On the execution platform, when that familiar roar pierced through the battlefield and reached his ears, Ace shuddered violently.
He stared intently below, his face covered with an expression of disbelief.
Amidst the smoke and steam, the figure wearing a tattered red vest was gazing fixedly at him.
It was Luffy, his younger brother, that reckless and stubborn kid who once needed his protection.
Ace's eyes instantly reddened, tears swirling frantically in his sockets, his heart filled with both emotion and worry.
He never expected that Luffy could actually break through layer after layer of barriers, charge through the navy's massive forces, and come before him.
But this battlefield was a dragon's den and a tiger's lair.
Even if Luffy reached him, it meant nothing—in fact, his situation would become even more dangerous.
Ace never wanted to see anyone get hurt for his sake again.
So he opened his mouth and, with all his strength, shouted down to Luffy below:
"Luffy, go back! You've done enough!
It's too dangerous here. You're no match for them. Get out of here now!"
But Luffy paid no heed to Ace's pleas. He simply stared fixedly at his brother on the execution platform and shouted wildly:
"Ace, wait for me! I'm here to save you! I will definitely rescue you from here!"
As his words fell, Luffy's gaze sharpened. Taking advantage of the mist formed by the shattered water that hadn't yet dispersed, he deftly maneuvered around the Three Admirals and charged with all his might toward the execution platform.
He thought to himself, "There's no time to stall with them now. Ace's life is in danger at any moment. I must save him immediately!"
But the power granted to him by Uchiha Madara had not yet fully manifested.
His current strength, though at the level of an Admiral Candidate, had not yet reached that of an Admiral.
Thus, wanting to break through easily was nothing short of a pipe dream.
Sure enough, the next moment, four sharp gazes simultaneously locked onto him.
Including Ivan, the Three Admirals turned their heads together, their eyes like blades, landing on Luffy and firmly locking him in place.
The atmosphere in the air grew heavy, an invisible pressure enveloping Luffy, causing his advancing steps to falter slightly.
Ivan frowned slightly, clearly sensing a wave of scorching heat emanating from beside him.
Clearly, Akainu could no longer restrain himself and was preparing to take action against Luffy.
Just as Akainu was about to strike, a dazzling golden light suddenly streaked past him, moving at an extreme speed.
When the light faded, Kizaru had appeared beside Luffy a step ahead of Akainu, delivering a swift kick to Luffy's chest without hesitation.
Luffy reacted with lightning speed, instinctively raising his arm and wrapping it in Armament Haki to block the kick.
Boom!
A powerful impact instantly transmitted from Kizaru's foot. Luffy felt an intense pain in his arm, utterly unable to withstand the force, and was sent flying violently.
Crash!
Luffy turned into a blur, crashing heavily into a dilapidated building in the distance.
The entire structure collapsed with a roar, burying him beneath the rubble.
Moments later, a roar of frustration echoed from the ruins:
"Damn it, I was so close! I was just a little bit away from reaching Ace!"
At the same time, on the execution platform, Sengoku watched the chaotic battle below, his unease growing stronger by the moment.
Whitebeard was nearly breaking through the steel walls, charging madly toward the execution platform, getting closer and closer.
If they didn't execute Ace soon, he would likely be rescued.
All the Navy's efforts and planning would then go to waste.
Sengoku dared not hesitate any longer. He turned sharply and roared at the two executioners on the platform:
"Now! Execute him immediately! We can't wait any longer! Kill Ace for good!"
Hearing this, the two executioners wasted no time. They gripped their long swords tightly and, without hesitation, swung them fiercely toward Ace's neck.
The blades sliced through the air with a piercing whistle, casting a shadow of death over Ace.
At that moment, the entire battlefield seemed to freeze, as if time had stopped.
All the noise, all the fighting, quietly faded away in that instant.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the execution platform, locked onto the two descending blades.
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates, seeing this, were filled with rage and despair, crying out in anguish:
"Ace, no!"
"Save Ace, quickly!"
"Don't hurt Ace!"
They fought with all their might to rush forward but were held back by Navy soldiers, forced to watch helplessly as the blades inched closer to Ace's neck.
In the ruins, Luffy heard the cries and saw the falling blades.
At that moment, his urgency and fury reached their peak.
The potential within him, awakened by Uchiha Madara, surged forth violently.
Power that had not yet fully manifested erupted like a volcano.
In the next instant, dense black and red lightning spread rapidly from Luffy, radiating outward.
A raw but pure Conqueror's Haki instantly enveloped the nearby area.
Immediately, the weaker individuals on the battlefield collapsed, their minds shaken. Even some officers at the rank of captain trembled uncontrollably, struggling to stay on their feet.
The two executioners swinging their blades were directly struck by this Conqueror's Haki. Their eyes went blank, their bodies went limp, and they fell unconscious on the spot.
Their long swords clattered to the ground, forcibly halting the execution.
Ace's crisis was temporarily averted!
On the execution platform, Sengoku stared in utter shock.
He stood up abruptly, exclaiming in disbelief:
"This Conqueror's Haki… how is this possible? He's actually mastered the use of Conqueror's Haki!"
The expressions of the Three Admirals also turned grave.
Luffy had now become a significant threat. If left unchecked, the consequences would be unimaginable.
In the distance, Marco soared into the air, looking down at Luffy and shouting to him:
"Straw Hat, well done! It seems I won't need to step in. Keep it up—save Ace!"
The other commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates also paused their battles, turning toward Luffy and giving him thumbs-up.
"Straw Hat, you're amazing!"
"Just a little more effort, and you'll definitely save Ace!"
"We believe in you!"
Yet, under everyone's gaze, Luffy felt no joy.
He slowly rose from the ruins, clenching his fists tightly.
An unending surge of power flowed from every part of his body, his strength continuing to rise.
"Damn it!" Luffy gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse. "You almost killed Ace—I'll never let you get away with this!"
Akainu hovered in mid-air, looking at Luffy's furious expression with a disdainful sneer.
"Just the wailing of the weak, and you dare act so insolently before me?
I'll end you right now, wipe you out completely, so you can never be a nuisance again!"