"Destroy all the escaping ships and don't let any escape."
Akainu, having regained some of his strength, stood on the coast, watching the Naval Headquarters Vice Admirals retreating from the central battlefield. His orders were cold and unwavering. This island had become a hindrance to justice, and it would be completely eliminated.
"Sakazuki!"
Aokiji, hearing the familiar command, looked up sharply.
"Click! Click!"
In an instant, most of his body transformed into ice, exuding a terrifying freezing energy.
"Whoosh! Bang!"
As Aokiji took a step forward, Sengoku suddenly appeared, pushing Aokiji's head to the ground.
"What are you doing, Kuzan? Are you crazy?" Sengoku growled, his face etched with concern.
"Just... just hold me down, Sengoku. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll kill Sakazuki," Aokiji replied, his voice trembling.
Sengoku looked at Aokiji, his emotions stirring. The man he had always seen as the most promising candidate to become the next Marshal of Naval Headquarters was now shaking, tears turning into ice chips beneath him. The Admiral of Headquarters was not permitted to cry in front of the Marine soldiers.
"Kuzan, you idiot," Sengoku said sadly. How cruel it was that Kuzan had to experience this again. This Buster Call's scale was even larger than the one that destroyed Ohara. Yet, this was the price to uphold justice. The island had to be erased to maintain the World Government's image. No one would be spared.
"Fujitora."
Ace stood high in the sky, watching the magic circle begin to surge. He turned his gaze toward Fujitora.
"Mr. Ace?" Fujitora looked up, seeing the smile on Ace's face.
"Do what you want to do and bear my name on your back. You are the captain of the second division of the Entei Pirates' Grand Fleet, Fujitora."
"Buzz!"
A mysterious light enveloped Fujitora.
"This... this is..." Fujitora felt an incredible power erupting within him, his expression turning resolute.
"Whoosh!"
He appeared high in the sky, facing the cannonballs raining down. With a low roar, he unleashed his power.
"Gravity field!"
"Buzz!!!"
The Gravity Fruit's power, enhanced by Ace's understanding, created a massive gravity field that covered the entire Sabaody Archipelago. Under this field, the countless cannonballs stagnated in mid-air.
"As the captain of the second division of the Entei Pirates' Grand Fleet, I will act with justice!" Fujitora declared, using the power of the Gravity Fruit to stand against more than 150 Marine warships.
Aokiji's trembling stopped. His face, pressed to the ground, showed a mixture of emotions.
...
"Why, as a pirate, do you perform such disgusting tricks to save the people!" someone shouted.
"Bah! Boom!!!"
In the center of the exploding Haki, a massive magic circle glowing with terrifying black flames and thunder suddenly erupted. Five monstrous figures wrapped in black flame clouds roared as they emerged.
The Five Elders, all members, had appeared!
"Bah! Boom!!!"
The massive magic circle exploded, unleashing a maelstrom of black flames that danced wildly, forging five terrifying giant figures. Five pairs of malevolent eyes, shrouded in black thunder, gazed down at the earth, creating a stunningly hellish scene.
The atmosphere was filled with the roar of their terrifying Haki. Everyone's attention was drawn to this overwhelming presence, even Ace, whose Conqueror's Haki had reached a kingly level, couldn't ignore the powerful pressure.
The five monstrous figures, cloaked in black flame clouds, descended upon the Sabaody Archipelago. Their forms were nightmarish:
A poisonous lower body of a spider with a sharp bull-like horn protruding from its head.A grotesque giant bird with a human face, a snake body, and bird wings.A terrifying wild boar with four tusks.A skeletal horse devoid of flesh, exuding a chilling aura.A disgusting earthworm-like creature with a wide-open mouth, filled with eerily neat human-like teeth.
These were the God of Science and Defense, Jaygarcia Saturn (Gyūki), the Environmental God of War, Marcus Mars (Itsu Shinten), the Legal Martial God, Saint Topman Warcury, the Financial God of War, Saint Izanbalon V. NusJurō (horse bones), and the Farming Valkyrie, Shepard Ju Peter (Sandworm).
