Chiyu knew he'd just thrown everything he had into that last strike. Shanks's injuries were nowhere near as "minor" as they looked. But going all out is the highest form of respect for a worthy opponent. If he hadn't used his absolute strongest blow, Divine Departure would've been the one carving him up instead.
Shanks accepted defeat without flinching and prepared to say everything he knew. Chiyu listened in silence.
Shanks laughed. "I'll tell you straight, though you might be disappointed—the final Road Poneglyph isn't in my hands. Of course, if I knew nothing at all, I wouldn't have wagered a duel with you. That'd make me a scoundrel, wouldn't it? I can tell you where it is. It's—"
Just as he was about to speak, his face changed. A shock like he'd never felt before flashed through him.
"Hm? That is—"
On the island, blazing pentagram arrays suddenly appeared out of thin air, flaring sky-bright and spearing into the clouds.
Shanks whipped around and instantly grasped what was about to happen. Chiyu felt it too. He knew exactly what those pentagrams meant…
The next instant—
Rumble—
RUMBLE!
From the heart of each pentagram stepped figures radiating a tyrannical presence—terrifying in their sheer authority—materializing right in Red-Haired Shanks's stronghold.
The World Government's supreme authority—
The Five Elders.
And behind them came elite Marine officers and tens of thousands of Marine soldiers. The entire Red Hair crew was stunned.
"T-that's…"
"The Five Elders?!"
The five most powerful men in the world strode out of the arrays. They ignored every Red Hair pirate and walked straight to the shoreline, gazing across at Chiyu.
"Uchiha Chiyu," one said, "it's time to settle your account with the World Government."
Before Chiyu could answer, Shanks barked, furious, "Five Elders, what do you think you're doing?!"
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, the Warrior God of Science and Defense, glanced at him. "Shanks, this has nothing to do with you. We're here to kill that man."
Of course Chiyu knew Shanks's true background: Celestial Dragon blood, son of the commander of the Holy Knights—once a status rivaling the Five Elders themselves. But Shanks had chosen the path of a pirate, following Roger onto the road to the Pirate King.
Now, with the Elders suddenly descending onto his turf, anger roared through him.
"Saint Saturn, spare me the nonsense! You could go after Uchiha Chiyu anytime—so why show up on my doorstep?"
"You think my 'special background' means I'll stand aside?"
Saturn's brow furrowed. "Shanks, I told you—this doesn't concern you. Why wade into muddy waters? You could just stand back and watch."
Shanks's voice went cold. "I sailed under Captain Roger, and now I'm one of the Four Emperors. You big shots from the World Government barge into my territory and think you can come and go as you please? And kill someone here, on top of that?"
Clearly, Saturn hadn't expected this stance from Shanks. Irritation crept into his tone. "The only reason I'm humoring you is out of respect for your father and brother. Yes, we can kill Uchiha Chiyu anywhere. He is here today by coincidence. But once we decide to act, it wouldn't matter if this were your base—or Mary Geoise itself—we'd still do it."
Shanks sneered. "All these years, and you still spew the same rotten lines. That 'we're the masters of the world and everyone else is ants' look in your eyes—it's sickening. Kill whoever you want elsewhere, I won't care. But on my turf? Not happening. I won't stand by and watch."
The other Elders were taken aback. "You… would make enemies of us? Do you understand what that means?!"
Shanks gripped Gryphon and let out a derisive laugh. "Better than anyone."
With their captain committed, the Red Hair pirates—from top to bottom—answered with grim smiles, drawing blades and loading guns, ready to fight. Mihawk stepped to Shanks's side as well.
Saturn eyed him. "Dracule Mihawk… you choose this, too?"
Mihawk said evenly, "I chose alliance with Shanks. His decision is mine."
"Very well," Saturn said. "In that case, you all die."
Chiyu had always known the World Government wouldn't let him go. He just hadn't expected the Five Elders to show up this fast—and to do it on Shanks's turf. They must have judged that killing him would be harder anywhere else. As for Shanks, they still saw him as a Celestial Dragon at heart—someone who'd sit out anything that didn't touch his own interests. It never occurred to them he'd choose to stand against them.
But Chiyu understood Shanks's fury. If it were him, he'd feel the same: who are you to come and go in my house as you like—and kill at my doorstep? To the Elders, that's normal. To anyone with pride, it's an insult.
For all his arrogance, Chiyu didn't kid himself that he could take the Five Elders together. You don't hold the reins of the world for so many years without being monsters. Their hearts might be rotten, but their strength sits at the summit.
In the original tale, the Elders are undoubtedly strong—if not exactly terrifying, then certainly uncanny. They're all Mythical Zoan users. Their Haki, martial skill, swordsmanship—maxed out across the board. And with those pentagram teleportation arrays, "immortality," instantaneous movement—even complete bodily destruction followed by regeneration—powers that, truth be told, come from Imu rather than themselves.
Frankly, in Chiyu's eyes, these so-called Five Elders are less impressive than the Admirals. They're good at scheming and manipulation; maybe years of decay have eaten at their spirit. When it comes time to actually fight, they mostly embarrass themselves. Even so, Chiyu didn't take them lightly.
