Naval Headquarters! Marine Admiral's Office!
"The Fuck?! What do you mean by no trace?!"
Akainu, now Fleet Admiral, roared, his fist crashing down on the desk with a force that made the entire room tremble. His face, twisted in fury, was directed at the three figures standing before him—Kizaru, Green Bull, and Tea Dolphin, the Admirals of the Navy. The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with the weight of impending conflict.
The trio of Admirals exchanged uneasy glances, each one keenly aware of the storm brewing within Akainu. Despite their formidable power, they knew better than to provoke him further. Kizaru, usually the epitome of calm, shifted slightly, his usual carefree demeanor replaced with a rare seriousness.
"It's ridiculous that we can't even find the enemy's trace when the war is about to start!" Akainu barked, his voice a harsh growl. His fiery gaze bore into the Admirals, his frustration barely contained. "What are these information personnel doing? They head out with a massive fleet, and all of a sudden vanish?!"
Akainu's thoughts raced as he stared down his subordinates. The Entei Pirates' ability to vanish so completely, despite the Navy's vast intelligence network, was both infuriating and alarming. It was clear that they were dealing with an enemy far more cunning and resourceful than any other pirate crew.
However, Akainu was no fool. The battle during the Entei incident had been a harsh lesson, revealing a truth that he could no longer ignore: he would never be a match for Ace.
The Lava-Lava Fruit, his source of power and pride, had become inferior to the evolved abilities of Ace's Mera-Mera Fruit. The relationship between superior and subordinate Devil Fruits was merciless, and in this hierarchy, Akainu found himself on the losing end. No matter how strong his will, he could never overcome this innate disadvantage unless he completely abandoned his Lava-Lava Fruit abilities—an unthinkable notion. The Lava-Lava Fruit was the cornerstone of his strength, the very thing that had propelled him to the position of Fleet Admiral. It was known as one of the most devastating Devil Fruits, granting him an attack power that could rival even the mightiest foes on the sea.
But against Ace, the Flame Emperor, it was different. Ace's flames now consumed and overpowered Akainu's magma, rendering his attacks almost laughably ineffective. In the Entei incident, Akainu's magma had been reduced to nothing more than orange Play-dough before the searing heat of Ace's enhanced fire abilities. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Akainu was pragmatic enough to accept the reality.
He was well aware that he lacked Conqueror's Haki, the force that could dominate the sea and bend it to his will. Without the Lava-Lava Fruit, Akainu's combat power would plummet, leaving him even weaker than Green Bull, and barely on par with Tea Dolphin, the weakest of the three Admirals. This stark reality only fueled Akainu's rage and determination. The Flame Emperor had been terrifying during the Entei incident, but now, after years of growth and training, Ace had become an even more formidable force.
Although Akainu's personality was extreme, he wasn't delusional. He harbored no fantasies of defeating Ace in a direct confrontation. His focus was elsewhere—on the officers of the Entei Pirate Fleet. The true battle against Ace would fall to others, to the Five Elders and the Knights of God, who were better suited to face the Flame Emperor's overwhelming power. Akainu's role in this war was to decimate Ace's subordinates, to crush the officers of the Entei Pirates with the full might of his Lava-Lava Fruit.
Despite his abilities being outclassed by Ace's flames, the Lava-Lava Fruit remained a force to be reckoned with against the other powerful figures on the sea. Its sheer destructive power allowed Akainu to contend with even Conqueror's Haki-infused attacks. In the years following the Entei incident, Akainu had pushed himself harder than ever before, honing his combat skills and growing even stronger than he had been in the original timeline. The pressure from Ace had driven him to the brink, forcing him to train with an almost maniacal intensity.
But now, just as Akainu had steeled himself for the inevitable clash, the intelligence reports from both the Marine and World Government agencies delivered a stunning blow. The Entei Pirates had vanished—disappeared without a trace. It was as if they had simply melted into the shadows, leaving no clue as to their whereabouts.
The timing couldn't have been worse. The war was on the horizon, and the Navy was blind to the enemy's location. It was an absurdity, a mockery of their preparations, and it only served to stoke the fires of Akainu's fury. The war was about to begin, and they were left fumbling in the dark. To Akainu, it was nothing short of a cruel joke.
"Sakazuki, you know what happened at Sabaody Archipelago."
Kizaru's voice cut through the tense silence, his usual lazy tone tempered with a rare seriousness. Akainu's eyes burned with fury, his fist still clenched from the impact that had shattered the table before him. The three Admirals—Kizaru, Green Bull, and Tea Dolphin—stood before their Fleet Admiral, bearing the brunt of his wrath. But it was Kizaru, the least likely of them to offer counsel, who dared to speak.
