The warships stationed nearby were instantly annihilated by the roaring aftershock of the blast, erased from existence without leaving even a trace of dust behind.
Across the battlefield, the once-mighty United Army had been reduced to ruins.
From the giant projection den-den mushi feed, only a single figure could be seen fleeing— the supreme commander of this war, the Eldest of the Gorosei.
At that moment, the Elder propelled himself through the air using the force of his own Haki, desperately soaring toward the heavens.
One had to admit, the man was clever.
The skies above were still wracked by Thorne Ashveil's golden Conqueror's Haki aftershocks, but compared to the devastation on the ground, the heavens offered his only chance at survival.
---
Meanwhile, aboard the Moby Dick, the Whitebeard Pirates watched the cataclysm unfold.
It was like a natural disaster; everything within sight had been turned into wasteland. Not a single structure stood intact.
"Gurararararara! That brat Ashveil really has some skill!" Whitebeard's booming laughter shook the deck.
"I didn't think that kid could unleash such terrifying power," Jozu added in awe.
"This attack is far stronger than the one he used when he fought you, Mihawk," Whitebeard said, grinning beneath his mustache.
Even though the sea itself was boiling from the aftershocks, none of it touched the Moby Dick.
The waves split away just before reaching the ship, as if guided by Ashveil's will.
That alone told everyone how completely Thorne Ashveil controlled his power.
Hawkeye Mihawk's eyes narrowed, reflecting the blazing light in the distance.
"So this… is Ashveil's true strength?"
He exhaled slowly. "It seems, in our last fight, he didn't even use a tenth of his full power."
As the World's Greatest Swordsman, Mihawk had always walked a lonely path. Yet now, he could only look up at the gulf between them, hoping to one day follow in Ashveil's footsteps— even if he could never overtake him.
Nearby, Donquixote Doflamingo and Boa Hancock were struck silent.
For the first time, they truly understood that battles could be fought on a scale beyond imagination.
A single strike from above had wiped out hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
The entire United Army was crushed beneath that golden storm.
Hancock's eyes widened in awe. Even her queenly pride wavered for a heartbeat.
"So this is… his true power," she whispered, her voice trembling with both admiration and disbelief.
Marco, Diamond Jozu, Vista, and the other captains erupted into cheers.
"Hahaha! Show them, Ashveil! Let the world see what happens when they offend the Whitebeard Pirates!" Marco roared.
The crew's spirits surged higher than ever before.
Through his binoculars, Marco peered across the devastated landscape.
"There's only one of the Gorosei left standing," he said grimly.
---
On the battlefield itself, the storm had not yet ended.
"I'm sorry," Thorne Ashveil murmured as he hovered in the air, his voice calm yet resonant. "But to end this completely… I'll have to use my full strength."
His golden aura pulsed. "Only you remain, Eldest Elder."
As his words faded, the swirling remnants of his Conqueror's Haki converged into a blazing sphere of energy above his palm.
The Elder broke into a cold sweat.
The power radiating from that sphere was enough to tear the heavens apart.
He could feel, deep within his bones, that a single strike would erase him from existence.
A low hum filled the air.
Then, suddenly— the live broadcast that had been streaming across the world was cut off.
All around the seas, people stared in confusion at the static screens.
"The broadcast's gone?" someone muttered.
"It has to be the World Government," another replied. "They started that war with such confidence, and now they're being crushed by Ashveil. They probably couldn't bear the shame of the world watching."
"But who needs the broadcast to know? With what we saw, it's over. What's left is just a massacre."
---
Back on the battlefield, the Saint Saturn panted heavily, trembling as he shouted up to the sky.
"Thorne Ashveil! Stop this madness— we surrender! We surrender!"
His voice, carried by Haki, echoed across the seas— reaching even the deck of the Moby Dick.
Marco's eyes lit up. "Did you hear that, Pops? The World Government's forces are actually surrendering!"
Whitebeard laughed thunderously.
"Gurarararara! Ashveil's might is so great that even those arrogant old men have no choice but to kneel!"
If Thorne Ashveil hadn't joined their side, the Whitebeard Pirates might have been wiped out by the Government's combined armies.
Even Doflamingo's grin faltered.
"The Gorosei… surrendering? Those self-proclaimed gods who make even Fleet Admiral Sengoku bow? Unbelievable."
Hancock gazed up at the golden light with reverence.
"He's incredible…"
Whitebeard, however, wore a more solemn look.
"Hancock. The World Government has ruled the seas for centuries. The Gorosei aren't their only weapon."
---
High above the battlefield, Thorne Ashveil looked down at the Elder, his expression calm and composed, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"You're surrendering now?" His voice was tinged with mockery.
"You had your chance long ago."
"What right do you still have to talk about surrender to me?"
The Elder's eyes darted between Ashveil and the radiant energy sphere forming above him.
He could feel it— both Conqueror's Haki and several strange Devil Fruit forces intertwining within that orb.
If it touched him, he would be torn apart on the spot.
"Don't kill me!" the Elder screamed. "We can negotiate! I can give you whatever you want!"
"Didn't the Marines already pay you compensation? I'll double it! No— triple it!"
Ashveil chuckled softly.
"Your forces have already been annihilated. You lost the right to negotiate the moment this battle began."
"When I negotiated with the Marines before, it was because continuing would've cost my allies lives— and because I knew the Marines weren't the Government's only power. But now…"
His golden eyes glowed.
"Now it's different."
"You have nothing left."
The Elder trembled violently.
Desperation seeped into his voice.
"Don't kill me! If you do, you'll awaken a power far beyond your imagination! You'll regret it!"
"Oh?" Ashveil's eyes narrowed, a spark of interest flashing within them.
He knew exactly who the Elder was referring to— Imu, the so-called god who ruled from the shadows of the Holy Land Marie Geoise.
He just didn't know how strong that ancient being truly was.
"How strong is Imu?" Ashveil asked, his tone calm yet edged with curiosity. "Tell me."
_____
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