The instant the Den Den Mushi disconnected, all of Marineford fell into a brief silence.
The platform Kong stood on had a broadcast system, so when the broadcast echoed through Marineford,
the World Government's concession struck like a thunderbolt in everyone's hearts.
The Marines exchanged looks, staring at one another in disbelief, as though checking whether they had heard wrong.
"The World Government... backed down?" a young Marine murmured, the weapon in his hands trembling slightly.
"A Celestial Dragon was executed?" Another soldier's eyes widened, his voice thick with barely concealed shock. "How... how is that possible?"
At the center of the square, Gern slowly withdrew his gaze, the faintest hint of a smile lifting his lips.
He walked toward the Magic Circle left behind after Saint Garling vanished, each step steady and powerful.
Looking at the faintly glowing Magic Circle, Gern crouched and gently pressed his left hand against it.
In an instant, Vibration Particles spread from his palm, covering the entire Magic Circle like a spiderweb.
The ground began to tremble slightly, tiny cracks spreading outward from beneath his palm.
Crack-crack- The sounds of shattering grew clearer, and the Magic Circle's light flickered amid the vibrations.
"What is he trying to do?" On the platform, Sengoku knitted his brows, his gaze fixed on Gern's movements.
"This kid..." Garp grinned, a flicker of admiration crossing his eyes.
The next second, Gern unleashed the strength in his left hand, and the Vibration Particles erupted in full force!
Boom!!!
The ground around the Magic Circle shattered instantly, sending rubble flying and dust billowing.
The Magic Circle was forcibly pulverized, rising into the air with the shock wave and becoming a gray haze.
Or rather, what he shattered was not the Magic Circle left behind, but the influence the World Government had