Ace, boiling with rage, roared loudly, and his right arm suddenly erupted with massive flames.
He swung with all his might, and the scorching blaze roared like a wall of fire, rushing straight toward Taro.
"Damn it, this guy!" Ace's personality is truly difficult to handle, Taro cursed under his breath. "He really won't give up until he sees the coffin!"
"Great Eruption!"
Internal Energy suddenly gathered in Taro's left arm. The instantly solidified Internal Energy emitted a scorching, cyan-white Qi vortex, which he punched out, colliding with Ace's wall of fire.
"Boom!"
The two attacks clashed, unleashing a powerful shockwave, scattering flames that burst open in the air.
After blocking the blow, Taro didn't attack again. He stood still, feigning surprise, to give Ace time to escape.
However, Ace had no intention of fleeing. Instead, he crouched down, placed both hands on his waist, and joined his index and middle fingers.
"Fire Gun!"
He shot countless fire bullets at Taro with a "biubiu, biubiu."
[Fire Gun successfully learned]
Taro looked helpless. Damn it, was my acting too exaggerated? Why don't you run, seriously.
He dodged and weaved while complaining inwardly.
"Firefly: Fire Daruma!"
When the first two rounds of attacks failed, Ace immediately transformed both hands into green flames, throwing out countless small, glowing green fireballs resembling fireflies.
[Firefly: Fire Daruma successfully learned]
These small fireballs instantly floated around Taro before simultaneously exploding.
"Rumble!"
Amidst the violent explosion and astonishing flames, Taro slowly walked out of the fire, cyan-white Qi circulating around his body, isolating the flames.
Holy hell, instead of trying to escape quickly, he's getting more excited the more he fights!
Taro was burning with anxiety and surging anger. He suddenly flashed, appearing beside Ace, and delivered a sweeping kick, his foot wrapped in Armament Haki.
"Flash Kick!"
The kick landed squarely on Ace's waist. "Pfft," Ace coughed up a mouthful of blood and was sent flying dozens of meters away.
If you won't leave, I'll kick you out piece by piece, damn it!
After kicking Ace away, Taro pursued him again, raising his right foot.
"If you don't even know Haki yet, don't stay on a battlefield of this caliber. Do you even want to see tomorrow's sun?"
As he spoke, he prepared to kick again.
"Second Gear!"
"Gum-Gum Jet Rocket!"
From the side and behind, Luffy entered Second Gear, stretched his arms back dozens of meters, and then violently thrust them forward toward Taro.
Taro turned around, crossing his arms in front of him for protection.
"Dong!"
Second Gear Luffy possessed considerable strength. The powerful burst of force caused Taro's entire body's Internal Energy to fluctuate, and he slid backward several steps, scraping the ground with his feet.
With Luffy intervening, Taro seized the opportunity to hold back, stopped his pursuit, and began observing the other battlefields.
The battle between Aokiji and "Diamond" Jozu had ended, and Jozu's massive body was frozen into a huge block of ice.
However, Aokiji did not strike a fatal blow by shattering the ice block, instead turning to fight several other commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates.
The battle between Kizaru and "Phoenix" Marco was also nearing its end. Vice Admiral Onigumo had seized the opportunity to lock Little Marco up with Sea Stone handcuffs.
The battle between Sengoku and Dragon remained fiercely contested and looked incredibly spectacular.
The most critical situation involved Whitebeard. After shattering Akainu's magma with a Quake Fist once more, his legs gave out, and he coughed up a large mouthful of blood while kneeling on one knee.
It seemed the frequent use of his abilities had already overwhelmed his body.
Countless Marines were now assisting Akainu in the siege.
Just then,
The Filial Son, Squard, appeared, leading his subordinate pirates. They had actually steered their Paddle Steamer into the plaza, charging straight toward Whitebeard, who was under siege.
"Bang!"
With a dull thud, the Paddle Steamer suddenly stopped, having been halted by Whitebeard pushing against it with one hand.
"Pops..."
Squard cried out in surprise.
The Marines were also filled with terror; the seemingly severely wounded Whitebeard still possessed such immense strength!
"Squard, don't you know how unfilial it is for a white-haired person to bury a black-haired person?" Whitebeard gasped for a moment, then roared,
"Everyone has a day they must die. Since our objective has been achieved, there is no need for you all to be here!"
He took two steps forward, shielding his family members behind him.
"Listen closely, Whitebeard Pirates. Starting now, I am issuing my final Captain's order..."
"Final? Wait, Pops..."
"We don't want to hear it..."
"We're going back to the New World together..."
"..."
All the Whitebeard Pirates were unable to accept this, crying out in sorrow.
"You all separate from me here. Everyone must live and return safely to the New World!"
Whitebeard stomped his foot, planted his Murakumogiri beside him, twisted his body, raised his left arm high, tears streaming from his eyes, and shouted loudly:
"I am a remnant of the old era. There is no ship in the new era that can carry me!"
Saying this, he slammed his heavy fist down.
"Set sail, my sons!"
Space shattered, and mountain-shaking, tsunami-like tremors arrived. The sea surged violently, the ground cracked inch by inch, and the earth shook instantly.
"Wuuwaa..."
Everyone in the plaza was knocked stumbling by the intense tremor, and those with insufficient strength were sent tumbling and flying into the sky.
Looking at Whitebeard's proudly standing figure, like a War God, Taro felt his throat dry up.
Letting Ace go and keeping Whitebeard was the worst result the Marines could accept.
If both of them ultimately escaped, not only would Sengoku be unable to accept it, but the entire Marine organization couldn't bear the consequences of this failure, and the World Government would definitely go mad.
The World Government currently controls the fate of the vast majority of nations, and if they go mad, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Taro sighed internally. For Whitebeard, who was already terminally ill, dying in a battle to save his family members might be something he wouldn't complain about.
"Don't look back! The times are changing!"
"..."
"What a long journey it has been!"
A trace of reminiscence flashed in Whitebeard's eyes as he sighed softly, then swung his Murakumogiri.
"Let's settle this, Marines!"
The pirates looked at Whitebeard's back, weeping bitterly, but ultimately obeyed their Captain's command and began retreating toward the bay.
"Ace!"
Luffy ran a distance, then looked back and yelled at Ace, who was standing still.
"Ace, let's go! The old man is already mentally prepared."
Ace lowered his head, trembling all over. With a "pa," he knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Whitebeard.
Whitebeard glanced back, his tone very calm. "No need for more words, Ace. Let me ask you one question..."
"Was I qualified to be your father?"
Ace's tears instantly spilled out. "Of course!"
"Gurarararara!"
Whitebeard threw his head back and laughed.
Taro watched this scene, feeling immensely distressed, yet powerless.
For a powerhouse like Whitebeard, perhaps dying in a sickbed would have been an even harder fate to accept!
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