"Hahahaha, so you finally couldn't hold back!"
From the VIP viewing area, Shirogai Yamikuro stood up with a relaxed smile. His eyes gleamed with mischief as he looked toward the battlefield where Financial Military God Saint Nusjuro stood. His laughter rang out clearly across the chaos.
"After hiding behind the curtain for so many years, you finally can't conceal yourselves anymore, can you?
You have always hidden behind the Marines and the World Government, making the world believe that the hatred between pirates and Marines, between pirates and civilians, and between Marines and civilians was all natural conflict.
But in truth, it was all of you."
Shirogai's voice grew calm, sharp, and unmistakably clear.
"You used the authority of the Celestial Dragons to gather eighty percent of the world's wealth into the hands of a group that does not even make up one hundred millionth of the population.
You turned a world already starved of resources into an even harsher place to survive.
When people cannot eat their fill, they are forced to become bandits. And the rise of bandits inevitably gives birth to enforcers. Yet even those enforcers are under your control, the very culprits who caused this misery in the first place."
His gaze lifted toward the Red Line.
"You detached yourselves from the world where the strong prey on the weak, placing yourselves in absolute safety atop the Red Line, like a false paradise far removed from the blood and suffering below.
Meanwhile, ordinary people are constantly brainwashed into believing that their nations are failing, that endless wars, famine, and disasters are all their own fault."
Shirogai chuckled softly.
"That they simply did not work hard enough."
His eyes shifted toward a red-nosed man trembling as he clutched a Den Den Mushi, still broadcasting everything live with a vacant expression.
"Well done, Buggy," Shirogai said with a smile. "I thought I would have to remind you to keep broadcasting, but you surprised me. You actually had the backbone to keep going."
Buggy's hands shook violently.
"Even knowing that airing this would guarantee your death, you still continued," Shirogai added calmly. "As expected of a former crew member of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger."
Shirogai's gaze returned to Saint Nusjuro, whose body was wreathed in an unsettling aura. He let out a quiet laugh.
"Even a mere crew member can resist death like this. No wonder you tried to tempt Roger back then.
Perhaps the fact that Roger chose death instead of joining you completely exceeded your expectations, didn't it?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"After all, in your eyes, no one can resist Imu's power, nor the temptation of eternal life."
A trace of disdain crept into his voice.
"You believed that Roger's death turned the world into your playground.
You were wrong."
Shirogai straightened, his presence calm yet oppressive.
"There are still many people like Roger in this world."
…
"Gurarararara, what a revolting aura."
Whitebeard stared at Financial Military God Saint Nusjuro, who was battling Luffy high in the sky. Disgust was written plainly across his face as he swung Murakumogiri to force Kizaru back.
"Kizaru," Whitebeard growled, "why does the Marine harbor something this foul? That is the kind of evil aura only those who have wiped out millions of lives can possess."
"Oh my, since when did the Marines have an obligation to enlighten pirates?" Kizaru replied lazily, his body shimmering as light gathered around him.
"Yasakani no Magatama."
Swish, swish, swish…
Countless beams of light rained down, blasting toward the massive ice field beneath Whitebeard's feet.
"Gurarararara, trying to break the ice under me?"
Crack!
Whitebeard clenched his fist, shattering the air itself. The shockwave erased every incoming beam of light.
No, I need to finish this quickly.
Clear a path for the children.
Realizing he had little more than three minutes left, Whitebeard swung Murakumogiri with full force, striking straight through Kizaru's body.
"Shockwave!"
Kizaru's form split apart, leaving behind a light clone as his true body flickered away, narrowly escaping the attack.
"Oh my, that is truly terrifying, Whitebeard."
"Brat, you're really starting to annoy me."
Whitebeard tightened his grip on his blade. His presence surged outward, spreading across the ice like an earthquake.
Kizaru steadied himself, gripping the massive Totsuka-no-Tsurugi with both hands, preparing to counter.
"Hm?"
Both men froze at the same time, turning their heads toward Marineford.
"What exactly are you Marines doing?" Whitebeard demanded coldly as he stared at the distant horizon.
"Four more chilling and deeply unsettling auras have appeared."
"So they all came after all…" Kizaru muttered, his expression tightening as he stared at the rising black mists.
"This is bad."
He did not finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.
Very few Navy soldiers would survive what was coming.
…
"I have summoned them."
Financial Military God Saint Nusjuro gripped the hilt of his blade, now completely shrouded in black mist, and plunged it into the ground of Marineford Plaza.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
A terrifying black aura surged outward along the blade, forming four pitch-black circular formations. Cold, unnatural flames flickered within them.
The flames rotated counterclockwise, spreading rapidly before erupting violently.
Boom!!!!
Four streaks of pitch-black lightning tore down from the sky, illuminating Marineford for a brief instant.
The atmosphere itself seemed to collapse.
Dark clouds swallowed the sky, plunging Marineford into an unnatural gloom. Then, just as suddenly, the light returned, like the calm before a catastrophic storm.
"Ah! M-monster!"
A Navy soldier screamed as he opened his eyes and saw a grotesque figure standing nearby.
The creature's lower body resembled a massive spider, while its upper body bore a human form crowned with ox horns. Eerie black flames drifted around it, distorting the air.
Crack!
Acting on instinct, the soldier raised his rifle and fired.
Bang!
The bullet struck the black flames surrounding the monster and instantly dissolved, rotting away midair.
"Ah!"
The soldier's body trembled uncontrollably as panic consumed him.
"…"
The ox-horned creature turned its head slowly. Its indifferent gaze swept over the Marine as it spoke in a cold, human voice.
"Insects, how dare you raise a hand against a Celestial Dragon?"
"No… no!"
Driven by sheer survival instinct, the Marine dropped his weapon and turned to flee.
"Hmph."
Scientific Defense Martial God Saint Jaygarcia Saturn snorted softly. His eyes flashed with black killing intent as he watched the fleeing figure.
Splat!
The Marine's head exploded without warning, crushed by an invisible force. His body twitched once before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
---