241Chapter 242 The Destruction of the Ghost Dog! The ASL Brothers Reborn from the Flames of Karmic Fire
Chapter 242 The Destruction of the Hound of the Underworld! The ASL Brothers Reborn from the Flames of Karmic Fire
Just as the key was about to be inserted smoothly, the air above the entire battlefield suddenly distorted.
A pungent, extremely strong sulfur smell, accompanied by a deadly high temperature that could instantly vaporize steel, enveloped the entire towering execution platform without warning.
The scene abruptly cuts back to the boiling ice surface in the center of the square.
On the left shoulder of Marine Admiral "Akainu" Sakazuki, a terrifying, deep gash, revealing bone, was blatantly torn open by Whitebeard's naginata.
Blood gushed out, staining his white military uniform, a symbol of absolute justice, red.
However, a crazed glint flashed in the eyes of this iron-willed general.
He actually risked the painful cost of withstanding a heavy blow from the world's strongest man.
Using the terrifying impact of the blade's slash, his body flew backward like a cannonball, forcefully breaking free from Whitebeard's suffocating restraint.
While suspended in mid-air, Akainu forcefully twisted his waist and abdomen to stabilize his body.
His thick right arm instantly became completely elementalized, transforming into churning, extremely dark red magma due to its high temperature.
He stared intently at the three people on the high platform who were about to complete the rescue, veins bulging on his forehead, and let out a hysterical, furious roar:
"Don't underestimate the navy!"
"You unforgivable pirates, how could I possibly let you have your way!"
"Go to hell, all of you!!!"
With that roar, Akainu's right arm slammed forward.
"Netherhound!"
A hellhound, formed entirely from high-density, dark red magma, opened its blood-red maw, which was flowing with lava, and with a terrifying temperature capable of melting everything in the world and destructive kinetic energy, tore through the sky and headed straight for the towering execution platform!
"boom--!!!"
This move, named the Deadly Strike of the Hound of the Underworld, viciously bit into the fragile central support structure of the execution platform with unparalleled ferocity.
The steel structure, strong enough to withstand heavy artillery fire, was no match for the intense black and red magma.
It didn't even last a second before it was instantly vaporized into nothingness.
With a deafening crash of collapsing wood and stone, the towering execution platform collapsed from the middle with a teeth-grinding cracking sound.
And the Key of Hope in Luffy's hand, not yet fully inserted into the keyhole.
In the terrifying heatwave of the magma eruption, it quickly melted into a useless drop of molten iron, which slipped through his fingers.
"ah--!"
They lost their foothold.
Luffy, Sabo, and Ace, bound by chains, plummeted downwards amidst burning boulders and shattered planks.
In mid-air, the wind howled in my ears.
Having lost their leverage, and most importantly, Ace still hadn't unlocked the seastone handcuffs, the three of them were instantly plunged into a desperate situation.
Meanwhile, in the plaza below, Akainu's eyes, burning with rage, were fixed on them, and countless elite Marines had raised their muskets and swords, ready to deliver the most lethal blow.
Feeling the whistling wind in his ears and the deadly killing intent below, a deep despair flashed in Ace's bloodshot eyes.
He closed his eyes in anguish and shouted at his two younger brothers beside him:
"Luffy! Sabo! Forget about me, run!"
"Shut up, Ace!"
At this critical moment of falling to his death, Sabo's slightly hoarse but extremely firm roar exploded in mid-air.
"I told you, we will definitely take you home today!"
The strong wind tousled Sabo's short, golden hair.
He suddenly twisted his waist in mid-air, his left hand like an iron clamp, grabbing Ace's wrist tightly and pulling him towards himself.
At the same time, Sabo's right arm muscles instantly bulged.
His five fingers bent in a strange arc, transforming into the shape of a powerful, jet-black dragon claw.
The dragon claw, with its unstoppable momentum, gripped tightly the thick, heavy seastone handcuffs on Ace's wrist.
"Aaaaaahh...
Sabo let out a furious roar that tore his throat apart, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.
He unleashed all his potential and Haki to an unprecedented limit in that instant.
That extremely violent and destructive internal energy was like thousands of invisible needles that could penetrate any opening, instantly piercing through the hard surface of the sea stone and reaching its fragile internal structure.
Below, Sengoku and Akainu stared at them with incredulous, even horrified, eyes.
The Seastone handcuffs, which were said to be able to lock down any Devil Fruit user, were actually cracked with countless fine cracks spreading rapidly on their surface under Sabo's terrifying grip and the impact of his high-level Haki.
"Bang!"
It was accompanied by a crisp popping sound.
The heavy sea stone handcuffs turned into countless fragments and exploded completely in mid-air!
The moment the heavy shackles were removed, the terrifying natural power that had been dormant for so long finally awakened in mid-air.
Facing a dense barrage of naval fire and a deadly pursuit from below.
A massive, bright yellow pillar of fire shot into the sky, like a roaring fire dragon, instantly incinerating all the attacks.
Amidst the stunned gazes of the entire audience, the dazzling flame resembled a red lotus blooming in purgatory.
A black-haired man with a bare upper body and a striking "ASCE" tattoo on his left arm resembled the Flame Emperor, reborn from the ashes of hell.
He stood atop rolling flames, his strong arms firmly supporting Luffy and Sabo as he landed smoothly from the sea of fire onto the devastated plaza.