The five monsters roared like demons, their spikes and fangs dancing wildly, black wings wreaking havoc, and their massive mouths seemingly ready to overturn the abyss and unleash their fear upon the earth.
The world's highest authority, the Five Elders, had all assembled.
"This... this is the Five Elders? The ones who hold the highest power in the world?" Nami whispered, covering her red lips as she looked at the terrifying figures. Despite having the strength of an Admiral after awakening her Thunder Fruit and experiencing countless major battles alongside Ace, she couldn't help but feel her heart race at the sight before her.
"It's simply hell on top of the world," she murmured, her beauty fluctuating violently with the fear and awe she felt.
Robin looked at the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, covering her red lips in shock. "Are these the Five Elders who hold the highest power?" she murmured, recognizing them as the masterminds behind the destruction of her hometown, Ohara. The World Government had placed a massive bounty of 79 million Beli on her head when she was just eight years old, forcing her to survive in the dark underbelly of the world. Back then, the thought of resisting the colossal might of the World Government, let alone the Five Elders who controlled it, seemed impossible. But now, she faced this hell with newfound courage.
Robin stood up from the back of Laki, who had transformed into a majestic Suzaku. Her beautiful eyes fixed on the five monstrous figures that seemed to spill fear across the entire earth. "That strange bird gives me a very bad feeling, especially their eyes," Laki, in her Suzaku form, observed. The fire on her wings burned fiercely as she watched Itsu Shinten in the distance.
"It's really strange. They look like they are from a completely different species of phantom beast Devil Fruits, but their eyes are all equally eerie," Nokigao noted thoughtfully, using her sniper's keen eyesight to study the five raging monsters.
"If we meet again in the future, they will be your prey, Laki," Nami chuckled, sensing Laki's mood swings with her Observation Haki. Despite Laki's current strength, facing the Five Elders was still too daunting.
"Well, I will try my best," Laki responded seriously.
"You all stay together. I'm going to see Uncle Rayleigh," Nami said, holding her weather stick. She was the only one who could participate in this battle alone, having completed the Thunder Fruit awakening and reached Admiral-level strength. Even Vivi and Kaya, despite their Devil Fruit awakenings, couldn't face such a battle on their own.
"If we fight together, we can face an Admiral head-on," Nami assured. Vivi and Laki were just a step away from Admiral-level strength, needing only to strengthen their Haki. Kaya, with her healing fruit, had abilities close to an Admiral candidate, capable of instant battlefield healing and enhancing her martial skills.
"We're counting on you, Nami," the girls responded, understanding the need to unite their strength. Alone, they would quickly fall to an Admiral.
"Bah! Boom!" With a flash of lightning and a terrifying roar, Nami's figure disappeared from sight.
"We are still too weak," Vivi said, clenching her fists, a look of frustration on her face as she watched the five monsters wreak havoc in the distance.
"Ace promised special training after this," Nojiko reminded, patting Vivi's shoulder with a reassuring smile.
"Um!" The girls nodded, determined to grow stronger. Under Ace's guidance, their mastery of Devil Fruits had reached high levels. Now, strengthening their Haki was paramount. With Ace's training, they would soon be able to stand alongside him in battle.
"Bah! Boom!" With a burst of thunder, Nami appeared next to Rayleigh.
"Uncle Rayleigh," she called sweetly, making Rayleigh smile despite himself. Garp, nearby, couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Why was Rayleigh getting such affectionate treatment? But then Garp remembered Nami called him 'grandpa,' and he felt balanced again. He even gave Rayleigh a proud look before retreating towards the coast, thinking fondly of Aokiji, who had just been restrained by Sengoku.
"By the way, Nami, what does Ace call Garp?" Rayleigh suddenly asked.
"Ace always calls him 'old man,'" Nami replied, making Rayleigh's expression calm. "But Mr. Garp claims to be Ace's grandfather," she added tactfully, avoiding irritating Rayleigh.
