One axe cleaved heaven and earth.
Between heaven and earth, only a sliver of light remained. As the axe fell, the originally gloomy sky began to split open.
Everyone looked upward as the sky split apart bit by bit, sunlight breaking through over what was once the harshest land in the world.
Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp and the others looked up, watching as patches of blue sky slowly emerged above them, rays of sunlight spilling onto the ground.
The sun… had come out!
Dark clouds spread apart on both sides, the gap widening until sunlight bathed the land below.
Viewed from space, it was as if a zipper was pulling the Blue Planet open, the cloud layer parting like a clothing.
At this very moment, Enel on the moon, resting his chin on his hand, happened to look up and see this scene.
For some reason, his face showed shock.
"What is that?" Enel voiced his confusion, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
The sky was being split apart. A terrifying aura spread if not for this force being pulled by the planet's gravity, it might have reached the moon.
An attack from the Blue Planet capable of reaching the moon... how terrifying was that power?
Enel watched in awe, especially when he saw the land beneath the clouds.
"This... this is the Unlimited Continent!!!"
Enel stood up excitedly. However, for some reason, he felt a wave of weakness, clutching his chest as he knelt on the ground.
Many others felt the same. Near Wano Country, the war led by the Five Elders and the God's Knights had ended. The Whitebeard Pirates stood last.
Uranus was shattered. Countless lay dead or wounded. Even Zunesha had collapsed in the sea, using its last strength to open its eyes and look at Momonosuke.
Kizaru and the others emerged from prison, rendered speechless by the scene before them.
The area behind Uranus was stained red with blood. A group of pirates had used their strength to resist the Celestial Dragons.
"You're out!" Marco panted, smiling.
"It seems the battle is over," Kizaru said.
"Yeah… everyone thought we couldn't do it, but somehow we won." Marco laughed, tears streaming down his face as he did.
So many had died. Less than ten percent of the Whitebeard Pirates survived. Among the commanders, only he and Ace remained alive. Thatch, Jozu, Vista... all were dead.
Some died taking their enemies with them, others were crushed and killed.
Whitebeard stood firm at this moment. Kaido and Charlotte Linlin also stood. All three had massive holes bitten through their hearts.
At the final moment, they used their last Haki, sacrificed all defense, and delivered the final blow to eliminate Shamrock and the others.
But Shamrock had thrown out his Cerberus; the three dog heads had bitten through their hearts. The three, with their monstrous vitality, clung to their last breath.
The parted sky reached them. Sunlight fell upon them. Everyone witnessed this scene and sensed a familiar aura from the slash that had split the heavens.
"It seems it's over there," Whitebeard looked up at the sky, a smile appearing on his face.
"Mama puuf, if they hadn't succeeded, we wouldn't be seeing this either," Charlotte Linlin laughed, blood continuously spurting from her mouth.
"My strength is fading... Is it my imagination? Or am I already dead? I can't feel it anymore," Kaido, blood trickling from his mouth, frowned and said.
"This is the feeling of death. My ability is gone," Charlotte Linlin said.
"I feel it too. The Devil Fruit ability... has disappeared," Whitebeard nodded.
"Is this the feeling before death? The fruit ability vanishes first?" Charlotte Linlin laughed.
"Impossible! Even with my heart shattered, I wouldn't die this quickly!" Kaido gritted his teeth.
"…Too bad I can't say goodbye to that guy. But it's fine. We've been together for over thirty years. Everything was… beautiful." Whitebeard's life force was waning. He was already very old. If Roy hadn't found ways to extend his life these past two years, he could never have lasted until this battle.
Now, he was truly at the end of his rope.
Sensing Whitebeard's fading presence, Ace and Marco rushed forward. Loxus also wanted to come, but in his half-dragon form, he suddenly felt something, a wave of weakness. The dragon scales on his body rapidly receded.
"What's happening? My ability..." Loxus stared wide-eyed at his own hands.
"Pops!!!"
The two shouted, tears streaming down their faces.
Whitebeard had a momentary resurgence, a second one, to be precise.
"So… it's just you left, huh? …Heh… I'm proud… proud of each and every one of you. Thank you… for giving this old man… the greatest life a man could ask for… Tell… tell Roy…"
"Pops, don't talk! I'll heal you!"
Marco reached out his hand, but the regenerative flames in his palm only flickered briefly before starting to vanish.
"How is this possible? My ability is gone? Could it be we touched Seastone?" Marco exclaimed in shock.
"My ability is gone too," Ace said, horrified.
"Mamamama, so it wasn't an illusion. All devil fruit users... have lost their abilities," Charlotte Linlin laughed heartily.
Hearing this, the surviving devil fruit users present all realized it.
Kizaru clutched his chest, drenched in sweat. Something vital was missing, an indescribable emptiness.
Now he understood, his familiar power was gone.
"My ability… it's gone…" The light Kizaru had prided himself on had disappeared.
The other Marine Vice Admirals also discovered this. Their abilities were disappearing.
"Tell Roy... I... I am... very satisfied... with this... outcome!"
Whitebeard died standing. Marco and Ace knelt before him, weeping.
"Pops!!!"
"Mamamama, Newgate died first. Kaido! Kaido!!" Charlotte Linlin turned her head to look at Kaido.
Kaido didn't respond. He stared wide-eyed towards the sea, but in reality, he had already stopped breathing.
"Kaido-samaaaa!!!"
King struggled over, his legs giving way as he knelt before Kaido, looking up at this towering man who had died in battle.
"Mamamama, Newgate, Kaido... you're both dead. Good, actually dying before me and still stading. Even dying... you have to... bet, bet, bet on this last breath..." Charlotte Linlin laughed loudly, forcing herself not to fall.
"Mama!!"
Katakuri came over. He was the only surviving Sweet Commander, holding his trident. He came and took Charlotte Linlin's hand.
"Pro... protect... your... brothers and sis..."
Charlotte Linlin closed her eyes. She, too, stood without breath.
On Amazon Lily, Glorriosa looked at the sky, sensing something.
Of the Rocks Pirates… she alone remained.
An entire era… had been buried.