"Where did he go?"
In the blink of an eye, Liam Ross vanished from right under Akainu's nose.
For a moment, the admiral froze. His brain flickered through possibilities.
Disappeared… invisible… that stealthy trickster could it be him?
Then the thought struck like a thunderclap.
An explosion of realization erupted inside his head, and his face darkened to a shade that rivaled the magma coursing through his veins. His eyes widened, veins bulging across his temple like cracks on a volcano ready to blow.
It couldn't be anyone else. That damned man the one who had ambushed him before, the one who humiliated him Liam Ross.
The memory burned hotter than magma.
That incident had shattered his image, his authority, his pride as a Marine admiral. It was, without question, the deepest stain of his career.
And now, to discover that the culprit the invisible ghost who'd turned him into a laughingstock had been Liam Ross all along?
His rage became volcanic.
"Liam Ross…" he growled, every word dripping with hatred. "I'll tear you apart. I'll grind your bones into ash."
Since that day, his enemy had vanished like smoke, leaving no trace. Every search ended in failure, every lead turned to dust. The frustration and humiliation festered inside him, eating away at his composure.
But now, finally he knew.
And yet, just like before, Liam had disappeared again.
Akainu's fury erupted. His arms turned molten, magma bubbling and swelling like living fire.
"LIAM ROSS! COME OUT AND FACE ME!"
His roar shook the frozen sea. Then he exploded literally flinging massive waves of molten lava in every direction.
Boom!
Crash!
The frozen ocean shattered. Ice spires collapsed, melting into steam. The world around him became a hellscape of fire and ice colliding, an apocalyptic storm of rage.
Nearby Marines stumbled back, eyes wide with fear. None dared to approach him. The heat was suffocating.
Above, the ongoing battle between Shiki, Aokiji, and Kizaru faltered for a heartbeat. All three sensed it Liam's presence had vanished completely.
"What the…?" Kuzan murmured, scanning the battlefield with Observation Haki. Nothing. Not a trace.
Then Akainu's furious roar echoed again, followed by another wave of destruction.
Golden Lion Shiki stopped mid-slash, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the chaos. His Observation Haki stretched outward but there was nothing. The strange man, "Liam Ross," had vanished just as mysteriously as last time. Shiki frowned, wary and intrigued.
Aokiji and Kizaru exchanged glances, silent but equally unsettled. There was something unnatural about this man's disappearance. Something far beyond the norm.
Meanwhile, far below, on the deck of one of the remaining warships
Liam Ross reappeared quietly, slipping aboard under the cover of invisibility. His boots touched the deck without a sound. He removed his mask, straightened his Marine uniform, and stepped casually out of the cabin, looking every bit like an officer returning from patrol.
He caught sight of Akainu raging in the distance and couldn't resist a faint, mocking smirk. The admiral's fury was almost poetic.
As magma rained across the ice, Shiki saw his chance. He unleashed a flurry of sword beams toward Aokiji and Kizaru to hold them off, then shot skyward, his golden mane trailing behind him.
"Marines!" he bellowed from a thousand meters up. "You'll pay for this someday! I'll make sure of it!"
And with that, he vanished into the horizon.
Aokiji and Kizaru didn't bother to chase. Both simply stood there, watching the molten chaos below where Akainu raged like a beast unleashed.
Neither said a word.
The patrol fleet returned to Marine Headquarters battered and empty-handed. The mission had gone poorly, and the three future admirals were in no mood to speak.
When the ships docked at port, orders were issued swiftly. Liam and the other officers escorted the wounded to the infirmary, while the admirals were summoned to report directly to Fleet Admiral Kong and Admiral Sengoku.
At the top floor of Marineford's grand central building designed in old-world architecture and authority the Fleet Admiral's office waited.
After listening to Kizaru's calm but detailed report, Kong frowned slightly and turned to Sengoku beside him. "What's your take on this?"
Sengoku adjusted his small round glasses, the glint of intelligence in his eyes sharp as ever. "There are too many inconsistencies," he said. "Just as Shiki mentioned, this man Liam Ross appeared far too conveniently in both incidents. Twice, in two separate conflicts, under nearly identical circumstances."
He paused, his tone deepening. "It's very possible he's one of our own."
The air grew heavy.
"That bastard…" Akainu snarled, fists clenching. "He's hiding among us, right under our noses! He's been mocking the Marines all along!"
"Calm yourself, Sakazuki," Sengoku said sternly. "Without Shiki's interference, we might never have noticed the connection. Whoever Liam Ross is, he's cunning dangerously so."
Kong leaned back in his chair. "Any leads on where to start?"
Sengoku lowered his gaze in thought, then answered, "From Ohara… to this patrol mission, one thing is certain he must have been among the Marine forces both times. We start there."
"I remember," Kuzan added, "he was wearing a Marine sergeant's uniform."
Sengoku nodded. "It could be a disguise, but it's still a lead. We'll investigate all officers below the rank of lieutenant. Even the cleverest fox eventually leaves tracks."
"Agreed," Kong said gravely. "But keep it quiet. If word gets out that the man behind these incidents the invisible intruder with a one-billion bounty is actually a Marine, the damage to our reputation will be catastrophic."
"Understood," Sengoku replied.
The meeting adjourned.
As the admirals left the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku called them into his own chamber to plan the operation in secret.
They couldn't afford to let the truth leak. The world believed Liam Ross and the "Invisible Man" were separate figures. If the truth came out that the man who rescued the demon child and embarrassed the Marines was one of their own the fallout would shatter Marineford's credibility overnight.
This investigation would have to remain hidden from all but the highest ranks.
Sengoku ordered Aokiji to form a covert special task force, with him as captain.
Akainu immediately objected. "No! I'll lead this mission. This is my responsibility."
Sengoku frowned. He knew Akainu too well. The man's temper would get someone killed or worse, alert their target. "Denied," he said flatly.
But Akainu's defiance was absolute. He stood tall, magma simmering beneath his skin, his voice a low growl of conviction. "Then make me vice-captain. I won't sit idle while he hides among us."
Sengoku sighed. Refusing further would only fuel his anger. "Fine. But no reckless moves."
Kizaru, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair, yawning lazily. "Ah, sounds like a lot of paperwork and late nights. Count me out, yeah?"
Sengoku ignored him.
Two days later, fresh Marines arrived to replace the wounded, and the patrol fleet departed once more. This time, Vice Admiral Onigumo led the operation.
By dusk, the fleet crossed into the South Blue.
Liam Ross, ever the phantom, waited until the night was deep and silent before slipping away again.
He reappeared on a deserted island, the moonlight glinting off the waves. The air was cool, calm the perfect place for another system check-in.
"Ding. Special location detected. Sign-in reward bonus: +5%."
"Proceed with sign-in?"
Liam grinned. "Of course. Sign in."
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
"Congratulations, host. Sign-in successful. Reward: One Primary Devil Fruit Development Card."
In the next moment, information flooded his thoughts the card's power, its purpose, its possibilities.
And a new chapter of chaos began to unfold.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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