The firelight slowly dissipated around us, and the heat distorted our vision.
Luffy, Ace, and Sabo are three brothers who swore brotherhood by drinking a bottle of sake on a garbage mountain in the Goa Kingdom of the East Blue when they were young.
More than a decade later, in the deepest part of the world's most dangerous naval headquarters, surrounded by 100,000 elite troops.
They stood in an impenetrable triangular formation, back to back, proudly on this battlefield filled with the aura of death.
Ace was engulfed in blazing flames, instantly evaporating the surrounding icy water.
The tears welling up in my eyes quickly turned into white vapor under the high temperature.
But on his unruly face, a wildly arrogant smile gradually spread across his lips.
"You're still so reckless, Luffy..."
Ace's voice carried a long-lost ease and doting tone.
Then, he turned his head slightly, feeling the broad shoulders behind him, his voice trembling slightly.
"And you, Sabo... you've been lying to me for so many years."
Sabo raised his hand and habitually tugged at the non-existent brim of his hat, his scarred face full of a gentle smile.
Luffy, with one hand holding down his straw hat and the other clenched into a fist, revealed his signature bright smile:
"Hehe, because we...are brothers!"
After a brief moment of tenderness, the elite naval forces, recovering from their shock, surged forward again like a black tide, attempting to completely overwhelm the three treacherous sinners.
However, what awaited them was the perfect fighting teamwork of the three brothers, seemingly etched into their very bones.
"Fire Fist!"
Ace's right arm transformed into a massive fiery fist, slamming forward with the force to incinerate everything.
Fire Fist instantly wiped out all the marines within dozens of meters directly in front of it, leaving behind a scorched sea of fire.
"Dragon's Breath!"
Sabo pressed his hands to the ground, and a dark, domineering aura erupted from him.
The violent internal force overturned all the hard ice and stone slabs on both sides, blasting all the enemies who tried to flank them into the air.
"Rubber rubber - jet machine gun!"
Using the high speed of Gear Second, Luffy's fists transformed into a series of afterimages, accurately knocking down the Marine officers who attempted to launch a sneak attack from the air using Moonwalk.
Flames, domineering presence, and rubber.
The three stood back to back, moving through the encirclement of 100,000 troops as if they were nothing, their momentum unstoppable!
Seeing Ace jumping around in the crowd, Akainu's face turned extremely gloomy not far away.
The dark red magma around his body began to boil violently, emitting a chilling "gurgling" sound.
Akainu stepped forward, preparing to personally intervene and use absolute power to completely eradicate these three cancers representing the bloodlines of the world's most heinous criminals in this plaza.
However, just as Akainu was about to launch an attack...
"Boom!"
A towering, imposing figure, as majestic as a mountain, crashed heavily onto the battlefield between Akainu and the three brothers with earth-shaking footsteps.
Edward Newgate, with his white beard, held the gleaming naginata upside down.
His white captain's coat fluttered wildly in the smoke and heat as he single-handedly blocked Akainu and all the elite marines' pursuit.
Whitebeard did not turn around.
He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Ace behind him, who had regained his freedom and was now bathed in flames.
In those usually domineering eyes, a rare hint of deep satisfaction and relief for the new era flashed.
This king, who had spent most of his life traversing the seas, took a deep breath of the air thick with the smoke and blood of battle.
His chest swelled high, and then, with the last of his strength, he uttered a majestic declaration that resounded throughout the entire Marinford Cathedral:
"Woo la la la la!"
"I am already a remnant of the old era!"
"In this coming new era, there is no ship that can carry me!"
Whitebeard's Murakumogiri shattered the ice beneath his feet, the shockwave rippling outwards in all directions.
With his undeniable Conqueror's Haki, he issued his final command to all the crew members who regarded him as a father:
"All members of the Whitebeard Pirates, listen to my command!"
"This is the last order I will give as captain!"
"Everyone, return to the new world immediately! And you all... survive!!!"242Chapter 243 A Charge Without Regrets! Black Flames Force Back the General and He Retreats Laughing
Chapter 243 A Charge Without Regrets! Black Flames Force Back the General and He Retreats Laughing
Upon hearing Whitebeard's "Final Captain's Order," heart-wrenching cries erupted from the pirate camp throughout the plaza.
Marco and the other squad captains had hot tears in their eyes.
They gritted their teeth, suppressing their grief, and brandished their weapons, directing the main force to retreat swiftly to the warships anchored outside the bay.
Whitebeard's massive body was covered with wounds of all sizes, and blood stained his white captain's coat.
But he was like an insurmountable ancient demon god, leaving his broad back to all his "sons".
Yet he stood alone, like a towering mountain, firmly blocking the path of 100,000 elite naval troops and the three admirals.
The "Murakumo-giri" drew deadly arcs through the air.
With a deafening roar, the force of the shockwave swept through the air like a whirlwind, sending swarms of sailors who were trying to break through the defenses and pursue into the air.
With Sabo pulling him along, Ace followed the main force.
He kept turning back, his eyes filled with tears of resentment and pain.
But he understood his father's realization better than anyone else; it was a path to survival paved with his life for them.
Ace bit his lip, suppressing his grief, and ran wildly towards the outer port with Luffy and Sabo.
Viktor, who had previously collapsed from exhaustion, was also injected with a special stimulant hormone by Ivankov.
