The damp air stuck to me like cheap perfume. Marineford blazed below, hot as a distillery on payday. Perona floated alongside me, ghostly as fog. "They're actually going to cook Monkey Boy," she whispered, her own sadness cranked up to eleven. Shyarly's tail whipped against the bank of cloud, scales flashing in ash-gray illumination. "Cook suggests seasoning, darling. This is complete slaughter."
And then Shanks' ship descended like a drunk angel—giant balloons tight on ropes, his men a splash of red against the smoke. Dragon's revolutionaries flowed out of hidden tunnels like ants flowing out of a kicked nest. My fault, really. Telling Lucci about Punk Hazard? Worst best choice since Tony Stark decided to weaponize peace.
The battle made Ace's fight resemble a playground brawl. Garp's fist and Shanks' sword—clang—resounded across the bay like thunder. You could scent ozone and ancient grievances. Shanks laughed, free and untamed. "Still blaming me for the kid's spirit, old man?" Garp's bellow rattled the rubble. "You filled his head with pirate dreams!" Every punch splintered plaza stones; every parry rippled shockwaves through warships. Legends colliding? More like tectonic plates in discord.
Down below, Luffy staggered free, chains dangling. Hancock caught him before he face-planted. Her glare at Lucci could've melted glaciers. Rayleigh slid between them, sword drawn. "Rest, boy. Your turn comes later." Lucci's suit was shredded, blood mixing with leopard spots. Still, that cold bastard smirked. "Running already, Straw Hat?" Luffy's knuckles whitened. Not today. But the tremor in his breath? Pure Sabaody flashback. Kuma's ghost haunted his pupils.
Above, Doflamingo's strings whipped like razor whips. "Fufufu… boring heroes always win?" He cut off a revolutionary's arm in mid-charge. Akainu's magma fist evaporated Mihawk's sword slash next to him—unlikely allies, the two of them. Shyarly hissed, scales bristling. "That flaming fool's still standing?" Perona floated nearer, phantom hands writhing. "Want me to give him despair indigestion?"
"No."
Abruptly, Sengoku's golden Buddha form launched upward—directly at Shanks. The Admiral's voice thundered like the judgment of God: "Enough distractions!" Spinning, Shanks' Gryphon shone red to counter the giant palm strike. The collision thundered through Marineford, crushing the execution platform like an eggshell. Grinding teeth, Shanks staggered back, boots scraping stone to powder. "Timing's shit, Fleet Admiral!" he snarled, blood and sweat mingling. Sengoku's eyes blazed cold. "This ends now."
Akainu seized the opening. Magma surged toward Luffy—still slumped in Hancock's arms. "Justice," he snarled, molten fist swelling like a miniature sun. Rayleigh moved, but Mihawk's blade intercepted him mid-lunge. "Not today, Dark King." Rayleigh's knuckles whitened on his hilt. "Damn your precision, Hawk-Eye!" Beside them, Lucci's leopard form blurred, claws aimed at Luffy's throat. Hancock's scream tore through the din—"Don't touch him!"—her Mero Mero beam lancing out too slow, too late.
Shanks saw it coming. He spun, Gryphon cutting air to parry Akainu's blow—but Sengoku's palm cratered into his side. Ribcage splintered. Shanks staggered, red seeping through his white shirt. "Distracted?" Sengoku bellowed. Garp bellowed, launching himself at the Fleet Admiral, fists like cannonballs. "Sengoku, you bastard—!" They slammed into one another with a impact that shook the sky island beneath their feet. Perona's ghosts shrieked, churning like startled birds. "Cassian, do something!" Shyarly's tail whipped, scales grating cloud-rock. "The leopard's closing—"
Lucci's claws gleamed. Inches from Luffy's throat. Then—thwack. A rubber sandal smacked Lucci's jaw sideways. Sanji stood there, cigarette dangling, suit immaculate despite the carnage. "Table manners, CP0. Don't interrupt a lady." Hancock's Mero Mero beam hit Lucci square in the chest. Stone spread across his torso. He froze mid-snarl—a grotesque statue of rage.
