Chapter 274

Shanks' expression grew slightly serious: "Two things."

"First, I once sensed a hidden, incredibly terrifying presence within Mary Geoise—stronger than the Five Elders."

Luo En's expression hardened slightly.

Imu...

"Second thing."

Shanks fixed Luo En with a piercing gaze: "I want to warn you—the Celestial Dragons may have seized one of the three ancient weapons, the Heavenly King. If you truly intend to start this war, you'd better possess power capable of countering it."

"You mean... you want me to retrieve the Pluton?"

"Pluton might not be enough to counter the Heavenly King. You'd better master the power of Poseidon. Haven't you already been to Fish-Man Island?"

Luo En's eyes flickered slightly: "What are you getting at?"

Shanks stared intently at Luo En: "I hope you can delay this war for a few more years—until that Fish-Man Princess awakens her power, and the one destined to bear the fate of the D. Clan grows strong. Only then will the true moment arrive."

"Perhaps you're right."

Luo En drained the wine in his cup, stood up, and said to Shanks:

"But I'm sorry—I don't have your patience. If you think this war has little chance of victory, you don't have to join."

With that, he turned and left.

He hadn't taken more than a few steps.

Behind him, an overwhelming aura of dominance erupted, shaking heaven and earth!

Luo En turned his head with a sidelong glance.

The one-armed Shanks downed the rest of his drink, stood up, drew the long sword 'Griffin' taken from Luo Jie with his single arm, and pointed it at Luo En with a gaze brimming with aura: "Fight me, Traveler Luo En. Let me see your strength with my own eyes. If you can't even defeat me, abandon this war while there's still time."

Luo En glanced sideways at him, reached into the rippling void before him, gripped the hilt of a crystal-clear blood blade, and slowly drew it forth.

"What if I win?"

Red-Haired Shanks, sword in one hand, red hair whipping, black coat flaring, stared at him with fierce, aura-laden eyes: "Will the Red-Haired Pirates joining the war do?"

Luo En, clad in swim trunks, a floral shirt, and flip-flops, grinned.

The Blood Blade Moon was fully drawn from the void.

Both men stomped the ground simultaneously.

The massive reef shattered instantly.

Blood blade and longsword, sheathed in sword pressure and aura, slashed toward each other through the air—though their blades still remained two feet apart, their utterly condensed auras had already collided!

The entire island's coastline shattered instantly!

The previously calm sea erupted violently!

Towering waves surged outward; the Red-Haired Pirates' ships rocked violently in the swell.

The two supreme auras of dominance clashed fiercely, intertwined, twisted, golden and crimson lightning flashing and spreading endlessly.

Ripple-like aura shocks radiated outward in all directions.

Heaven and earth alternated between black and red.

Massive cracks spread from beneath their feet in every direction.

Luo En and Red-Haired Shanks stared at each other, eyes glowing red.

As the power within their strikes grew stronger.

The compressed, concentrated sword pressure and aura between their blades—still two feet apart—formed a shifting, anomalous sphere, expanding and contracting, its color constantly changing, space within it twisting, spewing forth crimson lightning and black fissures.

Finally, the sphere expanded instantly to a hundred meters in diameter, then exploded with a thunderous roar!

The shockwave swept across the entire island in an instant.

Endless sword winds tore through the sky; hurricanes whipped up tens of thousands of boulders and trees, roaring into the heavens!

Luo En and Red-Haired Shanks slashed at each other again.

Clang!

Accompanied by a crisp sound of blades crossing.

Accompanied by black-and-red swordlight illuminating heaven and earth.

Terrifying sword qi tore straight through the small, uninhabited island.

238, Forces Stir, the Sea Rises

Time passed quickly.

In an instant.

Only five days remained until the agreed rendezvous at Punk Hazard.

Various factions had begun moving, some earlier, some later.

New World, Dressrosa.

Zephyr led Ayn, Binz, and other new Marine members aboard five newly built warships, supported by Dressrosa, cutting through the calm sea toward the waters of Punk Hazard.

On the other side, Kaido of the Beasts, accompanied by Jack, Quinn, Yamato, the Six Supernovas, Givens, and Shin'ya—among the strongest Animal-Type Devil Fruit users—led the Beasts Pirates, over fifty heavily armed warships, in a massive fleet departing from Wano Country.

Where the Beasts Pirates' vast fleet passed.

Whether ordinary people, powerful New World pirates, or major underworld factions, all trembled in fear.

"The Beasts Pirates are truly serious."

"Gulps."

Someone swallowed hard.

"The world war is really beginning..."

……

Law had already led the Heart Pirates to Sabaody Archipelago and reunited with the Straw Hat crew.

…………

Empress Hancock led a thousand female warriors of Amazon Lily, all masters of the two colors of Haki, aboard the great ship of the Nine Snake Pirates, crossing the Calm Belt and heading toward Sabaody Archipelago.

……

Dragon led the Revolutionary Army, entering the first half of the Grand Line from the four seas. The fleet stretched out in grand procession; the members of the Revolutionary Army, draped in black cloaks, stood upon ship after ship, gripping firearms and blades, their expressions solemn and resolute, inspiring awe at a single glance.

When the fleet passed through the nearby waters of Water Seven.

The residents of Water Seven gazed at that dark, massive swathe of ships sailing off into the distance, all breaking into animated discussion, their faces filled with unease and anxiety about the future.

When the Revolutionary Army's fleet passed through the fog-shrouded Triangle of the Sea.

Dragon unleashed his ability; a howling gale swept the thick fog blanketing the sea clean, forcibly carving out a clear path across the water.

The fog being blown away startled the ghost ship hidden within it.

"So many big ships."

Perona raised one hand to her forehead, staring at the dark mass of vessels in the distance in astonishment: "Lord Moria, what on earth are those...?!"

Moria gazed at the fleet drawing gradually closer, his heart seized with dread, cold sweat streaming down his face: "Th-the Revolutionary Army!"

"The Revolutionary Army?!"

Perona's voice shot up at once.

"Does that Revolutionary Army really have this many troops?"

"In any case, let's get out of the way first."

Moria, his heart uneasy and restless, hurriedly ordered his men to steer the giant ship into the thick fog, doing his best to avoid that fleet.

Sabo, standing on the main ship of the fleet, caught sight of that island-like giant vessel. Recalling something he had once heard from Luffy's mouth, he touched the hat on his head, lowered his gaze, and smiled:

"Moria, is it..."

"I'll be right back."

After saying this to Dragon beside him, Sabo's figure dissolved into countless photons and vanished on the spot.

"Ah, Sabo is off on his own again..."

Koala stood with her hands on her hips, watching that golden flash streaking at tremendous speed toward the ghost island, and puffed out her cheeks: "Ever since he ate the Glint-Glint Fruit, he's really become more and more willful."

Koala turned to Dragon beside her and said: "Commander, you should lecture him about this sometimes too."

Dragon, gazing at the sea ahead, gave a nod:

"Understood."

Just as the ghost island had veered off the fleet's path and slipped back into the mist to hide, the moment Moria was about to heave a sigh of relief.