"Thinking of escaping? It won't be that easy~"
Kizaru crossed his arms.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
"Luffy, get back." Drake gestured, his sword erupting with a brilliant crimson light.
"Let's see how an Admiral handles my new technique."
Every arc of his blade was accompanied by a flurry of breathtakingly beautiful flower petals.
"Descent of the Immortal Bloom!"
This was the new skill unlocked by the awakening of the Fire element within Rainbow's Remnant. In an instant, countless red petals swirled out, forming a vibrant floral sea that acted as a shield.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The lasers and petals collided. Fragmented petals drifted through the air like snow, but the moment they touched the ground, they ignited into tiny, flickering sparks that refused to die. Drake stood his ground, enveloped by the endless cycle of drifting blossoms. He had successfully blocked the strike!
Kizaru was momentarily stunned. None of these four brothers are easy to deal with, are they?
"The Admiral's attack was blocked!" The Marines were in a state of inner turmoil. Two of the Marine Headquarters' greatest military powers were being held at bay by these four brothers! Could Justice truly be served in such a chaotic world? At that moment, the unshakable conviction in many hearts began to shift, a subtle change they didn't even notice.
"How terrifying... Straw Hat's big brother..." Kizaru's catchphrase slipped out instinctively.
"POPS!"
A desperate cry echoed across the bay. Whitebeard had been completely encased in a pillar of ice. The Whitebeard Pirates tried to surge forward one by one, but the Marines held the line.
"Admiral Kuzan has defeated Whitebeard!" Hearing of Aokiji's success, the Marine morale skyrocketed.
"We are the ones who carry the Justice of the world! We shall never bow to these wicked pirates!"
"Charge!"
CRACK! The ice sculpture began to spider-web with fractures. Whitebeard shattered his frozen prison, emerging with a ragged breath. His aura was waning; between his existing wounds and the flash-freeze, his body temperature had plummeted. He gasped for air, his steam-filled breaths a testament to his exertion.
"Pops!"
Marco, finally free of his own icy cage, prepared to fly to his father's side, but a beam of light pierced through him. Kizaru had appeared before him. Drake was left behind, frustrated; when an Admiral made of light decided to move, no one could stop him.
Marco gritted his teeth, his blue flames flickering as he prepared to push through. The Phoenix's ability allowed him to regenerate from any wound, but it took its toll.
"It's time for your performance to end," Kizaru said lazily. A figure suddenly manifested beside Marco.
Clack!
Marco felt a sudden surge of weakness. He looked down and saw his wrists bound in shackles.
"Sea Prism Stone!"
His heart sank. Zip-zip! Two more lasers tore through him.
"Argh..." Marco collapsed to one knee, the blue flames sputtering.
"Commander Marco!" The Whitebeard Pirates watched in horror.
BAM!
Suddenly, a dark blur slammed into Aokiji. Caught off guard, the Admiral was sent flying backward.
"Admiral Kuzan!"
Aokiji reformed, wiping blood from his lip, his expression darkening. Standing before him was "Diamond" Jozu, the Third Division Commander.
"Pops, go now! Ace has been rescued! We need to retreat!"
"Haki!"
Aokiji lunged forward, his fist wreathed in powerful Ryuo, and slammed it into Jozu's face. BOOM! Jozu was sent hurtling across the ice, crashing into the frozen surface with a deafening thud.
"Whitebeard! Today is your final day!"
"Extreme Frost!"
White mist billowed from Aokiji's hands as he condensed his freezing energy to its absolute limit. Facing the lunging Admiral, Whitebeard stood his ground, his towering frame defiant despite the agony.
"FIRE FIST!!"
A gargantuan fist of flame roared down from the sky, engulfing Aokiji.
"Hmm?" Aokiji had no time to dodge; he was swallowed by the inferno.
"Pops!" Ace's voice echoed from above. Whitebeard looked up, a faint smile touching his lips.
"Wait, something's wrong..." Sabo's voice suddenly turned into a panicked yelp. He and Ace began plummeting from the sky.
Sabo: "!!!" Ace: "???"
"What's happening!?"
"Look! Fire Fist and the Revolutionary are falling!"
THUD!
The two brothers crashed onto the ice directly in front of Whitebeard.
"Sabo, what was that?" Ace asked, dazed.
"I... I have no idea..." Sabo looked bewildered. The red lights on his flight unit flickered a few times before going dark. "It... it ran out of juice?"
It was the only logical explanation.
"Whitebeard!"
Akainu roared as he charged toward them, trailing a river of lethal, boiling magma.
"Akainu!" Ace and Sabo both braced themselves, channeling their power to meet the attack.
"Get back, sons." Whitebeard stepped forward, his massive silhouette looking as unshakeable as a mountain.
"Pops..." Ace whispered.
"Whitebeard Pirates, listen to me!" Whitebeard stood tall, clutching Murakumogiri, his tattered coat fluttering like a battle-worn standard.
"THIS IS MY FINAL CAPTAIN'S ORDER!"
"RETREAT AT ONCE!"
"EVERY ONE OF YOU MUST RETURN TO THE NEW WORLD SAFELY!!"
"POPS!" the crew wailed. "Pops, you have to come with us!"
Hearing their cries, Whitebeard's smile grew wider. "I... have decided to stay here!"
His eyes snapped open. He reached out, grabbed Ace and Sabo, and hurled them toward the rear with a burst of immense strength. "Take them and go!"
"Pops..."
The Whitebeard Pirates were in disbelief. Ace was safe, yet their father was staying behind. But the veterans understood: without a rear-guard to hold back the Admirals, none of them would make it out of the harbor. Only a monster like Whitebeard could buy them that time.
"THIS IS AN ORDER!!"
Whitebeard's voice was absolute. The commanders, including a wounded Marco, looked on with hollow eyes. They knew what this meant. To leave him was agony, but to stay was to spit on his sacrifice.
"GO!!" Marco's voice was a ragged roar.
Logic finally overrode emotion. With tears streaming down their faces, the pirates began to run.
"I won't go!" some younger pirates screamed, losing all reason. "I won't leave him!"
"Idiot! Do you want to insult Pops' resolve!?" their comrades sobbed, dragging them away by force. Similar scenes played out across the entire battlefield.
"Pursue them! Do not let a single pirate escape!" Akainu ordered, his face a mask of cold fury.
"CHARGE!"
Thousands of Marines rushed toward the retreating pirates.
"Marines! You wanted my head, didn't you? Why are you leaving so soon?" Whitebeard gathered the power of the Gura Gura no Mi into a single, devastating punch and slammed it into the ground.
KABOOM!!
The very earth shattered.
"AAAAAH!" A massive fissure opened up, swallowing the advancing Marine vanguard into a bottomless abyss.
"He... he split the island in two! He's blocking the way with his own power!" A deep, visceral terror took root in the Marines' hearts.
Was this truly a man? Or was this the pinnacle of what it meant to be a pirate? A sense of utter powerlessness washed over the rank-and-file soldiers. Standing before a monster like Whitebeard was like trying to hold back a collapsing mountain. It simply couldn't be done.
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