in their vicinity.
Even the clouds above seemed to be pressing down as if they were affected by the clash.
Realizing that he couldn't defeat Nicholas, Shanks sighed and said, "Nicholas, do you really want to plunge this world into chaos? If you could remain hidden and silent for decades, why not wait a bit longer?
Give Luffy a chance, give me a chance, and give this world a chance."
"Then kill yourself. If you're willing to wager your life, I don't mind giving you that chance. After all, you've already bet your arm on the so-called 'new era,' so why not stake your life to raise the stakes?"
Nicholas looked at Shanks with a smile, his eyes serious.
"If that's what it takes, then what's the harm in Shanks dying?"
Shanks replied nonchalantly.
A man of the sea knows he will eventually die on the ocean—that's something Shanks understood since he was young. It was also how he envisioned his own end.
In all these years sailing the seas, he had witnessed countless separations and deaths.
It's worth noting that during their years of drifting at sea, the Red-Haired Pirates had lost many comrades, especially in the wars to claim the title of Emperor. It was only after their power and influence grew that such losses became rare.
"Is it really necessary to go this far? Is it worth it?"
Nicholas could tell Shanks wasn't lying.
Shanks glanced at the distant sea and solemnly said, "It's worth it."
…
The live broadcast hadn't switched scenes for a while, likely because the person behind it was no longer controlling it. As time passed, the information from the island became increasingly scarce.
Viewers felt anxious as the broadcast froze. Knowing that a world-altering battle was unfolding while they were powerless to do anything left them feeling hopeless.
Moments ago, the spectators witnessed the terrifying clash between Kaido and Whitebeard. With Charlotte Linlin and Bullet having fallen earlier, they believed that it wouldn't be surprising if another Emperor died on the island.
But the massive dust clouds covering the battlefield obscured the situation, and with no new images from the transponder snails, they could only watch the limited live feed with no additional updates.
"Everyone, get ready. It's time to clean up the battlefield."
Tsuru said to the senior Navy officers next to her while observing the massive mushroom cloud slowly dissipating in the distance.
At that moment, a subordinate approached and whispered something in Tsuru's ear.
"Give it to me."
Tsuru frowned and extended her hand, soon holding a golden transponder snail.
The snail quickly rang, and after it was answered, its image shifted to resemble one of the Five Elders.
"This is the Five Elders. CP0 is currently carrying out a classified mission on the island. The Navy's attack is to be delayed."
Hearing the voice from the snail, the Navy officers on the deck frowned.
The situation on the island was clear. Charlotte Linlin was dead, while Whitebeard, Kaido, and Bullet's fates were uncertain. The only major threats left were Shanks, Nicholas, the Revolutionary Army leader Dragon, and a few Warlords.
This was the perfect time for the Navy to strike.
And most importantly, what does CP0's mission have to do with the Navy?
"Understood."
Tsuru responded calmly before hanging up.
She then looked at the puzzled officers and said, "What are you all standing around for? Proceed with the operation."
The Navy personnel looked at each other, surprised by her direct contradiction of the Elders' orders. Moments ago, they were told to hold off, yet now they were pushing forward as if nothing had happened.
"Tsuru, isn't this a bit…"
Admiral Aramaki, who was sent by the World Government, was about to speak up when he noticed the cold stares from the senior Navy officers. Awkwardly, he changed his words, "This decisiveness truly reflects the Navy's strong spirit."
After all, better for CP0 to suffer than himself.
On the sea, hundreds of warships sailed toward the island through icy channels.
Kizaru, who had been held back by Marco, also returned to the flagship.
The vast Navy fleet soon appeared near the island.
There were likely over 100,000 troops advancing, their overwhelming presence palpable. The powerful auras of the top Navy officers on the flagship created an intense atmosphere above the fleet.
"Hmm?"
As the Navy's main force arrived, the remaining pirates on the island fell into despair.
Without hesitation, those who survived immediately fled in the opposite direction of the approaching fleet.
Leading the charge were the Navy's top three Admirals, each of whom could instill fear in most pirates.
"Wow~~~"
Kizaru surveyed the devastated island and remarked, "What a fierce battle this was~~~"
"The Navy's monsters have joined the fray too!"
Doflamingo, Crocodile, and Bakkin, who had been watching from a distance, each reacted differently to the Navy's arrival.
For Crocodile and Doflamingo, it was hard to tell whether this was good or bad news.
On the one hand, as members of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, they were technically allied with the Navy.
On the other hand, judging by the Navy's stance, their Warlord status might not mean much, especially since they had been targeted by the Navy in the past.
But one thing was certain—
Neither the surviving monsters on the island nor the approaching Navy fleet were forces they could afford to provoke.
Still, due to their relationship with the World Government, they hoped the Navy wouldn't make things too difficult for them.
Hopefully.