The two Admirals could readily accept that Luffy might have been capable of injuring Kaido enough to cause his Vivre Card to begin burning. After all, they had both witnessed the young marine remarkable growth and potential firsthand.
But to believe that Luffy could defeat Kaido so thoroughly that his Vivre Card would nearly burn away entirely? That possibility had never even crossed their minds.
While Sakazuki and Borsalino were still wrestling with this confounding situation, another anguished cry escaped from Big Mom. The sound jolted them from their deliberations, drawing their attention back to the Emperor.
What they saw left them stunned—the remnants of Kaido's Vivre Card disintegrating completely in Big Mom's trembling hand. The last blackened fragments crumbled to ash, carried away by the sea breeze without a trace.
The two Admirals were completely dumbfounded.
A partially burned Vivre Card would have indicated that Kaido was gravely injured—which would have been shocking enough. The Beast Emperor possessed such legendary durability that even serious wounds would be little more than temporary setbacks, requiring minimal treatment before he returned to full strength.
But this—the complete incineration of the Vivre Card—could mean only one thing: Kaido, the owner of the card, was dead.
Kaido. The "World's Strongest Creature." One of the Four Emperors who had dominated the New World for decades. The pirate who had survived countless execution attempts, , who had made defeating the undefeatable his life's pursuit.
They could comprehend the possibility of him being wounded, but the reality before them suggested something incomprehensible—the most indestructible of the Four Emperors had actually perished.
Who could have accomplished such a feat? they wondered. Admiral Kuzan? Fleet Admiral Sengoku? Or had "Fist" Garp added yet another impossible victory to his already legendary career?
Both Admirals were utterly bewildered. No one had informed them of the specifics unfolding on the other battlefield. No Den Den Mushi call had arrived with updates, no messenger had brought news of such a monumental development.
Yet one fact seemed undeniable: one of the Four Emperors who had ruled the New World with an iron fist was dead. And the most likely explanation was that he had fallen to the Marines' forces.
If true, this marked an unprecedented triumph for the World Government. The balance of power in the New World was about to undergo a seismic shift, all thanks to the efforts of their organization!
Looking up at Big Mom, they observed her frozen in shock—eyes wide with disbelief, body rigid, completely unresponsive to the frantic calls of her three main Homies: Zeus, Prometheus, and Napoleon.
A gleam of triumph flashed in Sakazuki's eyes. Setting aside all his earlier doubts, he shouted to his fellow Admiral:
"Borsalino! Now's our chance! Let's deliver a perfect ending to this war!"
Without waiting for a response, Akainu launched himself forward, eagerly moving to engage the distracted Emperor while she was vulnerable.
Kizaru, true to form, hesitated a beat longer, weighing the potential outcomes of various courses of action.
Now that she's learned of Kaido's death, he reasoned, Big Mom surely won't risk her life for a fallen ally. The logical next step for her would be retreat.
And once she began to withdraw, their mission would effectively be complete. He could clock out early and avoid unnecessary danger.
The thought brought a rare gleam of genuine enthusiasm to Kizaru's eyes.
While he lacked the motivation to face an Emperor at full strength, he had no reservations about pursuing one in retreat. In fact, the idea of being perceived as a diligent Marine heroically chasing down a fleeing Emperor held considerable appeal.
"BREAKING NEWS: Emperor Charlotte Linlin Defeated and Flees! Admiral Borsalino Pursues Relentlessly, Fighting for Justice Until the End!"
Kizaru could already envision tomorrow's newspaper headlines. It wasn't fame he coveted—rather, he saw an opportunity to leverage such positive press to negotiate additional vacation days from Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
The mere thought of lounging on his sofa at home, sipping tea while contemplating the profound mysteries of life, filled Borsalino with such excitement that his body instinctively transformed into streaming light.
In the blink of an eye, he surged past Akainu, arriving alone before the still-stunned Emperor.
"Sorry," he muttered with uncharacteristic focus, "but for the sake of my vacation... you'll have to go down!"
As he spoke, Kizaru raised his right leg high, gathering concentrated light at the sole of his foot. His target: the back of Big Mom's head.
No matter how formidable her defenses might be, he calculated, a direct hit to the cranium from my light kick would cause internal damage from the shockwave alone.
Just as Kizaru prepared to unleash his attack, the dazed Emperor spoke in a barely audible murmur:
"How shameful, Kaido... to be defeated just like that."
Staring at her empty palms with hollow eyes, Big Mom continued her solemn monologue:
"We've known each other for more than forty years. Since Rocks' death and the disbanding of his crew, we've faced countless challenges together. We persevered through everything this world threw at us."
Her voice grew heavier with each word.
"Why did you have to die now, of all times? Without a fearsome presence like yours, this new era will be meaningless!"
The final words transformed into a roar of grief and rage. In that instant, the full force of her Conqueror's Haki exploded outward like an invisible tsunami.
Borsalino, caught at point-blank range, felt his consciousness flicker momentarily under the extraordinary pressure. Though he recovered within seconds, that brief lapse proved catastrophic.
When his awareness fully returned, he found Big Mom directly before him—eyes bloodshot with fury, face contorted in a mask of primal rage. Napoleon, her sentient sword, blazed in her grip, simultaneously wreathed in flames, crackling with lightning, and coated in the black sheen of Armament Haki, all further amplified by the crimson aura of her Conqueror's Haki.
Pinned by the overwhelming pressure of her Haki, even Kizaru's legendary speed failed him. As the great sword began its descent, a resigned sigh escaped his lips:
"Well, that's just great. I don't know if I'll get my regular vacation time... but I'll definitely have plenty of sick leave..."
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