Above, Mihawk's blade trembled against Rayleigh's saber. "Sentiment weakens your edge," Mihawk murmured. Rayleigh's grin was all teeth. "Funny. Thought that's what made yours legendary." The clash sent sparks showering onto Akainu's magma fist—now hovering over Luffy. Zoro's swords intercepted it, blades screeching against molten rock. "Move," he grunted, muscles straining. "You're blocking the view." Steam hissed where steel met lava.
Shanks reeled back, holding his ribs. Blood seeped between his fingers, reddening Gryphon's hilt. Sengoku's golden fist threatened—until Dragon's shadow intervened between them. "Your justice stops here, Fleet Admiral." Wind howled as Dragon's fist clashed with divine palm. The shockwave sent Admiral coats tumbling sideways like so many napkins. Garp bellowed, rushing Sengoku's flank—but Tsuru's cloth bandages caught his ankle. "Stand down, Garp!" she growled. "Come to your senses!" Old soldiers, old grievances.
Below in the debris, Lucci's petrified body cracked. Hancock's petrification never held up to CP0 endurance well. Granite splinters fell as his leopard muzzle spasmed. "Stubborn bastard," Sanji grumbled, smoking another cigarette. Zoro's swords crackled against Akainu's magma. "Oi, cook! Distract the lava guy!" Sanji's eyebrow rose. "And get my suit dirty? You distract him." Classic.
Above, Dragon's wind fist met Sengoku's golden palm—two giants grappling in mid-air. Garp struggled against Tsuru's binds, veins popping. "Damn it, Tsuru! Release me so I can punch that smug Buddha face!" Shanks spat blood onto Gryphon's sword, grinning like a madman. "Going soft, Fleet Admiral? That punch hardly tickled." Sengoku's eyes tightened. "I'll show you soft." Gold burned more fiercely.
Below, Lucci shattered his stone prison, granite shards exploding outward. Sanji's kick met his leopard lunge—crack—ribs snapping under polished dress shoes. "Dinner's canceled, furball." Hancock pulled Luffy back as Rayleigh parried Mihawk's relentless slashes. "Still sharp, Hawk-Eye," Rayleigh panted, sweat dripping into his beard. Mihawk's blade hummed. "And you're still sentimental."
Up high, Dragon's wind fists hammered Sengoku's golden palms like a hurricane against a fortress wall. Garp finally ripped through Tsuru's bindings, cloth strips fluttering like surrender flags. "Outta my way, Tsuru!" He launched himself at Sengoku, fists coiled with decades of betrayal. "You're protecting the wrong legacy!" Their collision sent tremors through the sky island, cracking the cloudbank under our ship.
Down below, Lucci lunged again—faster, angrier. Sanji's kick met his claws in a shower of sparks. "Persistent pest," Sanji growled, his suit sleeve singed by magma splashback. Zoro's blades screamed against Akainu's molten fist. "Less chatting, more slicing, cook!" Akainu's glare burned hotter than his magma. "Insolent brats!" Lava surged, forcing Zoro back a step. Steam hissed where steel met hellfire.
Above the turmoil, a shaft of yellow light cut through the smoke. Kizaru dropped between Dragon and Sengoku, hands in pockets, expression as languid as a cat sleeping. "So annoying~," he drawled, his voice heavy with affected boredom. His foot shot out—light-speed—and Dragon sprang backward, wind cloak fluttering. "Shouldn't revolutionaries like you leave shadows to concern me?" Kizaru's smile didn't reach his eyes. Cold killer intent.
Then the earth moaned. Green Bull burst out of the broken plaza like a weed bursting through concrete, vines as large as cables on warships slithering out at Shanks. "Pirates are such annoyances!" he roared, roses blooming unnaturally from thorns that protected him. Shanks deflected, Gryphon shrieking against vines, but Green Bull's roots wrapped around ankles—struck Garp out from beneath him. The old hero face-plowed into rubble. "Damn florist!" Garp spat muck, fists quiverly.
Above us, the sky grew dark. Not clouds—gravity itself was warped. Fujitora fell slowly, sword extended, blind eyes fixed on Dragon with cold aim. "Rebellion is heavy," he said. The warship below Dragon creaked, flexing beneath an unnatural stress. Dragon's wind cloak tore, fighting the crushing force, boots dropping onto twisted deck plates. Kizaru's laser faltered past Dragon's head—"Too slow, revolutionary~"—dividing attention. Wind against gravity against light. A brutal stalemate.