With this external force, Viktor managed to maintain his last shred of consciousness, his steps unsteady as he followed the retreating group.
As the three brothers were about to escape the encirclement, Admiral Akainu's cold face was filled with gloom.
He knew all too well that if he allowed these few men with sinful bloodlines to leave Marineford alive today, it would be disastrous.
The Navy's supreme and absolute justice will be completely destroyed, and it will become a laughing stock of the whole world.
Akainu suddenly exerted force with his feet, shattering the ice surface.
He skillfully maneuvered past the blind spot of Whitebeard's devastating barrage, his gaze fixed on Ace's retreating figure, uttering a chillingly venomous and piercing statement:
"They ran away with their tails between their legs as soon as they rescued the person; what a bunch of complete cowards!"
"But that's understandable, a captain's crew is a reflection of his character."
"After all, Whitebeard was ultimately just a 'loser' from the previous era!"
Upon hearing this, Ace abruptly stopped in his tracks as he was running.
His body froze on the spot as if he had been electrocuted.
"Ace! Don't stop!"
"Don't listen to him, he's trying to goad you!"
Despite Sabo and Luffy's anxious shouts and attempts to stop him, Ace slowly turned around.
His entire body instantly erupted in a raging inferno, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Akainu not far away, and he roared:
"What do you know!"
"You are not allowed to insult the father who created this era for us!"
Ace completely lost his mind, roaring as he swung a massive fiery fist straight at Akainu.
"A fool who doesn't know his own mortality."
Akainu let out a disdainful sneer, and his right arm instantly transformed into rolling magma, fiercely blasting out to meet Ace's flames.
Faced with the ruthless and absolute restraint of Devil Fruits, ordinary flames are simply no match for magma, which can incinerate everything.
"boom!"
The moment the two forces collided, Ace's flames were instantly consumed by the dark red magma.
The intense heat penetrated the flames' defenses, severely burning Ace and knocking him back like a kite with a broken string, causing him to fall onto the ice.
At this critical moment, Luffy, who had been constantly overdrawing his body and had suffered multiple fatal blows, finally reached the absolute physical limit of his physical strength.
He was about to rush over to help when everything went black.
All the strength in my body seemed to be drained in an instant, my legs went weak, and I collapsed heavily to my knees on the cold ice.
The Vivre Card that belonged to Ace slipped quietly from his arms and fell to the ground.
"Dorag's son, you are the greatest threat that must not be allowed to live today!"
Akainu's keen eyes instantly caught Luffy's limit, and the killing intent in his eyes surged wildly.
He decisively abandoned the fallen Ace, bypassed the defense line, and transformed his right arm into a giant fist of magma rolling with deadly heat.
With a chilling determination to kill, Akainu pounced on Luffy like a hungry wolf, aiming straight for his unsuspecting chest!
"Die, Straw Hat Luffy!!"
"Luffy!!!"
Upon witnessing this scene, Ace and Sabo were both horrified, their hearts pounding as if they were about to stop beating.
The two of them rushed towards Luffy like madmen, disregarding everything, wanting to use their own flesh and blood to block this fatal blow.
"Zzzzzzz—!!!"
Just at this critical moment when life and death hung in the balance, a piercing thunderclap suddenly exploded in mid-air!
Viktor, who was forcibly exhausting the last bit of mental energy in his mind, had bloodshot eyes.
He hurled a long spear, its blade a striking mix of black and red!
This spear struck first, like lightning tearing through space.
The gun was tightly wrapped in a violent aura, a dark blue lightning release, and an inextinguishable Amaterasu black flame, carrying an all-piercing sharpness as it aimed directly at Akainu's right arm, which was about to strike Luffy.
However, just as the spear was about to strike, at the fatal moment...
Akainu's terrifying fighting instincts, honed through countless life-and-death battles, erupted suddenly.
With his top-tier Observation Haki and beast-like intuition, he sensed the deadly threat contained in this attack.
Akainu forcibly stopped his forward attack in a bizarre posture that almost contorted his body, and with a powerful push off the ice, he dodged to the side at lightning speed.
Viktor's deadly strike, which was powerful enough to pierce an admiral's defense, missed due to Akainu's dodge and failed to tear his right arm directly.
However, the spears passed each other in the blink of an eye.
The black flames of "Amaterasu" emanating from the blade clung to Akainu's right shoulder and chest like maggots clinging to bones.
"Sizzle—!"
The inextinguishable black flames immediately began to burn wildly on Akainu's body.
Even a general with the highest-level natural magma physique could clearly feel the excruciating pain that reached his very soul in the face of this divine skill that burned everything.
Akainu's previously cold expression changed drastically, and he let out a painful groan.
In order to suppress the strange and inextinguishable black flames on his body.
He had to abandon his attempt to finish off Luffy and staggered backward several steps in a sorry state.
Just as Akainu was in pain from the black flames and retreated, his defenses were exposed with a fatal flaw.
A sharp glint flashed in the eyes of Ace and Sabo simultaneously, as they seized this fleeting opportunity.
"Fire Fist!"
"Dragon's Claw!"
Two figures attacked simultaneously, one from the left and one from the right.
A massive, raging, fiery fist and a sharp dragon claw entwined with a deep, dark, and domineering aura were launched simultaneously.
