"Damn it, there's still no news. We have no idea where the attack will come from. Have all the warning ships been sent out?" Akainu's voice boomed through the Naval Headquarters Marshal's office, his frustration palpable. His eyes bore into the Vice Admiral standing before him, the tension in the room thick enough to cut.
"Yes, Marshal! All patrol ships have been dispatched. The waters within 20 nautical miles of the Naval Headquarters are under constant surveillance. If the ships of the Entei Pirates enter our range, they will be detected immediately," the Vice Admiral reported, his voice tight with anxiety. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, betraying his fear of the man standing before him.
Akainu was not like his predecessor, Sengoku. While Sengoku, despite his fearsome temper, maintained a calm and calculated demeanor, Akainu was a different beast altogether. As the embodiment of the Hawk Faction's extreme justice, his presence alone could unnerve even the most seasoned Marine soldiers. Many felt their legs weaken just from being in his proximity.
Now, as the Marine Marshal, Akainu's inability to take direct action on the front lines only exacerbated his already volatile nature. His temper, once fierce, had grown even hotter under the influence of the Lava-Lava Fruit.
All Devil Fruits, beyond their primary powers, subtly altered the minds and bodies of their users. Kuzan, who wielded the Frozen-Frozen Fruit, became lethargic and prone to sleep, his body temperature perpetually low, mirroring the frigid nature of his abilities. His so-called "lazy justice" was as much a product of his Devil Fruit as it was of his personal philosophy.
For Akainu, the Lava-Lava Fruit did more than grant him the power to wield magma; it infused him with a seething, relentless fury. His temper, always quick to ignite, had grown even more volatile. The heat of his powers seemed to boil his blood, pushing him to the edge of rage more often than not.
The Vice Admiral knew this all too well. The wrong word, the slightest hint of hesitation, could set Akainu off like a volcano. He stood at attention, every muscle tense, hoping that his report would be enough to appease the Marshal's wrath, at least for the moment.
Akainu's eyes narrowed, his mind racing as he processed the information. Despite the extensive measures in place, the unknown loomed large, a dark cloud over the impending battle. The Entei Pirates were out there, somewhere, and the waiting was becoming unbearable.
The silence in the room was oppressive, filled with the unspoken fear that perhaps, just perhaps, their preparations might not be enough. The Vice Admiral dared not move, awaiting Akainu's next command with bated breath.
"We've sent out all the patrols, but still no trace. Could it be that the man's first target isn't our Naval Headquarters?" Akainu muttered under his breath, a deep frown creasing his brow as he pondered the situation.
The truth was bitter, but undeniable—Akainu knew that the true target of the Entei Pirates wasn't just the Naval Headquarters. Their real aim was likely the World Government itself. As much as it pained him to admit, Akainu understood that in the face of the current Entei Pirates Fleet, the Naval Headquarters was woefully outmatched. The sheer disparity in power was staggering; they were not opponents on the same level.
This time, it wasn't just the Entei Pirates Fleet that was descending upon them. The infamous Straw Hat Pirates, led by Monkey D. Luffy, now a recognized Emperor of the Sea and Ace's younger brother, had also joined the fray. Adding to the chaos was the Revolutionary Army, a force that had been a thorn in the World Government's side for years. And if the speculation was true, the Red Hair Pirates and The Whitebeard Pirates would soon be entering the war as well.
The sheer magnitude of this alliance was something the Naval Headquarters could not hope to handle on its own. The situation had spiraled far beyond anything they had faced before.
Akainu knew that there were two primary targets for the Entei Pirates: the Naval Headquarters and the heart of the World Government, the Holy Land, Mariejois. However, there was no easy solution. The idea of gathering all their forces in one location, or turning the tables by launching a preemptive strike against the Entei Pirates, was not as simple as it sounded.
If all the troops were concentrated at the Naval Headquarters, Mariejois would be left dangerously vulnerable. The Holy Land was not just a symbol of power; it housed countless secrets that had been guarded for centuries. Leaving it exposed, especially with Ace's ability to manipulate the Space-Space Fruit, would be tantamount to handing it over on a silver platter. It was unthinkable to concentrate all their forces there and leave the Naval Headquarters undefended.
On the other hand, concentrating all the forces at Mariejois wasn't feasible either. The Holy Land sat atop the Red Line, a location that posed logistical nightmares for deploying fleets. Despite years of preparation and the World Government's vast naval resources, they were unwilling to abandon their advantage at sea in favor of a land battle. Such a move would only serve to nullify the centuries of preparations they had made for a maritime conflict.
Moreover, the notion of a battle beginning in Mariejois, the very heart of the Celestial Dragons' dominion, was unthinkable. The Celestial Dragons, already terrified of Ace after his public execution of three of their kind during the Entei incident in Sabaody Archipelago, would never allow the war to commence so close to their sanctuary. The fear that Ace could wreak havoc in their very midst made any such proposal a non-starter.
