Akainu remains perplexed.
Since his defeat in the East Blue Sea, everything around him has taken on a strange, unfamiliar tone, as if the world itself has shifted. During his unconsciousness, the Navy established a special operations force, initiated a dimensional merchant support program in the East Blue Sea, and clandestinely reallocated a significant portion of its military resources... This unsettling sense of disorientation makes him feel as if he's an admiral in another timeline or dimension.
"Admiral Akainu, the sea is frozen! Our ships can't move forward!" A navy man rushed over to Akainu, his breath visible in the cold air as he reported in a panic.
"Damn it!"
Instantly, a wave of heat radiated from Akainu, warming the frigid air around them.
"Meteor Volcano!"
Without any further discussion, Akainu roared as streams of magma shot from his fists, targeting the ice ahead. The searing magma collided with the ice, melting it swiftly and causing the water beneath to boil.
However...
The Articuno hovering above observed Akainu's actions and swiftly flapped its crystalline wings. Suddenly, another gust of icy wind swept through the area, and the ice Akainu had just melted was quickly frozen solid again.
"Chirp~!"
Articuno's triumphant cry echoed through the sky, provoking Akainu. The legendary bird's demeanor perfectly embodied a disdainful arrogance, as if declaring all before it as insignificant.
Articuno's scornful gaze infuriated Akainu. Despite this, he couldn't help but notice that the bird's stamina remained untapped. Prolonging the stalemate on the ice would inevitably lead to severe damage to the navy's warships due to the sudden shifts between extreme cold and heat.
At such a distance, Akainu couldn't accurately strike Articuno.
"Damn beast!"
Akainu quickly realized that the legendary bird must be a Pokémon from another world, meaning the Revolutionary Army had struck a deal with dimensional merchants. This unforeseen complication only served to agitate Akainu further.
He never imagined he'd face an adversary wielding the power of ice, especially given his long-standing collaboration with Aokiji. Akainu understood that he couldn't risk the ordinary sailors disembarking to engage in battle because if the enemy managed to melt the ice, his thirty thousand naval troops would be left vulnerable in the water. This tactic was something he and Aokiji often employed.
With a determined grit, Akainu shouted, "Order all officers of commodore rank and above to disembark and prepare for combat! The rest, stay aboard and be ready to respond!"
"Yes, Admiral!"
The soldier quickly relayed Akainu's orders down the line.
Most commodores in the navy are trained in the Six Powers, a set of advanced martial techniques. Even those who haven't mastered all of them possess significant abilities, ensuring their combat effectiveness remains unimpeded by environmental changes.
Following the command, over a hundred officers disembarked from the naval ships. These men are the navy's backbone, well aware of the gravity of the situation without needing further explanation from Akainu.
"Admiral Akainu, the outlook isn't promising," remarked Onigumo, a Vice Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, as his hair stretched out into six spider-like limbs, each gripping a sharp sword. Onigumo, known for his staunch belief in "absolute justice," is one of Akainu's most devoted followers, mirroring his ruthless approach to safeguarding justice, even at the cost of sacrificing subordinates.
As Onigumo prepared for battle, the other naval officers armed themselves, their gazes fixed resolutely on the Kingdom of Goa.
Akainu sneered, "They're just weaklings, unworthy of the justice we uphold. They will fall before our might!"
A fierce and murderous aura radiated from Akainu, the intense heat melting the ice beneath his and his men's feet. Yet, the navy officers remained unwavering.
Akainu raised his arms high, his presence exuding an air of relentless determination as he commanded, "All officers, advance with me!"
"Sir, yes, sir!"
Emboldened by Akainu's words, the naval officers adopted serious expressions and charged towards the Kingdom of Goa.
...
Meanwhile, in the bunkers of the Goa Kingdom, Sabo observed Akainu and his men disembarking from their ships. His face grew stern as he prepared for the imminent confrontation. He quickly flexed his joints and addressed Koala, "Koala, inform everyone to proceed as planned."
"Instruct all captains and above to move onto the sea ice and prepare for battle!"
"Yes!" Koala responded firmly. She grabbed her Poké Ball containing Salamence, eyeing the approaching navy with concern. "The enemy comprises one admiral, six vice admirals, thirty-five rear admirals, and eighty commodores…"
"Their strength is indeed formidable," Koala remarked, acknowledging the navy's overwhelming power.
Sabo's eyes glinted with determination as he countered, "It's alright, the Revolutionary Army is formidable too!"
