The massive wave of water had been halted in mid-air, frozen by Admiral Aokiji's power. Alaric, Luffy, Jimbe, Crocodile, Ivankov, and the rest of the prisoners who had escaped from Impel Down were stranded on the crest of the tsunami, trapped in a vast sea of suspended ice. Around them, the cold caused the structure of the frozen wave to creak while the ship that had transported them leaned precariously over the frigid surface.
The air was charged with tension, with the war already raging in the bay of Marineford just beneath their feet. From their position, they could see in the distance the colossal figures of Whitebeard Pirates facing off against the Marines. But what truly dominated the scene was Whitebeard himself, whose imposing figure loomed like a giant among his troops.
Alaric took a deep breath, feeling the atmosphere tense around him. "How the hell are we going to get out of here?" he thought, glancing down at the massive ice drop beneath them.
"Well, I guess it's time to jump!" —Luffy shouted, ever the optimist, as he prepared to launch himself forward without a second thought.
"Not so fast, Mugiwara-boy!" —Ivankov yelled, his eyes bulging—. "We could break every bone if we fall from here!"
Crocodile, standing with his arms crossed and a disdainful look, sighed. "What a bunch of useless idiots…" —he said in his dry tone, observing the situation with indifference—. "But I suppose we need to get out of this frozen trap."
"We should free the ship first," —Jimbe interjected, his tone more serious—. "Jumping without a plan won't help us."
Alaric, with a playful expression, watched his companions. This group was certainly not the most cohesive, but there was something exciting about seeing how they reacted to the chaos.
"Alright, any bright ideas?" —Alaric asked, a mischievous smile on his face.
"Oh, yes!" —Luffy shouted, already jumping onto one of the frozen waves—. "Let's kick it free!"
Ivankov followed suit, shaking his enormous head as his lashes fluttered. "Come on, comrades! Let's give it our all!"
Alaric raised an eyebrow, glancing at Jimbe and Crocodile, both more sensible than the rest of the group, and shrugged with a smile. "Well, it seems we don't have any other option."
They jumped one by one onto the massive frozen waves, trying to push the ship back into the water. However, the slippery surface and the enormous masses of ice made the task difficult. Crocodile, losing his patience, attempted to use his powers to get rid of the ice, but ended up face-planting when a gust of wind caught him off guard.
"Damn this weather!" —Crocodile roared, while Ivankov laughed dramatically at his misfortune.
"Ha! Even the toughest fall sometimes, Crocodile-chan!"
Chaos reigned as the prisoners and their unexpected liberators slipped and tumbled across the frozen surface. Instead of being freed, the ship began to slide dangerously toward the edge of the frozen tsunami.
"Ahh! The ship is going to fall!" —Buggy screamed, having been thrown into the air when he lost his balance, his body splitting into multiple pieces that flew everywhere.
At that moment, the ship completely lost stability and started sliding off the edge of the frozen tsunami. Alaric, along with Jimbe and the others, slipped uncontrollably behind it, plummeting into the void along with the ship and the prisoners.
"AAAHHH!" —everyone screamed in unison as they fell toward the bay of Marineford.
Below, both Marines and pirates looked up at the sky, utterly perplexed by something strange falling from above.
"What the hell is falling from the sky?" —asked one Marine, his eyes wide open.
"It looks like a ship!" —shouted another, astonished by the chaotic scene.
The Whitebeard pirates watched in disbelief as the ship and prisoners descended, screaming.
Garp, standing on the execution platform with Ace, looked up, his expression hardened, but he couldn't help a flicker of surprise when he spotted Luffy among those falling.
"Luffy!" —Ace shouted, struggling against his chains as he watched his younger brother plummet from the sky.
"Damn it, Luffy!" —Garp growled, frowning—. "How do you always get into these situations?"
Luffy, however, seemed to be enjoying the chaos, laughing as he fell. "This is awesome!" —he yelled, spreading his arms as if he were on a roller coaster.
Amid all the confusion, Alaric was also descending, but his expression was not one of surprise or fear; it was pure exhilaration. As the wind roared in his ears, he observed the imposing figure of Whitebeard. There was something about that man, an overwhelming power that he couldn't wait to face.
"Jimbe, I'm sorry… but I have to do this," —murmured Alaric, a smile bordering on madness on his lips. Before Jimbe could respond, Alaric activated his Rokushiki ability, the Moon Walk, and began moving quickly through the air.
