Phew!
Under the control of Bai Yu's will, the blade of the Dragon Flame Taidao ignited with a vibrant turquoise flame—resembling the legendary flame of the Azure Dragon.
Standing at the bow of the Foxy Pirates' ship, Bai Yu braced his right foot firmly, pressing down with controlled strength.
In the blink of an eye, his figure launched high into the sky.
His eyes locked onto the three pirate ships blocking their path. From his sharp gaze, a cold, killing intent silently spread.
Then, with his sword raised high, Bai Yu slashed in a cross pattern—once horizontal, once vertical—his movements as swift and decisive as lightning.
"Azure Dragon Cross Slash!"
Boom—huh!
A mighty cross-shaped slash, cloaked in a turquoise flame, erupted from the Dragon Flame Taidao. The cross slash tore through the air, expanding rapidly as if catching wind and momentum from the heavens themselves.
The flaming arc morphed into a spectral dragon's silhouette—its roar lost in the rumble of destruction—as it hurtled toward the enemy vessels.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The cross slash struck.
In a flash, all three pirate ships were cleaved clean through, severed horizontally like butter beneath a hot blade.
Massive explosions erupted as the hulls split and cracked open, detonating gunpowder stores and collapsing mast structures. Fragments rained down. Screams echoed. Dozens of pirates were sent flying into the sea, clinging to burning debris or vanishing below the surface.
But Bai Yu wasn't done.
As the second vertical slash hit the central ship, its reinforced hull split cleanly down the middle.
The remains of the ship began to tilt, listing toward port and starboard—revealing an unexpected pathway.
Clatter...!
Just then, the Foxy Pirates' vessel surged forward.
The crew steered straight through the freshly carved passage, sailing seamlessly between the ruins of the enemy blockade.
BOOOOM!
As the ship passed through, the last fragments of the pirate vessels exploded in a spectacular finale.
The sea behind them blazed like a battlefield.
"So strong!"
The entire Foxy Pirates crew stared, mouths agape. Some dropped what they were holding. Others clung to the railing as the fiery spectacle faded behind them.
Destroying three ships in a single instant—what level of swordsmanship was this?
In their minds, only one man came close—Hawk-Eye Mihawk, the World's Greatest Swordsman and a member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
That kind of overwhelming destruction wasn't just about strength—it was an art.
It was terrifying.
"Sure enough… teaming up with Mr. Bai Yu was the smartest decision I've ever made!"
Foxy, who had also been stunned speechless, finally grinned.
The more powerful Bai Yu proved to be, the more confident Foxy felt about their chances in the race. His typical cowardice vanished in the face of absolute power.
They had a true trump card on board.
"Hurry up! We're still behind the first echelon," Bai Yu urged, his tone calm but focused.
"Full speed ahead!"
"Follow them!"
At Bai Yu's word, Foxy snapped out of it and quickly barked orders to his crew.
The ship surged forward again, chasing the leading group with renewed momentum.
"Slow Beam!"
"Nine-Tails Burst Dash!"
"Azure Dragon Slash!"
...
Along the route, Bai Yu and the crew encountered one obstruction after another.
Rigged traps by the tournament organizers, sudden attacks by massive Sea Kings, and pirate ambushes aiming to take them down.
But none of it mattered.
Every trap was dodged or neutralized by Foxy's Noro Noro no Mi powers, and every threat was cut down by Bai Yu's sword.
Thanks to the synergy between slow-motion manipulation and high-speed sword techniques, no other ship in the race could maintain their pace.
Their ship steadily advanced in the rankings.
Soon, they had climbed to fifth place after one full lap around the island.
"My god!"
"We completely overlooked this dark horse in the race!"
"It's the Foxy Pirates!"
"No one's been able to stop them—can they actually reach the top?!"
As the competition reached its boiling point, the tournament host—floating in a hot air balloon, equipped with Den Den Mushi loudspeakers—finally noticed the rapid advance.
The amplified voice echoed across the ocean.
"Now approaching the famous Hannabar current—wait! What's this?! The Foxy Pirates have caught up with the top four teams!"
BOOM!
Suddenly, the ship carrying Bai Yu and Foxy burst forward, overtaking debris and current resistance, rapidly closing the gap.
"They've made it to the front lines..."
Standing at the bow once more, Bai Yu narrowed his eyes at the four ships ahead.
"It's about time."
Hum...!
The Dragon Flame Taidao lit up again—its turquoise energy glowing more intensely than ever.
"Azure Dragon—Rising Slash!"
As the Azure Dragon's energy condensed, Bai Yu took a deep breath.
He gripped the hilt with both hands and performed a rising diagonal slash—lifting the sword from hip to sky in a single, fluid motion.
"DO IT NOW!"
"The Foxy Pirates have initiated their final push!"
"Wait… what is he doing?! That slash isn't aimed at the enemy—it's flying straight into the sky!"
Whoosh—BOOM!
ROOOAAAR!
To everyone's shock, the massive turquoise slash didn't hit any ship. Instead, it flew straight upward—carving a path into the heavens.
As it reached its peak, it transformed into a colossal Azure Dragon, roaring with ethereal might before exploding mid-air.
The resulting shockwave blew away all the clouds over the entire sea, revealing a clear blue dome.
It wasn't just an attack—it was a signal.
Bai Yu smirked.
---
Meanwhile, on the northwestern coast of Balmain...
Two figures—cloaked and hidden—waited patiently.
It was Koby and Helmeppo, disguised and stationed as per Bai Yu's instructions.
Suddenly, they both heard it.
A dragon's roar thundered through the skies from far off.
They turned upward just in time to see the glowing slash erupting in the distance.
"It's Colonel Bai Yu's signal!"
Koby immediately sprang into action, taking out a secured anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi, specially modified for Marine communications.
"Yes, this is Koby. The signal has been released."
"Deploy the main force immediately. Operation Encirclement begins now!"
After confirming with the other end, Koby hung up and nodded to Helmeppo.
"Now, we wait. The Marine forces will begin the pincer operation."
The two shared a knowing smile.
Everything was going according to Bai Yu's meticulous plan.
Once the competition reached its climax—and the majority of powerful pirate crews were gathered in one zone—he would unleash a massive, attention-grabbing attack.
That strike would act as the trigger.
Koby and Helmeppo would then alert the larger Marine forces, waiting just beyond the horizon.
Caught in the frenzy of the race, surrounded by enemies and locked in combat, the pirates wouldn't even have time to flee when the Navy arrived.
Bai Yu's goal was clear—
To wipe out every pirate in this arena.