The Red Hair Pirates cadres stood in turn behind the Four Emperors and the red-haired Shanks, looking intently at their counterparts across the battlefield. On the opposite side, the Entei Pirates, led by the fifth emperor, Flame Emperor Portgas D. Ace, assembled their Grand Fleet officers. The scene was a testament to immense power and influence.
The officers of the Red Hair Pirates watched with serious eyes. The Entei Pirate Ship Group, aside from Ace, boasted two Admiral-level combatants. Nami, who possessed the Thunder Fruit, a formidable Logia ability, had even awakened it. Then there was the blind middle-aged man, Fujitora, the captain of the second division of the Entei Pirates' Grand Fleet. His devastating Gravity Control and Observation Haki made him a force to be reckoned with, surpassing even Nami in strength.
The strength of Fujitora, with his top-notch Devil Fruit abilities, was enough to rival the three Admirals of the Naval Headquarters, who were now known as the strongest in history. Vivi, the desert princess who had awakened the Logia Sand-Sand Fruit ability, fell short of the Admiral threshold only due to her insufficient Haki level. 'Firebird' Laki, a user of the Bird Fruit-Phantom Beast Species-Suzaku form, was also just one step away from Admiral level.
Other formidable members included the "fallen doctor" Kaya with her healing fruit abilities, the 'Devil's Child' Nico Robin with the Flower-Flower Fruit, and Nojiko, the 'Black Rose,' who wielded the Gate Fruit as a terrifying sniper. 'Fallen Swordsman' Tashigi with the Transparent Fruit, 'Angel' Conis with the vocal fruit ability, and Paramecia's ghost fruit user, alongside the unknown shadow fruit user hunted from Moria, added to the crew's diverse and potent abilities.
All these officers of the Entei Pirates' fleet possessed powerful Devil Fruit abilities, forming a super Devil Fruit army. The combat power of the Entei Pirate Fleet didn't stop there.
"Hoo!" "Bah!" "Whoosh!" Thunder roared as three fiery figures appeared behind Ace. These were a flame puppet controlled by the Emperor of Fire, Portgas D. Ace, former Seven Warlords of the Sea member Crocodile, and Enel, the former Thunder Fruit ability user and self-proclaimed god. Additionally, the former Vice Admiral of the Naval Headquarters, Ghost Spider, now stood with Ace.
Among the powerful allies was 'Dark King' Rayleigh, the former right hand of the Pirate King and Shanks' senior, adding to the formidable force behind Ace. Ace, with his superior Conqueror's Haki and masterful command, orchestrated this public execution that shook the world. He initiated a full-scale war with the Naval Headquarters and the World Government, achieving a staged victory and cementing his position at the top of the sea.
The Entei Pirates' fleet, under Portgas D. Ace's leadership, had displayed a terrifying combat power that surpassed all forces except the World Government and the Navy.
Beckman exhaled a breath of smoke, his eyes fixed on the man who had made the entire sea and world tremble with his cunning and strength: Portgas D. Ace. Unexpectedly, this man was not only powerful but also extraordinarily wise. Although they had never met before, Beckman realized that Ace had already included the Red Hair Pirates in his grand plan for this public execution.
The initial spark of this global upheaval had been ignited by their captain, the red-haired Shanks, who had sought out Ace. Even Kaido, who coveted Ace's power to hunt Devil Fruits, had played a role. The Red Hair Pirates, as well as Kaido, had drawn the attention of the Naval Headquarters and the World Government. Taking advantage of this, Ace likely used his awakened Thunder Fruit's powerful Observation Haki to clear out the Naval Headquarters and establish a vast intelligence network against them.
Ace must have employed the Transparent Fruit's abilities to arrive at the Sabaody Archipelago unnoticed. He then caught the Naval Headquarters and the World Government off guard by publicly executing three Celestial Dragons, an act that shook the world. In this grand scheme, the Red Hair Pirates and even Kaido were mere pawns, assisting Ace in launching this world-shaking public execution.
Ben Beckman, one of the sea's sharpest minds, quickly pieced together the strategy by combining Nami's abilities with Tashigi's Transparent Fruit. He admired Ace's grand plan, which manipulated the Four Emperors, Naval Headquarters, World Government, and the entire world, forcing them to act on the stage he had set. Beckman's eyes were filled with admiration and a hint of sympathy. Ace's intellect and strategic acumen were astounding.
"Tashigi is a Transparent Fruit user. So that's how you broke through our defenses?" Sengoku, another formidable strategist, gleaned the method behind the Entei Pirates' undetected approach. Combining Tashigi's Transparent Fruit and Nami's awakened Thunder Fruit, Sengoku understood how they had evaded the Navy's net to initiate the shocking public execution at Sabaody Archipelago's human trafficking auction house.
