"Devour!!"
As Caesar's icy voice rang out from the swirling tide of black souls, a powerful suction force emerged at the center of the soul army!
Behind Caesar's mountainous frame, the void twisted and spun like a curtain, forming a massive black hole adorned with countless tendril-like appendages!
The pitch-black abyss seemed to lead straight into the depths of the netherworld, releasing an irresistible pulling force outward!
Sucking!
Devouring!
It was as if a massive whirlpool funnel had appeared in the middle of the ocean.
The swarming tide of souls had no power to resist, shattering one by one into tiny fragments that madly poured into the black hole behind Caesar.
As more and more of the soul army was devoured, the black hole behind Caesar grew larger and larger.
Along its edges, tendril-like streams of energy began to appear, releasing an endless, pulling force!
"Not good! Get away from here, quickly!"
Shanks' face paled in horror as he shouted.
Whether it was Zoro or Caesar, Shanks could no longer comprehend what he was witnessing.
He had finally witnessed the terrifying might of the Power of Rules.
"No! Please! Save me!"
The weaker pirates were horrified to discover they couldn't escape the gravitational pull, stumbling backward uncontrollably toward Caesar.
Even stabbing their weapons into the ground couldn't delay being dragged away by this terrifying force.
Shanks gritted his teeth, wanting to rescue them, but Gaban held him back.
"Are you insane? That monster's power is beyond us! Run! Get out of here now!"
Gaban dragged the reluctant Shanks as they fled.
Suddenly, Buggy's screams echoed from behind.
"Buggy!"
Shanks couldn't abandon him now.
Buggy was his best friend since childhood, having grown up together on Roger's ship like brothers.
Shaking off Gaban's grip, he pushed off the ground, following the pull to reach for the flying Buggy.
"Grab my hand! Buggy!" Shanks shouted.
"Shanks! Shanks!"
Buggy screamed repeatedly, his body flying backward at an alarming speed.
Fortunately, with Shanks' timely rescue, he finally caught Shanks' outstretched hand.
Buggy was nearly crying with relief.
"Shanks! You're truly my best friend! Than—"
Before he could finish, terror flashed across Buggy's face.
Crack!
His wrist snapped, and his body shot backward like a cannonball at maximum speed toward Caesar!
"No! Buggy!"
Shanks yelled, pushing off the ground to lunge forward.
"Don't go!" Rayleigh cried out.
He saw Caesar open his large hand toward the flying Buggy, his five massive fingers clamping around Buggy's head.
"Sunbell!" Gaban roared.
The Fish-Man bellowed and hurled his harpoon at Shanks.
Thwip!
The harpoon pierced straight through Shanks' thigh, blood spraying everywhere.
The harpoon's tail had a long chain, which Sunbell gripped tightly.
"Help!" Sunbell's massive body leaned back, feet planted firmly.
But the terrifying gravitational pull still dragged him forward!
The giant Shikaru rushed over, grabbing the chain in his hands.
"Argh!!"
The two burly giants strained together, finally pulling the tear-streaked Shanks out from the most intense area of the gravitational pull.
"Caesar! I beg you! Don't kill him!"
Tears streamed from Shanks' eyes, reflecting Buggy's figure.
Behind Caesar, the massive black hole continued devouring waves of souls.
The pirates being pulled in didn't even have time to scream.
The moment they approached the black hole, they were completely disintegrated into invisible particles.
Caesar looked at Buggy in his grasp, recalling the scene on Oven Island where he had punched Weevil to death.
After more than two months, Buggy had finally fallen into his hands.
Hearing Shanks' pleas, he slowly tightened his fingers.
Crunch.
The terror vanished from Buggy's face.
No, his head vanished.
Caesar crushed Buggy's skull and released his headless body.
The terrifying pull from behind instantly shattered Buggy's remains, consuming them into the black hole.
"No!!"
In the distance, Shanks closed his eyes in agony.
Rayleigh also showed profound grief.But soon, he said in a deep voice, "Quick! Shanks, you must pull yourself together! We need to leave here fast! Caesar is too powerful! Even Roger, who has also mastered the Power of Rules, is no match for him. Roronoa definitely can't stop him either!"
But Shanks was still lost in pain and guilt.
Rayleigh gritted his teeth, grabbed Shanks by the collar, and lifted him up.
Smack!
A resounding slap struck Shanks' face, turning his cheek crimson and causing blood to trickle from his nose and mouth.
"If you don't want to lose any more comrades, pull yourself together!" Rayleigh roared.
Shanks clenched his jaw, refusing to look toward Caesar, and abruptly turned, leading the others in a desperate sprint to escape the island.
"Hurry! Get on board quickly!"
On the Oro Jackson, someone threw down ropes, pulling their comrades onto the ship.
"Thinking of leaving now? It won't be that easy!"
In the sky, a hundred-meter-long azure dragon charged forward, opening its ferocious maw.
"Boro Breath!"
A towering pillar of flames shot straight toward the Oro Jackson.
"Stop him!" a pirate screamed in terror.
Mihawk drew his black blade, Yoru, and slashed downward.
"Black Blade—Flash!"
Swish!
A blinding sword light sliced toward the oncoming inferno.
"Slashing Wave!"
With a swing of Shiki's right hand, a hundred-meter-long slash descended, shattering Mihawk's sword energy.
"Dammit! He's coming again!"
Yasopp's expression darkened as he raised his gun and fired at Kaido in mid-air.
Bang!
A bullet infused with Armament Haki struck Kaido squarely in the eye.
Even with Kaido's formidable Armament Haki and robust physique, the critical hit caused tears to stream from his massive dragon eye.
Ben Beckman raised his gun and fired.
Boom!
A deafening blast erupted as a Haki-infused bullet shattered Kaido's Boro Breath, exploding into a shower of fiery sparks.
At the same time, Gin, Loki, Redfield, Kizaru, and others descended toward the Oro Jackson.
"Destroy that ship first! Don't let them escape!" Kaido bellowed, spewing endless streams of Boro Breath and wind blades from his mouth.
Before Zoro stood Caesar's demonic form, towering like a mountain.
He stared blankly at the now-empty battlefield.
The tide of black souls was gone—not a single one remained.
Zoro then turned his gaze to Caesar.
Behind Caesar, the massive black hole slowly shrank, enveloping his powerful frame before disappearing into his body.
As the black hole, having devoured countless souls, merged with Caesar, he shuddered violently.
Immediately, countless streams of black energy twisted and extended from his body like the tentacles of an octopus, seeking to ensnare any living being that drew near.
From those dark currents, one could almost hear the agonized wails of tormented spirits!
Caesar's colossal form seemed to transform into a tangible hell, imprisoning all the souls he had consumed.
His body crackled and grew another ten centimeters taller.
The black demon horns on his head lengthened further, with black flames flickering atop them.
Countless souls from the underworld had been drawn in by his Devourer Rule, sealed within his body.
But the excess souls, overflowing as black energy and blazing crimson flames around him, made Caesar appear more like the ruler of hell—the King of the Underworld—than Zoro himself.