Chapter 457: The Four Directions Stir, the Final Battle Looms!

Crocodile did not respond, only lowered his eyes to gaze at the newspaper in his hand.

What Daz Bonis could see, of course, escaped none of his eyes—he could even perceive the deeper machinations of the World Government.

Yet Crocodile also understood that these things would not escape Gao Wen’s notice.

Looking back now at how that man rose to the pinnacle of the sea, standing equal to the Celestial Dragons, it becomes clear that every step was foreseen.

From the very beginning, Gao Wen saw this moment!

Then…

What’s next?!

Now that the World Government—or those at the apex of power—have moved, how will Gao Wen respond?

And as for the mysterious force that destroyed the Cross Guild, do you have a solution?!

Crocodile fell silent, pondering quietly.

Countless possibilities, countless countermeasures flashed through his mind, yet he saw no path for Britannias to break the deadlock.

The World Government held the sole escape route, and with that mysterious force, they stood nearly invincible!

Yet the more this was true, the stronger Crocodile’s inexplicable premonition became.

“Britannias…”

“Too quiet!”

“Quiet as if they had already foreseen this exact situation!”

“Boss…”

Upon hearing this, Daz Bonis understood at once.

Crocodile had made his decision.

Of course.

In the next instant, Crocodile spoke:

“Our goal remains unchanged—we head for Britannias!”

“Rather than board the World Government’s escape vessel and become Celestial Dragon slaves, forever broken,”

“I’d rather stake everything on Britannias!”

“No!”

“I’m staking it on that man!”

“That guy possesses eyes beyond his age, beyond all others—he must already see this situation, which means…”

“He may already hold the key to breaking the deadlock!”

“Going to him now is the perfect moment to offer aid in his hour of need!”

With that, Crocodile scanned the faces around him, the cigar in his mouth glowing red.

His lips split into a grin, the scar splitting his face in half adding to his ferocity.

Yet only his eyes blazed with terrifying intensity!

Swish—!

Crocodile casually tossed the newspaper into the sea and said:

“The journey ahead will be harder.”

“If we cross this threshold, your dreams, your ideal lands, will all come true.”

“But we may also face utter ruin.”

“So…”

Before Crocodile could finish, his words were drowned by the excited shouts of the crew!

“Boss!”

“No matter what you decide, we follow you!”

Mr. 5 spoke with unwavering resolve.

Those gathered on deck felt the same.

In this time, they had all sensed Crocodile’s change.

The man who once suffered betrayal and saw comrades as mere tools now carried something indescribable within him since the Cross Guild’s fall.

The meaning of “comrade” had changed for Crocodile.

Choosing to carry you—burdensome, not helpful—on his escape was proof enough.

If so, then as subordinates, fulfilling the captain’s expectations isn’t natural?!”

If once the ideal land had been but a mirage in the desert for those present, now it held the possibility of reality!

“Hmph~”

Crocodile leaned back against the mast, closed his eyes, and his smile widened, growing more distinct, until a dry, rasping laugh crawled from his throat again.

“Ha~ Ha~ Ha~ Ha~”

The laugh sounded no different from before.

Yet all present felt the searing heat within it!

“I lost Alabasta. I lost the Cross Guild. This time…”

“I won’t lose again!”

“That monster in Britannias won’t be without a solution!”

…

The New World.

An island.

The sea level rose, submerging most of the harbor, swallowing countless buildings, leaving only rooftops visible.

The people of Whole Cake Island, having fled to higher ground, stared blankly at the scene, even forgetting fear.

The sea was silent, yet at this moment revealed its most awe-inspiring face!

That silent power had swallowed half the harbor in barely a month—and still rose without pause!

The oppression brought by this silence even startled Katakuri.

“At this rate, in no more than three months, this island will be fully submerged, and nearby seas have already lost contact with countless islands—likely…”

Perospero stared at the report in his hand, his expression grim.

Against Big Mom, against Kaido, even against the monster Britannias, defeat still allowed escape.

But against the silent power of the sea, only death awaited.

“We… have no time~!”

“Katakuri!”

Katakuri stared silently at the newspaper in his hand, offering no reply.

He could not dissect the current situation as Crocodile did, peeling back layers to reveal the core.

But what he saw clearly was this:

At this moment, his only possible choice was one—and one alone.

Katakuri couldn’t help but turn back.

His younger siblings, still children, played and laughed, barely lifting the oppressive atmosphere of the crude camp.

Yet on most faces, only confusion about the future was written.

Before witnessing the sea level rise and swallow nearby islands, no one realized how immense and unstoppable the silent sea’s power could be.

Even titans like Roger—or Loq X, the warlord of the Divine Valley—could not resist such power.

The World Government’s Moon Ark was a poisoned hook.

Katakuri saw this clearly, yet it remained his only chance against this dire predicament.

Should he grasp it?!

No other choice.

Katakuri knew this well—he had already resolved to stake everything for his siblings the moment he raised his trident against Big Mom.

But now…

The bitterness in his heart writhed like ten thousand parasitic worms gnawing at his organs.

His grip on the trident turned his knuckles white.

His gaze stretched toward the endless sea ahead.

Profound.

Invisible.

Carrying all, yet capable of swallowing all with unstoppable force!

After a long while,

Katakuri’s bitterness finally became a sigh:

“Brother Perospero, we have no choice. Even if we know the Moon Ark is likely nothing but a poisoned bait, we must swallow it.”

“I will respond to their call under my title as a Warlord of the Sea…”

Brrrrr—!

A frantic phone ring cut off Katakuri’s words.

He pulled a Den Den Mushi from his chest, answered—and Crocodile’s rasping voice came through at once.

“Have you decided, Katakuri?!”

"Ah."

Katakuri responded faintly, but his tone carried resolve.