The New World, Cake Island Defense Line.
Morning.
Sakazuki stood on the peak of the island, gazing into the distance.
The sky was pitch black, devoid of any light, with endless darkness blanketing heaven and earth. Many had been sleepless the entire night.
The final darkness before dawn was oppressively heavy, the most difficult to endure…
Swish—
Karol’s figure appeared:
"Marshal Sakazuki."
He held two transparent containers filled with Devil Fruits and offered them over.
Sakazuki took the two containers and brought them before his eyes. He gently rotated his palms, looking at the golden and emerald Devil Fruits, and chuckled lightly:
"The last two unyielding ones have also vanished…"
This world didn’t need so many powerhouses. Once the war was over, only two or three strong enough to suppress the world would suffice.
The remaining powerhouses, both overt and covert, would be thoroughly purged until this world was remolded into Sakazuki's desired image, only then would control be loosened.
"Prepare to welcome the dawn…"
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The New World, Cake Island Defense Line.
Morning.
In the grand conference room where they had met yesterday, only Sakazuki sat at the head of the table, arms crossed, leaning back in his chair and resting with his eyes closed.
Time trickled by. Footsteps arriving outside were heard, followed by waiting.
As the hands on the pocket watch reached eight o'clock.
Karol entered from the door outside and walked up to Sakazuki, bowing his head to report:
"Marshal, everyone is here."
Sakazuki let out a soft 'hm' and slowly opened his eyes.
He picked up his hat from the table, stood up, put it on, and walked out. Karol followed closely behind.
Emerging from the door opened by Karol.
An overwhelming radiance met their eyes, revealing several figures who had been waiting for a long time: Barrett, Sengoku, Garp…
Sakazuki's indifferent voice rang out:
"Move out."
Five Justice cloaks billowed as they vanished from the scene…
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The New World, Cake Island.
Inside a hall made of food, Charlotte Linlin was listening to Katakuri and Perospero's report:
"Oven and Daifuku are in position, ready to receive the remnants from Helle Nock."
"The other ministers are also dispersed across various islands, awaiting orders for the counter-offensive."
Charlotte Linlin sat on her throne, her hands resting on the armrests:
"Gather as many as you can."
"We can't afford to be picky now. If this war fails, then…"
Katakuri suddenly looked up, then glanced around. The crisis of death stimulated his nerves, yet he couldn't pinpoint its origin.
Katakuri's abnormality also drew the attention of Charlotte Linlin and Perospero, who immediately became wary.
It wasn't until Karol's attention was fixed on the ceiling of the palace that Katakuri activated his ability, his arms transforming into mochi, coated in Armament Haki, and lunging upwards:
"Above!!!"
Boom—!!!!
The mochi spikes, coated in Armament Haki, were directly crushed.
Four figures clad in Justice cloaks, their aura even more formidable than Charlotte Linlin's, smashed into the hall. An endless killing intent emanated.
Charlotte Linlin felt a chill surge through her brain, and a sharp voice cried out:
"Stop them!!!"
Zeus, Prometheus, Napoleon, three special Hominids immediately rushed out. Charlotte Linlin stomped her foot and directly broke through the hall's ceiling, lunging upwards.
There was no talk of Yonko dignity, only one thought: escape…
Facing Garp alone, she was already evenly matched. Now with three more, it was impossible to fight. Anyone who came would die…
Below, the stunned Katakuri and Perospero also reacted:
"Mochi Wall!"
"Candy Wall!"
The grand palace made of food instantly wriggled, repairing the roof broken by Charlotte Linlin.
Candy and mochi surged like waves, coated in Armament Haki, layer by layer, attempting to block these four.
Barrett grinned, entering his Oni-kizashi mode. His cerulean skin and crimson eyes looked up at the thick barrier atop the hall. The next second…
Boom!!!!
A deafening roar sounded.
Barrett, who was just there, had vanished. The dense candy and mochi barrier was smashed, creating a hole dozens of meters wide. Then, Garp stomped and followed, charging out.
Among these four, if anyone most wanted to end this battle, it would undoubtedly be Garp…
Only by defeating all four Emperors could they reach Mary Geoise…
Sengoku did not hesitate either and followed the two out.
Sakazuki, who remained, entered his elemental state, his internal energy accumulating limitlessly.
Lava billowed around him, emitting thick black smoke. His eyes glowed golden. He looked at the two who were sweating profusely and spoke with indifference:
"Overestimating yourselves."
As his voice fell.
Boom—!!!
A scorching wave of heat, like the sun, swept out from the center of the hall, instantly engulfing the entire island.
All the food, buildings, and flammable materials on the island erupted into fierce flames, and Cake Island was plunged into a sea of fire.
Then, the ground shook violently, accompanied by endless lava gushing from the great hall at the island's center, destroying the entire island like a natural disaster-like tsunami.
All that met the eye was flowing lava. The sweet island, composed of food, instantly transformed into a molten inferno.
