After annihilating the Five Elders, the beam of light continued to rise.
Everything it touched was reduced to nothing, down to the tiniest speck of dust.
The pillar of light extended from the earth to the sky, piercing through the ground and shattering the ozone layer above Marineford.
For a long time afterward, Marineford would no longer be habitable.
Even without a live broadcast, people on the same hemisphere as Caelan could see the miraculous light stretching into the sky.
…
Aboard the Red Force.
Seeing the three colossal mythical beasts vaporized without even ashes left behind, Lucky Roux, Beckman, and the other pirates were dumbfounded.
"Three of the Five Elders died just like that?"
Even Beckman, who was usually calm, forgot about his pipe.
Those were three awakened mythical Zoan users, each at admiral level, with terrifying regenerative powers.
Yet under that beam of light, they vanished like ice dropped onto the sun.
They were peak-level forces, erased in mere seconds.
"Can a human really unleash something like that? He must be a god," Yasopp muttered in disbelief.
Shanks silently stared at the pillar of light. He knew that if it had struck him, he would not have survived.
The power was overwhelming. It was the pinnacle of destruction.
All the Marines in the headquarters watched in shock, unable to process what they had just seen.
Kaido, still battling Sengoku, Aokiji, and Borsalino, began attacking even more fiercely to push their fight further from Caelan.
…
"That's the God-Slaying Spear. The same spear that appeared in the East Blue."
Saint Nusjuro and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, who had fled far away, were shaken.
They had seen the recording of Caelan using the God-Slaying Spear to obliterate Tot Musica, the Demon King of Sound. It had looked exactly like this, a beam of light that split heaven and earth.
That was what they had always feared, and what made them so cautious.
"Saint Warcury, Saint Mars, Saint Peter… their auras have completely vanished. The demonic formation is still active, but they're gone."
Nusjuro's expression was grim.
He had never expected that even without a Conqueror's Haki breakthrough beyond all limits, Caelan would still find a way to kill them.
That terrifying blow had severed their supposed immortality. It was horrifying.
"But that attack came at a heavy cost," Saturn said cautiously. "I saw him completely turn to ash. His whole body was absorbed by the spear. Should we go check?"
Based on what he knew, Caelan should have died entirely the moment the God-Slaying Spear was launched.
Just like how the three Saints Warcury were utterly destroyed, body and soul.
"Judging by his expression, he didn't seem like he intended to die with us."
"Besides, he fired the spear twice back in the East Blue and survived both times."
Nusjuro shook his head. "Let's wait. We need to confirm that he's truly dead before we go back."
At the edge of Marineford, the two remaining mythical beasts stared toward the center of the explosion.
As the light gradually faded, a small figure came into view.
"Only his head remains!"
Saturn could not contain his excitement.
If Caelan had perished along with the three, it would be a great outcome for them.
They were still alive, as were the Celestial Dragons and the Holy Knights.
The World Government had many resources, and sacrificing three of the Five Elders to eliminate Caelan was a price they could afford.
As long as it wasn't them who died.
"His body is regenerating."
Nusjuro's pupils constricted.
Saturn turned to look and his expression changed instantly.
Only Caelan's head remained, but black mist poured from the severed neck.
The energy had a madness to it, even more chaotic and twisted than the black aura that once healed their own injuries.
As the black mist surged, Caelan's body rapidly regenerated.
In the blink of an eye, he returned to peak condition and used magic to conjure a simple black uniform.
Though it might be considered streaking by magic standards, fortunately, no one else in the world of pirates understood magic.
"He's alive! That freak!" Saturn shouted in disbelief. "Is coming back to life really this easy?"
Their resurrection came from the power of Lord Imu, and in exchange, they were bound in loyalty.
But what about Caelan?
He clearly sacrificed everything to fire that spear. How was he still alive?
Including this time, he had used the God-Slaying Spear three times and been resurrected all three.
And from Caelan's perspective, the price seemed light.
Why?
Saturn felt madness bubbling inside him.
For this kind of power, he had given up everything—wealth, freedom, pride.
Yet Caelan not only had overwhelming power, but resurrection as well.
It was like death meant nothing to him.
"I knew he wouldn't die that easily. Let's leave."
Nusjuro shifted back into human form and jumped onto a warship without turning back.
"Let's try again. What if that really was his final shot?"
Saturn shouted, unwilling to let it go.
"Idiot. If that was the final shot, would he use it so casually? Wouldn't he save it for Lord Imu?"
Nusjuro activated the warship systems. "If you really think that was the last one, then go ahead and try your luck. If it turns out you're right, I'll come back to help you."
Looking at Caelan's relaxed posture, he didn't believe this was the final strike.
"Forget it. We'll regroup later."
Saturn finally gave up.
He was about to board Nusjuro's ship when he heard the man shout, "You take a different ship. We run separately."
Saturn immediately seized another warship. Both vessels launched at full speed.
One headed east, the other west, fleeing Marineford as fast as possible.
It had once been their stronghold, but now they were running like cowards.
"They sure ran fast."
Caelan watched the two ships disappear in opposite directions. He didn't pursue them.
Today's victory was enough.
With three of the Five Elders dead, the World Government's prestige was shattered.
The next step was to declare full-scale war on them.
Back on Marineford, only Kaido was still battling Sengoku, Aokiji, and Borsalino.
Although all three had lost the will to fight after seeing Caelan's resurrection, Kaido continued regardless.
He had been commanded through a Command Seal, and didn't care about his enemies' mental state.
"Kaido, stop. The battle is over."
Caelan issued the order through the Command Seal again.
"…"
Kaido obediently withdrew and stood behind Caelan.
The power of the Command Seal compelled his absolute obedience.
Caelan calmly walked to the spot where Shusui was embedded, pulled it from the ground, and sheathed it.
Had he not deliberately thrown the sword away, it would have been destroyed by the God-Slaying Spear.
"You've come back to life again."
Borsalino looked at Caelan with a complex expression.
He knew exactly how many times Caelan had died and returned.
Once at Sabaody, where he, Akainu, and Garp had killed him twice.
Twice more at Elegia, each time after using the God-Slaying Spear.
And now, this made five times.
Caelan had died without hesitation and come back just as casually.
Borsalino couldn't help but ask, "Are you immortal?"
"Yes. In this world, I am immortal."
Caelan answered with a smile.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)