White Skull Mask stood at the very back of the group. The short blade in his hand, part of it snapped off, slipped between his fingers and struck the rubble with a sharp clink.
The blonde girl huddled in a corner, twisting the hem of her clothes between her fingers, her lips moving soundlessly.
On the Marines' side, the clatter of falling weapons rang out one after another.
A young ensign's gun slipped from his hand and hit the rubble-strewn ground.
The veteran beside him glanced at him, but the sword in his own hand was slipping too.
One Marine after another, one weapon after another-the surviving Marines all loosened their grips at that same instant.
Akainu's clenched fists slowly relaxed, the magma between his fingers ceasing to flow.
The golden photons at Kizaru's fingertips went out completely. He took off his shattered sunglasses, revealing eyes roiling with immensely complicated emotions.
The ice beneath Aokiji's feet stopped spreading. He tilted his head back, his ice-blue pupils contracting slightly. His lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
Ryokugyu stood at the rear of the group. The vines beneath his feet quietly withdrew, and his face grew paler than before.
Garp did not unclench his fists.
But his tightly clenched fists trembled slightly, and the black currents of his Conqueror's Haki faltered for a moment.
Killing Hall stood in the shallow water, the shattered-cage patterns in his Mangekyō Sharingan slowly rotating.
He turned his head to glance at Taki, who was looking at him too.
Neither spoke, but both saw the same conclusion in the other's eyes.
Madara's slash had left Imu no chance.
Meanwhile, in the Holy Land Mary Geoise, where no one was looking, a bizarre upheaval was unfolding.
On the streets of