Mihawk's gaze settled on the blade in the hands of Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, the Warrior God of Finance. "The First Generation Kitetsu, huh? The strongest of the cursed blades…"
Nusjuro snorted. "So you're the so-called Greatest Swordsman in the World. Let's see how much that title's worth."
In an instant, two apex swordsmen drew and cut for each other—First Generation Kitetsu versus the Supreme Grade Black Blade, Yoru. A duel destined for the history books.
Shanks was immediately engaged by Saint Marcus Mars, the Warrior God of the Environment. Mars transformed into a colossal monster-bird wreathed in black flame-clouds—a hybrid of giant raptor and serpent called Itsumade. It flew, clawed, tore, and even spewed searing fire.
Though injured by Chiyu, Shanks didn't flinch from a Five Elder. He drew Gryphon once more. "Today, I'll show you what a real pirate is."
Saint Topman Warcury was swarmed by the rest of the Red Hair officers, with Benn Beckman leading a ferocious assault.
The remaining two Elders—
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn—
charged straight for Chiyu.
He was their true target.
They represented Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter became a colossal sandworm with near-immortality—decapitation wouldn't kill him, and he'd regenerate in moments. He could devour anything, bite through everything; his vast body created a terrifying pull, and his teeth could grind any obstacle to dust. Saturn's "Gyūki" form was an ox-headed, spider-bodied demon—also near-immortal. He could kill with his gaze, control enemies with secret arts, and spit venom that detonated in catastrophic blasts—touch it and you die.
With two Elders attacking at once, even Chiyu had to focus. Their Haki alone made the entire sea buck and churn. Chiyu gave a cold snort and unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki, a storm so fierce it pressed both Elders down and sent a wave of dread washing over them.
"What a monstrous aura!"
"That man really has reached the absolute peak!"
"If we don't kill him here, no one ever will!"
Saturn and Jupiter locked eyes, roared, and awakened their devil fruits. A towering gyūki and a gargantuan sandworm, both wreathed in black flame-clouds, lunged to rend Chiyu apart. Mythical Zoans—and fully awakened.
Chiyu didn't hesitate. Alongside Yubashiri, a second blade flashed into his hand—Shusui. Both swords cut as one.
"God—Open the Heavens!"
"God—Cleave the Earth!"
Heaven and Earth Sundering!
Two Divine Arts slashes exploded forth, wrapped in Armament and Conqueror's Haki, carrying the might to look down on all things and erase creation itself.
Rumble—
RUMBLE!
Both Elders reeled. The raging sword-qi smashed into their massive bodies, shearing chunks off the gyūki and the sandworm and wringing howls from them. Yet their bodies regenerated almost at once—only angrier than before.
Franky stared, thunderstruck. "They took Chiyu-sama's slashes and didn't die—then regenerated?! What are those monsters? Even an awakened Zoan shouldn't be able to do that… Kaido couldn't withstand that strike!"
Kaido had been the apex of awakened Zoans—absurd vitality and recovery—but even he couldn't eat that cut and walk away. This wasn't normal awakening. It was the Elders' special "immortality" granted by Imu.
"Venom!"
Saturn's Gyūki form spewed a torrent of poison. Chiyu slipped past it easily, but where it splashed onto the ship, it detonated in a violent blast. Even Franky's strongest refit warship was left with massive, corroded holes.
Franky saw red. He'd been itching to unveil his newest secret weapon—and the Elders had damaged the ship before he could even fire it.
"You bastards! You wrecked my ship! I'm not letting you walk away!!!"
With a roar, the warship—beyond the "War God" and edging into true Ancient Weapon Pluton territory—finally bared its fangs.
"The Reaper… FIRE!"
At his command, the Undying Legion crew slammed the firing controls. A terrifying rumble built and built, power climbing to an unimaginable peak. Even Saturn and Jupiter felt the imminent danger.
"That is—"
"The aura of an Ancient Weapon?!"
Before they could finish, Franky's shell blasted free.
The Reaper: a vessel surpassing the War God, closer to the real Pluton—perhaps Pluton itself, just scaled down.
In a flash, a blinding lance of white fire tore from the Reaper's guns and screamed toward Saturn and Jupiter.
"Not good!"
They tried to dodge, but their massive bodies betrayed them—far too slow…
BOOOOM—
BOOOOOOM!
The monstrous blast cut the sandworm clean in half and blew five or six of the gyūki's eight spider legs to shreds. The shot was apocalyptic. Even the other battling Elders—Shanks, Beckman, Mihawk—stared in shock.
"W-what is that…?"
Franky beamed. "Well? That's the Reaper's bite! Hahahaha!"
His gloating didn't last. In moments, Saturn and Jupiter's ruined bodies began to knit back together.
"Damn it!" Franky raged. "What are those guys? They can survive that—and regenerate?!"
Chiyu had expected as much, but his brows drew together anyway.
Even so…
"Everything has a limit."
"Their 'immortality' does, too."