"Ranpo-maru!"
The name caught the attention of the two little girls.
It also made Ayala, who had been calmly watching the war, turn back toward them.
Ayala was already thirteen this year. After surviving life-and-death trials, experiencing many things alongside the Sky Pirates, and receiving special guidance from Yemu-nii-san, she still looked very young on the outside, but her heart had matured. There was already a big-sister air about her.
Ayala was very fond of the two new little sisters Yemu-nii-san had brought back.
Their personalities were especially interesting.
Yamato, the older sister, was as innocent as a younger sister, while Reiju, the younger sister, was mature enough to seem like the older one.
"The name and concept came from Yemu-nii-san, and then Dr. Furumi researched and developed it. Reiju, you should have heard about the power of Lineage Factors from your father, right?"
Reiju nodded obediently when her name was called.
Although Reiju's childhood had made her mature beyond her age, that did not mean she did not long for affection from family and elders. So Ayala's presence as a big sister gave her another sense of family besides her mother.
"Father said it's a power hidden within every living creature. By altering Lineage Factors, you can change a person."
"Yes, exactly. Dr. Furumi's research into Lineage Factors is very impressive too. He discovered that when Zoan Devil Fruit users activate their abilities, the Lineage Factors in their bodies release a unique wavelength. So he wondered, if that wavelength were changed in reverse, could it alter the transformation process of Zoan Devil Fruit users, or even let them reach the awakened state that all Zoan users hope to achieve?"
"Awakening? Devil Fruits can awaken?"
The word immediately made both little girls curious.
"Of course. After a Zoan Devil Fruit user awakens, they gain incredible recovery ability, attack power, and defense. Naturally, for an ordinary user to reach that level of awakening, they need to put in a tremendous amount of effort. But with this pill called Ranpo-maru, things are different. It can influence the wavelength during transformation and force the user into an awakened state. But everything has a price. Since this is an awakening caused by outside interference, the state isn't perfect. The cost is that they lose their reason and only know how to destroy until their stamina is completely exhausted. It also causes some damage to the body, but as long as they rest properly for a while after the war ends, they'll recover. In this state, they're called Awakened Ones."
"I see."
Yamato suddenly understood, while Reiju looked at the Awakened Ones rampaging across the battlefield and asked curiously, still a little puzzled, "But it looks like the Awakened Ones are only attacking the Marines. They haven't hurt our own people."
"That's because of special training..."
At this point, Ayala's face turned slightly embarrassed.
"Special training?"
"Ah, like training little animals... The Awakened Ones only attack people wearing Marine and CP uniforms..."
In that instant, Reiju seemed to understand something and wisely did not ask any further.
At the same time, Flare looked at Ayala, who now seemed like a little adult, with a pleased expression. Then she noticed that Erza did not seem well. Her face was deathly pale.
So Flare pulled Erza into her arms with concern and asked, "What's wrong, Erza? If you feel unwell, you can go back and rest."
Feeling the warmth of Flare's embrace, Erza trembled slightly and whispered, "Sister Flare, so many people have died... Yemu-nii-san, Enel-sama, and everyone else will be all right, won't they...?"
Although she had already experienced many things and had witnessed many battles with Enel, this was Erza's first time seeing such a bloody scene, with thousands upon thousands of people dying.
Erza had been abandoned as a child and lived a humble life. Only after meeting Yemu and Enel had she been given a new life, and even her own name. Unlike the other three, she did not come from a powerful family, nor was her heart as strong and mature as theirs.
And in this war, she might lose the family and friends she cherished most.
Seeing Erza like this, Flare felt a pang of heartache and held her tightly.
"I won't lie to you, Erza. In this war, some people will definitely leave us. But just like your Yemu-nii-san said, only by taking advantage of the Marines and the World Government's lack of understanding of us and the gap in information can we win this war and gain a more stable future. Otherwise, even more people will leave us later..."
...
When the will of desperate soldiers could not be turned into the will to win, the morale of the entire army would begin to fall off a cliff.
From the very beginning, the Marines had been suppressed step by step through both psychology and strategy. Then came Yemu's thunderous strike after he personally entered the battle, and now the appearance of these Awakened Ones. The Marine formation had fallen into complete chaos.
With the Marines' strongest fighters all held back, no one was able to step forward.
The Marine Vice Admirals could not stop these terrifying Awakened Ones at all. They were struggling just to protect themselves, let alone command the Marine soldiers.
Led by these Awakened Ones, the Sky Pirates instantly charged in like tigers among sheep and began a slaughter.
Even the most elite Marines had not reached the point where they could ignore death.
"Who can stop these monsters...?"
"Save me... Ah..."
"Boom..."
"Run..."
If one person deserting to survive would not have had much impact, then the chain reaction caused by hundreds and thousands of people instantly swept across the entire battlefield.
"We're about to win, Admiral Sengoku."
Watching this scene, Yemu spoke softly.
From beginning to end, the pressure he had placed on Sengoku's mind had never stopped.
At first, Sengoku might have been able to ignore it completely. But now, looking at the Marines falling into chaos and losing their footing, Sengoku could no longer maintain his composure.
And right then, something happened that made him so furious his eyes nearly split.
...
At the rear of Golden Crow Island.
The four CP0 agents led by Hammond were also caught in a bitter fight.
Although all four possessed the strength of substitute Admirals, they were clearly at a disadvantage against Bartholomew Kuma, the Transgender King Ivankov, Elder Nyon, the former Empress of Kuja before the last, Vinsmoke Judge, and Lina.
Lina's Barrier-Barrier Fruit alone left one of the CP0 agents with no way to deal with her.
But the one who surprised everyone the most was Elder Nyon. She clearly looked like nothing more than a hunched old woman, yet in battle, she unleashed astonishing power.
Although she had not mastered the power of a Devil Fruit, the strength of her Haki alone shocked the CP0 agents.
"Amazing, Elder Nyon!"
Lina was nearly staring in a daze.
After sending her CP0 opponent flying with a Haki-imbued kick, Elder Nyon shouted proudly, "I told you not to look down on old people! I was once Empress of the Kuja, the strongest warrior of the Kuja!"
Just then, as the awakened Zoan monsters transformed from six of the eleven female warriors among Anne's Kuja warriors rampaged across the battlefield, CP0 commander Hammond's expression turned ugly. Then he gave an order that shocked everyone.
"Prepare to retreat..."