"That's... Shamrock and Shanks!?"
Outside Pangaea Castle, Figarland Garling snapped his head up, staring at the sky torn open by the clash of Divine Departure and Hellhound: Razor Teeth, and the black lightning crackling across the heavens.
His expression darkened.
'That bastard Michael... is he really going this far?'
If this were a battlefield skirmish, even if Shamrock died in a sneak attack, Garling wouldn't hold a grudge.
After all, war is about using any means necessary; victory belongs to the ruthless.
But forcing his own sons to kill each other? The composed Figarland Garling found his composure cracking.
In his entire life, he had only lost his composure three times.
The first was due to the God Valley incident, when he lost Shanks... The other two times? All thanks to that damned Michael!
Humiliation!
Shame!
But... when he recalled Michael's terrifying power, he could only suppress his fury.
Even after accepting the power Lily had bestowed upon him, his strength had surged...
Yet he still lacked the courage to face Michael.
Just thinking about it filled him with a profound... Terror.
"Hey! Garling! What are you scheming, you old bastard?!" A white-haired, white-bearded old man charged at Figarland Garling, longsword in hand.
"There's no time for daydreaming on the battlefield!"
"Hmph! Silvers Rayleigh... you're as insufferable as ever," Figarland Garling scowled, his eyes beneath the sunglasses radiating contempt and loathing.
"Compared to you, even the notorious Pirate King Gol D. Roger seems endearing."
"That's because... Roger's dead now," Rayleigh chuckled. "You only feel safe with the deceased... If Roger were still alive, would you dare utter such words?"
Figarland Garling froze.
Then he parried Rayleigh's sword and retreated.
The instant he dodged, the spot where he had stood was struck by a powerful blow from mid-air.
"Eighty Owl Commanders!"
Countless axe shadows enveloped the area.
"You just find Rayleigh annoying? Then how do you feel when you see me?"
"Scopper Gaban..." Figarland Garling flicked the dust off his sword. "You Roger Pirates... you're persistent, like lingering ghosts."
"I need to correct you again. We're members of the Angel Alliance now. The Roger Pirates are... history." Gaban grinned, one axe slung over his shoulder and the other pointed at Figarland Garling.
"The past was glorious, but we'll never live in it. We fight for the future."
"Fight for the future... How easily you speak of it." Figarland Garling gripped his longsword with both hands.
"Then let me crush your future... just like the executioner's blade pierced Roger's body."
Hearing Roger's name again, Gaban's nonchalant expression shifted.
He gripped his battle axe tightly with both hands, stomped his foot hard, and charged at Figarland Garling with unprecedented speed. His Conqueror's Haki surged.
"Axe Heaven's Joy!"
Crackling with countless black, buzzing arcs of Conqueror's Haki lightning, the strike aimed to cleave Garling's chest.
"Knight's Waltz!"
Figarland Garling showed no sign of retreat.
Instead, he gripped his sword with both hands, meeting Conqueror's Haki with Conqueror's Haki!
The moment they clashed, Gaban found himself at a distinct disadvantage.
No matter how strong Gaban was, facing Figarland Garling—already his equal in strength and now enhanced by Lily—he had to admit... There was a gap between him and the current Figarland Garling.
But... he had allies!
"Gaban, how does it feel to get your ass kicked in a one-on-one fight?" Rayleigh taunted as he swung down with a Conqueror's Haki-infused strike from above...
"Pluto!"
...
"Hee hee hee! Trash! Trash! Trash!"
Bartholomew Bonney, the twelve-year-old wielder of the Float-Float Fruit and wicked pirate known as the "Sky Witch," was rampaging across the battlefield.
Empowered by the Float-Float Fruit, Bonney—who carried a vast stockpile of ammunition for emergencies—transformed into the Angel Alliance's most terrifying super-bomber.
Though her attacks couldn't pierce the Celestial Dragons' immortal bodies... Being crushed beneath mountains of rubble was effectively the same as death for the Celestial Dragons.
As more Celestial Dragons fell under Bonney's suppression, they began to target her.
After all, with immortality, they could hurl their bodies at her without fear.
Yet, no matter how formidable, Bonney remained just a twelve-year-old girl.
When three Celestial Dragons lunged at her, a flicker of panic crossed her face.
Just as she prepared to execute a Cobra maneuver to evade, a searing blaze of fire streaked overhead, intercepting the attackers.
"Great Flame Command: Flame Emperor!"
A sun-like fireball slammed into the Celestial Dragons before her.
Within the nearly purple fireball, they were burned to cinders, only to regenerate moments later.
The cycle continued endlessly, their agonizing screams piercing the sky.
The woman who had unleashed this technique turned her head, looking down at Bonney with a condescending gaze.
Bonney blinked her wide, round eyes, her gaze darting.
Finally, with no other option, she flashed the most adorable smile of her life, hoping to appease the grim-faced woman before her.
"Hehe, isn't that my beloved Mama? You scared me half to death just now! Thank you for saving me from this fiery mess... Ah! My teammates are about to be finished off! I'd better hurry and collect their bodies!"
With that, she flew toward the "Mad Monk" Urouge, who stood rooted to the ground despite being covered in sword wounds.
"Waaah, Urouge! You died so tragically! Don't worry, I'll avenge you!"
"You are an impolite little girl, Bonney," Urouge's lips twitched.
The pain from his injuries seemed to amplify his physique. "Died? What do you mean died? I'm in perfect shape right now!"
With that, he lunged at the next Celestial Dragon.
Bonney froze in place. For a moment, the surrounding Supernovas erupted in cheerful laughter.
"Enough, you brat... never let your guard down on the battlefield! Don't think you can relax just because you have the Float-Float Fruit!"
Ginny transformed into a fiery blaze once more and reappeared at Bonney's side.
"Speaking of which... where's Yamato? Why isn't she with you?"
"it's a long story..."
"Give me the short version—or even your dad won't stop me from giving you a beating!"
"Oh, fine." Bonney pouted, then continued, "Yamato and Kozuki Toki from Wano Country charged toward Pangaea Castle."