The sky remained swallowed in gloom. Thick black clouds rolled endlessly overhead, occasionally splitting open as lightning tore through them like jagged scars.
Beneath that oppressive ceiling, multiple top tier battles raged on at once. Purple light clashed against deep black energy, golden lightning erupted in bursts, and a cold white radiance cut through the chaos. Each force carved its own path through the battlefield, turning the heavens into a collapsing storm of power.
The sounds of slaughter never stopped.
By now, few could still claim this was a war in progress rather than a war at its end. Seven days had passed since the fighting began, and what remained was exhaustion layered upon exhaustion. Even for monsters like Redyat and Arest, the strain had become impossible to ignore.
Neither side could afford wasteful exchanges anymore. Every ability, every burst of speed, every strike of Haki had to be measured. The earlier explosive clashes had given way to shorter, tighter exchanges, each one carrying less spectacle but far more lethality.
Heavy breathing echoed across broken terrain. Clothes were torn, armor cracked, and the stench of blood and burnt air lingered everywhere.
The allied forces had already lost half of their two hundred thousand ground troops.
What remained was not an army so much as scattered groups of survivors still clinging to the rhythm of battle. Fight when possible, retreat when forced, regroup when barely alive. Those without that cycle had already fallen.
Comrades disappeared one after another. Names that had once been shouted across decks and camps were now silence.
The pirates suffered losses too, but the difference was clear. This was their territory. Supply lines were closer. Weapons were better maintained. And above all, Baccarat's ability continued to distort the battlefield in subtle but devastating ways.
Every misstep, every delayed reaction, every "unlucky" cannon trajectory added up. Shots that should have missed found their mark. Stray explosions landed where soldiers gathered. Entire formations were erased by accidents that no longer felt like accidents.
Luck had become a weapon.
By this point, even Teach found it surprising that the World Government had not yet revealed its remaining cards. Their patience was unnatural.
But there was a reason for it.
The Red Line had become a reservoir of extracted wealth. Under riots, suppression, and forced taxation, the World Government had drained the region dry. Even a super large kingdom could only produce so much, yet the sheer population density made the total staggering.
Funds still flowed, just barely, enough to prolong the war a little longer.
And they were preparing something far more decisive.
Outside the Golden Sea, a fleet had already been assembled, waiting for the final outcome. If victory was secured, they would not only seize Jaya Island but also the entire gold bearing region surrounding it.
That was why destruction of the island itself had always been a risk.
Explosives had already been planted beneath Jaya Island in massive quantities. If triggered, the island would collapse into the sea, erasing the Golden Sea entirely. It would deny everyone access, pirates and government alike.
So the World Government had prepared countermeasures.
Gaia, a Deputy Director of CP0, had been dispatched with a rare Paramecia ability, the Earth Earth Fruit. With it, land could be reshaped, islands could be reconstructed, and even collapsed terrain could be forcibly restored.
Even if Jaya was destroyed, it would not matter.
They would rebuild it.
In recent days, reinforcements had quietly arrived on the battlefield. Thirty thousand additional ground troops had been added in scattered deployments. Pirate reinforcements also appeared, attempting to stretch the war further.
But the World Government had already reached its limit of patience.
The Navy could not hold much longer.
In the New World, entire supply chains had collapsed. Without funding, logistics broke down piece by piece. Even weapons production had slowed to a crawl. Factories that once ran nonstop were now shut down or partially halted.
A war machine without fuel could not continue forever.
At the highest level of authority, the decision was made.
End it.
The Five Elders gave the order without hesitation.
"Make your move and end this war. Let them understand the fate of those who oppose the World Government."
Across the battlefield, CP0 agents responded immediately.
"Yes."
Their voices were calm, but the intent behind them was absolute.
Sora, the Fleet Admiral level, stood among them, his expression unchanged.
"We split into waves," he said. "The pirates may still have hidden forces. Do not assume this is everything they have."
A red masked CP0 agent stepped forward.
"We will go first."
No further discussion was needed.
Eight figures rose into the air at once, stepping on Moonwalk as they shot toward the battlefield like streaks of pressure breaking through the sky.
At that same moment, far above the chaos, Teach tilted his head slightly.
"So they finally show up."
A slow grin formed on his face as he stretched his shoulders, joints cracking under the strain.
Behind him, Shiki the Golden Lion floated with a bottle in hand, taking a long drink before laughing loudly.
"Finally, some movement. I was getting bored."
He lowered the bottle and rolled his shoulders.
"That old man Kong is mine."
The air around them shifted as fighting intent spread once again across the battlefield.