Chapter 141 The Clone War

Egghead Island—Beneath the Endless Thunderclouds

Above the ruined landscape of Egghead Island, beneath the roiling mass of thunderclouds, two massive figures clashed in the sky—a crimson dragon and an azure dragon, coiling and twisting as they circled each other.

The storm-ridden heavens trembled under their presence. Their eyes locked, burning with intensity.

Bullet, uninterested in any further standoffs, tilted his massive draconic head, opening his gaping maw as searing crimson energy gathered within. Heat warped the air around his fangs, the sheer pressure of his attack causing the storm winds to swirl violently.

"Heat Breath!!!"

On the other side, the Kaido clone reacted in kind. His jaws parted, revealing an infernal glow as orange-green flames swirled in his throat, condensing his own Heat Breath.

SCOFF!

Bullet struck first. A searing red beam, stretching nearly a kilometer, ripped through the sky, slicing through the air as it surged toward his opponent.

A heartbeat later, the Kaido clone retaliated, unleashing his blazing emerald-gold beam. The two attacks collided midair, the impact unleashing an explosion of pure destructive energy.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The heavens quaked as the opposing flames clashed, the sheer force of the impact sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. The sky itself split apart, wind howling in response to the overwhelming power.

For a moment, they seemed evenly matched.

Then, Bullet's crimson inferno began to push forward. The Kaido clone's attack wavered, struggling against the overwhelming force. Cracks splintered through his energy beam, fragments of power splintering away like shards of glass.

SCOFF!

And then, in a final burst of power, the Kaido clone's Heat Breath shattered completely.

Bullet's roaring flames surged through, slamming into its target.

BOOOOM!!!

The explosion tore through the sky, and a column of thick, black smoke spiraled upward, blotting out the storm clouds.

But Bullet wasn't done. With a mighty twist of his serpentine body, his crimson-scaled form spun violently, creating a whirling vortex of sheer power. In an instant, a blood-red tornado, stretching a thousand meters high, connected the heavens and the earth.

HUUUUH!!!

The force of the storm was so immense that seawater from the distant ocean was pulled upward, rising into the air like inverted waterfalls. The raging blood-red winds and the deep azure sea entangled in a spiraling, terrifying display of destruction.

Yet the battle was far from over.

"OMNIOUS WIND!!!"

With a roar, Bullet unleashed his next attack. From the core of his blood-blue waterspout, hundreds of razor-sharp crescent blades materialized, glowing menacingly as they shot forward.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!!!

Emerging from the smoke and flames, the Kaido clone shook his head, his golden eyes widening as he caught sight of the incoming barrage.

"Not good…!"

But he had no time to evade.

The storm of crimson slashes descended upon him. Though his Armament Haki-coated scales braced against the onslaught, the sheer volume and speed of the attack overwhelmed him.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Explosions erupted across his body, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.

The remaining blood-blue slashes carved into Egghead Island, reducing entire rock formations to rubble and vast forests to splinters.

CHI CHI CHI CHI!

Within mere moments, towering cliffs were flattened, entire landscapes reshaped by the sheer force of Bullet's assault.

Below, the Celestial Dragons and CP0 agents watched, their expressions frozen in absolute terror.

Bullet, still in his draconic form, roared with laughter, his crimson wings spread wide.

"GYAAAHAHAHAHA!!! A damn Kaido clone?! What a joke!" His fanged maw twisted into a vicious grin. "You ain't even a shadow of the real thing! Weak! PATHETIC! Is that all you got?! HAH! Not enough! NOT EVEN CLOSE! Come on, GIVE ME MORE! Or I'll TEAR YOU APART JUST TO MAKE IT INTERESTING!"

With a single, fluid motion, Bullet coiled through the sky, twisting his body before snapping his tail downward—a colossal limb, several kilometers long, descending like the judgment of a god.

The Kaido clone, still trapped in the swirling bloodstorm, barely had time to react before a monstrous tail came crashing down.

BOOOOOOM!!!

The impact sent him hurtling toward the ground like a meteor, a shockwave ripping through the battlefield.

A breath later, his colossal form smashed into the earth, the resulting crater stretching for miles. The very island shuddered under the force, as if on the verge of collapse.

Even as dust and debris swallowed the scene, Bullet showed no mercy.

"HEAT BREATH BARRAGE!!!"

His massive draconic form glowed, crimson flames swirling violently in his throat.

ZIZIZIZI!!!

With a thunderous roar, a flurry of blazing fire blasts—each one stretching a hundred meters—rained down like a hellish meteor shower.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!