Katakuri and Perospero, enveloped by the Armament Haki shield formed by mochi and candy, suddenly noticed a point in the middle of the Armament Haki barrier ahead turn crimson.
It then rapidly expanded, directly melting the Armament Haki barrier made of candy and mochi.
"Magu Inu."
Sakazuki's emotionless voice echoed. Katakuri's Observation Haki worked furiously, as if time had slowed down. The moment the voice sounded.
He pushed his hand towards Perospero, attempting to shove him aside, while simultaneously retreating himself.
Two streams of lava pierced the barrier and struck towards their heads.
Katakuri narrowly dodged, but Perospero, even after being pushed away by Katakuri, still had half his head grazed, dying instantly…
Katakuri's pupils contracted. He activated his ability, and mochi surged out like a sea, pouncing towards Sakazuki, while he himself retreated rapidly.
Sakazuki looked at the surging giant wave of mochi and calmly uttered a few words:
"Dai Funka."
Endless crimson light flared again. Extreme heat and impact swept across the entire island once more.
The surging giant wave of mochi melted and disintegrated. Katakuri, who had not yet retreated far, was affected by the shockwave, losing control of his body and tumbling into the lava.
Before he could even get up, Sakazuki’s large, dark hand gripped his neck…
His right hand moved slightly upwards, clamping onto Katakuri’s jaw, while his left hand pressed down on his head.
With a slight twist to the left, Sakazuki lifted Katakuri into the air. Sakazuki's hands formed claws, and his muscles bulged as his nearly tangible Armament Haki flowed, his arms thickening as they converged in the center…
Crack—
A crisp bone-cracking sound echoed.
The head, encased in emitted Armament Haki, was compressed and shrunk by the immense force, and the brain was completely crushed.
Bang!
It exploded into a bloody mist.
The headless corpse fell to the ground.
Without sparing a glance at the useless corpse of the dead.
Sakazuki slightly turned his head and looked to the side.
Something like a meteor descended from the sky, crashing towards the island.
Rumble!!!
The earth shook violently.
Charlotte Linlin, covered in flames and with a contorted face, crawled out of the pit.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three heavy thuds.
Barrett, Garp, and Sengoku landed successively, forming a triangle formation and surrounding her.
Sakazuki hooked his foot and kicked the headless corpse of Katakuri beneath him towards Charlotte Linlin, then slowly walked over.
Slam!
Charlotte Linlin, her face contorted, reached out and caught Katakuri's corpse, throwing it to the ground. She stared intently at the approaching figure:
"Sakazuki…"
Sakazuki approached and looked at her calmly:
"Are your last words finished?"
"Then you can die."
Barrett let out a sinister laugh and instantly entered his awakened amplification.
A blue devil giant, nearly a hundred meters tall, raised its massive hand, dozens of meters wide, and smashed towards Charlotte Linlin.
Charlotte Linlin's flames intensified, and a bolt of lightning shot into the sky:
"Kari-jō-ten-Shō!!!"
The dark clouds above the island churned like a whirlpool, and dense lightning crackled, like countless chains, striking towards Barrett, but it didn't hinder his movement for a moment.
Charlotte Linlin clenched Napoleon in both hands, pulling them back, her furious aura surging:
"Emperor Sword!!!"
Before she could unleash it.
Clang—
A sound of metal clashing.
On the other side, Sengoku transformed into his small Buddha form, and the shockwave from his palm covered Charlotte Linlin, directly pinning Napoleon in her hands, preventing her from swinging it.
A giant fist, like a mountain, descended and struck Charlotte Linlin's head, causing her eyes to glaze over and her head to spin.
Emitted Armament Haki pressed down like atmospheric pressure within hundreds of meters around Charlotte Linlin.
The ground instantly caved in, forming a compressed basin at the center of this molten hell. Charlotte Linlin was forced to her knees.
Garp flashed forward and kicked the leg Charlotte Linlin was using to support herself.
Boom!
Charlotte Linlin fell to her knees, completely suppressed.
Her head was pinned by the mountain-like giant fist, her arms holding Napoleon were held by Sengoku, and her knees were forced to the ground by Garp's kick.
She struggled to lift her eyes and looked at the figure in the red suit walking towards her. Endless hatred surged, and she opened her mouth to say something.
Sakazuki, walking closer, transformed his right arm into lava, emitting thick black smoke, and raised it:
"Magu Inu."
Crimson lava turned into a pillar of molten rock, pouring incessantly into Charlotte Linlin's gaping maw, following her contorted, ferocious face.
The suppressed Charlotte Linlin visibly swelled and grew larger…
Boom—!!!!
Charlotte Linlin, like a mountain of flesh, exploded from the inside as the lava ignited within her, disintegrating into pieces…
Only her head was pulled off by Sakazuki’s large hand, remaining relatively intact, and tossed towards the appearing Karol:
"Next."