Aboard the Moby Dick, the Whitebeard Pirates had just received devastating news.
"My sons, Ace will be executed in three days. Prepare yourselves for battle!" Whitebeard's deep, commanding voice rolled like thunder across the deck.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
The entire ship erupted in defiant cheers, weapons clashing against the deck as the men's fighting spirit surged. Their momentum seemed to shake the very heavens.
Marco and the other commanders quickly gathered near Whitebeard. The blue-haired phoenix looked puzzled, his brow furrowing.
"Pops, aren't we taking Ashveil with us when we strike Marineford?"
Whitebeard laughed, his booming voice carrying over the waves. "Kuhahahaha! Don't concern yourself with that boy. Ashveil will meet us at Marineford. I promise you, he'll give the Marines a surprise they won't forget."
Marco sighed, rolling his eyes. So Pops and Ashveil had already plotted something together, and as usual, no one had bothered to fill him in. Still, despite his annoyance, Marco couldn't help but feel a flicker of anticipation. Whatever Ashveil had in store, it would shake the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the Sabaody Archipelago was in turmoil. A crucial checkpoint between the Grand Line and the New World, it had become a gathering place for pirates from every corner of the world.
Now, chaos reigned. News that Straw Hat Luffy had struck a Celestial Dragon spread like wildfire. Admirals were bound to be dispatched, and panic drove most crews to hastily abandon the islands.
Among the commotion stood the 11 Supernovas, each with bounties over one hundred million Berries. Some were alarmed, others excited.
"Damn it, that idiot actually hit a Celestial Dragon. With an Admiral on the way, we've got no choice but to retreat!" said Capone Bege, a cigar smoldering in his mouth as he adjusted his gangster-style suit.
"Hahahaha! Bold enough to hit a Celestial Dragon, now that's what I call a real man!" Urouge bellowed, his massive frame towering over the crowd, wings flexing. "I won't be left behind, Straw Hat Luffy. I'll make my own mark on the New World!"
Basil Hawkins, calm as ever, shuffled his tarot cards. "There's no need to panic. I've already divined it. Our chance of escaping this incident… one hundred percent."
On Grove 1, the once lively auction hall had transformed into a battlefield. Luffy, Kid, and Law stood at its center, facing down Marine forces.
"Hey, get out of my way! I told you, I'll handle this by myself!" Luffy shouted, fists clenched.
Kid sneered, red hair falling over his face. "Straw Hat, you're the one in the way. I don't need help dealing with a bunch of Marines."
Law smirked, resting Kikoku on his shoulder. "Tch, arguing at a time like this. You two blockheads should listen. An Admiral is coming. If we don't move fast, you'll regret it."
"Who are you calling blockheads?!" Luffy and Kid snapped in unison, veins popping on their foreheads.
The Marines seized their chance. Cannons roared, a barrage of iron shells streaking through the sky.
With a crack, Luffy's rubber fist shot forward, deflecting a cannonball. At the same time, Kid's metallic arm rose, bending steel and hurling it back at the Marines.
"Room," Law muttered. His sphere of power expanded, and suddenly, half the shells redirected mid-air, crashing into the Marines' own ranks. Explosions rocked the street.
"What the hell are these monsters?!" a Marine shouted in disbelief.
"Hold the line! We just need to stall until Admiral Akainu arrives!" barked a Rear Admiral, sweat dripping down his temples.
The words had barely left his mouth when the heavens split open.
A blazing meteor descended from the sky, slamming into Grove 1. The earth quaked violently, a massive crater forming in its wake. Flames consumed the air, the heat suffocating.
From the inferno, a figure emerged.
He wore a blood-red suit with a rose pinned to his chest, a Marine Admiral's coat draped over his shoulders like a mantle of authority. A cigar burned between his lips, his expression cold and merciless.
Admiral Akainu, Sakazuki, had arrived.
An elderly Marine stumbled toward him, trembling. "Admiral! Admiral Akainu! These pirates… they're too strong. I don't want to die!"
Sakazuki's glare was like molten lava. "Pathetic. Marines don't run from battle. Cowards like you disgrace our uniform."
His fist ignited, lava dripping onto the ground. With a single motion, he engulfed the old soldier in searing magma.
The man's screams echoed for only a moment before silence returned. All that remained was smoke and ash.
Pirates froze in terror.
"He killed his own man…"
"Monster! He's insane!"
"Run, run before he sees us!"
Akainu exhaled smoke, his voice dripping with contempt. "Just scum of the world. For absolute justice… you all burn in hell."
He raised his arm, magma blazing.
"Meteor Volcano!"
The sky rained fire. Lava fists pelted the island like a storm of meteors, turning the streets into a sea of flames. Screams filled the air as pirates were incinerated where they stood.
One survivor, quaking and pale, fell to his knees before Sakazuki.
"Please… I don't know where Straw Hat Luffy is. I swear! Don't kill me!"
Akainu sneered. "Trash doesn't deserve mercy."
His magma fist slammed down, erasing the man from existence.
Far from the chaos, a Marine warship cut through the sea.
On its deck stood Thorne Ashveil, his sharp gaze fixed on the burning silhouette of Sabaody in the distance. Smoke and cannon fire marked the horizon.
A smile touched his lips. "The sound of gunfire… so the battle isn't over yet. Jack's death didn't slow me down after all. Sabaody Archipelago… I've arrived."