Shirogai ultimately did not make a move.
"He really does have another plan in mind. He won't engage the Marines again until everything is revealed…"
Kizaru withdrew his gaze from the distant smiling figure.
If Shirogai did not intervene, no one present could save him.
Not even the Four Emperors, not even Red Hair.
There was no one qualified enough.
So this is where it ends…
Kizaru could feel it clearly. The magma fist of Akainu was already falling from the sky. At the same time, a crushing gravitational force pinned him in place, preventing his transformation into light. On top of that, an unseen mental pressure continuously eroded his consciousness, trying to drag him into eternal sleep.
Every path of escape had been sealed.
Death had already arrived.
"Oh, how terrifying~"
Kizaru's body flickered between light and flesh, suspended in midair. A faint, bitter smile appeared on his face, yet his tone remained as relaxed and mocking as ever.
It had been more than twenty years.
He had stayed hidden within the Marines, enduring everything until this moment of exposure.
Even when forced to act under the Celestial Dragons, carrying out orders he did not agree with, he had shown no emotion.
All of it was for one purpose, getting closer to the rot of the world, understanding its structure, and preparing for the final war.
A shame…
He still had not witnessed the dawn of the new era.
"Yohohoho… but that's just how life is, isn't it?"
With death closing in, Borsalino slowly closed his eyes. His expression softened into peace.
He had already devoted his life to his belief. In this chaotic turning of the world, he had already glimpsed the direction of victory.
He had no regrets.
At this moment, the man facing death was no longer one of the strongest Marines.
Just an ordinary middle aged man.
Boom!
A massive torrent of magma crashed down and engulfed him completely.
…
Strange.
There was no pain.
No sensation at all.
Kizaru slowly opened his eyes, confused.
"…What is this?"
What he saw made even him pause.
The raging magma had been completely blocked, frozen in place by an invisible, square shaped barrier of absolute defense.
Even Aramaki's sunflower construct, which had been draining his energy, was forcibly cut off. It could no longer absorb anything from him.
"Gravity Blade, Splashing Moon!"
From a distance, Fujitora swung his blade. A gravity infused slash tore through the air, forming a heavy purple crescent that pressed downward toward Kizaru.
But the moment it touched the invisible cube, it vanished without a trace.
"…So you still interfered."
Akainu's magma was also stopped, unable to reach Kizaru's body.
His expression twisted further, rage boiling over.
"Shirogai! How dare you interfere in Marine internal affairs!!!"
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
The other Admirals also turned their gazes toward the distant figure.
On Crab Island, Aramaki narrowed his eyes.
"So even my little flower got blocked…"
His earlier arrogance had faded. He looked toward the horizon with rare seriousness.
"So this is the power of God King Shirogai, the so called strongest man in the world…"
He did not like pirates.
Especially not someone hailed as the strongest.
But even he had to admit something.
He had not even understood what just stopped him.
That unknown alone was dangerous.
…
On Elbaf, the atmosphere tightened.
Usopp swallowed hard, hiding behind Zoro.
"Did you hear that? Even the Fleet Admiral is saying Shirogai is the one interfering…"
Zoro said nothing, arms still crossed.
Sanji exhaled smoke quietly, standing protectively in front of the group.
Nami clicked her tongue.
"Obviously. Who else can casually block multiple Admirals while chatting like it's nothing?"
Chopper trembled behind them.
"I think… I just got roasted by that glare…"
…
"Heh."
Shirogai sat casually beside the Emperor Red Hair Pirates, his expression relaxed as always.
He tilted his head slightly, looking toward Akainu.
"You knew he asked me for help, yet you still chose to attack."
His smile deepened slightly.
"Tell me, Fleet Admiral, are you underestimating me?"
Boom!
A surge of Conqueror's Haki exploded outward from Elbaf.
Instantly, Marine soldiers in the distance collapsed one after another.
Even Vice Admirals struggled to remain standing.
"This pressure…!"
A Vice Admiral gritted his teeth.
"He's not even trying… this is just passive pressure!"
Momonga narrowed his eyes, gripping his blade tightly.
"If he releases his full Haki… Vice Admirals would collapse instantly."
Another Vice Admiral trembled.
"This is no longer something strength alone can measure…"
…
Elsewhere on Elbaf, a group of unstable combatants shuddered violently, their killing intent briefly disrupted by the overwhelming Haki wave.
"Tch… what kind of monster is this…"
One of them growled, barely holding himself together.
High above, a man in a white cloak slowly opened his eyes.
Black energy flickered within them.
CP0 No Name stared toward the battlefield.
"So… he finally made his move."