Even Yhwach Would Call Himself Little Kenma

"Connect, Kiritsugu."

As the Zanpakuto's Release Command fell, the blade shone with clear light and transformed into countless threads, linking to the chests of numerous Lost Souls.

As they connected, the contracts were formed, and Kenma let out a sigh of relief.

The Lost Souls he had contracted, those whose bodies had been crumbling away, had stopped losing Reishi and would no longer vanish.

Moreover, as some of the Lost Souls breathed in the Reishi within the air, their bodies, which had just become transparent, gradually solidified once more.

"I'm... better!"

"It's true! That unsettling feeling is finally gone."

"King Enma's kindness is too great to repay. From now on, my life is yours!"

"Old Man, Ace, and Boss Kenma, thank you!"

Once the Lost Souls realized they had recovered, waves of cheers immediately erupted across the area.

Words of gratitude filled the air without end.

Whitebeard, Ace, and the others watched their gradually boisterous companions with gentle smiles on their faces.

Then they looked at Kenma, their expressions sincere and moved.

"Boss Kenma, we are truly grateful that you put aside past grievances and saved my sons this time."

Ace echoed him from the side.

Seeing Whitebeard and the others completely won over by his actions, Kenma felt deeply satisfied.

This was exactly what he wanted.

As they spoke, Whitebeard's expression gradually dimmed.

"It's just that Ace and I received such tremendous kindness from you, yet we cannot become Shinigami. This matter... we truly are sorry."

"It doesn't matter. Being able to gain your assistance this time is no small gain for me as well."

Kenma waved his hand. Though his face was serious, he did not seem as disappointed as Whitebeard had expected.

Whitebeard asked curiously, "Boss Kenma, although it's very kind of you to think that way... judging from your expression, it seems you don't care that much."

"Well, a little," Kenma said. "It would be best if you could become Shinigami. But even if you can't, I'm not that disappointed. It's still within what I can bear."

"Hm?"

Facing Whitebeard's confusion, Kenma said, "I have another way to strengthen your combat power and even allow you to perfectly wield your Devil Fruit abilities."

"What is it?" Ace asked eagerly.

Whitebeard, however, wore a thoughtful expression. Looking at Kenma's thick eyebrows, he slowly said, "It's... a contract, isn't it?"

"Correct." Kenma did not beat around the bush and directly admitted it. "Once you connect with me, our fates become one. I can gain part of your abilities, and naturally, you can gain mine as well."

"For example, Spiritual Pressure."

Of course, Kenma held the initiative in this matter.

If Kenma refused, the Contractors below him absolutely could not take anything.

But if the Contractors refused, Kenma could forcibly take it.

"Spiritual Pressure is the power gained after becoming a Shinigami."

"It'll be easiest for you to understand if I demonstrate it myself."

"Ace, take it."

Kenma's call made Ace freeze slightly. He had not seen Kenma throw anything at him.

Then Ace felt a vast will descend upon him.

It was Kenma!

Remembering Kenma's words, he repeatedly nodded in agreement within his heart.

At that instant, the will departed, and an incomparably immense power surged from somewhere within his body.

It flowed without end, inexhaustible and infinite.

"Th-this is..."

An overwhelmingly powerful aura erupted from Ace, directly suppressing the surrounding souls until they could barely breathe.

Feeling that extremely familiar pressure, Whitebeard could not help widening his eyes.

"The aura of a Shinigami!"

This pressure that seeped deep into the soul was exactly the same as the oppressive force Fugaku and the others had unleashed before.

"Ace, put away your Spiritual Pressure. If you keep releasing it, the companions around you will disperse again."

Kenma's words made Ace pause once more, and a trace of confusion appeared in his eyes.

"Big Boss, I don't know how to control it."

Hearing that, Kenma realized the problem as well.

Right, Spiritual Pressure was indeed something unfamiliar to Ace. It was perfectly normal that he could not control it.

Kenma withdrew the Spiritual Pressure he had sent over bit by bit, and that vast aura disappeared from Ace's body.

The souls around them also could not help sighing in relief.

That pressure had truly been unbearable.

Kenma said, "Ace, Spiritual Pressure is a Shinigami's energy and supports a Shinigami in battle. You still need to practice more in the future before you can control it perfectly."

Ace solemnly nodded. "I will definitely become stronger."

Just like in this war, it was because he had been weak that Blackbeard captured him and handed him over to the Marines, triggering this great battle and even dragging Old Man and all his companions into it.

If he had been stronger back then, the outcome would definitely have been completely different.

"Newgate, you're the same."

Naturally, Kenma supported these people training.

The number of Shinigami Kenma contracted in the future would only continue to grow, and the Spiritual Pressure feedback he received would also increase without end. One day, it would reach its absolute peak.

The Contractors would also continuously feed Spiritual Pressure back to him.

Rather than that, it would be better to cultivate some individuals capable of storing Spiritual Pressure now. Giving it to them would not only effectively prevent waste but also increase the combat strength under his command, killing two birds with one stone.

Thinking of this, Kenma felt oddly strange.

Why did his ability feel more and more like Yhwach's?

He could grant power and reclaim it at will. It really was similar...

At this rate, even Yhwach would call himself Little Kenma.

"Newgate, Ace, there is one thing you must understand. I can grant you power, and I can also take back your abilities."

"Like this!"

As Kenma spoke, a will descended into Whitebeard and Ace's hearts, making them feel an inexplicable mixture of terror and familiarity.

They knew that this will came from Kenma before them.

At the will's inquiry, both of them nodded in agreement within their hearts.

As his words fell, Kenma raised both hands and clenched his right fist.

Boom—

Blazing flames ignited fiercely around it. The high heat rushed outward, and the firelight reddened Kenma's expressionless face.

"That's... the Flame-Flame Fruit ability!"

Ace widened his eyes and stared incredulously at Kenma's burning right hand.

He instinctively tried to use his ability, only to discover in shock that he could not use his Devil Fruit ability at all.

Seeing the expression on Ace's face, Kenma could tell without asking.

"While I am using an ability, you cannot use that ability."

He paused, then said to Shisui beside him, "Shisui, cut me with your sword."

"Huh?" Shisui froze.

"Cut me!"

Kenma repeated himself, and Shisui immediately understood.

He then drew his Zanpakuto and fiercely slashed down at Kenma's neck.

A head flew high into the air, yet it did not fall. Instead, flames ignited beneath it, holding it suspended in midair.

It was unmistakably Kenma's head.

Setsuna and the others beside him went pale in shock, but Fugaku at their side remained extremely calm and reassured this elder.

Having followed Kenma and seen the world, how could he not know what this was?

"A unique ability of Logia Devil Fruits—Elementalization!"

After Kenma's head floated in the air for a while, it transformed into a flame and fell onto the headless body standing normally on the ground.

As the flame descended, Kenma's original appearance finally emerged once more.

"This is Elementalization. It really does feel rather strange."

Especially when his head had been separated from his body—he could look at his own headless body while still controlling it normally, and the sensations from his body were no different from usual.

Such a strange experience was something ordinary people could only experience once.

"And that's not all!"

Under everyone's shocked gazes, Kenma kept flames burning on his right hand while clenching his other left hand into a fist.

A white, transparent sphere appeared around his left hand!

The Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability!