It took some time, yet by the end of it, every soldier stationed at Base No. 5 had been wiped out, leaving not a single survivor behind as the island fell into a suffocating silence filled only with the lingering scent of death.
Those who possessed greater strength or had managed to temporarily escape the engulfing mist were swiftly hunted down by Gar and Nelson, their attempts at resistance proving utterly futile against the overwhelming coordination of the attackers.
As for the countless corpses scattered across the ground, most of them lay frozen in grotesque positions, their hands clutching their mouths, noses, or even their throats, as if desperately trying to resist the inevitable, only to succumb within the suffocating mist as their vitality was silently drained away.
Gar and his team showed no intention of reinforcing Base No. 4 or Base No. 3, which were already under attack by the other groups, and instead shifted their focus directly toward Base No. 2, their confidence surging after witnessing the flawless execution of their assault and the devastating efficiency of their combined abilities.
Meanwhile, at Base No. 0, the true battlefield had already erupted into chaos, as Kronos, enveloped in violent lightning, rampaged through the war base with unrestrained destruction, his thunderous power crashing down indiscriminately and striking down unfortunate soldiers caught within its reach.
High above the battlefield, nearly a hundred meters in the air, the clash between top-tier combatants unfolded, as Freda unleashed a powerful repulsive force that condensed into a massive air barrier spanning fifty meters, violently blasting Kronos thousands of meters away in an instant.
Through such methods, they continuously shifted the battlefield, deliberately preventing Kronos from causing further devastation to the base below, a tactic born from their long-standing familiarity as seasoned opponents who understood each other's strengths and tendencies all too well.
With a thunderous roar, Kronos surged forward once more, his fist crackling with electricity as he endured the repulsive force and launched a devastating punch toward Freda, refusing to yield even an inch.
Facing such overwhelming power, Freda showed no intention of retreating, instead gathering an immense repulsive force into his leg before unleashing a counterattack with explosive force.
"Repulsion Kick!"
The collision between the two attacks caused the air itself to detonate, sending shockwaves rippling outward as smoke billowed violently across the sky.
At that very moment, a chilling voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Twin-Spined Spear!"
A spear of pure ice tore through the air, carrying a bone-piercing cold that seemed capable of freezing the very atmosphere itself, as it shot directly toward Kronos with impeccable timing.
Unable to evade, Kronos was struck head-on, yet his formidable physique combined with his Armament Haki allowed him to withstand the blow without suffering fatal damage.
However, the true threat lay not in the impact, but in the freezing power that spread instantly from the spear, rapidly encasing most of Kronos's body in solid ice.
Even so, the restraint lasted only for a fleeting moment, as cracks spread across the frozen surface before shattering apart in an explosive release of force, granting Freda the perfect opportunity to press the attack.
In a blur of motion, Freda appeared directly above Kronos, launching another strike with ruthless precision.
Kronos raised his unfrozen arm to block, and as Freda's attack descended, the ice encasing his body shattered completely, scattering fragments across the sky like falling shards of glass.
Although Freda's kick forced Kronos's arm downward, it failed to destabilize him entirely, as the immense resilience granted by the Titan Fruit allowed him to maintain his position.
Kronos's body dipped slightly before he retaliated with even greater force, unleashing a thunderstorm-like explosion that erupted toward Freda, combining raw power with violent electrical energy.
Freda's expression shifted as he quickly summoned a repulsion barrier to shield himself, barely managing to withstand the overwhelming assault.
Below them, the sea had already been transformed into a frozen expanse, where towering ice pillars rose from the surface, forming a battlefield of shifting platforms.
Standing atop these pillars, Admiral Kuzan moved fluidly between them, continuously creating new structures of ice as he searched for opportunities to strike.
While aerial combat was not his strength, Kuzan adapted by using the frozen sea as a foundation, providing support to Freda while maintaining pressure on Kronos from below.
Elsewhere, without Kuzan's ability to freeze the ocean, the Marine Admiral known as "Raging Bear," who was far more suited to land-based combat, had already received reports of attacks on multiple war bases and was rapidly advancing toward Base No. 3 aboard a warship.
However, before he could reach his destination, his path was abruptly blocked by an unexpected opponent.
A figure descended from the sky, wings ablaze with blue flames, as Marco the Phoenix hovered before the warship in his transformed state.
With a single strike, his talons tore open a massive hole in the vessel, halting its advance entirely.
"Are you the only one?" Raging Bear fixed his gaze on Marco, his voice heavy with disdain as he assessed the situation. "You think you can stop me? That's arrogance."