Explosions ripped through the battlefield, shockwaves tearing apart the land.

The Kaido clone, still buried within the enormous crater, had no time to react. The onslaught swallowed the landscape, turning solid rock into dust and thousands of meters of forest into a scorched wasteland.

Watching from afar, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn—one of the Five Elders—felt his expression darken.

This wasn't what he had expected.

He had assumed that the three powerful clones he deployed would humiliate Buggy, proving the overwhelming strength of the World Government.

But reality was far crueler. Despite the Kaido clone possessing Admiral-level power, it was painfully obvious—his combat instincts and experience were leagues beneath Bullet's.

Even his Haki was weaker. If this battle continued unchecked, there was no doubt about the outcome. The Kaido clone would fall.

And sooner rather than later. His gaze flickered away, turning toward the other battlefield raging high above the clouds.

"TIDAL BREAK!!!"

"SKY RIPPER!!!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!

In the stormy skies above, blades and axes clashed, their impact splitting the clouds apart.

Despite being a clone, the Golden Lion's replica wielded the same legendary blades as the original—Oto and Kogarashi. With every swing, his golden sword aura slashed through the air, creating dozens of deadly shockwaves.

Gaban let out a booming laugh, his dual axes resting lightly in his grip despite the sheer pressure of the battle.

"GYAHAHAHA! That all ya got, clone?!" His grin was wide, taunting. "You swing those swords around like a drunk rookie! Shiki would be pissed if he saw this!"

His voice carried across the battlefield, loud and unshaken.

"Haki, skill, instincts—you don't have a damn thing that makes the real Golden Lion terrifying!" His golden eyes flashed. "You're just a cheap knockoff!"

The Golden Lion clone's expression darkened, his jaw tightening in fury.

"Tch…! Keep running that mouth, Gaban!" he spat, his grip tightening on his swords. "I don't care if I'm a clone—I'll surpass the original! I'll become even greater than Shiki the Golden Lion!"

With a ferocious swipe of his blades, two massive slashes tore through the air, carrying the full force of Shiki's infamous techniques—

"LION: THOUSAND SLICE VALLEY!!!"

"LION MAJESTY: IMPERIAL EARTH COILING!!!"

In an instant, countless golden sword waves filled the sky, cutting toward Gaban with devastating force.

At the same time, the Golden Lion clone's body twisted, harnessing the power of his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi.

The storm clouds and howling winds around him shifted, converging into dozens of enormous lion-shaped constructs, each tens of meters wide, all surging toward Gaban in a violent, coordinated assault.

Yet Gaban remained unshaken. He simply sneered. Then, the air around him rippled.

BOOM!!!

His Armament Haki exploded outward, coating his entire body in a dark aura, stretching three to four meters around him like a raging fire.

The twin battle axes in his hands burned with black flames, their deadly edges radiating a suffocating pressure.

And then—

He charged.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!!

One after another, Gaban's massive axes cleaved through the golden slashes, cutting them apart like fragile glass.

The lion-shaped storm constructs fared no better.

As they closed in, his axes smashed through them effortlessly, reducing the massive beasts to nothing more than dissipating winds.

It was as if he were tearing through paper.

A rampaging beast in human form.

No matter how ferocious the clone's attacks, Gaban shredded through them with overwhelming strength.

At that moment, it became clear—

The Golden Lion's clone was no match.

And yet—something even more terrifying became apparent. The Lion-Lion Fruit's effect on Gaban. Originally, his one weakness had always been a lack of aerial combat ability.

But now, thanks to the fruit's abilities, that flaw had been completely erased.

In midair, he was just as powerful—if not stronger—than on land. His battle axes, already devastating, now moved with even greater force, enhanced by the unnatural weightlessness granted by the fruit.

With every attack, his power multiplied further. And it was clear—

The clone never stood a chance.

Wheeze.

In mere seconds, Gabban had shattered through the Golden Lion clone's attacks, charging straight toward him like an unstoppable force of nature.

"W-What?! Impossible!"

The Golden Lion clone's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

Before him, Gabban loomed, dual axes in hand, his entire body wreathed in an intense black aura, exuding an overwhelming presence. The clone's strongest techniques had been effortlessly torn apart—as if they were nothing more than fragile paper in a storm.

And then—

Gabban raised his axe.

Without hesitation, he brought it down upon the Golden Lion clone.

"CRASHING TIDE!!!"

CLANG!!!

Golden Lion clone had no choice but to cross his blades—Oto and Kogarashi—to block the incoming strike.

