The weakness of zombies is seawater.
Because of this, the zombie legion—while an unexpected force on the battlefield—was not suited for the Navy's operation on the frozen inner bay.
The only terrain that fit them was the plaza where the execution platform stood.
Under Maude's command, an entire force of six hundred zombies, created from the prisoners of Impel Down's Level 5, emerged from the ground.
In mere seconds, the pirates, including Squard and his men, found their advance blocked by these undead warriors.
The tides of battle shifted instantly.
What should have been a pincer attack on Maude had instead turned into an encirclement of Whitebeard's forces by the zombie legion.
"Corpses?! Zombies?!"
"It's the power of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit!"
The pirates stared in shock at the horde that had suddenly risen from the earth.
"Doesn't matter what they are—just take off their heads!"
A hot-blooded pirate wasted no time, swinging his sword at the nearest armed zombie.
Sensing the hostility, the zombie subtly tilted its head, its right hand swiftly gripping the hilt of its blade.
Clang—!
Iaijutsu—Single Line Rend!
In a flash, the sword-wielding zombie unsheathed its blade, cutting through the attacking pirate with a sharp, blinding slash.
The entire movement was fluid, seamless.
As the flash of steel disappeared, the pirate who had attacked froze in place.
His face was one of shock as he looked at the zombie before him.
The zombie twirled its sword with an air of arrogance before slowly sheathing it.
Clink!
As the hilt clicked against the scabbard's rim, a deep red gash spread across the pirate's chest, running down to his abdomen. A heartbeat later, blood sprayed forth.
"Ugh..."
Still caught in disbelief, the pirate collapsed lifelessly.
"So strong!"
The surrounding pirates gasped at the zombie's display of power.
Had any of them recognized the technique, they might have deduced that this zombie was once a renowned swordsman with a bounty exceeding 100 million before his imprisonment a decade ago.
But time had erased his fame, and none recognized him.
Nor did they realize that every single zombie in the legion possessed comparable strength.
Drenched in blood, the zombie showed no concern. Instead, it extended its tongue, licking away the blood at the corner of its lips.
"As expected... I still can't taste it."
Disappointed, the zombie shook its head before turning its gaze toward the surrounding pirates.
"But at least... I can still feel the satisfaction of a blade sinking into flesh. So, until I fall... I'll make sure to enjoy this."
Muttering to itself, the zombie stepped forward, its hunger for battle evident, lunging at the nearest pirate.
These zombies, crafted from the hardened prisoners of Impel Down's Level 5, far surpassed the ones Moria had once created on Thriller Bark.
With superior corpses and stronger shadows, their combat power was formidable.
Under the cover of the zombie legion, Maude easily retreated to the heavily fortified area near the execution platform.
But a new problem quickly arose.
The beasts unleashed by Golden Lion.
Numbering in the thousands, their bodies impervious to blades and bullets, even the Navy's forces, along with Kuzan's intervention, couldn't eliminate them quickly.
The issue wasn't just their sheer numbers or durability.
It was their terrifying evolutionary abilities.
When frozen by Kuzan's power, the beasts adapted within moments, developing resistance to subzero temperatures.
Through some unknown biological mechanism, they momentarily raised their body temperatures to melt the ice trapping them.
This rapid evolution hindered Kuzan's efficiency in clearing them.
Just as Maude reached his position, a massive black-furred gorilla swung its colossal fists at the back of his head.
Hearing the shift in the wind, Maude didn't even turn—he simply flickered away, avoiding the strike entirely.
BOOM—!
The gorilla's fists smashed into the stone plaza, shattering the ground and leaving a massive crater.
Its raw strength was undeniable.
"No wonder the Navy hasn't dealt with them yet."
Maude studied the beast's aura. It was indeed different.
Golden Lion had intended to unleash these creatures upon the East Blue to annihilate it. It was no empty threat.
With their immense strength and sheer numbers, these beasts could easily turn an entire sea into hell overnight.
The gorilla, its bloodshot eyes locking onto Maude, let out a deafening roar.
"ROAR!"
It charged once more.
Maude, still dodging, kept his eyes on the battlefield.
Whitebeard's forces were steadily advancing.
His initial expectation—that Whitebeard himself would charge at him—had not come to pass.
Which made sense.
In a battlefield as chaotic as this, only a fool would abandon all strategy and dive headfirst into enemy lines.
Maude recalled Bailey, transforming it into twin pistols and gripping them firmly.
With Izo dead and both the Navy and the zombie legion forming a protective barrier, Maude had the perfect opportunity to freely snipe Whitebeard's forces.
BANG!
He dodged another strike from the gorilla, its attack missing him but hitting a group of Marines instead.
"Why aren't you fighting back?!"
A Marine who had been caught in the shockwave stared at Maude in disbelief.
Given Maude's combat prowess, taking down the beast should have been trivial.
"According to our agreement, fighting these creatures isn't my responsibility."
Maude glanced at the Marine before leaping onto the gorilla's head.
This beast wouldn't give him experience points.
Nor was it worth the effort compared to the stronger foes scattered across the battlefield.
Wasting energy on it was pointless.
The surrounding Marines exchanged uncertain looks, momentarily speechless.
Even the gorilla seemed to sense Maude's elusive nature, its battle intent wavering.
"ROAR!"
Annoyed, it swiped at its own head.
Maude flipped backward, landing smoothly on the ground.
Now rid of its pesky rider, the gorilla turned its bloodshot eyes to the Marines who had questioned Maude earlier.
Compared to the elusive Maude, these small fry seemed far more entertaining.
It charged at them without hesitation.
Moments later, the air was filled with the screams of unlucky Marines.
Meanwhile, Maude remained focused on Whitebeard's forces.
With the rampaging beasts disrupting the battlefield, the Navy couldn't fully mobilize against Whitebeard's men.
They were steadily pushing forward.
If the Navy didn't eliminate the beasts soon, it wouldn't be long before Whitebeard's crew broke through to the execution platform.
And then, there was the floating fleet in the sky.
On the execution platform, Sengoku shifted his gaze away from the clash between Garp and Marco, turning instead to Maude's zombie legion.
"You never planned to follow our 'agreement' from the start, did you, Maude..."
His eyes locked onto Maude, who was calmly observing the battlefield.
During their negotiations, Maude had agreed to let Sengoku decide when the zombie legion would be deployed.
At the time, he had accepted the condition without hesitation.
And yet...
"Still... this zombie legion is far stronger than I expected."
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