The battle on Enel's side of the fight seemed to be drawing to a close. Anyone could see that Gray's defeat was only a matter of time. If no one came to his aid, he was sure to die.
Down on the ice, the battle raged on, with every combatant having found their opponent.
Squard, swinging his greatsword, had taken on Pica. However, he was not having an easy time. Pica's power was immense; normally, he could have wiped out swaths of these small-fry pirates with a single swipe, but this was the open sea. If not for Monet's ability, they wouldn't even have this ground to stand on.
The "Gallant Knight" Doma faced off against Gladius. Their attacks were equally fierce, sending sparks and explosions in every direction. Any pirate who strayed too close to their fight was either killed or grievously wounded.
Makugai, naturally, was handled by Monet. He did not underestimate her; the blizzard and the frozen sea beneath their feet were a testament to her formidable power.
As for the Decalvan Brothers, they were tied up by Robin and Ibes. Law, Baby 5, and Buffalo were free to roam the battlefield, reaping a grim harvest of enemy pirates.
Gray's earlier screams had not gone unheard. The morale of the allied fleet, which had been soaring, was shattered by his cries, leaving them looking disheveled and unnerved.
"Useless!" each of the Whitebeard commanders cursed inwardly, their moods souring as they swung their weapons with even greater ferocity.
"Men, get your spirits up! Remember, we are the Whitebeard Pirates! Kill them!" Squard roared, using all his strength to push Pica back before shouting encouragement to the pirates around him.
Squard's words had an effect. The flagging morale quickly recovered, putting renewed pressure on the Donquixote family members.
Just as he finished speaking, Pica's attack came crashing down. Squard barely managed to dodge the massive sword swing.
"You're asking for death!" Squard snarled at Pica, fury blazing in his eyes.
Pica didn't respond. He had learned over the years that it was better to defeat an enemy quickly than to waste breath talking.
The two brutes swung their greatswords, clashing against each other.
CLANG!
They fought until exhaustion began to set in, yet neither had gained an advantage. The blades of their swords, however, were chipped and blunted from the force of their blows.
The Donquixote Pirates are this strong? It seems I've really picked a fight I can't win.
Having vented his anger, Squard calmed down and looked at the brawny man before him, his expression growing grim. And this was just one of Doflamingo's executives. If Doflamingo himself were to fight, their chances of survival would be slim to none.
Realizing his own recklessness, Squard felt a pang of regret. But there was no turning back now. He had to see this through. He still had one ace up his sleeve, a reason he believed Doflamingo wouldn't kill them.
"Die!" Squard roared, bolstering his own courage and casting aside the cowardice in his heart to face Pica's attack.
"Armament Haki: Hardening!"
With their swords ruined, they resorted to bare-knuckle brawling. Their Haki-coated fists flew, beginning a spectacular hand-to-hand fight.
The battles between the executives were all evenly matched. The captains under the Whitebeard banner were skilled in their own right. Aside from the top trio of Enel, Pica, and Diamante, the other Donquixote family members were not guaranteed a win against them.
Doflamingo watched the battlefield from above, immensely pleased with their performance. Though they couldn't finish their opponents quickly, the potential of his executives far surpassed that of these men. He was confident that after this battle, their strength would grow even more.
"Shyarly, do you know how to kill?"
After a satisfied glance at the battlefield, Doflamingo turned his attention to Shyarly.
"Me?" Shyarly asked, startled.
Doflamingo stared at her, his gaze making her skin crawl.
"Do... Do I have to?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear.
"We are pirates. Are you not?" Doflamingo grabbed her delicate wrist, his voice sharp and demanding.
"I..." Shyarly's mind was in turmoil, the words caught in her throat.
"Think about it," Doflamingo said flatly, releasing her hand.
Shyarly's heart pounded in her chest, her emotions in a chaotic whirl as she looked out at the brutal scene below.
CLANG! Diamante and Whitey Bay's swords met and parted in an instant, with no prolonged struggle.
"As expected of the Whitebeard Pirates," Diamante said to his opponent.
"You're strong, too. The Donquixote Pirates are full of hidden talents. We underestimated you," Whitey Bay replied, her face a cold mask. Diamante's praise did nothing to faze her. The pride of the Whitebeard Pirates was ingrained in the heart of every one of Whitebeard's children. The Whitebeard Pirates are the strongest. Isn't that just a matter of course?