But the moment the axe connected—

BANG!!!

His expression twisted in horror. The seemingly effortless attack carried a force so immense that it sent a violent shockwave through his entire body. Before he could react, his defenses crumbled.

And then—

WHAM!!!

Gabban's colossal axe strike sent the Golden Lion clone hurtling downward, his golden figure streaking across the sky like a falling meteor.

FWOOOOOSH—BOOOOOM!!!

The impact was catastrophic.

His body smashed into the ground, creating a crater tens of meters deep, its radius stretching across hundreds of meters. The force of the collision shattered the landscape, sending cracks splintering outward, rocks crumbling, and entire forests collapsing into ruin.

It was as if a mountain had fallen from the heavens, pinning the Golden Lion clone to the earth. Watching this, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn of the Five Elders felt a cold chill run down his spine.

His gut clenched. This wasn't just a setback. This was turning into a disaster. And it was only getting worse.

"How dull. Is that all the so-called Celestial Dragons can come up with?" A calm yet sharp voice rang out.

From among Buggy's crew, a figure stepped forward—his back straight, his golden eyes gleaming with anticipation.

It was Seraphim S-Hawk—a clone of the legendary Dracule Mihawk.

His wings unfolded with a sharp clatter, his sword gleaming under the flickering battlefield flames.

"I'll go first." His voice was youthful, yet carried the unmistakable edge of a warrior seeking growth.

"I feel it—the breakthrough in swordsmanship that my foster father spoke of." His gaze locked onto a figure in the distance. "I'll take on the Captain John clone. No objections?"

A grin spread across his face as he turned to his crewmates.

Despite his resemblance to Mihawk, the young Seraphim's personality was the complete opposite of the cold, distant Warlord.

Where Mihawk was aloof and solitary, S-Hawk was warm and eager—a young warrior who thrived in the camaraderie of the Buggy Pirates.

Among them, he and S-Snake (the Hancock clone) were beloved by the entire crew.

Hearing his request, the Buggy Pirates chuckled, their expressions relaxed despite the raging war around them.

"Go for it, Hawk."

"Just be careful—that Captain John was no joke back in the Rocks Pirates!"

"Yeah, yeah, we got your back—now go kick his ass!"

Their encouragement only fueled his excitement.

S-Hawk then turned his gaze to the man at the center of it all.

Buggy.

The red-nosed emperor of the sea merely smiled, then gave a firm nod.

"Surpass your limits. We believe in you."

"Ohhhhhhh!!!"

Fired up, S-Hawk's eyes burned with determination.

With a sharp flutter, he spread his black wings and launched himself into the sky, hurtling toward Captain John's clone.

As S-Hawk closed the distance, Captain John's clone sneered, his jagged grin twisting with disdain.

"Hah! A brat like you thinks he can challenge me? You've got guts, kid—but you're courting death!"

Yet, before the clone could revel in his taunt, raucous laughter erupted from above.

"Hahahahaha!!!"

Saint Jaygarcia Saturn tilted his head back, his laughter dripping with cruel amusement.

"Buggy, you fool. Did Vegapunk never tell you?" His many eyes gleamed with condescension as he lazily raised a finger, pointing straight at the pirate clown.

"The highest authority over the Seraphim… belongs to us—the Five Elders!"

Then, his voice dropped into a commanding growl, filled with absolute certainty.

"Seraphim S-Hawk! Kill Buggy!"

A tense silence fell over the battlefield.

For a moment, Saturn wore a self-satisfied smirk, expecting the obedient Seraphim to instantly change targets and strike down the Emperor of the Sea.

But then—

CLANG!!!

S-Hawk's blade clashed against Captain John's, completely ignoring the order.

And then—

He turned his head. His expression puzzled, he called out:

"Captain—what's this old man rambling about?" His golden eyes blinked in genuine confusion. "Did he hit his head or something? He's telling me to kill you!"

The battlefield went dead silent.

And then—

The Buggy Pirates burst out laughing. Hearing S-Hawk's words, the smirk on Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's face froze mid-laugh.

His expression twisted in shock, eyes darting between Buggy and S-Hawk in disbelief.

"This... This isn't possible!"

His voice cracked as realization began to sink in. He whipped his head toward Buggy, his rage boiling over.

"What the hell did you do to the Seraphim?! Not even Vegapunk himself could remove the control chips! Are you telling me—" He sucked in a sharp breath, his pupils shrinking. "You actually got rid of them?! That's impossible!"

