Ice Ball
The Ice Ball shot toward me with a deadly chill that made the air itself shiver. Dodging with all my might, I felt the biting cold brush past. If I had been slower, I would've ended up frozen solid. My fears were confirmed as the projectile slammed into an escaped prisoner behind me. In an instant, he was encased in a thick shell of ice, his muffled cry cut short.
Dangerous
The biggest problem with fighting Aokiji was that he specialized in imprisonment and restricting movements. And for a swordsman like me, restricting movement even for a moment can be fatal. Sure, you can get out of ice by a strong burst of haki. But I really didn't want to exhaust my haki this early in the game. Blackbeard is surely going to make an appearance and I needed to be at an optimal level if I wanted to fight him. Especially after the huge power boost he got recently.
So, I mostly dodged his attacks and deflected the attacks that targeted my vitals. Aokiji was also really good at using haki and he was even better at close combat. Garp's training was showing the effect, seeing that he could keep up with my speed. And that's saying something, as I'm one of the fastest combatants on this battlefield. Only Kizaru was faster than me. That guy moved at the "speed of light," so that's another matter.
Even while dueling Aokiji, my eyes scanned the chaos around me. Marco and Kizaru engaged in a fierce battle, their clashes accompanied by bursts of blue flame and beams of light. Kizaru's precision was as deadly as his speed. I noticed him slipping laser beams toward Whitebeard whenever possible, exploiting every opportunity.
One such beam found its mark, striking Whitebeard at a critical moment. The old man staggered, leaving him exposed. Akainu took full advantage of the slip-up. With a devastating punch of molten magma, he drove his fist through Whitebeard's stomach.
The blow was brutal, but Whitebeard was far from finished. With the full force of the Gura Gura no Mi, he retaliated, landing a haki-infused punch squarely on Akainu's face. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the battlefield, knocking weaker combatants off their feet. Akainu staggered, blood dripping from his mouth, but his resilience was terrifying. Magu Magu no Mi didn't just grant him overwhelming attack power; it also provided remarkable defense. His magma hardened into impenetrable granite-like armor, allowing him to endure blows that would've felled lesser men. Despite his wounds, Whitebeard continued to fight with unmatched ferocity, his determination blazing brighter than ever.
Meanwhile, Luffy, Sabo, and Ivankov were advancing toward the execution platform. Jimbei was barely holding off Mihawk, his defensive stance showing cracks. Smoker attempted to capture Luffy, but Sabo intercepted, clashing with haki-infused claws. Ivankov cleared lower-ranking marines with explosive Death Wink strikes, carving a path through the chaos.
They were extremely close to the platform when the proxy executioners arrived. Shit, that was fast. Not even fifteen minutes have passed since the ship has landed on the inner plaza. They were already preparing to carry out their orders. My gaze locked with Whitebeard's across the battlefield. His silent message was clear: Do whatever it takes to save Ace.
But Luffy beat me to it as he unleashed his conqueror's haki even before the executioners could take their positions. Marines with weaker will dropped to the ground left and right. His voice carried over the stunned silence:
"DON'T TOUCH ACE!"
Luffy's display sent ripples through the battlefield. Whitebeard murmured, "So he has it too. The will of a conqueror."
Sengoku's face darkened, while Akainu's expression twisted with fury. To them, Luffy wasn't just another pirate. He was the son of Dragon, the most wanted criminal in the world. Akainu's gaze burned with malice, his intent to kill Luffy as clear as day.
As Ivankov and Luffy neared the execution platform, Inazuma got out of Ivankov's hair and made a ramp with his scissors just like the original story. Garp and Luffy face off against each other, but Garp faltered. Luffy's fist met his jaw as he made a show of defeat. This was a silent confirmation from him. For Luffy to go and save Ace.
All three of the admirals retreated from their respective battles, seeing the gravity of the situation. Kizaru was by far the fastest among those three, and Marco stopped his attack that was aimed at Luffy. His efforts gave the single second delay that Luffy needed to free Ace without any interruptions. Ace was finally free.
Sengoku seethed with fury as his body expanded, swelling to an awe-inspiring, colossal size. His form radiated an incandescent golden aura, shimmering with an almost celestial brilliance. Each movement he made reverberated through the battlefield, exuding the majesty and authority of a god descending upon mere mortals.
Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Daibutsu
The golden Buddha sent a massive shockwave from its palm right where Luffy and Ace were. But his shockwave met an intense wall made of fire. Ace was finally free as he demonstrated the enormous power boost he got recently. Both the attacks clashed with each other as destruction followed.
The platform buckled and shattered under the strain, sending Ace, Luffy, and Sengoku plummeting. Ace's body turned to fire as he caught Luffy, carrying him to safety. Marines in their path were no match for Ace's flames, which roared with newfound intensity.
Whitebeard's voice boomed, "We've done what we came here to do. Retreat!"
