149. Only A Body To Die In Battle, No Soul To Fear

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Silence.

A deathly silence.

When Kaido's body crashed into the broken ruins below, the battlefield seemed to freeze in time. For a moment, nearly half of the Beasts Pirates stopped in their tracks, their gazes drawn to the fallen form of their leader.

The hush lingered, heavy and suffocating, until it was finally broken.

"M-Master Kaido…"

A girl with blue-pink hair, her voice trembling, reacted first. Stumbling and crawling, she rushed toward Kaido's crumpled figure in desperation. Her breath hitched as she reached the edge of the massive crater left by Alex's final blow.

There, in the pit carved by a single sword strike, Kaido lay on his back. His body, covered in deep, jagged wounds, was motionless. His eyes were closed, his breath faint and erratic.

A massive gash stretched hideously across his entire torso, exposing writhing, torn flesh and shattered white bones. At a glance, it was clear: his once-impenetrable form had been utterly ravaged.

The girl stared in disbelief, her hands shaking uncontrollably as the reality sank in.

"Master Kaido… you, you've really been defeated…"

Her words barely escaped her lips, the weight of the moment pressing down on her like a vice.

Her gaze shifted skyward, landing on the figure still standing tall amidst the wreckage of the battle.

The girl's face turned pale, her lips trembling as her faith wavered.

'This is Master Kaido! He fought the world's strongest men and came away unscathed! How could this happen…?'

Alex, meanwhile, clutched his abdomen where Kaido's desperate counterattack had landed. Even without the full power of Haki reinforcing the blow, Kaido's sheer strength had left its mark. Though Alex's body, endured the attack, the pain was undeniable.

Still, Alex retrieved a small glass vial from his coat. The liquid inside glimmered faintly as he downed it in one gulp. Almost immediately, his injuries began to mend, his body revitalized by the healing properties of Mansherry's powers.

Lowering the empty vial, Alex turned his gaze to Kaido's ruined form.

There was a trace of surprise in his expression.

"Even after all that…"

Kaido's endurance had lived up to its reputation. Despite the devastating force of Alex's sword, a blow designed to shatter even the most powerful defenses, Kaido had clung to life.

"As expected of the world's strongest creature," Alex said softly.

Though Kaido was the Yonko Alex feared the least, his unmatched endurance and stamina had enabled him to survive an ultimate attack that would have felled most others. Kaido was alive—barely—but the damage had pushed him to the brink, his life flickering like a candle in the wind.

The battlefield remained still for a moment longer, the silence oppressive.

And then, the quiet shattered.

"It's over… It's all over now…"

"How could this happen…?"

The murmurs of panic began as whispers among the Beasts Pirates and Totto Land forces but quickly swelled into cries of despair. High-ranking officers, soldiers, and even members of the Charlotte family—all stared in disbelief at Kaido's defeat.

Kaido, their godlike leader, their hope of victory, had fallen.

Fear spread like wildfire through their ranks, suffocating the fighting spirit that had burned fiercely just moments before. Panic overtook them as their confidence crumbled into nothingness.

Even the sea seemed to reflect their despair. The thousand-meter gully carved by Alex's blade was now flooding with seawater, a violent current pulling countless ships into the depths.

"The sea… it's going to swallow us whole!"

Chaos erupted as ships were dragged into the abyss. The violent waves surged, and the realization dawned on everyone: to fall into the sea now meant certain death. The once-fierce armies of the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates began to flee, dropping their weapons in a mad scramble for survival.

Yet amid the chaos, the samurai of Wanokuni stood firm.

They did not panic, their faith unwavering.

For they knew the truth: whether it was the skies or the seas, everything was under the control of their General.

The deeper the awakening and mastery of the Float-Float Fruit, the wider its range of assimilation and control.

With a mere thought, Alex halted the flooding seawater rushing into the massive gully he had carved. The water lifted upward, defying gravity under his command.

Yet, just as suddenly, the torrent transformed.

Under the invisible force of Alex's power, the seawater formed into a colossal wave, an overwhelming deluge descending from above. It wasn't just a flood—it was a tidal force capable of crushing ships and swallowing everything in its path, leaving no room for escape.

"Surrender, and you will be spared!"

Alex's cold, commanding voice resonated across the battlefield, cutting through the chaos and reaching every corner of the engagement.

All eyes turned skyward to the figure hovering in the air. His injuries, though visible, seemed insignificant compared to the aura of power he exuded—a power that rendered the Beasts Pirates and Totto Land forces helpless.

Fear gripped the hearts of many.

This wasn't just a fight against an overwhelming opponent—it was the collapse of their core. Big Mom and Kaido, the twin pillars of their strength, had been crushed.

Though it wasn't a combined effort, Alex's feat of single-handedly defeating two Yonko in succession was enough to leave the entire sea trembling.

The Beasts Pirates, in particular, couldn't help but question their choices. How had they ended up standing against a force so terrifying?

"Damn it…"

King felt a cold sweat drip down his back. Unlike ordinary crew members, he understood the gravity of the situation.

But even in despair, surrender was unthinkable. To him, it was a humiliation far worse than death.

As someone who had followed Kaido's rise from a feared pirate to one of the Four Emperors, King knew what had to be done.

"Beasts Pirates!"

King's voice thundered across the battlefield as he distanced himself from Mihawk, his wings outstretched. Turning toward his comrades, he roared with all his might:

"The Beasts Pirates have bodies that die in battle! But we have no souls for fear!"

His words rang out, stirring some of the crew.

Though the defiance was bold, the impact was limited. Defeat loomed heavily over them, and few were truly willing to embrace death for honor.

Still, Kaido's influence lingered. Some pirates—those deeply inspired by his charisma and presence—raised their weapons in response, rallying to King's call.

Meanwhile, Katakuri, observing the chaos, remained silent.

His sharp gaze shifted between the battlefield and his fallen family. The defeat of Kaido and Big Mom, coupled with the capture of Brûlée, had already extinguished his will to continue fighting.

Katakuri had made his choice.

He would risk his life to protect his family in battle if necessary, but now that Big Mom had fallen, he had a greater responsibility: ensuring the survival of the Charlotte Family.

"Fools!"

"This is a gift of mercy from Lord Alex, yet you dare refuse it? Your souls are worthless!"

As the words echoed, the battlefield seemed to shift.

One by one, glowing white orbs began to rise from the ground, floating into the air like drifting embers.

The forces of Totto Land froze in shock, recognizing the phenomenon instantly.

These were souls.

Panic rippled through the Totto Land soldiers.

"Is it… Mama?!"

Whispers of confusion and dread spread as they stared at the rising souls. Could it mean that Big Mom had awakened and regained control?