During the Summit War, Maud had used his Shadow ability to seize control of the islands from Golden Lion, then moved them and hurled them at the Whitebeard Pirates.
Those very islands, hurled at the Whitebeard Pirates, became the key trigger that aggravated Whitebeard's physical ailments, allowing Maud to establish his winning advantage.
This time was no different.
Facing the heavily guarded Marines, he could only gain the initiative by sending the islands down with certainty.
Before this, Maud had never tried using his Shadow ability to resist Fujitora's gravity.
But form and shadow followed one another.
Where there was form, shadow followed; where there was shadow, form followed.
This was an inherent trait of an ability containing Rules. Breaking free from gravity was only to be expected.
"If you can stop them... go ahead and try."
Maud descended along the shadow staircase. His eyes were as black as shadows, and in his right palm, he held a star-shaped mass of shadow.
The five islands under his control, carrying terrifying pressure, once again fell toward Impel Down and the nearly hundred warships anchored on the sea.
On the ships.
The countless Marines and pirates stared incredulously at the descending islands.
Almost every face was filled with either horror or shock.
"Didn't Admiral Fujitora stop the islands?!!"
"How could this happen..."
"Evade!"
"Get the ships moving!!!"
"We can't! There are ships all around us—we can't move...!!!"
"What do we do? We're going to be crushed by the islands!"
"It's over..."
The Marines and pirates aboard every ship stared despairingly at the islands crashing down with their shadows.
If they were struck head-on, it was impossible to imagine what the consequences would be.
"What are you panicking for? Everyone, calm down!"
The Marine officers on the warship decks all shouted in deep