The people gathered before the Den Den Mushi, recovering from their shock:
"It's finally starting..."
"This all-out war that will decide the fate of the world..."
People on various islands watched the large screen.
They clenched their fists, unconsciously swallowing, suppressing their emotions.
A surge of blood rushed to their heads, leaving them dry-mouthed and their eyes brimming with anticipation, waiting for that person to speak...
----------
The summit of Mount Reverse.
An extreme opposite to the location of Mary Geoise, the Holy Land.
Far from the entrance, on a desolate red soil continent.
At some unknown time, a simple house was built. The house was fully stocked with supplies, enough for a normal person to live for a period of time.
The stove fire burning inside dispelled some of the cold from this place that reached into the clouds.
*Swish—*
Carole instantly transported here with Robin.
The Den Den Mushi in the house was broadcasting the scene of Sakazuki just stepping onto the execution platform.
Carole smiled as he looked at Sakazuki appearing on the screen and said to Robin:
"You'll stay here for a while."
"I'll contact you when I return."
Robin looked at Carole, a little silent:
"Is it very dangerous?"
Carole smiled:
"A little, but it's not a big problem."
He gently patted Robin's shoulder:
"I'll come back to pick you up."
*Swish—*
His figure disappeared.
Robin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the unease in her heart.
Shaking her head, she stopped thinking about it and looked at the Den Den Mushi, where Sakazuki had already picked up the communicator and was preparing to speak...
----------
New World, New Marineford.
On the execution platform.
The cloak of justice fluttered slightly, and the figure that seemed to suppress the heavens and earth slowly raised the communicator in his hand and placed it before him.
Sakazuki's steady voice echoed throughout the world:
"Everyone."
"Today's execution holds great significance."
He paused for a moment, then continued:
"It signifies the end of the Great Pirate Era, and it signifies that this war has finally come to its conclusion."
"Since the war against the pirates began, for over two years."
"Countless brave Marines have sacrificed their lives in the New World. The combat attrition alone has reached over a hundred thousand. They lost their lives for the world."
"Their sacrifices were worthwhile and held extraordinary meaning."
"With the valiant efforts of countless Marines, we have divided and annihilated the pirates, gradually forcing them into the final encirclement."
The screen suddenly switched to a map of the New World.
Countless islands bore the Marine flag, occupying four-fifths of the New World. Only the remaining portion, with pirate flags, was surrounded by Marines.
The war situation in the New World could be clearly understood at a glance.
Sakazuki's voice continued with the changing images:
"The tremor the day before yesterday, I believe everyone felt it, especially the islands in the West Blue and North Blue."
"Just the day before yesterday."
"We detonated the second endpoint island."
The screen suddenly switched to show the island disappearing, leaving only a place spewing continuous lava.
"We have opened the prelude to the final decisive battle."
"And we have annihilated all forces of the pirate helmsman, Kuro, and the pirate Shanks. The remaining pirate remnants have gathered in the central area."
"And are being mopped up by the Marines."
"Now, I can represent the Marines, and represent Justice."
"To officially tell the citizens of the world, and the Marines who sacrificed their lives in this long war."
The screen switched back to Sakazuki, who took a deep breath:
"The so-called Great Pirate Era."
"Is over!!!!"
At this moment, the world seemed to fall silent.
----------
On the screen.
As Sakazuki's words fell silent, the soldiers lined up in the headquarters' plaza could no longer contain themselves. Loud cheers, transmitted through the Den Den Mushi, spread across the world.
It also awakened the people watching in various parts of the world.
The people's minds were filled with nothing else; only the three words 'It's over' echoed in their ears:
"It's over..."
"It's over..."
Someone, not knowing who, shouted it out, and everyone, with incredulous excitement, shouted:
"It's over!!!!!"
The watching citizens were unable to express their emotions.
They shook the shoulders of those beside them, continuously shouting those three words.
Some people began to cry uncontrollably as they shouted, perhaps remembering family members who were ravaged by pirates, or their hometowns that had faded into memory.
