"What is that guy planning to do?"
While casually slashing down a pirate rushing toward him, Mihawk turned his gaze back to the distant Elior.
Doflamingo frowned.
"Is he... planning to go after Ace and the others? Honestly, I'm really curious — what exactly did he come to Marineford for? Just to kill a few of the strongest fighters? I mean, that alone is terrifying enough! In my lifetime, I've actually witnessed an Admiral die! But if you think about it, he heavily injured Akainu and killed two of the top powers, but it's not like Elior sought them out — it was them who kept coming at him."
Now watching Elior seemingly preparing to go after Ace and his group, Doflamingo couldn't help but grow even more intrigued. Deep down, he had already decided that Elior was someone he needed to ally himself with—after all, only by aligning with a top-tier powerhouse could the Donquixote Family continue to rise.
Of course, it would depend on whether Elior was willing to accept that.
But right now, in this brutal battlefield, most eyes had inevitably been drawn to Elior.
Elior had become the most dangerous person here.
"That brat...!"
Whitebeard, while clashing with Sengoku, also noticed Elior facing off against Ace and the others. Elior's strength was enough to make even Whitebeard himself feel wary, and now seeing him approach Ace stirred a deep sense of unease.
What was he planning to do to Ace?
"Whitebeard Pirates—retreat!!"
That heavy sense of dread told Whitebeard it was time to order his crew to withdraw. After all, Ace had already been rescued — the main objective of this invasion of Marineford had been achieved. As for himself, Whitebeard was prepared to stay behind for good.
For the Whitebeard Pirates to escape safely, the captain — their father — had to stay and hold the line. Otherwise, how could Ace and the others possibly retreat? Rely on the Revolutionary Army? That was absolutely impossible for Whitebeard.
Besides, it was clear the Marines weren't going to let them go easily.
But he was just an old man now — ready to bury himself in the New World and leave the new era to Ace and the others.
Of course, if they could all escape, that would be best — but Whitebeard knew that chance was slim. Even before leaving the New World, he had a premonition that this might be the place he'd meet his end — just like his gut feeling when Ace went after Teach.
With a roar, Whitebeard sent a quake-powered punch into Sengoku, cracking the ground beneath the Fleet Admiral's feet and forcing him back several steps.
"Whitebeard Pirates—retreat!!"
He roared again, and this time Marco and the others finally snapped out of it.
Yes—their mission was a success. Ace was free.
It was time to retreat.
But—
Surrounded by flames, Ace, Luffy, and Sabo all stared cautiously at Elior.
Despite looking to be around their age, the presence he exuded filled them with an overwhelming sense of danger.
"Hey! You—what are you trying to do?" Ace asked warily, his fists clenched tight. He was deeply wary—after all, Elior's strength was terrifying. Two Admirals — one dead, one gravely wounded! The thought alone was chilling.
"To kill you. Then kill Whitebeard. Then wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates and claim the New World as mine."
Elior's tone was calm, his face indifferent, as if stating a simple fact.
That was his other purpose for coming to Marineford—besides his secret objectives.
"How arrogant!"
"You want to kill my old man?!"
"Wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates?!"
Ace's rage exploded.
To him, Whitebeard and his crew were his reverse scale — his soft spot. Both were dear to him, but Whitebeard... Whitebeard was everything.
And now, Elior was declaring he'd kill Whitebeard and destroy their crew?
Ace couldn't stand it.
Those words were pure provocation.
Flames blazed even fiercer around Ace, his fists tightening with fury.
"Ace, don't lose your head!" Sabo quickly warned.
But Elior wasn't done.
"If Whitebeard can't conquer the New World, then I'll replace him and reign supreme instead."
Boom!
Ace's flames exploded, forcing Luffy and Sabo to retreat a few steps due to the intense heat.
"Whitebeard, he will conquer the New World! You're not qualified to replace him!"
Without hesitation, Ace charged straight at Elior, fueled by rage.
In his eyes, Whitebeard was invincible—he would rule the New World and become the Pirate King.
Yes—Ace's greatest dream was to see the man he loved most, Whitebeard, become the Pirate King.
And yet, Elior dared say Whitebeard wasn't worthy?
Impossible!
Ace wouldn't allow anyone to slander Whitebeard. If they did—he'd strike them down.
"Saint Elmo's Fire!"
Ace's hands ignited, forming two flaming spears which he hurled toward Elior.
"That flame... it's even weaker than Akainu's magma. Useless against me."
With a casual double punch, Elior shattered the twin spears effortlessly.
It was exactly like the original story — Akainu had provoked Ace, calling Whitebeard a failure, triggering Ace's pride and leading to his downfall.
