A biting wind swept across the surrounding waters.
The cold air gradually dissipated where it met the warm sunlight.
On a vast sheet of ice three kilometers across, Werther lay frozen inside a layer of azure crystal.
Broken bones lay scattered across the ice near him. They were Brook's remains.
Crack, crack, crack!
Cracks spread through the crystal, and Werther broke free.
He shivered, then returned to normal.
After he had cut Brook apart, a chill from the Underworld had poured out around Brook's body.
The cold had frozen him instantly, but just before it did, he had coated his entire body in Armament Haki.
Brook had not lasted ten minutes against Werther. He had not even lasted five before Werther killed him.
Brook's soul had dispersed. Intent Blood had absorbed the Revive-Revive Fruit, and it would never appear in the world again.
Borrowed power was never truly one's own. For all Brook's imposing presence, he was no match for Werther.
The ice beneath Werther's feet had shattered across a wide area, crisscrossed with sword cuts. The sun would soon melt it away.
"A pointless struggle."
Werther closed his eyes and searched with his senses. He soon found the Thousand Sunny.
He was in no hurry to follow. While he had fought Brook, the King of the Sky had already gone after Nami and Chopper.
Given the King of the Sky's strength, the two of them had either been killed or subdued by now.
Werther stepped into the air with Geppo, left the ice behind, and headed toward the Thousand Sunny.
Before long, a Pirate ship came into view: the Thousand Sunny.
The Thousand Sunny lay motionless on the sea. Large sections of its hull were damaged, and its sails had been torn apart. It could no longer sail.
The