Battle of Long-Held Wishes (9)

Floating Fortress, northern side.

"Mournful Narrative Song... Farewell, Mr. Berg."

Whoosh... Though her hands appeared slow, the blade, empowered by immense strength, slashed down with lightning speed straight at the battered Berg, who had nowhere left to evade.

"Don't, Sister Amande..."

The anxious cry from nearby did not make Amande stop... instead, she accelerated even further, her blade falling directly toward Berg's head, about to split him in two.

"So it still came to this..."

Even in the face of death, Berg felt no fear. Instead, he looked at Custard, who was rushing toward him with all her strength, with a complicated gaze... There was a vivid red handprint on her travel-worn face, as though she had argued with someone on the way here. Her pink hair and long dress were also somewhat disheveled from her haste.

Custard met Berg's gaze, her eyes rimmed red. Her reluctant, grief-stricken expression looked especially pitiful. The moment the blade descended upon his head... she could not help closing her eyes as tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

Pop... The imagined sound of a sharp blade entering flesh and blood spraying did not come. Instead, there was a soft, springy sound, like jelly wobbling.

"Sister Amande?!"

Before her grief had even faded, Custard instinctively opened her eyes and saw that Amande, sword and all, had become an adorable toy doll... She looked just like the Homies dolls Mother had once created with souls.

"No, no..."

"When did you..."

"Don't touch me..."

Even Amande's voice had become soft and sugary. She tried to escape Berg's palm, but her normally nimble legs had turned limp and powerless... Pop!

"Toy Solidification."

Berg released a cloud of transparent mist that enveloped Amande's body... Armament Haki could indeed cut through his ability, but he had eaten the Art-Art Fruit