As the words fell, the magma around Akainu surged wildly, its target directly aimed at Luffy.
Yet Luffy showed no fear at all, because just moments ago, a completely new set of techniques had suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Without the slightest hesitation, Luffy lowered his head sharply, bit into his own arm, and rapidly blew air into his body.
His body began to swell rapidly, while his skin gradually turned crimson, surrounded by faint wisps of steam.
A force even more domineering than before erupted wildly from within him.
Moments later, Luffy's body had expanded to its limit, his entire form a blazing crimson as if engulfed in roaring flames.
The steam around him grew denser, his muscle lines becoming exaggeratedly defined, transforming him into a crimson, bouncing figure.
He raised his head and roared at Akainu:
"Gear Fourth: Muscle Balloon!"
This scene stunned the entire battlefield.
Akainu's eyes narrowed abruptly, the mockery on his face vanishing, replaced by a hint of wariness.
He actually sensed a faint trace of threat from Luffy in this form.
Even if it was only a faint threat, it left him utterly incredulous.
After all, not long ago, Luffy was just a kid who could barely handle a Marine Vice Admiral with ease.
Yet in just a short while, he could make a Navy Admiral like himself feel threatened.
This meant Luffy's strength had increased severalfold, even dozens of times, compared to before!
On the execution platform, Sengoku watched Luffy's Gear Fourth form and murmured to himself:
"A new form?
So this Gear Fourth is the result of overloading Armament Haki combined with the power of the Gomu Gomu no Mi?
Truly astonishing Devil Fruit development!
Damn it, Garp's grandson's talent is indeed formidable, but why must he be a pirate!
Why not a Marine?"
As he spoke, Sengoku suddenly turned his head and glared fiercely at Garp, his eyes filled with reproach.
He simply couldn't understand how Garp, a hero of the Marines, could raise such a prodigiously talented pirate grandson.
Meanwhile, standing at the edge of the execution platform, Garp's previously despondent eyes instantly lit up.
He stared intently at Luffy below:
"That kid Luffy, he actually grasped a new combat form. Perhaps he really can create a miracle and save Ace!"
Entering Gear Fourth, Luffy bounced continuously in place.
The next moment, his fists contracted repeatedly, emitting the sharp sound of metal springs compressing.
Ignoring Akainu's provocation, his gaze locked back onto Ace on the execution platform as he charged madly toward it:
"Ace, I'm coming! This time, I will definitely save you!"
Although he bypassed Akainu, another powerful Admiral still blocked his path forward.
Watching Luffy charge toward him, Aokiji felt the temperature around him plummet sharply, instantly forming a thick layer of ice on the ground.
His fist was tightly encased in frigid ice, carrying a bone-chilling cold as he swung it fiercely toward Luffy.
"Straw Hat," Aokiji's voice was icy and steady, carrying a hint of complexity in his tone:
"Although your grandfather Garp once did me a favor, and I don't want to fight you, I am a Navy Admiral. Upholding Justice is my duty, and I absolutely cannot let you pass.
Come on, let's settle this like men and fight properly!"
Boom!
Luffy's fist collided with Aokiji's ice fist in an instant.
A powerful shockwave erupted from the point of impact, violently spreading in all directions.
The surrounding Navy soldiers were sent flying by the shockwave, crashing heavily to the ground.
This time, to everyone's surprise, Luffy was not knocked back by Aokiji. Instead, he blocked the attack.
For a brief moment, the two were evenly matched!
Everyone present was stunned by this scene.
No one had expected that Luffy, in this form, truly possessed the strength to contend with an Admiral!
A flicker of surprise flashed in Aokiji's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
He knew that while Luffy's Gear Fourth form was powerful, it must have a limited duration.
As long as he stalled, Luffy would soon exit Gear Fourth and be easily defeated.
Without hesitation, Aokiji waved his left hand, summoning countless shards of ice that coalesced into a sharp ice blade.
"Ice Blade!"
Gripping the blade, he flashed forward, slashing swiftly toward Luffy.
Aokiji's combat experience far surpassed Luffy's, his attacks sharp and precise, each strike aimed at Luffy's vital points.
But Luffy, relying on the formidable defense of his Gear Fourth form, covered his entire body with Armament Haki, forming a thick protective layer.
Each time the ice blade struck Luffy's body, it was firmly blocked by the dense Armament Haki, leaving only shallow wounds and posing no lethal threat.
Thus, the two fell into a stalemate.
High above, Akainu watched their fierce struggle, his brow tightly furrowed, his impatience growing stronger by the moment.
He no longer wanted to waste time and intended to strike, ambushing Luffy to eliminate this great threat once and for all.
But just as he prepared to act, a burst of blue flames suddenly appeared before him, blocking his path.
Marco hovered in front of Akainu, his wings spread, his body ablaze with intense blue flames—the Phoenix Flames.
He stared at Akainu, his gaze resolute and cold:
"If you want to ambush Straw Hat, you'll have to get through me first!"
Akainu glared at Marco blocking his way, his eyes instantly filling with killing intent:
"Since you insist on getting in the way, fine. I'll kill you first, then deal with that Straw Hat brat!"
With those words, Akainu abruptly raised his hand, hurling a massive magma fist straight at Marco.
Marco showed no fear, flapping his wings to dodge the attack. At the same time, he condensed blue flames into sharp claws, swiftly counterattacking Akainu.
Elsewhere, Kizaru stood in place, observing the chaotic battle with his trademark lazy smile, quietly scheming on how to slack off.
But just then, he suddenly sensed a surge of danger, freezing in place.
A loud, arrogant shout rang out from his side:
"One-Sword Style: Chop-Chop Great World!"
In the next moment, a peculiar slash flew from the side, hurtling straight toward Kizaru.
This slash was completely different from ordinary sword energy—it wasn't a single cohesive strike, but rather a fragmented form, as if pieced together from countless shards of slashes.
It appeared precarious, as though it might dissipate at any moment, yet within it lay a strange and eerie power.
Kizaru didn't dare take it lightly, swiftly dodging, but the slash pursued him relentlessly.
Several nearby Marine soldiers, unable to evade in time, were struck by the slash. Their bodies instantly split apart, shattering into countless fragments that scattered across the ground.
Strangely, however, no blood flowed from their severed wounds—the split surfaces were merely smooth planes.
This was precisely Buggy's Chop-Chop Fruit ability!
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