"Heh. The Donquixote Pirates will be the strongest. Not even your Whitebeard Pirates can stop us," Diamante stated calmly, his words dripping with arrogance.
"The strongest? Hahaha, what did I just hear?" A captivating smile spread across Whitey Bay's icy face. The Ice Witch transformed into an Ice Goddess, radiating a dangerous charm.
But Diamante's will was firm, unmoved by her beauty. He watched her performance with a placid expression.
"I believe in Doffy," he said, his voice unwavering, his eyes filled with a fanatical faith in his captain. "Even if Whitebeard himself stood in his way, I believe he could defeat him."
"Pops is the strongest! No one is his match," Whitey Bay's smile vanished, her expression turning frigid once more.
"The victor becomes king! The one left standing will be Doffy. He was born to be a king. You wouldn't understand. Now, fall! Ice Witch Whitey Bay!" With that, Diamante raised his sword and charged.
"Born to be king? Pops is the king of this sea! His position is unshakable! Die!" Whitey Bay's eyes flashed with killing intent as she thrust her sword forward without mercy.
CLANG!
The full force of their power erupted in that single clash. But Whitey Bay was a woman, and the path of the sword was not kind to women. In this exchange, Diamante had the advantage.
"Pfft!"
Whitey Bay coughed up a mouthful of blood, using the force of the impact to rapidly retreat.
"You are no match for me! Surrender, Whitey Bay," Diamante said calmly.
Whitey Bay wiped the blood from her lips, saying nothing. The tight grip on her sword was all the answer he needed.
Only Vista and the others are a match for this man. I'm not strong enough, she thought with a bitter smile. From her initial confidence to her current battered state, only two exchanges had passed. The gap between them was immense.
If Diamante hadn't dueled with Hawkeye and received Koushirou's guidance, Whitey Bay might have been able to fight him on equal terms. But there were no 'if's. Diamante's strength was now on par with the world's top-tier swordsmen. Defeating them was still a long road ahead, but the path of the sword was not an easy one to walk.
"You won't surrender? Then don't blame me," Diamante said, preparing to end it. In his eyes, there was no distinction between men and women, only the living and the dead.
"A lullaby for your eternal sleep: Moon Burial."
Diamante readied his sword, preparing to give Whitey Bay a quick end.
"Come! Pops will avenge me!" Whitey Bay's face was pale; the last attack had clearly injured her badly. But there was no fear in her eyes. As children of the sea, they had all accepted their fate the moment they set sail.
"Glacial Slaughter!"
Whitey Bay unleashed her strongest attack, meeting Diamante in one final clash.
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the battlefield, causing everyone to turn and look toward the source of the deafening roar.
"What's going on?"
"The ice is cracking!"
"What a powerful attack!"
The swirling snow obscured their vision. Everyone held their breath, pausing their own fights to watch the epicenter of the explosion.
A figure slowly emerged from the smoke and snow. It was Enel, descending from his battle in the sky.
It turned out, all of this commotion was caused by him.
Some rejoiced, while others despaired.
Everyone knew who the victor was. Gray, in the face of that final attack, had been blasted into the sea, becoming food for the fish.
Hiss...
Okessy, hidden among the crowd, felt a cold sweat bead on his forehead, his expression panicked. He knew Gray's strength was on par with his own. But Gray hadn't been as cautious, and now he was dead.
The remaining members of the Whitebeard-allied forces stared at the victorious Enel, their faces ashen and grim.
"Damn it! Useless fool! Couldn't you have held on a little longer?" Squard cursed.
"Captain! Waaaaah!"
Pirates were a cold-blooded lot. Aside from Gray's own crewmates, who wept for him, no one else shed a tear.
"Now it's your turn, members of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Enel grinned, his voice dripping with arrogance as he addressed the remaining captains.
"The Whitebeard Pirates... are nothing special."
"You damn bastard! Brothers, let's show him what we're made of!" Squard's face contorted with rage.
Makugai and the others felt the same, their hearts burning with humiliation.
"Doffy is the king of this sea."
Enel stated his belief calmly, his voice leaving no room for doubt.
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates were enraged.
This would be a battle to the death.