Chapter 810 - 809: Gentlemen, This Is the Final War

By the time the members of the Straw Hat Alliance scrambled ashore onto neighboring Kairyu Island, Jormungandr had already swallowed half of Zunesha’s body. Its originally slender frame ballooned outward in an instant.

Right now, the serpent looked like a steel ball forced inside a rubber balloon, appearing as though it might burst at any second.

Yet despite the extreme distortion, Jormungandr showed no signs of discomfort, let alone any intention of stopping. It continued to gorge itself until Zunesha’s entire mass was fully encapsulated within its belly, leaving the massive snake distended into a grotesque, irregular sphere.

"This can’t be happening..."

Nami clamped both hands over her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. Beside her, Momonosuke wailed hysterically. The ancient elephant that had protected them from the Marines just moments ago had been reduced to a snake’s meal.

Vroooom!!!

Hearing the distinct roar of Jet Dials, Ace’s expression hardened. He spun around and bellowed, "Heads up! They’re coming down!"

There was no time to mourn Zunesha’s demise. The moment the alliance consolidated on the island, the sky-faring battleships that had been hovering above began their descent. Legions of pirates and Marines systematically deployed, encircling the Straw Hat Alliance from all sides.

It was the living manifestation of the warning Trafalgar Law had given them not long ago: "You are making an enemy of the entire world."

"When your grandfather passed away, I believe I told you to find a quiet place to hide and live out the rest of your days under an assumed name, didn’t I?"

Kuzan, sporting his signature small sunglasses with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, locked his gaze onto Straw Hat Luffy. "I’m sorry, but I can’t grant you any more chances."

"Shut up! I’m the man who’s going to become the King of the Pirates! Why would I ever listen to the Marines?!"

Even pinned down in a desperate corner, Luffy refused to concede. He barked his defiance without a shred of fear, a trait that, in certain contexts, remained his greatest strength.

"I truly never imagined a day would come where I would have to cut you down with my own hands, Lucky Roux, Yasopp, Beckman."

Standing alongside Benn Beckman, Ivalis locked eyes with his three former comrades from the Red Hair Pirates. He slowly drew the Supreme Grade blade, Oodenta Mitsuyo, its polished steel reflecting a blinding, radiant gleam.

"This time, I will not stay my hand," Ivalis said, his tone icy and dripping with explicit killing intent.

"Heh, then bring it on, Ivalis, Beckman!" Lucky Roux tore off a final bite of his ham chunk, shifting instantly into a combat-ready stance.

"Ace-san..."

Jinbe looked toward Ace, his expression filled with profound reluctance and sorrow.

"Save your breath, Jinbe."

Ace swept his arms outward, unleashing a roaring torrent of blazing fire. "The path I’ve walked is a life lived with absolutely no regrets!"

Thud. Thud, thud. Thud, thud, thud...

The rhythmic sound of Alucard’s approaching footsteps echoed like the steady ticking of a death clock, weighing heavily upon the chest of every single warrior in the alliance.

"So then, shall we commence the festivities, gentlemen?"

Alucard spoke the words casually, devoid of any tension appropriate for a world-shaping war. Instead, he possessed the detached, effortless air of a man playing a leisurely game.

"Dragon Breath!"

Sabo was the first to strike. Dropping low to the ground, he drove his clawed hands deep into the soil. An instant later, a massive localized eruption ripped through the earth, the concussive shockwave scattering the vanguard ranks of the Immortal Pirates and the Marines.

"Don’t try to stand and fight them! Move!"

Sabo had no intention of fighting a suicidal battle to the bitter end; he knew with absolute certainty that they possessed zero chance of victory in a straight engagement. Their sole objective now was to flee, to save as many lives as humanly possible.

"Escort Momonosuke-sama out of here!"

The retainers of the Kozuki Clan naturally prioritized Momonosuke’s survival above all else. Seizing the opening created by the blast, they darted through a gap between the Kuja Pirates and the Black Thorn Pirates, sprinting frantically toward the coastline in a desperate bid for the sea.

"Don’t let them escape!"

Keith Fallon’s eyes burned crimson with rage. His previous defeat at the hands of the Straw Hat Alliance had been an unbearable stain on his honor. This time, he refused to let a single soul slip away.

"Calm down, Black Thorn. They aren’t going anywhere," Viola remarked smoothly.

"Huh?"

Before Fallon could process the meaning behind Viola’s words, Kin’emon and the others had already reached the shoreline with Momonosuke. But just as they prepared to commandeer a vessel to make their escape, the sea violently churned, throwing up massive walls of water.

In a terrifying display, countless Sea Kings broke the surface, planting their gargantuan limbs and tentacles along the sandy beach. Rows of colossal, unblinking eyes locked onto the escapees.

Shirahoshi sat perched atop the head of a gargantuan, octopus-type Sea King right in the center of the blockade. Looking down nervously, she stammered, "Um... I’m so sorry, but please don’t try to run away..."

"She’s so beautiful!"

The inherently perverted Momonosuke completely forgot the danger upon seeing Shirahoshi. Hearts practically replacing his eyes, he immediately deployed the exact same coddling tactics he used on Nami and Robin, whining in a pathetic voice, "Beautiful Mermaid Princess... can’t you please just let us through? Please?"

Driven by a woman’s natural maternal instinct, Shirahoshi felt a brief pang of sympathy looking at the weeping child. However, after a few seconds of hesitation, she firmly shook her head. "I-I’m sorry... Alucard-sama’s orders were for me to guard this perimeter and ensure no one leaves. But... I promise I won’t hurt you."

BANG!

Without warning, a round tore through the air, completely blowing open the head of Raizo the Ninja. His body collapsed with a dull thud right at Momonosuke’s feet.

"?!"

The group gasped in horror, spinning around to find Alucard walking up behind them. His eyes glowed a sinister, piercing crimson as he let out a cruel chuckle. "This is a war, children. Did you truly believe you would be permitted to run?"

"Get away from Momonosuke and the others!"

Luffy let out a furious roar, his arm stretching out dozens of feet as his fist coated itself in dense, black Armament Haki, driving hard toward the back of Alucard’s skull.

BANG!!!

A sharp stiletto heel intercepted Luffy’s fist mid-flight. Luffy let out a sharp cry of pain, violently snapping his arm back as his hand throbbed in agony. "Who the hell are you?!"

Boa Hancock held her high-extended kick flawlessly in midair, balancing on a single leg with her hands resting imperiously on her hips. Her face was contorted in uncontainable fury. "To dare launch an assault against my beloved Master... you utterly insolent brat! I shall turn you to solid stone this instant!"

"Hancock," Alucard’s voice drifted over lazily from behind.

The moment she heard his voice, Hancock instantly retracted her leg and skipped over to his side, her regal dominance melting into a flustered, blushing schoolgirl persona. "Yes, Master! What are your commands?"

"The one most suited to execute Straw Hat Luffy isn’t you, nor is it me."

As Alucard spoke, a violent torrent of blood erupted from the shifting crimson pool at his feet. A few moments later, a tall, imposing figure strode out from the River of Death. His eyes burned with a hollow, crimson luminescence, his entire form radiating a dense aura of deep resentment, a clear sign that he had been fully subjugated as one of Alucard’s thralls.

The Hero of the Marines, Monkey D. Garp!

"Isn’t it far more fitting to let him serve as your opponent, Straw Hat Luffy? It truly is a shame that the bodies of Shanks and Dragon were destroyed beyond recovery..."