A little girl looked at her mother and the people around her:
"Mom, why is everyone crying?"
Hearing the little girl's words, her mother wiped away her tears, knelt down, hugged her daughter, and explained with a trembling voice:
"Because everyone is so happy."
The little girl looked confused:
"Don't people cry when they are sad?"
"Why do they cry when they are happy?"
The little girl's mother tightened her grip on her daughter.
Her hometown, reduced to ashes by fire, her neighbors, parents, brother...
All of them became clear at this moment, as if standing before her, waving and smiling from a distance. The little girl's mother also began to smile, saying with a trembling voice:
"Because."
"It's over..."
It was as if she was explaining to her daughter, or to herself, or perhaps wanting to tell her loved ones and her hometown that the wicked Great Pirate Era.
It was over...
----------
New World, New Marineford.
Sakazuki stood on the execution platform, quietly waiting for the soldiers' outpouring of cheers.
When they had subsided somewhat, he raised his hand slightly, and the entire island instantly fell silent, frozen.
The reporters at the headquarters swallowed, as if witnessing something unbelievable. The world, which had been noisy a moment ago, became so quiet that even breathing could be heard...
Sakazuki on the execution platform continued:
"22 years ago."
"The pirate Roger deceived the world with his captivating words, luring people to become pirates and causing countless suffering."
"Now, we will put an end to this deceit created by Roger."
Sakazuki walked to the side, next to a device holding a giant Poneglyph.
"To become the Pirate King, one must collect four Poneglyphs."
"Then find someone who can read the Poneglyphs, decipher the contents of these four Poneglyphs, and obtain the guidance to the final island."
"Only then can one obtain the so-called 'Great Treasure'."
"The four Poneglyphs are distributed throughout the world; some are constantly moving, and some are hidden within the palaces of pirate emperors."
"This has all been mentioned before."
"And what we are going to do is..."
"Make it disappear completely..."
Sakazuki pressed a button on the large device.
A sound of mechanical operation filled the air, the massive device began to tremble and slowly rise, as if defying gravity, lifting the Poneglyph to a certain height.
Then, four sides unfolded and extended rocket-launcher-like components, which began to emit enormous energy.
*Boom————*
A deafening roar of burning energy erupted.
The Poneglyph, carried by the giant device, ascended higher and higher into the sky.
The Den Den Mushi's screen followed it closely, watching it rise higher and higher...
Sakazuki's voice sounded from outside the frame:
"This is a special launcher customized by the Marine research department."
"Its stored energy will send this Poneglyph into the endless void of space, making it disappear from this world forever."
Sakazuki's light laughter echoed:
"Pirate King? Road to the final island?"
"Heh..."
His dismissive laughter seemed to mock Roger's foolishness, the pirates' foolishness, and the world's foolishness...
People in front of the Den Den Mushi.
Watched the massive device shrink, shrink, shrink...
Until it disappeared...
The cheers that had just subsided erupted again with fervor.
This was almost a worldwide broadcast, and it simultaneously shattered the dreams of countless people, the goals of many pirates, and that sliver of hope...
----------
The Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
The Five Elders, gathered in front of the monitor watching the broadcast, took a deep breath:
"That Sakazuki guy..."
Brilliant, truly brilliant...
Even an enemy had to admire him. This was truly killing the heart.
----------
Grand Line.
The Straw Hat Pirates, who had just left the Long Ring Long Land and were sailing deeper into the Grand Line, were also watching this broadcast.
As Sakazuki's explanation continued and the Poneglyph disappeared.
Everyone fell silent, and involuntarily looked towards Luffy, who wore his straw hat, his expression blank, his gaze firm as he watched the broadcast.
Zoro, leaning against the side, frowned tightly. It was too late; the war between the Marines and pirates would likely be over by the time they reached the New World.
Then the world's greatest swordsman, Red-Haired...
Suddenly.