With swift, agile movements, Alaric dove toward Whitebeard, his face displaying a mix of excitement and challenge. His white shirt billowed violently in the wind, and his black leather boots glinted in the sunlight as he launched himself at the strongest man in the world.
"This is the real battlefield!" —Alaric shouted, accelerating his descent directly toward Whitebeard, ready to confront the legendary pirate.
Whitebeard watched with his imposing eyes as chaos rained down from the sky. The ship and prisoners plunged toward Marineford like a surreal spectacle, but soon his attention focused on a particular figure. Amid the whirlwind of screams and disorder, a young stranger moved with inhuman speed, descending directly toward him. A smile curled on the lips of the emperor of the seas.
"Gurarara!" —Whitebeard laughed with his characteristic roar as he raised his gigantic bisento, ready to face whoever dared to challenge him head-on—. "A young unknown daring to defy me… interesting."
Alaric, with an excited grin and his lance firmly gripped, launched himself at Whitebeard without hesitation. He felt the immense presence of Whitebeard even before getting close, but his resolve did not waver. He wanted to measure the strength of the strongest man in the world, to understand the distance separating him from that colossal force.
The clash was inevitable. In the blink of an eye, Alaric's lance met Whitebeard's bisento. The thunder of the impact resonated throughout Marineford, and for a brief moment, both combatants faced off in silence, holding their weapons in a tense contest of power.
But what followed left everyone present breathless.
A shockwave, charged with a Haoshoku Haki so intense it shook the skies, erupted from the point where their weapons met. The very air seemed to vibrate, and the heavens above Marineford tore apart, as if the world couldn't bear the pressure of two colossal wills clashing.
The Whitebeard pirates and the Marines watched in astonishment. Many of them staggered, feeling the overwhelming presence emanating from both combatants. Even the strongest among them, men and women hardened by countless battles, couldn't help but shiver at the magnitude of what they were witnessing.
"The sky… it's splitting!" —shouted one of the Marines, his face drenched in sweat.
"Impossible! Two Haoshoku Haki!" —exclaimed another, unable to tear his gaze away from the superhuman spectacle unfolding before them.
Whitebeard smiled sidelong, sizing up his young opponent. "Interesting…" —he murmured as both wrestled in that tense exchange.
Alaric, for his part, was elated. He felt the crushing pressure of Whitebeard, but it wasn't something that made him retreat. Instead, his excitement grew. He was thrilled to have crossed weapons with the strongest man in the world, even if just for a brief moment.
However, the difference in power soon became evident. With a roar that echoed throughout Marineford, Whitebeard increased the pressure and, with a swift and brutal motion, sent Alaric flying. The young man was thrown through the air like a leaf in the wind, crashing into the frozen debris below. The sound of his fall resonated across the battlefield.
"Alaric!" —Jimbe shouted, worried, as he watched his comrade plummet after the powerful blow.
However, just a few seconds later, Alaric quickly got back on his feet, shaking off the dust and minor wounds as if they were nothing. His face was filled with determination and a wild smile. He now knew the distance that separated him from a man like Whitebeard, but that only motivated him further.
"Soru!" —Alaric shouted, and his figure vanished in a flash, reappearing instantly beside Whitebeard, though this time without any intention to attack.
Whitebeard raised an eyebrow, surprised by the speed and persistence of the young man.
"I'm not here to fight you…" —Alaric said calmly, as he sheathed his lance. Despite the adrenaline still coursing through his body, his tone was now more serene, almost respectful—. "I just wanted to measure the distance between us."
Whitebeard observed him closely, his expression turning serious for a moment. Then, laughter echoed from deep within his throat, powerful and deep.
"Gurarara! You're an interesting young man. Not many would dare to do what you just did, kid." —He lowered his bisento slightly, though still keeping a wary eye on Alaric—. "So, why are you here? What are you looking for?"
Alaric kept his gaze fixed on the gigantic pirate, his expression calm and steady. "I'm here to repay a debt… and to save Ace."
Whitebeard let out a small exhalation of surprise, though not entirely bewildered. His gaze hardened slightly as he studied the young man before him.
"To save Ace, huh?" —Whitebeard repeated with interest. After a few seconds of reflection, he nodded slowly—. "Before you continue, tell me, kid. What's your name?"
