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

Chapter 315 Turning the Tide of Battle, The Dragon's Servant

The giant warships cleaved through the sea, reaching the Holy Shield Gate.

Loki stood at the bow of the ship, a battle axe in his hand.

Odin, standing beside him, suddenly raised his head slightly, his single eye fixed on the churning shadows on the sea ahead. For the first time, an indescribable emotion flickered across his aged, serene face.

"As expected—this malice, no matter how many worlds it crosses or what form it takes, remains so familiar," Odin murmured.

Ahead, the enormous tree-man, the avatar of Green Bull Wild Shepherd, uttered a hollow declaration, and the shadow beneath his feet surged, as a giant wolf, as large as a small mountain, suddenly appeared!

Its fur stood on end like steel needles, its single eye was scarlet, and its saliva corroded the sea surface; it was none other than Fenrir, the demon wolf.

"Fenrir!" roared the Green Bull, "Tear them apart!"

The wolf howled and pounced straight at Odin at the bow of the giant ship!

It had no eyes for the green bull, only for that one-eyed old man, a destiny it had to devour!

Faced with his destined enemy rushing towards him, Odin made his move.

Instead of using Gungnir, he stepped forward, his one eye meeting Fenrir's scarlet one eye.

"Fate—" Odin's voice carried the majesty of a god-king, but also a complex sigh.

"Even in this other world, appearing in such a frenzied manner, is your only target still my head?"

'

Fenrir could not answer; only the instinct for destruction drove him.

"Great God!" Loki stepped forward.

"It's alright." Odin raised his hand to stop him, but his one eye looked at Green Bull. "To summon and command such monstrous beasts in human form—do you know that this is playing with fire and getting burned?"

"Power is power!" Green Bull's voice boomed from the tree trunk. "It obeys, that's enough! Fenrir, kill!"

The wolf pounced again.

Odin finally lifted Gungnir.

Without any elaborate chanting, he simply pointed the spear at Fenrir and softly uttered: "The Great God's Declaration—Herein it is decided, the chains of destiny."

It wasn't thrown. A faint light gleamed from the tip of the gun.

The Fenrir, which was attacking, suddenly let out a painful and angry howl, and countless illusory chains appeared in the space around it.

That was Gleipnir's projection!

Although it was just a conceptual representation, it caused Fenrir immense suppression and pain, causing his movements to instantly stiffen and become sluggish.

"Now! Conquer the Nation!" Loki seized the opportunity and roared in unison with the giant warriors behind him, unleashing a torrent of Haki that slammed into Green Bull's main body, who was briefly distracted by Fenrir's control!

Caught off guard, Green Bull's tree trunk was blasted into flying wood chips, shook violently, and let out a muffled groan.

"Oh dear, this is really bad." Kizaru's voice rang out slowly. He had somehow appeared above and to the side of Green Bull, tilting his head to look at the battle below.

"Your Heroic Spirit seems unable to hold off the enemy, Admiral Green Bull."

Achilles, spear in hand, also arrived, stepping through the air and staring intently at Odin, grinning broadly.

"Zeus? No—the Norse king of the gods? Heh, not bad. But old man, isn't using chains to fight wild beasts a bit too weak? How about a real battle?"

Odin glanced at Achilles with his one eye: "Your fighting spirit stems from honor and freedom. But this beast's madness stems from its written destiny and resentment. This is not a battle to be fought to one's heart's content."

Achilles raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying.

Kizaru scratched his cheek: "That makes sense, but the mission is to guard the gate. If Green Bull falls, it'll be quite a hassle for just the two of us to hold off these big guys."

He seemed troubled, but his gaze behind his sunglasses swept across the entire battlefield, especially the increasingly intense fluctuations on the south side and the unsettling light at the top of the Red Earth.

"Achilles," Kizaru suddenly became a little more serious.

"What do you think—what if the world really did operate in perfect order?"

Achilles scoffed: "What's the point then? The glory of battle, the freedom to advance, the right to choose—all gone."

"What's the difference between that kind of world and a graveyard? It's a place that heroes with short but brilliant lives would never want to live in."

"That's true." Kizaru drawled, "But whether it's resisting or protecting, it's all so troublesome—"

'

Despite his words, his body once again transformed into photons.

"But I still need to be a little more serious—the Yasakani no Magatama!"

This time, the light bullets were not used for swarming attacks, but rather rained down with precision on the giant warriors of the second wave of the Overlords, intending to interrupt their combined attack.

Odin raised his hand, and runes flickered, creating an invisible barrier above the giant array that intercepted most of the light projectiles.

The light and roar of the explosion temporarily obscured the view.

Taking advantage of the moment, Green Bull painfully contracted its damaged plant body and desperately used its vines to drag Fenrir, who was still struggling against the phantom of Gleipnir, backward.

