Rusukaina Island.
Snow fell thick and fast, turning the island's primeval forest silver-white. Heavy drifts piled up on the leaves of giant plants, occasionally spilling off with a rush when the weight became too much.
"Mini Ghosts!"
The little girl's clear voice rang through the snowstorm. Perona floated in midair, her pink, wavy twin tails whipping in the cold wind. She waved a small, pale hand, and an army of Mini Ghosts poured from her palm.
The Hollows, flowing with Armament Haki, swooped toward the giant blue-furred Masira opposite her, giggling as they bared their claws.
Boom, boom, boom!
A string of explosions erupted in the forest. Shock waves spread outward from Masira, blasting away every trace of snow within thirty meters.
The ground shook. Several nearby trees, each thick enough to require three people to encircle it, snapped in half and crashed down.
Masira let out a piteous howl and looked down at the part of his body caught in the blasts. His fur was blackened and curled, and faint red marks covered his skin—but a closer look showed that the skin had not even broken.
He staggered back seven or eight steps, leaving enormous footprints in the snow. At last, he dropped "painfully" to one knee, braced himself with a fist, and panted heavily while sneaking a glance in a certain direction.
Beside a giant radish-shaped plant stood a blond man, leaning against it and feeding candy to the tanuki on his shoulder.
Not far away, the scene on another battlefield was much the same.
Baby-5's arms became two gleaming long blades, and she spun like a whirlwind.
A flash of steel neatly shaved a tuft from a giant lion's mane. The lion stared at the falling golden fur, then gave an earthshaking scream. It backed away again