New World, a sea area drizzling with rain.
Under the night sky, the Red Hair Pirates' New Redfox is sailing at full speed towards the Tutelan Sea Region.
"Faster!"
Shanks stood at the bow, staring at the distant horizon, suddenly speaking in a deep voice: "We must stop them soon, this speed is not enough!"
"Boss, this is already the fastest speed!"
The helmsman wiped the sweat from his forehead and responded loudly, "The wind and ocean currents aren't ideal, so there will be some impact. But before dawn, we should reach the Ten Thousand Nations!"
Before dawn?
Shanks took a deep breath, his face looking somewhat better.
Unlike the previous Shampodi incident, battles between Sea Emperors don't resolve easily.
Days and nights are common.
This time, surely we can make it!
"..."
Deputy Captain Beckman, holding a cigarette, was silent on the side.
As a long-time partner, he knew very well the source of Shanks' current anxiety.
This is an all-out war between two Royal Teams; any carelessness might upheave the entire New World.
If the war keeps escalating, causing heavy casualties on both sides,
The World Government and Navy Headquarters would surely seize the opportunity to intensify their interference and control over the New World.
The long-maintained balance would be completely broken.
That is the scenario they would least want to see.
"We're likely to make it, so don't worry too much, Shanks."
Beckman blew out a smoke ring, squinted, and said, "However, since a few minutes ago, I've had a bad feeling."
"A bad feeling?"
Shanks turned his head in surprise, about to say something when his expression suddenly changed; he looked up to the night sky sharply.
Crack!
Almost simultaneously, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, and a green dragon shadow emerged from the dark clouds, swooping down with laughter!
"Wororororo~!!!"
The sea surged with giant waves, the ship rocked violently, people staggered, and the dragon shadow suddenly turned and transformed into a humanoid, crashing onto the deck.
Bang!!!
The deck burst open with a roar, amid the dust, a burly figure like a Demon God twisted his neck, staggering as he stood up, leaning on the Wolf Fang Club.
"Kaido?!"
Yasopp was startled, instinctively raising his gun but was held back by Beckman.
"Don't act recklessly."
Beckman stepped forward past Yasopp, staring coldly at Kaido, "Kaido, what do you mean by this?"
Kaido didn't even glance at him; he burped drunkenly and looked at Shanks with a grin:
"Red-haired brat, it's been a long time! Judging by your look, what, are you off to Ten Thousand Nations to play the peacemaker again?"
"So, you've received the news too."
Shanks frowned, "Just step aside, Kaido, why block the way? Clearly, our stance on this matter should be similar, right?"
Shano and BIGMOM.
In his understanding, both fighting sides are quite familiar with Kaido.
One is a recognized adversary; the other, though not in contact for decades, was, after all, a crew member on the same ship years ago.
Therefore, it stands to reason he should also want to stop this war.
"Similar stance? Wororororo, don't project your thoughts onto others!"
Kaido laughed wildly, casually slammed the Wolf Fang Club onto the deck, took a big swig from a wine gourd, and shook his head drunkenly:
"I can't be bothered with any stance nonsense! Just find you brat annoying! Don't like staying in your territory, always running around, pretending to uphold the balance; what, you truly think you're the guardian of the New World?"
His bloodshot eyes glared fiercely at Shanks:
"Last time I wanted a good fight with Whitebeard, you interfered and ruined the fun; now you want to disrupt someone else's battle?"
"Forget it! Someone like you doesn't understand the joy of combat at all. Shano brat and Lingling old lady are having a great fight; no way am I letting you meddle!"
As for if that old lady really loses...
It doesn't matter, worororo!
At their age, being beaten fair and square one-on-one carries no regret or resentment!
They can accept the fate of defeat with composure!
"You're drunk, Kaido!"
Shanks' gaze turned cold, "We both know that continued warfare benefits no one; move aside, I don't have time to indulge your drunken antics here."
"Drunken antics?"
Kaido sneered, raising the Wolf Fang Club, "This is just the start; we haven't sparred for ages, have we? Today, let me show you how terrifying my drunkenness truly is!"
"Drunken Thunderstorm Descent!"
Boom!!!
The Wolf Fang Club, entwined with black-red lightning, slammed down, Shanks hurriedly drew Gryphon to block, and the clash of Supreme King Haki instantly sent the surrounding crew flying.
"Boss!"
Yasopp gripped the railing, shouting anxiously.
"Stay back, everyone!"
Shanks sternly commanded, glaring at Kaido and saying, "Do you insist on wasting time here? When the Navy reaps the rewards from this, regret will be too late!"