Alaric looked him straight in the eyes, the confident smile still on his face, though with a palpable respect for the man before him.
"My name is Alaric," —he replied calmly.
Whitebeard regarded him for a moment longer before nodding in approval.
"Alaric, huh?" —Whitebeard murmured, still smiling—. "Well, kid. Let's see how far you can go in this war."
As the brief conversation between Alaric and Whitebeard came to an end, the calm was abruptly interrupted by a sudden aggressive movement from the shadows. Crocodile, who had been watching the interaction closely, decided to seize the opportunity. With a glint in his eyes, he raised his claw, imbued with his sand powers, ready to attack Whitebeard from behind.
"Old bastard!" —Crocodile shouted, unleashing a fierce attack with his "Sables," the powerful sand blast that cut everything in its path, aimed directly at the back of Whitebeard's neck.
The attack, swift and lethal, seemed unstoppable. But before it could reach its target, something unexpected happened.
"Gomu Gomu no… Pistol!" —a familiar voice rang out as a massive water-covered fist slammed into Crocodile, deflecting his attack. Surprise flashed across Crocodile's face as he was sent reeling backward from the force of the blow.
Luffy, drenched in water to neutralize Crocodile's powers, landed firmly between the Shichibukai and Whitebeard, his gaze serious and determined.
"You're not going to touch that old man!" —Luffy exclaimed, gritting his teeth as he fixed his stare on Crocodile, who was getting back up, furious.
Whitebeard, who had remained impassive during the attack, let out a light chuckle, clearly amused by the unexpected intervention.
"Who the hell are you, boy?" —Whitebeard asked, his voice rumbling with a mix of curiosity and power.
Luffy, still in his combat stance, turned his head to look at Whitebeard. He showed not an ounce of fear, despite standing before the most powerful living legend in the world.
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy! I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!" —he shouted with conviction, his eyes burning with determination.
Whitebeard's crew erupted in a mix of laughter and murmurs at the audacity of the young man daring to proclaim himself future king before the very emperor of the seas. But Whitebeard did not laugh. He studied Luffy intently, his eyes filled with wisdom, as if he were measuring something in the young pirate.
"King of the Pirates, huh?" —Whitebeard repeated, as if savoring the words.
Alaric, watching the scene from the sidelines, couldn't help but smile. He knew Luffy was capable of making such declarations without batting an eye, even in front of a figure like Whitebeard.
Whitebeard, still gazing at Luffy, let out a sigh full of curiosity. "Do you even know who you're fighting against, brat?"
Luffy looked him directly in the eye, without an ounce of doubt. "I know enough! I'm here to save Ace, and I don't care who stands in my way!"
Upon hearing those words, Alaric looked at Whitebeard, almost sensing the shift in the atmosphere. The Whitebeard pirates, who had previously been on the defensive, now seemed less hostile, impressed by the young man's determination.
Whitebeard studied Luffy for a long moment, assessing his courage and the fire burning in his eyes. Finally, he let out a hearty laugh.
"Gurarara! A kid with guts, I'll admit," —Whitebeard said, scratching his chin thoughtfully—. "You're Ace's brother, aren't you?"
Luffy nodded, unwavering determination on his face. "Yes, and I won't let them kill him!"
Whitebeard smiled again, but this time there was a different glimmer in his eyes. It was respect. He turned his head toward his crew, who watched expectantly.
"Marco, Vista, Jozu," —Whitebeard called in a grave voice—. "Protect him. This kid is Ace's brother. Don't let anything happen to him."
Marco, the first division commander, who had been watching from the top of a mast, quickly descended upon hearing the order. "Understood, father." —he said as he landed near Luffy, giving the young pirate a quick glance before smiling slightly.
Vista and Jozu, the commanders of the third and first divisions, also approached, ready to carry out their captain's orders.
Luffy, though surprised by the unexpected protection, kept his focus on what mattered most: saving Ace.
Whitebeard turned his gaze back to Alaric, who was silently observing from a distance. With a smile, he nodded, as if he understood the young man's intentions.
"Well then, boys," —Whitebeard said, raising his bisento once more—. "It's time for the real battle to begin! Don't let those marines execute Ace!"
With that order, chaos in Marineford intensified once more. Luffy, Alaric, and the other prisoners, now allies with the Whitebeard Pirates, plunged into the fierce battle.