Buggy crossed his arms, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Don't act so high and mighty, Saturn." His voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge to his words. "How much do you people really know about this world? Ignorance itself isn't scary. But assuming your ignorance is fact? Now, that's just pathetic."

Buggy let out a scoff, shaking his head. "And to think someone like you is one of the so-called rulers of the world. No wonder the past eras were so miserable. Fortunately, this era ends with me."

"You…!"

Saturn's face burned red with fury. He clenched his fists, his entire body trembling, but not a single retort came to mind.

For centuries, he had dictated the fate of the world. No one had ever spoken to him like this.

And the worst part?

Buggy was right. He gritted his teeth. Damn it. Why hadn't the distress signal been sent yet? The clash between S-Hawk and Captain John erupted in full force.

"You brat—do you actually have the nerve to look away mid-fight?!"

Captain John let out a hoarse laugh, his drunken-sounding voice dripping with menace. In a flash, his body blurred.

"Die, fool!"

His sword whistled through the air, aimed directly at S-Hawk's neck.

This was no ordinary strike. The blade was coated in powerful Armament Haki, and for

For most pirates, it would have been a fatal blow. But the moment John's sword made contact—

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! A sharp, metallic ringing echoed across the battlefield. John's smug grin faltered. S-Hawk hadn't even flinched. His neck had turned to solid steel.

John's eyes went wide. "What?! That's—" His mind reeled in horror. "The Dice-Dice Fruit?!"

S-Hawk smirked, golden eyes glinting with excitement. "Heh. Not just that." With a swift motion, he raised his sword high, black lightning-like Haki crackling along the blade. "Blazing Sun Tempest!"

A roaring inferno erupted from his sword, spiraling toward Captain John in a searing vortex. John barely had time to react. The moment their swords clashed, S-Hawk's flames surged, splitting into dozens of fiery slashes. Each one carried the weight of an emperor's strike.

BOOM! The battlefield exploded as John was engulfed in a storm of fire and sword energy. The impact was monstrous, leaving jagged, smoldering craters stretching for miles, with deep fissures tearing through the ground in every direction. The battlefield fell silent as the dust slowly settled. John's scorched form collapsed, unmoving.

Saturn's eyes widened in horror. "Captain John was… defeated?!" His breath hitched as he clenched his jaw. "Damn it! How are they this strong?!"

From afar, Buggy chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You're still underestimating them?" His voice rang clear and sharp across the battlefield. He gestured toward S-Hawk with a smirk. "That kid standing before you? He's no longer some defective, mass-produced weapon under your control." Buggy's arms spread wide, his tone brimming with unshakable confidence. "A prodigy, raised by Dracule Mihawk himself. A master of both Armament and Observation Haki. A newly awakened Devil Fruit user. Seraphim Hawk."

His words sent a ripple through the battlefield. "And in the future, he and S-Snake will make 'Seraphim' a title all their own." Buggy's gaze snapped back to Saturn, his smirk widening. "So don't go judging my crew with those superficial eyes of yours, old man."

High above the battlefield, S-Hawk spread his black wings, the raging flames behind him painting the sky in an ominous glow. His golden eyes burned with fierce determination as he brandished his massive blade. "Captain! I won't let you down!" His voice rang with unshakable resolve. "Before I surpass my adoptive father, I'll take my place in history with a name the world won't forget!"

The air grew heavy as his fiery aura surged, wrapping around him like a living entity. His wings flared, his power surging to its peak, the sheer heat distorting the very air. "Witness the swordsmanship passed down through the Lunarian bloodline!"

He raised his blade high. Flames spiraled along the edge, merging into a colossal, coiling dragon—hundreds of meters long. Its form twisted and roared, its searing heat warping the battlefield itself. "Crimson Sun Ascension!!!"

With a thunderous cry, S-Hawk swung. The blazing dragon launched forward, its sheer force shaking the heavens, its molten fangs hungering for destruction.

Watching from afar, Saturn's breath caught in his throat. His fingers twitched, his pupils shrinking in disbelief. "This… This is King's ability?!" His mind raced, trying to comprehend what he was witnessing. Impossible. Absolutely impossible. The Seraphim were not supposed to be this powerful.

Yet here they were—utterly dominating his elite forces. Saturn gritted his teeth, his confidence cracking. How…? How had Buggy's crew—a crew he had dismissed as nothing but a joke—managed to completely overpower multiple Admiral-level warriors from the Holy Knights?! His hands clenched into fists, his face twisting in frustration. This battle was slipping out of his control.

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