Big Mom stared at Sakazuki. The holes torn through his body were unmistakable, yet he still stood upright. She could not help but exclaim, "You have no heart left. How are you still alive?"
Marco was equally shaken. He had personally crushed Sakazuki's heart, yet the man continued to move. The sheer physical endurance displayed was almost unbelievable, even by the standards of the One Piece world.
Still, Marco was certain of one thing. Sakazuki was flesh and blood. Without a heart, death was inevitable. No amount of willpower could overturn that truth. At most, Aramaki's ability was only allowing him to cling to life for a few final moments.
At that instant, countless volcanic bombs descended from the sky. Some rained directly toward Marco and Big Mom, while others arced high before crashing down across the battlefield.
Facing the onslaught of Meteor Volcano, Marco showed no fear. He surged forward without hesitation, his voice low and resolute.
"Destruction Black Flame, Phoenix Wings."
Black Flame erupted around his body, and in an instant, Marco transformed into a massive black phoenix, his wings spanning dozens of meters. He slammed head-on into Sakazuki. The Black Flame spread wildly, devouring the vines and life-support tubes one after another.
As Sakazuki's life force drained away, the power behind Meteor Volcano weakened rapidly, until the attack finally dissipated.
Within the sea of Black Flame, Sakazuki crashed heavily to the ground. The flame of his life flickered, nearly extinguished.
In those final moments, memories flooded his mind.
In his youth, he had joined the Marines with burning conviction. He entered the Marine Academy, became a disciple of Zephyr, and was already known as a monster among men. With outstanding achievements and overwhelming strength, he was granted the Magma Magma Fruit by the World Government, the most destructive Logia-type Devil Fruit. From there, his rise was unstoppable.
At Marineford, he became an Admiral, wielding unparalleled power. No pirate, no matter how vicious, could stand before him alone.
Later, Fleet Admiral Sengoku retired and recommended Kuzan as his successor. Sakazuki opposed it with everything he had. That clash of ideals led to a duel that shook the seas. In the end, Sakazuki prevailed, claiming the position of Fleet Admiral, while Kuzan left the Marines behind.
That was a battle of ideals.
But Kizaru was different.
Even now, Sakazuki could not understand why Borsalino had chosen to leave. He wondered when he had driven him away, and whether the Absolute Justice he upheld had been flawed from the beginning. Was he truly nothing more than a tyrant who ruled through violence? If Kuzan had become Fleet Admiral instead, would the Marines have walked a different path?
There would be no answers.
His consciousness faded into darkness.
At the same moment, the familiar mechanical voice echoed in Marco's mind.
"Mission accomplished. Successfully killed Fleet Admiral Sakazuki. Reward: 10,000 attribute points."
Marco checked his total. Twenty thousand attribute points.
A surge of exhilaration coursed through him. All that remained now was to drive the Marines from Cake Island and the rescue mission would be complete.
But Marco was not satisfied with stopping there.
He turned to Big Mom and asked calmly, "You can still fight, right?"
"Hmph. Who do you think this old woman is?" Big Mom sneered.
Her condition was dire. She had sacrificed fifteen years of her lifespan, leaving her body at eighty-two years old, barely sustained by the souls of tens of thousands of Homies. Those souls were being consumed every moment, and once they were gone, she would return to her aged form.
Even so, as a Yonko who once ruled the seas, she would never allow anyone to see weakness.
"These Marines trashed my territory," she growled. "Do you think I would let them leave alive? This old woman will take their lifespan."
Marco nodded. If they were truly moving against the World Government, the Marines were an unavoidable obstacle for their alliance. This opportunity to weaken them could not be wasted.
"Then let's do it together," Marco said. "We take down Admiral Aramaki first, then Admiral Fujitora. Once they fall, the rest of the Marines are nothing."
Big Mom's eyes turned bloodshot as she laughed harshly. "I was thinking the same thing. But first, we destroy the Marine warships. I will make sure none of them escape."
Marco paused briefly. His priority was powerful enemies like Admirals. Ordinary Marines brought him no benefit. Still, Big Mom was not his subordinate, and he had no intention of controlling her actions.
"Alright," he agreed.
Elsewhere, Aramaki had retreated from the battlefield, but he did not immediately order a withdrawal. As a newly appointed Admiral, his authority had yet to fully solidify. The first thing he did was contact the Gorosei.
When Marine soldiers spotted him, they rushed forward in panic.
"Admiral Aramaki, something terrible has happened!"
Aramaki's mood was already at its lowest. Hearing those words only darkened his expression further.
"What happened?" he asked coldly.
The intelligence officer reported urgently, "We have intercepted information confirming that Admiral Kizaru has been defeated by Phoenix Marco. The ten thousand Marines sent to intercept the Phoenix Pirates have been completely wiped out, likely captured alive."
Aramaki's anger nearly erupted.
He was not blind. Marco's arrival was already obvious. This intelligence was useless now.
"What good is this information?" he snapped. "Open your eyes and look around. The Phoenix Pirates are already all over this island. What you are telling me is meaningless."
The officer fell silent, not daring to speak again.
After a moment, Aramaki issued his command.
"Immediately prepare the Marines for retreat."
"Retreat?" Several Marines stared at him in confusion.
"This is Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's order," Aramaki said flatly.
He activated the den den mushi once more. This time, the call connected.
The voice of the Gorosei echoed through the line. "This is the Gorosei speaking."
"Esteemed Gorosei," Aramaki said, his tone tense and urgent. "The situation has reached a critical point. I must report immediately."
===
100 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Powerstones = 3 Bonus Chapters
===
If you want to read more, check out my patreon.
Patreon.com/ _Zeph