"Lugia, it's your turn to shine!"
Sabo hurled the Poké Ball containing Lugia into the sky.
In an instant, a roar reminiscent of a dragon shook the very foundation of the sea, causing the frozen ocean to tremble, as if the waters beneath were alive and raging.
"ROOAAR!!!!"
Lugia emerged, immediately setting its sights on its primary target: Admiral Akainu. Before the battle, Sabo had shown Lugia Akainu's portrait, allowing Lugia to quickly pinpoint his location among the navy.
"ROAR!!!"
Lugia roared once more. A luminous blue aura enveloped its massive body as its wings beat with incredible force. Lugia, propelled as if by a jet of nitrogen, rocketed toward Akainu's position with astonishing speed.
The distance of several kilometers seemed inconsequential as Lugia closed in on the navy within moments. Akainu and his officers sensed the impending danger the moment Lugia appeared.
Seeing Lugia's approach, Akainu's eyes narrowed. Even from afar, he could feel Lugia's immense power.
As Lugia dove toward him, Akainu shouted urgently, "Spread out and keep advancing!"
"I'll handle this beast!"
"Understood, Admiral!"
The navy quickly dispersed.
Focused solely on its target, Lugia paid no attention to the others and continued its missile-like trajectory towards Akainu, leaving a trail of blue-white light in its wake.
Lugia unleashed Dragon Rush, a powerful attack where it cloaks itself in dragon-type energy to deliver a devastating impact against its enemy. This move is all about raw, unbridled power.
Feeling the oppressive atmosphere, Akainu steeled himself, his focus unwavering. He cursed silently, "Damn Revolutionary Army, how many Pokémon did they acquire from the dimensional merchant?"
Magma surged within Akainu, and he quickly formed a towering lava wall, over ten meters high, to shield himself from the impending attack. The glacier beneath melted instantly under the intense heat of the lava. But in this moment, Akainu couldn't afford to worry about that.
BOOM!
Lugia descended from the sky, colliding with the enormous lava shield erected by Akainu.
The impact unleashed a violent shockwave, rippling across the ocean and shattering the ice. Countless cracks snaked towards the Kingdom of Goa.
"Ah!"
Nami, caught in the heart of the battlefield, was swept away by the force of the blast, sent flying back alongside Butterfree. In a way, this was fortunate. Nami lacked the strength to intervene in such a high-stakes battle. The gale carried her away from the vice admirals converging on her position.
The battle was on the verge of erupting into full scale. Several vice admirals attempted to chase after Nami, intent on capturing her. They recognized her as the one who summoned Articuno, marking her as a high-ranking member of the Revolutionary Army.
These seasoned marines, familiar with battlefield tactics, coordinated seamlessly to block Nami's escape route while appearing to disperse under the onslaught of Akainu and Lugia's confrontation.
Given Butterfree's current strength, it could manage against ordinary foes in the East Blue Sea, but stood no chance against the formidable naval officers.
"Shave!"
With a swift movement, Vice Admiral Mole launched one of the Navy's six moves. Holding his katana, he moved like a whirlwind, slicing through the air toward Nami.
Distracted by their efforts to flee the battlefield, Nami and Butterfree failed to notice the threat approaching from behind. Meanwhile, Articuno, the legendary Frozen Bird, continued to unleash its frigid power, reinforcing the shattered glaciers and securing their position.
"Perish, rebels!" Vice Admiral Mole shouted, his katana slashing forward. In an instant, a sharp, green arc of energy shot out, heading straight for Nami.
But before it reached her, a figure descended from the sky!
"Dragon Claw!"
A spectral dragon materialized in the air, intercepting the green slash. With a crack, the energy shattered in Sabo's grasp, vanishing into the air.
Landing gracefully on the ice, now solid under Articuno's protection, Sabo turned to Nami with a calm smile. "Miss Nami, leave the Vice Admirals to me! You and Pikachu go to assist the others."
"Okay!" Nami replied confidently. Without needing to look back, she sensed the danger that had just been averted. Smiling, she continued her retreat, following Butterfree away from the main battlefield.
