The clash of their overwhelming auras obliterated everything between them in an instant. Yet, Big Mom's feet continued to retreat. This was a force she could not hope to resist.
"Damn it! What… what is this?!" she roared.
Ezra D. Vale stood firm, gripping Ryūjin Jakka, his gaze calm and cold as he looked at her.
"Using this technique on you may be overkill, but I want to see if a top-tier pirate like you can withstand it," he said.
At his words, an even more intense spiritual pressure surged violently from his body, like molten lava erupting uncontrollably.
Big Mom's eyes widened in shock. The sudden spike in pressure caught her completely off guard. Her massive body, normally invincible, seemed to be pressed to the ground like a deflating balloon.
Within a kilometer, everything around Vale began to melt under the heat of his aura. The very sky above Cake Island shimmered with scorching energy.
"Wh-what… is this?!" Big Mom struggled to lift herself, her eyes wide as she stared at Vale. At this moment, he appeared more godlike than human, more demonic than divine.
The unnatural phenomena on Cake Island immediately drew the attention of Aokiji and the others. Aokiji's gaze sharpened.
"That… that power. It's Residual Flame!"
Beside him, Admiral Gion shook off his initial shock.
"Keep track of all the pirates in the area. Do not let any escape."
"Yes, Admiral Gion!"
Back on Cake Island, Vale placed Ryūjin Jakka by his side. A soft chant resonated, seemingly entering Big Mom's ears:
"[All Creation, Reduced to Ash, Ryūjin Jakka!]"
Boom!
The moment the words left his lips, Big Mom, who had just managed to rise, was struck by a wave of overwhelming force. Spiritual pressure dozens of times stronger than a captain's radiated outward, reshaping the pirate world around them.
Everything on Cake Island that had once stood defiant now melted into nothingness. The surrounding waters, several kilometers away, hissed and boiled with the heat, producing sounds like foods cooking in a cauldron.
Ryūjin Jakka blazed in Vale's hands, his crimson eyes fixed steadily on Big Mom.
"Now it's my turn," he said, voice devoid of emotion.
Big Mom stared, frozen in disbelief. "Y-you… who are you?!"
This defied all logic. All these pirates had mastery over Haki and Devil Fruit powers. How could someone like him exist? A monster of his magnitude should not exist in this world!
"Don't come any closer! Stay away!" she screamed, terror overtaking her.
Zeus, the lightning cloud, and Prometheus, the fiery sun, unleashed bolts and flames toward him, yet they could not even touch him. Vale's spiritual pressure crushed them before they could close the distance.
Flash! In the blink of an eye, Vale teleported beside the two homies. Incredibly fast, Ryūjin Jakka slashed across them, leaving nothing but carnage.
"Die, Mama!"
Their screams echoed as the two strongest homies disintegrated. Vale turned slowly, eyes on Big Mom, who remained frozen in terror.
"What's wrong, Charlotte Linlin? Lost your courage in battle?" he asked, amusement flickering in his crimson gaze.
But Big Mom could not respond. Her mind was consumed by sheer fear, trapped deep within the abyss of terror.
Vale raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Scared silly already?"
Even he hadn't anticipated this. He knew his current power was immense, possibly staggering, but to have reduced Charlotte Linlin the Natural Destroyer to a quivering state of fear? That was unexpected.
"Ugh… I'm really bored of this now," he muttered, scanning the entire territory of Totto Land.
"There's no need for Totto Land anymore," he continued, flicking his wrist to point Ryūjin Jakka at the ground.
"Disappear into the river of time. [Blazing Hell]!"
His voice, cold and indifferent, resonated as the blade stabbed the earth.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Across every island of Totto Land, massive columns of fire erupted, reaching the heavens. Cake Island, Cocoa Island, Jam Island, Nut Island, Biscuit Island every landmass was consumed in columns of searing flame. The entire region became a blazing inferno in an instant.
Aboard the ships outside Totto Land, Aokiji and the others gawked at the unfolding spectacle.
"This… this is the true power of Admiral Residual Flame!" Aokiji muttered, swallowing hard. No wonder Admiral Sengoku had said Vale was the Navy's only hope, the key to stabilizing the age of pirates. This level of power was beyond comprehension.
Nearby, Gion and Hina observed with concern. "Vale, don't get hurt!"
Onboard, the soldiers whispered nervously among themselves. The heat radiating from the islands could be felt even at this distance.
"Admiral Residual Flame… incredible!"
