Yirina looked ahead and saw Kondo and Lawine preparing to unleash their attacks. She immediately dashed toward them, but even she knew she wouldn't reach them in time.
"Parusā!"
Lawine shouted as she swung her sword forward, pointing it directly at Yirina. A massive wave of energy erupted from the blade and surged toward her.
Yirina came to an abrupt halt. A smirk spread across her face as she raised her sword toward the sky before bringing it down with tremendous force.
"Dimension Slash."
A slash resembling the darkness of outer space tore across the battlefield, ripping through the ground as it rushed toward Lawine.
At the same moment, Kondo lowered the sword he had been holding high above his head with both hands, and he shout-
"JUDG-MENT!"
A colossal burst of energy exploded from his blade and merged with Lawine's attack. The two energies fused into a single beam, glowing with a brilliant icy-blue light.
The combined beam collided head-on with Yirina's Dimension Slash.
The impact shook the battlefield. Violent shockwaves erupted in every direction as the two attacks struggled against each other, tearing apart everything nearby. For a brief moment, Yirina's slash managed to hold back their combined assault.
But then—
Kondo and Lawine roared at the same time, pouring every ounce of strength into their swords.
The Dimension Slash suddenly shattered.
Yirina's eyes widened in surprise as the overwhelming beam engulfed her completely. It surged forward like a force of nature, annihilating everything in its path. Even the massive building standing ahead was swallowed by the attack and reduced to rubble.
**
Feeling the tremendous surge of energy racing toward them, Yina and Ishita instantly leaped away from each other.
Ishita jumped high into the air and looked toward the source of the attack. Seeing Lawine and Kondo standing side by side, both shouting as they unleashed their combined strike, a faint smile appeared on her face.
Suddenly—
A hand touched her back.
Ishita's eyes widened in shock. She quickly turned around and leaped away, only to find Yonk standing behind her.
Seeing her retreat, he smiled.
"There's no point anymore. Straw Hat Doll Prison has already been activated."
Ishita's expression changed instantly.
"...What did you just say??"
Yonk chuckled.
"Oh, forgive me. But it doesn't seem like either you or Yina will be fighting much longer. Watching your battle made me want to join in and crush you beneath my feet... but unfortunately, it's time for us to leave."
He slowly stretched both arms forward.
Behind him, ten golden-white spears materialized in the air.
They looked as though they had descended straight from heaven itself. Each spear was engraved with beautiful divine patterns, while a circular ring surrounded the base of every razor-sharp spearhead.
Ishita stared at them cautiously.
One after another, the spears flew past Yonk and surrounded her from every direction.
She immediately realized she couldn't evade them.
"They're... Divine Magic..."
The spears began circling around her.
A smug grin spread across Yonk's face.
"Isn't it amusing? Creating magic specifically designed to suppress your own kind. Straw Hat Doll Prison was created to imprison Divine and Holy power itself. Even if you tried to block it with a God Weapon, it would be useless."
He laughed.
"This magic exists for one purpose—to completely nullify divinity."
At that instant—
The first spear pierced through Ishita's leg just below the knee.
The second impaled her other leg.
The third passed cleanly through her abdomen.
The fourth pierced her chest.
The fifth drove through her shoulder.
The sixth and seventh impaled both of her arms.
The eighth and ninth pierced each shoulder.
Finally—
The tenth spear shot straight through her head.
The spears pierced straight through Ishita's body, yet not a single drop of blood fell.
These weren't ordinary weapons. Once summoned, they passed through their target and sealed away all of the victim's magic and power within themselves. They caused no physical pain—they simply drained their victim until they became completely powerless.
A moment later, the circular rings attached to each spear began to spin.
Streams of radiant light burst from them, linking every spear together. The beams intertwined, forming a glowing prison around Ishita. Slowly, the prison closed in until she was completely trapped inside.
Only her furious eyes remained visible as she glared at Yonk with burning hatred.
Then the prison sealed completely.
There were no openings left. Nothing from the outside could be seen, and there was no possible escape.
Ishita had been imprisoned.
Yonk slowly descended to the ground, the glowing prison floating down beside him.
Yina stood below, watching everything unfold. She allowed him to land before glaring at him.
"So... you finally decided to interfere in my fight?"
Yonk merely smiled.
"Oh, really? My apologies. I thought you were about to lose, so I figured I'd help a little."
Yirina clenched her fist.
Anger filled her crimson eyes, yet she restrained herself. Turning away, she said coldly,
"If you ever interfere in my battle again... I won't hesitate to kill you."
**
Meanwhile...
Kondo and Lawine had completely exhausted themselves.
The chains surrounding Lawine vanished one by one, while the sword in her hand crumbled into ash before scattering into the wind.
Kondo's transformation also faded, returning him to his normal appearance.
Panting heavily, he stared at the thick cloud of smoke ahead before looking toward Lawine.
"...Did we defeat her?"
