Chapter 385: Pudding’s Death, The Straw Hat Crew Wiped Out

After Sakazuki finished speaking, he pressed a button on the enormous device.

A loud mechanical rumbling sound echoed out as the gigantic machine began trembling. It slowly rose upward as if gravity no longer affected it, lifting the Poneglyph into the air.

Then the four sides unfolded outward, revealing structures similar to rocket launchers that began releasing tremendous energy.

BOOOOM!!

The deafening roar of burning energy erupted.

Carried by the massive device, the Poneglyph continuously ascended into the sky while the video Den Den Mushi kept following it closely as it climbed higher and higher...

Sakazuki’s voice echoed from outside the screen. "This is a specially designed launcher created by the Marine SSG. The energy loaded within it will send this Poneglyph into the endless starry sky, where it will vanish from this world forever."

He let out a faint chuckle. "Pirate King? Road markers? Heh..."

That contemptuous laugh seemed to mock Roger’s foolishness, the pirates’ foolishness, and even the foolishness of the entire world...

People before the video Den Den Mushi watched as the massive device grew smaller and smaller until it completely disappeared from sight.

The enormous cheers that had only just calmed erupted once more with even greater fanaticism.

This was a worldwide broadcast.

At the same time, countless dreams, ambitions, and hopes were shattered alongside it...

* * *

Holy Land of Mariejois.

The Five Elders gathered before the screen watching the live broadcast all took deep breaths.

"Sakazuki... this bastard..."

Too ruthless. Absolutely ruthless...

Even as enemies, they could not help but admire it. This truly was the definition of destroying both body and spirit...

* * *

Grand Line.

The Straw Hat Pirates, who had just left Long Ring Long Land and were currently sailing deeper into the Grand Line, were also watching the broadcast.

As Sakazuki explained everything and the Poneglyph disappeared, everyone fell silent and unconsciously looked toward Luffy, who wore his straw hat while staring at the broadcast with a firm and expressionless face.

Leaning against the side, Zoro frowned deeply.

Too late... By the time they reached the New World, the war between the Marines and pirates would probably already be over.

And Snanks, the World’s Strongest Swordsman...

Suddenly, a sharp glint flashed through Zoro’s eyes.

Somewhere within his instincts, he sensed malice approaching.

A swordsman would never doubt his intuition.

Swish!

All three swords were instantly drawn as he stood up and entered a defensive stance. "Enemy attack!!"

His eyes swept across the surroundings. Before anyone else could react, the next second...

BOOM!!!!

The Going Merry violently shook as though something massive had crashed onto the ship.

Zoro’s brows furrowed tightly as he grabbed onto the railing to stabilize himself. "From above?"

That was something even he had not expected.

Nearby, Usopp and Nami immediately shouted, "Luffy!!!"

At the center of the ship’s deck, Luffy had not even reacted before Soter’s large hand coated in Armament Haki grabbed him by the throat.

"So you’re Vice Admiral Garp’s grandson..."

There was a trace of emotion in his voice. After all, Zephyr and Garp had fought side by side for years. And now they were even battling together on Whole Cake Island. Coming here to capture the boy honestly did not feel very appropriate.

But this was an order from Fleet Admiral Sakazuki. He could not disobey it.

Raising his other hand, Soter struck directly at the back of Luffy’s neck with a knife-hand chop, instantly knocking him unconscious before soaring into the sky.

Below him, Zoro spun all three swords and slashed upward.

"108 Pound Phoenix!!!"

A spiraling storm of sword energy shot toward the sky.

Looking at the incoming attack, Soter merely curled his finger slightly.

The Going Merry below suddenly shook violently before rising straight out of the sea.

"What?!"

Everyone on board stared in horror.

That ability...

But they had no time to remain shocked.

The ship rose even faster than the sword-energy tornado aimed at Soter, colliding with it despite moving later.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Going Merry was nearly sliced in half.

Several hundred meters above them floated Soter, still holding the unconscious Luffy in one hand.

Even from such a great distance, his voice slowly drifted downward. "You should all come along too."

Under the effects of Soter’s Devil Fruit ability, the damaged Going Merry twisted and shattered apart instantly.

The fragments of the ship flew through the air before gathering together into a massive sphere that tightly restrained the Straw Hat crew upon its surface, leaving only their heads exposed so they could breathe.

At several thousand meters in the sky, they rapidly flew toward the Red Line.

* * *

New World, New Marineford.

Once the Poneglyph slowly disappeared from the sight of the world, the broadcast switched back to Sakazuki once more.

He had now walked to the side of the orange-haired girl.

"The issue of the Poneglyphs has been resolved. However, the pirate emperors may still possess copies hidden away, so today, we will solve that problem as well.

"If someone wishes to become the ridiculous Pirate King, then aside from the Poneglyphs, another indispensable requirement is a person capable of deciphering them. And in today’s world, only one person possesses that ability.

"The last surviving member of the Three-Eyed Tribe."

Sakazuki raised his hand toward Pudding’s forehead.

Even though she had already accepted death, the moment his hand approached, her body still trembled.

There were no eyes left to gouge out now. Sakazuki merely brushed aside the hair covering her forehead, revealing the location of her tightly closed third eye.

"She was originally the daughter of the pirate Big Mom, and she was also the hope that allowed Big Mom to pursue her dream. The world’s final person capable of deciphering the Poneglyphs.

"This is an advantage no other pirate possessed. Perhaps Big Mom truly was the person closest to becoming Pirate King. But now..."

Sakazuki’s finger pressed against Pudding’s head.

Her body shook uncontrollably, yet she did not close her eyes. Instead, her gaze continuously shifted around the island and across the Marine soldiers.

It was as if she was searching for someone’s figure.

Even one final glance would have been enough...

But Sakazuki’s words and actions never paused for her even slightly.

"Big Mom’s pitiful dream, along with the hopes of all pirates, will disappear alongside her death..."

Feeling the instinctive warning of death from her body, Pudding knew her life had already reached its end.

In despair, she slowly closed her eyes. A bitter smile appeared at the corner of her lips.

She still had some regrets after all...

Bang!

Her head exploded into a cloud of blood mist.

Pudding’s headless corpse collapsed onto the execution platform.

Sakazuki’s indifferent voice echoed out. "It is completely over..."

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