Crack. Crack. Crack—
Rock Lee's muscles were taut, every movement accompanied by the sharp sound of popping joints.
The Leaf Lotus—a high-speed, continuous taijutsu assault—left no opportunity for the enemy to counterattack.
Even though Luffy had fully awakened his Observation Haki, enabling him to predict Rock Lee's actions, he still couldn't react in time.
"Hirudora—Leaf Lotus!"
As he launched toward Luffy like a bullet, Rock Lee thrust a straight punch through the air at terrifying speed.
He compressed the surrounding air—
—then, just as his final punch connected with Luffy's chest, he released that compression in an instant.
A concentrated burst of air erupted in the shape of a ferocious tiger.
The shockwave was immense. Even the battlefield far below could feel the impact.
Simultaneously, a punch and a kick struck Luffy.
The Daytime Tiger passed through his body, its force overwhelming.
Luffy's eyes rolled back; only the whites remained visible.
Shockwaves rippled violently from his body, layer upon layer.
"Earth Style: Earthquake Core!"
Boom—Boom—
Suddenly, jagged pillars of earth rose from the ground.
But before they could connect, the very atmosphere shifted.
Wind.
A powerful, invisible wind stirred around Luffy's form.
It was strange—both gentle and impenetrable.
Rock Lee stepped onto Luffy's chest, using him as a springboard to crush the rising earthen spire beneath them.
Yet before Luffy's back could slam into the stone, the core shattered—
—as though the wind itself had softened the impact.
When Luffy hit the ground, the cushioning force absorbed much of the damage.
Whoosh—
Rock Lee retreated in the air, his movements resembling the Lotus Technique.
The blue steam surrounding his body began to dissipate rapidly.
He was gasping for breath.
Even after closing the Eight Gates, his body still bore signs of immense stress. His skin looked scorched.
Finally, he could no longer stand and slumped to the ground.
Even sitting was agonizing, as if his whole body was about to collapse.
"I can't pass out… Guy-sensei is enduring way worse than I am!"
He glanced at the barely-conscious Luffy—and, seeing no movement, he lowered his guard.
That's when it hit.
A sudden gust of wind surged toward him.
Lee wanted to dodge, but his body couldn't react.
Buzz—
Before the gale could strike, a streak of green sword energy slashed through the wind and dispersed it.
Hawkeye Mihawk stood not far away, sword already drawn.
His eyes—sharp as an eagle's—were fixed on the sky above.
Whoosh—
In the blink of an eye, Tobirama Senju appeared beside Rock Lee.
"Eat this."
Lee could barely nod. In the end, Tobirama fed him the medicine himself.
After swallowing the special pill, Lee's condition improved slightly.
Nearby, Ace wasn't faring any better than Luffy.
Both were barely clinging to life.
Boom—Boom—
With thousands of players taking action, the battlefield plunged into chaos.
At that moment, the Tailed Beasts entered the fray.
The numbers of both navy and pirates plummeted at a terrifying rate.
Outside the Waters of Marineford—
Vice Admiral Tsuru's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Momousagi… Why?!"
Fenghua, aged and pale, wore a similarly stunned expression.
Momousagi (Ji Yuan) shook her head slowly, lifting her smooth chin toward the sky.
Tsuru followed her gaze.
"Eh~ Tsuru-senpai."
"Kizaru?!" Tsuru's confusion deepened.
Kizaru stood beside Ji Yuan, his usual laid-back demeanor gone.
"Sister Tsuru, please don't stop us. The era of pirates and marines fighting endlessly is over."
"Justice… has arrived."
Tsuru's breath caught in her throat as her eyes turned toward the massive army assembling atop a distant aircraft carrier.
She knew Ji Yuan didn't say such things lightly.
She also knew that Kizaru, one of the Navy's strongest former admirals, wouldn't abandon his post without good reason.
The one who united them—
Uzumaki Naruto.
It wasn't just his overwhelming strength…
…it was his vision, his will—what he represented.
"But… I'm still wearing this uniform. I can't surrender."
Yet, as the aircraft carrier loomed in front of her battleship,
Vice Admiral Tsuru felt like she was standing in a rowboat—
—facing the oncoming tide of a new age.
Clatter—
Then, she noticed a figure.
From among a sea of stunning women, a blonde young man stepped forward.
He looked down at her—
—and yet, it felt as if he was looking at her as an equal.
Stronger than the Five Elder Stars…
That's what his presence conveyed.
"Move aside."
"We took the first half of the Grand Line in just a few days."
"Next is Marineford… then the World Government."
"And I'll take the second half of the Grand Line myself."
Vice Admiral Tsuru still hesitated.
But the ship beneath her groaned—
—as an invisible repulsive force gently pushed it away.
"Momousagi."
"Yes, Lord Naruto!" Ji Yuan responded crisply.
She leaped from the aircraft carrier toward the marine battleship.
The aircraft carriers began accelerating.
And soon—
—the crumbling silhouette of Marineford came into view.
"Ah?"
"Why is it over so soon?"
Sentomaru was stunned.
Naruto glanced at the scene, then turned and returned to the cabin.
"Tsunade-sama, you'll lead the army to secure the battlefield shortly."
Tsunade gave a small nod of acknowledgment. With that, Naruto stepped into his private quarters.
Click—
After a while, the door creaked open again.
"What's on your mind?"
Feeling the soft weight and warmth behind him, Naruto gently reached up and held the little hand wrapping around his neck.
"I'm thinking about how to solve the educational issues in both worlds," he said quietly.
"Enlightenment is essential."
"But the process… is far more difficult than conquering this world."
He set down the nautical chart in his hands, then lightly patted the head leaning against his shoulder.
"The human heart is the most complicated thing of all."
