Chapter 281: Chaos on Cake Island

The booming sounds on Cake Island grew louder, each echo hinting that everyone had found their match. It set the tourists on edge.

The commotion was getting out of hand. Was Cake Island under attack?

If it was, the battle might spill over here. When the city gates catch fire, the whole neighborhood is at risk.

They came here to have fun, not to risk their lives. Right away, crowds begged to return to their rooms. No one wanted their life cut short.

“Move! I need to get out of here!”

“Yeah, hurry up and clear the way.”

“What’s with you Fishmen? Move aside now!”

“What, are we supposed to just stand here and wait for death?”

Crowds pressed toward every exit, pushing and shoving each other in their rush to escape.

Smart people weren’t alone in wanting out. After all, they were all here for pleasure, not to gamble with their lives.

Though curiosity nagged at them—who would dare sneak-attack one of the New World’s three great powers, Karl’s Pirate Crew? You’d have to have a death wish.

Still, that all seemed trivial compared to saving their own skins.

This was especially true for the high and mighty—they weren’t ready to call it quits.

“Everyone, please don’t panic. If you’d like to return to your rooms, a Fishman will escort you. We will guarantee your safety.”

“There’s no need for concern. The trouble is contained within the island.”

“All facilities remain open. The fighting won’t affect this area.”

Having received word that it was time to close the net, Krell slipped quietly into the shopping district. Seeing the chaos, he stepped forward right away.

They had already gotten wind that agents from the World Government would try to ambush Cake Island.

They were well prepared. Every World Government operative was being watched, with hidden backups ready to intervene. There’d be no surprises.

“Finally someone’s being reasonable. Hurry up and get us out—I’m leaving now!”

“You can talk all you want, I won’t trust my safety to you. Move!”

Seeing the crowd’s panic, Krell signaled a team of Fishmen to stand ready. Their job was to keep people leaving the shopping district from slipping off to reinforce the lab.

If anyone slipped their watch and tried to help out, they’d be taken down immediately—no matter who they were.

Meanwhile Krell kept order, seeing everyone out until the area emptied. Only then would he move on.

Aside from a handful who were confident in their strength, most people left under Fishmen escort.

Those who stayed mostly belonged to Karl’s crew, a few lieutenants from the Dark Emperors, and some from the New World’s major families.

They weren’t scared. If anything, they wanted a closer look—who had the guts to mess with the king of the hill? But Krell blocked their way.

If there were any government spies among them, things would get messy fast—better to keep everyone here and under control.

In just thirty minutes, the once-bustling shopping district felt nearly deserted, though plenty of Fishmen still shopped without a hint of fear.

Since Lord Krell hadn’t stopped the evacuation, the danger couldn’t be that high.

The Fishmen were old hands at war. To them, this was barely a ripple—nothing to worry over.

Once calm returned, Krell quietly slipped away, heading for the lab—the true battlefield.

As Cake Island’s steward, how could he possibly miss out on a fight like this?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Just as he left the shopping street, thunderous blasts rolled across the sky.

He looked up.

There—Karl, Charlotte Linlin, and Ledfield tangled with five silhouettes above, clashing again and again in the air.

Feeling the shockwaves, Krell’s face tightened. Each of their opponents was on the level of an admiral.

Who knew how many more heavy hitters might be lurking? Clearly, the World Government had come prepared.

“We need to clear out all the troublemakers fast—that’s the only way I can back up Lord Karl.”

Krell pressed his lips together and picked up the pace. An admiral’s fight was out of his league—but if it was a vice admiral, he’d be plenty busy.

The fighting split into several duels. Looking at the two opponents to her left, Charlotte Linlin frowned. “Karl, don’t those faces look familiar?”

“Yeah, but I can’t quite place them.”

“Feels like some old friends dropped by.”

Karl hadn’t been with the Rocks Pirates long—not like Charlotte Linlin, who knew everyone well.

So he couldn’t recall some faces, but they were burned into Charlotte Linlin’s memory.

Those two—one tall, one thin—weren’t they Wang Zhi and Silver Axe?

They searched the New World for ages without finding them—now they’d turned up with the World Government.

“Wang Zhi! Silver Axe!”

“You two are seriously out of line!”

Now that she understood, Charlotte Linlin’s eyes blazed with fury.

If Ledfield hadn’t shown up in time back then, they’d have been ambushed by John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe. That would’ve meant disaster.

They might have lost many comrades.

Running into them again, their old grudge flared as hot as ever.

Wielding the Emperor’s Blade and standing atop Zeus, she launched the first attack.

Silver Axe’s face darkened. “Damn it, we’ve been spotted after all.”

“No point holding back now.”

Wang Zhi wasn’t surprised—he’d expected this all along. What he couldn’t fathom was why Silver Axe had turned complacent.

“Charlotte Linlin, let’s settle our score right here.”

He drew power into his blackened right hand, his clothes crackling from the force.

“Clang!”

Blade and fist clashed in midair, sparks flying with a harsh, electric screech.

“Wave Slash!”

A blade of sword energy, stretching dozens of feet, sliced straight for Charlotte Linlin’s towering figure.

Clang!

But Silver Axe’s sword skill was a far cry from his power with an axe—it bounced off Linlin’s iron skin.

All he managed to do was enrage her further.

She spun in the air using Zeus and roared, “Sovereign Nation!”

A thick, raging sword beam barreled straight toward the pair.

This was Linlin’s strike of pure fury—even stronger than before.

The battle was only getting started. They couldn’t afford to get hit so soon.

Both men dodged to either side, ducking away from the attack.

But Charlotte Linlin wasn’t about to let them off that easy.

She hurled Prometheus with her left hand—a massive fireball exploded in their faces, leaving them no time to react as flames consumed the air.

“You didn’t really think that’s all I’m capable of, did you?”

“Great Spirit of Heaven’s Full Freedom!”

A chunk of Zeus split off below her feet. Thunder crashed across the sky, raining lightning down on the two!