In full view of everyone present, the overwhelming lava fists and Jerry's majestic water dragons collided violently in mid-air.
Explosions thundered continuously across the sky. The massive molten projectiles couldn't penetrate through the towering dragons that rose to meet them. Only scattered fragments from the collisions fell onto the ice below, gradually extinguishing as they melted small patches of the frozen surface.
Jerry stood calmly atop the ocean current that was shooting skyward, meeting Akainu's fierce glare with unwavering composure.
With the endless sea as his backing, Jerry felt no fear in this contest of raw elemental power.
Watching his water dragons shatter the lava and dissolve into steam, Jerry couldn't resist commenting: "Guess that settles it—sometimes water puts out fire, sometimes it just makes soup"
Noticing Akainu's increasingly dark expression, Jerry shrugged casually. "Look, the water's already boiling! If we had a pot, we could whip up some fish soup in no time."
"It's Leviathan taking action! Incredible!"
Although no one quite understood his random commentary, the countless pirates and Revolutionary soldiers below looked up at Jerry's commanding figure and erupted in excited cheers.
Their voices merged into a thunderous roar that echoed across the entire battlefield.
"Kuzan, it seems your carefully laid plans have been ruined once again," Dragon said as he shifted his attention back to his opponent. His figure seemed to merge with the wind itself as he suddenly appeared beside Aokiji, throwing a punch accompanied by fierce gusts.
Aokiji raised his arm to block the attack. Though he was pushed back several meters, he responded with characteristic calm: "So what? Your people still haven't broken through to the plaza, and your son remains on the execution platform."
"Really? Everything that's happened so far has just been the appetizer. The real war is only now beginning," Dragon replied in his steady, measured voice before rushing forward again with astonishing speed to launch his next offensive.
Landing back on the bay's ice, Jerry made his way to Ace's side.
Looking around at his gathered friends, Jerry suddenly realized something was missing. "Where's our favorite moss-head?"
Sanji looked exasperated. "Who knows? He probably got lost again... Forget about him for now—let's move!"
"Everyone, lend me a hand!" Ace shouted as he charged toward the gap in the iron wall that had failed to deploy properly, intending to climb up to the plaza from that opening.
"Boom! Boom!" The sound of explosions continued behind them as the Pacifistas maintained their relentless assault.
"Jozu, let's split our forces. Take some people and deal with those mechanical weapons. We can't let them run wild like this."
The Whitebeard division commanders exchanged quick words with each other, telling one another to stay safe before dispersing across the battlefield.
The Pacifistas might not be top-tier opponents, but for weaker fighters, the gap in power was like an insurmountable chasm. Even putting aside those fake Kumas, nobody wanted to take one of their laser beams to the face.
"Everyone get out of my way! Fire Fist!"
Under Ace's leadership, the main force finally set foot on the harbor plaza.
In an instant, waves of pirates and Revolutionary troops poured through and engaged in fierce combat with the Marines stationed in the area. The sounds of clashing weapons and battle cries rang out continuously as the scene descended into complete chaos.
The Marines' towering iron walls served as nearly impenetrable barriers, not only blocking distant pirates but also making it difficult for Marine forces on either side of the crescent-shaped harbor to quickly reach the gap in front of the central execution platform.
Jerry followed Ace and the others onto the plaza. When he surveyed the area, he spotted numerous Marine officers and Pacifistas either charging toward them from the distance or watching them with predatory intent.
Among the Seven Warlords who were there primarily for show, aside from Doflamingo who was still causing his usual trouble, Hawkeye and Boa Hancock had already retreated to observe from the rear. Jinbe looked dejected, lying among the crowd in the back while nursing his wounds.
At that moment, a certain shining individual who'd consumed the Glint-Glint Fruit leaped high into the air and began raining countless brilliant points of light down toward the opening in the iron wall.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Seeing this, Jerry clicked his tongue in annoyance. "We can't let you casually destroy all our hard work."
He immediately reached behind his back with his right hand and swung it forward. "Water Shield: Crescent Guard!"
A current rose from the waterway that Whitebeard had previously opened, quickly forming a curved shield under Jerry's precise control.
From the shield's surface, countless water projectiles shot upward to meet the incoming attack.
The thunderous collisions were deafening as every single light beam from above was successfully intercepted by the barrier.
Even when occasional gaps appeared in the shield due to explosions, the seawater flowed instantly to dynamically repair them, ensuring the defense remained absolutely impenetrable.
"Marco! Marco! Why haven't you shown up yet?" Jerry turned his head and looked around in confusion.
He'd been expecting the First Division Commander to appear, but seeing no trace of the Phoenix anywhere, he shook his head helplessly and addressed Ace and the others around him: "Guess I'll have to handle this myself. We can't let this flashy old guy keep bombing us recklessly. Be careful—I'm going up!"
With that declaration, Jerry launched himself from the ground like an arrow, rushing toward Kizaru who was still happily lobbing light projectiles from above.
"Admiral Kizaru! It's been far too long! Let me treat you to something special as a reunion gift!"
"Take this—Water Blade: Dragon's Tail!"
Jerry shouted as he swung his fishing rod in a breathtaking arc, his explosive Haki trailing behind the strike like a stream of dark lightning.
"Ama no Murakumo Sword: Light-Speed Slash!"
Faced with this fierce assault, Kizaru didn't dare take any chances. A sword constructed from his light powers materialized in his hand, and in an instant he delivered a strike of tremendous force that collided directly with Jerry's attack.
Dazzling light illuminated the entire battlefield as both Jerry and Kizaru were knocked backward in opposite directions by the tremendous impact.
But both combatants quickly stabilized themselves in mid-air and began engaging in intense aerial combat.
"Hmph! Since you're so eager to come up here and witness the execution, I'll let you watch to your heart's content!"
Noticing that the Whitebeard division commanders, led by Marco, were also pouring into the plaza through the gap in the iron wall, Sengoku crossed his arms and spoke with cold, emotionless authority—words that sent shockwaves through Ace and his allies.
Under the watchful eyes of countless people rushing toward the plaza, four Marines positioned themselves on either side of Luffy and Robin on the high execution platform.
When Sengoku's order rang out, they raised their swords without hesitation, preparing to carry out the execution.
"Sorry, Robin... I couldn't keep my promise to keep you safe," Luffy said quietly.
Robin, who had been calmly awaiting her fate, heard Luffy's voice and instinctively turned her head toward him.
Luffy flashed his characteristic brilliant grin and called out to the crowd below: "Ace! Gramps! Zoro! Nami and everyone else! And Dad too—sorry, but I'm gonna die now! Shishishi!"
"Enough talking!"
As Ace's desperate roar echoed across the battlefield, an unparalleled wave of Conqueror's Haki swept outward like a hurricane, stunning everyone in its path.
However, Sengoku had been well-prepared for this moment.
During Ace's earlier brief confrontation with Akainu, the Fleet Admiral had recognized that Ace's Conqueror's Haki was no ordinary power.
At this crucial moment, Sengoku snorted coldly as an extremely violent burst of his own Conqueror's Haki surged forward, intercepting Ace's spiritual pressure in mid-air.
Thanks to this intervention, the four Marines on the execution platform only trembled slightly and weren't seriously affected or incapacitated.
Seeing the four executioners about to bring down their blades, Ace let out a hysterical howl filled with desperate anguish and burning rage.
The sound of his voice—raw with emotion and protective fury—carried across the entire battlefield, reaching every person present and countless viewers around the world who watched in horror as the moment of truth finally arrived.