In the dimly lit depths of the ocean, both sides, long arrayed in formation, began their charge.
"What an astonishing number!"
Page One stood atop the head of a sea cat tens of meters long, his eyes burning as he stared at the countless warships ahead. "Ha, now we can really have some fun!"
"Pay-tan! Make sure you take care of yourself!"
Next to him, Ulti stood on the head of a sea lion, concern evident in her voice.
"No need to tell me, big sis!"
Page One twisted his neck, lifted his body, and had already switched into his Human-Beast Form.
At the same time, he pressed lightly on his lower back. A deep brown color spread across his body, and in the blink of an eye, he was clad in a deep brown Raid Suit.
This was a Raid Suit developed by Judge. Now in its fourth generation, it had been fully enhanced in every aspect and even incorporated various special abilities.
"I will never let Brother Ian down!"
A confident smirk curled on Page One's lips.
"That's right!"
Ulti had also transformed into her Human-Beast Form, her own Raid Suit in place. The young girl sneered, "Anyone who dares to oppose Brother Ian deserves to die!"
"Ready, Zoro, Sanji?"
Kuina activated her ability as well. Her already tall figure became even more slender and elegant.
She rose to her full height, a beautiful large cat in battle armor, her long right hand resting on the hilt of her Wado Ichimonji.
"The match is about to begin."
Zoro, clad in his green Raid Suit, lazily tied a black headband around his forehead. His left fingers brushed over the hilts of the three swords at his waist. The boy smiled brightly but remained silent.
"Of course, Miss Kuina!"
Sanji twisted his body like a noodle, the cape of his Raid Suit fluttering behind him. "Don't worry, I'll protect you!"
"As for me," Kuina chuckled softly, "I don't really need protection."
"Better protect yourself first, eyebrow-furrowed one."
Zoro taunted. "Don't let your empty-headed brain slow you down."
"Huh? Slow me down? Green-haired freak, are you talking about yourself?"
Sanji shot back without holding back. "Someone who can't even find their way on Onigashima should make sure not to get lost down here!"
"You—!"
Zoro's forehead twitched with anger.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Ace, at the very front, laughed heartily.
The companions were still as close as ever!
"How many kids are there?"
On a pirate ship ahead, the spearman Freddy held up a telescope, looking somewhat surprised.
Jinbei's undersea army was, for now, staying in the distance, just watching as these kids charged forward with a few sea beasts in tow.
"Probably some rookies from the Beasts Pirates!"
An angry voice echoed through the Den Den Mushi.
"Damn bastards! They actually want us to be training tools for these kids?"
"Hey! That's perfect! That idiot Ian wants us to train these kids, so let's just take them out and show them!"
"Exactly! If we kill all these kids here, even Ian will feel it in his heart!"
"So, what are we waiting for?"
A bloodthirsty gleam suddenly appeared in Freddy's eyes. "Take out these kids! Use the harpoons!"
Ordinary cannons were difficult to use underwater, so to prepare for war against the Fish-Man Army, the pirates had stocked weapons capable of functioning beneath the waves.
Among them were the devastatingly powerful heavy harpoons.
On the decks of the pirate ships at the front, the pirates turned massive cranks, aiming the colossal harpoon launchers at the rapidly approaching sea beasts.
The harpoons, as long as flagpoles, already stretched beyond the bubbles of water.
"Reflect!"
Voices called out in succession.
Then, the massive harpoons shot forward. Their special design greatly reduced resistance from the seawater, flying like arrows toward the sea beasts.
"Harpoons?"
Kuina smiled faintly, her right hand gripping the hilt of her sword at her waist. "Since we're underwater, Ittoryu: White Dragon!"
A white light suddenly burst from the girl's scabbard. The seawater was violently wrapped by an invisible force, spinning into a roaring white dragon.
The harpoons flying toward them were instantly swept up by the surging currents, shredded, and blown to pieces.
"What?"
Freddy's eyes widened in shock as he watched a massive white dragon surge unstoppable into one side of the fleet.
The protective bubbles around the ships were utterly powerless against such an attack.
In an instant, they were torn apart, and the ships exposed in the deep sea didn't even have time to be crushed by the water—they were shredded directly by the raging currents!
Just from this strike, seven or eight ships were completely destroyed.
"How is this possible?!"
On a nearby pirate ship, a man dressed as a swordsman, gripping a long sword, wiped sweat from his forehead. "Flying Slash? That much power??"
That girl, who looked barely twenty, was such a formidable swordswoman?
"Nicely done, Miss Kuina!"
Sanji loudly praised her, slightly turning his head, when a massive harpoon—a lucky miss from earlier—whizzed past his ear. Just as it seemed it would fly away, it suddenly froze in midair.
The yellow-haired boy raised his hand and caught the harpoon. Even the immense force from the launcher couldn't shake his arm.
Effortlessly, Sanji redirected the harpoon and then, with a flick of his wrist, sent it flying.
Shhh!
The harpoon became lightning. It moved so fast that the sea couldn't close behind it, carving a narrow vacuum path straight through the deep ocean!
But something was faster than the harpoon.
"Sky Walk!"
A black shadow shot forward.
Sanji stepped across the air, moving faster than lightning itself, and in the blink of an eye, he landed on the very harpoon!
"Sanji's strength and speed are still ridiculously insane!"
Ace exclaimed in awe.
Truly the pinnacle of the Vinsmoke family, Sanji's abilities had matured with age. The boosts he gained from them were perhaps even comparable to those granted by a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit.
"We can't let that damn curly-browed guy hog the spotlight alone!"
Zoro roared and launched himself as well.
"Geppo!"
Though moving through water created huge resistance, stepping through it gave far more propulsion than stepping through air. Zoro shot forward like a torpedo.
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