The destruction did not end with the iceberg.
It became worse.
Far worse.
After Sakazuki obliterated Jozu's massive ice projectile with Great Eruption, the shattered remains of the iceberg transformed into countless flaming magma chunks raining down across the battlefield.
Like volcanic meteors.
BOOOOM!!
CRASH!!
KRAKOOOM!!
The sky itself seemed to burn red.
Pirates screamed in panic as molten debris crashed into the frozen battlefield.
"WATCH OUT!"
"MOVE!"
"MAGMA!"
Entire sections of ice exploded apart under the bombardment. Pirates were blown away by the impacts while others dove desperately to avoid being crushed or incinerated.
One magma boulder smashed directly into a pirate ship.
BOOOOOM!!
The vessel erupted into flames instantly.
The Whitebeard Pirates grimaced.
"Damn that Admiral!"
"He's hitting everyone!"
Even the Marines looked uneasy.
The magma rain showed no discrimination.
On the battlefield below, Tenjin's eyes widened as a burning magma chunk descended directly toward him.
"Oi—!"
BOOM!!
He launched himself sideways just before impact.
The magma rock slammed into the frozen sea behind him, instantly melting an enormous section of ice.
Steam exploded upward.
Tenjin landed awkwardly, still recovering from his earlier dehydration.
Another magma chunk descended immediately.
"Tch!"
He kicked off the ground again.
BOOM!!
The impact shattered the battlefield where he had stood.
Tenjin grimaced.
"You trying to kill your own allies too?!"
His shout echoed upward toward Akainu.
Nearby Marines wisely pretended not to hear him.
As he moved, faint green roots extended beneath the ice.
Tenjin quietly absorbed underground moisture through them, slowly replenishing the water he had lost during Dead Wood.
His pale complexion gradually began improving.
Not far away, Whitey Bay also dodged another descending magma mass.
She leapt gracefully across a collapsing ice platform as molten rock exploded behind her.
"Tch."
Even she looked irritated now.
"This battlefield gets more ridiculous every minute."
Then suddenly—
One of the largest magma masses descended directly toward the Moby Dick.
Toward Edward Newgate himself.
Pirates shouted in alarm.
"POPS!"
Whitebeard merely glanced upward.
Then casually raised his bisento.
SHING!!
The massive magma rock split cleanly in half.
The separated pieces exploded harmlessly into the sea behind him.
Whitebeard snorted.
"Gurararara!"
He looked toward the execution platform.
"So this is your magma, brat?"
His grin widened mockingly.
"It's warm."
The Marines stiffened instantly.
Calling an Admiral "brat" in front of everyone took absurd confidence.
Akainu's eyes darkened.
"Mouth as loud as ever, Whitebeard."
Magma bubbled more violently from his arm.
"But you're still just a dying relic."
The air between them trembled with killing intent.
Meanwhile, the battlefield continued descending further into chaos.
Marine officers quickly reorganized.
"Reload the cannons!"
"Keep firing!"
Rows upon rows of Marine artillery rotated toward the advancing pirates.
BOOOOM!!
BOOOOM!!
BOOOOM!!
Cannons thundered endlessly.
Explosions erupted across the frozen sea.
But the pirates refused to stop.
"FOR ACE!"
"ADVANCE!"
"REACH THE PLATFORM!"
The allied pirate captains led the charge personally now.
Squard carved through Marine soldiers with brutal swings of his blade.
Doma cut down riflemen while roaring for his men to advance.
McGuy's lightning-enhanced strikes blasted Marines aside.
The battlefield became a sea of screaming soldiers, gunfire, steel, blood, fire, and ice.
And standing amidst it all—
Tenjin slowly straightened.
The dryness in his body faded.
The underground moisture absorbed through his roots had finally stabilized him again.
He rolled his shoulders.
Then cracked his neck.
A massive grin spread across his face.
"There we go."
Whitey Bay narrowed her eyes.
Tenjin pointed at her confidently.
"Round two."
His grin widened further.
"This time…"
Green steam faintly drifted around him again.
"…I'll get serious."
Whitey Bay sighed softly.
"You say that like the first round wasn't already troublesome enough."
Then suddenly—
Something massive flew overhead.
A Marine screamed as his body crashed into the battlefield nearby.
BOOOOM!!
The impact shattered the ice.
Everyone nearby looked upward instinctively.
A gigantic shadow loomed over the battlefield.
The pirates froze for half a second.
Then erupted into deafening cheers.
"HE'S HERE!"
"OARS JR.!"
"LITTLE OARS JR.!"
The enormous figure finally emerged fully through the smoke and chaos.
Gigantic.
Towering over the battlefield itself.
A monstrous giant carrying an enormous iron club.
Little Oars Jr..
Each of his footsteps shook the frozen sea.
Marines stared upward in horror.
"T-That thing is huge!"
"How are we supposed to stop that?!"
Tenjin looked up with wide eyes.
His jaw slowly dropped.
Then he pointed dramatically upward and shouted at the top of his lungs—
"HE'S HUUUUUUGE!"
The battlefield trembled beneath gigantic footsteps.
Little Oars Jr. charged through Marineford like a natural disaster given form.
Each movement shook the frozen sea.
Each roar drowned out cannon fire.
Marine warships shattered apart beneath his massive club as though they were toys.
