On the vast glacier spanning the G18 Fortress sea region, Souta Kiryuu stood alone, battling against Hōjō Seita and Nasu Jūrō, two of the Five Elders. Their clash shattered the heavens and overturned the waves below.
More than half of the enormous glacier had already been destroyed. Had it not been for Aokiji Kuzan and Barrett's earlier fight that froze the sea, there might not be a battlefield left to stand on at all.
But less than an hour into the fight, Souta Kiryuu's stamina had nearly burned away. His last surge of life force, that final blazing flare before collapse, was close to extinguished.
"Hah...!"
"Tch... Dammit...!"
He spat a mouthful of blood that stained the ice crimson. His pupils trembled and threatened to scatter out of focus. His whole body shook, and even his massive arms quivered. He could barely stand, bracing himself on his bisento. His chest rose and fell in ragged pulls of breath, like an old bellows wheezing its final breaths.
But Hōjō Seita and Nasu Jūrō were not unscathed. In his cornered desperation, Souta had shattered them repeatedly. Even their so-called immortal bodies had lost portions of their restoring energy.
Yet they had already seen the ending.
"Souta Kiryuu, after you die, when the Quake-Quake Fruit is reborn, we will recover it. A power like that must belong to us."
Hōjō Seita, in the form of a rotting Death Sand Serpent, continued to regenerate as he spoke. He and Nasu Jūrō had finally exhausted the man once called the strongest in the world.
"I couldn't drag you to the grave with me... I'm sorry... to the son you killed..."
Souta's fading gaze locked onto Nasu Jūrō, full of unwilling fury. But his strength was nearly gone.
"Heh. Then allow me to send all your sons to accompany you."
Nasu Jūrō's Bone Warhorse form flickered with killing intent. He had suffered far more under Souta's blows and had spent more of his immortality to restore himself.
"You...!"
Souta tried to lift his bisento, but agony surged from his heart, forcing him to one knee. He forced a breath, and again stood—shaking, but upright.
If he died, he would die standing.
He looked once more toward where his sons fought in the distance. His eyes dimmed with exhaustion.
Forgive me, my sons... for leading you into this hell.
I couldn't avenge Foss... and I leave you with enemies far too strong...
Live. Just live...
His consciousness blurred. His breathing wavered. The killing intent of Hōjō Seita and Nasu Jūrō grew colder.
At that moment, a new presence resurfaced from the distant sea—and the other Five Elders began to smile.
Today belonged to them. They would purge the emperors of the sea.
From the live broadcast screens came Morgans' frantic shrieking:
"The Elder who fell into the sea has been retrieved! It's over! Are the Four Emperors truly finished?!"
He felt a chill. If the Yonko fell, there would be no pirate power left to balance the World Government—and a news broker with a bounty like his would be next.
The return of Saten only strengthened the Elders' dominance.
Souta forced his eyes open again. Fury burned weakly.
The man who killed Ace had not drowned.
Saten was a Devil Fruit user. Yet he survived submerged.
What kind of Zoan power was that...?!
How could it resemble Kaidō's so-called unkillable monstrous vitality?
"This is the day of your extinction, Emperors of the Sea," Hōjō Seita said coldly.
Once Souta fell, they would unite and hunt down Kaidō and Big Mom. They would destroy every remnant of the Whitebeard Pirates. And if convenient, erase Shanku as well.
With Saten saved by CP0, the Red-Haired Pirates immediately withdrew, unwilling to remain locked with Masato Guren any longer.
Across the glacier, Kaidō sensed Saten's return and ordered the Beasts fleet to retreat. He could escape alone, but his subordinates would not be so lucky.
Whitebeard dying meant even Kaidō would not face four or five Elders alone.
Meanwhile, Jack the Drought had already slain a portion of the marines and freed the Five Flying Sky assassins. They also rescued the Sweet Commanders and the trio from Impel Down.
"Run, run! Souta Kiryuu is about to fall! The Five Elders will turn on us next!!"
Criminal kings and tyrants scrambled in panic.
Saten, hauled from the depths, still carried faint dread. His immortality only worked automatically; he was still weakened in seawater.
My immortality is nearly depleted... but I will be the one to kill Souta Kiryuu.
He launched himself upward on Moonwalk, ignoring CP0 entirely.
"Boom!"
Saten, in the form of the Bull-Devil Spider, crashed down beside Hōjō Seita and Nasu Jūrō, leaving a massive crater.
"Souta Kiryuu!! I will kill you just as I killed Ace!!"
His killing aura roared.
High above, Masato Guren, in the form of the monstrous Yatagarasu, sped toward Korugiri to aid against Kaidō. He did not bother joining the execution of Souta.
Three Elders were enough.
"It's over! Souta Kiryuu and Kaidō are trapped! Can the emperors survive?!" Morgans screamed.
Big Mom, seeing the Elders grouping, immediately retreated, ignoring Garp.
Then, in the sky above the battlefield, a teleportation ring opened.
A Seraphim stood at its center—carrying three figures on his shoulders.
"Souta Kiryuu must die by our hands!"
"Return and bring the rest!"
Souta Kiryuu, having watched the broadcast from the G1 fortress, had not hesitated. He arrived with Red Count and Teach, racing forward.
The Quake-Quake Fruit could not be allowed to slip away.
Not even Souta's body would be wasted.