With all the anger and power of the two brothers, it slammed solidly into Akainu's unsuspecting chest.
"BOOM—!!!"
Two incredibly powerful forces combined and exploded.
The arrogant admiral let out a scream and was blasted dozens of meters away by the two brothers, crashing heavily into the thick ruins in the distance of the square, stirring up a cloud of dust.
The moment the crisis was averted, the kaleidoscope pattern in Victor's eye sockets instantly dissipated, returning to a dull, pure black.
The backlash from forcibly waking up and unleashing his eye technique overwhelmed him like a tsunami.
Viktor felt everything go completely black before his eyes, and his bones felt like they were about to fall apart.
Like Luffy on the ground, he collapsed onto the cold ice with a "thud," completely unconscious, and never moved again.
"Ah! Crimson Lotus Boy!"
Upon seeing this, Ivankov, who was following behind, covered his head with his hands and let out an exaggerated scream.
"Didn't I already warn you not to make any more moves?!"
"Forcibly breaking through hormonal restrictions will definitely leave serious long-term health problems!"
Looking at Viktor and Luffy, the two "great heroes," lying unconscious on the ice.
Sabo and Ace slowly straightened up and looked at each other.
Their faces were covered in the black ash of gunpowder and crimson blood, making them look disheveled, but at the same time, the corners of their mouths turned up in a smile.
Immediately afterwards, the two brothers, braving the cold wind, burst into laughter at the same time.
The laughter was clear and bold, filled with the feeling of surviving a brush with death and an indelible bond of passion.
"There's just no way to deal with this guy."
Ace chuckled, bent down, and deftly hoisted the unconscious Luffy onto his broad shoulders.
Sabo quickly moved to Viktor's position and took Viktor's arm from the flustered Ivankov.
He carried the unfathomable yet loyal first mate steadily on his back.
"Let's go, Ace! Ivankov! Take them home!"
"Ah, home!"
The two brothers, amidst the billowing smoke and deafening artillery fire, wore unrestrained and triumphant laughter.
Without looking back, they strode off toward the large fleet of warships that were desperately trying to provide support outside the bay!
"Hey! Slow down, wait for me! Luffy boy! Sabo boy!"
Ivankov followed behind, shouting and making a comical gait as he desperately tried to keep up.
In this battlefield filled with despair and death.
These figures of the new era, set against the backdrop of flames and smoke, appear so dazzling and unstoppable.243Chapter 244 The Returning Captains and the Strongest Man Shed Tears!
Chapter 244 The Returning Captains and the Strongest Man Shed Tears!
The scene then returns to the devastated and smoke-filled central square of Marineford.
After successfully covering the main force's retreat towards the bay, Edward Newgate, the white-bearded general, remained alone at the rear.
Its tall and majestic body was like an insurmountable wall of sighs.
He single-handedly faced off against the Navy's highest combat power—Fleet Admiral "Sengoku the Buddha" and Admiral "Aokiji" Kuzan.
Having escaped any ambush, this strongest man in the world is currently at his absolute peak, possessing unparalleled strength, with boundless power within him like a vast ocean.
"Gurala la la la!"
Whitebeard let out a hearty laugh that shook the heavens and the earth, brandishing the Supreme Grade Sword "Murakumogiri" wrapped in deep, high-level Armament Haki.
The blade sliced through the air, and the domineering shockwave shattered the extremely cold icy river that had spread from the ground, turning it into countless ice shards.
Immediately afterwards, Whitebeard charged forward without backing down, exchanging several heavy punches with Sengoku, who had transformed into a giant golden Buddha!
"Boom—!"
Pure power and shockwaves surged wildly in the center of the square.
The terrifying impact tore the already dilapidated Marineford Square apart, creating countless bottomless abysses and ravines.
Zhan Guo's face turned ashen, and he clenched his teeth.
Looking at this remnant of the old era before him, a storm raged in his heart.
Even when facing an attack from two top-tier fighters, Whitebeard remained as fierce as a tiger, showing no signs of weakness.
Sengoku understood that this man seemed to be planning to use his last breath as fuel to drag the entire Navy Headquarters down with him.
Just as the battle reached a suffocating stalemate, a dazzling golden cross suddenly flashed in the sky above the battlefield.
Admiral Kizaru astutely spotted a tiny flaw in Whitebeard's transitions and wide, sweeping attacks.
Without hesitation, he transformed into a sky full of golden photons, appearing instantly in Whitebeard's blind spot like a ghost.
"Oh dear~ You've found a weakness, Whitebeard!"
Kizaru pouted, and his long, slender right leg shimmered with a destructive, dazzling golden light.
He prepared to deliver a powerful kick at the speed of light, enough to shatter a mountain, aiming for Whitebeard's opening.
At this critical moment!
A clear, melodious sound suddenly rang out from the sky, and a dazzling yellow-blue flame, like a shooting star streaking across the sky, descended from the heavens!
"Bang!"
Marco, the first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, flapped his wings, which were burning with blue flames.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest, relying on the powerful regeneration and defensive capabilities of the Mythical Zoan species to forcefully block Kizaru's deadly light-speed kick.
The immense impact propelled him backward several meters, but he managed to firmly protect his father's flank.
With the buffer time Marco bought him, Whitebeard's eyes sharpened, and he unleashed a powerful, heavy air-shaking punch!
"Snap!"
