The sea fog, like a thick gray cloth, completely enveloped the sea off Elbaf.
The dark golden Ark Maxim burst forth from the mist, and the mist cleaved open at the bow swirled to both sides, revealing the massive hull of the ship.
Thundercloud churned above the ship, and flashes of lightning occasionally streaked through the clouds, illuminating the rows of silent figures on the ship's hull.
Roy stood at the bow of the ship, the back of his black trench coat billowing in the sea breeze.
Behind him, Bullet, Hawk Eyes, Crocodile, Tesoro, and Red Count stood in a line, while Kuma and Moria stood a step behind.
Yamato carried Genzo's spiked club, Savi clenched his fists, Charon and Pea stood with them on the flanks, and Enel sat cross-legged on a high place, with clouds and Lightning swirling around him.
Further on, Jesus Burgess stretched his thick arms, Van Augur held a long spear, and Lafitte leaned on a cane; the three men had different expressions.
Lucci and his CP squad stood silently in the shadows, with Kazami and Bar standing on either side.
Kuina and Rebecca stood on the ship's railing, the sea breeze ruffling their hair, while Bonney leaned against the railing, chewing gum and staring at the misty sea.
Three Pluton Battleship emerged from the mist on either side.
The ship's jet-black hull resembled three mobile fortresses, its Seastone armor gleaming coldly in the Inazuma flashes.
The deck was filled with soldiers whose bloodlines had been enhanced; all three thousand of them were completely silent.
Kaido stood on the side deck of the Ark Maxim, his massive spiked club, Hassaikai, slung over his shoulder, his dragon tail slapping impatiently against the deck.
Behind him, King, Queen, and Jack stood with the Flying Six, and further back, several of Big Mom's remnants were also mixed in with the group. Katakuri crossed his arms, his gaze cold and stern.
" Roy! Elbaf is just ahead! What are you dawdling for!"
Kaido's voice rolled across the deck like muffled thunder, nearly knocking several of his henchmen off their feet.
"Don't be impatient."
Roy didn't turn his head, his gaze fixed on the sea shrouded in mist.
Just as Kaido was about to urge him again, a dark red beam of light suddenly exploded from the direction of Elbaf.
In that instant, the whole world seemed to have been split in two.
A beam of light shot into the sky from the top of the Treasure Tree Adam, piercing through the clouds and turning the entire sky blood red.
Lightning bolts, like living snakes, writhed, coiled, and roared around the pillar of light, even shaking the Thundercloud atop the Ark Maxim, causing them to disperse and then regroup.
The shockwave arrived a few seconds later.
Giant waves tens of meters high erupted on the sea surface, pushing the Ark Maxim to the side by half a meter, and the flags on the ship's side were torn to shreds by the gale.
In the allied fleet, all the ships creaked and groaned as if they had been pushed from the side by a giant hand.
Tesoro pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, a somewhat unnatural smile tugging at the corners of his mouth:
"Hey, hey, hey—are you kidding me? This Lightning strike is almost as powerful as my Rumble-Rumble Fruit!"
Bullet sneered and crossed his arms:
"This is the foundation of the Giant Tribe? Interesting."
Kaido suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly, his laughter drowning out the thunder that had not yet dissipated in the sky.
His aura erupted like a volcano, and the Hassaikai crunched in his hands.
"Hahahaha--I can't wait any longer!"
Roy! That's the Giant Tribe's Iron Thunder! It's war!
Marco landed beside Ace, blue flames flickering on his shoulders, and he lowered his voice:
"That kid Luffy is in Elbaf right now, could he be the one causing this commotion?"
Ace's face darkened, his fists clenched, and flames seeped from between his fingers, scorching several small black spots on the deck.
" Roy, how much longer?"
Roy slowly closed his eyes.
His Observation Haki spread like a tide toward Elbaf, passing through sea fog, cliffs, burning forests, and collapsing buildings, taking in the entire atmosphere of the island.
Chaos. Fire. Battle. Fear. Rage.
Luffy's presence pulsed deep within the island, like an inextinguishable wildfire.
Loki's aura emanated from the depths of the earth, weak yet still dangerous.
The Giant Tribe warriors ran back and forth between the village and the school; some fell, some rose.
The Five Elders ' aura was like five black suns, hanging throughout the island, radiating a nauseating sense of oppression.
Roy opened his eyes.
"Wait a little longer."
A very faint upturn at the corner of her mouth,
"Now is not the best time to go in."
Kaido's smile vanished instantly.
Roy! How much longer are you going to make me wait?!
" The World Government has to use every trick in the book! The Giant Tribe warriors on the island and Luffy and his crew aren't so easy to deal with."
Roy turned around to face everyone on the deck.
His voice wasn't loud, but every word clearly reached everyone's ears, like a whisper in their ear.
"The CP's blockade line is located in the South Blue of Elbaf, with a force of about two thousand troops."
Kyros, those three Pluton Battleship are yours. Leave none alive.
Kyros's deep voice responded from the other end of the communication worm.
The three Pluton Battleship slowly turned, their massive hulls breaking through the sea surface as they headed southwest, leaving three white trails behind them.
" Kaido, Ace, you take Marco, King, and Katakuri. The rest of you stay behind. The rest of you take your main fleets and assist the Pluton Battleship in encircling and destroying the CP fleet, and then blockade the Elbaf Sea."
Not a single ship is allowed to be launched.
Kaido slammed the Hassaikai to the ground, the sound of metal clashing was deafening:
"That suits me perfectly. But Roy, that giant who wields thunder, I'll have to keep him."
"Whatever," Roy said.
Ace nodded silently.
He glanced one last time in the direction of Elbaf, the flames reforming into wings on his shoulder:
" Luffy is in your hands now."
He won't die.
Ace said no more, leaped into the air, and the flames carried his body across the sea, landing back on the Whitebeard Pirates ' flagship.
Kaido, along with the All-Stars and the remnants of Big Mom's forces, jumped off the Ark Maxim and issued orders.
Moments later, several large ships simultaneously weighed anchor and headed towards the battlefield.
Roy stood alone at the bow, his gaze fixed on the dark red bolt of lightning and the burning Treasure Tree Adam.
"This battle is the best opportunity to examine the true nature of the World Government."
His voice was so soft it was almost a soliloquy, but his words were carried by the sea breeze to every corner of the Ark Maxim.
On Elbaf Island, the battle has begun.
Roy sat cross-legged on the bow of the Ark of Ark Maxim.
His Observation Haki hadn't been withdrawn since the beginning, like an invisible giant net covering the entire Elbaf.
Every subtle change in the atmosphere on the island, every turning point in the battle, and the movement of every powerful figure was transmitted back to his senses through this network.
A dynamic holographic map was pieced together in his mind.