Something wasn't right.
A beam of golden light flickered beside Akainu as Kizaru reappeared, eyes narrowed toward the smoking ruins where Liam Ross had fallen. His expression was oddly thoughtful.
"The more I think about it, the stranger this feels," he muttered. "He's not as strong as he was last time we fought. I can't put my finger on it, but something's off."
He had crossed paths with Liam once before briefly, but long enough to test the man's strength. Yet today, from the very first exchange, Liam's power felt… diminished.
Could it be someone impersonating him? Impossible. That man's control over the Earth-Earth Fruit was unmistakable. No one could fake that.
Akainu said nothing, his gaze locked on the crumbling ruins. His magma-like eyes blazed with tension, ready to erupt if Liam made even the slightest move.
Then came the sound of shifting rubble.
Dust rose in a storm as a figure emerged from the wreckage tattered, bloodied, but unbroken.
Liam Ross stood tall amidst the ruins, his cloak torn, his mask cracked at the edge. Rage rolled off him in waves, his presence commanding the battlefield like a living tempest.
"You Marines," he growled, voice low and deadly, "you've truly angered me this time. You want me dead? Then you can all die with me!"
The ground trembled as his fury exploded outward.
The earth itself began to stir, soil from every corner of the manor gathering and rising behind him. Within moments, an enormous wall of churning dirt and stone towered high above, a hundred meters tall and still growing.
Every Marine froze, terror etched across their faces.
Even Akainu and Kizaru knew the danger. If that massive wave of earth collapsed, the entire Marine force would be wiped out.
Capone Bege, pale and shaken, had already taken the opportunity to flee. His body morphed into his fortress form, rolling away from the collapsing estate. He didn't dare look back. His subordinates, however, were not so lucky.
The ground cracked and buckled beneath them.
Kizaru and Akainu moved at once.
The golden admiral blurred forward, light solidifying into a blade in his hand the Heavenly Cloud Sword slashing toward Liam in a barrage of strikes.
Akainu leapt skyward, both arms turning into surging magma that grew and expanded until they resembled twin volcanoes.
"Great Eruption!"
With a roar, he slammed both fists forward, unleashing two enormous torrents of molten fury straight into the rising tsunami of earth.
The explosion shook the city to its foundations.
Fire and stone collided, birthing a blazing inferno that lit up the night sky. From miles away, citizens saw the horizon burn red and heard the roar of destruction echoing like divine wrath.
The wave of earth disintegrated under the volcanic assault, the molten debris scattering as fireballs rained in every direction.
"Scatter!" shouted a Vice Admiral, drawing his blade.
Dalmatian, Doberman, and Burning Mountain moved at once, intercepting the flaming projectiles before they could rain down on their soldiers.
In the air, Kizaru retracted his sword, forming a sphere of light between his hands. "Eight-Foot Qiongu Jewel!"
Thousands of light bullets burst forth, each one striking down the remaining fireballs, the explosions cascading in brilliant succession. A few of the orbs turned, homing in on Liam.
He darted through them, his Observation Haki barely giving him enough time to weave between the barrage. But before he could take a breath
A blade flashed from his right.
His instincts screamed, but too late. The strike hit hard. He crossed his arms, hardening them with Armament Haki. The force still sent pain lancing through his chest, rattling his organs.
He glanced at his attacker. Doberman, eyes cold and blade gleaming, stood ready for another strike.
Liam exhaled sharply. His clone was at its limit. Even lasting this long against such overwhelming force was a miracle.
He clenched his fists. Just hold on a little longer... the real one should be here soon. Otherwise... this clone's finished.
Dalmatian's voice cut through the chaos. "Liam Ross! You can't win this. Surrender while you still can!"
Liam looked around. Akainu in front, Kizaru above, and three Vice Admirals closing in from all sides.
A dead end.
The air grew heavy. Even the sound of fire seemed to dim.
Akainu's patience snapped. His tone was colder than magma. "Then die. That's the only justice left for you."
The instant the words fell, they attacked together.
Akainu's magma fists surged. Doberman and Burning Mountain lunged from the sides. Dalmatian darted in low, claws gleaming.
Liam braced himself
But before the fatal blow could land, a thunderous voice boomed from the shattered gates.
"Eight Impact Fist!"
A massive figure barreled forward, Haki surging like a storm tide. His arm, wreathed in dark energy, crashed into Akainu's molten punch.
The explosion split the ground between them.
Akainu staggered back a step, molten embers splattering across the dirt.
Kizaru's lazy eyes narrowed. "Well now... that's unexpected."
The newcomer straightened. His towering frame and cone-shaped head were unmistakable.
Don Chinjao.
Akainu's face darkened. "Chinjao of the Drill... What are you doing here?"
The old pirate's voice rumbled like a thunderclap. "What am I doing here? I've hated the Marines my whole life! The pain Garp gave me still burns in my skull. So tonight, you'll pay for his sins!"
Haki crackled around his conical head as he lunged forward again, smashing down at Akainu.
Magma and steel met with an earth-shattering boom.
The shockwave rippled across the air like waves on water, tearing up what remained of the manor.
While the two titans clashed, Dalmatian, Burning Mountain, and Doberman regrouped, exchanging grim looks. Then, wordlessly, they resumed their assault on Liam, their coordination seamless and deadly.
Kizaru, meanwhile, remained above it all, watching like a spectator. He sighed and took out a Den Den Mushi from his coat.
"Reporting in, Sengoku," he said lazily. "We've got a situation. Chinjao showed up. Looks like he's trying to help Liam Ross escape."
For a few seconds, only silence answered. Then the Den Den Mushi blinked, its face taking on the thoughtful wrinkles of the former Fleet Admiral.
"Can you eliminate Liam?" Sengoku asked.
Kizaru tilted his head. "Not unless we can stop that vanishing trick of his."
"There's a CP0 operative nearby," Sengoku replied. "They specialize in countering abilities like his. Focus on the battle. And Kizaru keep Chinjao busy."
The line clicked off.
Kizaru tucked the device away, golden light flickering across his face. He drew his sword of light once more, expression unreadable.
Below, Liam was barely holding out. His clone's body was riddled with burns and gashes, Haki fading fast. If Chinjao hadn't arrived to stall Akainu, he'd already have been finished.
But even now, retreat was impossible. His stealth technique was weakened; the clone could no longer evade powerful Observation Haki users.
And what he didn't know what Sengoku had already prepared was that CP0's hidden agent was already moving, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Liam ducked under Burning Mountain's flaming blade, countered with a surge of stone spikes, and tried to create distance. He had just taken two steps back when his senses screamed.
Too late.
A golden flash behind him.
Kizaru appeared out of nowhere, Heavenly Cloud Sword gleaming.
The blade pierced through his back.
A wet, tearing sound split the air.
Blood sprayed across the broken stones.
Liam froze for a heartbeat, his breath catching in his throat.
The clone's vision flickered and then everything went dark.
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