The revelation of the Earthly Branches' true identities sent shockwaves through the remaining six Marine elites. Kong, repelled by Zishu's devastating "Divine Departure" attack, barely registered the pain coursing through his body. His mind raced with speculations instead—who were the clones of the Earthly Branches yet to reveal themselves?
Could they be modeled after other legendary figures from history?
More perplexing was their appearance. Like the Lunarians, the Earthly Branches possessed black wings and the extraordinary ability to ignite divine fire. At first, everyone assumed they were actual Lunarians, descendants of the secretive and powerful race known as the "clan of gods." But now, it seemed they were something else entirely—perhaps an amalgamation of cloned bloodline factors.
Is it a clone? A fusion of genetic material? Kong's thoughts swirled with theories, but there wasn't time for that now. This critical information needed to be brought back to Naval Headquarters. The other side had made their move by revealing their faces, signaling a deadly intent. They clearly intended to leave no survivors.
"Everyone… listen to me!!" Kong's voice rang out, pulling the Marines' attention to him. He was retreating, but his mind had never been sharper. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on his shoulders.
All eyes were on him as he spoke, his voice commanding: "This information must reach Sengoku and the guys back in Marine ford! But they will do everything in their power to ensure we don't leave this battlefield alive!"
With a forceful stomp, Kong unleashed his power onto the ice, creating a shockwave that rippled outward. His warning echoed in their minds, stirring both fear and resolve.
Edie, however, only smiled as he watched the scene unfold. "Kill them all here?" He chuckled inwardly at Kong's assumption. Edie had no concern now that the Earthly Branches' identities had been revealed. The unveiling no longer mattered. In the past, he had been cautious—careful to keep his true hand hidden. Back then, his forces had only included Chenlong and Shenhou.
But now? He had five Earthly Branches under his command. In two years, the sixth—Charlotte Linlin's clone—would be complete. His small numbers had once made him tread carefully, but now, with his forces growing in both strength and numbers, there was no need to walk on thin ice any longer. What was the point of amassing power if he never used it? The years of meticulous planning would have been for nothing if he hesitated now.
As Edie's lips curled into a wicked grin, his thoughts echoed a single truth: Kong was overthinking this. Moreover, with Kizaru on their side, armed with the powers of the Glint-Glint Fruit, escape was almost guaranteed for him. No one could outrun light.
The atmosphere grew tense. Several Vice Admirals, who had been listening intently to Kong's urgent orders, understood the grim reality of the situation. They exchanged grave looks, the weight of their Fleet Admiral's words sinking in.
They weren't just retreating—they were fighting to survive.
Suddenly, Kong bellowed, "Garp!"
No further explanation was necessary—just the shout alone was enough. Garp moved swiftly, his instincts honed from years of battle. He lunged toward Chenlong without hesitation, spreading the five fingers of his right hand as he violently gripped the opponent's face.
"Blue Hole!"
The veins in his arms bulged, and Conqueror's Haki surged around his palm. With a mighty roar, Garp slammed Chenlong's head into the ice and hurled him downward with overwhelming force.
Boom!
The impact shattered the ice within a radius of tens of meters, sending Chenlong plunging into the icy depths of the sea. Garp stood, catching his breath, thinking, Let's deal with one at a time...
He knew this wasn't a permanent solution. But it had effectively removed Chenlong from the battlefield for the time being. Although the Azure Dragon form of the Mythical Fish-Fish Fruit allowed Chenlong to survive underwater, he would still be immobilized. Escaping from the bottom of the sea unaided would be nearly impossible.
The whole sequence had unfolded in less than a second—so fast that even Aokiji and the other Marines barely had time to react. But Zishu had noticed. The instant Garp made his move, Zishu was already in action.
As Chenlong disappeared into the sea, and before Garp could fully regain his balance in midair, Zishu struck. His sword sliced through the air, infused with Conqueror's Haki, slashing Garp's back from the upper right to the lower left.
Puff!
Blood sprayed from Garp's back, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to slow down. With a pained groan, he used Moonwalk to propel himself away, quickly gaining distance. "Kuzan!" he shouted.
Aokiji inhaled deeply, releasing a freezing breath that seemed to envelop the entire battlefield in a frigid mist. The air around him turned icy, and it felt as though they had entered a frozen wasteland.
This technique—one he'd been perfecting for years—was his final gambit. He wasn't sure if it would work, but the situation demanded that he try.
"Frozen Crystal Coffin!"
In an instant, Aokiji's body partially transformed into ice, and the shattered ice across the battlefield froze solid again. Four massive ice walls erupted from the ground, encasing the remaining Earthly Branches. Even Kizaru had initially been caught in the trap, but his speed allowed him to slip out by elementalizing just in time.
As Kizaru escaped, Kong rushed inside the enclosure.
"Escape!" Kong shouted, leaving no room for hesitation.
The ice walls rose, forming a towering prison. The frozen coffin now entrapped the remaining three Earthly Branches—and Edie, who had been hovering above the battlefield.
Inside the frosty coffin, Kong stood breathing heavily, staring up at Edie who floated above, his blood-streaked face contorting into a defiant grin.
"I... won," Kong rasped, his voice heavy with exhaustion and pain.
Edie's expression shifted, an odd smirk playing across his lips. He descended slowly, stopping just ten meters above the ice. "Won?" Edie repeated, his voice tinged with amusement. "You misunderstand something fundamental, Kong. I never intended to annihilate you all."
Kong's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Stop lying—your words are meaningless!"