Below, Green Bull's tendrils wrapped Shanks' ankles, thorns thrusting deep. "Roses for a dead king!" the Admiral cackled, petals swirling like funeral confetti. Shanks bellowed, Gryphon flashing red as he cut through the vines—but blood now flowed freely, reddening seawater beneath. Garp climbed up, rubble sticking to his coat, as Tsuru's cloth wrappings slid towards him once more. "Persistent hag!" he thundered, fists flying. Older friends, older battlefield.
Above, Fujitora's gravity sent Dragon to the ground, warship groaning like a dying creature. Kizaru's laser ripped past Dragon's shoulder. "Tsk, missed~"—but not without a price. Dragon's wind fist swung upward, destroying the gravity field. Blind Admiral staggered, sword shaking. "Impressive," Fujitora sneered, a streak of blood running from his nose. Dragon stood, cloak whirling like a storm brought to life. "Justice shouldn't be blind.".
Down at the bay, Green Bull's thorny vines curled around Shanks' sword arm. "Stand still, pest!" the Admiral bellowed, roses bursting crimson as thorns bit deep. Shanks smiled, blood and sweat stuck in his hair to his forehead. "Thorns? Adorable." Gryphon flashed—shink—and the vines fell away, cleanly cut. But it was too late; Shanks' arm hung limp, tendons torn. Garp bludgeoned Green Bull, fists like battering rams. "Get off my damn lawn! " The punch cratered the Admiral's floral armor, petals exploding like shrapnel.
Above the melee, Sabo's pipe cracked Lucci's jaw sideways. "Hands off my brother! " he snarled, Haki flaring blue-white around the steel. Koala's foot blurred, a whirlwind of kicks driving back CP0 agents. "Move, Luffy! " she shouted. No flames—just raw fury and years of discipline. Sabo's pipe met Lucci's claws in a storm of sparks. "Should've stayed in your cage, Sabo," Lucci hissed, blood dripping from his muzzle. Sabo's grin was all teeth. "Cages are for pets."
Luffy stumbled, eyes wide.
"Sabo? But Ace said—" "Later!" Sabo pulled him along, Koala guarding their escape with intent kicks that shattered stone. "Revolutionary extraction plan B!" she cried, dodging away from a spray of magma. Akainu bellowed, molten fist rising—but Sabo spun around, pipe snapping the Admiral's wrist. Steel shrieked on lava. "Go, Luffy! Now!" The air spat where Haki kissed hellfire.
Luffy fell to Rayleigh's outstretched palm, the old pirate cutting a swath through CP0 thugs. Liberty had the flavor of salt and blood. Five steps. Then the shadows trembled.
Five steps to Rayleigh's palm. Five steps to salt air and freedom. Then the shadows of the plaza churned up, black tar at the scorching sun of noon. Out of them emerged Teach—Blackbeard—smiling so wide he could have split his face in two. "Zeha ha ha!" The laughter grated raw against the chaos of war. "Taking off in such a rush, Straw Hat?" Darkness accumulated at his feet, devoured stray cannonballs whole. His crew seeped out of the darkness behind him: Burgess with creaking knuckles, Doc Q's horse-sized bony skeleton exhaling poison smoke, Shiryu's red-coated sword. They reeked of wet graves and cheap liquor.
Luffy stood transfixed. Not fear—recognition. Marineford. Ace. Akainu's fist. The war that shattered the world. His knuckles turned white as bone, his jaw clenched so hard I could hear teeth scrape from the sky island. Air around him rippled, Conqueror's Haki like electricity before a lightning strike. Teach's smile grew even broader. "Recalling something, boy?" Luffy's gasp was snatched—rasp, pain noise. And then Zoro's blades flashed between them, Sanji's heel smashing the stone at Teach's feet. "Captain," Zoro growled, eyes fixed on Shiryu. "We've got pests." Sanji blew smoke toward Burgess. "Big ones. Annoying." Luffy blinked. The fury cooled, banked to embers. A slow nod. "Yeah. Distract the others." He met Teach's eyes. "This one's mine."