Lawine remained silent, her eyes fixed on the smoke.
Then...
Laughter echoed from within it.
Both of them froze.
As the smoke slowly dispersed, Kondo's eyes widened in disbelief.
Yirina...
...was still standing.
She hadn't suffered any major injuries.
She stood there laughing as though nothing had happened.
The ground surrounding her had been completely destroyed by their combined attack, yet the patch of earth beneath her feet remained perfectly untouched.
Eventually, Yirina stopped laughing.
She wiped the blood from the corner of her lips before looking at it with amusement.
"...You actually made me bleed."
She smiled.
"This is only the second time in my life that my own blood has been drawn."
Kondo couldn't believe what he was seeing.
They had unleashed everything they had... yet she was still standing.
He had tried everything.
Nothing had worked.
His mind struggled to accept reality.
Suddenly—
Yeld appeared behind them.
Before anyone could react, he stomped on Lawine's back, forcing her onto the ground.
Kondo's eyes widened.
He hadn't even noticed when Yeld had appeared.
Filled with rage, he swung his sword—
But it wouldn't move.
Confused, he looked behind him.
His eyes met Yina, who was calmly holding his blade in one hand.
She looked at him almost apologetically.
"I'm sorry, kid..."
"...but you've already lost."
The next instant—
She drove a powerful punch into Kondo's stomach.
"GHK—!"
Blood burst from Kondo's mouth as he collapsed onto his knees.
His entire body went numb, and his gaze fell helplessly toward the ground.
A moment later, Yokzo arrived.
Dragging Sam with him, he threw him onto the ground.
Sam's arms and legs were tightly bound by strange tentacle-like restraints. Although he had returned to his normal appearance, he couldn't move at all.
Looking ahead, Sam saw Lawine pinned beneath Yeld's foot.
Kondo knelt nearby, motionless, staring blankly at the ground.
Pain filled Sam's eyes.
He couldn't do anything.
"Please... stop!" Sam cried desperately.
"I'll give you whatever you want... just let my family go!"
Yokzo looked at him with complete indifference before kicking him square across the face.
"Shut your mouth."
"Sam!" Lawine screamed.
But she was powerless.
Unable to move, all she could do was watch.
Seeing her struggle, Yeld pressed his foot down even harder, making her groan in pain.
She endured it silently.
There was nothing else she could do.
Yirina calmly walked over before kneeling in front of Lawine.
Grabbing a fistful of her hair, she forced Lawine's head upward.
"Tsk... tsk... tsk..."
"Just look at those eyes."
"So weak... so helpless... so full of despair."
"Those are the same eyes that once stood on equal footing with mine."
"And now..."
"You've lost everything because of your precious family."
She smiled mockingly.
"So..."
"How does it feel?"
Just then, Dolt arrived.
In each hand, he dragged a child.
Shin...
...and Kim.
Both of their hands and mouths were tightly bound.
"I found these two nearby," Dolt said casually.
"We can make good use of them."
Everyone turned toward him.
Yokzo nodded.
"Perfect."
"These children will make excellent test subjects for my new drugs."
"I've been wanting to perform a few new experiments."
The moment Kim and Shin saw Kondo kneeling helplessly on the ground, terror filled their eyes.
Dolt tossed them onto the ground.
Bound as they were, neither of them could do anything except watch.
Yirina turned back toward Lawine with a cruel smile.
"So..."
"Who should die first?"
"Your husband..."
"...or your son?"
Lawine glared at her with burning hatred.
"Oh?" Yirina chuckled.
"Looks like that made you angry."
Then she shifted her gaze toward Kondo.
"In that case..."
"Why don't we begin with your son?"
Yirina stood up.
Watching her walk toward Kondo, panic overwhelmed Lawine.
"No...!"
"Stop!"
"You came here for me!"
"Look at me, Yirina!"
"Leave him alone!"
Yirina ignored her.
Instead, she looked toward Dolt.
Understanding immediately, Dolt extended his hand and summoned a dagger before tossing it toward her.
Yirina caught it effortlessly.
Walking behind Kondo, she grabbed his jaw and forced his head upward.
Then she looked directly at Lawine.
"Watch carefully, Lawine..."
"Watch how your son dies..."
"...writhing in agony right before your eyes."
Kondo looked ahead.
He saw Lawine begging desperately, tears streaming down her face.
Then his gaze shifted toward Shin...
Kim...
...and Sam...
All of them lay helplessly on the ground.
A bitter smile formed inside his heart.
"So... I lost."
"I couldn't do anything."
"Everything is happening again... just like before."
"I couldn't change anything."
"It's all over."
"I thought... I could protect the people I love."
"But in the end..."
"I couldn't save anyone."
Finally...
He looked back at Lawine.
"I'm sorry... Mom... Dad..."
"I couldn't protect you."
"I really am... an idiot."
For one last time...
Kondo looked at his family.
Then...
He slowly closed his eyes.