The higher an object is from the ground, the larger its shadow appears on the surface.
Conversely,
The closer an object is to the ground, the smaller its shadow becomes.
As the fifth island plummeted from the sky, the shadow it cast on the ground rapidly shrank.
Maude's response was to drive a series of "Shadow Pins" into the edges of the island's shadow, preventing it from shrinking any further.
Then,
Through the abilities of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, once the island's shadow was fixed in place, it meant that the island itself had entered a state of complete suspension.
This was the principle behind the sudden halt of the island's rapid descent in midair.
"What a terrifying ability~~~"
Kizaru, for once, showed genuine interest as he carefully observed Maude standing at the center of the island's shadow.
Aokiji, also studying Maude, reflected on everything Maude had accomplished so far and couldn't help but remark, "A man full of surprises."
"..."
Akainu remained silent, his expression grim.
His focus wasn't on Maude but rather on the Golden Lion Pirates' grand fleet looming above them.
Stopping the island was just the beginning.
Once Shiki deployed his massive forces into battle, the odds would no longer be in their favor.
Atop the siege walls,
Mihawk slowly sheathed his sword and silently observed Maude, who had once again become the center of attention. A contemplative glint flashed in his eyes.
He tried recalling everything he knew about Gecko Moria.
From his memory, Moria's use of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit had never demonstrated such versatility.
"Fufufu… To think someone could push the Shadow-Shadow Fruit to this level. If that bat-faced fool were to crawl out of his grave and see this, he'd probably die of shame all over again."
Doflamingo sneered at Maude. If not for their irreconcilable enmity, as someone who had mastered the awakened powers of the String-String Fruit, he might have felt a kindred spirit in Maude.
But now,
All he wanted was to see Maude dead.
Up in the air,
All five islands had been halted.
The Marines, who had been gripped by panic, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However,
Dozens of pirate ships still floated in the sky, and the legend himself—Golden Lion Shiki—remained unchallenged.
"Whitebeard and Golden Lion, what a combination…"
"Damn it, we finally forced the Whitebeard Pirates into a corner, and now another monster shows up…"
"Don't overthink it! We have legends on our side too!!!"
"Yes, and we still have the Warlords of the Sea…"
At the mention of the Warlords, many Marines instinctively ignored Doflamingo and the others, instead turning their gazes toward Maude, who had just nailed down the island's shadow.
Before this war began, none of them could have imagined that a pirate bearing the title of Warlord would prove to be such a reliable force.
Only high-ranking officers like Vice Admiral Tsuru, who understood Maude's past, knew why he always showed such ruthless determination when dealing with pirates.
Up in the sky,
Shiki's laughter faded as his "welcoming gift" was intercepted. His gaze turned predatory.
"What an annoying ability."
His fierce eyes locked onto Fujitora in the plaza below.
This was the second time.
Shiki's desire to eliminate the blind Admiral was growing so strong that he wanted to throw his entire fleet at him.
And then,
There was that brat!
Shiki shifted his gaze to Maude beneath the island.
He had a rough idea of what the blind Admiral's power was, but this kid…
How had he managed to stop the fifth island?
Could it be yet another ability that countered his own?
For years, Shiki had been wary of those who could neutralize his powers, yet he had never made it a priority to eliminate such threats outright.
Like now,
That blind man's Press-Press Fruit greatly weakened the offensive potential of the Float-Float Fruit.
If that was the case, wouldn't it be best to just kill him now, and then find a way to claim the Press-Press Fruit for himself?
As if reaching a sudden epiphany, Shiki clapped his hands together, looking delighted.
"Forget destroying Marineford—killing you comes first."
His gaze bore into Fujitora, his intent murderous.
Since his grand entrance had been disrupted, he saw no reason to rush deploying his floating fleet.
"This altitude isn't a problem…"
Shiki redirected his attention to the monstrous creatures he had stationed atop the five islands.
These were beings he had cultivated for twenty years.
Originally meant to obliterate the East Blue, they were now far better suited to laying waste to Marineford itself.
"Now then… taste true despair, you foolish Marines!!!"
Shiki raised his hand, preparing to flip the islands over.
But at that very moment, the fifth island—previously immobilized by Maude—began moving toward the bay.
"Hmm?"
Shiki paused.
He hadn't touched it yet, so why was it moving on its own?
Down in the plaza,
Many of the Marines stationed near the siege walls noticed the island shifting.
"Is it out of control?"
"No… Maude is moving it!"
It didn't take long for them to realize that Maude was using his Shadow Pins to drag the island's shadow toward the bay.
"What is he trying to do?"
A possibility crossed their minds, causing their expressions to shift in shock.
How ruthless!
"Ara ara, this is no joke."
Aokiji looked up at the shifting island, then glanced at the icebreaker ships and Moby Dick's secondary vessel retreating toward the bay's entrance.
It didn't look like they were trying to flee but rather had something else in mind.
Realizing this, Aokiji's palm began to emit a chilling mist.
Kizaru stroked his chin as he gazed at the island.
Like Aokiji, he quickly caught on to Maude's intent.
He was going to drop the fifth island right onto the Whitebeard Pirates!
"These young folks~~ they just keep getting scarier~~"
Kizaru felt the need to reassess his view of Maude.
This kid was a menace.
"A rare opportunity. Should we lend a hand, Aokiji?"
Kizaru turned to his fellow Admiral.
By then,
Aokiji had already extended his freezing hand toward the bay.
"Ara ara, I was just thinking the same thing."
Before he finished speaking, a thin ice pillar shot from his palm into the sea.
Ice Age!
The freezing mist spread rapidly, encasing the bay's waters in thick ice once again.
The icebreaker ships and Moby Dick's secondary vessel were trapped, their hulls encased in frost.
"The ships are frozen!"
"Damn it! Aokiji's ability!"
"We need to break the ice around the ship to regain acceleration space!"
Whitey Bay, the Ice Witch, quickly issued orders.
Just then,
A massive shadow loomed over the bay, like an ominous black storm cloud rolling in.
"What the—?!"
"The island is moving… Is Shiki trying to kill us?!"
The pirates on deck looked up in shock at the island now hovering directly above them, their breaths hitching.
"No… it's not Shiki…"
"Damn it, it's that bastard Warlord again!"
The pirates erupted into curses at Maude, venting their frustration.
"Such an unpleasant little brat."
Whitebeard's icy gaze locked onto Maude.
Facing the wrath of the world's strongest man, Maude remained unfazed.
"Don't let Shiki's gift go to waste."
With a smile, Maude waved his hand, shifting the Shadow Pins that tethered the island, pushing it into the final position—ensuring the entire landmass would come crashing down on the bay.
Then—
He swiftly pulled the Shadow Pins free.
The island, now stripped of its fixation, plummeted straight toward the harbor.
"It's coming!!!"
A commotion erupted on the decks of both the icebreaker ships and the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard took a deep breath, his muscular arms swelling dramatically.
"Petty tricks like these… mean nothing to me—I am Whitebeard!!!"
As the island's shadow loomed overhead, shimmering shockwaves pulsed from Whitebeard's clenched fists.
On the battlefield—
Fujitora remained focused, exerting his gravity to keep four islands suspended in the air. Naturally, this meant he couldn't fully suppress Marco.
"This is my chance!"
Enduring the relentless attacks from the surrounding Marines, Marco seized the moment. Just as Maude sent the island hurtling into the bay, he surged toward the execution platform once more.
Just as Whitebeard believed in his ability to carve a path through the battlefield—he, too, believed that Pops would overcome this crisis.
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