I'm the Great Pirate, and I'm waging the Holy Grail War!

Chapter 309 The Price of Order, A Blood-Soaked Path Ahead

The South China Sea, the waters surrounding the Liberation Fortress.

Fujitora's warship is on patrol.

Zatoichi sat cross-legged in the corner of the deck, eyes closed, as if listening to the sea breeze.

Suddenly, he spoke.

"They're here."

Fujitora turned his head: "What's here?"

"Ships," Zatoichi said. "Many ships. They came from the north, very fast, and carrying—the scent of blood."

Fujitora gripped his staff sword tightly.

"Are they pirates or revolutionaries?"

"Both," Zatoichi paused, "and—something deeper. Like a grudge crawling back from hell."

Fujitora frowned.

He raised his hand, signaling the fleet to enter a state of alert.

A dark spot appeared on the distant horizon.

They were ships. Dozens of ships, dilapidated and flying various tattered pirate flags. But the people on those ships—

Not right.

Their movements were stiff, their eyes were vacant, and ominous black lines spread across their skin.

On the lead ship, stood a tall figure.

Charlotte Linlin.

But something about her didn't seem right. Most of her injuries had healed, but dark veins could be faintly seen pulsating beneath her skin, and the madness in her eyes intensified, along with a hint of—inhuman turbidity.

She clutched a massive, twisted sword that looked like it was made of a vertebra. A wailing spirit coiled around the blade.

"Mamamama——————" BigMom grinned, drool dripping from the corner of her mouth, "Hungry————So hungry————Give me your soul————"

The crew members behind her were all undead infected by her new ability, Soul Plague.

They can still move and fight, but most of their souls have been taken away, turning them into mindless zombies who only obey orders.

Fujitora's face darkened.

"That's... BigMom? What's she doing here? And what's wrong with her?!"

Zatoichi slowly stood up, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"She was fed something she shouldn't have. Now, she's not just a pirate, she's a walking disaster."

Big Mom's fleet is getting closer and closer.

She raised her twisted greatsword and pointed it at Fujitora's fleet.

"Kill them—kill them—offer their souls to me!"

The zombie fleet began to accelerate, emitting inhuman howls.

Fujitora took a deep breath and drew his sword an inch from its sheath.

"All personnel—ready for the enemy!"

The gravitational field unfolded instantly, the sea surface caved in, and several zombie ships at the forefront were crushed to pieces.

But more ships surged aboard.

BigMom laughed maniacally, wielding his greatsword, tearing through the sea with countless wailing souls as he charged straight at the warship.

Zatoichi made a move.

Even though his eyes were closed, he took a precise step forward and drew his sword.

There was no dazzling light, no awe-inspiring presence.

Just one cut.

The black slash paused in mid-air, then split in two, grazing the sides of the warship before falling into the sea and corroding out large patches of foam.

Big Mom's laughter stopped abruptly.

She stared at Zatoichi, a look of confusion and rage flashing in her single eye.

"What are you?!"

Zatoichi sheathed his sword, his eyes still closed.

"Just a blind man passing by."

Fujitora's fleet is locked in a standoff with BigMom's zombie fleet.

The sea breeze brings the smell of decay and rust.

The undead stood on the tattered deck, swaying silently, black lines writhing beneath their skin.

BigMom himself stood at the bow of the main ship, gripping the spinal blade, his single eye cloudy, his mouth agape, drool dripping from his lips.

Zatoichi closed his eyes, facing that direction. His fingers rested lightly on the hilt of his sword.

"She sounds like she's in a lot of pain," Zatoichi suddenly said. "Her soul has been forcibly stitched together, her consciousness has been corrupted—"

Like a pot of overcooked soup.

Fujitora gripped his cane sword tightly: "The World Government gave her power—and turned her into a monster."

"The monster chose herself," Zatoichi said calmly, "but those she dragged down with her—had no choice."

Big Mom moved.

She raised her broadsword and pointed it at the naval fleet.

"Hungry—so hungry—" she murmured, then her voice suddenly rose, "Give me your soul!!

The zombie fleet swarmed forward like an ant colony receiving a command.

There were no tactics, no formations, only a charge driven by hunger.

Fujitora drew his sword.

"Gravity Blade: Hell's Journey!"

The sea ahead suddenly collapsed, crushing more than a dozen zombie ships into the seabed and turning them into splinters. But more ships bypassed them from both sides, some even ramming directly into the naval warships. The zombies on the bows jumped up and tore at the naval soldiers with their teeth and nails.

The battle instantly intensified.

Zatoichi didn't move. He kept his eyes closed, facing Big Mom's flagship.

BigMom moved as well. Her massive body leaped from the bow of the ship, her spine-mounted sword carrying countless wailing souls as she slashed towards the flagship where Fujitora was located.

Before the blade even arrived, the putrid, curse-like oppression made it difficult for the soldiers on deck to breathe.

Zatoichi finally drew his sword.

