Chapter 301: Clash of Kings on the Frozen Battlefield

Clang!

Lu Bu’s Halberd, shrouded in Conqueror’s Haki, smashed into Roger’s sword Ace in a split second.

The bow of the ship sank instantly, its stern shooting up at a steep 60-degree angle.

“Don’t fight near the ship! Everyone, off the boat!”

Roger had no intention of letting this chance encounter ruin the Oro Jackson.

After all, this precious ship had weathered every storm in the New World and kept them sailing proudly through even the worst seas.

At his command, the rest of the crew quickly jumped off and landed on the ice surrounding the port.

Rayleigh had barely found his footing before a giant sword swept him aside.

“Mama mama mama!”

“Rayleigh, what brings you all here today?”

Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, the lenses flashing gold under the light.

He drew his rapier from his waist, calm as ever. “Who knows what our great captain has planned?”

“I think that’s a question you should be asking Karl.”

With that, he raised his rapier and blocked Charlotte Linlin’s fierce attack.

Jabba refused to stay on the sidelines—he swung his twin black axes, meeting Notty and Fields head-on.

Suddenly the battlefield exploded into chaos, with every fighter showing off their unique abilities.

The strength of the Roger Pirates really was something else. Even without Roger himself in the fray, just Rayleigh and Jabba alone were enough to go toe-to-toe with Karl’s crew.

From above, sporadic rain, magma, and hail pelted the ice, painting scenes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter all at once outside the port.

In the midst of the chaos, Charlotte Linlin noticed that Ledfield was absent.

Davis, Perospero, and the others simply didn’t have the experience that came from battling as relentlessly as the Roger Pirates had over the years.

To turn them into true powerhouses, fights like this were absolutely necessary.

So she slowed her assault for a moment, carefully watching how the others performed.

Rayleigh saw right through Linlin’s intentions, and started taking it easy himself, holding his sword in one hand and fending her off with practiced ease.

But when it came to fighting for real, all eyes were still on Karl and Roger.

Every clash between those two sent shockwaves through the heavens and earth.

The sky overhead, once filled with clouds, had been cleared away, revealing a vast blue expanse.

Karl could feel a powerful sense of surveillance coming from several miles behind Roger. In a flash, he realized it was a World Government observation ship lurking nearby.

He shot Roger a meaningful look, but before Roger understood, Karl pressed his palms together.

A pillar of pitch-black energy condensed between his hands.

The second Roger spotted Karl’s cue, he knew something was wrong.

Feeling the overwhelming pressure from the energy in Karl’s hands, Roger hastily dodged aside.

A colossal black beam, dozens of meters wide, blasted across the sea toward the distant horizon, sending waves hundreds of meters high crashing upward.

In the blink of an eye, that tidal wave came rolling straight for Cake Island’s harbor.

Even the ice beneath their feet began to crack. Aokiji, sensing disaster, hurriedly unleashed Ice Age several times in quick succession.

Not only did he freeze the surging water solid, but the battlefield itself doubled in size.

Unfortunately, after just four Ice Ages, Aokiji collapsed from exhaustion.

Which explains why he hardly ever used that move in the original story.

It’s the ultimate energy-draining technique—if he can’t freeze his enemy in a few goes, he’s left helpless and turns into easy prey.

And right now, he was just a teenager. Compared to his prime, he still had a lot of room to grow.

Fishmen rushed out immediately to move Aokiji away from the chaos.

Karl hadn’t targeted that beam by accident.

After all, there was a World Government observation ship hiding beneath the surface, several nautical miles away.

That attack was meant as a warning—to let the World Government know that Roger’s crew and Karl’s people had really thrown down.

World Government—Special Division CP0 Conference Room.

Colin watched the last image sent by the observation ship, then quietly turned off the video transponder snail.

He began pacing the office, deep in thought.

“Are those two really fighting for real, or is it all for show?”

“It’s a shame there are so few loopholes around the Sweets Sea. Only one observation ship could sneak in.”

“There’s no way to judge if things have gotten out of hand yet.”

After a short pause, he picked up the transponder snail on his desk and quietly reported in.

“Sir, the battle has already started.”

“The observation ship only managed to record Karl’s sudden attack before all contact was lost.”

“What are your orders?”

Colin bowed his head, his tone even more respectful.

He was doing everything he could to stay alive—cautious and vigilant as ever.

If only Selma had been half as careful, maybe he wouldn’t have ended up dead and adrift far from home.

The Five Elders had also seen the observation ship’s final footage.

Their orders came swiftly.

“Activate all our agents nearby. Fan the flames of their battle.”

“The best situation would be for them never to get a moment’s rest.”

“If any of those pawns can take out key members on either side, then the fight will become unavoidable regardless.”

“Understood, sir.”

Colin hung up and immediately started calling the agents stationed around Cake Island.

He relayed the order: search for anyone on the battlefield who’s exhausted or retreated, and try to assassinate them.

As long as they managed to take out even one key figure, their mission would be accomplished.

Onshore, the agents who got word soon spotted the Fishmen carrying Aokiji away.

Right now, Aokiji was the only one to have retreated due to exhaustion.

Which meant their opportunity was right in front of them. A few men shared a look, then quietly started following after Aokiji as he made his way back toward the harbor.

They carried ammo crates in their hands, looking just like port workers.

Garp was also observing from a distance but bluntly rejected the World Government’s order to broadcast the battle footage.

High above, Ace and Lu Bu’s Halberd clashed again. A red glint flashed in Roger’s eyes as he asked softly,

“Karl, you look like you know why I’m here.”

Karl swung his halberd, sending Roger flying, then pressed his hands together and drew upon his wood-element powers.

Beneath the ice at their feet, a giant tree hundreds of meters tall sprang upward.

The tremendous trunk pierced the ice, and its sprawling canopy became a new battlefield.

The tree’s branches unfurled with massive leaves, each one large enough to hold a grown man.

With the battlefield concealed by the foliage, Karl walked in measured steps to Roger’s side.

“Your intentions aren’t hard to guess. But before you ask your question, I want you and your crew to help me temper these young ones—they’re still green.”

Hearing that, Roger grinned and sheathed Ace, finding a seat on the giant tree trunk to watch the fight below.

He realized exactly what Karl was after—and that he’d get answers from Karl eventually. He just might have to stick around for a day or two longer.

That was fine. Karl’s willingness to cooperate made Roger plenty satisfied.

“I knew it. You definitely guessed why I came here.”

“So, how do you get to Laugh Tale?”