"Who else could possibly match him?!"
"Admiral Residual Flame is invincible!"
Even Aokiji could not help but nod silently, acknowledging the truth in their awe.
Back on Cake Island, Big Mom forced herself to rise from the scorched ground, trembling.
"Ezra D. Vale… you are a monster!" she said, voice quivering.
Vale rested his hands on Ryūjin Jakka, his cloak billowing without wind.
"Charlotte Linlin, is this your final statement?" he asked.
Her expression froze. "You… you cannot kill me!"
Vale tilted his head, silently suggesting, Are you delusional?
Big Mom pressed on. "If you kill me, the balance of the seas will be destroyed! Countless innocents will die because of you! How can you not care about their lives?!"
Her voice grew more confident with each word, yet in reality, she was a mere actor on a stage set by Vale.
"Done talking?" he asked casually.
Big Mom froze. She had expected him to stop… why hadn't he?
"You think someone on the brink of death can't think fast?" Vale's words dripped with mockery.
"You… you really dare kill me?! Aren't you afraid of the chaos it would bring?"
Vale shrugged. "Fine, I'll tell you. I already assigned someone to take over your territory. Someone you know very well."
Big Mom's eyes widened as an image flashed through her mind Stussy, hat in place, standing before her.
"Stussy!"
"Bingo. Correct. No prize for you, though."
"And one more thing," Vale said slowly, elegantly. "The fate of ordinary people… has nothing to do with me."
Big Mom looked into his demonic crimson eyes and shivered. "You… you really are a monster!"
Vale smirked. He had grown fond of calling her that, almost like a playful taunt. He had no interest in further conversation.
"Help me complete the final, magnificent performance, and then descend into hell, Charlotte Linlin."
With that, countless blazing pillars of fire shifted, converging above Cake Island. The already scorching air became unbearably hot, stifling to any who remained.
"No… no! Don't kill me!"
The fire columns merged into one, smashing down onto Cake Island. The entire island exploded in an instant.
Boom!
The shockwave swept across nearby islands. No land could withstand even a second in this inferno. All islands were incinerated. The blast even pushed the Navy ships outside Totto Land to the edge of the operational zone.
"Hold on to something! Don't get thrown by the shockwave!" Aokiji shouted, his pupils narrowing.
The soldiers gripped anything they could hold. Not far off, Garp leisurely ate a rice cracker aboard his dog-headed ship. Suddenly, the shockwave hit. His eyes narrowed, analyzing the force.
"Enemy attack!" shouted Borsalino.
Garp's eyes brightened as he realized the truth. "This… this is Vale's pressure." Having experienced Vale's spiritual aura up close before, Garp recognized it instantly.
"It's not an attack. Speed ahead!" he commanded.
The former Totto Land islands had vanished. Even Big Mom's body was consumed in the flames, reduced to ash.
Aokiji and the others blinked, staring at the endless ocean.
"Where's Totto Land?!" he exclaimed, his mind filled with question marks.
Nearby, Gion shakily raised his hand. "It's… it's right there!"
Aokiji turned sharply. Gion, still swallowing hard, had watched the destruction firsthand, unable to blink.
Sure enough, above the former Cake Island, a figure in a black suit stood atop the ruins. Vale had returned from his shikai state, sheathing Ryūjin Jakka.
"Huh… that was hardly satisfying," he muttered, rubbing his neck, a mix of amusement and exhaustion in his tone.
With his growing strength, Vale's perception of the world had expanded. In his shikai state, he had just one-shot Big Mom.
"Invincibility… how lonely it must be," he thought. Yet even now, he maintained a relentless drive to train and improve.
As Totto Land was annihilated, the system's voice chimed in.
[Congratulations, Host! Task Complete!]
[Destroy Totto Land!]
[Reward: Legacy +5%!]
[Collect? Yes/No]
Vale smiled faintly. "Not yet."
He took one last glance at the obliterated Totto Land, feeling no attachment, and instantaneously returned to the Navy ship.
"Vale!" Gion leapt into his arms, tears streaming. Vale's eyes softened as he gently touched her hair.
"Fool, didn't I say not to worry?"
Gion buried herself in his embrace, still sobbing. Aokiji approached, ruffling his slightly messy hair.
"Vale… your strength… is terrifying."
Vale shrugged. "Eh, not too bad. Just a bit stronger than you."
Aokiji twitched at that understatement. "A bit? You mean by… billions, right?!"