Sakazuki yanked the famed blade Kogarashi from Shiki's grip, not bothering with the two still strapped to the man's legs. He kicked the corpse away, clutching both the severed head and the sword as he dove straight down.
The massive landmass, several times larger than Loguetown itself, had lost Shiki's Devil Fruit power and was now plummeting toward the sea, not far from the shore. If no one stopped it, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The crimson figure of Sakazuki reached the harbor before the colossal island could fall. Landing hard, he tossed the head and the sword aside, then pressed both hands to the ground.
"Lava Landform!"
Molten rock surged from beneath his palms, spreading across the sea toward the falling land. A layer of jet-black Armament Haki coated the surface. From afar, it looked like a giant dark platter extending from the harbor, ready to catch the island from the sky.
Watching the inevitable collision, Sakazuki's expression turned grim as he poured more Haki into the magma plate.
Finally…
BOOM!!!
The impact sounded like the sky and earth were shattering. The shockwave rippled outward in visible layers.
CRACK!
A sharp sound followed.
The magma plate, reinforced with an immense amount of Haki, absorbed most of the impact before shattering apart. The molten fragments, no longer connected to him, cooled as they were forced down into the sea under the island's crushing weight.
The moment the landmass hit the water, Sakazuki drew a sharp breath and unleashed his ability again.
Dozens of meters high, a wall of magma rose along the island's side. Coated with Haki, it stood against the oncoming waves.
The giant waves slammed into the wall in relentless succession, each one threatening to breach it. Sweat streamed down his forehead as he held it firm.
After a long struggle, when the force of the waves no longer posed a serious threat to the island, Sakazuki finally withdrew his ability, letting out a deep exhale.
In mere moments, he had drained most of his stamina to create a magma plate spanning several islands in size, fully coated in Haki, then erected a barrier dozens of meters tall and half an island long. It was exhausting work.
If Kuzan had been here, the job might have been easier. He could simply freeze the sea into ice, consuming far less energy. But magma couldn't turn water into stone; it had to be produced from his own strength, reinforced with Haki to withstand the impact.
Even so, the fact that the magma plate shattered instantly under the initial impact showed just how terrifying the force had been.
Still, some of the island's landmass had survived. Several chunks the size of Loguetown still jutted above the surface.
It wasn't a complete loss. The surviving land, several times the area of Loguetown, could be developed and would at least make up for some of the New World's losses.
The thought darkened Sakazuki's expression again.
Two Marine outpost islands had been taken by Shiki, both with many stationed personnel. Yet during the earlier battle, he found only mindless giant beasts on them. Aside from the pirate himself, there wasn't another human in sight.
Clearly… they were already gone.
Sakazuki walked over to Shiki's severed head, grinding his boot against it.
"Worthless trash…"
He picked up Kogarashi and thrust it straight into the head's center. With the sword skewering it, he lifted the head and walked toward town.
* * *
A few hours later.
Through government channels, a photograph was sent to newspapers around the world.
By the next morning, it had set the seas ablaze.
On the front page, in huge letters, was the headline:
"The End of an Era! The Age of the Marines Has Come!"
Beneath it, an entire page was taken up by a single image. The Marine Admiral known for his brutality, Sakazuki, holding a long sword. On its blade was a severed head, its eyes shut tight, long hair disheveled and trailing to the ground.
It was the head of the legendary pirate Shiki the Golden Lion, once equal to Roger and Whitebeard.
The same pirate who had shattered the myth of Impel Down's impenetrable walls, the one who had sought to plunge the world into disaster by his own hand.
But now, he had been slain by the newly appointed Admiral Sakazuki with absolute power, without so much as a wrinkle out of place on his uniform.
The sword in his hand had also been identified as Shiki's own weapon, Kogarashi.
The world was in uproar…
* * *
New World, Onigashima.
Seated cross-legged in the great hall, Kaido grabbed a gourd of sake and took a heavy swig.
Bang!
He casually smashed the gourd against the floor, his eyes on the newspaper in his hand.
"Heh… nothing but a trick to fool idiots. He just killed an old man on his last legs, and now they're praising him to the sky."
Standing nearby, King spoke up with a sigh. "Regardless, Sakazuki's strength is… likely stronger and more terrifying than a few years ago."
Kaido grinned. "Our strength isn't what it used to be either. Everything's ready?"
King nodded. "Yes, all forces have been deployed. Just waiting for your order."
Kaido's grin widened. "Then let's begin. 'The Age of the Marines'? What a joke. Let the world welcome its new emperor. Wororororo!!!"
* * *
North Blue, Flevance.
Gone was its once fairytale-like, pristine scenery. Thick, gloomy smoke shrouded the skies, and the ruined streets carried a suffocating sense of despair.
Around Flevance's outskirts, several neighboring nations had joined forces to lay down iron fencing, cutting off any escape for its people.
Soldiers in full protective suits, wearing gas masks and clutching rifles, stood watch at the border with fear in their eyes. Anyone from Flevance who approached the wire was shot on sight.
The cause of it all was said to be a "contagious disease" that had swept through the entire nation in a short time...
At least, that was the truth the public knew, an airtight excuse that no one could refute. After all, no one wanted to die from such a horrifying illness.
But those trapped inside wanted to live too.
Eventually, when those who could bear it no longer took up arms and tried to break through, they gave the surrounding nations the perfect pretext. Soldiers in protective gear flooded in, intent on slaughtering every last resident.
At the center of Flevance, a young nun had gathered many children. Her eyes shimmered with tears, her voice trembling with urgency.
Spotting Law outside the hospital, she hurried over. "Law, come with everyone else. Some kind soldiers said they'd let the children go."
The boy in a school uniform and spotted hat lowered his head and clenched his fists.
"Sister, my little sister… she is dying. I can't leave…"
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