"The Entei Pirates have the power of the Transparent-Transparent Fruit," Kizaru continued, ignoring the bitter taste of the memory. "It allowed them to bypass all our surveillance and enter Sabaody Archipelago unnoticed."
The mere mention of the Sabaody Archipelago incident brought a wave of anger and shame crashing over Akainu. It was a bitter memory, one that had been broadcast to the entire world—a defeat that had tarnished the reputation of the Navy and the World Government. Kizaru, known for his unflappable demeanor, could still feel the sting of that humiliation, even though he usually feigned indifference. Yet here he was, standing up to the furious Sakazuki, understanding that if the Fleet Admiral continued in his rage without addressing the situation at hand, they would all be at a disadvantage in the looming war against the Entei Pirates.
Despite his reputation for laziness, Kizaru was, in truth, the most loyal enforcer of the World Government's will among the Admirals. Unlike Akainu, whose fervor was driven by a personal sense of justice, Kizaru's loyalty was absolute, even when it demanded the most ruthless of actions. He had, after all in the original story, killed his own teacher, Zephyr, without hesitation, and had been willing to slaughter civilians to complete his missions. He had even been ready to eliminate Vegapunk and Bonney, with whom he shared many fond memories, all in the name of duty.
"Sakazuki," Kizaru pressed on, "the Flame Emperor is not just any opponent. The Sabaody Archipelago incident involved only a dozen people and one ship. But now, the Entei Pirates have an entire fleet, countless warships, and over ten million men. Do you really think a single Transparent-Transparent Fruit can cover all that?"
Akainu's anger flared again at the mention of the Entei incident—a wound that had never healed. The World Government and Naval Headquarters had rebranded it as the "Sabaody Archipelago Incident," unwilling to acknowledge the full extent of their humiliation at the hands of Ace and his crew. But Kizaru's words forced Akainu to confront the truth: they were facing a far more formidable enemy than before.
"Sakazuki, don't forget," Kizaru continued, his tone growing more grave, "the Flame Emperor wields the most powerful Devil Fruit ability in history. The Space-Space Fruit alone has caused us endless trouble over the years."
The Space-Space Fruit was a superior version of the Door-Door Fruit and the Teleport-Teleport Fruit, originally limited to teleportation and negating other space-related abilities. But in Ace's hands, its potential had been pushed far beyond its original limits. Ace had turned this fruit into a tool for his fleet to move across the world with impunity, and the possibility of him using the Transparent-Transparent Fruit to conceal his entire armada was no longer far-fetched.
"The terrifying thing isn't just the power of these Devil Fruits individually," Kizaru continued, his voice lowering to a near whisper. "It's Ace's ability to wield them all, to combine their strengths, cover their weaknesses, and amplify their advantages a hundredfold."
Kizaru's forehead began to sweat as he spoke. The thought of Ace's power was enough to send a chill down his spine. The Flame Emperor was more than just a powerful adversary—he was a force of nature, capable of bending the very laws of Devil Fruits to his will. The fear that gripped Kizaru wasn't just professional—it was primal, a deep-seated terror that came from knowing they were about to face a man who could defy the very rules that governed their world.
"Sakazuki, we're not just dealing with an enemy. We're dealing with a man who can turn the power of Devil Fruits into something beyond what they were ever meant to be. And that," Kizaru concluded, his voice trembling slightly, "is something that even we might not be able to stop."
Hearing Kizaru's explanation, Akainu fell silent, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He knew all too well the power Ace wielded, but acknowledging it only deepened his frustration. Over the years, both the Navy and the World Government had devised countless strategies to counter the Flame Emperor's Devil Fruit abilities, yet each attempt had ended in failure. The Entei Pirates held an overwhelming advantage in this war, one that seemed almost insurmountable.
The very nature of Devil Fruits was to possess both strengths and weaknesses, a balance of power that Ace had somehow managed to defy. In his hands, the Mera-Mera Fruit and other abilities had no weaknesses—only strengths, amplified to an abnormal degree. It was an affront to the natural order, something Akainu could hardly stomach. His fists clenched, knuckles white with the effort of containing his rage.
"Calm down, Sakazuki," a voice interjected, cutting through the tension in the room. Tsuru, the Marine Chief of Staff and renowned for her strategic brilliance, spoke with a calm authority. She sat on the sofa, her sharp eyes assessing the situation as Sengoku, the former Fleet Admiral and now Inspector General, casually munched on senbei beside her.
"No matter how formidable Ace is, using Devil Fruit powers on such a scale drains physical strength," Tsuru continued, her tone measured. "Covering an entire fleet with the Transparent-Transparent Fruit is no small feat, even for the Flame Emperor. This could work to our advantage."