"This, shameless old guy," Rayleigh muttered, realizing Garp had elevated his status in front of Roger and the others. Watching Garp's retreating back, Rayleigh couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, old guy, for raising Ace strong and healthy. Now, it's up to us to clear the path for him," he thought, eyeing the five raging monsters. The black-purple hue of Conqueror's Haki flashed in his eyes.
"Uncle Rayleigh, are the Five Elders dangerous?" Nami asked, her expression solemn.
"Their strength is formidable, but I am confident I can win against one in a head-on fight. The problem is, they are immortal. Even when hit by Haki, they recover immediately," Rayleigh explained, his eyes narrowing.
"Immortal? What should we do against such an opponent?" Nami covered her red lips in shock.
"There is no easy solution now. We must prepare for a breakout. Ace's instructions indicate we've already won this war," Rayleigh said, his blade sheathed but his momentum building.
"Clear," Nami nodded, her face tightening as she accumulated the power of the Thunder Fruit.
"Conqueror's Haki, is it ineffective?" Ace's eyes flashed as he watched Saturn, fully recovered from all injuries. Saturn's strength was mediocre, barely stronger than Zephyr, who reached the Admiral threshold with Armament Haki alone. However, his bizarre recovery ability was troublesome. Despite being torn apart by Ace's king-level Conqueror's Haki, Saturn could still recover, making attacks seem futile. This unnatural power likely stemmed from Im, the mysterious figure behind the Five Elders.
Nevertheless, the information and gains from this encounter were invaluable. Ace confirmed critical details about D's Will, the Five Elders, and Im, particularly their fear of liberating ideas. His own Haki had reached the king level, complemented by his mastery of the Residual Fire Style. Though his 10,000-degree flames couldn't kill the Five Elders, Ace resolved to grow stronger. If king-level Haki couldn't inflict fatal injuries, then surpassing it might be the answer.
Even if the Five Elders couldn't be killed, continually destroying their bodies would render them harmless, reducing them to mere toys. Ace noted that during recovery, these monsters were immobile, confirming their vulnerability. This endless cycle of destruction and repair was more curse than blessing. Ace's lips curled into a smirk as he observed the Five Elders.
Saint Saturn's deep voice cut through the tension, "Nico Robin, Portgas D. Ace, and all who defy the World Government must be eradicated."
"Leave Nico Robin to me!" cried Saint Mars, transforming into Itsu Shinten and launching into the air. Saint Nusjuro, in his horse bone form, galloped wildly, his upper body reverting to human form. The skeletal horse legs propelled him with lightning speed across the battlefield.
"Just a bunch of flame puppets," he sneered, unsheathing a sword that made Dracule Mihawk freeze in recognition. With one strike, Nusjuro pierced the ghost spider's body, the intense heat transforming into ice. "What a strange ability. Avoid his sword," warned the ghost spider.
Crocodile laughed as he joined the fray with Enel. "Five Elders? Let's meet you, hahaha!" he taunted.
"Enough tricks! These people are pests to be eradicated!" roared Saint Warcury, in his hellish boar form. His mouth, with four fangs, unleashed a terrifying roar infused with Conqueror's Haki, causing widespread damage. "Don't even think of escaping with the Gate Fruit!"
Saint Peter, now a sandworm, and the fully regenerated Saturn attacked Ace. The sandworm lunged from the ground, its bloody maw aimed at Ace, while spider legs glowing with purple light stabbed toward him.
The simultaneous assault by the Five Elders did not faze Ace. "It's almost time," he said, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Conqueror's Haki's roar? Shut up!" he laughed, unleashing his own Conqueror's Haki with a booming roar.
From the distant sea, another terrifying Conqueror's Haki responded. "That ship!?" The Vice Admirals' eyes widened in shock and anger at the sight of the familiar pirate flag with three red scars. "Red hair!! Damn!" Saint Warcury roared.
"Boom!!!" The two roaring Conqueror's Haki combined, overwhelming and suppressing Saint Warcury's Haki. The double roar of Conqueror's Haki shook the battlefield, heralding the arrival of new and powerful allies.