Marco reappeared in human form, a faint smile on his face as he met the Admiral's gaze without hesitation.
"Heh, stopping you is more than enough."
He was fully aware of the gap in their strength, yet his objective had never been to defeat Raging Bear, but simply to delay him, to prevent reinforcements from reaching the other battlefields.
Realizing this, Raging Bear's expression darkened, understanding that he had been deliberately intercepted, yet he had no choice but to engage.
"Hmph! Since you dared to come, then stay here!"
His figure vanished in an instant as his arm transformed into a massive bear claw, radiating raw power.
Marco responded without hesitation, launching himself forward as the two collided head-on, their clash sending violent tremors through the warship beneath them.
The sudden impact caused chaos among the soldiers on deck, many losing their footing and falling into the sea below as the vessel shook violently.
A burst of bluish-green flames erupted as Marco was sent flying backward, only stabilizing himself after being pushed dozens of meters away.
The difference in raw strength was undeniable, as Raging Bear's Ancient Zoan form granted him overwhelming physical power that Marco could not match at this stage.
However, the true strength of the Phoenix Fruit lay not in brute force, but in its regenerative flames, rendering Marco effectively immortal within the confines of battle.
No matter how powerful Raging Bear's attacks were, they could not inflict lasting damage.
As long as Marco remained, Raging Bear would be unable to leave.
Meanwhile, news of the attacks had already reached Marine Headquarters, where tension filled the conference room.
"Fleet Admiral, we must send reinforcements immediately!" a Vice Admiral shouted, slamming his hand onto the table.
Sengoku shook his head, his expression heavy.
"It's too late. The distance is too great. By the time we arrive, the battle will already be over."
"What about Borsalino? With his speed, he should be able to make it in time!"
"He has already been deployed to the New World," Sengoku replied, his tone firm. "The situation there is even more critical. The Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates are both showing signs of movement, and Ares is still active at the front lines. If Borsalino withdraws, everything we have established will collapse."
The room fell silent as the weight of the situation became clear.
Just as they struggled to respond, a Marine officer burst through the doors.
"Report! Vice Admiral Tsen's Vivre Card has burned to ashes!"
The announcement struck like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone frozen in shock.
Before they could even process it, another Den Den Mushi rang.
Sengoku answered, and a hoarse voice echoed through the room.
"Sengoku, Tsen is dead, isn't he? Guinness and Madno as well."
The speaker was the World Government's highest authority besides the elders., the aging yet formidable "White Ghost."
A suffocating silence followed.
Three Vice Admirals had fallen in an instant.
The reality was almost impossible to accept.
"I've already dispatched Vulture," White Ghost continued, his voice heavy. "But do not expect much. Prepare yourselves. The losses will continue."
As the line went dead, a shadow fell over the entire room.
At Base No. 4, the battle raged just as fiercely.
Shiryu, transformed into a massive griffon, dominated the skies as he unleashed countless wind blades, slicing through soldiers below while focusing his primary attacks on the three Vice Admirals stationed there.
Unlike the opponents faced by Gar's team, these Vice Admirals were significantly stronger, forcing a far more intense confrontation.
Laffitte engaged two of them simultaneously, his slender figure moving like a phantom as his cane sword delivered precise and deadly strikes.
On the other side, King faced the World Government Vice Admiral Juan, a formidable opponent whose Corrosion Fruit granted him terrifying offensive capabilities.
The battlefield itself was being eaten away, the ground corroded into a pitted wasteland that made even approaching him a dangerous endeavor.
Despite being at a disadvantage, King held his ground, fully armored and sealed to prevent even the slightest contact.
Meanwhile, Laffitte's speed allowed him to maintain control even while outnumbered, forcing his opponents into a desperate defensive struggle.
With Shiryu's relentless support from above, the two Vice Admirals found themselves trapped in a deadly pincer attack, their situation growing increasingly dire with each passing moment.
They had intended to overwhelm Laffitte together, yet the reality was far different, as his speed and precision rendered their numerical advantage meaningless.
At the same time, the battlefield itself rejected any interference from lesser soldiers, as those who attempted to assist were either cut down by wind blades or slain instantly by Laffitte's blade.
On the opposite side, Juan attempted to break free and reinforce his allies, yet King refused to yield, launching relentless attacks that forced him to remain locked in place.
The outcome of the battle hinged entirely on this stalemate.
As long as King could hold Juan back, the balance would inevitably tip, and once one Vice Admiral fell, the rest would soon follow.