The air shattered, and a violent shockwave slammed directly into Kizaru's chest, forcing the Marine Admiral to retreat backward in a burst of light.
Kizaru, who had re-formed in the distance, dusted himself off and gave a helpless smirk.
"How annoying!"
"Every time I'm about to succeed at a crucial moment, someone will always step in to stop me…"
With the crisis averted, Whitebeard stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Marco, who was panting heavily beside him.
He deliberately put on a stern face, laughing loudly as he questioned in a stern voice:
"Marco, you stupid son, are you going to disobey your father's last order?"
Hearing his father's reprimand, Marco slowly retracted the phoenix wings on his back.
He did not back down, but took a step forward with unwavering determination and stood firmly beside Whitebeard.
Marco looked at the white-bearded man's weathered face, a carefree smile playing on his lips:
"Sorry, Dad."
"This is the only time I can't listen to you."
"I'm not going to leave you here alone and abandon you..."
"You wouldn't want us sons to lose our father today, would you?"
Upon hearing these heartfelt words, Whitebeard paused for a moment, then raised his head and let out a laugh that shook the heavens:
"Gurala la la la!"
"In that case, let's have a good, satisfying battle right here, father and son!"
Before he finished speaking, Whitebeard's aura surged once again.
He swung his massive naginata, slashing through the space in front of him, and the violent shockwave forced Sengoku, who was trying to approach, back again.
However, the space left for them is getting smaller and smaller.
All around them, thousands of elite naval troops, under the strict command of admirals and other officers, were slowly encircling the two men, brandishing muskets and swords, marching in orderly steps, determined to trap them in the center.
Just when the encirclement was about to completely close in, leaving them in a desperate situation with no way to escape.
Behind the battlefield, on the sea leading out of the bay, a wild and arrogant roar suddenly resounded:
"Dad! Have you forgotten about us sons?!"
"Marco! You damn birdman, aren't you moving way too fast? You didn't even wait for us!"
The familiar voice made Whitebeard and Marco turn their heads at the same time.
Amidst those shouts, the squad leaders who should have already safely escorted Sabo, Ace, Luffy, the unconscious Victor, and the main force back to the support ship...
"Diamond" Jozu, "Floral" Vista, and others have all returned!
Moreover, among them was Jinbe, the "Knight of the Sea" with blue skin and a burly physique.
These renowned warriors, though covered in the black ash of gunpowder and the blood of their enemies, some even had bandages wrapped around their bodies.
But at this moment, they marched through the ruins with overwhelming momentum, returning to Whitebeard's side and standing shoulder to shoulder with the old man.
Looking at this group of "foolish sons" who disobeyed his last captain's orders and should have escaped to the new world on a warship, but instead stubbornly came back to their deaths.
This world's strongest man, who had traversed the oceans for decades and endured countless life-and-death ordeals, was completely stunned at this moment.
The massive Murakumogiri hung limply at his side, while the white-bearded man's chest heaved violently.
"Woo la la la la la la!"
Whitebeard suddenly couldn't stop himself from throwing his head back and bursting into laughter.
He laughed heartily, his laughter tinged with helplessness, pride, and boundless emotion.
As he laughed, his eyes gradually reddened, and hot tears welled up in his deep eyes.
Tears streamed down his signature white crescent-shaped beard, landing on the cold ground.
"How...embarrassing!"
"They actually made me shed tears in front of so many navy soldiers!"
Then, Whitebeard's eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Buzz—!!!"
A surge of Conqueror's Haki, resembling a materialized dark red lightning bolt, erupted from his massive body like a dormant volcano that had been dormant for millennia.
This Conqueror's Haki was more ferocious and pure than ever before.
The nearby elite naval forces that were preparing to surround them, and even many generals, were all greatly shocked by this domineering aura that struck straight to their souls.
Their eyes rolled back, and they fell down in swathes like wheat being harvested, instantly clearing out a large area around them.
A fierce wind howled, and the white-bearded man's voice echoed amidst the red lightning:
"But you bunch of idiots... are all my most beloved children!"
"so..."
Whitebeard raised his thick arm and forcefully wiped away the tears from the corner of his eye.
His muscles bulged violently in an instant, and his veins bulged like dragons under his skin, his aura rising to a terrifying peak.
In order to ensure the survival of these disobedient sons, and to sever their thoughts of dying alongside him in battle.
This great father actually gritted his teeth and swung the huge naginata high in his hand!
He imbued the back of his sword with Armament Haki and Vibration Power, preparing to launch a merciless attack on the squad leaders he trusted most!
He planned to use this most barbaric method to force them back into the sea outside the bay.
"Dad..."
Seeing their father's resolute gaze and the massive naginata swinging towards them, Marco, Jozu, Vista, and the other captains gritted their teeth.
Their eyes were glistening with tears, but not one of them chose to back down.
They stood tall, ready to bear the weight of their father's love, as heavy as a mountain.
Just as Whitebeard's naginata, carrying the force of destruction, was about to smash down on the captains, at the critical moment...
A deep, calm voice, yet exuding boundless composure and domineering power, suddenly rang out clearly above the noisy battlefield, instantly drowning out all the sounds of artillery fire and battle cries.
