Chapter 117: Beasts, Take The Stage
Nameless Deserted Island.
In the New World on the vast sea, such obscure deserted islands are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, countless in number. Yet today, many eyes were gazing remotely in this direction. Even though they couldn’t witness the battle on the island with their own eyes, they were all paying constant attention to the changing situation here through various means.
Taking this opportunity, Elus identified four spies from his own fleet: Navy’s, Revolutionary Army’s, BIG·MOM Pirate Crew’s, and the remaining one from the World Economic News Agency······ Good grief, four spies, all from different places. This result left even Elus speechless.
Fortunately, these spies held low positions in the fleet. The one who had blended in best was merely a squad leader in the secondary battery unit, so there was no worry about them stealing any secrets. After spotting their tells, Elus didn’t directly eliminate them.
This wasn’t because Elus was soft-hearted; it was just that dealing with these spies wouldn’t make much difference. Spies like these were impossible to eradicate completely—eliminate this batch, and another would follow. Moreover, their main role was to scout Elus’s whereabouts; none of their organizations expected them to steal real secrets.
Besides, with these people helping to spread news of the situation on the island, it saved Elus the effort.
As long as he didn’t fall behind in this conflict with the Beasts Pirates, it would equate to raising fame for Elus and the Eckmond Kingdom once more. Dillon and Jack had fiercely battled on the deserted island for two days and nights without a victor yet. Once this news spread, Elus immediately felt the feedback through the maritime transport network.
Many pirates and criminal groups that had been itching to take advantage during this opportunity quieted down again.
As for BIG·MOM lingering off the coast of Black Swan Island, there were no signs of invasion.
In the cabin,
Elus sat at the desk, engrossed in an adventure storybook. This was a work from over four hundred years ago, just like the current Pirate Era back then—it was the golden age of adventurers. Countless adventurers, funded by countries, nobles, and great merchants, set sail on voyages of exploration, pursuing gold and treasures hidden on deserted islands.
The story he was reading now was a product of that era. The tale itself wasn’t particularly exciting—just enduring countless hardships, defeating the villains guarding the treasure, and obtaining wealth rivaling a nation······ a clichéd plot as bland as plain water.
However, though the story was dull, the descriptions of the strange islands and creatures from that era were quite interesting. Elus was skimming those parts to pass the time.
Seven or eight storybooks were stacked on the desk.
These were all collected by Elus via the maritime transport network. Most were stories circulated only in specific countries or islands.
Given how vast this world was, coupled with the barriers of the sea and ever-changing weather, even with Den Den Mushi enabling communication across thousands of miles, exchanges were still limited. This had been the case for eight hundred years, and it remained so even in this era.
The maritime transport network established by Elus only had some influence on the Grand Line. Beyond the Grand Line, in the even vaster Four Seas, aside from a few people, most probably didn’t even know Elus’s name.
Before more advanced transportation technology broke the barriers of distance, even the World Government, which had stood atop the Red Line for eight hundred years, couldn’t extend its authority to every corner of the world—let alone Elus, who had risen just two years ago.
“Gone again!”
The pages were flipped to the end.
Elus closed the book and tossed it onto the pile of read ones. Looking at the two unread storybooks left, he resisted the urge to keep reading. Reading was addictive; if he finished all these storybooks with no new ones arriving, the withdrawal would be unbearable.
Better to save two for a rainy day!
“Sigh! They’re really taking their time.”
Elus opened the window behind the desk. Sea wind poured into the cabin through the opening. Through this not-very-large window, he could see the surging waves, passing seabirds, and the Mammoth anchored in the distance.
Two days had passed,
Jack and Dillon were still locked in fierce battle on the island, and this Mammoth hadn’t left either, remaining here to monitor the changes in the fight on the island.
Elus hadn’t sent anyone to interfere. Apart from Jack, there were no other notable aura fluctuations on the Mammoth—no second powerful figure aboard. There was no value in striking, so he didn’t even target Jack in combat with Dillon, naturally avoiding disrupting this large ship.
He was waiting—for Kaido to arrive.
But two days hadn’t brought him yet.
Elus was somewhat surprised. According to prior intelligence, though Jack had gone ahead, Kaido was only about a day’s sailing behind. Even encountering storms or bad weather en route shouldn’t delay him by two full days.
“······Did he see I have no killing intent?”
Elus stared at the Mammoth. Another reason he spared the ship was to signal his attitude to Kaido—he didn’t want a prolonged, all-out war tearing faces completely. At their level, unless reduced to the state of the aged, weakened Whitebeard surrounded in the future Summit War, victory or defeat couldn’t be decided quickly.
Otherwise,
At this level, a major battle lasting ten or eight days was normal. Two Navy Admirals fought for ten days and nights to decide the Fleet Admiral. If Elus and Kaido clashed, both were Zoan Devil Fruit Users renowned for vitality and recovery—both Mythical Zoan at that.
It would likely take half a month for a result.
With the Hogyoku in hand, Elus was confident in an invincible position, but he couldn’t predict how long it would take to settle with Kaido.
Without other interference, he wouldn’t mind a proper fight with Kaido to hone his combat skills. But now wasn’t the time—BIG·MOM lingered off Black Swan Island’s coast, clearly not giving up. If Elus and Kaido got entangled, BIG·MOM wouldn’t hesitate to plunder.
