"Damn it, no!" Ryokugyu's face changed completely in shock. As he watched Bullet's two massive fists crash down from the sky, his mind went momentarily numb. This attack might very well be Bullet's strongest strike so far. It was impossible to say for certain, but one thing was clear: it was utterly terrifying. If those two punches landed directly on him, then the consequences would be fatal.
The intense pain already tearing through his body made Ryokugyu even more fearful. After all, his current injuries had already been caused by Bullet's fists, and this attack from the sky was clearly far more devastating than the one before. In an instant, countless vines burst forth from the shattered ice. Ryokugyu was desperately trying to form a shield around himself. His body could barely move anymore, but at least his Devil Fruit ability could still be used.
Unfortunately, things did not go as he hoped. Bullet descended from the sky like a falling meteor. The power concentrated in his fists was the peak of what he could unleash in his current state. Of course, if he activated his Awakening, he could fuse countless buildings, ships, or other objects into himself, but clearly, this battlefield was not suitable for that. Fighting on the ice somewhat limited Bullet's full potential.
BOOM! An earth-shattering explosion erupted.
The ice sheet within a radius of hundreds of meters shattered instantly. Countless shards of ice exploded outward in all directions, sweeping across the battlefield like a sandstorm or a raging tsunami that crushed and swallowed everything in its path.
"How horrifying." In the distance, Urouge clasped his hands together and performed a monk's prayer. A solemn, almost sacred aura spread from his body. At that moment, Urouge silently mourned Ryokugyu's fate. "One of the Marine's admirals, Ryokugyu, is in grave danger."
Even farther away, Hawkins, controlling a massive straw scarecrow in battle, was calmly performing a divination. He already knew that the Three Yonko Alliance would undoubtedly emerge victorious in this war. As for the fate of Marineford, it was chaotic and uncertain. Hawkins had divined the futures of the Marine's mid and high-ranking officers, from Vice Admirals to Admirals and even the Fleet Admiral himself. He wanted to know how they would end.
His divination abilities had grown increasingly accurate ever since Shanks was killed by Elior. For example, he had foreseen the deaths of Garp and Zephyr. Both had an extremely high probability of being killed by Elior. As for Ryokugyu, there was a 90% chance of death, a 0% chance of being killed by Elior, and a 90% chance of being killed by Bullet. That was the result of Hawkins' divination.
At this moment, Hawkins' expression remained calm. All around the battlefield, countless eyes were fixed on Bullet and Ryokugyu. Battles between top-tier fighters always drew massive attention. No one truly believed that Ryokugyu would be killed so quickly. After all, Bullet was not Elior, who could kill anyone he wished. And yet, reality often defied expectations.
As the ice dust and smoke dispersed like a retreating tsunami, a massive crater was revealed. From within it, Bullet slowly walked out. In his hand, vines dragged along a broken figure. It was Ryokugyu. His body was soaked in blood and utterly mutilated. His mouth had collapsed inward, and three bones protruded grotesquely through his flesh. The sight was horrifying.
The spectators in the distance were stunned into silence. They couldn't clearly see all the details, but Ryokugyu's body had turned completely red. That could only be blood. Disbelief filled everyone's eyes. Ryokugyu had been utterly defeated. Now, he was being dragged away like prey awaiting slaughter.
Tsuru felt her heart tighten. She could already foresee what was about to happen. Sorrow filled her chest. Akainu, Sengoku, and the other high-ranking officers felt the same crushing weight. Bullet's combat power had always been monstrous. He was a monster born to fight. In the past, only Roger had ever been able to suppress him.
Back then, the man who stood shoulder to shoulder with Roger was Whitebeard. After Roger's death, Whitebeard was crowned the strongest man in the world. But Bullet's strength had already reached an astonishing level in his twenties. As a former member of the Roger Pirates, his talent was even more terrifying than that of Shanks. Though both Bullet and Ryokugyu were called monsters, Ryokugyu was clearly outclassed.
Ryokugyu's Devil Fruit was incredibly powerful, but in terms of raw physical might, Bullet was overwhelmingly superior. On this icy battlefield, both of their abilities were somewhat restricted. Under the gaze of countless witnesses, shock and fear filled their eyes. Bullet lifted Ryokugyu's shattered body with both hands as blood continued to drip from it.
"Damn it..." Ryokugyu cursed weakly. He understood that Bullet intended to kill him. Yet he felt no fear. As a top-tier powerhouse, Ryokugyu had fought countless battles in his life. He had thought about death before, but never imagined it would come like this.
Bullet seized Ryokugyu's neck with one hand and his waist with the other. Then he exerted force brutally. Ryokugyu felt an overwhelming tearing sensation. Agonizing pain tore through his neck and spine. Still, he showed no fear. As one of the faces of the Marine, Ryokugyu could not be afraid.
"I never thought I would die today." His voice was filled with helplessness and unwillingness.
"Stop it!" Tsuru and the others shouted desperately. Tears streamed down Tsuru's face.
But then, Ryokugyu's body was violently torn apart. His head was ripped off completely and his torso split in half at the waist. A torrential rain of blood splashed across the ice. In the end, Bullet discarded the mangled corpse, holding only Ryokugyu's severed head in his hand.
A cruel smile spread across Bullet's face. Ryokugyu's expression was frozen in agony from the unimaginable pain of having his head torn from his body. At that moment, Admiral Ryokugyu died a horrific death. Many pirates erupted in excitement, while countless Marines collapsed to their knees, breaking down in tears.