"This is quite...unexpectedly lively."244Chapter 245 The Face Fruit Arrives! Give Me Face and the Retreat of the Four Emperors
Chapter 245 The Face Fruit Arrives! Give Me Face and the Retreat of the Four Emperors
At that heartbreaking yet resolute moment, a clear "clang" of a sword rang out, like lightning tearing through the night, suddenly resounding through the sky!
A sharp sword aura, no less powerful than that of the world's greatest swordsman, pierced through the air.
The sword energy struck the thick blade of Murakumogiri with absolute precision.
The immense impact forcefully deflected Whitebeard's attack, which was imbued with profound "fatherly love," from its trajectory.
"Boom!"
The Murakumogiri, which was originally intended to smash into the squad leaders, crashed heavily onto the open ground to the side.
The violent tremor instantly triggered a severe local earthquake, sending countless rocks and ice fragments soaring into the sky.
"He brutally murdered his own son."
"This isn't like you, Whitebeard."
Accompanied by that calm yet infinitely majestic voice, a huge sailing ship flying the iconic skull and crossbones pirate flag—the Red Fosse—appeared.
Unbeknownst to them, they had silently broken through the navy's proud and formidable encirclement.
Like a ghost ship crossing the underworld, it steadily docked at the edge of the cracked ice.
A sea breeze rises.
Shanks, the "Red-Haired" man, appeared calmly in everyone's sight, wearing a large black cloak and with only his right arm remaining.
He was surrounded by his first mate Ben Beckman, sniper Yasopp, Raki Luke, and other key figures renowned throughout the New World.
These men, standing atop the vast ocean, walked steadily down from the warship, officially stepping into this hellish battlefield.
As Shanks continues to advance.
An overwhelming surge of Conqueror's Haki, even more ferocious than Whitebeard at his peak, swept across the entire Marineford arena like a tangible raging torrent!
"Buzz—!"
Those elite naval personnel who were already teetering on the brink of collapse and struggling to hold on under Whitebeard's overwhelming aura.
Under this even more domineering spiritual impact, the defense line completely collapsed.
They rolled their eyes back in droves, and before they could even utter a scream, they passed out like wheat being harvested, the sound of weapons falling echoing in the air.
It wasn't just an absolute mental crushing; this domineering aura even affected the physical space of reality.
Even the hardened stone walls and millennia-old ice layers of Marineford, forged through countless trials, cracked inch by inch under the pressure of this invisible force, emitting a series of "crackling" sounds.
The giant naval warships anchored in the bay were like small boats in a raging storm, creaking and groaning under the weight of this overwhelming aura.
Faced with this sudden change.
Aokiji and Kizaru, who were preparing to take advantage of the situation and launch a surprise attack on the Whitebeard Pirates, immediately stopped in their tracks.
The expressions on the two generals' faces instantly became more solemn than ever before.
They were well aware of the significance of this one-armed man.
Sengoku, standing on the ruins of the execution platform, frowned deeply, his imposing eyes fixed on Shanks, and he demanded in a stern voice:
"Redhead...what are you trying to do by showing up here at this time?!"
Shanks ignored Sengoku's question.
He walked straight to the middle of Marco and Whitebeard and stopped.
He raised his head, his deep eyes glancing at the white-bearded man who, despite being covered in blood, was still at his peak, and an uncontrollable look of astonishment and surprise flashed in his eyes.
Shanks narrowed his eyes slightly and murmured softly:
"It seems someone has changed the course of fate..."
Then, suppressing his surprise, he turned to face Sengoku and spoke in a loud voice that resonated throughout the hall:
"I just stopped Kaido, who was trying to take advantage of the chaos, in the New World, and I rushed over here without stopping."
Shanks turned to look at Whitebeard beside him, his tone carrying a hint of admonition:
"Whitebeard, now that Ace has been successfully rescued..."
"You don't need to be so insistent on dragging this island down with you, do you?"
"Shut up!"
In the distance, Akainu struggled to his feet amidst the ruins.
He clutched the blood-soaked gash on his left shoulder, and the scorch marks from the black flames still lingered on his chest.
This iron-willed general, like a wild beast utterly enraged, roared with reckless abandon:
"Stop talking nonsense! Redhead!"
"You bastard, do you really think you can get rid of these pirates who have trampled on the Navy's justice unscathed with just a few words from you?!"
Faced with Akainu's incompetent rage, Shanks did not back down in the slightest.
He slowly extended his only remaining right hand and grasped the hilt of the "Griffin" sword at his waist.
With a clang, the famous sword was drawn, its sharp blade reflecting the smoke and fire.
Shanks's extremely imposing gaze slowly swept across the entire arena.
Whether it was the three admirals of the Navy who were eyeing him covetously, the seven warlords of the sea with their own agendas, or the high and mighty Fleet Admiral Sengoku, they were all under his watchful eye.
"If this war continues, it will only increase the senseless casualties on both sides indefinitely."
Shanks' voice was calm, yet it carried an absolute and undeniable domineering aura.
He held Griffin horizontally in front of him, his eyes suddenly turning cold and sharp as knives:
"If anyone here hasn't had enough of this..."
As Shanks finished speaking, the core members of the Red-Haired Pirates behind him responded instantly.
First mate Ben Beckman, cigar in mouth, calmly raised his long musket, its dark muzzle aimed precisely at Kizaru in the distance.
Snipers like Yasopp and Lucky Roux also brandished their signature weapons, unleashing the terrifying aura of the Four Emperors' crew without any concealment!