"Tsk, troublesome god." Green Bull's face darkened.

He realized that Odin's control over Fenrir was too strong, and the combined power of the giants' mighty attack was astonishing, putting his side at a disadvantage.

Kizaru returned to Achilles' side and shrugged: "Looks like we can't break this deadlock for now. Giants are tough and resilient."

Achilles looked toward the Gate of the Holy Shield, then toward the south.

"Hey Borsalino, haven't you noticed that the commotion over there is getting louder? And—it looks like something's going up there?"

He was referring to the trajectory of Blackbeard and Ace breaking through the eastern front one after another, and Akainu turning into light and flying towards Mary Geoise after leaving the southern battlefield.

Kizaru paused for a moment, his sunglasses reflecting the light. "Ah, that seems to be the case. It looks like the guests for the final stage are almost all here. Perhaps we should change our duty arrangements here?"

His tone was somewhat subtle.

Achilles glanced at him, seemed to understand something, and gave him a knowing smile.

Odin did not pursue. He looked south with his one eye, then up at the sky, and whispered, "The threads of fate are about to converge at one point. Loki, there's no need to linger here. The true end is not at this door."

Loki nodded emphatically, pointing his battle axe forward: "Everyone! At all costs, break down the Aegis Gate! We're going to the highest point!"

The giant warship, its sails billowing and magic burning, crashed into the massive steel gate symbolizing absolute order with unstoppable momentum, like a battering ram!

The sea in front of the Rusty Gate has been turned into a meat grinder.

The whistling of cannonballs, the clashing of swords, and the incessant shouts and screams filled the air.

Sakazuki Akainu is the most conspicuous source of destruction on the battlefield.

Each time the giant lava fist slammed down, it was accompanied by the baleful aura spreading from Bai Qi's Killing God Domain, leaving behind large areas of scorched earth and corpses.

His conviction burned like molten lava, eliminating all variables that threatened justice.

However, a figure staggered along the way and resolutely blocked his path of destruction.

It's Koby.

He had just shielded several comrades who had been stunned by the shockwave with his body, but he himself was covered in blood, and his Armament Haki was barely maintained under Akainu's scorching killing intent.

"Admiral Akainu! Stop!" Coby screamed, his voice trembling with exhaustion and agitation.

"They—are no longer capable of fighting! This is not justice! This is just slaughter!"

Akainu's lava-formed face remained expressionless, his icy voice cutting through the battlefield noise: "Justice requires sacrifice. Get out of the way, or you'll be considered a traitor."

"Then consider me a traitor!" Koby stepped forward instead, the scorching heat almost setting him ablaze.

"Look at what we're doing! What are we protecting? Are we protecting those high and mighty creators, or are we protecting the ordinary people on this ocean who want to survive?! Wasn't the World Government's doing the work that turned Big Mom into that?!"

His voice came through the broken loudspeaker, intermittently, like a pebble thrown into a boiling oil pan.

Many of the naval soldiers fighting nearby froze for a moment, their eyes filled with struggle.

Akainu's fist hung in mid-air.

Koby's words were like a thorn, piercing his unyielding conviction. But he quickly suppressed them; wavering is weakness.

"Absurd! Absolute justice is the only way to eradicate all tragedy! Personal questioning is worthless in the face of the world's survival!"

The lava blazed brightly again, about to fall.

"Sakazuki".

Another voice interrupted, as calm as an ice lake.

Aokiji Kuzan appeared on the flank at some unknown time, his body still exuding a chilling aura, yet his eyes were unusually clear and bright.

Socrates, standing beside him, silently watched Akainu.

"Kuzan?" Akainu paused.

"I just want to ask," Aokiji said slowly, "what is the ultimate goal of your absolute justice—the skeleton of order, or the flesh and blood of humanity that this skeleton should protect?"

Akainu remained silent, lava churning on his body.

Socrates' voice rang out: "If this skeleton requires you to drain all the vitality of flesh and blood, turning it into an eternal, unchanging specimen, then is this skeleton still just?"

"When what is being protected demands the destruction of what is being protected, where does the line between justice and evil lie?"

The questioning was like ice water poured over Akainu's heart.

The heavy silhouette of Fujitora as he left, Satan's icy tone as he gave orders, Big Mom's mad, all-consuming gaze—fragmented images flashed by.

This light and questioning acted as a catalyst.

Many naval vice admirals, rear admirals, and even ordinary soldiers began to tremble as they held their weapons, their eyes revealing deep confusion and pain.

"For whom are we bleeding?"

"Protect those who create monsters?"

"Slaughtering these—compatriots who just wanted to choose their own way of life?"

Akainu's lava body rippled violently, and Bai Qi also engaged in fierce conflict and struggle.

