Crocodile and Enel recognized Issho's voice immediately without turning around. They halted their attacks and stood perfectly still, waiting for him to speak. Every pirate from the Big Mom Pirates who had witnessed the sudden ceasefire breathed in relief as the sickening violence stopped. Sweat ran down their faces. For a moment, they had all seen death in motion.
What shocked them most was that the man clad in purple from the Ion Tempest crew had intervened, calling off his own companions.
Issho stood at the prow of the Ship and scanned the trembling crowd. Then he spoke, "This old man was once blind, and only through the divine elixir given by Rolan were my eyes restored. But my Observation Haki and perception remain undiminished. From what I perceive here, these people hold little malice. We came to Totto Land to destroy evil, but these people are not truly wicked. They deserve mercy."
Crocodile and Enel exchanged glances, nodded, and dissolved their attacks, reappearing back on the Ship. They did not stand down out of fear of Issho. A place like Peach Garden — a peaceful nation where travelers from every land came and were treated as equals — had softened even hardened warriors. They had not come here intending to massacre everyone, only to demonstrate overwhelming deterrence. The Big Mom Pirates, aside from the craftsmen and Big Mom herself, were not threats that needed eliminating.
Even Kuro had reverted to his human form and stood at ease with his hands clasped behind his back. He had no desire to continue the fight.
Only one remained standing among the Big Mom Pirates: Perospero, the eldest son. His heart twisted in conflict. As the strongest figure on Totto Land, surrender would be an unforgivable disgrace to Mama. But if he continued resisting, that stubborn pride would destroy everyone with him.
Before the tension could stretch further, a colossal dark shape appeared overhead, racing toward Cake Island through thunderous winds.
"Damn little birds… die for me!!" roared a towering figure, stamped upon swirling black clouds crowned with blazing orange fire.
Everyone's gazes snapped upward. It was Big Mom — Charlotte Linlin herself. And the aura she radiated was suffocating, not like raw Conqueror's Haki but something more invasive, reaching deep into one's spirit.
"Mama, my Soul-Soul Fruit is awakened," Big Mom bellowed, her voice laden with raw force, "wait and die."
As she neared Cake Island, the oppressive force on everyone's spirits deepened. She did not limit it only to the Ion Tempest crew; her Soul Power pressed mercilessly on every soul present.
Soul Power: Grafting!
Purple strands of energy flowed from every person on the island toward her. Those whose life force was drawn out collapsed with vacant eyes. Issho's brow tightened as he watched. Through his perception, he saw that people drained by these threads were truly lifeless — not unconscious — but dead.
Perospero, long obedient to his Mama, now could no longer restrain himself. Fighting against the soul suppression that crushed his chest, he cried out, "Mama! Stop! These are your children!"
"Mama, we Big Mom Pirates are not spineless!"
But Linlin only intensified the draw of her soul power. More bodies fell.
Kuro, Issho, Enel, and Crocodile shared determined looks. They moved into position, five directions surrounding Big Mom. Then, with synchronized force, each unleashed their fullest strength. Their combined might flooded the air with a crushing presence. Space itself seemed unable to contain the force as cracks began tearing through the sky, breaking apart the soul suppression emanating from Big Mom.
Big Mom's pupils shrank to pinpoints. At that moment, she felt the absurdity of it all. Any one of these five fighters could hold her off for a time. And among them stood powerhouses like Kuro and Issho.
Each of the five gathered their fiercest attack and surged toward her.
Big Mom relinquished her Soul-Soul Fruit ability, abandoning further resistance. Her memories flickered through her mind like a carousel of regrets and triumphs — born huge, cast out by her home village, adopted then rejected by giants, raised by a nun only to gain her fruit powers, rising to a bounty of 500 million, joining the Rocks Pirates, defeated at God Valley, and finally founding Totto Land with the dream of peace.
The five attacks struck at once. A massive black void tore the world, channeling endless lightning outward. No sound came with the impact, but the dread was immense as the darkness spread.
From within the rift, Law activated his Devil Fruit ability.
"Room: Spatial Transfer!"
Every forest on the battlefield vanished except where the black void remained.
Big Mom did not fall immediately. Her physiology was immensely durable. Still, she raised her trembling voice.
"Sister Carmel… I'm sorry to the village of my birth, sorry to the people of Elbaf… sorry to you… and most of all, sorry to my children."
A tremendous voice echoed from the void.
"My dear children, I'm sorry. I love you!"
Boom!
A colossal explosion shook the sea. Water shot upward like a tidal surge, and an incredible shockwave blasted outward from Cake Island, flattening everything in its path. Even those who had just been transported to Cotton Candy Island felt the brutal impact.
When at last the chaos subsided, Cake Island had vanished from the sea's surface. In its place yawned a vast abyss, into which seawater poured with relentless desperation until it filled.
Every member of the Big Mom Pirates clutched their chests with sudden, searing pain. A feeling of dread washed over them. They knew without question that Mama had been taken by her own predecessor.
Tears broke free.
"Mama!"
"Mama!"
"Mama!"
Just moments ago, when Big Mom's awakened soul power had slaughtered indiscriminately, they had called others spineless. Her intent had been as cold as the grave. Yet now… as they wailed in sorrow, all resentment had melted into heartbreak.
A mournful aura climbed from the sea around Totto Land into the darkened sky. Rain began to fall — as though the heavens themselves wept.
Kuro and the others stood silently at the bow of the ship, each lost in their own grief. If Big Mom had not used her fruit that final time to massacre civilians, they might never have defeated her.
Law quietly brushed a tear away before stepping into the ship's cabin. Even Enel, usually carefree, looked subdued as he tapped into his powers to guide the Ship upward into the distant sky.
Only one voice remained in the silent expanse.
"Perospero, if you never harm civilians again, Peach Garden will stand with you."