"bring it on!"
"We, the Red-Haired Pirates, are here to be your opponents!"
Shanks roared, his voice shaking the heavens.
Looking at the red-haired man who drew his sword and declared war.
Hawkeye Mihawk, who had been standing not far away observing coldly, did not hesitate to put the huge black sword "Night" back behind him.
He turned around, his sharp, eagle-like eyes glancing indifferently at the navy, and said coldly:
"I only promised the government that I would take action against Whitebeard."
"Now that Shanks has arrived here, the battle that follows is no longer within the scope of my agreement."
After saying that, Hawkeye didn't turn around, but strode away from the chaotic battlefield decisively.
Zhan Guo gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead throbbing.
He stared intently at the Whitebeard Pirates before him, a crew that, though wounded, still possessed its core fighting strength and whose leader, Whitebeard himself, remained at his peak.
He then glanced at the Red-Haired Pirates, who were rested and in top condition, standing by.
Reason told Sengoku that if the navy really chose to face the full elite forces of both Yonko today...
Then Marineford, this fortress symbolizing justice, will be completely erased from the map of the world today.
Furthermore... the navy will also suffer a devastating blow, becoming virtually defunct.
Zhan Guo took a deep breath of the cold, murky air, forcibly suppressing the surging humiliation and resentment in his heart.
He closed his eyes, remained silent for a long time, and finally opened them abruptly, loudly announcing to the entire army:
"Take the wounded down for treatment... This war is over!"
The voice of the Warring States period carried a deep weariness, yet he still stood tall and straight.
"I will take full responsibility!"
Upon hearing the marshal's final order.
Even the most enraged Akainu could only stare at the red-haired and white-bearded figures in front of him with a twisted expression.
"Damn pirates..."
"One day... I will wipe you all out!"
Seeing the Navy finally choose to compromise, Whitebeard snorted coldly, flicked his wrist, and put away the blood-stained Murakumogiri.
He turned his head and looked deeply at Shanks beside him with his eyes full of stories.
"Gurala la la la!"
The white-bearded man let out a hearty laugh.
"Since even you, a kid from back then, have said so, I'll give you face today..."
"Marco, let's go home!"
Upon hearing the word "go home," the surviving New World pirates were momentarily stunned.
Then erupted a deafening, joyous cheer that brought tears to many eyes.
They wiped the blood and tears from their faces, tightly embraced their most beloved father and squad leaders, and boarded the support warship docked outside the bay in a grand procession.
...
The scene slowly changes.
On the vast blue sea, the retreating ships, gradually leaving Marineford, are sailing safely towards the New World.
On the spacious deck, the sea breeze was blowing.
Ace and Sabo sat on the wooden floor with their backs against the ship's railing, their faces covered in soot from gunpowder and dried blood.
But at this moment, they looked at each other, their smiles radiant and free.
Beside them, Luffy, completely exhausted, and Victor, who had just survived a severe backlash, lay sprawled on the deck, completely defenseless.
The two even started snoring, sleeping soundly.
On the horizon, a blood-red setting sun slowly sank in the west.
The warm glow of the setting sun gently bathed the battered Marineford fortress in the distance.
This war, destined to be recorded in history and utterly shocking the entire world, has finally come to an end.245Chapter 24g the World! The Extremely Evil Asura of 2.5 Billion
Chapter 246 Shocking the World! The Extremely Evil Asura of 2.5 Billion
The scene cuts from the devastated Marineford, soaring into the clouds to the giant airship of the World Economic News Agency.
"Big News!" Morgans stood in front of his large desk, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the top-secret photos his reporters had risked their lives to take.
The scene features the complete Susanoo that cleaved the sky, the thrilling moment when black flames forced Admiral Akainu to retreat, and the towering figure of Whitebeard at his peak.
And the heroic figures of the three sworn brothers fighting side by side back to back, each picture exudes an awe-inspiring and absolute power.
Morgans was so excited that the white feathers all over his body trembled violently.
He slammed his hand on the table and let out a shrill laugh:
"Breaking news! This is absolutely the biggest news that will go down in history!"
"Typesetting department, immediately print an additional 100 million copies..."
"No! Print another billion copies! Send them to every corner of the world!"
Countless newsbirds, carrying heavy bundles of newspapers, flew out of the airship like a blanket of white snow.
They surged towards the East China Sea, the West China Sea, the South China Sea, the North China Sea, as well as the first half of the Grand Line and the New World.
People all over the world grabbed the newspaper that smelled of fresh ink.
The glaring scarlet text on the headline shattered everyone's worldview—
The Navy's Darkest Hour Has Arrived! Fire Fist Successfully Escapes! The Whitebeard Pirates' Great Escape! The Crimson Demon, Like a God!
As the newspaper reported, the postwar Naval Headquarters indeed entered its darkest hour.
Marineford, once a symbol of absolute justice and grandeur, is now a desolate ruin.
The square was torn apart into countless abysses, and the smoke of battle still lingered among the ruins.
The open space was filled with rows of white medical tents, and the cries of the wounded rose and fell.
This invincible army, which had gathered 100,000 elite troops and all its trump cards, not only failed to execute Fire Fist Ace.
Instead, in this globally watched broadcast, the navy greatly lost the face and prestige it had accumulated over hundreds of years.
