Marco glanced down at Ace, who was turning the battlefield into a sea of flames, and called out in a low, commanding voice:
"Ace. Go find Eustass Kid. Capture him for me."
His eyes hardened.
"Don't kill him. Break him if you must—but keep him alive. When this war ends, I'll broadcast his fate to the entire sea. Let those fools witness what happens to anyone who dares provoke the Phoenix Pirates."
Ace didn't hesitate.
"Got it. Leave it to me!"
Before the last syllable faded, he was already sprinting through the battlefield, flames trailing behind him like a comet's tail.
He remembered Kid well.
The ambush on the Wolfba Pirates.
The kidnapping of Whitey Bay.
Handing her over to the Marines—nearly igniting a second Marineford.
Ace's jaw clenched.
That red-haired bastard had been poking at them for too long.
'I'll beat him within an inch of his life', Ace swore inwardly. 'And when the time comes… we'll make an example of him.'
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Eustass Kid felt it.
That killing intent.
His expression darkened.
"So they've got their eyes on me now…"
He understood perfectly—the Phoenix Pirates had singled him out. But running?
That wasn't in his nature.
His pride wouldn't allow it.
Even if he had to drown in blood, he would stand.
Meanwhile, Marco no longer wasted a second.
He shot toward the towering artificial forest Aramaki had created. Through Observation Haki, he sensed it clearly—
Katakuri's life force was weakening.
'Hold on… just a little longer.'
From across the battlefield, Sakazuki watched Marco's approach, and instead of anger, a dangerous confidence surfaced in his eyes.
"So you finally showed up…"
Ulti, who had nearly decided to retreat earlier, felt hope surge back into her chest.
"If the Phoenix Pirates are here," she muttered, "then the Beasts Pirates won't be far behind. As long as we endure a little longer… once the Three Emperors stand together on Cake Island, we'll crush the Marines!"
Zack gave a sharp grin.
"That's right."
Fossa and Blenheim straightened as well, their morale igniting anew.
But not everyone shared that optimism.
Fujitora's brows tightened.
Originally, the Marines had held absolute dominance. The Big Mom Pirates were on the brink of collapse.
Yet now?
The arrival of the Phoenix Pirates had overturned the board in an instant.
He quietly wondered—
'Borsalino… what happened on your end?'
Deep within the forest, both Sakazuki and Aramaki sensed the shift.
Multiple powerful presences had entered Cake Island.
Aramaki extended his vines, probing the battlefield through his forest network. His expression changed.
"Brother Sakazuki… this is bad. The Phoenix Pirates have broken through. Marco is almost here."
Sakazuki's face darkened instantly.
"What is that Borsalino doing?" he snarled. "He was ordered to intercept them. He couldn't even handle such a simple task?"
His fury hadn't even settled—
When suddenly, the sky above dimmed.
A vast shadow swept over the forest canopy.
Then—
With a thunderous crash of wind and black flames—
A massive black phoenix descended from the heavens.
Ash and embers spiraled outward as Marco landed before them.
His wings folded slowly behind him, dark fire coiling around his body like living smoke.
A faint, mocking smile curved his lips.
"Well," he said calmly, eyes sweeping across the scene, "looks like I arrived just in time."
His gaze shifted—to Big Mom. To Katakuri. To Smoothie.
"You're all still breathing."
Then his eyes locked onto Sakazuki.
And the temperature in the forest seemed to drop.
Katakuri and Smoothie couldn't help but force bitter smiles at Marco's words.
Both of them were in miserable condition.
Their bodies were scorched black by magma burns, smoke still curling from torn flesh. Katakuri, in particular, had suffered the most. His mochi abilities were heavily restrained by Sakazuki's searing heat. Every time magma collided with mochi, it burned, melted, and devoured.
In the end, he could only rely on his three forms of Haki to survive.
Even then, it was barely enough.
He had been blocking Sakazuki's magma fists head-on—each impact like being struck by a falling volcano.
If Marco had arrived even thirty seconds later, they would have been swallowed whole by molten fire and reduced to ash.
Marco's gaze shifted to the towering figure of Big Mom before him—now an eighteen-meter monstrosity radiating overwhelming soul energy.
He tilted his head slightly.
"What kind of trump card did you just use?" he asked, genuine curiosity flickering in his eyes. "How did you turn into… that?"
Big Mom snorted, despite her ragged breathing.
"Hmph! Did you really think I showed my full strength last time?" she declared proudly. "I'm one of the Four Emperors! How could I not have hidden cards?"
Marco merely smiled faintly.
"I see."
Silently, he activated his scan.
Charlotte Linlin
Paramecia – Soul-Soul Fruit
Estimated Strength: Strong Yonko Level (Soul Fusion State)
Marco's eyes narrowed slightly.
'So this is her final move… Soul fusion?'
It felt disturbingly similar to Gecko Moria's Shadow-Shadow Fruit—only far more strong and far more terrifying.
He hadn't expected her power to spike to Strong Yonko level.
As expected of a Yonko. None of them ruled the sea without monsters hidden in reserve.