Edie chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Oh, it's true. I could wipe you all out, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my subordinates to do it." His smile grew colder. "Unlike the Five Elders, I'm a good boss. I value my subordinates."
Kong blinked, stunned. The implications of Edie's words sent chills down his spine. Even if Edie had the power to obliterate the entire Marine force, he didn't want to risk the lives of his Earthly Branches. Yet now, with Kong voluntarily trapped in the ice coffin, Edie and his forces could easily eliminate him without any sacrifice or worry.
This was the real trap, Kong realized bitterly. He had played right into Edie's hands, believing he could delay the inevitable—but now, he was caught in a vice from which there would be no escape.
"Father, what should we do about Chenlong?" Zishu inquired, wiping the blood from his blade with a silk scarf. The blood, still fresh from Garp, soaked into the fabric, a special gift from their Heavenly Father designed for blood collection. Each of the Earthly Branches had one.
"Go fetch him," Edie commanded casually.
"As you wish," Zishu replied, stowing the bloodstained scarf with a smirk. "That fool is truly useless. Perhaps it's better if I become your personal bodyguard instead." With that, he swung his sword, sending a dark, haki-infused slash that tore a hole in the ice coffin trapping them.
"Did they really think something like this could hold us for long? The Marines are such fools." Zishu continued, slicing through the ice under his feet with another effortless attack. His black wings spread wide as he dived into the sea to retrieve Chenlong.
Meanwhile, Weiyang's Observation Haki tracked the fleeing Vice Admirals. "Father, shall we pursue them?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Kong, realizing the situation, snapped back to attention. "I won't let you succeed!" he roared, rushing forward. His powerful fist, infused with Armament Haki, slammed toward Weiyang with the force of a cannon.
But Weiyang was quick, sidestepping the attack with ease. "Your movements have slowed, Fleet Admiral," he taunted. "Where's your legendary strength now?"
"Don't get cocky, you brat!" Kong's rage surged, his haki flaring to a level beyond his peak. "You dare mock me with the face of Sengoku! Do you even deserve his abilities!?"
Kong's fury fueled him, pushing his haki to unimaginable levels.
Energy level: 360 billion!
Edie observed the escalating battle, amused by the readings on his scouter. Higher than before? he mused, realizing that Kong was pushing himself to unnatural limits. "So you're burning your soul, using your lifespan to fuel your power?" Edie thought aloud, smiling coldly. Even a cornered dog will fight back when threatened.
Kong's relentless attacks, driven by desperation, made Edie chuckle. "Why are you struggling so much, old man?"
Distracted for a split second by Edie's voice, Kong hesitated, giving Wuma the chance to strike. Wuma leaped into the fray, delivering a brutal uppercut that sent Kong reeling. Despite the force of the blow, Kong quickly regained his footing, though his breathing was labored. "For Justice!" he growled, the fire in his eyes unwavering.
"Justice?" Edie chuckled, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "The Five Elders' orders are what you call justice? If you're justice, then what does that make us?"
Kong remained silent, using the moment to catch his breath.
"Not even brave enough to call us evil?" Edie continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You can't even claim the courage to call this what it is—a battle between two forces claiming justice. And in the end, whoever wins will define what justice truly is." He shrugged, quoting Doflamingo's infamous philosophy.
Slowly, Edie floated toward the gap Zishu had created in the ice. With a sudden burst of speed, he shot toward the fleeing Vice Admirals.
"Since you're the so-called justice, why are you guys running?" Edie taunted, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
"Y-you bastard!" Kong cursed, trying to give chase, but Weiyang and Wuma blocked his path.
"You'll have to pass our test first if you want to reach the Heavenly Father," Weiyang said mockingly, standing firmly in Kong's way.
Meanwhile, Garp, Aokiji, Kizaru, Momousagi, and Chaton were retreating as fast as they could, heading back the way they came. "Fleet Admiral!" Momousagi, bringing up the rear, was visibly distraught over Kong's decision to stay behind.
"Save your breath!" Garp barked, his expression grim. He was furious at the reckless orders from the Five Elders, who had sent them on this mission with little regard for the consequences. His unusual silence spoke volumes.
Suddenly, Momousagi slowed down, her body trembling. The distance between her and the others grew, and eventually, she came to a full stop. Taking a deep breath, she unsheathed Jinpira and turned to face the sky.
Hovering above her was Edie, his figure framed against the pale light.
"Huh? How did you know I was following?" Edie asked, genuinely surprised. He had maintained his [Observation Haki Invisibility] the entire time, making it nearly impossible for anyone to sense his presence.
"A woman's intuition," Momousagi responded, her voice steady, eyes filled with determination.
Edie raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Woman's intuition, huh?" He chuckled darkly. "Do you really think you stand a chance against me?" Shaking his head, he continued, "You're an impressive woman, I'll give you that. But with your injuries, and after that last battle, do you really want to die here?"
Without a word, Momousagi leaped into the air, slashing at Edie with all her strength. Her blade connected with his Overlord Territory, only to be repelled by an invisible haki wall.
So strong... Momousagi thought, her heart sinking.
Edie's eyes narrowed, and with a flick of his haki, a powerful rebound sent her crashing into the ice. She tumbled across the battlefield, coughing up blood as she came to a stop.
Before she could gather herself, Edie's black leather shoes appeared before her. Slowly, she looked up, seeing him standing over her with that same chilling smile.
"I admire your courage, little monkey," Edie said, his voice soft but menacing. "But if you want to live, you'll kneel before me."