The moment the golden giant hand made contact with the World King, searing golden flames crawled up his body, which resembled the legendary Earth Serpent. "Ah!" A roar of agony ripped through the air. The World King, who had been omnipotent and feared nothing, screamed in pain. This sight caused the five Gorosei, already half-crippled, to shrink back, their eyes wide with disbelief. "Im… Im-sama…" they whispered, having witnessed the transformation but failing to intervene. Although they were puppets created by Imu, they still possessed independent personalities. Faced with this unknown, powerful Kaido, they chose self-preservation above all else; the longer they lived, the more they cherished their lives. Unless commanded, they refused to engage him.
Kaido paid them no mind. After seizing the Earth Serpent's tail with his flame-wrought hand, he channeled incredible power and slammed the massive beast into the earth with a violent roar. The impact made the Sun Tree Eve tremble uncontrollably. These golden flames were not mere fire; they were a synthesis of Haki and his awakened Devil Fruit power. The ability to project Conqueror's Haki at a distance, combined with his fruit's capacity to alter the world, meant his flames had become substantial—extensions of his own body capable of reshaping reality.
"Boom!" The Earth Serpent crashed to the ground, wailing as its skin cracked, releasing lava like a volcanic eruption. "Kill Kaido!" the World King shrieked, fueled by genuine terror.
The three zombies under his control sprang into action, and after a moment of hesitation, the Gorosei joined the charge. Kaido raised his Hassaikai, blue lightning dancing along its length. It was no longer the red surge of Conqueror's Haki, but something else entirely—a power no less formidable than Conqueror's Haki Coating. "Then this move is called: God: Thunder Bagua!"
In the past, Kaido might have used these enemies to test the defenses of his new golden scales. Now, he felt no such need. Impatient to finish this and face the Child of Destiny, he unleashed his strike. "Boom!" The blue lightning transformed into a brilliant impact, striking the three zombies with terrifying speed. Their weapons, despite being wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, were torn through like paper. Rocks, Roger, and Harald—the three greatest warriors of the era—were decimated by the discharge. Charred holes appeared in their chests as they were blasted backward against the palace walls.
Seeing this, the advancing Gorosei froze, their faces pale and their brows slick with cold sweat. "How is this possible?" they stammered. Previously, Kaido had only been able to defend against them, yet now he had obliterated the World King's strongest puppets with a single blow.
"Wororororo, this power is truly amazing!" Kaido felt the immense energy surging within him. His eyes filled with killing intent as he turned his gaze toward the trembling Gorosei and the wounded Earth Serpent. "You five old geezers have had your fun. Now, it is my turn."
Kaido stomped his foot, and golden flames spread outward, engulfing the entire world and sealing it off like a cage. "There is no escape now. Let the slaughter begin!"
In the New World, within Totto Land, the battle between Luffy and Charlotte Linlin reached its final, desperate stage. As their combined rage peaked, Linlin's aura began to wane. The era of Big Mom was finally drawing to a close.
"Did I actually lose?" Linlin wondered, her resolve wavering as she felt Luffy's aura continue to climb. Her memories flickered: being abandoned by her parents, the nun, her happy days in Elbaf, the disappearance of her friends, her journey with Streusen, joining the Rocks Pirates, and the God Valley incident. She recalled her rise to become one of the Four Emperors.
"Why?" she roared. Why should she fall to such a brat? Was her will really weaker? She refused to accept that her sixty years of experience were being devalued by a boy who had been at sea for only two years simply because he was the Child of Destiny who ate the Nika Fruit. "What a joke! I am Big Mom!"
"Zeus, Prometheus, Edward!" In a final, frenzied outburst, she unleashed every ounce of her soul, radiating a demonic aura as she brandished Napoleon. "Mama-Raid: Three Thousand Leagues!" A giant green energy entity materialized, descending upon Luffy.
Luffy, in his massive white form, responded with his ultimate technique. "Give Usopp and Zoro back to me, Big Mom! Gum-Gum Ape God Gun!"
The final collision shook the heavens and the earth. When the brilliant light finally faded, the white giant remained standing. Charlotte Linlin, the former Emperor, fell from the sky with her eyes rolled back, crashing into the heart of Cake Island. The impact shattered the island, sinking it into the sea. Linlin vanished beneath the waves, never to surface again.
Stunned silence held the battlefield for a moment, followed by a tentative, "Did we win?" As the realization settled that the Emperor would not return, a thunderous cheer erupted.
"We won!" "Straw Hat defeated Big Mom!" "A new era is coming!"