A colossal iceberg loomed solid in the plaza, gleaming under the light, its vast crystalline form arresting every eye. Within it, five enormous and hideous monsters were frozen in mid‑air, entombed in translucent blue like insects trapped in amber.
"Admiral Aokiji's power," the Marines whispered in stunned shock.
Aokiji exhaled a breath of biting cold, gazing at the distant iceberg with a faint frown.
"The iceberg is about to crack…" he muttered.
Sure enough, flames erupted along the bodies of the five sealed monsters, burning like unleashed kinetic force. Their once‑stiff eyes snapped open, blazing with rage. They shuddered violently, claws scraping against the ice as they fought desperately to break free.
Shirogai watched them with a calm smile, deep in his obsidian eyes. His expression was almost amused.
"It's useless. I'll send you back. Hurry up and sleep again once you return," he said casually.
Raising his right hand, Shirogai extended it toward the imprisoned beasts.
"God's Hand, Annihilation!"
In an instant, the five monsters, still sealed within the glacier, along with the surrounding ice, shattered into oblivion. Ice shards vanished into nothingness, leaving no trace in the plaza.
Everyone stood frozen, dumbfounded.
No one could tell if the monsters had truly been erased, yet they waited, breath held, expecting those seemingly immortal beings to reform and rise again.
Ten seconds passed.
A minute.
Two minutes…
But nothing happened.
In Mary Geoise...
Five rotating onyx magic circles appeared slowly beside Imu, each marked with a different number.
Imu extended a single finger and let a drop of blood, dark as spilled ink, fall onto a circle — followed by another, and then another. When each circle was stained with fresh blood, the crimson twisted and writhed violently. From within, eerie screams echoed as humanoid skeletons wreathed in black flame crawled out, agonized.
The skeletons bent and contorted in torment, their bones knitting flesh, and soon took on the full forms of the five Gorosei.
"My apologies, Imu‑san…" one murmured once his body was whole, addressing Imu with trembling reverence.
Saint Nusjuro, God of Law, clad once more in his regrown garments, knelt on quaking knees.
"We failed to capture Shirogai and bring him back."
Each Gorosei bowed, voices quaking with fear.
"Your servants have failed, Lord Imu. We beg forgiveness!"
"That creature's power was overwhelming — we were taken by surprise and killed!"
Imu regarded them with cold eyes, his gaze as unyielding as ice.
"This is your only second chance. Do not disappoint me again."
"Yes!!" they chorused, shaking with relief — thankful that Imu's mood was softened by the death of Joy Boy, or several of them might already be gone.
Then Imu's pupils constricted sharply.
"How is this possible!!!" he roared, face strikingly unsettled — a sight none present had ever seen.
The Gorosei looked up puzzled, at a loss for why Imu appeared suddenly flustered.
"Joy Boy's aura has appeared again," Imu announced coldly.
"Joy Boy's aura again?" Saint Warcury, God of Law, echoed in disbelief. "But Akainu clearly pierced Straw Hat Luffy's chest. His aura should have vanished…"
Imu lowered his gaze onto Warcury, eyes cutting cold.
"Are you questioning Imu?"
"N‑no, I would never dare!" Warcury stammered, shrinking away.
"Emperor Shirogai…" Imu paced toward his throne, eyes dark with dread and wrath. "What exactly did you do…"
---
Marineford
"You want to end this war?" Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha regarded Shirogai with ice‑cold eyes, his tone merciless. "Shirogai, do you understand what that means? It means you've chosen to betray the Marines."
"Sengoku, when did I ever join the Marines?" Shirogai replied with a wry laugh.
Before Sengoku could respond, a breathless messenger soldier sprinted up.
"Reporting, Fleet Admiral. Admiral Sakazuki has sacrificed himself!"
A collective choke ran through the Marine ranks.
Sakazuki's prestige was second only to Sengoku and Marine Hero Garp — feared, respected, and revered by every Marine General. Even Kizaru and Aokiji were held in lower regard. He rose through merit and blood, and he embodied Marine pride.
"Fleet Admiral! He's just a pirate!" cried some Vice Admirals. "We must avenge Sakazuki!"
But Shirogai simply watched the wounded Marines — less than ten thousand remained after the battle — and smiled.
"Sengoku," he said casually, "did this conflict exceed your expectations? Originally, you predicted a total victory with minimal losses."
"Shut up! Did you come here just to mock us, Shirogai!" Sengoku snapped, eyes like lightning.
"So then, have you fully defected to the pirates?" he demanded.
Sengoku loathed even speaking the word.
Then Shirogai's eyes flicked toward a floating Den Den Mushi.
Clown Buggy was still broadcasting the entire battle live — cheekily hovering inches from Sengoku's face.
"If you had known this would happen, you might never have done it," Shirogai said with a smirk.
"Let's make a deal."
"What do you want?" Sengoku frowned.
Shirogai spoke not aloud, but in Sengoku's mind.
"If this ends here, the Four Emperors will unleash chaos. Without Marine suppression, the pirate wars will erupt."
Sengoku's voice echoed in his own mind, furious.
"You know the Marines are essential to world order!"
Shirogai shrugged.
"Some things must be done."
"Then listen to the terms," he continued.
Sengoku's reply was cold.
"No matter the reward…"
His voice stopped as Shirogai's next words struck him dumb.
"As a reward, I will resurrect all the fallen Marines."
===
Just finished a Presentation, and I low-keyinely think I flopped it 😭