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Whitebeard let out a booming laugh.
"Quick—everyone, retreat to the ships!!"
Ace, Luffy, and Jinbei were already moving back with the others.
"Ace, Luffy—go on ahead," Jinbei urged, his eyes brimming with tears. "They're after you two. Pops' wish was for as many of us to survive as possible!"
Then came Akainu's chilling voice:
"You really think you can run?""What a sweet little dream."
His body erupted with monstrous power, magma surging down his arm as he hurled it at the retreating pirates.
Flames and smoke swallowed the battlefield. Countless pirates were instantly consumed.
Akainu sneered. "So once Fire Fist Ace is saved, you all turn tail and flee? The Whitebeard Pirates are nothing but a flock of cowards!"
"Don't listen to him! Keep retreating!" someone shouted.
But Akainu pressed on, his voice dripping with venom."With a captain like yours, what choice do you have?""Whitebeard? He's just a loser from the last era!"
At those words, Ace froze in his tracks, rage flaring in his eyes.
"Ace!" Luffy and Jinbei spun around.
"Loser…?"
Ace's body burst into searing flames, fury blazing sky-high.
"Take it back."
The Whitebeard pirates cried out desperately, "Stop, Ace! Don't fall for it!"
"He insulted Pops. How could I let him walk away from that?" Ace roared.
Akainu smirked. "Take it back? Never. Because I spoke the truth."
"Your father, Gol D. Roger, conquered the Grand Line. He gave his life to open the door to this Great Pirate Era. As a marine I hate to admit it, but he truly earned the title Pirate King."
"And compared to him, what is Whitebeard?"
"Did he ever have the guts to fight Roger to the death?"
"No. He sat safe on his throne, lording over his followers like some mountain king, content with scraps of glory."
"Yes, fools may worship him. Yes, islands still fly his flag. But in the end, all he did was subdue a few small-fry pirates and pretend he was a hero. It's laughable!"
"In Roger's lifetime, Whitebeard cowered behind him. After Roger's death, he still couldn't claim the crown."
"Whitebeard will always be second best. Always a loser!"
"A pathetic man, worshipped by underlings who call him 'Pops,' playing house on the sea."
Ace trembled with fury, his body now wrapped in an inferno. Slowly, he advanced toward Akainu."Shut your mouth!!!"
The division commanders glared daggers, but Akainu twisted the knife even further.
"Even in his final moments, Whitebeard was betrayed—stabbed by a foolish son tricked with honeyed words. And still he died protecting them. What an empty life."
"Don't do it, Ace! Come back!" his crewmates screamed.
But Ace's flames only burned hotter."Pops gave us a reason to live. You'll never understand his greatness!"
Magma roared around Akainu's fists. "Those who stray from the path of justice have no reason to live. You pirates are all trash!"
"Shut up!!"
"To die as a loser suits Whitebeard perfectly—the trash of an era!" Akainu bellowed.
"Whitebeard was the great pirate who shaped this age!" Ace cried, his voice shaking with rage. "I won't let you insult the man who saved my life!"
"This age belongs to Whitebeard!!!"
With a roar, Ace hurled his blazing fist forward.
Akainu's lips curled in satisfaction. His trap had worked. He raised his magma fist and met Ace head-on.
Flame clashed with magma, the battlefield erupting in chaos. Shockwaves shattered the ground, firelight blasting into the sky.
In the world of One Piece—
The Whitebeard commanders stared tensely at the battlefield feed.
"Ace, fall back! It's a trap! Don't waste Pops' sacrifice!" Marco shouted.
Whitebeard, massive and bloodied, forced himself upright once more."Another foolish son… Who is Akainu to judge me?"
Ace shook his head. "No. I won't let anyone insult you, Pops."
Whitebeard's voice softened. "…Foolish child."
At Revolutionary Army headquarters—
"Ace, retreat! You're no match for him—you'll die!" Sabo's fists shook with helpless fury."Damn you, Akainu… If anything happens to Ace, I'll never forgive you!"
Dragon stood on the high platform, eyes fixed on the scene."The son of Gol D. Roger… Don't you dare squander the life Luffy tried to protect."
At Marineford—
"Good… Let evil come to me. I will be the one to end it in the name of absolute justice," Akainu muttered coldly.
Garp clenched his fists, silently praying for his grandson.
Back on the battlefield, magma streamed down Akainu's body as he tore at Ace with volcanic fury. The world turned crimson with fire and molten rock.
The explosion sent Ace flying, charred and gasping.
"He's burned!" a pirate shouted.
Ace staggered, trembling, trying to stand.
"You thought your flame made you invincible? Fool. Fire is nothing compared to magma. I burn even fire itself away. Our powers aren't even close."
Ace's body shook violently.
Luffy tried to rush forward—but his legs buckled, collapsing beneath him.
"Luffy, you've already reached your limit," Jinbei cried.
Akainu loomed over Ace, smug and unyielding."The Pirate King's son… and Dragon's son… brothers, of all things. What a scandal. With blood like yours, there can be no forgiveness."
"Anyone else may escape. But not you two."
His gaze shifted to Luffy, kneeling in the distance. Akainu charged, magma roaring.
"Wait—!!!"
But he didn't stop.
Luffy raised his head just in time to see the magma fist descending like an erupting volcano.
There was no sound—only a shower of crimson droplets scattering through the air.
Ace had stepped in front of him.
Time froze. The droplets hit the ground, echoing in the silence.
Akainu's fist had pierced straight through Ace's body.
Magma dripped from the wound, Ace engulfed in fire, his face twisted in pain.
The battlefield erupted in gasps of horror.
Blood spilled from Ace's mouth as Luffy stared, eyes wide as saucers.
Akainu yanked his fist free. More blood gushed.
"Ace!!!" Luffy screamed, catching his brother as he collapsed.
Whitebeard and Garp's eyes went wide with rage.
"Sakazuki—!!!" they roared, their voices shaking the heavens.
"..."
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