It was still that same ordinary, unremarkable slash. The blade's light was as thin as a hair, almost invisible.

But BigMom's slash suddenly veered off course when it was still ten meters away from the flagship.

As if pried open by something invisible, it skimmed the ship's side and fell into the sea, corroding into a patch of boiling foam.

BigMom landed on the sea, creating ripples. She tilted her head and stared at Zatoichi.

"You—are blocking my way?"

Zatoichi sheathed his sword and kept his eyes closed.

"If the food isn't clean, you'll get sick."

BigMom’s single eye suddenly shrank.

"You're saying—my food—isn't clean?!"

She was furious.

A terrifying Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body, mixed with that putrid magic, causing the sea to tremble.

Provoked, the zombies attacked even more frantically.

Just as Fujitora was about to make another move, his Den Den Mushi rang.

This is an emergency communication.

He answered the call.

"This is Fujitora."

The voice on the other end of the phone was cold; it came from Mary Geoise.

"Admiral Fujitora, this is Satan. I hereby order you to immediately lead your fleet to retreat southwest and clear the way."

Fujitora was taken aback.

"Evacuate? BigMom's fleet is attacking indiscriminately. If we evacuate, the Revolutionary Army fleet in the waters behind us—"

"BigMom is an ally now," Satan interrupted him. "Her mission is to clear up the variables in the South China Sea. Your mission is to cooperate with her, not to obstruct her."

Fujitora clenched his fist.

"Cooperate? She even killed her own people! Among those zombies were her former subordinates!"

"A necessary price to pay." Satan's voice was flat. "Some sacrifices are acceptable. Execute the order, Fujitora."

The phone hangs up.

Fujitora stood still, still holding his cane and sword, but felt his arm was heavy.

Zatoichi "looked" at him.

"You were ordered to make way?"

"----Um."

"Then let it go," Zatoichi said. "Anyway, whether we let it go or not, the result will be the same."

Fujitora suddenly looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

Zatoichi is shifting its focus towards BigMom.

BigMom was laughing maniacally as he sliced ​​a zombie ship that was trying to escape into pieces with a single blow.

Several crew members dressed in Charlotte family attire remained on the ship, but they were reduced to fragments in the flash of blades.

"She's gone mad," Zatoichi said. "No, I should say she's been fed mad. Now she sees no friend or foe, only food."

"If you give way, she will chase after the revolutionary army. If you don't give way, she will eat you first and then chase after the revolutionary army."

As if to confirm his words, BigMom suddenly changed direction, no longer staring at the naval flagship, but rushing towards a naval escort ship to the side.

On that ship, naval soldiers were fighting off the undead that had boarded the vessel.

BigMom leaped onto the deck and swept his greatsword across the deck.

"Mother--!!"

A mournful cry.

Two people rushed out of the frigate's cabin.

One is a girl in a pink dress, covered in wounds—Charlotte Pudding. The other is Charlotte Katakuri.

They were actually on that ship.

BigMom's sword froze in mid-air. Her murky, single eye stared at Katakuri.

"Kuri--kata--kuri?"

"Mom!" Katakuri stood in front of Pudding, his voice hoarse.

"Stop! Look around! You're killing our family members!!"

BigMom tilts her head.

"Family—?" she murmured, then suddenly grinned, "Family—is it delicious?"

Katakuri's expression froze.

BigMom's knife has fallen.

Katakuri gritted his teeth, his mochi arm hardening as he tried to withstand the attack.

But he was already seriously injured, and if this blow landed, he would surely die.

A figure suddenly appeared in front of Katakuri.

It is Zatoichi.

His knife blocked BigMom's spine-splitting blade.

The two swords clashed, but there was no loud noise, only the sound of bones breaking.

Zatoichi's foot sank half an inch into the deck.

But he blocked it.

BigMom stared at him, and the turbidity in his single eye seemed to clear for a moment.

"You're blocking my way again!"

"This food," Zatoichi said calmly, his eyes closed, "you cannot eat it."

Fujitora also landed on the deck.

He looked at Katakuri and Pudding, then looked around.

On the sea, Big Mom's fleet of undead ships is attacking all living things. Navy ships, pirate ships, even their own original ships. Indiscriminately.

"She's beyond saving," Katakuri said to Fujitora, coughing up blood.

"Mom—she's become a monster that only knows how to eat. Please—kill her. Let her—be free."

Pudding nodded, tears streaming down her face, covering her mouth.

Fujitora looked at them, then at the naval soldiers being torn apart by the zombies in the distance.

He remembered Satan's words.

"The necessary price."

cost----

"This is... the price of absolute order?" Fujitora murmured.

Zatoichi is still locked in a standoff with BigMom.

BigMom's strength was terrifying; with each downward strike of her sword, Zatoichi's feet sank deeper. Yet, he kept his eyes closed, his expression unchanged.

"I've seen a lot of madmen," Zatoichi suddenly said, his voice only audible to Fujitora.

"I've killed many. But the most tragic ones are those driven insane."