Akainu's eyes flicked towards Tsuru, still simmering with anger, but her words held a kernel of hope. If Ace was expending significant energy just to conceal his forces, then there might be an opening, a moment of vulnerability they could exploit. He knew Tsuru was right—now was not the time to lose his temper. With a begrudging nod, he turned his focus back to the task at hand, ready to make the necessary preparations.
The office, however, held more than just Tsuru and Akainu. Sengoku, though no longer the Fleet Admiral, still held a position of influence within the Navy. Unlike in the original timeline, where the release of Impel Down prisoners had weighed heavily on his conscience, Sengoku's hair remained dark, a testament to the different path his life had taken. But today, as he sat quietly, his demeanor was one of disengagement.
"Why aren't you saying anything, Sengoku?" Tsuru's voice, tinged with a mixture of frustration and concern, cut through the silence once more. She knew Sengoku's mind was as sharp as ever, despite his current nonchalance.
Sengoku looked up from his snack, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "My strategies were bested by the Flame Emperor once before. If I were to deploy our forces now, it might just lead to another crushing defeat," he replied, his tone light but carrying a weight of resignation.
"Stop joking around, you old fool!" Tsuru snapped, her temper flaring. "What are you plotting? And where the hell is Garp?!"
Sengoku sighed, his expression softening as he looked at his old friend. "Don't be so angry, Tsuru," he said, his voice gentle. "This is the final war. Once it's over, we can retire and live out our days in peace."
With that, Sengoku rose from his seat, heading towards the door. As he left the office, he cast a glance back at Akainu, who was deep in the process of battle planning, and at Tsuru, who watched him with a mixture of suspicion and concern. The Marine leadership seemed confident that the Entei Pirates were employing the same tactics they had used during the Sabaody Archipelago incident, relying on the Transparent-Transparent Fruit to conceal their approach. But Sengoku knew better. Ace was not one to repeat himself, and the thought of underestimating him again brought a wry smile to his face.
"I was so sure of myself back then," Sengoku mused quietly, his smile turning bittersweet. "But in the end, it was Ace's cunning tactics that outplayed us all. I hope you're ready, Sakazuki."
As Sengoku disappeared from view, Tsuru's frustration only grew. "Sengoku, Garp, you idiots!" she muttered under her breath, her expression a mix of anger and anxiety. She knew, deep down, that her two old friends might already be leaning toward the Entei Pirates' side. And then there was the matter of Gion, a person Tsuru was reluctant to confront but knew she would have to face eventually.
"Gion...," Tsuru sighed, her voice heavy with emotion. The thought of her former protégé now standing against the Marines weighed heavily on her heart. But as she rubbed her cheeks and steeled herself, a new resolve began to take shape within her. Yet, despite her outward determination, a seed of doubt had taken root deep within her, a hesitation that she was not yet ready to acknowledge.
In the Deep Sea
"Admiral, we have arrived at the designated location!"
A voice broke the silence within the dimly lit confines of the massive vessel, a hint of amusement lacing each word. The tension in the air was palpable, the calm before the storm.
Ace, standing at the helm, let out a deep, resonant laugh that echoed through the dark space. His Haki flared, a wave of energy pulsing from him like the heartbeat of a leviathan. "Then let's go up and give our old friends a little surprise."
His voice was filled with anticipation, the thrill of battle evident in his tone.
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted. The stillness of the deep ocean was shattered as a deafening explosion erupted from beneath the waves. The sea itself seemed to split apart, water surging and churning violently. As the waters parted, a massive fleet emerged from the depths, a force of warships encircling Naval Headquarters in a meticulously planned ambush.
The sheer size and scale of the fleet were awe-inspiring, a testament to the might of the Entei Pirates. Ships of all sizes, bristling with weaponry and manned by hardened warriors, broke through the surface, their banners unfurling in the wind. The sun glinted off their hulls, casting long shadows over the waters as they took their positions.
Ace's Conqueror's Haki roared out in a surge of power, resonating with the souls of every warrior aboard. The sea seemed to respond to his call, as if bowing to the will of the Flame Emperor. The very air was charged with an electric intensity, a prelude to the impending clash that would shake the world.
"Boom!!!" The echo of the explosion reverberated across the horizon, a signal that the final battle had begun. The fleet moved with a deadly precision, closing in on Marine ford from all sides, a noose tightening around the neck of the world's strongest military power.
Ace stood tall, his eyes gleaming with resolve and fire, as he prepared to lead his forces into the fray. The element of surprise was theirs, and with it, the first strike in what would become the most legendary war in history.