The cold light of gathered Haki raged in the sky. Even without a proper weapon, wasn't the giant's own body the best weapon?
Thus, amidst the countless spreading flames in the sky, that spear of nothingness, forged from Sato Sakura's will, slashed freely.
Though dozens of meters apart, it made King's vision go black, like an ordinary person targeted by an oncoming large vehicle, with no room for maneuver.
The fist crossed the insignificant distance. As dark light spewed, the flowing Haki was poured into King's body, madly destroying his organs internally.
"Damn it—!"
King let out a roar. His Armament-coated hand grabbed Sato Sakura's arm.
Driven by his death-defying determination, his Haki pierced through the invisible armor formed by Ryuo.
The flames erupting from his body scorched Sato Sakura, burning the skin on the girl's arm, emitting the stench of burning leather.
But Sato Sakura ignored this, even more violently unleashing all her power, letting the impact of the Ikoku Sovereignty pierce straight through King's body.
"Cough!"
King's consciousness began to fade under the powerful Haki impact. His eyes rolled back, and he released his grip.
His wings fluttered weakly in the wind. His entire body was carried away by the impact of the Ikoku Sovereignty, smashed hard into Onigashima.
After looking around, Sato Sakura spread her own wings and flew toward the Onigashima battlefield, where fighting was still ongoing.
The first level of Onigashima, now joined with the main gate of the Flower Capital, was covered with pirates locked in combat.
Queen narrowly avoided Ace's flying slash, his entire body exaggeratedly assuming a handstand posture as he slammed his head into the ground.
Just then, a giant dark shadow crashed through the wall of the Onigashima fortress and flew toward him.
When Queen's modified eyes zoomed and analyzed the information of the shadow, he showed a horrified expression. "You've got to be kidding?! That guy... how could he...!"
Thud—!
The brachiosaurus, caught off guard by fear, coupled with his bulky body's inability to dodge the shadow in time, collided with it and tumbled toward the center of the battlefield.
"You bastard, are you here to be funny?"
Ace looked at this expert, with a bounty of a full 1.3 billion, being knocked away like that, and couldn't help but comment.
"Because I temporarily interfered with his Observation Haki!"
A cold, clear voice sounded behind Ace. A giant shadow covered his figure.
"Sato Sakura?"
His Observation Haki had already detected the giant girl's arrival. Ace turned his head and, seeing the girl's burned arm, his pupils contracted. "Hey, you're injured. Get that bandaged!"
"No, completing what Mother assigned is more important!"
Utterly unconcerned about her own injuries, Sato Sakura reached into her body and pulled out a treasure chest the size of a small bag. "Ace, regarding Wano, what is the answer you want to give to Mother?"
"The answer..." Ace took a deep breath, put on his hat, and showed a smile. "That kind of thing never existed from the start. How could we pirates bring order to a country? That spiteful woman Sakura-nee was just tricking me from the beginning, wasn't she?"
Seeing the black-haired, freckled boy show a radiant smile, a faint, imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of Sato Sakura's normally expressionless face.
"Hey, did you just smile?"
"No!"
"You definitely smiled!"
"I said, no!!!"
"You..."
Thud! Crack!
An iron fist descended from the sky, slamming Ace into the ground. The giant girl used violence to shut the boy up.
However, while slamming Ace into the ground, Sato Sakura also pushed the treasure chest in front of Ace. "Mother said, if the answer you come up with is a pirate's answer, then give you this."
With that, she sat down beside Ace, staring fixedly at the treasure chest containing the Devil Fruit.
Ace wrapped his hands in Haki and climbed out from under the ground. He walked to the treasure chest and opened it. A fruit with a purple skin and arabesque pattern lay quietly inside.
"So this is a Devil Fruit!" Ace swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
He hesitated for a moment, then picked it up and raised it to his face.
"Mother gave it... Mother gave it... If you don't eat it, you can give it to me." The giant, expressionless girl's expression was sinister, like an owl turning its neck.
"Who said I'm not eating it!" Provoked by Sato Sakura, Ace opened his mouth and took a bite of the Devil Fruit.
An indescribable taste spread from his tongue's taste buds throughout his body. His body's innate rejection made Ace swear he never wanted to relive it.
"So, what's the ability?" Sato Sakura paused. Her eyes held countless emotions, yet also seemed empty.
"Want to know? Beg me!" One corner of Ace's mouth curled up.
His entire demeanor exuded a unique sense of confidence, like a previously inadequate husband who had suddenly satisfied his wife.
Sato Sakura's expression didn't change at all. She simply stood up calmly, turned around, and walked away.
"Hey, aren't you curious anymore?" Ace reached out, wanting to stop her, but saw Sato Sakura walking faster and faster, even spreading her wings to take off. "Don't go! Please! Please let me say it!"
Just as Ace was being dragged along while hugging Sato Sakura's calf, a violent burst of laser light suddenly erupted from the distant ruins. Four or five beams of light flew straight toward the two.
Sato Sakura casually curled her finger. The stone bricks on the ground and the surrounding metal powder rapidly gathered and compressed, forming a high wall that blocked all the lasers.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Amidst the roaring explosions, Queen, once again transformed into his modified cyborg mechanical form, charged out from under the ruins.
"I didn't expect that idiot King to be taken out by you!" There was no fear on Queen's face. "That means, if I take you down, I'll be the number one Calamity!"
With a strange laugh, the modified brachiosaurus picked up a large sword in one hand. The three laser cannons on his body aimed at Sato Sakura and Ace as he raced toward them.
"Foolish!" Sato Sakura grabbed with her arm. The metal iron rod gathered again.
But just as her spirit surged and she was about to launch an attack, Ace stepped in front of her.
"Hey hey, letting an injured lady fight for me would make my manhood weep!" Ace drew his Supreme Grade blade from his waist, his eyes very sharp. "I want to test the power of this fruit too!"
Sato Sakura blinked. She dispersed the ability on her arm, putting on an expression of 'do as you please' as she sat down behind Ace.
"Hahahaha, too scared to resist by my magnificence?" Queen, who had charged to within three meters of the two, leaped high.
The three cannon muzzles on his body filled with the epidemic bullets stored inside him, boldly opening fire on the two.
Crack!
Accompanied by the sound of cracking, a hoarse hiss suddenly burst forth!
Maintaining the iaido stance, Ace's body completely disintegrated in the flames. Pitch-black flames spread, outlining a ferocious silhouette, the heat oppressive!
When the violent flames had slightly dissipated, a completely different, huge body appeared in everyone's sight.
Unquenchable flames spewed from his eyes, mouth, and nose. His fur was crimson red. His horns were towering.
His huge body, a full ten meters tall, merely by stepping forward with his iron hooves, made the entire ground suddenly shake!
"Then, this technique is truly authentic… Rough Soul!"
The overlapping, trembling electronic voice sounded. The monster surrounded by black flames suddenly drew his sword. Flame light danced. Sword light resounded.
Clang—!
A fierce light like a thunderbolt flashed by, illuminating the countless fortresses and rooms in Onigashima.
The Emperors, continuously exchanging blows in the sky, all stopped their techniques and turned their gazes to the distant island.
Then they saw... the island... split open.