Sentry Stone Island's harbor.
The smoke from the fallen meteor had yet to clear.
The sea was littered with shattered planks and burning sails, while the waves thrown up by the impact still refused to settle.
The Big Mom Pirates' fleet fell briefly into chaos.
But at the harbor, Cracker's biscuit army kept advancing.
Row after row of armored Biscuit Soldiers pushed forward behind raised shields.
Their heavy footsteps crushed the harbor paving stones. Like a moving wall, they drove the Adventure Group fleet, the medical ships, and the refugee ships back into the harbor.
Several Adventure Group captains, covered in wounds, still held the front line.
They had charged again and again.
Each time they finally smashed a group of Biscuit Soldiers, Cracker merely clapped his hands, and more armored warriors filled the gap.
The shield wall closed ranks.
Swords pressed forward.
The harbor exit grew narrower.
This was no ordinary pirate. This was one of the Big Mom Pirates' Three Sweet Commanders.
Even if he only meant to buy time, he could still exact a terrible price from several Adventure Groups.
Just then.
Soft footsteps passed through the chaotic battlefield.
A blind swordsman in a purple kimono walked slowly into the harbor battle zone.
His Shikomizue tapped lightly against the ground.
One step.
Then another.
He was not walking quickly. If anything, his pace seemed leisurely.
Yet as he drew closer, the Biscuit Soldiers ahead seemed to move a beat slower under some unseen force.
Their sword swings slowed.
Their shields grew harder to lift.
Even the cracks their feet made in the ground were deeper than before.
Cracker stood behind the biscuit army, a massive double-edged sword longer than he was tall resting on his shoulder.
He stared at Fujitora's closed eyes and paused.
Then open mockery