BOOOOOM!!
One entire battleship flipped into the air after taking a direct swing from Oars Jr.'s iron club.
Marines screamed as debris rained across the battlefield.
"He destroyed a battleship in one hit!"
"That monster's insane!"
Oars Jr. roared loudly.
"AAAAACE!!"
His massive body surged forward again.
Entire rows of Marines were swept away by the pressure of his movements alone.
From the Warlord section, Donquixote Doflamingo grinned excitedly behind his sunglasses.
"Fufufufufu…"
His eyes gleamed.
"Now that's a monster."
Beside him, Gecko Moria looked practically ecstatic.
"KISHISHISHI!!"
His grin stretched unnaturally wide.
"That corpse…"
His eyes locked greedily onto Oars Jr.
"…would make an AMAZING zombie!"
Even several Marines nearby shivered hearing that.
Then the Marine Giants moved.
The giant squad stepped forward together like walking fortresses.
Vice Admiral John Giant led them.
Beside him came the gigantic Marine warriors Lacroix, Luell, and Roni.
Compared to ordinary soldiers, they were colossal.
But compared to Oars Jr.?
They looked small.
Because Oars Jr. towered over them all.
Nearly twice their size.
John Giant roared.
"STOP HIM!"
The Marine giants charged together.
The frozen battlefield shook beneath their combined advance.
Oars Jr. laughed loudly.
"YOU WANNA FIGHT ME?!"
Then the giants collided.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
John Giant swung his enormous blade toward Oars Jr.'s neck.
Oars Jr. ducked surprisingly fast for someone his size.
His iron club swept sideways.
CRAAAAASH!!
John Giant barely blocked in time.
Even then, the impact launched the Vice Admiral backward across the battlefield.
The frozen sea shattered beneath him.
Lacroix attacked from the side, massive axe descending toward Oars Jr.'s shoulder.
Oars Jr. caught the weapon mid-swing.
The Marine giant's eyes widened.
Then Oars Jr. headbutted him.
BOOOOOOM!!
Lacroix crashed through multiple Marine fortifications before collapsing unconscious.
Roni roared and leapt upward, attempting to slam both fists onto Oars Jr.'s skull.
Oars Jr. simply grabbed him out of the air.
Like catching a child.
Then hurled him downward.
CRAAAAASH!!
The battlefield exploded beneath the impact.
Luell tried taking advantage of the opening, driving a gigantic spear toward Oars Jr.'s chest.
The demon giant grinned wildly.
Then bit the spear in half.
Luell froze.
"…What?"
Oars Jr.'s club descended.
BOOOOOM!!
Luell disappeared beneath the impact entirely.
The surrounding ice collapsed inward like a crater struck by a meteor.
The Marines stared in horror.
"He's crushing the giant squad!"
"That thing's unstoppable!"
John Giant rose again with blood running down his face.
He roared and charged one final time.
Oars Jr. met him head-on.
Their fists collided.
The shockwave blasted nearby soldiers away.
Then—
CRACK.
John Giant's arm bent unnaturally.
The Vice Admiral's eyes widened in pain.
Oars Jr. slammed his forehead into John Giant's face.
BOOOOOOM!!
The Marine giant collapsed backward unconscious.
The giant squad had been annihilated.
Completely.
Elsewhere across the battlefield, Tenjin and Whitey Bay continued their standoff.
Green steam drifted from Tenjin's body once more.
The bark-like patterns of Dead Wood covered his limbs.
But—
His eyes kept drifting elsewhere.
Toward Oars Jr.
Toward the giant battle.
Toward the colossal destruction unfolding across Marineford.
His face practically glowed with excitement.
"THAT WAS AMAZING!"
Whitey Bay blinked.
Tenjin pointed enthusiastically toward the battlefield.
"Did you SEE that punch?!"
BOOOOM!!
Oars Jr. crushed another defensive wall in the distance.
Tenjin looked completely mesmerized.
"So cool…"
Whitey Bay stared at him silently.
Then sighed.
"…There's no point fighting you if you're not even paying attention to me."
Tenjin immediately looked offended.
"I AM paying attention!"
Whitey Bay raised an eyebrow.
"You've spent the last thirty seconds watching giants beat each other up with stars in your eyes."
Tenjin opened his mouth.
Then paused.
"…That's fair."
Whitey Bay pinched the bridge of her nose.
"You really are just a little boy."
Tenjin instantly exploded.
"DON'T CALL ME A LITTLE BOY!"
Whitey Bay smirked faintly.
"You're excited over giant fights."
Her sword lowered slightly.
"You're proving my point."
Tenjin pointed accusingly at her.
"Giants are awesome! That's different!"
Whitey Bay laughed softly.
"You know what? Go ahead."
Tenjin blinked.
"Huh?"
She gestured toward Oars Jr.
"Go watch your giant fight."
Tenjin's eyes widened.
"…Really?"
Whitey Bay immediately regretted saying it.
Because the instant the words left her mouth—
BOOOOM!!
Tenjin vanished in a burst of shattered ice.
Straight toward Oars Jr.
Whitey Bay stared blankly at the empty space he had occupied moments earlier.
"…Really?"
She sighed heavily.
"He didn't even think about it for a second."
---
Find early chapters on my patreon
[Patreon.com/tenten100?]