Holy Land, Mariejois — Five Elders Council Hall
"The Song-Song Fruit! That girl… she's a user of the Song-Song Fruit!"
Elder Saturn's eyes bulged in shock as he shouted in disbelief.
"No mistake!"
"It has to be the Song-Song Fruit!"
"Damn it, we've been caught too!"
"To manipulate the fruit's power to this extent—the synchronization between that girl and the fruit is terrifying!"
The other Elders spoke all at once, their composure cracking.
The power of Devil Fruits—unique forces born from the mysteries of this world—was something even the highest echelons of the World Government approached with caution.
Originally, no one knew what kind of power a fruit would grant before eating it. But over the centuries, scholars, pirates, and Marines had documented these strange fruits—recording their shapes, attributes, and powers.
Thus, the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia was born.
The version held by the World Government was the most complete on the planet. Many fruits that the rest of the world didn't even know existed were catalogued there—including those whose names had been deliberately altered by the government.
Even the fruit of the "Sun God Nika," hidden under the false name Gomu Gomu no Mi, was listed within its pages.
Among these entries was the Song-Song Fruit, once possessed by a girl named Uta.
Its classification ranked alongside the highest Logia fruits—on par with the powers of Ice, Magma, and Light—because of its terrifying potential to manipulate rules themselves.
Once someone hears the voice of a Song-Song user, their soul is pulled into the "World of Song."
No matter how powerful the listener, they cannot resist it.
Even the greatest warriors are helpless before this rule-based ability.
And those trapped inside never realize it. Everything feels real—down to the pain, the battle, the blood.
If Uta hadn't used her voice to intercept Akainu's attack, even the well-informed Five Elders wouldn't have realized that they, too, were trapped within an illusion.
Because in truth…
They weren't in the real world anymore.
Hundreds of years ago, a previous Song-Song Fruit user had caused one of the most devastating incidents in recorded history—an event so catastrophic that it birthed the legend of the Demon King of Song.
The disaster cost countless lives and nearly destroyed the balance of the world.
Few knew the truth.
But the Five Elders remembered it well.
"Damn it," the blond, bearded Elder muttered, his voice trembling. "We've already been drawn into her Song World…"
The scarred bald Elder slammed his palm against the table. "That's not even the worst of it. The real danger right now is Marineford!"
The white-haired Elder's expression was grim. "If our assumption is correct, the entire Marine Headquarters—and even the Whitebeard Pirates—are trapped in this same song world. Everything that's happened might just be an illusion."
The swordsman Elder's eyes narrowed. "That means Fire Fist Ace's execution… and the annihilation of the Whitebeard Pirates… haven't actually taken place yet."
His grip tightened on his sword. "And if Fairy Tail decides to act while everyone's inside this illusion…"
A chill swept through the hall.
Marineford — The Battlefield
"Unbelievable!"
"She blocked Admiral Sakazuki's attack!"
"That was a magma punch even Whitebeard couldn't withstand!"
"What did she do? The magma turned into musical notes!"
"Is that… a Devil Fruit power?"
All across Marineford, Marines gasped in disbelief.
Listening to the murmurs, Admiral Akainu's face darkened. His fury burned hotter than the magma in his veins.
"Hmph. Against absolute power, such tricks mean nothing!"
He thrust his arm forward.
"Great Eruption — Red Lotus Bite!"
A colossal magma hound burst from his fist, roaring as it devoured everything in its path. Black and crimson heat waves rolled across the battlefield. The sheer heat melted the stone beneath his feet.
This was the same technique that had torn through Whitebeard himself—an attack infused with Armament Haki so dense it glowed black-red.
But Sugisawa Yuuto didn't flinch.
As the magma hound surged toward him, Yuuto raised one hand.
With a low hum, dark crimson flames burst forth—the flames of the Flame Dragon King.
In an instant, his fire coiled around the magma, consuming it completely.
Akainu sneered. "Useless. Fire can't beat magma. My magma burns even flames to ash. Your little trick can't—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Because for the first time in his life—his magma was burning.
The hound's head exploded under the pressure of Yuuto's dragon flame. Akainu stumbled back, the skin on his right arm scorched black.
Yuuto smirked coldly. "Akainu… is that all your magma's got?"
"N-No! Impossible! How can a mere flame—"
His pupils contracted. Yuuto had vanished.
Then—
BOOM!
A massive explosion of flame erupted. Akainu was sent flying backward, his body engulfed in fire. Blood sprayed from his mouth, vaporizing before it even hit the ground.
Lightning flashed—Yuuto reappeared above him in an instant.
"The same words go back to you," Yuuto said coldly. "In the face of absolute power, your fancy tricks are meaningless."
He slammed his fist into Akainu's jaw, flames spiraling upward like a dragon ascending to the heavens. The Admiral's body shot skyward, a blazing comet in the air.
Then Yuuto appeared above him again—his figure wreathed in fire and lightning—and brought his heel down like a thunderbolt.
Akainu crashed into the earth with a deafening crack, sending shockwaves through Marineford.
Before anyone could blink, Yuuto was upon him again—pummeling him, driving him back and forth between the ground and the sky in a brutal rhythm.
The Marines watching froze, their faces pale.
This wasn't a fight. It was a one-sided massacre.
The mighty Admiral Sakazuki—Marine Headquarters' strongest warrior—was being beaten like a rag doll.
No one dared to move. No one dared to breathe.
Finally—
"Enough!!!"
A thunderous voice boomed across the battlefield.
It was Fleet Admiral Sengoku, roaring with fury.
The situation had gone far beyond anything he could allow.
An Admiral being humiliated in their own headquarters—this was a disaster.
Yuuto stopped mid-strike.
With a final crash, Akainu's body hit the ground, charred and motionless.
But Yuuto hadn't stopped because of Sengoku's command.
No—he had stopped because of what he sensed.
A wave of new presences—powerful, familiar—filled the battlefield.
Figures appeared one after another, stepping into the light.
Silvers Rayleigh.
Straw Hat Luffy.
Revolutionary Army Chief of Staff Sabo.
Jinbe of the Sea.
Crocodile.
Blackbeard.
The battlefield trembled again—
For the world was no longer just witnessing a war between pirates and Marines…
It was witnessing the gathering of legends.