The Flower Capital and the five great regions surrounding it witnessed a breathtaking scene.
People all across Wanokuni could see it.
In the sky, at the far edge of their field of vision, thick pillars of water began to rise.
The columns stretched all the way to the clouds, scattering seawater across the heavens.
As time passed, more and more pillars like them emerged.
The inland sea of Wanokuni seemed to have escaped the pull of gravity itself, and those living along the coast watched in endless astonishment.
The water level was dropping rapidly—so quickly that it was visible to the naked eye.
"What on earth is happening?!" "Heavens… a sea has appeared in the sky…"
Countless voices cried out as fear of the unknown spread like wildfire.
It was complete chaos.
And it wasn't only the common citizens who were confused—even Kaido himself did not understand what was happening.
He had departed from Onigashima, and before even reaching Wanokuni's territory, he noticed that the ocean beneath him was vanishing at an alarming rate.
The immeasurable mass of seawater began to rise, lifting beneath the blue dragon's body as though supported by an invisible force.
The grotesque sight made Kaido feel as though the world itself were twisting—like the heavens and earth had reversed.
"Is this… the power of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi?" King muttered in shock behind him. "Unbelievable… Is Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy trying to raise Wanokuni's inland sea into the sky?"
It was a power bordering on the divine.
"Raise Wanokuni's inland sea into the sky…?"
Kaido's pupils contracted.
He understood instantly.
Pluton.
Was that the brat's objective?
"Oh, hehehe… what an interesting little brat!"
He burst into laughter and accelerated toward the Flower Capital.
The people in the Capital also saw the ocean suspended in the sky.
Compared to that, the death and public display of Shogun Kurozumi Orochi's body seemed utterly insignificant.
Countless people stared upward in shock.
What would happen if that sea came crashing down?
Everyone shared the same fear.
There was no doubt—the Flower Capital would be completely destroyed upon impact.
"Run! Get away!" "Where?! That's an ocean!" "Gods… is this divine punishment?!"
Terrified and desperate, the people of Wanokuni fell to their knees one after another, praying for the gods to quell their wrath.
Before the city's main gate—
Sanji finally snapped out of his stunned state and looked up at the sky in awe.
"Luffy…?"
"The only one capable of this is Luffy," Zoro said, nodding.
Hearing the two of them, Kozuki Hiyori turned pale.
Raising an ocean into the sky… Had it truly been the work of their captain?
One of the Yonko, Monkey D. Luffy?
On the same level as Kaido?
She knew that not even Kaido himself could accomplish something like that.
---
Beneath the General City, on a platform deep within Mount Fuji—
Luffy suddenly spoke.
"Law, hurry up!"
"What? Don't tell me you're already at your limit…" Law replied, drenched in cold sweat.
"Robin, is the copy ready?"
"Yes! We can retreat at any time!" Robin answered, glancing worriedly at Luffy in the darkness. "Are you okay? You're pushing yourself too hard."
"It's fine. You all go first."
Luffy smiled faintly.
"Understood. You be careful too!" Law nodded and immediately activated his ability.
In an instant, everyone except Luffy vanished.
After awakening his powers, the range of the Ope Ope no Mi had increased significantly, yet even so, Law had to teleport more than a dozen times before finally reaching the surface.
Meanwhile, Luffy continued using his ability.
Raising an ocean was far more difficult than lifting an island.
He was using every ounce of his strength, and both his stamina and physical endurance were draining rapidly.
Finally, the water level before his eyes completely receded.
With a light leap, he dropped from the platform.
As the ocean dried away, the scene below was finally revealed.
"So this is Pluton…?"
The light was dim, but the outline of an enormous warship could be seen.
Its hull was pitch black, and its prow resembled a raven with its wings spread, resting in silence.
Unlike ordinary ships, it had no sails.
At the bow stood a gigantic cannon.
A black warship.
The corners of Luffy's lips curled slightly, as though he had just thought of something amusing.
Standing upon the deck of the battleship Pluton, he extended his hand and pressed downward.
The next instant, the massive vessel trembled and began to float slowly.
As it moved toward the exit of Mount Fuji, the thick chains binding it snapped one after another.
After floating for some time, the passage ahead opened, and darkness gave way to light.
Luffy raised his gaze.
These were the ruins of ancient Wanokuni. As far as the eye could see, dilapidated buildings were scattered everywhere.
The fish that had once swum there now flopped helplessly on the ground.
"Getting out like this isn't a problem, but…"
Luffy examined the battleship.
"How do you start this thing? Does it need a power source?"
Like the Ark Maxim, this ship also required energy.
While holding Pluton aloft, Luffy studied its structure.
In the end, he reached a simple conclusion.
The energy required to operate Pluton was—
Electricity.
—xXx—
In the sky above the Flower Capital—
The towering water pillars had vanished.
Wanokuni's inland sea was now completely suspended overhead.
Sunlight shone across the vast ocean, penetrating the depths and casting irregular shadows upon the ground below.
Suddenly, a green dragon emerged above them.
"Kaido!" Hiyori's expression changed.
It was no surprise.
With chaos of this magnitude in the Capital, it would have been strange if Kaido had not appeared.
Her gaze shifted to Zoro and Sanji.
Kaido was here.
But where was their captain?
"Oh hehehe… I arrive in my own territory to find such a spectacle… You must be Straw Hat's subordinates…"
The green dragon descended from the sky and swiftly transformed into human form.
Seeing this, Sanji entered his hybrid form as well.
Pink scales spread across his skin, and horns sprouted from his forehead.
"Sorry, but the one falling today is you," Sanji said with a grin.
At the sight of Kaido, the remaining civilians fled in panic. Within moments, almost no one remained before the gate of the General City.
Kaido cast a glance at the exposed corpse of Kurozumi Orochi and looked away dismissively.
"If he's dead, he's dead. Makes no difference. Where is the Straw Hat?"
Orochi had only been a collaborator. In Kaido's plans, he would have died sooner or later.
If Luffy was not here, he would simply make Yamato the new general.
Whether Orochi died now or later changed nothing.
He cared far more about Pluton than about Orochi's death.
Sanji and Zoro were slightly surprised by Kaido's calm tone.
"Who knows…" Zoro replied, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.
(End of Chapter)