Whitebeard made his move

At the center of the battlefield, the balance had already tipped.

Kozuki Oden was pinned down by Sakazuki's relentless close-range assault.

This time, Sakazuki no longer unleashed those vast barrages of magma that blanketed the battlefield. Instead, he focused all his killing intent—

Magma armor tightly encased his arms, shoulders, and back, its crimson heat roiling through the air in waves of vapor.

Every step forward, every punch, was precise and merciless. Every movement was a killing blow designed to crush his opponent at close range.

Clang—!!

Ame no Habakiri and Enma struck the magma armor on his arms once again.

The instant steel met magma, a piercing screech erupted, scattering sparks in every direction.

The edges of the blades turned red-hot in an instant. Under that ceaseless, searing heat, Oden's Armament Haki was being worn thin, eroded bit by bit.

Blackened burns were already clearly visible on his arms.

He relied on his foundation in Conqueror's Haki to force himself to withstand the pressure, but that support was slipping away fast.

His sword strikes began to lose their rhythm. His once sweeping, devastating slashes were repeatedly forced off course, unable to form a continuous offensive.

His breathing grew ragged, his chest heaving.

"Cough—!"

Oden abruptly steadied himself, raised his head, and roared, "Don't you insult the Whitebeard Pirates, bastard!!"

Sakazuki did not answer. He simply kept closing in.

His fists became a magma storm, one punch following another without end. Like a moving furnace, he burned away and sealed off every inch of Oden's escape routes.

Not far away, Rock stood with his arms folded.

Faint lightning coiled around him, and his Conqueror's Haki seeped out almost casually. The ordinary members of the Whitebeard Pirates felt their chests tighten beneath its pressure. Breathing was difficult; even staying on their