[2200 words]
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The giant monster, Oars jr, moved forward without stopping, trampling every Marine soldier that got in his way with his massive body.
Oars was not particularly strong; he lacked any effective skills and did not know how to use Haki. All he relied on was his enormous physique, which he used to approach Ace, who was on the execution platform.
To Oars' dismay, his massive body posed a problem only for cannon fodder. As long as the person was a little strong, they could take him down.
"Open fire on him! Don't let him get any closer to the platform!" Sengoku shouted to the nearby Marines, who quickly relayed his orders. In the next moment, Oars was hit by dozens of cannon shots.
*Boom!*
*Bang!*
*Boom!*
The terrifying sound of cannon fire did not stop Oars' advance. Even Ren, at that moment, was slightly impressed by the giant's determination and will.
But their positions did not change; they were still enemies.
'Some things never change, no matter what happens… Oars is still colliding with the Warlords…'
Ren, who had returned to his place beside the other Warlords, was muttering to himself as he watched Oars' giant legs nearly trample a line of Warlords, recalling Oars' unfortunate fate in the original work after this scene.
His weapon, "Versa," transformed into the shape of a sword and then disappeared from his location at an incredibly fast speed. When it reappeared, it was already above Oars' massive head.
"!!!"
Hancock, who had not made any movement since the beginning of the war, was planning to attack the giant who was about to step on her, but her beautiful eyes widened when she saw the black death, Ren, vanish from his spot and reappear above the giant.
Even she, known as the Pirate Empress, was surprised by the level of speed that was unlikely to be matched.
The Shave technique at the intermediate level that Ren mastered was no joke.
You must understand that the Six Powers of the Marines do not have levels as classified by the system. There is one level that the inhabitants of this world can practice.
Yes, the Shave used by an admiral is not the same as the Shave used by a vice admiral, but this difference mainly stems from their proficiency in the skill, along with physical strength and several other factors. However, essentially, the skill remains fixed at one level and does not change.
But in Ren's case, it was different because the system enhanced this skill and achieved a "breakthrough" in it. Thus, the Six Powers that Ren acquired from the system differ from the ordinary Six Powers invented by the World Government.
Returning to the events of the war, as soon as Ren appeared above Oars' head, he sheathed his sword, and coinciding with the sound of the sword being sheathed, a scene occurred that widened the eyes of the Whitebeard Pirates and their allies in shock.
No, it wasn't just them who were shocked, but everyone watching the war, whether on the battlefield or through the giant screens.
"Ugh!!"
With a sorrowful scream filled with pain and resentment, Oars' giant body split vertically in half.
His massive, split body fell to the hard ground of Marineford without the slightest trace of life.
Blood began to seep from his divided body, and soon the ground was covered with blood and entrails, while the dense metallic smell of blood spread throughout the area.
All this happened in mere moments, so fast that everyone did not know how to react, especially on the pirate side. Some were shocked, while others lost their morale, but the main members of Whitebeard's crew were sadder than anyone else.
"Oars!!" One of the Whitebeard Pirates' commanders shouted sorrowfully.
"Damn that bastard! I'll burn him!" Marco yelled through clenched teeth, glaring at Ren with anger and hatred.
In stark contrast, the Marine side was filled with morale and a thirst for victory. The sounds of battle and gunfire returned swiftly after this brief pause, and it was clear that the pirates' morale had been affected by the brutal death of Oars.
Another thing happened that drew everyone's attention again; one of the giant vice admirals tried to attack Whitebeard, who was still saddened by the death of a good son like Oars, and the vice admiral's skull was smashed, killing him instantly.
The death of the vice admiral restored the pirates' morale back to what it was or at least helped them recover from what had just happened with Oars, which only intensified the battlefield.
In Alabasta, specifically within the royal palace, the crew of the Sin Pirates was intently watching the broadcast showcasing the chaos unfolding at Marineford, their expressions varying in response to the mayhem.
"Fufufu~ Captain Ren is as ruthless as ever toward his enemies." Nojiko's gaze was filled with warmth as she observed Ren standing atop the dismembered body of Oars Jr.
"Strong…" Kalifa inhaled a cold breath, realizing she hadn't noticed when Ren drew his sword and struck down the giant Oars, a testament to his incredible speed.
To defeat such a giant, one would typically need to collaborate with Rob Lucci to land a decisive blow. It wouldn't be her who would deliver the fatal strike, but rather Rob Lucci, utilizing the secret form of the Six Powers.
Yet, Ren, who had temporarily become part of her crew to spy on him, had killed Oars with minimal effort.
Califa began to open her eyes to a new realm of power—a realm that could challenge her convictions and alter her destiny.
...
Meanwhile, at Marineford.
Amidst the chaos and destruction surrounding the Summit War, the sounds of battle echoed through the air. Between the cries of fighters and the clashing of swords, another sound resonated clearly—the flapping of fiery wings. Those were the wings of Marco the Phoenix, descending toward the ground like a shooting star.
Ren stood tall over Oars Jr.'s lifeless body, staring into the sky with a cold smile. He felt the warmth of blue flames approaching but showed no sign of hesitation. "So, you've decided to be my next opponent?" Ren said calmly as Marco landed gracefully before him.
"You killed Oars… now, you will pay the price!" Marco declared, his suppressed anger palpable, his eyes glowing with fierce blue flames.
Ren slowly raised his sword, enveloped in Haki, and added with a challenging tone, "Make me do it."
With those simple words from both sides, a battle of extraordinary magnitude began, capturing everyone's attention.
