Just then, from the heavens, a blazing meteor came hurtling down — radiating terrifying power as it streaked straight toward the massive teleportation array.
Instantly, everyone's attention was drawn to it.
"Is that the blind man with the Gravity Fruit ability!?"
"Don't tell me… that blind powerhouse has joined Souta Kiryuu's Dragon Division!?"
The world erupted in shock and discussion.
Across the live broadcast screens, naval forces and powerful factions alike debated wildly. Even the expression of Elder Voss, the "Buddha of the Seas," grew dark and heavy.
"So the blind warrior has truly joined Souta Kiryuu…" he muttered grimly.
The enormous teleportation array pulsed with darkness — shadowy tentacles rising from its sigils, launching volleys of shadow arrows skyward.
The arrows struck the meteor midair, obliterating it before it could make contact.
But then — a gate of the void opened within the sky.
From its swirling abyss, a jet-black pillar of smoke surged down and crashed violently against the giant array below.
As that mass of dark matter touched the intricate runes of the magic formation, an eerie tremor rippled through the battlefield.
Before everyone's shocked eyes, the colossal formation began to collapse and dissolve into the wind.
"That power… it's that ability!"
High above in the sacred palace of Maryjoia, the furious voice of Imu echoed through the void.
"The Dark-Dark Fruit… it's appeared again in this world!"
That cursed fruit — the one that restrains and devours all other Devil Fruit abilities — had returned.
And in mere moments, it had disabled the massive teleportation array Imu had constructed.
"The teleportation array vanished again!"
"But this time, it didn't fade out on its own—it was destroyed!"
"Will it reappear?!"
The world roared in speculation.
Even the Five Elders looked shaken — none of them expected anyone could shatter a formation built by Lord Imu himself.
"Orahahaha! Whitebeard! The threat's gone! Hold off that bald monster—I'll deal with Akainu. We'll return Ace to you soon enough!"
Souta Kiryuu laughed wildly as the giant array disintegrated, ignoring Whitebeard's thunderous glare.
"Cut down those so-called Divine Knights!" he commanded.
He didn't know if Imu's teleportation gate would return, but now was the perfect time to expand his advantage — to press the attack, drain Whitebeard further, and claim his blood.
Though he said he'd face Akainu, Souta led his Dragon Division instead toward the Divine Knights, his bloodlust unleashed.
At that moment, Saint Nasuro, one of the Five Elders, streaked forward like lightning — determined to stop Souta, the man behind the chaos.
"Whitebeard! Stop him!!" Souta shouted, his tone laced with both command and threat.
"Souta Kiryuu!!" Whitebeard roared in fury.
But they still didn't know where Souta had hidden Ace. For the sake of his son, Whitebeard could do nothing but endure Souta's manipulation — once again dancing to his tune.
With a thunderous crash, Whitebeard's supreme blade, Cloudbreaker, clashed with Nasuro's first-generation demon blade, Oni Kiri.
The shockwave split the earth.
Nasuro was blasted away, his bones splintering — but in seconds, his body reformed. Whitebeard, however, felt his strength wane, his body growing heavier by the moment.
He had already exhausted himself battling Akainu earlier, and destroying two great formations in succession had drained his stamina even more.
"Whitebeard!" Nasuro snarled coldly. "You have countless sons — why become a dog on Souta Kiryuu's leash for just one boy? Leave the Island of Gods and Demons, or be buried here!"
Whitebeard glared back, eyes filled with iron will.
"I never abandon any of my sons."
His voice was calm, but fury burned behind it — not just toward Souta Kiryuu, but toward the World Government and the Elders themselves.
His homeland, Sphinx Island, had long fallen into ruin because it couldn't afford to join the alliance — becoming a land ravaged by pirates, marines, and criminals alike.
Even the Celestial Dragons' slave-hunting fleets had raided it more than once.
When Souta personally led his forces into battle, the remaining Divine Knights and CP agents turned to flee — but who among them could protect themselves now?
Perhaps it was because Imu was still watching from Maryjoia — because suddenly, the massive teleportation array reappeared, this time near the monstrous Death Sandworm formed by Saint Peter.
Reacting instantly, Dragon transformed into a raging storm and retreated from the array's reach.
Meanwhile, Law vanished into the void gate alongside Blackbeard, and the Seraphim Shura swooped in carrying an enormous cannon on his back.
"Retreat with the survivors," came Imu's cold voice, echoing within the Elders' minds.
"We'll deal with these pirate vermin next time — one by one."
The Five Elders froze, then bowed their heads.
"Yes, Lord Imu!"
The shadowy tentacles of the array once again unleashed volleys of shadow arrows, striking toward Souta Kiryuu's forces and the Revolutionary Army.
The Death Sandworm burrowed deep into the ground, pursuing the fleeing Divine Knights and CP agents — swallowing them whole, including Akainu, before surging toward the captured Celestial Dragons.
Saint Peter devoured the surviving forty-four Celestial Dragons and nearly a hundred corpses, swallowing them into the abyss.
As a massive magic circle ignited beneath him, marked with the number "4," the enormous worm descended into the depths of the array — vanishing as it returned to Maryjoia.
The naval fleets left behind by Akainu were abandoned to their fate.
"Move out!"
The remaining four Elders withdrew, their teleportation circles flickering to life.
Meanwhile, Saint Saturn and Saint Volgari combined their strength, forcing back Kaido and his flame-clad general King, before disappearing into separate arrays marked "1" and "5."
"Whitebeard Newgate — prepare for the World Government's retaliation!" Nasuro spat coldly as a glowing array marked "2" opened beneath his feet. Then he vanished.
Whitebeard did not pursue. He knew there was no point.
Fighting that Elder further would only waste the strength he needed to face Souta Kiryuu, that treacherous bastard.
High above, Saint Mars transformed into a monstrous, divine bird of vengeance, glaring down at Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin.
"Charlotte Linlin! Your Totto Land had better watch its back!" he hissed, before his array — marked "3" — swallowed him whole.
His threat left Big Mom's expression twisted with rage and unease.
They'd seized a single Devil Fruit and a handful of Celestial Dragon treasures — yet they'd drawn the full wrath of the World Government.
It felt like a terrible bargain.
As the last round of shadow arrows rained from the sky, Imu's colossal teleportation gate faded away completely.
"Souta Kiryuu," Imu's chilling voice echoed across the battlefield.
"You've succeeded in drawing my attention."
In Imu's mind, Souta Kiryuu had become a greater threat than even the Revolutionary Army — a man capable of uniting so many of the world's strongest pirates under one banner.
And so, in the secret scrolls of the World Government's Extinction Plan,
Target No. 1 was now written clearly:
Souta Kiryuu — the Experimental Monster.