"Great Eruption!!!" Akainu's iron-blooded roar echoed through the air.
"Gulu! Gulu!" The earth trembled as a giant fist of molten magma shot towards the sky, the temperature soaring rapidly and distorting the very atmosphere. The violent magma showcased its immense destructive power, living up to its reputation in the Devil Fruit compendium as one of the most powerful in terms of pure attack power. This was the Logia Lava-Lava Fruit in action.
"Fist!" The roaring flames transformed into a massive beam of fire, flashing with violent black and purple lightning. The beam collided with the magma fist.
"Boom!!!" Magma and flames, nature's two great catastrophes, exploded violently upon impact. Flames and magma burst in the sky, turning into a rain of fire and molten meteors, raising the atmospheric temperature to terrifying levels.
"Trying to stop the execution? Akainu!" Ace stood defiantly on the high platform, watching the firestorm and lava meteors rain down around him. He laughed, eyes fixed on the distant figure with a lava-formed right fist, radiating terrifying murderous intent.
"The strongest fighting force in the world government, Admiral Akainu!" The whole world watched in awe as this figure emerged, exclamations of fear and admiration filling the air. Even the most feared pirates trembled at the sight of Akainu.
Known as the iron-blooded man of extreme justice, Akainu's reputation as the most powerful Marine Admiral in history was well-deserved. Possessing the Lava-Lava Fruit, he stood as a formidable force, feared by pirates and respected even among his colleagues for his ruthless methods.
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed at the sight. "The Lava-Lava Fruit, said to have the strongest attack in the Devil Fruit compendium. Its destructive power rivals that of the Thunder Fruit and Whitebeard's Shock Fruit." He acknowledged Akainu's strength, capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Four Emperors, his physique, Haki, and fruit abilities at their peak.
Akainu's imposing figure, standing amidst the rain of fire and lava meteors, slowly raised his head. "Preventing an execution? No," he declared, an iron-blooded smile spreading across his face. "I'm here to give you a grand funeral, Portgas D. Ace!"
"Gulu! Gulu!" Akainu's right arm transformed into terrifying lava, his eyes burning with lethal intent.
"Your tone is quite bold. I hate it," Ace laughed, his figure vanishing from the high platform and reappearing near Akainu. "But this public execution will proceed without flaws regardless of you."
Ace's execution plan was meticulous. The execution would be carried out after exposing the filth of the Celestial Dragons to the world, then putting them on trial and sentencing them to death. This perfect public execution would maximize the impact, enhancing his Conqueror's Haki and strengthening his resolve.
The trial would also provoke the full might of the Naval Headquarters and the World Government, an intended outcome. Ace planned to complete the public execution despite their hardest efforts, using this to significantly enhance his Haki.
The world, largely ignorant of the dark realities under the World Government's rule, needed to see the truth. Most people revered the Celestial Dragons as the descendants of the Creator, only knowing the sanitized image presented by the World Government.
Ace's actions would not only expose the truth but also inspire those with the courage to resist, much like the Great Pirate Era initiated by Gol D. Roger. This moment would mark a second profound change in world order since Roger's death.
Ace's ultimate goal was to become the world's king, a position that required absolute power. The Celestial Dragons, the changing world structure, the Naval Headquarters, and the World Government—all were merely stepping stones to enhance his Haki and strength.
As Ace looked at Akainu, the purple-black hue of his Conqueror's Haki deepened, the corners of his mouth curling into a confident, Haki-filled smile. The battle for the world's future was about to begin.
"Um?" Rayleigh's eyes suddenly froze, an unsettling realization dawning upon him.
"What's wrong?" a keen observer asked, noticing the change in Rayleigh's demeanor.
"Didn't your Haki sense it? Is it an illusion? Or..." Rayleigh's gaze shifted to Ace, his frown deepening.
Could it be that Observation Haki cannot detect it, and only Conqueror's Haki can sense it? Rayleigh mused. He could feel the essence of Ace's Conqueror's Haki improving during the battle. Can such a phenomenon occur? It was as if this public execution was fueling Ace's Haki.