Morale plummeted to rock bottom, and a lingering gloom hung in the air.
The Warring States Marshal sat in his cracked office.
His head was wrapped in thick white bandages, making him look as if he had aged ten years.
He looked at the newly drafted bounty poster on his desk and let out a long sigh.
That sigh contained so much helplessness and vicissitude.
He knew better than anyone that someone had to take responsibility for the defeat in this war.
In order to quell the furious rage of the world's top government officials, and to give the world an explanation.
I must resign and apologize for my position as marshal.
"Messenger!" Sengoku shouted in a deep voice.
The dilapidated wooden door to the office was quickly pushed open, and a marine saluted sharply: "Hey! Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Sengoku closed his eyes and rubbed his throbbing temples.
"Go and call Sakazuki... tell him I have something important to tell him!"
"Hi!"
In the intensive care unit on the other side, the air was filled with a strong smell of medicine.
Admiral Akainu, whose right arm and chest were wrapped in heavy bandages, was roaring furiously at several officers who were trembling as they reported the battle situation.
The burning pain left by the Amaterasu Black Flame still stimulated his nerves, making him extremely irritable.
He grabbed a newspaper from the table next to him and stared intently at the faces of Victor and Luffy on the page.
His eyes blazed with venomous rage, and his teeth clenched as if he wanted to tear those two pieces of paper to shreds and swallow them whole.
It was accompanied by the newspaper's frenzied dissemination.
Two bounty posters with staggering numbers exploded like two heavy nuclear bombs among pirates, civilians, and bounty hunters around the world!
[Straw Hat Luffy]: In the photo, he is covered in pink steam and is standing on the execution platform with a wild and unrestrained laugh.
Latest bounty: 1 billion Berries!
["Red Lotus" Victor]: His bounty photo is unusually not a close-up of his face, but a breathtaking long shot.
—A crimson demon god, hundreds of meters tall, clad in Tengu armor and wielding a colossal sword, seemed poised to burst forth from the photograph at any moment.
Latest bounty: 2.5 billion Berries!
In the eerie ruins of Kuraigana Island, Zoro, panting heavily, was engaged in a fierce battle with a group of baboons mimicking human swordsmanship.
He casually caught the newspaper that Perona threw down from mid-air.
When he saw the headline "Luffy safely rescues Ace" on the front page, a smile finally appeared on his murderous face.
But when he turned to the crevices of the newspaper...
When I saw Viktor's bounty poster with the astronomical figure of [2.5 billion] and that chilling picture of Susanoo.
Zoro's hand gripping the sword jerked violently, and the famous sword clattered to the ground onto the dusty stone slab.
"Are you kidding me...?"
Zoro's lips twitched.
"That red-eyed bastard!"
"What earth-shattering thing did he do at Marine Headquarters?!"
Visalia.
Nami sat on the edge of the cloud, holding the newspaper that had fallen into the air.
She cried through her tears, relieved that Luffy and Victor were both safe and sound.
His gaze shifted downwards, landing on the long string of numbers on Viktor's bounty poster.
She stretched out her slender fingers and counted the zeros one by one.
As she counted, those beautiful eyes, which had been filled with tears, instantly transformed into sparkling Berry shapes.
"Two...two billion?!"
Nami gasped and exclaimed in surprise.
"Wow! My first mate is worth so much!"
She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and smiled through her tears:
"Selling my first mate would buy so much stuff!"
"Just kidding!"
After she finished speaking, she held up Victor's bounty poster bearing the image of the demon god high in the pure sunlight of the sky island.
Her expression gradually softened, and tears welled up in her eyes once more…
"That's great, Viktor, I can't let you down..."
Nami took a deep breath, turned around and shouted to the distance, "Klay! Come and see your master!"
With a flapping sound, Clay flew over: "Coo-coo-cao-cao! Lord Clay, the ruler of the skies, has arrived!"
In the Gluttony Forest of the Boeing Islands, Usopp has become a huge fat man.
And Sanji, who was forced to wear pink women's clothing and heavy makeup in the Kamabakka Kingdom.
When they saw the newspaper falling from the sky, both of them were so shocked that their jaws slammed to the ground.
Looking at the news that shocked the world and the outrageously high reward, they finally realized with absolute clarity.
Their own captain and first mate have truly stirred up the most intense storms on this perilous sea.
Inside the secret base of the Revolutionary Army headquarters.
Robin sat quietly at her desk, her long, slender fingers gently stroking the newspaper photos of Luffy, Sabo, and Ace fighting side by side, as well as Victor's striking solo portrait.
A tender smile appeared in her usually rational and deep eyes:
"That's great... everyone is safe and sound."
"Victor...will he be back soon?"
Whether it's Chopper diligently studying medicine on the snow-covered island of Karakuri, Franky undergoing transformation on the winter island of Baltimore, or Brook holding a frenzied concert in a poor country.
After the initial brief shock and ecstasy...
At this moment, the eyes of all the Straw Hat crew members became more determined than ever before.
They instinctively gripped the heavy newspaper in their hands, their gazes passing over the wind, snow, clouds, and ocean, looking towards the distant sky.
"The captain and first mate have already stood on that top stage where monsters gather, and they have won a great victory."
"As their partners... how can we stand still here!"
An indelible determination ignited in everyone's hearts at the same time: "We must become stronger!"