"Hmph... Steel Tide!!"

  Within an area spanning over teers, the ground transformed visibly into solid steel at an astonishing rate. Sharp, massive spears of steel erupted tinuously, thrusting upward.

  "Iron Body: Steel!"

  A CP0 elite agent, caught in the onsught with no escape, quickly hardened his entire body using Haki and the Iron Body teique.

  "Tsk... Tsk..."

  "Arghhh!!"

  Even with his best efforts, the relentless steel spears peed his defenses, leaving him screaming in agony, blood p from his wounds.

  "Inferno on!!"

  Nearby, amidst a cloud of smoke and fire, a Queen-css Six-Winged Fallen Angel Homie extes arm ons, ung a torrent of fmes at its target.

  "Whoosh... Whoosh..."

  The fire bzed brightly, dist the air with intense heat, but the member of the Holy Knights dodged the attack with ease.

  "g... g..."

  With a swift motion of his bde, he deflected the hail of bullets fired by the Homie.

  "Endless distras... Enough!"

  His gaze turned cold as he stomped the ground and charged forward with blinding speed.

  The Six-Winged Fallen Angel Homie reacted quickly, retreating to maintain distawo Four-Winged Fallen Angel Homies, equally formidable and parable to Vice Admirals in strength, surged forward to provide support.

  "Tsk!"

  But it wasn’t enough.

  In a fsh of light, the Holy Knight’s bde struck with precision, severing the arm of one of the Four-Winged Fallen Angels despite its evasive maneuvers.

  "Boom!!"

  The severed arm, equipped with explosives, detonated upon activation. The resulting explosion bhe area in thick smoke.

  "Ittōryū: Cutting the Stream!"

  Uerred, the Holy Knight charged through the smoke. With his glowing sword, he sshed effortlessly through the remaining Four-Winged Fallen Angels, redug them to mere scraps.

  "g!!"

  The pursuing ssh was finally intercepted by a powerful, Haki-cd iron fist.

  "Ryan-sama, this oppo is to—I 't handle him!"

  The heavily damaged Six-Winged Fallen Angel, one of the weakest members of the Seven Deadly Sins, retreated to Ryan's side for assistance.

  "Hmm, looks like a formidable enemy indeed."

  Without hesitation, Ryan summoned an array of steel spears from the transformed ground, utilizing the awakeeel-maniputing powers of Blood Sve Tok.

  "Swish... Swish..."

  Thousands of steel spears, infused with Haki, shot forward relentlessly, assaulting the Holy Knight.

  "Futile."

  The Knight sneered, exuding fidence.

  "I am a Cut-Cut Fruit user. In my presence, everything is as fragile as paper!"

  With a flourish of his ornate bde, he sshed through the oning steel spears as if they were nothing. Not only did his ability provide a clear advantage, but the disparity in their Haki was undeniable.

  "Munch Factory: Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher!"

  As Ryareated to create distance, his Munch-Munch Fruit powers merged with Blood Thrall "Iron Arm" Tokna, and he sneered menagly. From the "gateway" of the Munch Factory located on his abdomen, rows of dark on barrels emerged, log onto his target ahead.

  A barrage of rocket projectiles spewed fmes as they unched forth.

  "Tsk... Tsk..."

  "Boom! Boom!"

  Explosions echoed tinuously, fmes soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed. The Holy Knight, scorched and battered, gred furiously at Ryan, his gaze brimming with killing i.

  "Tsk..."

  Suddenly, the sound of something cutting through the air came from above. A bloodied figure was hurled into view.

  "That’s... Horn?"

  The Holy Knight’s eyes widened in shock, his expression ging drastically. He could hardly believe it—Admiral Pegasus Horn had beeed so easily.

  "Fp... Fp..."

  "g!"

  Sparks flew as Irene soared forward, blog the killing blow from Saint Nasujuro, who wielded the icy First Geion Kitetsu. Her blood-red scythe, imbued with Haki, deflected the attack as she cast a goward the battlefield littered with the shattered remains of advanced Homies.

  At least two Queen-Css Homies and over ten Rook-Css Fallen Angel Homies had beeroyed by the powerful Five Elder. The battlefield was strewn with fragments of maery, frozen into icy sculptures that emanated an eerie chill.

  "So while I was busy with Horn, you mao elimihis many Homies?"

  With her bloodthirsty grin and predatory aura, Irene licked her lips. Log eyes with Saint Nasujuro, who emanated dark fmes and whose lower body resembled a skeletal horse, she taunted:

  "Heh heh heh... I wonder how the blood of a Five Elder tastes pared to ordinary humans!"

  "I!!"

  Saint Nasujuro’s gaze turned icy, his killing i surging.

  The Homies, fed from tless souls stolen from the sixth level of Impel Down, were products of Fallen Aeology and dark sorcery. But he didn't expect that useless Saint Horn to be defeated so easily.

  "Heh, Admiral Pegasus Mayne?"

  Ryan, amused, joihe exge, reizing the bloodied figure thrown to the ground. He broke into a mog ugh.

  In the face of the Holy Knights' and Saint Nasujuro’s bined fury, he grinned wide, revealing sharp teeth:

  "The Mythical Zoan Pegasus Fruit, huh? With his death, doesn’t that mean two admirals have fallen to the Fallen Angel Pirates now?"

  …

  "Boom! Boom!"

  On the western shore, intense cshes erupted.

  Blinding light collided with razor-sharp fang bdes as the Fengxi roared, charging recklessly toward the imposing Quetzalcoatl, meeting head-on.

  "Boom!!!"

  Their colossal heads, harder than steel, collided with earth-shaking force.

  "Crack... Crack..."

  The skies themselves seemed to tear apart as their indomitable queror’s Haki cshed violently. The shockwaves ripped apart the nd, sending boulders and debris flying outward with devastating force.

  "Wham!!!"

  Meanwhile, the Gyuki, r in fury, was struck by the Quetzalcoatl's enormous tail a hurtling through the air. But it retaliated, spitting out massive toxic orbs aimed at the serpent.

  "Whoosh! Whoosh!"

  With wings that ahe wind and lightning, the Quetzalcoatl unleashed a terrifying hurrie, ralizing the toxic projectiles in explosive bursts. Despite fag two of the Five Elders, Saint Valkyrie and Saint Saturn, the Quetzalcoatl stood tall, its overwhelming presence suppressing both oppos.

  "Boom! Boom!"

  "Yahahaha! Looks like the Five Elders, rulers of the Wover, aren’t so untouchable after all!"

  In the distance, Rocks D. Xebec ughed uproariously, his body surrounded by ominous darkness. His bde unleashed powerful sshes, f Saint Mars into a defensive position.

  "Rocks! Don’t get cocky... King Kong Csh!!"

  The ferocious Steel Bone Kong, now in his half-beast form, charged with incredible speed. With a single leap, he intercepted Rocks’ attack, throwing a massive, Haki-infused punch to shield Saint Mars.

  "Boom! Boom!"

  As Charlotte Linlin was busy holding off Saint Denis, Steel Bone Kong seized the opportunity to assist Saint Mars, taking over his battle with Rocks.

  "Kong, I leave this to you!"

  Saint Mars wasted no time. Transf into the massive serpentine bird Itsumade, he took to the skies.

  Just then, a CP0 agent rushed forward, visibly sweating and panicked, urgently rep:

  "My lord, urgent news from the Holy Land! Just moments ago, the Fallen Angel Pirates’ Homies army unched a surprise assault on Mariejois!"

  "What!?”

  Bleam