The colossal shockwave caused by the clash of the two titans' fists swept through Marineford like a hurricane, throwing the marines to the ground like dry leaves in a storm.
Not even the elite soldiers could withstand the overwhelming pressure: many collapsed to their knees, some even lost consciousness, and others barely managed to cling to their weapons, struggling to stay upright in the face of a confrontation between two indomitable wills. The collision of Conqueror's Haki was so intense that the very air seemed to shatter around them, with invisible cracks slicing through the sky and earth.
Yet, amid this suffocating chaos, the two responsible for the catastrophe remained motionless, staring at each other in a silent communication that transcended words.
There was no need for shouting or speeches.
With just a glance into Luffy's burning eyes, Whitebeard understood everything: there was neither doubt nor hesitation, only raw, pure determination. That boy was there to save Ace, willing to break through any barrier, challenge any authority, and even face death itself.
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes, regarding him with silent respect.
(So that's it... his brother... this boy is truly cut from the same cloth as Roger...)
At the same time, below the execution platform where Ace waited, bound and silent, another figure watched the scene with a blasé expression.
"This is terrifying… The youngsters these days are as strong as monsters… frankly, it's terrifying."
Kizaru murmured lazily, the corner of his mouth curled in his usual nonchalant half-smile, as he calmly rose from the Admiral's chair. His voice sounded so relaxed that it violently contrasted with the heavy, tense atmosphere of the battlefield.
In the very next instant, before anyone could react, his body flickered and dissolved into particles of pure light, vanishing like a lightning bolt into Marineford's overcast sky.
On the other side, Akainu slightly raised his chin, coldly observing the now-vacant seats around him. His stern eyes slowly turned back to the battlefield, fixing on the figure still locked in a standoff with Whitebeard.
"Garp's grandson… Dragon's son..." he muttered with a harsh voice, heavy with disdain and caution. "And at this age… not only has he awakened Conqueror's Haki, but he's mastered it to this level…"
His fists clenched tightly, molten lava quietly bubbling beneath his skin.
"If he's an enemy, it'll be a very difficult battle…" he concluded, more to himself than to anyone else.
To Akainu, all pirates were enemies—without exception. Not even the Shichibukai escaped his relentless distrust.
Then, like a snake ready to strike, Kizaru suddenly reappeared, hovering in the air above the battlefield, his right index finger pointed directly at Whitebeard's head.
"You've left an opening, Whitebeard."
Without hesitation, a beam of light erupted from his hand with a deafening hum.
ZUUUUUM!
The speed was absurd, almost impossible to track with the naked eye. Yet, before the attack could reach its target, a bluish silhouette shot across the sky like a bolt of lightning.
— KEEEEH!
Marco the Phoenix, commander of the First Division, intercepted the attack mid-air, but not without cost. The light beam pierced his chest, briefly embedding itself there, radiating a warm glow against the blue flames enveloping his body.
Kizaru slightly arched the corner of his mouth, as if savoring the irony of the moment.
"That hurt, Kizaru!" Marco growled with a defiant grin, as if the wound was nothing more than a passing inconvenience.
With a powerful flap of his wings, his flaming feathers spread like a celestial spectacle as he charged at Kizaru with overwhelming speed and strength. In the blink of an eye, his right foot transformed into the sharp talon of a mythical phoenix, ready to tear the enemy apart.
The talons sliced through the air toward Kizaru's chest, a strike that could have cleaved a mountain in two.
"Oh… that was scary… First Division Commander!" Kizaru commented, his tone still calm and indifferent.
He raised his arm to block the attack, and though his body froze for a split second upon impact, he immediately reverted into pure light, being violently blasted backward.
BAAAAAAAM!
Like a golden meteor, Kizaru crashed through one of Marineford's forts, destroying walls and structures as dust and debris exploded everywhere.
Luffy, who still had enough energy to observe his surroundings, couldn't suppress his internal reaction.
(This is insane!)
(This is clearly… an act!!!)
"Admiral Kizaru!!" the nearby vice admirals shouted, shocked and incredulous at the scene.
However, before the dust could even begin to settle, a golden flash burst from the rubble, and Kizaru emerged once again, unharmed, calmly adjusting his uniform as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Whitebeard let out a deep, powerful laugh.
"Gurararara! How dare you get distracted while fighting me, boy?!"
With a sudden movement, he swung his bisento, and with the overwhelming power of his Gura Gura no Mi, delivered a strike that fractured space itself.
CRAAAAACK!
The resulting seismic wave exploded against Luffy, brutally flinging him away like a leaf in a storm. Unable to react in time, he crashed violently into Marineford's wall.
BOOOOOOM!
Another explosion reverberated across the battlefield as a thick cloud of dust and debris rose, obscuring everyone's vision for a few moments.
"Straw Hat Luffy!" the nearby marines exclaimed, wide-eyed at the young pirate's resilience.
(Whitebeard… still possesses such terrifying power?!)
Amid the suffocating dust, a silhouette emerged, slowly rising.
Luffy brushed the dust off his tattered clothes with a few slaps and, though his body throbbed with pain, he stood firm with a determined, intense gaze, breathing heavily.
"As expected of Whitebeard…" he declared with a strained, panting smile. "It's not easy to take you down…"
On the other side, Kizaru cast him a sidelong glance, a nearly comical glint in his eyes.
(What are you doing, kid? My acting skills are way better than yours!)
Luffy couldn't help but make a brief grimace, muttering silently.
(That bastard… I don't even know if he's really faking it or just having fun with this.)
But in the end, it didn't really matter.
He had achieved what he wanted.
With a sigh, Luffy turned, beginning to walk away from the center of the battlefield, heading toward where the Shichibukai were gathered.
"I'm tired… I'm going back to have some tea…" he murmured casually, as if he weren't in the middle of one of the greatest battles in history.
As his footsteps echoed among the rubble, Luffy cast a quick glance at the three Admirals' seats.
Of the three, only Akainu remained seated, firm as a mountain, with blazing eyes and a menacing silence.
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."