While Jack, Sabo, Sanji and Zoro battled Garling and Shamrock.
Dragon who just left Luffy come to help them, just earlier he had left Luffy alone to deal with Akainu.
He believed with Luffy strength because he had trained Luffy himself, seen his growth, and now with the combat suit that Jack just built. He know Akainu was no longer a threat to his son.
Just earlier he had fought with Akainu not even using his devil fruit power, he only use his haki, combat suit and sword that retransformed to uru metal. He believed that he could defeat Akainu, the only reason he left because he believed Holy Knights is a bigger threats than Akainu.
Luffy proved him right that he was more than capable to deal with Akainu, the battlefield trembled as the two monster faced each other amid rivers of molten rock.
"Hey, I heard you're a dog?" Luffy called out, tilting his head with that mischievous grin.
Akainu eyes narrowed. "Are you Dragon son?"
"Oh, you recognized me even with the helmet on?" Luffy laughed, tapping the metal mask. Then, with a hiss, the suit faceplate lifted, revealing that familiar carefree smile. "Shishishishi! Hi, I'm Monkey D. Luffy… and I'm gonna be the Pirate King!"
Akainu jaw clenched. "Dragon blood runs through your veins. Then you'll die like your father should have."
"Oh, I heard you ate the magma fruit," Luffy replied casually. "So what? I've fought hotter-headed guys than you."
Akainu voice boomed like thunder. "You think some toy armor can protect you from justice, Straw Hat?!"
Luffy grin widened, fire burning in his eyes. "I don't care about your justice. I'll protect my friends, that's all that matters!"
The ground cracked under Akainu's feet. He surged forward, magma dripping like living fire. "Then I'll burn that armor and your ideals to ash!"
"Meigo!" A torrent of magma roared through the air, splitting the ground and vaporizing river.
Luffy didn't flinch. He threw his fist forward, coated in Armament Haki.
"Gomu Gomu no… Pistol!"
His haki-infused punch slammed into the molten magma. The impact detonated in a shockwave of heat and pressure but Luffy didn't even feel pain. The suit absorbed and dispersed the vibration instantly. Instead, Akainu's knuckles hurted from the backlash.
Luffy had learned how to use ryuo or armament haki internal destruction, after Jack noticed that Dragon only teach a basic haki. Though it is not perfect yet but it still hurt Akainu.
"You can't stop me from killing you pirate scum!" Akainu snarled, his aura boiling the air itself.
"Didn't plan to," Luffy said, grin stretching wider. "I'm just gonna knock you flying!"
The suit's thrusters roared to life. Energy flared from his boots and back, propelling him upward in a burst of blue light.
Akainu eyes widened. "He's… flying?!"
"Wait.... I'm flying?!" Luffy looked down, spinning midair with childish excitement. "Shishishishi! I'm the real robot now! Jack suit is awesome!"
Enraged, Akainu thrust both arms upward. "You think the sky will save you?! Ryūsei Kazan!"
Dozens of blazing magma meteors launched from his fists, turning the sky red.
Luffy zipped between the fireballs, weaving effortlessly, laughter echoing. "Gomu Gomu no… Gatling! .... ah, wait, metal arms!" he barked out, realizing the armor was stretching with him. The suit nanofibers adapted, copying his Devil Fruit elasticity perfectly.
"Guess it works anyway! Shishishishi!"
His fists blurred into a storm of steel and haki, punching through meteors one after another. Each hit shattered molten rock and sent fiery fragments raining down like shooting stars.
Akainu's rage deepened. He slammed both fists into the molten ground, sending a shockwave of magma rippling outward. "You mock justice, boy! I'll kill you and every last one of your so-called friends!"
That word, 'friends' froze Luffy for a heartbeat. His laughter faded. His head tilted slightly, eyes shadowed under his brow.
Then the air around him cracked.
A thunderous pressure erupted outward, he just activated his Conqueror's Haki. The sky itself seemed to darken as waves of invisible power blasted through the battlefield, shattering stone and knocking weaker marines unconscious.
Akainu faltered for half a second, sweat running down his neck. "Tch… that pressure…"
Steam hissed off Luffy's armor. He drew his right arm back, stretching it far behind him, coated in Armament and crackling with crimson lightning.
"Gomu Gomu no… Jet Culverin!"
He shot forward faster than sound. Akainu crossed his arms just in time, the blow smashed against his chest with a thunderclap, launching him hundreds of meters away, through molten cliffs and shattered rock.
A plume of smoke rose as Akainu stood from the rubble, coughing blood, his magma flickering unevenly. "You think that hurt me?!"
Luffy landed gracefully, steam still rising from his suit. He cracked his neck, smiling. "Nope. That one was just a warm-up."
Akainu roared, slamming his hands to the ground. The entire battlefield began to glow red as rivers of magma expanded outward, swallowing half the island in fire and smoke. He just used his awakening, his magma fruit turning the ground into lava.
***
"Is that… awakening?" Luffy asked curiously, tilting his head again. "Jack told me about it once! Can you teach it to me?"
Akainu glared, he had seen luffy tilting his head and even asked him so many question during the fight. Molten steam hissing from his shoulders. "Teach you? Do you think we're friends?" he barked before thrusting both hands forward, sending a roaring tide of magma toward Luffy.
[Luffy, don't move. The suit's stronger than magma.]
Jack's voice echoed through the comm-link, calm and confident. Luffy blinked, then grinned. He didn't hesitate. Trusting Jack completely, he stood his ground and let the molten magma wave engulf him.
Akainu eyebrow twitched in disbelief. "Why… are you not blocking it?"
The magma crashed over Luffy like a tidal wave, melting stone, metal, wood around him but when the magma stopped from spreading. Luffy was swimming through the magma, casually paddling as if it were a warm ocean. His armor glowed faintly blue, completely untouched.
Akainu's jaw tightened. "You're mocking me…"
Luffy splashed a bit of magma aside. "Feels kinda warm, though. Like a hot spring!" he laughed.
Akainu fury boiled over. He clenched his fists, the ground beneath him bubbling as he changed tactics. His eyes hardened, no more holding back. He channeled his Armament Haki to the limit, coating his body in obsidian-black magma that hissed and sparked with crimson lightning.
He now understood one thing for certain, the combat suit Luffy and Dragon wore wasn't just resistant. It was immune to his magma's heat.
If he couldn't melt the armor, he'd crush the man inside it.
Author Notes: There is 10 advanced chapter on my patreon.
-patreon.com/zerelix