His gaze shifted again.
Aramaki
Logia – Forest-Forest Fruit
Estimated Strength: Admiral Level
Marco's lips curved faintly.
'So that's the level of the draft Admirals… formidable—but still not quite the same weight as the veterans.'
Big Mom ignored Marco's analysis.
In truth, she was already panting heavily.
This Soul Fusion state was devouring her stamina at an alarming rate. She knew she couldn't maintain it for long.
But that weakness could never be revealed.
So she burst into loud laughter instead.
"Mamamamama! You're finally here, Marco! If you'd been any slower, I would've finished off these Marines myself!"
Marco rolled his eyes.
"Would it kill you not to brag for once?"
Sakazuki's patience snapped.
The magma around his body began to boil violently, heat distorting the air.
"Enough, Marco!" he roared, fury burning in his eyes. "Why are you here?"
His voice sharpened.
"Where is Borsalino?"
There was no disbelief in his tone—only cold suspicion.
Sakazuki refused to accept that Kizaru could be defeated.
Even he himself had never managed to overcome Borsalino decisively.
In Sakazuki's mind, Kizaru's speed was absolute.
Even if Marco had awakened his Devil Fruit, how could he possibly catch light itself?
Not even Whitebeard in his prime could necessarily defeat Kizaru outright—not because Whitebeard was weaker, but because Kizaru's ability was fundamentally different.
Speed.
Pure, untouchable speed.
With that advantage, Kizaru controlled the tempo of every battle—offense, defense, retreat.
He always held the initiative.
Marco was just about to answer—
When a cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
New Mission Issued…
Mission: Revenge
During the Marineford War, Admiral Akainu delivered the fatal blow that ended Whitebeard's life.
Kill Fleet Admiral Sakazuki.
Reward: 10,000 Attribute Points.
Marco froze for the briefest moment.
Then—
His expression changed.
The playful light in his eyes vanished.
In its place burned something darker.
Colder.
The battlefield noise faded in his ears as memories surged back—
Marineford.
Whitebeard's shattered body.
That magma fist is punching through his chest.
Marco slowly lifted his head.
Black flames surged higher around him, thick and violent.
He looked directly at Sakazuki.
And this time—There was no smile.
The moment the new mission notification appeared, Marco's eyes flashed with excitement.
A "Vengeance" mission had already been triggered—requiring him to defeat Sakazuki.
But now—
A second mission.
"Revenge."
Not defeat.
Kill.
Marco's killing intent sharpened instantly.
He glanced at his remaining 10,000 attribute points and made his decision without hesitation.
All into strength.
If he killed Sakazuki, that was 20,000 points.
If he drove the Marines out of Cake Island, that's another 10,000.
Thirty thousand total.
Enough to elevate his Haki to a new level.
A cold smile curved on his lips.
He looked at the magma-wreathed fleet admiral and said lazily,
"The reason I'm here is simple."
"Kizaru is now the vice captain of the Phoenix Pirates."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Sakazuki froze.
Aramaki's grin faltered.
Even Big Mom and Katakuri stared at him in disbelief.
"Impossible," Sakazuki growled, his voice trembling with suppressed fury.
Marco spread his hands casually.
"Why not? If I'm standing here, doesn't that already explain everything?"
Sakazuki's fists ignited with molten fury.
Marco continued, deliberately fanning the flames.
"Kizaru told me the Marine salary is garbage. The benefits are pathetic. Holidays? Practically nonexistent. He earns pocket change, wakes up earlier than a rooster, sleeps later than a dog, and works like a slave."
Marco shrugged.
"I offered him ten times the pay. So he quit and joined us."
"Impossible!!!" Sakazuki roared.
The ground cracked beneath his feet as magma surged violently from his anus.
He refused to believe such absurdity.
Refused.
"Enough," he said coldly. "Why would I listen to a pirate's lies? After I kill you, I'll confirm the truth myself."
He exploded forward—
A streak of magma tearing across the battlefield.
Marco's smile widened.
His strength had just surged to 42,054 points.
He knew something Sakazuki did not.
To defeat a man like Akainu, there was only one method—
Break him.
Physically.
And mentally.
Black flames roared violently around Marco's body, darker and denser than before.
He shouted across the battlefield:
"Kizaru said the moment you became fleet admiral, he stopped wanting to be a marine!"
Sakazuki's eyes widened.
Marco pressed harder.
"You forced out Aokiji. Now you've driven away Kizaru. You scream about "absolute justice"—but you're nothing more than a tyrant hiding behind the Marine's flag!"
"You rule through fear!"
"You're not justice—you're a dictator wrapped in magma!"
"SHUT UP!!!"
Sakazuki completely lost control.
"A mere pirate dares judge my justice?!"
His arm transformed into a monstrous magma hound.
"Hell Hound!"
The hellish magma beast lunged forward, tearing through the air with apocalyptic heat.
Marco's black flames condensed instantly—
Compressing.
Sharpening.
Hardening into a blazing blade.
"Destruction Black Flame—"
"Flame Blade!!!"
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