When the small island floating in the sky appeared in his sight, Dalton felt it was the most shocking thing he had ever seen.
He had heard legends of a certain pirate who could make his ship hover high in the sky like a bird, using the entire sky as his battlefield.
Dalton didn't know the name of that legendary pirate, but it was definitely not Kaido of the Beasts.
In fact, Dalton couldn't figure out at all how Kaido of the Beasts could make a giant island float in mid-air.
As the island got closer and closer to Alabasta, Dalton finally discovered something unusual.
At the bottom of that skull-shaped island, there were several clusters of fiery red "flames"!
Upon closer inspection, it was clear that those so-called "flames" were actually groups of red clouds!
That was one of the many abilities of the Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Azure Dragon form, which Kaido had eaten.
Flame Clouds!
These special clouds, exhaled by Kaido, could be used as a foothold for walking in the air, and anything surrounded by the flame clouds would be under Kaido's control.
These special clouds were enough to support the entire "Devil Island" and keep it floating in the air.
This was an ability akin to the Float-Float Fruit!
Of course, even with Mythical Zoan abilities, Animal Type Devil Fruits were not specifically designed to make inorganic objects float, so Kaido wasn't particularly skilled in that area.
But even so, he was still able to use his Devil Fruit abilities to control Devil Island from Wano Country all the way to Alabasta!
…
"An air raid, it's an air raid!"
The lookout on duty also noticed something in the sky and shouted:
"Quickly send the news back to Alubarna, the Beasts Pirates are going to launch an air raid on us!"
"They are currently near the port of Nanohana! Hurry and notify Mr. Rowan!"
"All units on alert, beware of attacks from the sky!"
The royal army from the Kingdom of Drum immediately took action, but it appeared somewhat disorganized.
It was understandable.
The Kingdom of Drum was located in the relatively peaceful and stable first half of the Grand Line and was world-renowned for its medicine, so its military strength was naturally not strong.
Although the overall military strength of the Kingdom of Drum was developing at a high speed with the help of the Four Seas Alliance, the people of this country were not focused on such matters.
As long as they could protect their homes, that was enough.
This was a simple mindset, with no right or wrong, stemming only from people's inner thoughts.
The current situation was that the army of the Kingdom of Drum, in terms of naval combat ability alone, was sufficient to resist most pirates in the first half of the Grand Line, but they had never experienced "ground-to-air" combat!
This was different from the battle at Skypiea.
Although the battle in Skypiea also took place in the sky, if both sides were in the sky, it was no different from being in the sea.
But if one side was on the ground and the other was in the sky, the situation was very different.
The Kingdom of Drum's army had no effective ground-to-air means!
All they could rely on were the standard heavy cannons of Alabasta beside them.
However, at this moment, the strange skull-shaped island with horns was flying too high for the range of ordinary standard heavy cannons to reach!
…
Dalton held his binoculars, his brows furrowed, and looked up at the sky.
He needed to gather more information to determine how to arrange the defense work here.
The person sitting on the island, weeping uncontrollably, was undoubtedly Kaido of the Beasts!
What was he planning to do?
Was he going to land at Nanohana Port and launch a direct attack on Alabasta?
Or would he use the mobility of the floating island to bypass Nanohana and most of the land, heading straight for Alabasta's capital, Alubarna, and engage Mr. Rowan there?
Numerous possibilities flashed through Dalton's mind, but he couldn't make an accurate judgment for a moment.
Suddenly, a cold chill washed over Dalton's heart.
He looked up again and saw that Kaido, who had been crying bitterly, had suddenly become much quieter.
That cold and gloomy gaze suddenly cast over, directly towards Alabasta!
Was he looking at Dalton?
No.
Although Dalton didn't want to admit it, if Kaido's gaze was truly directed at him, then he would probably have to transform into his half-beast form and use his Devil Fruit abilities to resist that terrifying oppressive feeling.
Kaido of the Beasts' gaze was directed behind Dalton, or even to a more distant place.
In the distance from the port city of Nanohana, there was only a vast golden desert.
And within that desert, a rumbling sound could be vaguely heard.
After Kaido, Dalton was the first to notice something behind him and quickly turned to look.
At that moment, Dalton saw something even more astounding than the "floating island."
It was a "head."
A giant "sand head"!
Wearing a helmet, its true face was hidden beneath the helmet, making it impossible to see. Only the gaze from under the helmet could be clearly perceived.
It was a powerful oppressive aura comparable to that of Kaido of the Beasts!
Just looking at it gave bystanders a suffocating feeling.
Gradually, the head slowly rose from the desert, followed by its neck, shoulders, chest, arms, abdomen…
It was undoubtedly a sand giant of astonishing size!
Far surpassing ordinary giants, it seemed as if it could reach the strange island in the sky with just a stretch of its arm!
"Kare, kare, kare..."
The giant sandman slowly stood up from the ground, emitting a strange sound.
His physique was extremely robust, and his body was covered with armor made of sand.
Dalton recognized that kind of armor; it was the classic light armor of Alabasta that Ryan Rowan's sand soldiers wore!
That's right…
Exactly!
Dalton suddenly realized something.
Although Kaido of the Beasts was one of the most anomalous beings on this great sea, the Four Seas Alliance also possessed an "anomaly" that was no weaker in comparison.
That person was Ryan Rowan, the Golden Dawn.
If Kaido could use an entire island as an "airship" to attack Alabasta, then why couldn't Ryan Rowan do something even more astonishing?
In a daze, the sand giant let out a series of strange grinding sounds, then raised his right hand high, aiming at the ghost island in the sky.
"Ka…ido…"
The grinding sand, somehow, created a sound that was almost a roar, erupting from the mouth of the sand giant.
And then—
Swish!
The sand giant swung his massive fist, aimed at Devil Island, and then smashed down with a roar!
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