The talon-wrapped Conqueror's Haki of the monstrous Izanaten bird form and the tusk-blades of the Boar Deity form carved deep, bleeding gouges across Kaido's body, sending waves of long-forgotten pain through him.
"Wurorororo! Now this is thrilling!"
Drenched in blood, Kaido roared with mad laughter. He no longer concerned himself with the mysterious power of Imu. He threw himself fully into the savage clash against the two Five Elders.
But after being exhausted first by Shanks and then by Imu, Kaido's stamina was already pushed close to its limits. Before long, the two fully rested Elders forced him down into a disadvantage.
Even so, Kaido's Oni bloodline and Azure Dragon abilities were overwhelmingly strong. His regenerative power was monstrous. No matter how much they suppressed him, killing him outright was another matter entirely.
The title "Strongest Creature on Land, Sea, and Air" had never been an exaggeration.
Even injured and forced on the defensive, two Five Elders alone simply could not finish him.
Meanwhile, Wald, who was trying only to escape, was in a far worse state under the pursuit of the Elder Nasujuro.
Wald did not possess Conqueror's Haki, nor a monstrous physique. Had Imu's shadow attacks not nearly killed him already, his drained stamina now left him reeling.
"Damn it! I'm already running! Why are you still chasing me?!"
Bandi Wald cursed as he sprinted down the ice path Kuzan had created, heading toward the main battlefield chaos.
He was desperately hoping someone strong could join him in fighting off this skeletal swordsman Elder—
or at least that members of the Beasts Pirates or Big Mom Pirates could serve as shields.
Seeing Wald fleeing at full speed, Nasujuro's expression grew darker.
He could no longer afford to waste time.
On the battlefield of Marines and Pirates:
Kuzan was being encircled by King the Conflagration, Shiryu of the Rain, Jack the Drought, and Cracker.
Even several of the Tobiroppo attempted blindside strikes against Kuzan or the heavily injured Bogard, worsening the Navy's condition further.
Enel did not join the siege on Kuzan.
Instead, he stalked around, looking for an opening to strike down Garp the Fist, eager to steal glory from Big Mom.
As Wald stumbled into the battlefield, Nasujuro arrived right behind him.
"Shiryu! Enel! Pizarro! ...Help me!!"
Wald shouted desperately, his stamina nearly gone.
Yet the moment he relaxed in the hope of allies, Nasujuro's first-generation Kitetsu cleaved into his back, cold demonic aura spreading from the blade.
The arrival of Wald and the Five Elder caused the battlefield to momentarily freeze.
"Did Souta Kiryuu lose?"
"What happened to Kaido!?"
Members of the Souta Kiryuu Pirates and the Beasts Pirates instinctively assumed the worst.
"Help me! Imu's teleportation array malfunctioned, hurry—!"
Wald's wound froze over, slowing him drastically. Panic overtook him as he begged again.
Enel, who had intended to strike Garp, shifted targets instantly. A thunderbolt crashed toward the Five Elder—striking the highest authority in the world was a prize far greater.
"Yehahaha! A Five Elder is more valuable than a Navy hero!"
But Nasujuro casually cleaved the lightning apart. Compared to Souta Kiryuu's Haki-wreathed thunder, Enel's power wasn't even close.
The demon-sheathed sword pierced forward again, aiming directly at Wald.
"No—!"
With his stamina depleted and body wounded, Wald's Devil Fruit reaction lagged by a heartbeat.
Nasujuro's blade ran through his back and burst from his chest.
"Guh—!"
Wald vomited blood, his eyes full of pain and unwillingness.
"Sin, purged."
Nasujuro's hooves kicked out, launching Wald away like a broken puppet.
The sudden entrance of a Five Elder made King, Cracker, and the others cease attacking Kuzan momentarily.
Kuzan seized the moment, lifting the barely conscious Bogard and moving toward Nasujuro.
"Pathetic."
Nasujuro glanced coldly at Kuzan, ignoring Bogard entirely.
Even Big Mom, who had been suppressing Garp, stopped.
This bald Five Elder's arrival severely disrupted her plan to capture Garp.
Nasujuro had intended to return to assist Peter in killing Barrett, but upon seeing how badly the Marines were losing, his killing intent turned toward the pirates.
"Do not waste your strength on these useless Marines! Kill the pirates—kill all of them!"
Nasujuro snapped at Kuzan. Then he vanished in a blur, charging straight into the pirate ranks with merciless efficiency.
The thunder of hooves mixed with screams.
Large numbers of Beasts Pirates and Big Mom Pirates were slaughtered instantly.
Even Baron Tamago, a 429 million berry officer, was cut down in a single strike—cracked open like an egg.
"Kuzan, watch yourself!"
Kuzan gave Bogard a quick instruction before diving back into battle.
"You damn bald bastard!!! I'll tear you apart!!"
Big Mom roared, abandoning her pursuit of Garp and charging at Nasujuro in fury.
Watching her move to intercept the Elder, Shiryu and the others grinned—
fighting a wounded Garp was far safer than facing a Five Elder head-on.
"Beasts Pirates and Big Mom Pirates handle Kuzan.
The Souta Kiryuu Pirates will take Garp."
Shiryu shouted to King and Cracker, then signaled the Three Monsters of Impel Down to join him.
As for Enel, Shiryu didn't bother trying to order him—Enel did whatever he pleased.
Wald, gravely injured like Shiki had been, was dragged back to the airborne ship by Robin and Perona.
Robin's Hana-Hana no Mi hands forced blood-crystal dandelions into Wald's mouth to keep his life hanging by a thread.
With Law absent, all they could do was hold onto life until Souta Kiryuu or Blackbeard returned to reclaim their Devil Fruits if death came.
Sakazuki, despite his grievous wounds, finally stabilized thanks to emergency treatment and his monstrous physique.
As Big Mom clashed fiercely with Nasujuro, King, Jack, Cracker, and the Tobiroppo resumed their assault on Kuzan.
Enel, seeing the overwhelming power of Big Mom versus a Five Elder, backed off and flew back toward the hunt for Garp.
Nasujuro realized things were turning against him.
He had only meant to kill Wald—yet now Big Mom had trapped him in a duel.
Peter would accuse him of failing the plan for sure.