"Shut up!" Akainu growled, his raised lava fist, heavy as a thousand pounds, trembled, yet he could not bring it down.

Momousagi Gion stopped the pursuit, and Brunhilde also put away her gun and stood still, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

An eerie stillness descended upon the battlefield. Only the sound of wind and the faint echoes of distant explosions could be heard.

Just then, Monkey D. Dragon stepped out from the crowd.

The voice, clear and steady, reached every corner of the battlefield: "Soldiers of the Navy, warriors of the world!"

"We have gathered here not for destruction, but for rebellion—rebellion against that absolute order that seeks to stifle all future possibilities and solidify vibrant life into eternal specimens!"

This world is full of suffering and injustice, but it also breeds dreams, laughter, and countless people striving towards tomorrow!

"This possibility is the most precious ray of light in life!"

"Im, sitting on the Void Throne, and the highest levels of the World Government, fear precisely this possibility that cannot be completely controlled!"

"Therefore, by using the so-called collision crisis, they used the Holy Grail War to filter variables and deplete the forces of resistance. Their ultimate goal was to use that cocoon of order to freeze everything in place and eliminate any future troubles!"

"Our battle today is not to replace a god, but to reclaim what belongs to all people—"

"Including every one of you in the navy, including every civilian in the world, the right to pursue your own future!"

As he spoke with resounding conviction, a completely different aura rose from his body.

Warm and steadfast, like the first spark of light stolen from humanity through the long, dark night.

A figure appeared behind the dragon.

He was draped in simple burlap, holding a burning wooden staff, his face weathered by time, yet his eyes burned with fire.

The true name of the hero is revealed here: Prometheus, the fire thief.

The Noble Phantasm unfolds silently! [Giving Heavenly Fire to another]

There was no earth-shattering burst of power.

A warm, gentle radiance emanated from the dragon, spreading outwards like ripples.

The warriors of the Freedom Alliance, bathed in radiance, felt their weariness recede and their courage grow.

And for countless naval soldiers, the faint flame of their own will seemed to be injected with a wisp of pure oxygen, and suddenly became bright!

"This is----"

"Can I think for myself? Can I choose for myself?"

Akainu stared blankly at his hands, which were made of lava.

The destructive energy that once represented his absolute conviction now appeared so empty and unfamiliar under the light of Prometheus.

Bai Qi also let out a long, enigmatic sigh.

Aokiji gave Akainu a deep look, his eyes filled with understanding and resolve.

He turned to face the dark mass of naval personnel, each with a different expression, and raised his hand.

"All naval personnel, heed my command!"

His voice was clear and resonated throughout the battlefield.

"I, former Admiral Aokiji Kurazan, am withdrawing from this Absolute Order Defense Operation in my personal capacity."

"Those who still harbor doubts about their own sense of justice may step back. Those who still wish to fight for the World Government and its absolute order—please do as you see fit."

After the words were spoken, the battlefield fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately, the unrest spread like wildfire.

From the highest-ranking lieutenant general to the most ordinary private, countless faces showed expressions of struggle, relief, or finally making up their minds.

They began to move, slowly retreating, weapons lowered, their formation crumbling.

Only a very small number of die-hards and staunch believers remained in place, their faces pale, the front line already broken.

Momousagi bit her lip, looked at Akainu, and hesitated, then said, "Everyone—"

Akainu closed his eyes.

The magma flowed slowly across his body, solidified, and then flowed again. A few seconds later, he suddenly opened his eyes.

The last trace of hesitation in his eyes was replaced by an almost tragic determination.

"I, Sakazuki—" His voice was hoarse, each word deliberate and strained, as if every word had been uttered with all my might, "also withdraw from this battle."

He paused for a moment, his burning gaze sweeping across the battlefield, over Koby, over Aokiji, and finally looking up at the top of the Red Line.

"But I will not join you. I will go to Mary Geoise—to stand before the Five Elders myself and ask them clearly: what does the end of this absolute order look like!"

After saying that, he stopped looking at anyone, and the lava around him suddenly erupted, turning into a crimson meteor. He left the chaotic battlefield and sped off alone towards Mary Geoise!

Bai Qi silently followed, and the terrifying aura around him seemed to have subsided somewhat.

The biggest obstacle on the southern front has now disappeared.

"Advance." The dragon's voice rang out calmly, yet carried an unshakeable power.

The allied forces of the Free Will Alliance erupted in a deafening roar.

Like a flood bursting its banks, they swept away the last scattered and fragile resistance, stepped over the blood-stained beaches and rusted iron gates, officially landed on the Red Earth Continent, and marched majestically toward the final stage!

The cocoon of order beneath Pangu City has shone with its full brilliance.