A sharp light flashed in Zoro's eyes.
He felt a sense of malice from somewhere. Swordsmen never doubted their intuition.
*Swish—*
Three swords were drawn instantly, and he stood up, on guard:
"Enemy attack!!"
His gaze swept around, and before anyone could react, the next second...
*Boom—!!!!*
The Going Merry rocked violently, as if something had struck the ship.
Zoro frowned tightly, leaning against the railing to steady himself:
"From above."
This was indeed something he hadn't expected.
The others, Usopp and Nami, shouted:
"Luffy!!!"
In the center of the ship's deck, Luffy hadn't reacted yet before being grabbed by the neck by Sot's fist infused with Armament Haki:
"Grandson of Mr. Garp..."
He spoke with a hint of contemplation. Zephyr and Garp were comrades who had fought together for years, and now fighting together at Whole Cake Island, it seemed a bit improper for him to capture the person.
But this was an order from Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, and he could not disobey.
Raising his other hand, he formed a palm strike and smashed directly at the back of Luffy's neck, knocking out the struggling Luffy before soaring into the sky.
Zoro below drew his three swords and slashed:
"Hundred and Eight Calamities Wind!!!"
A swirling vortex of sword energy shot up into the sky. Sot, looking at the approaching vortex, slightly raised his hand.
The Going Merry below shook violently and was lifted into the air:
"What!"
The people on the ship were horrified. Such an ability...
But soon, there was no time for horror.
The ship's ascent speed was faster than the sword energy vortex that slashed towards Sot. It caught up from behind and collided.
*Boom boom—*
The Merry was almost sliced in half.
Hundreds of meters above them, Sot held the unconscious Luffy.
Even from a great distance, Sot's voice drifted down:
"Let's go together."
Under the effect of Sot's Devil Fruit ability, the tattered Going Merry splintered and warped, disintegrating instantly.
The fragments of the ship flew and converged, forming a large sphere that tightly confined the Straw Hat Pirates. Only their heads were exposed to breathe, and they flew thousands of meters into the sky towards the Red Line continent.
----------
New World, New Marineford.
As the Poneglyph slowly disappeared from the sight of the world's people, the screen cut back to Sakazuki.
He walked to the side of the orange-haired girl:
"The Poneglyph problem is solved."
"However, there may be rubbings of it in the hands of the pirate emperors."
"So today, we will solve that problem as well."
"If one wishes to become that laughable Pirate King, besides the Poneglyph, another indispensable element is someone who can read the Poneglyph."
"Currently, there is only one person in the world with this ability."
"And she is the only three-eyed tribe member."
Sakazuki raised his hand and reached towards Pudding's forehead. Even though Pudding had accepted her fate of death, she couldn't help but tremble as Sakazuki's hand approached.
There were no longer any eyes to gouge out. Sakazuki simply pushed aside Pudding's bangs, revealing the location of her tightly closed third eye.
"She was originally the daughter of the pirate Charlotte Linlin."
"She was also Charlotte Linlin's hope for realizing her dream, possessing the last person in this world capable of reading the Poneglyphs."
"This is an advantage that all pirates lack."
"Perhaps Charlotte Linlin was the closest to becoming the Pirate King."
"But now..."
Sakazuki's index finger rested on Pudding's head.
Pudding's body trembled uncontrollably, but she did not close her eyes. Instead, her gaze constantly shifted, looking at the island, looking at the Marine soldiers.
As if searching for that person's silhouette, even for one last glance...
But Sakazuki's words and actions did not pause for her in the slightest:
"Charlotte Linlin's pathetic dream, and the hopes of all pirates, will perish with her death..."
Sensing the instinctual warning of death, her life was clearly at its end. Pudding closed her eyes in despair, a hint of a bitter smile on her lips.
It's still a bit regrettable...
*Bang!*
Her head exploded into a mist of blood.
Pudding's headless body fell onto the execution platform.
Sakazuki's indifferent voice rang out:
"It's completely over..."