Time is the most merciless force in the world, and also the most invincible.
Having absorbed the time of the giant race, and then the time of the demon king, Zhan Kong's storage of time was already full, even overflowing.
Since Kong Tai couldn't use it, he decided to let Gu Yina use it.
This could also increase the chances of winning the war. After all, they were all familiar with each other. Although war was cruel, Kong Tai still didn't want anyone to lose their lives.
If someone had to die, it could only be someone from Mary Geoise.
Therefore, one could say that the blond Gorosei were unlucky, not being chosen by anyone else but Gu Yina.
Gu Yina might not be able to match the blond Gorosei, who possessed the ultimate Conqueror's Haki, in terms of strength. However, in terms of speed, the blond Gorosei couldn't compare.
With Zhan Kong's time-stopping power controlling the battlefield, the razor-sharp, indestructible blade, crackling with arcs of azure lightning, pierced the blond Gorosei's heart the moment he was immobilized. It then pushed against his body, and like a meteor, plummeted downwards.
**Bang —!**
The violent impact was like a real comet, creating waves of stone upon hitting the ground.
Beneath the shockwave, shattered stones shot outwards like a volcanic eruption.
When the dust settled, a massive crater was revealed.
Within the void of the crater, a figure wreathed in azure lightning stood silently in the air, like a thunder god.
"What is this??"
What drew everyone's attention wasn't Gu Yina, but the bottom of the crater.
Gazing into the crater, they saw the blond Gorosei's body embedded in the stone, contorted into an arch shape, with a gaping, charred hole through his chest, from front to back.
Everyone could feel his unwillingness from his fiercely glaring eyes.
But no matter how unwilling he was, it was useless, for he was now a corpse.
There was a moment of silence around them, followed by a massive uproar.
No one had expected that the first battle to conclude would be in this sector, with Gu Yina, who joined the battle second to last and was the youngest among the five.
The victory on their side instantly boosted the morale of Kong Tai's faction. With an additional peak-level powerhouse, even if Gu Yina simply stood there, she would be a formidable deterrent to the enemy.
The other four Gorosei, who were fighting with the red-haired Shanks and the others, were also shocked.
It was clear that the blond Gorosei's swift defeat was entirely unexpected.
The auras of the four were affected by the blond Gorosei's defeat, shifting the tide of battle. Shanks and the other three fighting them began to gain an advantage, moving from an evenly matched contest.
During their exchange, the eyes of the four simultaneously glanced behind them. With the Navy not interfering, their defeat here was now a foregone conclusion.
They had considered all their forces and made thorough preparations, but they never expected that they would be so easily disrupted by the variable that was Zhan Kong.
Now that things had come to this, they could only hope that Gu Yina had the bottom line of a strong warrior and would not join Shanks and the others in a siege against them.
Of course, their greatest hope lay behind them.
As long as Lord Im could deal with the silver-haired individual, everyone who came here today would meet a grim end, becoming a tombmate for the blond Gorosei.
"Isn't that Kong Tai's sword?"
"It seems a bit special."
With a crunch, Garp bit down on the senbei in his mouth, his gaze falling on Zhan Kong, which Gu Yina held unsheathed. A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes.
"I've seen that kind of power before."
They were observers. Although their vision was obscured by the lightning, they had felt the moment the blond Gorosei was frozen when Gu Yina stabbed him.
"Seen it."
Garp turned his head to look at Kuzan. "Tell me about it."
"Do you remember the first time I went to intercept Mr. Kong Tai?"
"Remember it!"
Garp nodded and turned to Sengoku. "I remember the order was given by Sengoku, wasn't it?"
"Yes!"
Sengoku nodded.
He gazed at Gu Yina with a hint of emotion, for he knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this war should be won by the silver-haired side.
At least, that was the case on the surface.
As for where the silver-haired individual had gone after disappearing, he had his suspicions, but he didn't know what had caused the disappearance. The expectant glances from the Gorosei, however, he felt.
The World Government hid secrets, secret weapons; he knew this, and he suspected it might be the legendary Uranus.
But could Uranus alone truly defeat the silver-haired individual?
He was skeptical.
After all, Garp was terrible at keeping secrets, and Kuzan and Kizaru had accompanied him to Impel Down last time, so he had long known the silver-haired individual's strength had reached a realm he had only previously imagined.
Such strength had long surpassed the world's peak Admirals and Yonko.
Even if the World Government possessed Uranus, it would not be able to stop the silver-haired individual.
He knew, and the Gorosei should also know that…
Looking at the sky castle behind Mary Geoise, hidden in the clouds, resembling a divine palace.
"Is that the 'Flower Chamber' designated as a forbidden area?"
A sharp glint flashed in Sengoku's eyes, then he shook his head.
No matter who it was, that was not something for him to face, but for Kong Tai. He could only hope, hope that Kong Tai could resolve everything, just like the battlefield here, achieving a victory that would thoroughly resolve the World Government.
Sengoku withdrew his gaze and turned to meet his old comrade's questioning look, smiling. "Kuzan is probably referring to Cartes, right?"
"Yes!" Kuzan looked at the sword in Gu Yina's hand, his expression solemn. "While the sword is special, what's even more special is its unique ability. If I'm not mistaken, that sword must have eaten one of Cartes' Devil Fruits."
"What kind of fruit?"
Just then, Tsuru, who had been standing quietly by the side, couldn't help but speak. "The blond Gorosei's displayed strength clearly reached the level of a Yonko. What kind of fruit could control him to the point where he could only watch himself be pierced by the blade?"
"If I'm not mistaken, it should be the Time-Time Fruit."
"Time-Time Fruit..."
Kuzan's words stunned all the Marines present.
As for the Marines, even if they weren't familiar with Devil Fruit encyclopedias, they had seen them.
They remembered even more vividly the two Time-Time Fruits in the world.
"Is it that legendary 'Time-Time Fruit' that can stop time?"
A Vice Admiral looked at Zhan Kong. Even though he had an answer in his heart, he couldn't help but ask again.
"Mm!"
Kuzan nodded again, confirming the answer.
"That mission was a secret one, so not many people knew about it, which is why you didn't."
"Cartes was sent by the World Government to kill the silver-haired individual, and the power of time… I saw it from a woman controlled by him…"
Kuzan paused here, then continued. "No, not a woman, but a female soul controlled by him."
"Female soul?"
The Vice Admirals were filled with confusion, but Kuzan did not explain further.
The Yamata no Orochi Fruit had never appeared in the Devil Fruit encyclopedia. Let alone him, even Sengoku, in his report afterward, didn't know what kind of Devil Fruit Cartes had.
He only knew it was likely a Mythical Zoan, but there were no clues as to its specifics.