The banquet hall trembled under the weight of heavy, staggering footsteps.
Ten towering, monstrous figures swung spiked clubs blindly through the crowded Live Stage. Fighting back against the failed ancient giants, Dorry and Brogy raised their Uru weapons. Oimo and Kashii guarded the flanks. Crashing steel against iron, the Elbaf warriors pushed the drunken Numbers away from the fragile samurai forces, containing the massive threat.
Above the carnage, a transponder snail rang in the pockets of the Tobiroppo.
Watching the chaos from a high balcony, King delivered a short, blunt order over the secure channel. "Halt the search for Yamato. The target is already on the Live Stage. Focus on eliminating the intruders. Protect the fortress."
Deep inside a quiet castle corridor, X Drake leaned against a stone wall.
Basil Hawkins sat quietly at a nearby table, shuffling tarot cards. Approaching the two Supernovas, Who's-Who stepped out of the shadows. The masked Headliner offered a dangerous proposition.
"Queen is distracted," Who's-Who noted smoothly. "This is the perfect opportunity to eliminate the fat cyborg. Team up with me, Drake. We can take his position tonight."
Considering the offer, the undercover Marine weighed the tactical advantage. Removing an All-Star from the board seemed logical.
The sliding doors suddenly opened. Queen stepped into the room, leveling a heavy machine gun directly at the dinosaur Zoan.
The trap snapped shut. Who's-Who and Hawkins flanked the only exit, drawing their weapons.
"Did you really think a Marine spy could hide in our ranks forever?" Queen sneered, racking a round into the chamber.
Realizing the blown cover, Drake abandoned stealth. Transforming partially into an Allosaurus, the spy crashed through the stone floorboards, desperately fighting a path downward to escape the execution squad.
Bursting through the ceiling of the Live Stage, the fleeing Marine plummeted toward the chaotic battlefield.
Directly below, Luffy bounded forward. Coating a fist in dense Armament Haki, the rubber captain punched the giant Number named Goki squarely in the jaw. The massive brute crumpled to the floor.
Landing simultaneously, Drake drew his sword and slashed a second Number, Juki, bringing the monster down in a heavy crash.
Looking up, the Marine recognized the straw-hat-wearing captain. Memories of Koby praising this pirate surfaced immediately. Out of options and surrounded by enemies, survival required desperate measures.
"Straw Hat!" Drake yelled over the noise of the crowd. "I am a lone force! Let me fight by your side!"
Turning around, Luffy tilted his head. "Okay!"
"Are you crazy?!" Franky and Usopp screamed in unison, waving their arms frantically. "He is one of Kaido's top officers!"
Ignoring the protests, the captain accepted the help without a second thought.
Spotting the rubber pirate through the crowd, Ulti and Page One charged forward. Recognizing the boy who had humiliated them in the attic, the two ancient Zoans lowered their heads to attack.
Before the siblings could reach their target, a thick cloud of black smoke exploded in their path.
"Your fight is with us," Nami declared, gripping her weather staff. Usopp stood beside her, drawing back the glowing string of his energy bow.
On the other side of the hall, Apoo readied another invisible attack. Striking his chest like a drum, the Longarm pirate aimed at the distracted captain.
A silver spear flashed through the air, slicing across the musician's chest before a single note could sound.
Vivi landed gracefully, pulling the weapon back. Caroo squawked fiercely beside her. "Focus on reaching the roof, Luffy! We will handle the lower ranks!"
Zoro blocked a strike from Drake, still untrusting of the sudden defector. The two swordsmen clashed briefly before a barrage of strange, glowing bullets rained down from a high balcony.
Standing above the crowd, Queen fired a specialized Gatling gun into the mass of fighting pirates and samurai.
The glass bullets shattered on impact, releasing a freezing, contagious vapor. The viral outbreak spread instantly across the Live Floor. Victims screamed as icy frost covered their skin, transforming them into mindless, violent demons attacking friend and foe alike.
"This ends quickly if you get the cure," Queen laughed, tossing a single glass vial down to the Live Stage.
Catching the vial, Apoo stared at it in horror.
"Keep that safe, Apoo!" the cyborg cheered loudly. "If you lose it, I'll kill you myself!"
Instantly, the entire hall turned their weapons toward the Longarm pirate. Realizing the shared threat, Zoro and Drake nodded once, setting aside their differences to hunt down the cure together.
Watching the chaos spread, Luffy looked up at the balcony. "Sanji! Take care of the balloon guy!"
Adjusting his dark suit, the cook nodded firmly. "Leave him to me."
Igniting his leg in bright flames, Sanji launched himself upward, aiming a devastating kick directly at the viral weapon. With the path cleared, Luffy and Zoro sprinted toward the nearest stairwell, determined to reach the summit.
Outside the front entrance, Big Mom marched back onto the rocky shore, frustrated by the escaping targets.
A familiar voice called out from the darkness. Perospero stepped onto the beach, having finally navigated the treacherous waterfalls to catch up to the vanguard. Reunited with her eldest son, the Emperor's mood shifted.
"Mama! The alliance with Kaido is madness!" Perospero warned, gripping his candy cane staff.
"It is my decision," Big Mom stated firmly, leaving no room for argument. "The alliance holds. Go inside and crush the Straw Hat forces."
Bowing his head, the eldest son obeyed the command, moving into the skull dome to hunt his enemies.
Wind howled across the summit of Onigashima.
A massive, broken form crashed onto the stone roof. Jack the Drought lay unconscious, his ivory tusks shattered. Standing over the fallen commander, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi breathed heavily. The strain of the Sulong transformation caught up to the mink leaders. Collapsing onto the rubble alongside the rest of their exhausted tribe, the feral warriors lost their glowing white forms. The surrounding Beast Pirates and the giant Nangi shared the same defeated fate.
Looking down at his broken commander, Kaido stepped forward. "Rest, Jack. You fought well."
Turning toward the remaining Scabbards, the dragon Emperor opened his massive jaws. A blinding, swirling mass of heat gathered deep in his throat.
Unleashing the Bolo Breath, a massive column of fire shot toward the samurai.
Stepping forward, Kin'emon drew his katana. Swinging the blade downward, the samurai sliced the superheated fire cleanly in half, parting the flames around the retainers. Continuing the arc of the swing, the blade bit deep into the dragon's mouth, drawing fresh blood.
"We did not come here to run away!" Kin'emon declared, his voice ringing with absolute resolve. "We are ready to die tonight!"
Surging forward, the Nine Red Scabbards launched a coordinated, desperate assault. Blades pierced tough dragon scales. A unified strike targeted the massive, cross-shaped scar etched into Kaido's chest twenty years ago by Kozuki Oden.
Blood sprayed across the roof. The Emperor roared in pain, but the sound lacked fear.
Staring down at the warriors, Kaido analyzed the damage. The cuts were shallow. The Haki lacked the terrifying, overwhelming weight of their fallen master.
"You are not Oden," Kaido stated coldly, dismissing their efforts. "Your attacks amount to nothing."
Swinging a massive, scaled arm, the Emperor counterattacked. The resulting shockwave tore across the roof. Sharp wind blades materialized in the air, slicing through defenses effortlessly.
A sickening sound echoed above the wind.
Kikunojo stumbled backward, dropping her katana. A clean, devastating cut severed the samurai's left arm completely. Blood pooled on the stone roof as the harsh reality of fighting a Yonko finally settled over the desperate retainers.