The air grew denser.
The entire plaza seemed to hold its breath.
Boa Hancock still stood with her arm lowered, her torn cloak on the ground. The silence around her was heavy.
Atop a broken pillar, Doflamingo laughed.
"HAHAHA… marvelous as always, Hancock."
He crossed his legs, leaning on his knee.
"Becoming a Yonko? Is that how it works now? Anyone just decides what they want to be?"
His head tilted, his smile wide.
"I love it. Truly love it."
Across the plaza, Mihawk didn't move.
His hand still gripped his sword's hilt, but his eyes were fixed on Riser.
No expression.
The black blade still planted beside him.
Sengoku maintained his Buddha form. But the glow around him flickered. His anger wasn't just for Riser anymore.
His voice came low.
"These damned…"
He clenched his fists.
"First the traitor…"
His gaze crossed the void left by Blackbeard.
"…then the liar who didn't even show up."
His jaw tightened.
"And now her."
The ground trembled.
Whitebeard took a step forward.
The ice still blocked his view. The wall was thick, covered in cracks spreading to the ground.
He raised his trident with effort.
His arm shook.
His body bled.
But his gaze remained fixed.
Another step.
The trident came down in a straight line.
The ice shattered.
Fragments flew to the sides. The fog parted for a moment.
On the other side, Riser still had his hand on Ace's head.
Whitebeard didn't hesitate.
"Let him go."
Another step.
"Take your hand off."
Another.
"LET MY SON GO!"
His voice tore through the air.
Riser didn't respond.
His hand stayed firm.
His left eye spun.
His palm began to warm.
Ace tried to speak. His mouth opened, but only air came out.
The heat intensified.
Marco shouted from where he stood.
"RISER! NO!"
Ace's body arched.
Fire erupted from his chest outward.
The seastone chains vibrated.
His first scream was ragged.
"AAAHHHH—"
His shoulders blackened. His face tensed. His back contracted.
Whitebeard charged.
His trident rose with fury.
Riser didn't move.
Ace screamed again.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH—"
Marco dragged himself across the ground. His arms shook.
"ACE!"
Flames engulfed Ace's body in seconds.
His throat erupted in another scream before failing.
His legs thrashed. His head tilted to the side.
His body curled, muscles locked in pain.
His flesh burned.
The smell filled the plaza.
Whitebeard reached a few meters away.
His trident came down with full force.
The strike aimed straight for Riser's chest.
But it passed through.
Riser's body dissolved into distortion.
The trident cut through the space.
Nothing was hit.
Whitebeard halted his motion. His face hardened.
Riser was still there.
Untouched.
His left eye still spinning.
His hand slowly lifted from Ace's head.
The fallen body smoked at his feet.
Garp took a step forward.
His expression shifted.
His eyes didn't blink.
His jaw locked.
"You…"
His voice was low, but firm.
"…crossed the line."
Marco pressed his hands to the ground. His face dirty, his eyes red.
"Bastard…"
Ace's body stopped moving.
Only the dying flames remained on his charred skin.
Whitebeard didn't speak.
His trident rose slowly.
His gaze locked on Riser.
Riser's body stood firm, his cloak swaying in the breeze.
He didn't retreat.
The Sharingan spun, steady.
Whitebeard advanced.
The trident came down.
The strike was direct, full force to the chest.
It passed through.
Riser's body distorted.
The impact cut through his image like it was smoke.
Nothing was hit.
Whitebeard growled.
The trident rose again. Another strike.
The blade sliced the air. Nothing.
Another attack. Then another.
All passed through Riser's body without impact.
The old man roared silently.
His eyes red. His breathing short. Blood still dripping from his chin.
Riser didn't move a muscle.
"You're too close."
His voice was calm.
Whitebeard raised his trident one last time.
His body hunched, his right arm trembling.
The Sharingan flared.
The left eye spun faster.
The air between them folded.