Elior knew he was playing the same manipulative game, but he didn't care. He was going to kill Ace anyway.
"Is that all you've got?"
Elior chuckled. In a flash, he disappeared, reappearing before Ace. The next moment, Ace felt a gut-wrenching pain as if his insides were crushed. His body flew backward, violently slammed away.
"Ace!"
"Damn it! Bastard!"
Seeing Ace struck down, Luffy and Sabo both roared in anger.
"Gear Second!"
With a burst of steam, Luffy vanished, appearing instantly in front of Elior, fists blazing with speed.
Sabo followed, his hand shaped like a dragon's claw, aiming at Elior.
"Gum-Gum Jet Rocket!"
"Dragon's Claw!"
Bang! Bang!
Both attacks landed, but against Elior, they were laughably weak. He swatted them aside effortlessly.
Maybe if it was the post-timeskip versions of them...
"Ow, ow! That hurts!" Luffy cried, rolling on the ground, his rubber body having done nothing to soften the blow.
Sabo fared slightly better, dropping to one knee, grimacing from the pain in his gut.
"He's too strong... just one casual punch and I'm almost done for...!"
Sabo grew even more wary of Elior.
"That brat! What is he trying to do to Ace?!"
On the other side, Whitebeard was fuming. Seeing his sons getting hurt and recalling Elior's ruthlessness, his unease turned into rage.
"Whitebeard!"
"Shockwave!"
Sengoku barreled in, having decided the moment he saw Elior attacking Ace — he would let Elior do the dirty work.
If Elior killed Ace, all the better!
Sengoku still needed Ace dead — this execution could not fail.
If Ace escaped, the consequences would be catastrophic.
The Marines had already paid too high a price—this couldn't be in vain.
Sengoku was using Elior, just as Elior was using the Marines. But Sengoku had no idea things would soon spiral far beyond his control.
At least, the Marines wouldn't be able to control it.
Whitebeard charged to protect Ace, but Sengoku intercepted him just in time.
"Whitebeard — you're staying here today!"
Sengoku knew Whitebeard didn't have much time left—his health was failing. And Sengoku himself was in better shape.
That alone could decide life and death.
"Flame Emperor!"
Deep crimson flames burst forth, flooding the battlefield with intense heat.
Boom!
Elior answered with a massive ice fist, shattering the blaze and striking Ace directly.
Ace felt like a mountain had crashed down on him. His organs felt like they'd been torn apart. Blood surged up his throat uncontrollably.
"Ugh!!"
Ace coughed up blood on the spot.
"You bastard!"
"Gum-Gum Jet Whip!"
Luffy's rubber fist shot forward at high speed—but Elior caught it with one hand, then swung Luffy like a flail, slamming him into the approaching Sabo.
"Demon Fire!"
With a roar, flames erupted from the ground, creating a wall of fire.
Injured but still defiant, Ace charged again, though his condition was visibly worsening.
"Flame Emperor!"
Flames gathered wildly in his hands, forming an enormous burning sphere—Ace's most powerful
attack, launched straight at Elior.
At this moment, Ace unleashed the full power of the Mera Mera no Mi—his most powerful technique, the same one he had used against Blackbeard before. But even then, it hadn't been enough to defeat Teach.
Now, the enormous sea of flames surged forward, seemingly ready to consume everything, engulfing nearly half of Marineford's plaza.
"Pay the price for your arrogance!"
Ace roared, his heart burning with fury. Whitebeard, Luffy, and Sabo—they were his reverse scale. Anyone who threatened them was unforgivable.
Boom!
The blazing inferno raged, a heat so intense it could easily turn an entire island into scorched earth.
Countless eyes turned to watch, but the flames were so fierce that no one could see clearly what was happening within.
Yet Elior, staring at the overwhelming sea of fire, didn't hesitate. He charged straight in, slicing through the sky-scorching, sea-boiling flames without slowing, until he stood directly in front of Ace.
Without a word, Elior's fist shot forward — coated in Armament Haki — striking Ace squarely in the chest. It was a punch meant to shatter everything, an unstoppable force that no amount of defense could withstand.
"This era no longer belongs to Whitebeard. Anyone who stands in my way... will die."
Thud!
With a heavy, sickening sound, Elior's fist pierced clean through Ace's chest, crushing everything in its path.
There was no surviving that. Not even for Ace.
His eyes widened in shock, filled with disbelief. He could feel his life draining away at an alarming rate, the unbearable agony in his chest unlike anything he had ever felt before.
A pain beyond description. Beyond any suffering he had known.
But soon... all feeling faded.
Because in the face of death—everything becomes meaningless.