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--xLOVEx--
On the pirate side, Whitebeard watched with an approving grin, his massive frame towering over the battlefield. "Gurarara... Looks like the future's in good hands after all." He gave a sideways glance at Luffy and Coby, impressed by how the young pirates grew to the point to make difference in the Summit War.
Back at the scaffold, Ace's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at his little brother. "Luffy... You've got that power too?" His voice trembled with shock and pride, emotions swirling inside him as he watched Luffy fight to save him.
Coby, floating in the air beside Luffy, laughed, breaking the tension. "Two for the price of one, huh?" he quipped, clearly enjoying the reactions from both sides of the battlefield.
Luffy grinned back at him, his expression carefree. "That was Conqueror's Haki right? You awakened too? Yosh! Nothing less for my Vice-Captain!"
Whitebeard's booming voice cut through the chaos of the battlefield, shaking the very air. "Yarodomo! From now on... With all your strength... Support Straw Hat Luffy and Coby the Copy Ninja!"
A stunned silence swept across the battlefield. Marines, pirates, everyone froze for a split second, trying to process what had just been said. Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world, had just openly declared his support for two rookie pirates. The shock rippled through the crowd, evident in their wide-eyed stares and murmurs.
The pirates were energized by Whitebeard's call. Many of them had been on the defensive, but now they rallied with renewed vigor. A few even called out Luffy and Coby's names, lifting their weapons high as they charged into the fray.
Luffy, oblivious to the weight of Whitebeard's words, was focused entirely on getting to Ace. "I'm not stopping!" he yelled, plowing through Marines with a relentless series of punches. "Gomu Gomu no Jet Bazooka!" His fists slammed into a Vice-Admiral, sending him crashing through a group of Marines like a wrecking ball.
Soon, all the Whitebeard Pirates who weren't already locked in combat surged around Luffy and Coby, forming a protective barrier. Pirates like Curiel, Vista, and Haruta fought back the oncoming Marines with everything they had, allowing Luffy and Coby to push forward unhindered.
Mihawk stepped onto the battlefield, his intense gaze locking onto Luffy from a distance. But before he could strike, Daz Bones leapt into action, he intercepted Mihawk's blade. The two clashed in a furious exchange of steel and sparks.
"Get going, Straw Hat!" Daz Bones growled, holding off Mihawk with every ounce of strength he had which lasted a total of rounded 1 second before Daz Bones was on the ground, lying in his own blood.
Crocodile appeared on the scene, so that rounded almost 1 second worth it. With a powerful swing of his hook, he forced Mihawk back momentarily. "I am not in the mood at the moment, Hawk-Eye," Crocodile sneered, his eyes filled with venomous intent. "Watch yourself."
Luffy and Coby didn't waste time with words. They pushed forward, cutting through Marines and avoiding massive attacks as the chaos around them escalated. As they neared the next wave of enemies, Sentomaru arrived to stop them. He swung the weapon with force, aiming to cut them down.
But before Sentomaru could land a hit, a familiar figure stepped in—Hancock. With a swift kick, she deflected Sentomaru's attack, her eyes blazing with anger.
With Hancock holding off Sentomaru, Luffy and Coby continued their ascent toward the scaffold. Whitebeard's pirates were engaged in battles with Vice-Admirals all across the battlefield, creating chaos and keeping the strongest Marines occupied.
Ivankov appeared near the duo, his laugh booming across the battlefield as he used his Death Wink to blast Marines out of their way. "Go, Straw-boy! We'll handle this!" Ivankov's huge head swiveled as he blasted more Marines aside with his powerful winks.
As Ivankov cleared a path, Jinbe arrived on the scene, his Fish-Man Karate sending waves of energy through the air, knocking down anyone who dared approach Luffy and Coby. "Keep moving, I'll handle things here," Jinbe said calmly, his fists smashing into the ground, causing shockwaves that sent Marines flying.
Out of nowhere, Inazuma crawled out from Ivankov's massive hair, his sharp scissors already cutting through the ground. With a few quick slices, he created a bridge that extended toward the scaffold. "Hurry, Straw Hat! The path is clear!" Inazuma shouted, his scissors snipping rapidly as he formed the bridge.