With Sabo's dramatic entrance, the battlefield was instantly divided into three distinct zones:
Akainu versus Lugia: Not far from the naval battleships, Akainu and Lugia were locked in a fierce battle, each testing the limits of their strength. Sabo versus the Six Vice Admirals: Sabo faced off against the six Vice Admirals who, recognizing his crucial role as the Revolutionary Army's successor, shifted their focus from Nami to him. Rear Admirals and Commodores versus Goa Kingdom: Further along the ice, a group of Rear Admirals and Commodores continued their advance toward the Goa Kingdom's shoreline, where and her forces were poised to meet them.
---
As the conflict raged, the intense heat from Akainu's magma sent steam billowing across the sea. Manipulating the molten rock, Akainu fashioned a stable platform beneath his feet. Gasping for breath, he cursed under his breath:
"How can a Pokémon wield such power!?"
Just defending against Lugia's last attack had drained about a tenth of his stamina. For someone like Akainu, who relied heavily on his Devil Fruit abilities, his physical condition was crucial to maintaining his combat effectiveness.
Casting a wary glance at Lugia, Akainu reevaluated his opponent.
---
Meanwhile, Lugia, disoriented from its collision with Akainu's lava, retreated to the sky. Letting out a resonant cry, it regained its composure, preparing for another assault.
Feeling confident with Lugia covering the battlefield, Articuno ceased its icy barrage, allowing the sea to return to its natural state. Except for the solidified lava platform beneath Akainu, the ocean churned with rough waves.
"Damn it! Why am I always up against these formidable Pokémon!?" Akainu fumed internally. At Navy Headquarters, Pokémon were typically considered weak, nothing more than a mild distraction. However, his encounters so far had been with Eevee, the godlike Pokémon from the Dimensional Merchant, and now, Lugia, whose power rivaled his own.
Although he wasn't sure what species this Pokémon was, its formidable strength was undeniable.
---
At that moment, Lugia let out another piercing cry. A sudden flash of light emanated from its eyes.
"Not good!" Akainu's instincts kicked in. He swiftly entered his elemental state, releasing more magma to expand his footing. At the same time, a surge of psychic energy from Lugia shot toward him!
Boom!
The psychic blast pierced through Akainu, striking the rock beneath him. The impact sent violent tremors through the magma platform, causing it to crack and splinter. The force of the blast rippled through the sea, creating chaotic waves.
Fortunately for Akainu, Lugia's attack hadn't directly harmed him. Instead, it had only shattered the platform he had created. As the elemental transformation faded, Akainu breathed a sigh of relief, quickly using magma to reconstruct his footing.
Grateful for his prior encounter with the Dimensional Merchant's Pokémon, Akainu recalled Aokiji's advice: whenever a Pokémon's eyes flash strangely, it's about to unleash a powerful psychic attack.
Lugia's latest move had indeed been a psychic attack.
---
Blocking two of Lugia's assaults bolstered Akainu's confidence. He glared up at Lugia with a defiant grin and shouted, "It's futile! Your strength alone can't defeat justice!"
He raised his arm, and magma gushed forth, solidifying into a colossal lava fist aimed at Lugia.
"Justice is invincible!" Akainu roared, launching his attack.
The sky turned a fiery red as the massive magma fist shot towards Lugia. In response, Lugia beat its wings, conjuring a powerful cyclone to intercept the fiery blow.
Boom!
The clash of elements echoed across the battlefield. The cyclone cut through the magma, scattering the fiery debris like falling stars.
Akainu watched as his attack dissolved in the sky. With a growl, he unleashed another barrage of magma bombs, each one streaking toward Lugia like a meteor.
Lugia deftly maneuvered through the onslaught, dodging and countering with gusts of wind. The battlefield was engulfed in a storm of magma and hurricanes.
Despite the strain, Akainu persisted. He noted with satisfaction that the six Vice Admirals had encircled Sabo on the ice.
Lugia was indeed formidable, but their primary mission was to dismantle the Revolutionary Army, not defeat Pokémon. Even for an Admiral like Akainu, engaging six Vice Admirals at once would be a challenge. Sabo, despite his strength, was outmatched.
Akainu smirked, "All I need to do is hold off this Pokémon while the rest of the Navy crushes the Revolutionary Army."
He was confident that the Revolutionary Army couldn't field another Pokémon as powerful as Lugia or Articuno. After his defeat by Eevee, Akainu had learned a lot about Pokémon, including the exorbitant cost of acquiring them from the Dimensional Merchant.
As long as he kept Lugia occupied, the other Vice Admirals could handle Articuno. And without another ace up their sleeve, Sabo and his comrades were doomed!
(End of this chapter)