"Crush!!!"
Sugisawa Yuuto unleashed the ultimate super magic once wielded by Fairy Tail's legendary S-Class wizard, Gildarts Clive.
In that instant, the entire world seemed to come to a halt.
Neither Big Mom's thunderous wrath nor Kaido's searing dragon's breath could move another inch.
The overwhelming attacks of the two Emperors froze mid-air, suspended like a natural disaster locked in time.
A heartbeat later, both Sea Emperors' pupils constricted in shock.
All things in existence—every phenomenon in the world—were about to be crushed.
A deafening crash! echoed across the horizon as the sea shattered without warning, breaking apart into countless floating cubes of seawater.
Ka! Ka! Ka!
Even the atmosphere itself splintered beneath the crushing power of Yuuto's magic, turning into geometric shards of air.
The burning flames and roaring thunder of Kaido and Big Mom broke down into tiny blocks, dissolving one by one into the wind.
In a single breath, the chaotic energy of nature was erased from the world.
"Incredible! Lord Gildarts's Crush magic never fails to leave me in awe—no matter how many times I witness it!"
Yantie Jura couldn't help but applaud, his eyes wide with admiration.
"Hahaha! That's right!" Gildarts—his spirit echoing through Yuuto's form—grinned broadly and shot Xiang'er a thumbs-up.
"Don't get carried away, old man! You'll end up wrecking everything again—wait, you already are!" Kana scolded, half-exasperated, half-amused.
"Hahaha! Come on, Kana! Watch closely—your father's still got it!" Gildarts boomed proudly.
His daughter rolled her eyes, but couldn't suppress a smile. That confidence was just so typical of him.
"No wonder you dared to challenge us," Big Mom—Charlotte Linlin—growled, her tone more serious now. "So this was your trick."
Kaido's lips curled into a grin, the thrill of battle igniting his beastly blood.
"Things are finally getting interesting! Let's call this a warm-up before the real fun begins! Ehhhhhahahahahaha!!!"
The two Emperors' killing intent collided once more—their clash inevitable, their might enough to rend the heavens apart.
The duel of Emperors was about to begin.
Meanwhile — The Marineford Battlefield
At the same time, at Marine Headquarters, the war between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Navy had reached its peak.
The brutal fighting spread across the entire bay—blood, explosions, and screams blending into one unending cacophony.
Every passing minute claimed new lives.
At this point, victory was no longer about sheer strength—it was a battle of will.
Whichever side's spirit faltered first would crumble into ruin.
Compared to the Whitebeard Pirates, the Navy's morale remained far stronger.
This was their home turf.
They held the numbers, and—most importantly—two of their living legends, Hero Garp and Fleet Admiral Sengoku, had yet to take the field.
By contrast, the Whitebeard Pirates were already fighting with everything they had.
Even their captain, Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate, the strongest man in the world, was unleashing his full might.
And yet, he still couldn't break through Admiral Akainu's blazing defense.
"Get outta my way, you lava punk!!!"
Whitebeard roared, swinging his massive naginata, Cong Yunqie, the blade shimmering with destructive quake energy.
With one strike, he shattered the magma hound's skull—only for Akainu's molten body to reform instantly.
Whitebeard surged forward, fury blazing in his eyes—
—but before he could close the distance, his body suddenly faltered.
He dropped to one knee, blood spilling from his mouth as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Getting old, huh, Whitebeard?" Akainu sneered, seizing his chance.
The magma around him boiled and solidified into form. In a flash, he was upon Whitebeard again.
"Father!!!"
Marco the Phoenix's expression twisted in panic. He spun mid-battle, abandoning his opponent and flying toward Whitebeard.
But losing composure on a battlefield like this came at a heavy price.
"Too careless!"
Vice Admiral Onigumo—"Ghost Spider"—exploited the opening, his hair snaking forward under the power of Life Return.
Marco was caught mid-air and instantly bound in seastone cuffs.
Before he could recover—
Whoosh!
Two golden beams pierced through his chest.
Without his Phoenix regeneration, Marco's body stiffened, his eyes rolling back as he collapsed.
"Victory's decided in an instant. You got sloppy, Marco," drawled Admiral Kizaru, his lazy grin betraying no mercy.
"Marco!!!"
Seeing his comrade fall and his father wounded, Diamond Jozu, captain of the third division, lost his calm.
"Where are you looking, Jozu?"
Admiral Aokiji's voice was quiet—almost bored—as frost spread from his fingertips.
A wave of lethal cold engulfed Jozu.
The same attack that once froze Whitebeard now turned Jozu's body to ice.
Crack!
As he fell, one of his diamond-hard arms snapped off, shattering on the ground.
Even the strongest bodies were brittle when frozen.
Within seconds, two of Whitebeard's top commanders were down.
But things were about to get even worse.
"Let me send you straight to hell, Whitebeard!!!"
Akainu charged, magma surging around his arm.
In his prime, Whitebeard could have countered a hundred such attacks.
But his strength was fading fast.
The magma fist tore through his chest with a thunderous boom!
A gaping, smoking hole ran clear through his torso.
"Father!!!"
Across the battlefield, every member of the Whitebeard Pirates screamed in horror.
"Wh-Whitebeard's… chest—!"
"Admiral Akainu's fist went straight through him!"
"Is he—dead?!"
At Sabaody Archipelago, the crowd gathered in the live-broadcast square watched in stunned silence.
Reporters, pirates, and civilians alike stared at the screen without blinking.
"No way… He's not finished yet!" someone shouted.
The Man Who Will Not Fall
On the battlefield, Whitebeard's massive frame trembled—but he still stood.
Even with a hole through his chest, the world's strongest man refused to kneel.
His quake-infused arm lashed out, seizing Akainu by the head and slamming him violently into the ground.
BOOM!!!
The entire Marineford plaza quaked, fissures splitting open across the bay.
"Damn you… Whitebeard!!!" Akainu spat blood, buried deep in the crater.
"Everyone—attack! Whitebeard is at his limit!"
From the execution platform, Fleet Admiral Sengoku raised his hand, his voice ringing across the chaos.
The Navy surged forward all at once.