"What is this?!"
"Nani?!"
Everyone looked toward the high platform at that tall figure slowly rising to his feet.
Some broke out in cold sweat, their pupils trembling.
"Is he finally going to make a move?!"
Others wore faint smiles.
"So we finally get to witness the strength of the man who once suppressed an entire era of the sea?!"
But contrary to what they expected, Ozz did not step into the battlefield at once. Instead, he gently lifted one hand.
"I've been looking forward to a bird fight for quite a while."
"Come, Seagull King."
With that quiet murmur,
in a low corner of the noisy battlefield that no one had noticed, a seagull that had been filming the live broadcast suddenly raised its head.
It beat its wings once, unleashing violent winds.
Countless Marines and pirates were blown off their feet.
Then it slowly descended onto Ozz's arm.
Smiling, Ozz took the live Den Den Mushi and aimed it toward Whitebeard in the distance, standing at the bow of the Moby Dick.
"Go on, Seagull King. As my pet, I have a great deal of faith in you."
As the camera angle shifted, everyone watching the World Economic News broadcast heard that flippant murmur.
"Pet?!"
"What does that mean? That seagull?"
"Even for that man, sending a pet in as the vanguard is way too much, isn't it?!"
As if it had heard those doubtful voices, the figure streaking through the air flashed with black-red lightning.
Wherever it passed, pirate and Marine fodder alike rolled their eyes back and collapsed.
Just before it slammed into Marco's phoenix defense, Seagull King's body swelled with the wind.
In an instant, it transformed into a majestic giant bird wrapped in storm winds and black-red lightning, seized Marco's body, and smashed him toward the ice.
Boom!!!
Puhah!!!
Marco had never shown the slightest fear even in the face of light bullets, yet when he took that hit, blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
"This is...?!"
Sengoku's eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins.
Even Whitebeard could not help but look over.
"A seagull that possesses Conqueror's Haki and a Mythical Zoan. As expected of Ozz. To go this far for a bird..."
Shattering layers of ice and sending frozen shards everywhere,
Seagull King, wrapped in storms and lightning, now looked like an awe-inspiring divine bird as it tangled with Marco in his full beast form on the ice.
It was obvious, though, that Seagull King, with its size and mobility advantage, clearly held the upper hand in close combat against Marco, whose strengths were defense and endurance.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"It's just a pet, and it's actually suppressing Whitebeard Pirates First Division Commander, Phoenix Marco?!"
"Just how strong is that man, really?!"
While the entire battlefield was focused on the clash between the two birds, Luffy also rushed onto the ice. Jinbe and Ivankov covered him as he advanced.
Some Marines tried to stop Jinbe.
"Jinbe, don't forget your title as one of the Seven Warlords!"
"Even though Mr. Ozz is seated at the Marine execution platform, I'm not standing against him this time. I'm only here to save Ace!"
As they charged forward, the Whitebeard Pirates were no less fierce.
Jozu crystallized the wound on his body to temporarily stop the bleeding, then forced himself back into the battlefield.
"The fighting's getting a little more intense now, isn't it?"
Standing high above with both hands in his pockets,
Ozz looked over the battlefield that had descended into chaos.
The Warlords began making their moves.
Moria got punched by Jinbe and coughed up blood, then wisely exited the stage.
Little Sand occasionally helped the pirate side, striking at the Marines who had thrown her into Impel Down. Of course, every now and then she also attacked the Whitebeard Pirates.
She hit both sides indiscriminately and was aiming for Whitebeard's head, only for Jozu to ram straight into her, knocking blood from her mouth.
Then Little Doffy directly used his strings to control Jozu and started chatting with Little Sand.
"Fufufufu... I can't believe you actually made it out of Impel Down, you damned crocodile."
"Doflamingo, mind your own business. Do you want to die?"
Little Sand showed no gratitude at all. Blood stained her face, but her expression remained dark and cold.
"What a rude woman... So then, how about teaming up with me?"
Doflamingo did not seem to mind in the slightest. With an evil grin, he extended yet another invitation.
"You want to team up with me?"
"Fufufufu... Of course. The era of old relics like Whitebeard is already over.
The future, or rather the present, is the era of those of us who stand beside Ozz. We no longer need to worry about being hindered.
The vast territories and influence out there are ours. As long as Ozz remains that unfallen banner, and with our own strength added on top, we can definitely claim a bigger slice of the cake!!!
Well? What do you think?"
Doflamingo's invitation was full of sincerity, but in the next second, cold and aloof Little Sand crushed it beneath her heel.
"You're not qualified to stand as my equal. Becoming my subordinate would be more fitting."
"..."
"Fufufufu... I thought you'd reflected enough during your time in Impel Down, but apparently not."
"Sandstorm!"
No more pointless talk. Little Sand genuinely looked down on that sea punk at heart, and she immediately opened with a sandstorm.
As for Hancock, she followed Ozz's stance completely.
She also kicked indiscriminately at whatever Marines or pirates happened to be near her.
"Hey!!! Hancock, what are you doing?!"
"Lord Ozz's will is my will. In my eyes, pirates and Marines are all the same."
"Damn it!!! That bastard Ozz!!!"
Smoker clenched his cigar between his teeth, already furious the moment he heard that.
That man with no clear stance whatsoever!!!
Across from him, Hancock was already lost in a fantasy.
"Lord Ozz, I acted exactly as you wished!"
Ozz: "My sweet little darling, I like you even more now. I can hardly resist marrying you on the spot!"
"Ah!!! Marriage? Does that mean I'm about to become Lord Ozz's wife?! How wonderful!!!"
Smoker looked at Hancock, who was covering her face as steam practically rose off her, and the muscles in his face twitched.
What the hell was she even doing?
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