High above the chaos, among clouds streaked with ash and sunlight, Keisha and Morgana sat cross-legged, looking down on the carnage below.
"That little one's interesting," Morgana murmured, almost wistful.
Compared to Doflamingo's obsession with revenge, she admired Blackbeard's ambition more—the kind of ruthless hunger that belonged to true devils.
A pity, though.
"Shame he won't live past today."
Keisha tilted her head slightly, her voice calm, analytical.
"Three souls in his heart," she said softly. "That's why he doesn't need to sleep."
"Heh. Tell me, witch," Morgana smirked, "you think Doffy can kill Akainu today?"
Keisha narrowed her eyes.
"Who are you calling witch, witch?"
"You, witch!"
"Then I'm satisfied."
Morgana's smile froze. Her eyebrows twitched—and then the sky rang with her profanity, echoing across the heavens.
"You sanctimonious—!!!"
Keisha didn't hold back either.
Within seconds, the serene clouds above Sabaody became the stage for another of their divine insult battles, entirely forgetting Doflamingo and Akainu below.
Meanwhile — Inside the Ruined Amusement Park
When Blackbeard shouted his offer to surrender in exchange for Ace's life, Sengoku's brows drew tight.
Teach was right about one thing:
A living Ace was worth far more than a dead one.
A public execution of the Pirate King's son could shake the world.
It would terrify pirates, galvanize the Marines, and fill common folk with faith.
But to accept a deal from a pirate—in front of his men?
Unthinkable.
"Charge in," Akainu rumbled.
"I'll kill Blackbeard myself."
Since merging with the Second Divine Body, his strength, speed, and defense had soared beyond human measure.
He was certain he could seize Ace before Blackbeard made a move.
From the side, Doflamingo gave him a mocking, sideways glance through his pink-tinted shades.
Then—
Buru-buru-buru…
The transponder snail in Sengoku's hands began to ring.
He flipped it open.
A cold, commanding voice came through:
"Sengoku. Redirect a unit to Area 13—the harbor tavern."
"We've found the corpses of Saint Charlos' guards there."
"He's likely dead too. Flatten the tavern immediately."
"Appease the Celestial Dragons' fury."
The words weren't loud, but every nearby officer heard them.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Sengoku froze.
Akainu froze.
Even Kizaru, Garp, and Momousagi—those who had all visited that very tavern—went pale.
"Ronn… killed a Celestial Dragon?"
It was over.
The situation had spiraled beyond anyone's control.
If they pulled forces from this battle to attack Ronn's tavern, their defenses would crumble.
If Whitebeard arrived now, the entire Navy would be overrun.
Meanwhile, the man in flamingo-pink—the only one grinning—was nearly trembling with excitement.
Doflamingo's grin split wider and wider.
"Fufufufu… things just got interesting."
The snail buzzed again.
"Sengoku, are you listening?"
He blinked back into focus, opening his mouth to reply—
—but another voice cut through the air, lazy and calm:
"No need to go to the tavern. I'm already here."
A thud echoed.
Something heavy hit the ground before the Fleet Admiral.
Everyone looked down.
It was a mangled corpse—
and standing above it, dusting his hands, was a young man with a serene, almost gentle face.
Ronn.
"You—!"
Momousagi's face went white; the memory of last night's 'lesson' still burned on her pride.
Sengoku stared at the corpse, his pupils tightening.
The face was smashed, the eyes gone—
but unmistakably, it was Saint Charlos.
"I need a reason," Sengoku said at last, his voice like grinding stone.
Ronn smiled.
"Simple. He tried to kill me. So I killed him. Fair, isn't it?"
If it had been any other civilian, they would have been shot dead before they could even speak.
"You knew he couldn't kill you!" Sengoku roared. "You could've handled it a hundred other ways—but you chose the most extreme!"
Ronn's smile didn't fade.
"Extreme?"
He looked around slowly, eyes meeting those of every Marine present.
"Tell me… if that Celestial Dragon aimed his gun at you—or your family—what would you do?"
"Would you bow? Or would you break his neck before he pulled the trigger?"
The silence that followed was heavier than the air itself.
"Anyway," Ronn continued, "I'm not here to argue philosophy."
"Whether we fight or talk—your call, Fleet Admiral. Or perhaps your masters on the other end of that line."
No one moved.
Every soldier held their breath.
Sengoku looked down at the shattered snail, uncertain what to say—
until the voice of the Elder Star returned, calm as ever:
"To face Sengoku and the Admirals alone… you must be very confident."
"But confidence won't save you."
"Sengoku. Kill him."
The line went dead—not cut, but smashed into powder by Sengoku's hand.
Too arrogant.
Too calm.
Too much.
War or talk? Who did this boy think he was?
For a moment, Sengoku said nothing.
Then:
"Postpone the Ace and Blackbeard operation."
"Priority: capture Ronn—alive."
His voice cracked on the last word, and he sank onto a bench, suddenly old.
All this… for a Celestial Dragon.
Was it worth it?
If the Navy bled out here and Whitebeard descended now… everything would collapse.
Then the Marines moved.
A dozen Vice Admirals surged toward Ronn at once—
except for four figures who did not move:
Doflamingo, Akainu, Kizaru, and the Empress Boa Hancock.
"So you've chosen war," Ronn murmured, smiling faintly.
"Then I'll have to make you yield."
Power flooded the air—dense, terrifying, bending light itself.
Elsewhere, in the Park's Center
Blackbeard waited, his grin faltering.
"What the hell's taking so long?"
He stomped his foot, furious.
He had handed them Ace! He'd surrendered!
What, were they having a tea party?
Just as he moved to kick Ace in frustration—
a deep, rolling voice sounded right behind him.
"Looking for death?"
Rayleigh's Conqueror's Haki slammed down like a thunderclap, shaking the ground.
Teach's body froze in place.
But before he could react, two monstrous figures stepped out of the smoke.
One—scaled and fanged, a dragon's head atop a human torso.
The other—tentacled, winged, a demon with eyes like molten gold.
The dragon's claws brushed Teach's trembling face.
"Do you remember me?"
Shendu's voice was low and venomous.
Blackbeard's blood ran cold.
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