"Hang in there, Sabo!" Luffy gripped his brother's hand tightly, his eyes full of pain. "We'll get through this together!"
"Don't give up," Ace encouraged him as well. "You've held on in the Void for so long. Victory is right in front of us now!"
Kordo—or rather, Kordo under the control of the Lord of Nothingness—watched this scene with fury written across his face. He could not tolerate anyone escaping the Void's control; that would weaken the Lord of Nothingness's power.
"Stop!" Kordo roared. "No one can escape the Void's embrace!"
He raised his staff, and his body began to undergo a horrifying transformation. His previously humanoid form became completely Voidified, turning into a massive mass of purple energy. The energy mass constantly shifted shape, sometimes resembling octopus tentacles, sometimes tongues of flame, radiating a suffocating pressure.
Kordo's transformed energy mass charged at the three brothers, trying to interrupt the purification process. At that critical moment, a golden flash streaked across the sea and instantly arrived at the battlefield.
"My, my, seems I was late..." A familiar languid voice rang out.
Kizaru appeared before them, but he looked distinctly different from before. The Void Core that had once flickered on his forehead had completely vanished, replaced by a thin scar. His eyes had become clear once more, no longer tainted by Void Energy.
"Borsalino!" Lin Ye looked at him in surprise. "You broke free from the Void Core's control?"
Kizaru reached up to touch the scar on his forehead, a rare hint of seriousness appearing on his face. "It took some effort, but I finally smashed that annoying thing. Though the process was a little painful..."
He turned toward Kordo's charging energy form, a glint of fighting spirit flashing through his eyes. "But now I can fight at full strength.