Luffy and Coby exchanged quick grins, both appreciating the help. Without wasting another second, they started running up the makeshift bridge, dodging stray attacks and blasts from the battlefield below.
As they climbed, a barrage of cannon fire roared toward them. Coby spun around mid-run, firing off an "Uchimizu" to intercept the cannonballs, blasting them into the sea with a burst of compressed water. "Keep going, Luffy!" Coby shouted, keeping an eye on the incoming attacks.
Luffy, ever focused on saving his brother, pushed ahead, using Gear Second to speed up his pace, his body steaming as he bolted up the bridge. Marines below fired desperately, but they were no match for the chaos surrounding them.
Near the top of the bridge, Garp appeared, his face twisted in conflict. He looked like he was at war with himself, torn between duty and family. His fists clenched tightly, knuckles white, as he stared at Luffy, his grandson, charging toward Ace. He had sworn to protect, but Luffy and Ace—they were his family.
As Luffy came closer, Garp raised his fist, the same one that had brought countless enemies to their knees. He was ready to bring it down on his grandson. But in that split second, images of Luffy and Ace as children flashed through his mind—innocent, laughing, free. His arm faltered. He hesitated, just for a moment, and that was all Luffy needed.
"Sorry, Gramps!" Luffy shouted, his body suddenly speeding up in Gear Second. He slammed his fist into Garp's face with a "Gomu Gomu no Jet Pistol," sending him flying off the bridge. Garp crashed into the ground below.
Before Luffy could fall too far, Coby swooped in using Geppo, grabbing Luffy by the collar and hauling him upward. "I gotcha!" Coby called out, his feet kicking through the air as they headed toward the scaffold.
As they landed on the scaffold, Ace looked up, his face filled with shock and disbelief. "Luffy... Coby..." His voice cracked with emotion, but there was no time for a reunion. Sengoku, standing next to Ace, clenched his jaw, his form already swelling as he shifted into his massive Buddha form.
Kizaru, not one to miss an opportunity, tried to beam himself up to stop them, but Jozu intercepted him with a haki-infused punch, sending the light-wielding Admiral flying backward.
Coby landed beside Ace, quickly pulling out a small wax key he crafted earlier. He tossed it to Luffy. "Quick! Unlock Ace!"
Coby then turned to face the mightiest obstacle in front of him—Sengoku in his massive Buddha form. He had almost no defensive abilities copied that could match Sengoku's strength. Jozu's diamond ability was tempting, but the SP cost was absurd, and he wasn't about to blow everything on one move.
He glanced at Luffy, who was fumbling with the wax key in his hand. "On second thought, you defend, Luffy. I'll unlock Ace."
Luffy immediately shot him a confused glare. "What?! He's my brother!"
Coby grinned back, shaking his head. "Yeah, and you're my captain!"
"Doesn't matter! I'm the one who's gonna save him!"
"You're too slow with that damn key, Luffy!" Coby snapped, grabbing the key from him. "Let me do it before you screw it up!"
Luffy growled, stepping forward. "I'm not screwing anything up! Just let me—"
Before Luffy could finish, Sengoku's massive arm swung down toward them, the pressure from the strike alone enough to flatten them against the scaffold. Coby and Luffy hit the ground hard, pinned by the crushing force.
"Fuck," Coby cursed, struggling to move as the weight of Sengoku's strength kept him in place.
Kizaru, ever the opportunist, fired a beam of light from his finger aimed directly at the wax key in Luffy's hand. It shattered instantly, leaving a small puff of smoke.
"You were fingered at the speed of light, bitch! Booyah!" Kizaru taunted, swinging his fingers toward the ground.
Coby, even under pressure, rolled his eyes. "Don't steal my line and ruin it like that," he muttered, trying to push himself up.
Luffy, teeth gritted, wasn't giving up. "Gomu Gomu no Gigant Fusen!" he roared, inflating his body into a massive balloon with Gear Third. The sudden expansion caused the scaffold to creak and buckle under Sengoku's weight, easing just enough pressure for Coby to make his move.
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