"Let me see, what are your future limits if you initiate a significant event that can bring about tremendous changes to the world, just like Roger did, Portgas D. Ace!" Rayleigh's eyes glinted with memories, the name Ace stirring something deep within him.
The name D Ace... It's the same D! Rayleigh recalled Roger's words about naming his descendants after the famed sword 'Ace,' one of the twelve supreme sharp swords. Now, this man, with D and Ace in his name, freer than Roger, was poised to usher in an era potentially wilder than the Great Pirate Era.
"I won't die, old friend," Roger's carefree smile flashed in Rayleigh's mind, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Is it really fate, Roger?
"Chance!" came a sudden cry.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!" With a loud sound of trampling, three figures appeared above the execution platform: Vice Admirals Dauberman, Stolo Berry, and Stirres from the Naval Headquarters.
"While Admiral Akainu is holding Entei in check, I'll rescue the Celestial Dragons, and you destroy the Image Phone Bug!" Dauberman shouted.
"DEL!" Stolo Berry and Stirres, katana in hand, directed their attacks toward the execution platform, aiming at the image of the Celestial Dragons' memory sphere. Haki wrapped around their blades as they slashed at the video phone.
"Well done! Stolo Berry, Stirres!" Sengoku's voice boomed in approval.
"DEX!" A strange bird's chirp echoed, and suddenly, eerie flames illuminated the sky above the execution platform.
Dauberman, Stolo Berry, and Stirres barely had time to defend themselves with their swords before the attack hit.
"Boom!"
"Pfft!" Blood spilled into the sky as the three senior Vice Admirals, qualified enough to participate in the Buster Call, fell from a high altitude like broken kites, crashing hard to the ground.
Sengoku's expression grew grim.
High above the execution platform, a peculiar bird spread its wings, its feathers shimmering with mystical flames. The bird, resembling an auspicious creature, let out a startling chirp.
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"Bounty, 380 million beli, Chef of the Entei Pirates, Black Bird Fruit - Phantom Beast Species - Suzaku Form Abilities, Bird, Laki!" Dauberman announced, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth. The three injured Vice Admirals looked up at the strange bird with expressions of pain and confusion.
"What a terrifying ability; it can actually burn Haki! This is no ordinary flame!" Stolo Berry winced, Haki's body protection failing to resist the damage.
"The high altitude here is a no-fly zone, Marine!" Laki, transformed into Suzaku, declared, her voice echoing with authority.
The battle intensified, with Haki and strategic maneuvers clashing in a spectacle that promised to reshape the world's power dynamics.
"Damn it! These abilities are all troublesome," Sengoku muttered, his expression darkening as he observed the strange bird on the screen. Comparable in size and power to Kaido's Blue Dragon form, the bird's presence was formidable.
With this top-tier Phantom Beast ability, breaking in from high altitude seemed nearly impossible. Even for Kizaru's Sparkling Fruit, penetrating from above would be a challenging feat. After all, unlike the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Suzaku, was the true overlord of the sky.
"Can we only attack head-on?" Sengoku pondered, frustration clear in his voice. "Sakazuki, it's up to you!" Veins bulged on Sengoku's forehead as he stared at the screen, his expression contorted with anger and determination.
On the split screen, the battle footage was juxtaposed with the memory of Saint Charloss, now being broadcasted to the world. Portgas D. Ace had expertly edited the footage, ensuring the Celestial Dragons' atrocities were exposed for all to see alongside the Exciting War.
"It seems you can't prevent the evil of the Celestial Dragons from being revealed to the world, Akainu," Ace taunted, his right fist igniting into flames.
"Sin?" Akainu's right fist turned into molten lava, his eyes burning with fury. "Is there anyone more evil than you in this world, Portgas D. Ace? The most sinful bloodline that has been preserved." His voice dripped with venomous intent.
Akainu's eyes blazed with a mad killing intent. "That bloodline originates from the Pirate King, the most evil bloodline in the world! The descendant of the Pirate King—your name should be Gol D. Ace!"
"Indeed," Ace retorted, the corners of his mouth curling into a slight smirk.
At that moment, the world was completely shaken—again.