Taking the initiative to launch a decisive strike against the Entei Pirates at their base was considered, but ultimately dismissed by the Five Elders after thorough analysis. The most pressing concern was the Flame Emperor himself. Ace was a man who could use the Space-Space Fruit to appear anywhere in the world at any moment. If they committed all their forces to an assault on the Entei Pirates' stronghold in Wano, who was to say that Ace wouldn't simply use his powers to materialize in Pangaea Castle, the very seat of the World Government's power, while they were away?
In the face of a man who could wield all Devil Fruit abilities and transcend the limits of even the most powerful ones, the World Government and Naval Headquarters found themselves in a painfully passive position. The absolute initiative in this war lay entirely in Ace's hands, and that reality was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
"Bang!" Akainu's fist slammed onto the table, sending a shockwave through the room. His frustration boiled over as he muttered angrily, "Those stubborn old fools..."
In Akainu's eyes, there was only one logical course of action—they should have consolidated their forces and launched a united front against the Entei Pirates Fleet. But no, because of the Celestial Dragons' insistent demands, they had been forced to split their forces, dividing their strength between defending the Naval Headquarters and the Holy Land, Mariejois. The folly of it all was maddening.
"What do those Celestial Dragons think the Entei Pirates Fleet is? Some minor threat they can brush off?" Akainu seethed, his voice low but filled with venom. "Do they really think victory is guaranteed just because they demand it? If this war is lost, those idiots will be the first to be reduced to ashes by the Entei Pirates!"
The decision to divide their forces had stripped them of the initiative, leaving them vulnerable and reactionary. Now, the Flame Emperor Ace held all the cards, free to choose the time and place of his attack. The very thought of being forced into such a defensive position, with no power to dictate the course of battle, was infuriating to Akainu.
"Could they actually be planning to strike Mariejois?" Akainu muttered to himself, the grim expression on his face deepening. "It seems impossible... The Red Line is a fortress. Even with the Transparent-Transparent Fruit, there's no way they could transport an entire fleet there without being detected."
He paused, considering the potential of the Space-Space Fruit. It was powerful, perhaps the most versatile ability they'd ever encountered, but even it had its limits. The Five Elders had already calculated the odds, and while Ace was undeniably strong, they had assured him it was impossible to use the Space-Space Fruit to teleport the entire Entei Pirates Fleet onto the Red Line. After all, even the most formidable Devil Fruits required a toll on the user's physical and mental reserves.
Akainu's thoughts churned, his mind racing to piece together the puzzle. In truth, the World Government and the Five Elders had used the Naval Headquarters as bait, a target to lure the Entei Pirates into an attack. But now, with no sign of the enemy and no indication that they were planning to strike the Headquarters, doubt gnawed at Akainu's resolve.
"Where are you hiding, Flame Emperor?" he growled, his right fist slowly morphing into molten magma, bubbling with rage. His eyes narrowed as he stared into the distance, his gaze burning with fury and frustration.
He was used to being the aggressor, the one who struck fear into his enemies, but now, with the shadow of the Entei Pirates looming large and their movements cloaked in secrecy, Akainu felt the unfamiliar sting of helplessness. And that, more than anything, ignited the fire of his wrath.
"Gulu! Gulu! Gulu!"
At the Naval Headquarters port, the sound of bubbling water began to echo ominously across the sea's surface. Marine officers and soldiers on guard exchanged puzzled glances, their curiosity piqued by the sudden disturbance. The sea, once calm, now seemed alive with movement beneath its surface.
Then, without warning—"Boom!!!"
The sea erupted in a massive explosion of water and foam, as dozens of colossal ships, encased in protective coatings, burst forth from the depths. The sheer size and suddenness of their appearance sent shockwaves through the ranks of the Marines.
"It's… it's the Entei Pirates!!!"
The cry of recognition echoed through the ranks, spreading like wildfire. The sight of the lead ship sent a shudder of terror through even the most hardened officers. For those who had faced the Entei Pirates before, there was no mistaking it. The ship at the forefront was the infamous flagship of the Entei Pirates Fleet—Golden Merry.
Panic rippled through the Marine ranks. Even the seasoned Vice Admirals, known for their composure, found themselves faltering. One, in particular, felt his legs buckle beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground in fear. The reason was simple: standing before them was not just any ship, but the ship that symbolized the might and terror of the Flame Emperor's fleet.
And it wasn't just the Golden Merry. As the water settled, more ships came into view—the main vessels of each squad within the Entei Pirates Fleet, accompanied by the familiar silhouettes of the Thousand Sunny, Moby Dick and the Red Force, the flagships of the Other Emperors .
"Enemy attack! Four Emperors! The Entei Pirates Fleet, Whitebeard Pirates, Red haired Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates are attacking!!!"
The air was thick with dread as the terrified voices of Marine officers and soldiers echoed across the port. The looming shadow of the massive fleet had cast a pall of despair over the Naval Headquarters.
"What?!!!"
