Chapter 27: The War Begins New September 8

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The sky above the Calm Belt churned, thick clouds rolling in as if summoned by the very chaos brewing below. The sea, which had once held its stillness like a grave, was now alive with the roar of battle. The war had begun, and all the powers that Davy Jones had amassed seemed but a drop in the ocean compared to the storm he now faced.

The Flying Dutchman, majestic and ominous, cut through the waves with an unnatural grace, its ghostly sails billowing even in the windless expanse of the Calm Belt. Davy Jones stood on the quarterdeck, his hand gripping Poseidon's Trident. The air around him crackled with power, the very sea responding to his will. But even with his mastery over the waters, the weight of the war pressing down upon him was undeniable. From every corner of the horizon, ships bore down on his position, flags flying high and cannons bristling with fury.

The Yonko had made their move.

Kaido's fleet was the first to break through the mist. Great iron-clad vessels, dragons carved into their prows, surged forward. On the decks, monstrous figures—men and beasts melded into one—roared in anticipation. Kaido himself stood atop his flagship, a titanic figure bathed in the light of the storm. His eyes locked onto the Dutchman, and his grin promised destruction.

On the opposite side, Big Mom's armada surged into view, her candy-colored ships a bizarre contrast to the grimness of war. Her laughter echoed across the waters as her homies—living, sentient manifestations of her soul—cackled and danced. Her power over life and death twisted the battlefield even before the first cannon fired. Ships and waves alike bent to her will.

And from the far west, the shadow of Shanks loomed. His fleet, smaller but no less deadly, sailed in precise formation. Unlike the others, his approach was quieter, more deliberate. He didn't seek carnage for carnage's sake, but he understood the necessity of this confrontation. The balance of power in the world had shifted too far with Davy Jones's rise. He had to be stopped before the seas fell entirely under his control.

But there was no turning back now. Jones had known this day would come the moment he began his campaign. His ambition had drawn him to the attention of the world's most powerful pirates, and now they sought to bring him down.

"Captain…" Calypso, his first mate, whispered from his side, her eyes scanning the horizon. "They're coming from all sides."

Jones didn't reply immediately. His tentacle beard writhed in agitation, betraying the storm of thoughts swirling beneath his cold, calculating exterior. He gazed across the battlefield—his battlefield—and felt a mixture of pride and dread. The sea belonged to him, more than it ever had to anyone. Yet now, the very powers that had once ruled it sought to wrest it from his grasp.

"Let them come," he finally growled, his voice a rumble like distant thunder. He raised Poseidon's Trident, the weapon glowing faintly with divine energy. "We shall see who controls the sea."

With a swift motion, he slammed the trident into the deck, and the sea erupted.

Tidal waves surged forth, monstrous walls of water that rose high above the ships. The ocean responded to Davy Jones's command, but even his vast power could not halt the inevitable clash. The first wave crashed into Kaido's fleet, throwing several smaller ships into disarray. Cannons fired in all directions as the crews struggled to regain control, but Kaido's flagship plowed through the waves as if they were nothing. The man—no, the beast—was unshaken.

"Jones!" Kaido bellowed, his voice carrying across the battlefield. "You think you can command the sea? You're a fool if you think a few waves will stop me!"

With a single motion, Kaido leaped into the air, transforming into his full dragon form. His massive, serpentine body coiled through the sky, blotting out the light as he descended upon the Dutchman. Fire spewed from his maw, scorching the air and turning the sea below to steam.

Jones raised the trident, and a barrier of water surged up to meet the flames. The two forces collided, hissing and crackling as steam rose in thick clouds. But Kaido's sheer power was undeniable. The dragon crashed into the barrier, sending shockwaves through the sea and pushing the Dutchman back.

But before Kaido could press his attack, a volley of candy-laced cannonballs from Big Mom's fleet struck his flank. The dragon roared in fury, but Big Mom's mocking laughter only grew louder.

"You're not the only one who wants a piece of him, Kaido!" she taunted, her voice shrill and malicious.

The battlefield descended into chaos as the Yonko fleets turned on each other, even as they sought to crush Davy Jones. Ships exploded, cannons roared, and the sea churned with bodies and debris. The once majestic Calm Belt had become a place of carnage, a watery grave for those too slow or too weak to survive.

Shanks's fleet, meanwhile, moved with deadly precision, cutting through the chaos with disciplined attacks. His cannons didn't fire wildly into the fray; every shot was aimed, every maneuver calculated. He was playing the long game, waiting for the right moment to strike at the heart of the battle.

Jones, amidst the storm of powers and steel, was a force unto himself. His command over the sea was unmatched, and with Poseidon's Trident in his hand, he was more than just a pirate—he was a god of the deep. He summoned whirlpools to devour enemy ships, sent lightning to strike at his foes, and bent the very tides to his will.

But the cost of this power was great. His crew, loyal and fierce, were being overwhelmed. For every ship he sank, two more seemed to take its place. His enemies were relentless, their hunger for his demise insatiable.

"Captain, we can't hold them much longer!" Calypso shouted over the din of battle, her voice strained.

Jones's eyes flicked to his crew. They were fighting valiantly, but they were mortal. Flesh and blood. Unlike him, they could not bend the sea to their will. They could not withstand the power of the Yonko forever.

"We won't need to," Jones growled, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Shanks's flagship moving closer, avoiding the chaos. "This war ends now."

He slammed the trident into the deck once more, and the sea itself seemed to groan in response. The waters churned violently, and in the distance, a massive maelstrom began to form. Its pull was irresistible, sucking in ships from all sides. Even Kaido, in his dragon form, struggled against the force of the whirlpool.

"This is your end!" Jones roared, his voice carrying over the battlefield as the trident glowed brighter than ever before. The sea, his domain, was swallowing his enemies whole.

But even as the maelstrom grew, even as his enemies were pulled into its deadly embrace, a shadow fell over Davy Jones.

Shanks had made his move.

In the chaos, Shanks had leapt from his ship, cutting through the air with impossible speed. His blade met the trident in a clash that sent shockwaves through the battlefield. The force of the impact was so great that the sea stilled for a brief moment, as if holding its breath.

Shanks's eyes, calm and resolute, met Jones's burning gaze.

"This has gone far enough, Jones," Shanks said, his voice calm but filled with steel. "The sea isn't yours to command."

Jones snarled, pushing back against Shanks's blade with all his strength. "You think you can stop me, Red-Hair? You think you can deny me what's rightfully mine?"

Shanks didn't respond with words. Instead, he pushed harder, his blade glowing with Haki, matching the divine power of the trident. The two clashed again, sparks flying as the sea trembled beneath them.

Around them, the battle raged on. Kaido, Big Mom, and their forces fought against the maelstrom, struggling to avoid being consumed. The Dutchman's crew battled valiantly, but the tide was turning against them.

And in the center of it all, Davy Jones and Shanks fought a duel that would decide the fate of the sea.

The war had begun, but it was far from over.