A distortion appeared like an invisible ring of force.
The Kamui activated.
The space behind Whitebeard's head twisted.
The edges of his neck vibrated.
A dry sound cut through the surrounding noise.
His neck gave way.
His head vanished in a sudden motion.
No light. No explosion. No blood spraying.
It simply disappeared.
His body stood for a second.
Hands still gripping the trident.
Chest heaving one last time.
Then, his fingers relaxed.
The trident fell to the side, clanging against the cracked ground.
His body dropped to its knees.
Then forward.
Silence.
Riser lowered his arm.
His left eye slowed.
The low fog covered part of the fallen body.
Marco screamed.
"OLD MAN!"
His voice echoed across the plaza.
No one answered.
Boa Hancock kept her eyes on Riser.
Her expression didn't change.
Kizaru hovered above, motionless.
Aokiji remained silent, standing among the rubble.
Sengoku didn't take a step.
The entire field froze.
The sounds vanished.
Not even the wind was heard.
The broken structures didn't creak.
The weapons didn't clink.
Whitebeard's death stopped everything.
Even the vice-admirals stopped breathing for a moment.
Marco's head lowered.
His hands dug into the ground.
His body trembled.
Whitebeard's trident lay on the ground.
His headless body sprawled on the stone.
Riser's shadow stretched beside it.
He observed for a few more seconds.
Then turned his face to the body.
'…System.'
[Yes, Riser.]
'Extract the Devil Fruit.'
[Confirmation request: Do you wish to extract the Gura Gura no Mi from Edward Newgate's body?]
'Yes.'
[Processing…]
A faint distortion appeared over the body's chest.
The area around the heart folded.
The ribs cracked with a muffled sound.
A white glow formed, spherical and dense.
Riser extended his left hand.
The glowing sphere slowly separated from the body, floating to his palm.
It was irregular, pulsing, with veins vibrating within.
[Devil Fruit extracted successfully: Gura Gura no Mi.]
[Item added to Inventory.]
[Currently stored: 2 Paramecia-type Fruits.]
The light vanished from Riser's hand in a second.
The space stabilized.
Whitebeard's body didn't move.
Riser turned his face slowly, scanning the field.
No one spoke.
His golden eyes swept over the admirals, the remnants of the Marines, the remaining Shichibukai.
Whitebeard's body lay on the ground. Headless. Powerless.
The low smoke covered part of his cracked armor.
Marco was on his knees.
Garp stood, motionless.
Kizaru in the air. Sengoku frozen.
Riser's voice cut through the silence, firm.
"An empty throne demands succession."
His eyes moved toward Hancock.
She held her stance. Dried blood on her face. Her cloak gone.
Riser didn't blink.
"Hancock will take the place left by Edward Newgate."
His tone was direct.
"She is the new Empress. The new force. The new Yonko."
No one responded.
No one contested.
The silence was acceptance.
Riser remained still.
His left eye spun slowly, no active threat. Just weight.
Behind Hancock, Merlin waited. Invisible. Still, awaiting the command.
Riser didn't turn his face.
The internal voice spoke without sound.
'Merlin. Go to the Nest.'
'Understood.'
'Take Hancock with you.'
Hancock felt the shift.
The air around her waist rippled.
She turned slowly.
Her eyes recognized the presence.
Her body didn't resist.
The distortion of magic formed around her. Rings of energy appeared over her feet, rising to her shoulders.
The ground glowed briefly under Merlin's command.
Hancock's body began to vanish in fine particles.
She looked at Riser one last time.
No words.
Her gaze said everything.
The teleport completed.
She was gone.
Riser stood alone in the center of the plaza.
The Kamui began to spin behind him.
The folded air pulled reality in silence.
The field remained still.
Riser took a step back.
His body slipped into the spatial fold.
The space closed.
The distortion vanished.
Marineford fell silent.
The throne was broken.
And the new king had already returned to his domain.
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