The temperature continued to climb, scorching the air as waves of heat radiated from Akainu's body. The aura surrounding him was no longer that of a mere man—it felt monstrous, primal, almost divine. His Magma-Magma Fruit had evolved to the highest conceivable level, making him a living volcano.
Whitebeard, locked in battle with Sengoku, was forced to pause. The intensity emanating from Akainu demanded attention. He turned toward the source of this overwhelming heat and let out a gravelly observation.
"Has Akainu... finally reached that level?" Whitebeard murmured, a hint of acknowledgment in his voice.
"The realm of monsters like us."
Sengoku, still catching his breath, nodded with surprise. "And he's in his prime—not like us, weakened by age."
The legendary figures of old—Rocks, Roger, Whitebeard, Garp, Sengoku—belonged to a realm that transcended normal strength. They were the giants of their time, warriors who defined entire eras. Akainu had now entered that same echelon.
Previously, Akainu had been a step below the pinnacle, comparable to titans like Big Mom and Red-Haired Shanks. But no more. Under Kaido's relentless pressure, he had broken through. He had become something greater—someone capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Roger and Whitebeard at their peaks.
Sengoku's heart swelled with cautious optimism. This transformation was unexpected. He had thought it would take Akainu years to achieve this level. But the crucible of battle had forced his evolution.
"The Navy..." Sengoku whispered with a rare smile, "... now has another Garp."
Far off in the distance, the sea began to bubble and churn. The ocean itself boiled under the sheer heat radiating from Akainu. Steam rose in great clouds, obscuring the horizon. Pirates and marines alike screamed as their bodies were scorched, forcing them to dive deep beneath the waves in desperate attempts to escape the searing heat.
The ground beneath Marineford melted into rivers of lava, turning everything—walls, structures, corpses—into molten slag. The island was transforming into a burning wasteland.
Akainu, fully consumed by his power, had become a being of pure magma. His face was split—half of it still human, the other half melted and flowing like liquid fire.
Kaido stood at the epicenter of the battlefield, his massive frame unwavering as the molten earth cracked beneath his feet. He regarded Akainu with a mixture of curiosity and respect.
"So, you've come this far," Kaido said, grinning with excitement.
Akainu's molten face twisted in fury, his voice a deep rumble. "I should thank you, Kaido... You forced me into this realm. But this is where your story ends. None of you pirates will leave here alive! The world needs peace—justice!"
He hurled a massive magma fist toward Kaido, the heat so intense it warped the very fabric of the air. The fist shimmered like a mirage, as if the world itself was unraveling under the force of Akainu's attack.
Kaido met the molten blow with his spiked kanabo. The two titanic forces collided—magma and steel grinding against each other in a stalemate that shook the battlefield.
The earth cracked, and the sky itself seemed to tremble. Waves of magma splashed in every direction as Kaido's weapon held firm against Akainu's molten fury.
Kaido let out a low chuckle, clearly impressed. "You're close—closer to invincibility than most ever get. But..."
Kaido's grin widened.
"Being close to invincible and actually being invincible are worlds apart."
Kaido knew the truth. No one—not even Garp, Roger, or Whitebeard—had ever crossed the threshold to true invincibility. They were legends of their time, shining bright for a moment in history, but destined to be replaced by others. Even the greatest of eras would always be outclassed by the next. And none could compare to the unseen forces that had endured through centuries—figures like Imu, who had transcended eras entirely.
Akainu was powerful—magnificent even—but not invincible. Not yet.
Despite the temporary deadlock, Kaido sensed the cracks forming. Akainu's power, though awe-inspiring, was fleeting. The magma admiral was overextending, burning through his newfound strength too quickly.
Kaido grinned as he saw it.
The battle had awakened Akainu's full potential, but reality was not a story where sudden bursts of power could sustain victory. Kaido was still standing, still full of energy, and Akainu... was not.
From Akainu's perspective, this moment felt like the climax of a hero's journey. A desperate, last-ditch transformation to achieve victory. For an instant, he believed himself the protagonist of some hot-blooded saga—a lone warrior defying fate and rising against overwhelming odds.
But this wasn't a comic or a novel.
It was brutal reality.
Akainu's strength, though immense, was already draining. His desperate gambit was failing. Kaido wasn't going anywhere. The Beast Emperor's energy remained boundless, his power unyielding.
Akainu's molten form began to falter, cracks appearing in his magma-coated body. His breaths grew ragged, and blood seeped from the half of his face that hadn't been consumed by lava. His body was overexerted, every muscle screaming in agony.
Kaido saw his moment.
With a roar of triumph, the Beast Emperor drove his kanabo forward with overwhelming force. Akainu's magma fist buckled under the pressure, and the impact sent a shockwave across the battlefield.
Akainu roared in defiance, refusing to back down even as his body reached its limit. His fist cracked and splintered, magma spilling like blood, but he threw everything he had into one last desperate push.
Boom!
The ground beneath them erupted as their clash reached its breaking point. Waves of molten rock surged outward, consuming everything in their path. The heat was unbearable, the air thick with ash and smoke.
Akainu's roar echoed through the battlefield, filled with rage, desperation... and a grim acceptance.
He had reached the summit, stood at the edge of invincibility—and found himself wanting.
Kaido remained standing, grinning amidst the chaos. Akainu collapsed to one knee, his molten form flickering like a dying flame. His strength was gone.
Kaido loomed over him, kanabo resting on his shoulder. "Good effort, Admiral. But close..."
He leaned in, his voice dripping with amusement.
"...isn't enough."
Akainu lay in agony, his body shattered, the ground beneath him scorched with fading remnants of his magma. Blood spilled from his mouth with every labored breath, forming a crimson pool around him. His bones were cracked, organs ruptured, and the legendary admiral—once the symbol of unyielding justice—could no longer move.
But even in the depths of pain and helplessness, Akainu's will refused to break. He forced words from his broken body, his voice trembling with rage and conviction:
"You may win today... You may destroy us... But someone will rise. One day, a force greater than you will wipe out every pirate... Every evil... And this world—this world will know true peace and justice!"
His bloodshot eyes burned with unrelenting fury as he spat out his last declaration. "You and every vile pirate like you will vanish. Justice will never die. It will outlive you all!"
Kaido, towering over him, showed no reaction beyond mild amusement. The beast emperor's looming presence was suffocating, an unstoppable force of nature. The ground trembled with each step as Kaido approached, ready to end the admiral's life and claim his victory.
But then, Kaido paused. A sneer curled across his lips as he leaned down toward Akainu, his voice low and sharp, like a knife cutting through the air.
"What about the Celestial Dragons?"
The question hung in the air like a curse.
Akainu's breath hitched.