Call…
Sabaody Islands, Live Plaza.
Reporters and melon-eaters alike let out collective sighs of relief.
"Great, Naval Headquarters is fine!"
"I thought something huge was about to happen!"
"It's okay! Thank goodness Admiral Kuzan is here!"
"Whitebeard is terrifying, but the top fighters of Naval Headquarters aren't pushovers either!"
"That's right! Kuzan froze that tsunami in an instant—so cool!"
Excited chatter filled the plaza as everyone discussed the Marines' display of power.
"Ababa, bababa… are these the top fighters in the world? Monsters one and two!"
Haiming Skulachmanap yelled, his voice echoing.
"Four Emperors Whitebeard, Edward Newgate, creating a natural disaster tsunami with his bare hands—he truly has the power to destroy the world!"
Capone Bege, captain of the Flame Tank Pirates, murmured in awe.
"The strongest Paramecia—Shock Fruit… even if he wanted to destroy the world, it wouldn't be an issue!"
Rear Admiral Drake, formerly of the Marines, swallowed and spoke solemnly.
"Shock Fruit is terrifying, yes, but Whitebeard's own strength… that's the root of it all."
From Sky Island, the strange monk Urouge commented:
"The sea is frozen… now the war is really about to start."
Killer Kira added, his voice deep:
"Hmm…"
At that moment, Trafalgar Law, Captain Kid, and other Supernova captains frowned.
"Is that… singing? Who is singing?"
Then—snap! D!
The melon-eaters in the plaza fell silent, one after another.
Southeast of Naval Headquarters.
High in the sky, ten thousand meters above, huge islands floated mid-air. The Floating Sky Island Plaza displayed a large screen, broadcasting the war between the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates live.
"Jee ha ha ha! Ladies of Fairy Tail, enjoy the battle to your heart's content!"
Golden Lion Shiki laughed triumphantly.
"The live feed in front of you was made by me!"
Erza nodded.
"Let's just watch for now. If the president shows up, we'll go there together."
Mirajan added, and the rest of the Fairy Tail girls nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, in Mariejois.
Nami gasped.
"Is… is that singing?"
"Where is it coming from?"
"It seems to be from the live broadcast…"
"But that's the Naval Headquarters battlefield! How can anyone sing there?"
"And yet… it's… beautiful…"
One by one, the girls sitting in rows on the square were lulled into a light sleep, entranced.
Holy Land Mariejois, Pangu City, Social Square.
A massive live broadcast screen displayed the all-out war between the Marines and Whitebeard Pirates—a once-in-a-century event.
Even the usually indulgent Celestial Dragons could not resist watching. Compared to today's battle, their usual arena duels were mere child's play. Many requested to watch at Naval Headquarters in person, but the Five Elders denied them.
Settling for the next best thing, the Celestial Dragons watched the battle on the giant screen while enjoying fine wine and delicacies.
Inside the Five Elders' Conference Hall, the world's most powerful watched the war unfold from a special live broadcast screen.
"It's finally starting!"
"Kuzan did a great job!"
"I remember Sengoku planning several strategies. A good show is coming soon!"
Holding goblets and smiling, they anticipated the unfolding war… until Jay Gorusia Satan, one of the Five Elders, suddenly frowned.
"Where is that song coming from?"
Boom!
A goblet fell, shattering on the floor. One by one, the Five Elders toppled. Even the Celestial Dragons in the Social Square were affected.
For a moment, Mariejois descended into chaos.
Meanwhile, Naval Headquarters, Marineford.
A heavy silence hung over the battlefield. A single pin could drop without being noticed.
If anyone were there, they would be shocked by the sight…
Hundreds of thousands of elite Marines were lying on the ground. Not just the Marines—the Whitebeard Pirates, all 43 divisions, and a 50,000-strong pirate army were strewn across the battlefield. Some retained the postures of combat, as if frozen mid-fight.
Even the top powerhouses were affected:
On the bow of the whale ship, Four Emperors Whitebeard propped up the supreme sharp knife Congyuncut, soul fatigued but still standing.
On the scaffold, Marshal Sengoku remained upright.
Marine legend Vice Admiral Garp leaned slightly, as did Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Crane, propped on Garp.
Sugisawa Yuuto watched from a distance, Uta's voice still echoing in his mind.
Four minutes later, the song ended.
The heavenly singing that had reverberated across Naval Headquarters, Sabaody, Sky Island, and Mariejois finally ceased.
From the sky, a ship descended.
Uta, the red-haired singer, leaned weakly in Yuuto's arms, panting lightly.
"President… I'm sorry. My stamina ran out faster than expected. I'm afraid I can't keep the singing world active for long," she said apologetically, pouting slightly.
"It's okay," Yuuto replied, removing his earphones and gently patting her head.
"You've done more than enough."
Paramecia Song Fruit 3.3—Song!
This was the true cause of the Marines' collapse. Uta's ability could lead the souls of others into a virtual singing world, trapping even the strongest in a mental illusion.
In the theatrical version, she had once pulled 70% of the world's population into the spiritual world. Even Four Emperors Luffy had been affected, demonstrating the sheer scale and power of her ability.
Now, Yuuto had proven it again—even the greatest powers, from Whitebeard and Marine Hero Garp to Marshal Sengoku, were vulnerable.
"It's almost time for me to go," Yuuto said. "Uta, if you're too tired to continue, get some rest. Don't strain yourself. And Brandish, I'll leave Uta in your care."
"Understood!" Brandish responded firmly.