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"Karp! We can't just sit back anymore!" Sengoku clenched his fist.
Whitebeard's massive bisento once again shimmered with the white energy of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
Marines broke out in cold sweat, stumbling backward in panic."That move again?!"
Aokiji's face darkened, his entire body radiating an icy, murderous chill as frost billowed from his skin.
He leapt high into the air."Ice Ball!!!"
A freezing wave surged toward Whitebeard, the battlefield instantly engulfed in a deadly blizzard.
Whitebeard, mid-swing, was suddenly entombed in solid ice.
But only for a heartbeat.
Cracks spread like lightning across the frozen sculpture. With a thunderous crack, the ice shattered into countless shards.
Aokiji's expression hardened. "So even freezing won't hold down those quakes…"
Whitebeard blurred forward, moving at terrifying speed. With a sharp whistle of air, his bisento tore straight through Aokiji's body.
"Admiral Kuzan!!!"
"Was that Haki? Did it… kill him?"
But Aokiji's body erupted with another blast of frost, ice racing down the blade itself."Don't mess around with me, Whitebeard!"
The bisento froze layer by layer in Aokiji's grip."Ice Block: Partisan!!"
Jagged ice spears erupted all across the battlefield.
But Diamond Jozu charged in, his entire body glittering like living crystal. Moving with blinding speed, he became a white blur and slammed into Aokiji with earth-shaking force.
Aokiji's body burst apart into chunks of ice, shattering into falling shards.
As the frozen pieces scattered, they slowly reformed into his human shape again.
"Father, keep going! Leave this one to me!" Jozu roared.
Whitebeard marched forward without hesitation. "Jozu, I'm counting on you."
Blood trickled from Aokiji's lips. "Diamond Jozu…"
Meanwhile, Luffy forced himself back onto his feet, dragging his battered body toward the execution platform. Every step was blocked by wave after wave of Marines.
He fought tooth and nail, until a sudden flash of golden light struck him down.
Boom!
Luffy crashed into the ground, howling in pain.
Kizaru peered down at him, unimpressed. "Having guts alone won't get you far."
"Straw Hat Luffy… without strength, you'll never save anyone."
Luffy's vision swam, the battlefield before him flickering in and out of clarity.
Kizaru's leg glowed with searing light before snapping forward. His kick sent Luffy flying helplessly—straight toward Whitebeard.
Whitebeard caught him in one arm.
"Whitebeard, you've lost your edge. To let a reckless brat like this lead the charge?" Kizaru sneered.
Whitebeard tossed Luffy back toward his crew. "Get him patched up."
But Luffy screamed in defiance, voice raw with desperation."No! I don't have time! Ace is my only brother—I have to save him!"
He staggered upright, charging two steps before collapsing again.
Whitebeard lifted his massive weapon."Anyone willing to throw their life away, follow me."
The tip of his bisento pulsed with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, glowing with blinding white energy.
He brought it down with terrifying force.
But before it could land, a blazing figure appeared.
Akainu strode through the inferno, his body seething with molten fury. His magma-coated fist collided head-on with Whitebeard's quake-charged blade.
The clash rocked the island itself, the ground splitting and trembling.
"If you keep this up, this island won't last much longer," Akainu growled coldly.
Whitebeard's voice boomed back, unyielding. "Then you'd better guard it well!"
The two tore apart, unleashing shockwaves that blasted out in every direction, sending Marines and pirates alike tumbling back.
Akainu's fists became volcanic craters, magma boiling, ready to erupt.
Whitebeard's fists glowed with quaking light, the air around him fracturing like glass.
Their powers clashed once more—magma colliding with tremors, red fire battling white light.
The battlefield split in two, scarred by crimson and ivory. The earth quaked violently beneath their feet.
Neither man yielded. Soldiers scattered in terror."Run! Don't get caught in that!"
Under the crushing force, Akainu faltered slightly, forced back step by step.
At that moment, Marco burst into blue flames, transforming into his phoenix form and soaring toward the execution platform.
He was nearly at Ace's side when—
Garp finally moved. Sweat streamed down his forehead, torn by hesitation, but his fist clenched with monstrous power.
The Hero of the Marines, the man who once captured the Pirate King, unleashed a punch that shook the heavens.
Even Marco, in his immortal phoenix form, was swatted from the sky like a rag doll, sent crashing backward.
Shock rippled across every face on the battlefield."Captain Marco!!!"
In the pirate world…
Whitebeard's crew stared in disbelief at the projection."Captain Marco… taken down by some old Marine?!"
Whitebeard slowly rose to his feet."Don't underestimate that old man. He's the one who captured the Pirate King."
"What?! The Pirate King? Marines still have monsters like that hidden away?"
Ace's eyes widened. "So the old man's really that strong?"
"That's right," Whitebeard said firmly. "They call him Iron Fist. His strength may even surpass the Admirals."
On the Thousand Sunny…
The Straw Hat crew gawked at the screen."Luffy, isn't that your grandpa?! He just knocked out Whitebeard's first division commander with a single punch!" Usopp shouted.
Luffy grinned, almost proudly."Yeah. Gramps is insanely strong. When I was a kid, I got those fists plenty."
In the shinobi world…
The Third Hokage sat deep in thought, recalling Jinbe hurling seawater as a weapon."A Water Release technique from another world… fascinating."
"And that so-called Admiral Akainu—the power of his flames might even outstrip Fire Release itself."
"So many strange abilities… they'd be worth studying carefully."
Kisame bared his shark-like grin."Jinbe, huh? I'd love to fight him. His water jutsu intrigues me."
Itachi, meanwhile, sat in silence."Those screens… those powers… If they spill into our world, the balance could collapse. Our strength still isn't enough."
Nagato stared at the screen."Konan… the fire and water techniques of that other world really aren't to be underestimated."
Konan's voice was calm but firm."Even so, they could never stand against Pain."
Garp sat down heavily on the high platform's chair.
The Navy erupted in cheers."Hero Garp has joined the defense!"
"The man who crossed blades with the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, time and time again!"
"A legendary Marine whose name is known across the seas!"
The pirates, however, felt a chill. Memories of the terrifying Marine came rushing back."The Golden Lion Shiki—equal to Roger in strength—wasn't it Garp, together with Sengoku, who fought him at Marineford and forced him into Impel Down?"
Whitebeard roared, his voice shaking the battlefield."Don't let his name scare you, brats! He's just an old warhorse now!"
Akainu's killing intent surged once more."You're from that same era too, Whitebeard. Maybe focus on the enemy in front of you!"
Magma gathered around his fist, the air instantly scorching hot, painting the sky red.
"Inugami Guren!!!"
The blazing magma fist turned into a monstrous dog's head, snapping forward.
Whitebeard swung his massive bisento, his quake power bursting forth, cleaving the magma beast clean in half.
Explosions thundered in the wake of the molten spray.
"Still all about wanton destruction, huh," Akainu sneered.
Whitebeard glared at him, voice rumbling like an earthquake."And I told you to protect, damn it!"
The two titans locked eyes, the air itself seeming to freeze between them.
"..."
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