"None of that's my business!"
Kaido swung the Wolf Fang Club, laughing loudly as he charged again, "Today, no one passes here! Let's have a great battle, red-haired brat! Worororo!!!!"
Shanks' face turned completely grim.
The torrential rain poured down, and the wind blew even harder.
——————
Tutelan Sea Region, Ten Thousand Nations.
The night was getting deeper.
Under the moonlight, the war raging over the Ice Marsh continued.
Unbeknownst to anyone, a nearly transparent giant sphere appeared on the ice, rolling swiftly across the chaotic battlefield.
"There are three more wounded here! Hurry, Chopper!"
Bartolomeo crossed his hands, maintaining the "Barrier Ball," knocking down the lackeys of the Charlotte family who let out mournful cries as they were bounced away by the barrier.
"Just speed up, I can keep up!"
Chopper, in his "Foot Strength Enhancement" form, followed closely, his medical bag bulging, using all four hooves.
In the blink of an eye, they reached the wounded.
Buzz!
The semi-transparent spherical barrier expanded, instantly enveloping the three wounded.
Almost simultaneously.
A dozen shells flew from the distance, striking the barrier's exterior, exploding in a blinding blaze, but couldn't leave even a crack.
"You're so reliable, Mr. Barto!"
Chopper quickly transformed into his human-beast form, crouching down, swiftly checking the injuries.
"Penetration wound on the left chest, needs immediate hemostasis, hmm, is this a fracture? That's a bit troublesome... Hey, Barto, please buy me twenty minutes!"
"Twenty minutes?"
Bartolomeo put his hands on his hips and laughed widely, "Hehahaha! Don't underestimate me, Chopper! Even if it's twenty days, I can do it!"
His Barrier-Barrier Fruit is an invincible existence!
Unless it's against someone of Shano's caliber.
Otherwise, it cannot be broken from the outside!
Speaking of which.
Teaming up with Chopper was an idea that popped into his mind.
A doctor inside, a barrier outside, both capable of moving at high speed, isn't this the ultimate battlefield ambulance!
Anyway, on the Endgame's side, there's no shortage of high-level combat power, and this can play a more significant role than him fighting alone!
Not far away.
"Roar!"
An Allosaurus wearing a blue captain's hat rampaged through the crowd, unstoppable.
"Stop him!"
Several combatants of the Charlotte family shouted, surrounding him, only to be slapped away by Drake's pitch-black forepaw.
Unlike those so-called peers, as a former Navy Headquarter Rear Admiral, he had mastered Dual-Colored Haki long ago!
Combined with the physique of an Ancient species, his impact was much greater than those of his peers!
He even just defeated a cadre with a bounty of two hundred million Belly.
In this way.
After this war ends, his bounty and position within the group should reach a higher level, potentially gaining access to more core information of the Endgame?
Drake glanced again in the direction of the Barrier Ball.
"That barrier ability user, and that deer proficient in medicine."
Their combination turned out to have such a role, all of which are valuable pieces of information to record at present.
"Hey, look north, what's happening over there!"
"So many white dots, what are those?"
Crying out of surprise suddenly echoed around.
Drake frowned, looking toward the sound, and when he saw, he halted in his tracks, his expression changing.
He saw to the north.
The Queen Mother's Chant and those on the Egg Tart Ship, dazed by Supreme King Haki, were at this moment eerily floating with ghostly white glows.
Like fireflies, they stood out in the dark night.
And perhaps it was his imagination, but Drake seemed to sense that inside each glow, distorted human faces were wailing in agony.
Sending shivers down one's spine, birthing a chill.
Swish!
The next moment.
The dots of light gathered into streams, rushing toward the north to the split island, gliding across the night sky like a meteor shower, disappearing in an instant.
Wait!
Isn't that where the two Sea Emperors are?
Drake's pupils contracted, suddenly realizing something.
How could she bear to extract so many subordinates' souls in one breath, could it be that BIGMOM has been driven to desperate straits?!
————
High above the split island, flashing black and red lightning intermingling with raging flames created a net of total destruction.
"Smash it for me!!"
Bang!
BIGMOM's hefty body plummeted from the sky, crashing into the rock layers like a meteor, causing the entire island to quake violently, spider-web cracks instantly spreading hundreds of meters.
"It's not over yet!"
The smoke had not yet dispersed when a dark silhouette flashed by like a ghost, delivering a rapid and fierce elbow strike, pounding heavily onto the back of her head!