Suddenly, a series of violent explosions echoed across the battlefield.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Several Marine warships erupted into flames one after another, sending thick smoke rising into the sky.
Sengoku's expression immediately darkened.
"What's happening? Why are the warships suddenly exploding?!"
Momousagi also looked toward the distant sea in confusion. Soon, more than a dozen pirate ships appeared on the horizon, rapidly approaching New Onigashima.
Not long after, panicked Marine soldiers rushed forward to report.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this is bad! The Golden Emperor, Gild Tesoro, has arrived along with the treasure hunter, Traiga!"
Hearing those names, Sengoku's face became extremely grim.
Tesoro had long maintained ties with the Beasts Pirates, so his arrival was understandable. However, Traiga's appearance was unexpected.
Was he brought here by Tesoro?
"Damn it..." Sengoku clenched his fists tightly.
The Marines had finally gained complete control of the battlefield. As long as they defeated King and Kaido, victory would belong to the Marines.
Yet at the most critical moment, enemy reinforcements arrived.
Momousagi quickly stepped forward.
"Fleet Admiral, let me lead forces to intercept them."
"Go," Sengoku ordered immediately.
On one of the approaching pirate ships, Gild Tesoro stood at the bow with a sinister smile spreading across his face.
Although he had already joined the Beasts Pirates' alliance, Tesoro still operated his own business empire. Kaido had given him considerable freedom, allowing him to continue managing Gran Tesoro as long as he continued supplying massive amounts of wealth to the alliance.
Kaido cared about strength and usefulness above all else.
And Tesoro had both money and influence.
Looking toward the battlefield ahead, Tesoro's eyes burned with hatred.
"We arrived at the perfect time," he muttered with a grin. "The war is already reaching its peak."
He believed the Emperors Alliance truly had a chance of overthrowing the World Government.
As a former slave of the Draco, he had never forgotten the humiliation he suffered in Mary Geoise.
This was his chance.
His only chance.
One day, he would return to the Holy Land himself and slaughter every Draco responsible for his suffering.
As the pirate ships reached shore, Tesoro raised his hand and shouted loudly:
"Men, land on the island and wipe out the Marines!"
The pirates immediately roared in excitement before charging onto the battlefield.
Seeing fresh enemy reinforcements arrive, many Marines began to despair.
They had already exhausted themselves after fighting for so long. Just when victory seemed within reach, the situation changed once again.
Even so, they had no choice but to continue fighting.
At that moment, on another part of the battlefield, something shocking happened.
The previously unconscious Jack suddenly began emitting black flame clouds around his body.
Then, slowly, the massive man forced himself upright.
The surrounding Marines froze in horror.
Jack stood once more.
And his aura had become even more terrifying than before.
At that moment, Jack felt an overwhelming surge of power flowing through his body. Although his injuries remained severe, his physical condition felt better than ever.
His Devil Fruit had awakened.
The Marines looked at him in disbelief.
"Impossible! Vice Admiral Gion already defeated him!"
"Why can he still stand?!"
"And what are those black clouds around him?!"
A horrified Marine officer shouted:
"Those are the signs of a Zoan Awakening!"
The surrounding Marines felt their hearts sink.
"So not only did Vice Admiral Gion fail to kill him, she actually made him stronger?!"
Fear rapidly spread through the battlefield.
At that moment, a Marine Vice Admiral stepped forward and shouted angrily:
"Don't panic! He's already heavily injured!"
The Vice Admiral pointed toward Jack's blood-covered body.
"Look at him carefully! Even if he awakened, he's still at his limit! Attack together and kill him!"
Hearing those words, the Marines regained some courage.
With loud battle cries, they charged toward Jack once again.
Jack bent down and picked up two swords from the battlefield. His original weapons had already been destroyed during his battle against Momousagi.
Even though every part of his body screamed in pain, his awakened state filled him with monstrous vitality.
Looking at the incoming Marines, Jack roared furiously:
"You trash actually think you can kill me?!"
The next second, he charged directly into the Marine forces.
He completely abandoned defense and swung both blades wildly.
Blood splattered everywhere.
Marines were continuously sent flying as Jack carved through the battlefield like a beast.
A Marine Vice Admiral seized an opportunity and slashed directly at Jack's body.
The blade cut deeply into Jack's flesh.
But Jack endured the attack head-on.
With a furious roar, he swung one sword backward and instantly cut down the Vice Admiral.
The battlefield descended into chaos once more.
Hundreds of Marine corpses soon surrounded Jack.
The remaining Marines stared at him with fear filling their eyes.
Jack himself was covered in wounds and blood, yet he continued standing like an unstoppable monster.
Looking at the Marines surrounding him, Jack roared again:
"If you're not afraid of death, then come at me!"
"I am Jack!"
The terrifying roar stunned countless Marines.
"Monster..."
"How is he still standing?!"
"He's bleeding that much and still won't fall!"
Many Marines were already on the verge of mental collapse.
Under normal circumstances, someone with injuries like Jack's would have died long ago.
Yet he continued fighting as if nothing could bring him down.
Meanwhile, on another battlefield, Kaido had completely abandoned defense.
Without Sengoku interfering anymore, Kaido no longer held anything back against Fujitora and Ryokugyu.
His attacks became increasingly violent.
For Kaido, battle had never been about avoiding injury.
A true pirate risked death every time he fought.
Only those unafraid of death could truly survive.
Ryokugyu gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Damn it!"
Since the beginning of the battle, Kaido had relentlessly targeted him with overwhelmingly aggressive attacks, almost as if he intended to drag Ryokugyu down with him no matter the cost.
Ryokugyu fully unleashed the power of the Woods-Woods Fruit.
Massive forests erupted around the battlefield in an attempt to restrain Kaido.
But Kaido simply roared:
"Thunder Bagua!"
Boom!
The massive kanabo shattered Ryokugyu's defenses instantly.
Powerful Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki surged violently from Kaido's attack, preventing Ryokugyu from using his Logia abilities to evade properly.
Blood sprayed from Ryokugyu's mouth as he was blasted away.
At the same moment, Fujitora swung his blade.
A violent gravitational slash tore across Kaido's abdomen, leaving behind a massive bloody wound.
Kaido coughed up blood.
Yet he completely ignored the injury.
Instead, terrifying power gathered around his left fist.
Wind.
Lightning.
Flames.
Clouds.
The elemental powers merged together while overwhelming Haki wrapped around his arm.
This was the strongest technique Kaido had developed after awakening his Devil Fruit.
His eyes locked onto Ryokugyu, who had just lost his balance in midair.
Kaido grinned savagely.
"Dragon Fist..."