Even the Red Hair Pirates and Kaido had been used as distractions to draw the attention of the Naval Headquarters and the World Government. Sengoku's forehead was lined with veins of frustration. In this battle of wits, he had been utterly outmaneuvered by the Flame Emperor, Portgas D. Ace.
Sengoku also noted another mysterious element: the Shadow Fruit ability seen in Merry, a cadre of the Entei Pirates. How had Ace acquired Moria's ability without killing him? This added another layer of complexity to Ace's already enigmatic character.
"Captain of the second division of the Entei Pirates' Grand Fleet, Fujitora. Who is the captain of the first team? Is his strength even greater than Fujitora's?" Sengoku wondered, his nerves on edge. An Admiral-level combatant who hadn't appeared on the battlefield was a significant concern. This missing combatant, coupled with Ace's cunning, suggested a potentially devastating strategy aimed at the Naval Headquarters.
Aokiji, who had been lying face down, began to tremble faintly, his body shaking uncontrollably. If Sengoku hadn't been preoccupied, he might have noticed something strange about Aokiji. The realization hit Sengoku suddenly. "Could it be the Naval Headquarters?!" he blurted out, his pupils shrinking in horror.
The Naval Headquarters was largely unguarded, with most forces, including those stationed in the Holy Land, drawn to this battlefield by Saint Satan. If an Admiral-level force attacked now, it would be catastrophic. Was Ace planning to destroy the Naval Headquarters and completely overthrow Marine justice? Sengoku frantically tried to contact the headquarters, but the powerful Conqueror's Haki roar rendered the phone useless.
Meanwhile, Aokiji's violent trembling suggested he was on the brink of a breakdown. Amidst this tension, Saint Saturn's frustration boiled over. "Do you think this is a tea party? Red hair! Flame Emperor!" he roared at the two men.
Ace and Shanks, locked in a stare, were seemingly oblivious to the Five Elders' predicament. Their Conqueror's Haki had sealed the Elders' movements, creating a surreal scene of mutual respect and acknowledgment between the two crews. Although this drain on Haki benefited the Five Elders in the long run, it was a blow to the face of the World Government and the Five Elders.
"I just want you to calm down," Shanks said, his voice steady as he looked at the Five Elders with a slight smile. "If you are willing to cease the war here, the Red Hair Pirates will naturally retreat. Continuing the fight will only cause unnecessary casualties."
"Casualties? Do you think you can hurt us, Redhead?" Saint Warcury, transformed into a boar, bared his fangs and roared.
"What about these Marines?" Shanks replied solemnly.
"They're just bugs. We can replace them easily from all over the world," Saint Mars, transformed into Itsu Shinten, said indifferently.
"Replacing them isn't that simple," Shanks countered. "If the fight continues, all the Marines here will be wiped out."
Saint Mars's casual dismissal of Marine lives didn't surprise Shanks. He turned his gaze to Saint Mars and spoke deeply. "Total annihilation? You think too highly of yourselves. Our total combat power here is superior to yours!" Saint Nusjuro, holding his black knife, said calmly.
The high-end combat power available included all Five Elders, as well as Sengoku, Garp, Aokiji, and the Shichibukai. Despite the energy consumed by the ongoing battles, Ace had also expended a significant amount of energy and Haki. The assembled forces were confident they could handle Red Hair, Beckman, Flame Emperor, Rayleigh, Fujitora, and Nami. Other combatants, those not reaching the Admiral threshold, were relegated to fighting the Naval Headquarters Vice Admirals, Admiral candidates, and the lesser Shichibukai.
"Then what about me? Wororororo!!!" A dragon's roar echoed, and a massive figure emerged from the clouds, wielding a club. The creature's antlers resembled a deer's, its head like a camel's, eyes like a rabbit's, neck like a snake's, belly like a fish's, scales like a fish's, claws like an eagle's, palms like a tiger's, and ears like an ox's. This figure was all too familiar to the Five Elders.
"Kaido!" Saint Saturn roared, his expression twisted with anger. The form was none other than the Azure Dragon from the Fish Fish Fruit - Phantom Beast Species, a reward once given to the Knights of God with the highest hunting points in God valley. Now, the Four Emperors' Kaido had descended upon Sabaody Archipelago.
Three emperors had gathered at Sabaody Archipelago. Saint Peter, transformed into a sandworm, was livid. "Aren't you here to defeat the Flame Emperor? Why are you going against our World Government?!"
Kaido laughed heartily. "Hahaha, of course, I want to attack the Flame Emperor, but it's not every day you old men leave Mariejois." His blood boiled with excitement. "Now that you have the upper hand in battle, I will kill you together with them first. After the Red Hair and Flame Emperor gain the upper hand in battle, I will help you get rid of the Flame Emperor. This is Real war! Hahaha!"
Kaido's boisterous laughter rang out as the Five Elders' faces contorted with rage and frustration. This war-madman, impossible to reason with after a drink, had turned the tides unpredictably. Things were spiraling out of control!