Akainu's voice roared as he rushed toward the scene of chaos, his face twisted in fury and disbelief. The shock of what he was witnessing was almost too much to comprehend. They had emerged from the bottom of the sea?!
It was unthinkable. The man Ace, known for his devastating mastery of Devil Fruit abilities, hadn't used any of them. Instead, he had employed a completely different tactic, one that had caught them entirely off guard. The ships had been coated and maneuvered underwater, bypassing all their defenses and emerging right within the heart of the Naval Headquarters.
"I was completely fooled…"
Akainu's realization hit him like a sledgehammer. The entire world knew that Ace possessed the ability to wield multiple Devil Fruit powers, and during the Sabaody Archipelago incident, he had used this power to slip through their defenses and force even the Five Elders into submission. Naturally, they had expected him to employ the same strategy once again.
But this time, Ace had done the unexpected. He had foregone the use of any Devil Fruit abilities, opting instead for a more traditional, yet equally effective, approach. He had taken a page from Whitebeard's playbook during the original Marineford War, using the coated ships to launch a surprise attack from below the sea. The simplicity of the tactic, combined with its devastating effectiveness, was a testament to Ace's cunning.
"I was completely fooled… Flame Emperor…"
Akainu's fists clenched, the heat radiating from his body causing the air around him to shimmer. The realization that they had been outmaneuvered so thoroughly, that they had been blindsided by a strategy they never anticipated, only fueled his rage further. The Entei Pirates were here, and they had taken the first step toward a confrontation that would shake the world to its core.
The Marine's think tank, Tsuru, looked on in dismay as chaos engulfed the Naval Headquarters. Her usually composed face was twisted in frustration, and her teeth were clenched as she spoke.
"That man's wisdom… it can no longer be described as human."
Beside her, Sengoku, the former Fleet Admiral, nodded solemnly. His deep voice carried the weight of his experience as he responded, "Accept this fact, Tsuru."
Even Sengoku, who had obtained the wisdom and spirit of the Buddha from the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Beast Model: Great Buddha, had been outwitted by that man. The man in question, Ace, possessed a mind that transcended the wisdom of the Buddha itself. He was a strategist of unparalleled brilliance, and anyone who dared to challenge him in a battle of wits would find themselves facing an opponent who left no flaws, no vulnerabilities to exploit. Ace had a terrifying ability to dismantle his enemies using the most unexpected and incredible methods, leaving them utterly defeated.
Sengoku wanted to say more, but as he surveyed the chaotic scene unfolding at the Naval Headquarters, words failed him. The Marines were in disarray, their morale shattered by the suddenness and precision of the Entei Pirates' attack.
"Tap! Tap! Tap!"
Under the horrified gazes of all the Marine officers and soldiers, a solitary figure slowly emerged at the front of the deck of the Golden Merry. His presence was magnetic, commanding the attention of all who saw him.
"Marineford Hmm… This is my first time here," the figure remarked with a smirk as he surveyed the Marine base before him.
"It's him… the Flame Emperor!!!"
"The strongest man in the world! He's here!"
Even the Vice Admirals, seasoned veterans of countless battles, felt their legs weaken in terror at the sight of Ace. His very presence sent the Naval Headquarters into a deeper state of chaos.
"Then, let the battle begin!" Ace declared, his voice resonating with power. "Subdue the Naval Headquarters as quickly as possible!"
Ace's Haki-filled laughter echoed across the deck as he gave the order. The officers of the Entei Pirates Fleet responded with fierce determination.
"Yes!!!"
Without hesitation, countless figures leaped from the ships of the Entei Pirates Fleet, descending upon the Naval Headquarters like a relentless storm. Ace remained on the deck, watching the battle unfold below with a commanding gaze.
As the Admiral of the Entei Pirates Fleet, the absolute overlord of this era and these seas, Ace saw no need to personally engage in the battle. The current Naval Headquarters had lost its value, no longer deserving of his direct attention. It was a foregone conclusion—a victory that needed no further action from him.
Ace was not alone in his observation. Nami, standing by his side on the Golden Merry's deck, also watched the battle below with sharp eyes. As the second-in-command of the Entei Pirates Grand Fleet and the strongest fighter under Ace, Nami would ensure the Golden Merry's command remained intact. If necessary, her mastery of the Thunder Fruit would allow her to strike anywhere on the battlefield in an instant, ensuring the swift and decisive victory Ace had ordered.
Meanwhile, on the deck of the Straw Hat Pirates' Thousand Sunny, Luffy stood, his gaze fixed on the battlefield. Now recognized as one of the Five Emperors, Luffy still retained his carefree demeanor most of the time. However, in moments like these, the true emperor within him emerged. Facing the mere Naval Headquarters wasn't worth his personal involvement; the battle was beneath him. After all, the real enemy lay elsewhere.
Indeed, the Red-Haired Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates had also refrained from taking action thus far. They, too, were waiting for a more significant threat to arrive—the Knights of God. Their true enemy was not the Marines, but the World Government itself. Until then, they would bide their time, watching and waiting for the right moment to strike.