"Everyone... will die here?"
The blond-haired, bearded Five Elders suddenly felt veins bulging on his forehead upon hearing such arrogant remarks from a man in the distance.
"You bd! Stop joking!*"
He stepped forward, and instantly, the hard surface of Mariejois cracked and sank under his weight. A rich, almost tangible layer of Armament Haki enveloped the blond-haired elder's body, emphasizing his powerful physique.
Without hesitation, he roared, "The one who will die here today is you!"
The potent Armament Haki gathered into his fists.
"God's Spear!"
Suddenly, an explosive force erupted!
Boom!
Shockwaves rippled through the air, shaking Mariejois to its core. The ground ahead was ripped apart, and debris surged toward Bai Ye with a force so devastating it seemed impossible to counter.
"We'll help you!" shouted two other Five Elders, not willing to let their comrade fight alone.
The bald elder gripped the still-warm First Generation Onitsu, an ancient sword that glistened with a dark, menacing aura. He firmly clasped the weapon with both hands, revealing its true nature as one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades—a blade comparable to the legendary Black Sword Yoru.
With every ounce of his strength, the bald elder unleashed a massive slash.
Hum!
A purplish-black arc, strong enough to cleave through the islands of Sabaody, shot through the air, tearing apart the very sky above Mariejois. It chased after the shockwave unleashed by the blond-haired elder, hurtling toward Bai Ye with unparalleled power.
Meanwhile, the long-bearded elder stepped closer. With a flick of his blue cloak, his eyes gleamed fiercely. Stretching out his hand, he pointed toward Bai Ye.
"Die!" he commanded coldly.
In an instant, Bai Ye's surroundings seemed to distort. The air thickened, and an invisible pressure descended from above.
Boom!
The already crumbling Red Line trembled and sank even further under the immense gravitational force.
"Is this... the Gravity Fruit?" Bai Ye muttered to himself. "No... it feels more like a space-based Devil Fruit ability."
Regardless of whether it was gravity or spatial manipulation, Bai Ye dismissed it with indifference. Such abilities were trivial to him. Gripping Ryūjin Jakka firmly, he lifted his blade and declared, "I don't waste patience on those who willingly serve as dogs."
He locked his calm yet deadly gaze on the incoming attacks.
"How... how is he unaffected?!" the long-bearded elder exclaimed in disbelief.
Suddenly, Bai Ye swung his blade. A wall of flames, like a massive fiery hand, erupted forward, colliding with the shockwave and slash from the other two elders.
Boom!
The explosion echoed across Mariejois. Intense heatwaves rippled outward, lifting the corpses of World Government soldiers and scorching the ground. Cracks spread across the Red Line as thick clouds of smoke rose, only to be consumed by the inferno engulfing the battlefield.
When the dust settled, the flames had turned the entire area into an apocalyptic hellscape. The once-majestic Mariejois now resembled a city consumed by fire.
"Monster...!" one of the elders muttered, his voice trembling as he witnessed the destruction.
Above the chaos, Bai Ye floated mid-air, his figure framed by flames. His presence was terrifying—a man bathed in fire, radiating power. His Reiatsu had intensified, taking on the form of near-materialized orange-red flames. He lifted Ryūjin Jakka, the blade burning brighter than ever.
"Shikai," Bai Ye intoned, his voice cold and commanding. "Reduce everything to ashes."
Boom!
The sky itself seemed to ignite as an oppressive heat descended upon Mariejois. The Red Line, once thought to be indestructible, began to melt under the sheer temperature. Buildings crumbled into ash, and fires spread uncontrollably, even reaching the sacred grounds of the Celestial Dragons.
"What is this...?" the bald elder whispered, feeling his body rapidly dehydrating as the water inside him evaporated. "Such a terrifying temperature...! Is this even the power of a Devil Fruit?!"
The blond elder, his throat parched and his body trembling, glanced around in panic. Fires raged uncontrollably, fountains evaporated into nothingness, and the area was reduced to a smoldering wasteland.
"This power... It's impossible! Besides Lord Im, who could wield such strength?"
Amid the chaos, Bai Ye stood unwavering. His flames illuminated the destruction as he turned his gaze toward the Five Elders.
"Come at me together," he declared. "Im will have to show up once I've killed all of you."
Enraged, the long-bearded elder gritted his teeth and shouted, "You b*****d! Shut up!" He raised his hands, channeling the full extent of his spatial abilities toward Bai Ye's weapon.
"Confinement!" he roared.
In that moment, the flames around Ryūjin Jakka seemed to falter.
"This is our chance!" the blond-haired and bald elders exclaimed in unison.
Charging forward, they unleashed their most powerful attacks. The blond elder's fists gleamed with destructive Haki, while the bald elder wielded the First Generation Onitsu with deadly precision.
However, as they approached, Bai Ye sneered.
"Do you really think blocking my weapon will give you a chance to defeat me?"
Before their attacks could land, Bai Ye moved with blinding speed. His muscles tensed as he struck with unimaginable force.
Boom!
The blond-haired elder's chest caved under the impact. Blood spewed from his mouth, vaporizing instantly in the heat. His body shot backward like a cannonball, smashing through multiple buildings before finally crashing into the ground hundreds of kilometers away.
"Monster...!" the bald elder gasped, his voice trembling as he witnessed his comrade's devastating defeat.
"Your turn," Bai Ye said coldly, stepping forward with flames dancing around him.