The instant Black Leg, his foot coated in Armament Haki, collided with the descending magma, an unbearable, piercing pain surged straight through Sanji's body.
"Ahhh!"
A shrill scream tore from his throat as his face twisted in agony mid-air. His foot was scorched bright red, flames engulfing him completely.
He was on fire.
From a distance, Sentomaru, standing beside a Pacifista and observing the battlefield, sighed heavily as he watched Sanji being swallowed by the falling magma.
"Poor Black Leg. To dare block magma released by Sakazuki with his own foot. That leg is probably ruined."
"Sanji!!!"
Luffy, who had been rolling across the ground trying to extinguish the magma splattered over his body, looked up in horror. He could only watch helplessly as Sanji was crushed downward by the molten mass and slammed into a distant building.
Boom!
Flames surged skyward as the building exploded, scorching magma spraying in all directions.
"Help! Fire!"
"It's too hot, I'm burning to death!"
"Run! This place is going to collapse!"
Survivors poured out of the building in panic. Many of them were engulfed in flames, crying out as they rolled across the ground, desperately trying to extinguish the burning magma clinging to their bodies.
"Sanji…"
Luffy stared at the raging inferno, his entire body trembling, his eyes bloodshot.
"Admiral!!!"
He suddenly turned, roaring toward Admiral Sakazuki, who was facing Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Franky.
"Damn it! Aren't you an Admiral?! Why are you hurting innocent civilians!"
Luffy's voice shook with fury as he swung his enlarged arm, unleashing a massive Gomu Gomu no Giant Pistol.
"What you're doing is no different from the worst pirates who trample on ordinary people!"
Boom!
With a casual punch, Sakazuki blasted Luffy's giant fist aside, scorching magma erupting along with the impact.
"Oh?" Sakazuki sneered. "You've got some nerve, Straw Hat."
Sentomaru adjusted his grip on his axe and spoke with a hint of admiration.
"To question Sakazuki like that, there aren't many pirates with that kind of courage."
In all the battles Sentomaru had witnessed, most pirates did not even dare face Sakazuki head-on. Many fled before the fight truly began, including infamous veterans of the New World.
"Difference?"
Sakazuki crushed the steel fist Franky had launched at him, his gaze icy as he looked at the battered Luffy.
"There is no difference. As long as I kill all of you here, that is enough."
He glanced at the civilians fleeing in panic.
"As for those who die because of you, they are nothing more than unavoidable sacrifices on the path of justice."
The molten magma spread, and Franky's steel fist melted completely, dripping onto the ground as liquid metal.
"Damn it, super hot! Ahhhh!"
Franky let out a strange yell, then clenched his teeth and activated his ability. The molten metal flowed back toward him, covering his body as his form restored itself completely.
The liquefaction and reconstruction happened in an instant.
Franky stood unharmed, transforming once again into a long-range cannon.
"Hm?"
Sakazuki narrowed his eyes slightly.
"A Paramecia ability. It can endure some level of heat."
Swish!
A resolute figure appeared behind Sakazuki, flames clinging to his body like remnants of purgatory. Three swords glowed red-hot, and Zoro's calm eyes shone with a dark, chilling light.
"Three Sword Style. King of Hell. Oni Shura, Severing Flame!"
The moment the three blades swung together, the flames covering Zoro's body vanished instantly, dissipating into the air.
A chilling cold spread outward from the sword tips, freezing the surrounding space.
Boom!
Sakazuki's magma fist collided with Zoro's blades, blasting Zoro backward through the air.
Yet, for a brief moment, even the magma coating Sakazuki's arm dimmed slightly, its temperature dropping where it had touched the swords.
"…."
Sakazuki stared at his fist, at the portion where the flames had been extinguished.
"You brats from this pirate crew are truly dangerous."
He slowly raised his head, locking eyes with Zoro as he prepared to charge again.
"It seems I must wipe all of you out here to avoid future trouble."
Boom!
The magma fist reignited violently, erupting with even more intense heat. The ground beneath Sakazuki cracked as molten lava spread outward.
He scanned the remaining fighters, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Franky, and Usopp, his voice cold and absolute.
"Straw Hat Pirates, none of you are leaving this island."
Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.
Magma surged from the ground like an awakening volcano. A suffocating aura of destruction spread across the island, the sense of impending doom weighing heavily on every soul present.
Sakazuki stepped forward slowly, eyes brimming with naked killing intent.
"Even if that monster appears to stop me, I will fight to the death to erase you all."
From this brief clash, he had already sensed it.
The aura of an Emperor.
"I can't hold back anymore."
…
"Sakazuki truly intends to kill them."
From afar, Sentomaru felt the terrifying heat radiating from the battlefield and grimaced.
"This is bad. He wouldn't destroy the entire Sabaody Archipelago, would he?"
If it were Admiral Aokiji, or even another Marine, such a situation might not escalate this far.
But this was Sakazuki.
This was the man who had once unleashed Meteor Volcano even within Mary Geoise, destroying entire sections without hesitation.
Celestial Dragon protests meant nothing to him.
"If Sabaody Archipelago is destroyed, it will disrupt the balance of the world."
Sentomaru wanted to intervene, but after a brief moment of thought, he shut his mouth tightly.
Once Sakazuki's killing intent was unleashed, even Sentomaru himself might be buried here.
"Absolute Justice… it's terrifying. Uncle, where are you? We need you. Sakazuki has completely lost himself."
He stared helplessly at the Den Den Mushi in his hand, but no response came.
…
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Luffy could no longer focus on defeating Sakazuki. Magma erupted everywhere, and Chopper, Brook, and Robin had already lost the ability to fight, lying weakly on the ground.
"Don't be afraid! We'll be fine!"
Dodging the erupting magma, Luffy grabbed his injured crewmates and pulled them away from the battlefield.
"Luffy…"
Robin's arms were covered in burn marks. She forced a faint smile.
"Don't worry about us. Go help Zoro and the others."
Luffy shook his head decisively. Stretching his arm, he grabbed a mangrove trunk and swung toward a safer area.
"No. I'll get you somewhere safe first!"
Suddenly, a massive figure descended from the sky, landing directly in front of him and blocking his path.
"Straw Hat."
"It's you!"
Luffy froze, shock filling his face. Holding his companions tightly, he instinctively stepped back.
____
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