Just then, the ground suddenly began to tremble rhythmically, like the heartbeat of a giant—steady and powerful, shaking everyone to their core.
Whitebeard's figure, like a towering mountain, slowly stepped forward.
With one hand, he dragged the massive Murakumogiri behind him.
Its sharp blade carved a deep trench into the ground, as though the earth itself had been torn open by that overwhelming force, giving off a chilling presence.
With every step he took, the ground beneath him shook. The surrounding air grew heavier, and his immense aura swept outward like a surging tsunami.
Wherever it passed, dust flew into the air and plants bent low.
Big Mom's expression instantly darkened, like a sky covered in storm clouds before a downpour.
She suddenly turned and stood in front of Kaido.
Her once-sweet smile had already vanished, replaced by a face full of ferocity and anger.
"Old man, what do you think you're doing?"
Her voice carried an obvious threat.
The giant sword Napoleon in her hand had already been drawn half an inch from its sheath.
Its cold gleam flashed under the sunlight, radiating deadly danger.
A violent Conqueror's Haki began to coil around her body. It was like tangible flames, burning fiercely and distorting the surrounding space until it blurred, making people afraid to look directly at it.
Whitebeard, however, only glanced at her calmly.
There was not the slightest fear or retreat in his eyes—only endless composure.
His gaze then passed over Big Mom and locked straight onto Kaido, as though nothing before him could stop the fated battle between the two of them.
"Gurararara. My fight with that brat Kaido isn't over yet."
He raised Murakumogiri with one hand, the blade pointing directly at Kaido.
In that instant, it felt as though the entire world had gone silent, and everyone's eyes focused on the massive weapon that symbolized overwhelming power.
"That old bastard Saturn interrupted us earlier. Now… it's time to continue!"
Before his words had even fully fallen, Whitebeard suddenly swung Murakumogiri.
The enormous naginata seemed to come alive in his hands, carrying the world-destroying power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit as it slashed toward Kaido like a roaring dragon.
The air before the blade shattered instantly, producing a sharp sound like breaking glass.
A terrifying shockwave swept across the entire battlefield with mountain-toppling force.
Wherever it passed, sand and stones flew, the ground shook, and the entire world seemed to tremble before its power.
"Good timing!"
Kaido's eyes surged with fighting spirit, like a powder keg set alight, instantly erupting with endless battle intent.
Although his body had not fully recovered and every movement brought piercing pain, he still gritted his teeth and tightly gripped his kanabo, Hassaikai.
Pitch-black Armament Haki rapidly covered the weapon.
That dense blackness seemed to come from the abyss itself, swallowing all light around it.
He roared as he met Whitebeard's slash head-on.
"Thunder Bagua!"
Just as the two world-destroying forces were about to collide, Big Mom's furious voice suddenly exploded like a thunderclap, breaking the atmosphere that had tightened to its limit.
"All of you, stop right now!"
She swung Napoleon with all her strength and forcibly inserted herself between the two of them.
In an instant, Prometheus's flames and Zeus's lightning erupted at the same time.
The flames were like a surging sea of fire, while the lightning was like twisting silver serpents.
The two intertwined, forcefully creating an unbreakable elemental barrier between the two Emperors.
The atmosphere on the battlefield instantly became tense.
The standoff between three Emperors of the Sea made the entire ocean tremble.
The waves seemed to sense that powerful aura and became violent, constantly crashing against the reefs along the shore with deafening roars.
Dark clouds filled the sky, and lightning flashed with thunder.
The pirates watching from afar were already so terrified by the shocking scene that their legs had gone weak.
It was as if countless invisible hands were gripping their hearts tightly, making their bodies tremble uncontrollably.
A clash of this level was terrifying.
Even the aftershocks, like a raging tsunami, would be enough to crush their fragile bodies completely if they were merely touched by them, erasing them from this brutal pirate world without a trace.
"Mamamama—!! You two idiots!"
Big Mom's originally bold laughter came to an abrupt stop, as if someone had suddenly pressed pause.
The smile on her face instantly vanished, replaced by a gloomy expression.
Beneath her heavy makeup, her face looked especially terrifying at that moment.
She forcefully stabbed Napoleon, the giant sword symbolizing endless power and authority, into the ground.
With a loud boom, the ground seemed to suffer a violent earthquake.
Cracks spread outward rapidly like a giant spiderweb.
Each crack was like a wound splitting open across the earth, giving off a frightening aura.
"Open your eyes and look clearly!"
Big Mom's voice thundered across the battlefield, filled with boundless authority and anger.
"Our enemy stopped being each other a long time ago!"
Big Mom's eyes were wide with rage, revealing an unprecedented seriousness and determination.
Kaido's kanabo hung suspended in midair.
Its massive body seemed to carry the weight of the entire world, giving off a suffocating pressure.
Whitebeard's Murakumogiri had also stopped less than three inches from Big Mom's throat.
The blade flashed with a cold light, as if it could fall at any moment and end everything.
The two Emperors frowned at the same time. A trace of confusion and thought appeared on their faces.
The battlefield suddenly fell into a strange silence, so quiet it made people uneasy.
"The Five Elders…"
Big Mom spat out those words through gritted teeth, hatred burning in her eyes.
"Those old monsters hiding in Mary Geoise are our true enemies!"
Big Mom's roar echoed across the battlefield, breaking the silence and allowing everyone to clearly hear the thoughts in her heart.
"If they dare capture King today, tomorrow they'll dare touch your sons!"
Big Mom became even more emotional.
A cold smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, but there was no warmth in it at all. Instead, it made people feel a chill deep in their bones.
She slowly swept her gaze across the crowd, her eyes as sharp as blades, as though they could see through everyone's heart.
Everyone her gaze passed over could not help lowering their heads, not daring to meet her intimidating stare.
"How do you think the title of 'Four Emperors' came to be?"