Marco wasted no time. In an instant, he transformed into his Phoenix form, his body igniting with blue flames that surrounded him like an indestructible armor. He charged toward Ren at an incredible speed, using his wings to propel himself faster. Ren dodged the initial attack but felt the heat of the flames grazing his skin.
'What a terrifying fire ability!' he thought to himself and countered with an attack, utilizing Observation Haki to read Marco's movements and targeting his weaknesses. With each strike from Ren, his Haki-coated sword sliced through the air, yet Marco continually regenerated.
With every blow Marco took, his body renewed itself with the immortal flames of the Phoenix. Even Ren's Armament Haki struggled to penetrate the remarkable healing abilities of the Phoenix.
"Tsk..." Ren felt frustration welling up as he watched his opponent recover so quickly, as if all his efforts were futile. But he was not the type to give up easily.
"Your abilities are extremely annoying… as expected from the second-in-command of the Whitebeard Pirates!" Ren said, taking a small step back to catch his breath and reorganize his strategy.
Marco, soaring through the sky again, replied coldly, "Did you really think that by hiding behind the Marines and the World Government, you could avoid Pops' wrath? Listen, you bastard, we will free Ace!"
Hearing Marco's mocking voice filled with anger, Ren chose to remain silent.
"You talk too much." A cold smile appeared on Ren's face as he addressed Marco, causing the latter to feel an unsettling premonition in his heart.
In the next moment, a dark aura erupted from Ren's body, spreading across the battlefield.
"!!!"
*Zzzzzz!!*
All fighting ceased as warriors from both sides felt an unknown pressure enveloping them, with some weaker individuals beginning to collapse, losing consciousness.
"This…"
"The Conqueror's Haki!"
"It's the Black Death! He possesses the Conqueror's Haki!"
Some knowledgeable men from both sides recognized the source of this pressure, and soon their words spread throughout the battlefield, shocking tens of thousands.
Users of Conqueror's Haki were rare.
"Fufu… So you also possess this will… the will to become a king, but it's still weak and unrefined." Doflamingo smirked slyly, unfazed by Ren's aura. For someone like him, who awakened the Conqueror's Haki at the age of seven, this was hardly surprising.
Hancock, still standing motionless in her place, showed no signs of shock. After all, she possessed this ability as well, and hers was stronger and more refined than Ren's, maintaining her sense of superiority.
Ren's Conqueror's Haki was still at the basic level; he had gained this ability only a few weeks ago. Despite training to control it, he found it challenging, and it continued to affect his Marine allies.
Not that he cared about that last point, but the Fleet Admiral certainly did.
"Black Death, did you do this on purpose?!" Sengoku shouted, his expression filled with frustration as he observed hundreds of his soldiers lying unconscious on the battlefield. Even the executioners responsible for carrying out the executions had collapsed!
"Gurarara! It's good to see you upset, Sengoku , You Snake!" Whitebeard laughed, though there was no joy in his laughter as there usually was. This was understandable given the calamity facing his crew, but Whitebeard was not afraid.
He looked at Marco, preparing to order him to retreat. The priority for the Whitebeard Pirates was to rescue Ace, not to seek revenge on Ren. It was better not to waste their energy on a futile battle.
But at that moment, he heard Ren's mocking voice: "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, look at the number of unconscious pirates and compare them to the number of Marines in the same state. I'm fulfilling my part in the agreement of the Warlords to the fullest, assisting the Marines in this war, so you shouldn't doubt me. Furthermore, despite your rank as Fleet Admiral, you have no authority over me, so don't tell me what I should do!"
Ren's tone grew increasingly aggressive and fierce as he spoke. Sengoku had attempted to assert his authority to the world and use Ren as a scapegoat for that purpose. Given that this war was being broadcast live to the entire world, Sengoku intended to publicly reprimand Ren to demonstrate that no matter how powerful the pirates were, he still held authority over them.
Sengoku truly lived up to his title as the "Wise General"!
However, Sengoku did not expect such a hostile response from Ren. For a moment, even he was taken aback, his expression freezing as he contemplated an appropriate reply.
No matter how hard he tried, he could find no flaws in Ren's words! Everything Ren said was true. He looked at the thousands of unconscious pirates; under normal circumstances, he would have rejoiced at this, but now he couldn't, for it was merely evidence supporting Ren's claims.
As Ren stood firm, exchanging glances with Sengoku and the Marines, a powerful voice resonated across the battlefield, capturing everyone's attention.
"We're here to save Ace, not to waste time with this brat , Marco!" These words came from Whitebeard, delivered in a deep, calm voice, yet filled with an aura of authority that silenced everyone.
"Marco, retreat!" Whitebeard commanded firmly without glancing at his first mate. Despite the anger blazing in Marco's eyes, he had no choice. Their primary goal was to rescue Ace, not to avenge Oars. Reluctantly, Marco stepped back from confronting Ren, retreating lightly to his father's side.
Ren, sensing the shift in the atmosphere around him, smiled coldly as he regarded Whitebeard with caution, thinking to himself, 'Smart move... but let's see how long you can endure.'
At that moment, despite the losses, the roar of battle rose once more. The cries of pirates surged toward the execution platform with renewed vigor, gathering all their strength to rescue Ace. The Marines, for their part, braced themselves to repel the pirates' fierce assaults. Explosions echoed in the distance, and the ground trembled beneath everyone's feet.
Yet, Ren showed no signs of concern. With a calm gaze, he observed the battle unfold from his position as if it did not affect him. This was merely the beginning... the real war had yet to reach its climax.
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I'am back.