Facing the charging Garp, Aether felt his blood surge with excitent. This was the kind of battle he had been waiting for, one that pushed him to the edge. Compared to this, his earlier encounter with Magellan felt aningless. Being forced to hold back against poison and deal with multiple opponents had left him unsatisfied.
His pupils shifted into a deep crimson, and a dark red, fla-like aura of Haki ignited along the edge of Ace's blade in his hand.
"God's Evasion!"
"Sea Floor Descent!"
A deafening explosion erupted as their attacks collided. The shockwave spread outward like a violent storm, tearing through the battlefield. The sky itself seed to split open, and the sea below churned wildly as towering waves rose and crashed.
The already crumbling Marineford headquarters could not withstand the impact any longer. With a thunderous crack, the structure collapsed completely, debris falling across the battlefield and sending thick clouds of dust into the air that swallowed nearly a quarter of the war zone.
"Those two damn monsters, Garp and Roger..."
In his massive golden Buddha form, Sengoku clenched his teeth in frustration. He had no room to interfere.
Whitebeard stood before him, blood still seeping from the wound in his chest. Yet his attacks did not weaken in the slightest. There was a finality in his movents, a resolve that burned away his remaining life force.
Even so, Sengoku could clearly see it. Whitebeard's reactions had slowed. No amount of willpower could fully compensate for his aging body.
A powerful vibration slash forced Sengoku backward, leaving a faint crack across the golden surface of his Buddha form. Whitebeard imdiately noticed the brief lapse in his focus.
"Gurararara, Sengoku, stop looking elsewhere. I will not let you leave. My sons will save Ace."
Sengoku pressed his palm firmly against Murakumogiri, halting its advance. The ground beneath Whitebeard shattered under the strain as the two remained locked in place.
"Are you that confident, Whitebeard? Sakazuki will not let them succeed."
"I trust them completely."
"Then we will see how this ends."
Though Sengoku did not favor Akainu personally, he acknowledged his effectiveness. If results mattered, Sakazuki delivered them better than anyone. Relentless, absolute, and willing to go to any length, he embodied the kind of justice the Marines relied on in war.
The golden Buddha launched a relentless barrage of punches. Each strike forced Whitebeard to defend with everything he had, Murakumogiri tearing through the incoming shockwaves as the battlefield trembled beneath them.
With every exchange, Whitebeard's breathing grew heavier. Sweat soaked his upper body, mixing with blood, yet his expression never wavered.
With a roar, he knocked Sengoku's fist aside once more. Then, his blade darkened further, crackling with red lightning.
Conqueror's Haki.
He poured everything into a single strike.
Despite his towering six ter fra, Whitebeard looked small before the massive Buddha. Still, the force behind his attack made Sengoku's eyes narrow as he reacted instantly.
The collision sent another devastating shockwave skyward. The harbor collapsed further, the land splitting apart as the sea surged violently.
Marineford groaned under the strain of countless clashes between monsters.
Below the execution platform, Akainu advanced without hesitation. His magma fists roared as he drove Jinbe backward, molten lava scattering across the ground.
Even with Armant Haki at full strength, Jinbe's arms burned severely. Pain flashed across his face.
Fighting Akainu on land was a losing battle.
Nearby, Ivankov struggled against Kuma, who had been turned into a weapon. No matter how loudly Ivankov called out, there was no response. Kuma attacked without pause, without emotion.
Luffy, on his own, kept pushing forward. Again and again, he tried to break through, only to be stopped by blazing magma.
"Monkey D. Luffy, son of a criminal bloodline, this is where your journey ends."
Akainu launched forward, his Hellhound attack tearing through the air as it aid directly for Luffy's life.
A wall of sand rose just in ti.
Crocodile intercepted the attack, though the scattered magma still struck Luffy, making him cry out in pain.
Before Crocodile could follow up, a sharp white thread sliced through his sand-ford head. His body, headless for a mont, still lashed out with his hook, blocking a powerful kick from Doflamingo.
"Fufufufu, Crocodile, rejecting my offer only to side with Straw Hat. Have you forgotten who defeated you and sent you to Impel Down?"
Crocodile's head reford, his expression cold and steady.
"I made a deal with Aether. And as for you, I have no interest in working with soone like you."
Doflamingo smirked, amused.
"So you have attached yourself to Roger's side. No wonder you are trying so hard to save his son."
Crocodile's eyes sharpened, anger flashing briefly. Without another word, a massive wave of sand surged forward. The two Shichibukai clashed without restraint.
Seeing Luffy in constant danger, Ivankov abandoned any hope of restoring Kuma's consciousness.
Injecting a hormone stimulant, Ivankov's head expanded as countless afterimages appeared around Kuma.
"Galaxy Wink!"
A barrage of attacks struck Kuma repeatedly, leaving him battered and motionless for a short ti.
Even so, against Akainu, the combined efforts of Ivankov and Jinbe barely held the line. Injuries quickly accumulated on both sides.
Just as Akainu prepared to deliver a decisive blow, a diamond figure crashed into him at high speed.
Jozu.
He forced Akainu away from the execution platform, enduring the intense heat as he pushed him back.
"Ace's brother, leave this to us. Go save him."
Jozu had arrived because his opponent had already fallen. Gecko Moria lay on the battlefield, defeated and barely conscious.
Once a man who dared to challenge Kaido, Moria was now a shadow of his forr self. Yet even now, his attachnt to his comrades remained unchanged.
With Akainu pushed back, Jinbe and Ivankov moved instantly, blocking the Vice Admirals who tried to interfere.
Luffy rushed forward along a narrow path carved out for him.
Step by step, he reached the execution platform.
There, he saw Ace.
The two locked eyes, both overwheld, tears streaming down their faces. Luffy pulled out the key, his voice filled with determination.
"Ace, I ca to save you!"
"Luffy..."
Before they could reunite, a calm voice interrupted them.
Standing in their path was Tsuru.
She observed Luffy quietly, her gaze sharp.
"Garp's grandson, turn back now, and I will pretend I saw nothing."
Luffy clenched his fist.
"Move. I am saving Ace."
A powerful aura rose from Tsuru despite her age.
"Then I will stop you."
Luffy did not hesitate.
"Gear 3, Giant Hamr!"
His massive fist ca crashing down, but Tsuru remained calm. Her hand t his attack lightly.
In that instant, a strange energy flowed into Luffy's body. His expression changed as he realized sothing was wrong, but it was too late.
His body twisted unnaturally.
In monts, he was left hanging like freshly washed laundry, weakened and unable to resist.
His voice ca out against his will.
"Why would I want to be the Pirate King... I want to beco a Marine..."
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