Chaos erupted. Usopp's pop greens exploded into thorny thickets, tangling Burgess. Franky's laser sliced through Doc Q's poison fog. Robin's hands bloomed from rubble, wrenching Van Augur's rifle skyward. Nami's clima-tact summoned a localized hailstorm, pelting Lafitte's wings. Jinbei belted forward, tidal wave fists crashing into Avalo Pizarro's boulder body. "Protect the Captain!" Brook's violin wailed, ice gliding on Shiryu's shadow sword. The Straw Hats belted as one—a hurricane of pandemonium pinning Blackbeard's men down.
Luffy didn't rush. He inhaled, ozone and blood prick in his nostrils. Shadows of Teach roiled, ravenous and cold. "Still frightened, Mugiwara?" Teach sneered, cracking his neck. Luffy's eyes narrowed. Not fear—thought. Gear Fourth's steam gushed from joints, muscles coiled taut as springs. "Ace's flame," Luffy said, low, "isn't lost." He burst—snap—fist aflame crimson.
Taught met it with a wall of raw emptiness, the impact soundless, monstrous, vacuum snatching at sound itself.
For a moment, it was even. Luffy's Haki burned, his fists crashing like cannonballs—Bounce Man's velocity a smear against the monstrous bulk of Teach. Teach stumbled back, spitting blood, shadows dancing at his shoulders. Hope flared in the eyes of the Straw Hats.
Then Teach smiled.
"Yami Yami no Mi," he laughed, pounding his fist into the shattered earth. Earth beneath Luffy gave way to crushing gravity. His mid-air momentum was snuffed out in an instant. Teach's earthquake-wrapped fist slammed into his ribs with the thunder of shattered mountains. Bone cracked. Luffy crashed into the wreckage, a cloud of dust shrouding him entirely.
Teach refused to grant him a chance to breathe. He moved in on him, every step causing the plaza to shake. Darkness enveloped Luffy, pinning him in place like an insect in a jar. His fists came down in brutish rhythm—no finesse, no mercy. A left hook shattered Luffy's jaw. A right cross crushed his cheekbone. Blood spattered, mixing with pulverized stone. Luffy's arms shook as he tried to cover himself, but each quake-shock ripped through his defense, breaking joints.
Gear Fourth's steam hissed weak, running down to nothing.
Teach leaned close, breath thick with rum and decay. "Yonko now, Straw Hat," he rasped, his fist crackling with gravity's pull. "Two Devil Fruits—darkness and quakes." His grin split wide, teeth wet and red. "You're just… rubber."
Luffy spat blood, one eye swollen shut. Teach raised his boot, sole glowing with a swirling black void, and aimed it at Luffy's skull. "Job's done."
Everything froze.
Akainu's magma fist hung mid-swing against Aokiji's glacial shield. Sengoku's golden palm hovered inches from Dragon's wind-wreathed punch. Even Kizaru's laser froze mid-beam, suspended light in still air. The battlefield held its breath, a grotesque painting of violence paused. Only the hum of Teach's darkness remained—a hungry whisper promising oblivion.
Then the sky screamed.
It wasn't thunder. It wasn't cannonfire or the roar of Haki. It was the air itself ripping apart as something enormous punched its way through the cloudbank over Marineford. Sunlight was gone. Shadows consumed the plaza. For one heartbeating moment, every eye—pirate, marine, revolutionary—looked up. Even Teach's boot missed its step.
Then impact.
Not a landing—a meteor strike. The plaza was shattered. Stone slabs the length of warships rebounded up into the air like kicked playing cards. Shockwaves ripped outward, flattening marines and pirates in their wake, sending Admirals reeling. Dust billowed in clouds as thick as volcanic ash. Through it, a figure coalesced—twenty-five feet tall, sprawled across a crater still glowing with heat.
Silence hit harder than the blast. Teach's boot hung, abandoned, over Luffy's broken body.
I rose slowly, dust trickling from my shoulders like ash. My knuckles scrapped against the shattered marble as I wrapped Fake Mjolnir in my hand. The blade pulsed in my grip, vibrating with raw power that stank of ozone and burned sugar.
Faces appeared through the smoke—dazed, white, incredulous. Sengoku's golden glow trembled. Dragon's wind faded. Even Akainu's magma reduced to ember.
They all knew.
The man who painted Mariejois red.
The Devil Who Broke The Heavens.
Doomsday.