Just as the exchange between Jack and Big Mom became increasingly intense, another battle was unfolding on the opposite side of Hachinosu Island.
Tsuki had finally cornered a group of Charlotte Family children led by Charlotte Oven.
Charlotte Oven had an aggressive and explosive personality. If not for Katakuri's earlier tactical arrangements, he would have already charged into battle without hesitation.
Now, seeing Tsuki pursuing them alone, Oven completely ignored strategy. With a wave of his large hand, he shielded his younger brothers and sisters behind him.
In the next moment, his entire body turned bright red, resembling burning steel fresh from the forge. He pulled the large blade from his waist and unleashed a blazing slash toward Tsuki.
That was not all.
As though he had already predicted Tsuki's movements, Oven activated his Devil Fruit ability again. The temperature around his left arm surged violently, turning it scorching white. Waves of heat distorted the surrounding air, transforming into a fierce blast of burning wind swirling around his fist.
"Hot Wind Fist!"
Tsuki frowned slightly and dodged again.
Normally, it was the Dawn Faction overwhelming enemies with long-range elemental attacks. Being pressured like this was something unfamiliar to Tsuki.
While evading, Tsuki casually raised his left hand.
Instantly, countless branches and vines burst from the ground, growing wildly as they wrapped around Charlotte Oven and bound him tightly in place.
However, in the next second, the vines were instantly reduced to black ash by the unbearable heat radiating from Oven's body.
Charlotte Oven cracked his neck and burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! Are you some kind of gardener? What kind of useless ability is this? It does not work on me at all!"
Tsuki showed no anger.
Instead, a faint smirk appeared on his lips.
"What are you barking about, you oversized idiot?" Tsuki said while gesturing behind him. "I was never trying to trap you. Turn around and take a look."
Charlotte Oven froze.
He immediately turned around and his expression changed drastically.
Behind him stood a giant tree over twenty meters tall that had suddenly risen from the earth.
His younger brothers and sisters were gone.
Beneath the thick canopy hung dozens of human-shaped cocoons, tightly wrapped in vines and branches. Every now and then, muffled struggling could be seen from inside.
Charlotte Oven instinctively raised his hand, intending to destroy the tree.
But his arm slowly lowered.
He could burn the tree down, but controlling the temperature enough to avoid hurting his siblings would be nearly impossible.
Realizing this, Charlotte Oven glared at Tsuki with bloodshot eyes.
"You bastard! Despicable!"
Without another word, he coated himself in blazing heat and charged forward again.
Tsuki laughed.
"There is no such thing as playing fair when dealing with pirates like you. There is only wiping evil out completely. Better hurry up, big idiot. If you take too long, even if the vines do not strangle them, your siblings might suffocate first."
Charlotte Oven's rage exploded.
His white-hot fists swung furiously at Tsuki, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not even touch the edge of Tsuki's clothes.
"Bastard! If you have guts, stop dodging!"
"Idiot."
Tsuki sneered.
At first, he had planned to end the fight quickly.
But after a brief exchange, he changed his mind.
Oven's Devil Fruit ability was troublesome, but his attack power was impressive enough to be useful.
Ash and Kirk had not ordered a quick victory anyway.
Since there was time, Tsuki decided to use Charlotte Oven as practice for sharpening his Observation Haki and future sight.
...
Everyone in the Dawn Faction understood one thing.
The outcome of this battle against the Big Mom Pirates depended entirely on how long Jack could keep Big Mom occupied.
Because of that, aside from the main battlefield in the center of Hachinosu Island, the intensity of every other fight depended heavily on the mood of those involved.
For example, Fidel and McKinley, who were facing high-ranking officers of a Yonko crew on their own for the first time, fought with unusual excitement.
Their combination of elemental attacks and martial arts overwhelmed Charlotte Daifuku and Charlotte Snack, keeping both constantly on the defensive.
Elsewhere, Dicken was in an especially bad mood.
As a result, Charlotte Smoothie barely lasted a few exchanges before being cut down by him.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Katakuri, possessing powerful Observation Haki capable of glimpsing the future, monitored the overall battlefield despite being unable to defeat Youki.
When this devoted older brother witnessed Smoothie being cut down by Dicken, his expression twisted with fury.
His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward instantly.
At the same time, he activated his awakened Devil Fruit ability, turning hundreds of meters of the coastline into a sea of mochi.
Katakuri glared at Youki with bloodshot eyes.
His arms transformed into mochi before reshaping into a pair of massive gatling guns.
"Damn bastard! Taste my Peerless Mochi Blade Bullets!"
Countless Armament Haki-coated mochi bullets rained down toward Youki.
Finally witnessing a Paramecia-type awakening in action, Youki grinned and increased his strength by twenty percent.
"What kind of ridiculous mochi is this?" Youki scoffed. "You think this can stop me?"
A violent hurricane erupted.
The incoming mochi bullets were shredded apart instantly.
In the blink of an eye, Youki appeared in front of Katakuri, grabbed him by the head, and slammed him brutally into the surging sea of mochi.
"You think seeing the future is something special?"
Youki laughed coldly.
"I beat up someone who can see the future every single day!"
...
On the elevated shoreline nearby, Ash and the others all turned toward Pini at the same time.
Pini rolled his eyes.
"He is probably talking about Tsuki. Tsuki can see the future too."
Kirk burst into laughter.
"Really? But Youki has never called Tsuki a bastard before. Does he not always call him little brother?"
Ash chuckled.
"Exactly. Seems like the bastard he is talking about is only one specific person."
Pini did not seem bothered by the teasing.
"What happens between us is just mutual sparring," he said with a dismissive shrug. "Besides, what is wrong with letting him brag a little in front of outsiders?"
Just as the group continued joking around, all three suddenly froze.
Their gazes shifted toward the distant horizon at the same time.
Moments later, a small coffin-shaped boat slowly entered their sight.
Looking at the familiar vessel, Ash frowned in confusion.
Why was Dracule Mihawk here on Hachinosu Island?
Was this part of the original story?
Before anyone could react, a slash of light that seemed to split heaven and earth apart tore across the battlefield, passing directly beside Ash and the others.
The expressions of everyone instantly darkened.
Pini frowned.
"What is this guy trying to do? Looking for trouble?"
Although the Charlotte Family was shocked by the sudden appearance of Dracule Mihawk, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the attack had clearly targeted the Dawn Faction.
Since they were already being overwhelmed, they naturally welcomed more enemies joining the fight against Ash's side.
"Need me to handle this?"
Pini and Kirk spoke at the same time while looking toward Ash.
Ash shook his head slightly.
"No. Leave this one to me."
But before anyone could move, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted.
"No, no, no, let me handle this guy!"
Dicken had somehow returned after cutting down Smoothie.
Now, he stared at Dracule Mihawk with glowing eyes, excitement practically pouring from his face.
"Brothers! Please!"