Gion froze, not quite understanding what Yemu meant. A flicker of unease ran through her.
Then Zephyr's cold voice cut in at last, his forearms coated in pitch-black Armament Haki.
"You filthy pirates. You think you've toyed with the Marines and the World Government, holding them in the palm of your hand. All you've done is bring yourselves closer to your own end."
"Is that so?"
Facing Zephyr's undisguised killing intent, Yemu narrowed his eyes slightly. He slowly drew Tengoku from his coat and drove it into the ground.
"My end, Admiral Zephyr? How frightening. In that case… let's see whether it turns out the way you want."
"Come forth, Divine Dragon!!!"
The moment his words fell, a burst of searing heat erupted. In the stunned gaze of everyone present, blazing flames roared up around Yemu, then gathered and took shape.
A colossal crimson Eastern fire dragon burst out from his body with a deafening roar and shot straight into the sky.
"Eh?! Th-this is…?"
The Marines had been bracing for an attack. Instead, they could only stare, baffled, at the fire dragon soaring overhead.
Then, like fireworks splitting in midair, the enormous dragon divided into nine.
Nine fire dragons roared from the heavens and plunged toward the ground.
Everyone jerked in shock, weapons snapping up. Even Kuzan tensed, ready to act.
But the nine dragons didn't strike them.
They landed behind the Marines, sank into the earth, and erupted into towering columns of flame, their blazing trails linking together into a continuous ring.
"Hey, no way…"
Borsalino's eyes widened. Staring at the nine pillars, arranged like a Birdcage, a thin sheen of sweat appeared on his face.
In that instant, he understood what Yemu had meant earlier.
"Don't tell me… you're planning to make all of us hostages."
At Borsalino's words, everyone jolted. Looking at the pillars of fire enclosing them, they finally realized what was happening.
As if answering him, Yemu's voice rang out from within the flames.
"Congratulations, Borsalino. Correct."
"Unfortunately, there's no prize."
"Tengoku: Nine Dragon Divine Flames…"
In an instant, the nine massive fire pillars formed from the dragons flared violently. Flames spread outward like rolling fireclouds, then fused together, sealing into a gigantic cage of fire like a "Torikago".
In that moment, the entire Island 1 of the Sabaody Archipelago was swallowed by the enormous fire prison. The spectacle was so vast that even people on the surrounding islands could see it clearly.
Scorching heat. Surging flames.
The red glare painted every Marine's face, along with the faces of the ordinary spectators who had come just to watch.
"H-hey… is this really something a human can do…?"
"M-monster…"
"I'm just here to watch!"
"Let me out!"
"Ah… it's so hot… so hot…"
…
This almost miraculous scene terrified more than just the onlookers. The ordinary Marines were pale with fear as well.
They were trapped in a sea of fire.
Everywhere they looked was flame. Even the air they breathed was burning hot. The fight hadn't even started, yet their chests already felt like they were filled with searing heat, making it hard to breathe.
Their eyes, dazed and desperate, turned toward the Admirals and Rear Admiral.
Those officers were their only hope now.
A battle of this level was something soldiers like them had no business being caught in.
"Hey, hey… this is a bit much, isn't it…"
The crimson light flickered across Borsalino's face, yet he stayed unusually calm. He glanced around once, then shifted his gaze to Kuzan beside him.
"Things don't look good, Kuzan."
"Yeah."
Kuzan frowned slightly, but didn't overthink it. He scratched his head, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.
"Well, can't be helped. Leave it to me."
Under everyone's gaze, Kuzan—the Hie Hie no Mi user—walked out. A bone-chilling cold radiated from him, instantly bringing relief to the Marines who had been suffocating in the heat.
"It's Vice Admiral Kuzan!"
"Thank goodness! Ice beats fire!"
"We're saved!"
Kuzan scratched his head again, looking a little troubled as he stared at Yemu, who still wore that unsettling smile.
But he didn't hesitate.
He leapt into the air. With a sweep of both hands, terrifying freezing air burst outward, surging toward the blazing cage.
In an instant, before everyone's delighted eyes, layers of ice crystals formed in the air. The temperature plummeted sharply.
"Incredible…"
"The flames are freezing!"
The world of fire transformed into a frozen landscape. Crimson flames were locked inside thick ice, sealed in place.
Kuzan landed lightly, exhaling frosty breath. Cold mist swirled around him as he looked at Yemu.
"It's over, Pirate Yemu…"
But in the next instant, something felt wrong.
Kuzan's brow tightened as he looked back at the frozen inferno he had created.
As if answering his unease, Yemu's voice rang out, loud and amused.
"Hahaha. The Hie Hie no Mi really is powerful. But…"
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Yemu raised one finger.
"One thousand degrees. That's the current temperature of the flames."
Then he raised a second finger.
"Kuzan, you can freeze one thousand degrees. But what about two thousand?"
"Divine Flame… Two Thousand Degrees."
A sharp hissing sound tore through the air.
Everyone looked up in horror.
The massive blocks of ice that had sealed the flames were melting at an unbelievable speed. The fire trapped within surged back to life, devouring the ice and instantly turning it into vapor.
In less than twenty seconds, the flames erupted again.
This time, they burned even hotter.
"It's too hot!"
"My sword—it's melting!"
"W-why isn't Vice Admiral Kuzan's ability working?!"
"I can't breathe! I'm burning! Someone help—!"
Coughing and cries filled the air.
Under two thousand degrees of heat, the temperature skyrocketed. The ground itself began to scorch. Everyone felt as if their skin might ignite at any second.
Then Yemu's voice sounded again, almost teasing.
"Two thousand degrees and you're already struggling? We're just getting started."
He began to lift another finger.
At that moment, even Borsalino and Kuzan looked shaken.
"Hey… this is still the Mera Mera no Mi, right?" Borsalino muttered. "This is ridiculous. Has he awakened it or something?"
"No."
Zephyr's sharp voice cut in. His eyes had been locked on Yemu from the beginning.
"That sword."
"Sword?"
Everyone's gaze shifted to Tengoku in Yemu's hand.
Gion and Strawberry, both skilled swordsmen, immediately recognized it.
"That looks like Tengoku, one of the Fifty Skillful Grade blades."
"I don't remember it having any special abilities."
Zephyr's eyes were steady.
"I didn't misread it. When he activates his power, that blade is absorbing the flames."
But that detail no longer mattered.
Zephyr stepped forward. His forearms were wrapped in pitch-black Armament Haki, his expression icy.
"No matter how powerful a Devil Fruit ability is… once the user is defeated, it disappears."