That outcome was far from what Elus wanted.
To avert such a future, Elus left the Mammoth. The pirates aboard would surely contact Kaido with reports. Understanding the situation, Kaido would sense Elus’s attitude. But······
Kaido had clearly left the nearest island to this deserted island yet still hadn’t arrived, wasting time en route, leaving Elus puzzled about what this Pirate Emperor was planning.
He had wondered if Beasts had gone mad, sending his top subordinate as bait to distract while raiding the Eckmond Kingdom domestically. But the homeland was calm, with no reports of Beasts Pirates suddenly appearing.
Such absurd notions were quickly dismissed by Elus.
Though unclear what Beasts was scheming, as long as Elus held his ground firmly, he feared no tricks.
At that moment,
A brutal, immense aura intruded into Elus’s perception.
He immediately extended his neuro-scan, instantly capturing the extremely powerful aura fluctuation rapidly approaching. Elus sprang up, leaping directly out the narrow window. Once outside, pitch-black wings unfurled from his back, and he shot toward the sky like streaking lightning.
“Finally here!”
Soaring in the sky, fierce winds whipped past his ears. Elus narrowed his eyes slightly, a fierce glint on his face.
After over two days, Beasts had finally appeared.
And he arrived so aggressively and domineeringly, unrestrainedly unleashing his Conqueror’s Haki cultivated to peak levels. On Elus’s fleet, aside from a few like Fran, most were knocked unconscious by Kaido’s Conqueror’s Haki.
Such an act was quite unfriendly!
Though Elus tried to avoid all-out war with Kaido, since Kaido rejected his goodwill and unleashed such blazing malice instead······ he had no choice but to respond with martial power. Worst case, let BIG·MOM have her way once—he’d settle the score later.
In the distant sky, dark clouds raced in. Amid the roiling black cloud sea, a colossal figure vaguely swam.
“Hoo!”
Elus exhaled.
Clearing stray thoughts from his mind, he focused all attention on the oncoming cloud mass. The next instant, a sky-shaking roar echoed over the vast sea. But before the roar spread, swifter lightning tore through the clouds, bursting from the open dragon maw.
The lightning was so fast it outpaced sound, striking airborne Elus directly.
“Interesting.”
The Azure Dragon, riding the clouds, spoke human words, its long whiskers swaying leisurely in the air.
“Looks like Linlin didn’t lose her edge—kid, you’ve got skills.” Struck by the sudden lightning, Elus took little damage. His Steel Skin’s hardness was astonishing; such a probing bolt couldn’t breach his Steel Skin defense.
The Azure Dragon—Kaido—fixed his dragon eyes on Elus and said: “But······ Fifth Overlord of the New World, whether you truly qualify to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with me—let me take a good look!”
Words fell,
Gale winds swept in.
Kaido opened his dragon maw, spewing a howling Storm composed of countless wind blades and swords. Even a super-large Sea King colliding head-on would have its flesh and bones shredded in an instant.
This was no mere probing lightning.
Kaido meant business and struck ruthlessly.
Elus instantly gauged the Storm’s power. He didn’t rely on Steel Skin defense to tank it but fiercely flapped his wings, accelerating to his current form’s limit in an instant—like black lightning surging toward the sky’s heights.
But this wasn’t his full power, and the Storm’s range was vast. His legs below the knees got caught, Steel Skin sliced by wind blades, feet shattered into hazy blood mist by the wind blades and swords—which lasted less than half a second before relentless gales scattered it clean.
Fresh blood,
Dripped from the calves’ amputation points.
Elus’s face twitched slightly.
Such pain—he hadn’t felt it in ages, not even in his last fight with Old Man Roger.
Worthy of the strongest in single combat, Kaido?
High in the sky, under brilliant sunlight, Elus’s form began to change.
Simultaneously, an immensely vast aura spread, boundless and endless—like an invisible ocean filling the sky. All nearby lifeforms felt the immense soul pressure.
Ink-green spiritual pressure even manifested visible, tangible form, overflowing as tiny ink-green raindrops falling below.
Nearby wandering Sea Kings and large sea beasts were utterly unlucky—first terrified by Kaido’s Conqueror’s Haki, then before fleeing far, crushed by Elus’s spiritual pressure.
Not just them—the battling Jack and Dillon on the distant deserted island, their Mammoth and Plate-Horned Rhino in deadlock suddenly both retreated, not rushing to attack again but turning full attention to the distant sky.
“Your Highness!”
Fran, appearing on the deck, bit her lip, restraining the urge to rush help, instead expanding her Observation Haki to the max, constantly monitoring the sky.
Second Stage Resurrección.
Since the battle with BIG·MOM, Elus invoked this form again.
Much larger pitch-black wings fully spread, a slender, long obsidian tail ending in knife-like bone flexibly weaving behind. Severed feet regenerated—not human soles, but sharp claws. A pair of pale, curved horns, over thirty centimeters long, protruded from his head.
“Kaido, next—let’s have some real fun!” Feeling the surging power within, Elus declared.
The instant words fell,
Ink-green light plunged from the sky, straight toward Kaido perched atop the dark clouds.
Then,
Explosion sounds filled the void, all noises drowned for seconds as a second ‘sun’ appeared in the sky.
