New World, Whole Cake Island defensive frontline.
Early morning.
Sakazuki stood atop the island's mountain peak, staring into the distance.
The pitch-black sky showed not even a trace of light. Endless darkness covered the world, and countless people had spent the entire night unable to sleep.
The final darkness before dawn was always the most oppressive and the hardest to endure...
Whoosh!
Carlo's figure appeared.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki."
He carried two transparent containers holding Devil Fruits and handed them over.
Sakazuki accepted the containers and raised them before his eyes. His palm turned slightly as he looked at the two fruits, one golden and one emerald green, before letting out a faint chuckle.
"The last two uncontrollable pests are gone as well..."
This world did not need that many powerful people. Once the war ended, only two or three individuals capable of suppressing the entire world would be enough.
Every other powerful figure, whether in the open or hiding in the shadows, would be completely erased. Only after the world had been reshaped into the form Sakazuki desired would the restrictions finally loosen.
"Prepare to welcome the arrival of dawn..."
* * *
New World, Whole Cake Island defensive frontline.
Morning.
Inside the enormous conference room from yesterday's meeting, only Sakazuki sat in the main seat. His arms were crossed as he leaned back in the chair with his eyes closed, resting quietly.
Time slowly passed.
Footsteps gradually sounded from outside as people arrived one after another and waited beyond the doors.
When the hands of the pocket watch finally reached eight o'clock, Carlo entered through the doorway and lowered his head beside Sakazuki to report, "Fleet Admiral, everyone has arrived."
Sakazuki gave a soft grunt and slowly opened his eyes.
He picked up the cap on the table, stood up, and placed it onto his head before walking outside, with Carlo closely following behind him.
As the doors were pulled open, endless light flooded into view.
Waiting outside were several figures who had clearly arrived long ago. Bullet, Sengoku, Garp…
Sakazuki's indifferent voice rang out. "Move out."
Five coats bearing the word Justice fluttered as they disappeared from the area…
* * *
New World, Whole Cake Island.
Inside the grand palace made entirely of food, Big Mom listened to the reports from Katakuri and Perospero.
"Oven and Daifuku are already in position and prepared to take in the remaining forces from Knox's side. The other ministers have also dispersed to their assigned islands and are awaiting orders for the counterattack."
Big Mom sat upon her throne with both hands resting on the armrests. "Gather as many as possible. We can't worry about everything anymore. If we lose this war, then—"
Katakuri suddenly raised his head and looked around sharply.
A terrifying sense of death stimulated every nerve in his body, yet he could not determine where it was coming from.
His unusual reaction instantly drew the attention of Big Mom and Perospero, causing them to become alert too.
Just as Carlo locked the coordinates onto the top of the palace, Katakuri activated his ability. His arms transformed into mochi and hardened with Armament Haki as they pierced upward.
"Above us!!!"
BOOM!!!!
The hardened mochi spikes were instantly crushed apart.
Four figures wearing coats of justice descended into the palace like falling meteors, their overwhelming killing intent flooding the entire hall.
Big Mom immediately felt a chill rush through her brain as her shrill scream echoed out. "Stop them!!!"
Zeus, Prometheus, and Napoleon, the three special Homies, instantly appeared and charged forward.
Big Mom stomped downward and directly smashed through the palace roof as she shot into the sky.
There was no such thing as the dignity of an Emperor anymore. Only one thought remained in her mind.
Escape…
Against Garp alone, she could at best fight evenly. But now there were three more monsters beside him. There was no way to fight this. Anyone who stayed would die…
The shocked Katakuri and Perospero also reacted immediately.
"Mochi Wall!"
"Candy Wall!"
The massive palace made of food instantly writhed and moved, sealing the shattered ceiling broken open by Big Mom.
Candy and mochi surged like tidal waves, layered with Armament Haki as they continuously reinforced the palace in an attempt to trap the four men inside.
A savage grin spread across Bullet's face as he directly entered his Demon Mode. His skin turned deep blue while his scarlet eyes lifted toward the thick barrier above.
BOOM!!!!
The next second, a deafening explosion rang out.
Bullet had already vanished from where he stood. The dense candy and mochi barrier was smashed apart, leaving behind a giant hole dozens of meters wide.
Right after that, Garp stomped the ground and charged out as well.
Among the four of them, the one who most desperately wanted this battle to end was undoubtedly Garp...
Only after eliminating all the Emperors could they head to Mariejois...
Seeing this, Sengoku also wasted no time and followed the two straight out.
Left behind in place, Sakazuki entered his Crimson Lotus state as infinite energy rapidly accumulated inside his body.
Magma boiled around him as thick black smoke surged upward. Golden light glowed within his eyes while he looked at the cold sweat pouring down Katakuri and Perospero's faces.
"Overestimating yourselves."
BOOM!!!
The moment the words fell, a scorching shockwave as hot as the sun erupted from the center of the palace and swept across the entire island in an instant.
Every piece of food, every building, and every flammable object on the island burst into flames violently. The whole of Whole Cake Island descended into a sea of fire.
Then the ground began to quake violently as endless magma erupted from the palace at the island's center. Like a natural disaster and a volcanic tsunami, it completely destroyed the entire island.
Everywhere the eye could see was flowing magma.
The sweet paradise made of food transformed into a molten hell in mere moments.
Inside the Armament Haki barrier formed from mochi and candy, Katakuri and Perospero suddenly noticed a tiny crimson point appearing at the center of the wall before them.
Then it rapidly expanded and directly melted through the Haki-coated barrier made of candy and mochi.
"Hellhound."
Sakazuki's emotionless voice echoed.
Katakuri's Observation Haki operated at full speed. It felt as if time itself had slowed down.
The moment the voice sounded, Katakuri immediately shoved Perospero aside while retreating himself.
Two streams of magma pierced through the barrier and shot toward their heads.
Katakuri narrowly dodged the attack.
But even though Perospero had been pushed away beforehand, half of his head was still grazed by the magma.
He died instantly…
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