Fujitora was startled.

"you----"

"I can't see," Zatoichi said, "but I can hear it. The scales in your heart are beating. On one side is the command, the greater good; on the other side—humanity."

BigMom exerted its power again, forcing Zatoichi to kneel on one knee, and causing the deck to crack.

But he kept talking.

"I used to be—a wandering blind man. I killed those who deserved to be killed, and I let those who deserved to be let go. People asked me, how do you know who deserved to be killed and who deserved to be let go?"

"I will speak, and I will listen."

"Listen to the voice in their hearts. Listen to why they picked up knives, why they bled, why—"

cry."

Many images flashed through Fujitora's mind.

Those variables he suppressed, those empty eyes.

The young swordsman he persuaded to surrender.

Satan's cold voice.

And before my eyes—in BigMom's murky, single eye, lies the pain that belongs to Charlotte Linlin.

"Aaaaaah!!!"

Big Mom suddenly roared, unleashing a burst of power that sent Zatoichi flying. She raised her greatsword, ignoring Katakuri, and slashed at the Marine soldiers gathered on the deck!

"Hungry-!!!"

The blade flashed.

Fujitora moved.

The cane-sword was fully drawn.

"Gravity Blade - Fierce Tiger!!"

The massive gravity slash slammed horizontally into BigMom's blade. The two forces collided, and the entire frigate split in two!

BigMom was knocked back several steps, and Fujitora also staggered backward.

Zatoichi steadied himself and stood beside Fujitora.

"Have you decided?" he asked.

Fujitora took a deep breath and looked at the communications soldier.

"Pass on my orders."

"All naval vessels, withdraw to the southeast to clear the waterway to the Red Earth."

The communications soldier was taken aback: "General, those revolutionary troops—"

"Let them pass." Fujitora's voice was resolute. "Also, notify the Revolutionary Army fleet—Big Mom."

It's out of control. Let them be careful.

"But what about the World Government?"

"I'll take responsibility," Fujitora interrupted him. "Execute orders."

The communications soldier gritted his teeth and ran to relay the order.

A faint smile appeared on Zatoichi's lips.

"That's more like it."

BigMom pounces again. This time, her target is clear—Fujitora.

"You—stole my food!!!"

Fujitora and Zatoichi met them at the same time.

A knife, a staff.

One uses gravity to suppress, the other uses a blade to cut.

BigMom's frenzied attacks were blocked by the two of them working together, but she was too strong. Every collision caused the deck to shatter and the ship to tilt.

Katakuri struggled to his feet and said to Pudding, "Take those who can still move and get them onto the lifeboats."

"What about you, brother?"

"I—" Katakuri looked at Big Mom's retreating figure, a flicker of pain in his eyes, "I'll stay. At least—to see Mom off on her final journey."

Pudding shook her head, crying, but was pulled away by the other surviving pirates.

Meanwhile, the naval fleet began an orderly withdrawal.

The zombie fleet wanted to give chase, but was intercepted by the rearguard that Fujitora had arranged in advance.

The main fleet of the revolutionary army received the news. Although puzzled, they seized the opportunity and broke through towards the Red Earth Continent at full speed.

Kizaru and Green Bull also received the order.

"Retreat?" Green Bull protested. "So much nutrition—"

"It's an order~" Kizaru lazily sheathed his Ama-no-Murakumo sword. "And—look over there."

He pointed to the sea to the east.

There, Big Mom's mad aura soared into the sky, mixed with the magical fluctuations of Fujitora and another powerful Heroic Spirit.

"Fujitora seems to be—for real," Kizaru said. "Shall we go check it out?"

Achilles, unable to contain himself any longer, exclaimed, "Let's go!"

Green Bull hesitated for a moment, but seeing Fenrir's longing eyes, he nodded.

"Then let's go take a look. Maybe—there's better nutrition there."

Liberation of the fortress, command center.

Sabo frowned as he watched the rapidly changing situation on the nautical chart.

"Fujitora made way—is he still helping us hold off Big Mom?" He looked at Napoleon. "Does this make sense?"

Long paused for a moment to think during the communication.

"Fujitora Issho—I've studied his background. He's not a pure believer in order. He has his own set of justice, and BigMom's current loss of control has probably crossed his line."

"But that would be tantamount to openly defying the World Government."

"So—" Dragon raised his eyes, "this could be a signal. The Navy is not a monolithic entity."

Sabo clenched his fist.

"Regardless, we cannot waste this opportunity. Order the entire army to break through at full speed! Target—the Red Earth Continent!"

The order has been issued.

The Revolutionary Army fleet, the Straw Hat Pirates' Sunny, the Cross Society's ship, the Polar Diving Ship —

All the Red Team forces began to converge and advance at full speed toward that ultimate goal.

On the sea, an unprecedentedly large fleet is taking shape.

Behind them, a blood mist spread wildly, and the deadly battle between Fujitora Zatoichi and Big Mom.