"I understand so much more now."
Just like the rampant corruption in ancient times—
—while imperial power played a role, it was the desire to control everything that truly led to collapse.
"Didn't you always say to be patient?"
"Stinky brother~" a soft voice teased, as two gentle hands rubbed Naruto's furrowed brow.
"Alright, let the bullets fly a little longer."
"When the other Four Emperors and the Revolutionary Army leader appear, we'll take them all down at once."
Naruto hugged Tenten from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"How about I show you… another version of me?"
"Another you?" Tenten and Ino blinked, confused.
Beside them, Hinata turned red.
"You'll be amazed by your alternate selves."
"Especially you, Hinata."
A sly smile curled Naruto's lips.
Immediately, swirling space-time ripples appeared, and he transported the three girls into a Limited Tsukuyomi world.
Big-sister Hinata.
Battle-hardened Tenten.
Gentle Ino.
And of course—
Punching-bag Tsunade.
Meanwhile, after the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law brigade led the army to land on the island of Marineford—
The war was over.
Akainu and Aokiji lay defeated on the ground, unconscious.
Both had been shackled with seastone cuffs.
Clatter—
Whitebeard slowly rose to his feet.
"It's time to bring this all to an end."
He lifted his gaze to the pirate flag waving in the sea breeze.
The emblem of the Whitebeard Pirates fluttered proudly above.
"Don't look back… times are changing."
He murmured, images of long-lost companions flashing through his mind.
"It's been a long journey..."
"The age of marines led by pirates—and the tyranny of the World Government—is finally collapsing."
"So this is farewell to an era?"Minato said softly beside him.
Whitebeard gave a small nod and turned to the remaining pirates who were still conscious.
"Am I… worthy of being called your father?"
Silence.
Then, one by one, the pirates lowered their heads, tears streaming down their faces.
A gentle smile appeared on Whitebeard's worn features.
"Will peace truly come to the islands I once protected?"
Minato replied firmly.
"We've already claimed the first half of the Grand Line."
"Soon, the Navy, the Pirates, the World Government, the Celestial Dragons—all these oppressive powers will be gone."
"Peace will come…"
"But war, in one form or another, never truly ends."
Whitebeard understood.
He didn't argue. He didn't resist.
"Then I'll help you sweep away the final remnants of the old world."
Ancient Platinum—!!!
With a roar, Whitebeard unleashed the power of the Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit).
The already ruined buildings of Marineford collapsed completely.
None could stop it.
None dared to try.
And then, emerging from the shadows—
"Teach," Whitebeard growled, "you've finally shown yourself after all that hiding."
After the smoke and dust settled, Marshall D. Teach—better known as Blackbeard—finally stepped forward from where he had been lurking on the sidelines, watching the battle unfold.
His appearance was unmistakable:
Several teeth missing from his grin, a wild mess of hair, thick body hair, and a stocky, powerful build.
"Long time no see!"
"I'm thrilled I get to see you one last time before you die… Dad!"
Now that he'd been exposed—and with things beyond the point of no return—Blackbeard dropped all pretense.
"Teach…"
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes. His expression turned icy.
Ancient Platinum—!!!
The ground quaked.
The overwhelming power of the Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit) tore space apart.
An invisible shockwave cannon erupted, instantly shattering the Moby Dick, the Whitebeard Pirates' main ship, beneath Whitebeard's feet.
Whitebeard himself landed on Marineford, his presence shaking the battlefield to its core.
Even the ground under Blackbeard's feet began to crack from the aftershock.
Blackbeard quickly leapt backward, narrowly avoiding the destructive force of the tremor.
"So that's how it is, huh? You never gave a damn about our bond. Looks like there's no room for mercy after all."
Despite his cocky tone, cold sweat was running down Blackbeard's face.
He wasn't confident—not in front of Edward Newgate.
"You're the only one..."
"You're the one man who's unworthy of being called my son, Teach!"
Boom—Boom—Boom—
Whitebeard strode toward him, each step leaving deep, thunderous imprints in the ground.
"You violated the one unbreakable rule aboard my ship."
"You murdered your own crewmate."
He raised his massive arm and pointed directly at Blackbeard.
"Let's finish this, Teach."
Blackbeard stretched out his arms with a wicked grin.
"Just what I was hoping for!"
Dark, inky smoke suddenly erupted from beneath his feet, seeping across the battlefield like a living tide.
It surged outward, engulfing the ground and creeping toward Whitebeard.
"Black Hole—Yami Yami no Mi!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the darkness swirled upward like a fiery vortex around his body.
His voice echoed from the void:
"This is the power I gained after killing Thatch."
"The most dangerous Devil Fruit of all… the Dark-Dark Fruit!"
"Feel its might!"
But Whitebeard's expression didn't waver.
Then—his feet began to sink.
The black smoke beneath him churned like a swamp, slowly dragging him down.
His vision darkened as if the world itself was being swallowed.
Blackbeard stepped forward, smoke billowing around him.
"Thatch is gone, old man. The Whitebeard Pirates… just like Marineford… are finished."
He lifted both hands and declared arrogantly:
"Once, I truly respected and admired you."
"But now? You're just an old relic."
"You couldn't even save the crewmate they were about to execute."
Suddenly—
Whitebeard moved.
A silent, massive presence advancing like a storm.
Blackbeard flinched and instinctively raised both hands.
"It's useless! Your powers mean nothing before mine!"
But Whitebeard only glared coldly.
"Do you actually think… you'll make it out of here alive?"
For a moment, Blackbeard hesitated—then turned his eyes toward the Shinobi Alliance standing imposingly on the island.
His confident grin faltered.
A twitch pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"Tch. I'll survive, alright."
"I always find a way."
...
TN:
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