At my signal, two hidden ships surfaced from the icy waters.
"Jozu, take the troops and retreat to the ships!"
I ordered, my voice cutting through the chaos.
Whitebeard stood his ground, like an unbreakable wall, as he stopped as many marines as he could from going after his crew. His body was already scarred from multiple sword wounds and cannon fires. The hole in his stomach didn't look so good either. But he was still standing like the legendary figure he was. But there was one more important factor left to play. My eyes darted towards where Ace and Luffy were as I saw a familiar scene.
Akainu was bad-mouthing what a cowardly man Whitebeard was, and Ace was getting angrier. That fucking moron is still so immature. My figure moved like a blur as I reached where Ace was within a second.
The whole battlefield watched in shock as my haki-infused fist crashed into Ace's jaw, crashing him to the ground. Ace too didn't understand what had happened as he looked at me with confusion.
"Are you stupid?" I asked, anger clear in my voice, "Can't you see he's provoking you? You're fire—he's magma. He's stronger, and your haki isn't enough to close the gap. Do you want to waste everything we've fought for? Everything your crew has sacrificed? Think for once in your life!"
Ace stared at me, realization dawning. But I wasn't done.
"Do you want to make their efforts meaningless?" I demanded, my voice rising.
"No!" Ace shouted back, conviction replacing his confusion.
I said sharply. "Then do your part. Also..." My eyes shifted towards the main Marineford building. "Do you really think you are hiding yourself? I can sense your malice even from here. Show yourself, Blackbeard!"
A hideous laughter went across the battlefield as Blackbeard, along with his whole crew, emerged from a single block of darkness. Storing people in darkness—that's dangerous.
"Zehahahaha! Your senses are something else...masked man."
I smirked seeing his face. His face had a mixture of amusement and pain in them, an ugly cocktail. It seemed as if he was being eaten from the inside by something. A cost of his newfound strength maybe. But whatever cost he was bearing was surely worth it as I measured how strong he was.
"It seems that you've become stronger since the last time I saw you. But I'm guessing that the darkness is eating away at you. It's quite fitting really."
Ace was reeling to fight Blackbeard again, but I held him down. He might've been able to match Blackbeard in strength before. But now, I wouldn't bet on it.
Sengoku's voice thundered, demanding answers. "Blackbeard! What's the meaning of this? Why are you here, and why do you have the prisoners of Impel Down with you?"
Blackbeard raised his arms theatrically, addressing the battlefield. "I resign, Fleet Admiral! The title of Warlord served its purpose—helping me build my crew. Now, I'm done with it."
With measured steps, Blackbeard pirates came down to the plaza. I had already expected this.
"Jozu, get your troops and get the fuck out of here. Nothing has changed. This is a rescue operation. Not a mission for vengeance. Ace is free, and the mission is a success. Now, retreat."
He was sensible enough to follow my orders. But just as they were turning back, a wall made of ice blocked their way.
I turned to Ace, my voice sharp. "Ace, stop that bastard from freezing the sea again! Your fire can counter his ice. Make sure the others can leave."
Before Ace could respond, Akainu's voice rang out, filled with venom. "Do you really think I'll let any of you leave? All pirates are the same—scum that needs to be eradicated. And Blackbeard, that includes you. You're not a warlord anymore; you're just another piece of pirate scum."
Blackbeard's grin widened. "Zehahaha! Stay out of my way, Akainu. I'm here for something far more important. That brat killed my crew. His death is inevitable. He'll get a painful death."
I grinned hearing this response. I've missed this. The excitement, the thrill. The war was already over, and I've yet to have some fun. Sure, thwarting Sengoku's plan was nice. But nothing compares to the thrill of battle—the clash of steel and will against truly formidable opponents. Foes who push me to my very limits, demanding everything I have. Opponents who can meet my full strength and still stand tall. And against Akainu and Blackbeard, I'd have to give it my all if I wanted to have the smallest chance to win.
"Old man, I've got a request for you. Can you please hold off Sengoku and Kizaru till the troops escape? Marco will help you when he can."
"What're you going to do?"
"Either something really stupid or something truly legendary. As a bonus, I'll also take care of your traitor son."
Whitebeard smirked. "Do what you need to. Just remember—we're still outnumbered a hundred to one."
I smiled hearing his response. "Consider it taken care of."
Confusion spread across Akainu's face. But I ignored his reaction as I closed my eyes. I was about to do something I've never done before. Memories went through my head about that moment. The moment when I unlocked my Conqueror's Haki. I remembered the ambition that I had felt back then. That ambition demanded the world to bend to its will. It was an ambition that wanted to dominate all else for achieving its own goal. An ambition befitting of a King.
The ground beneath me cracked as an overwhelming pressure descended on Marineford. Every fiber of my being resonated with power as I opened my eyes and uttered a single, commanding word:
"Kneel."