Akainu's relentless assault showed no sign of stopping. His magma-filled fists continued to rain down like a fiery meteor shower, flooding the sky and setting the battlefield ablaze. The ice beneath the pirates' feet melted, forcing them into a terrible dilemma: remain on the melting ice and face certain death, or plunge into the sea and risk drowning, especially for Devil Fruit users.
"This power is inhuman!" one pirate shouted, his voice filled with despair.
"The magma—it's endless! Akainu's Devil Fruit must be fully awakened!" another cried, his voice barely audible over the screams of those already caught in the fiery onslaught.
The pirates found themselves trapped between boiling water and molten death. There was no escape, and Akainu's power seemed limitless.
"He's turning the sea into boiling water!"
"It's like being thrown into a pot! It's too hot!" The screams echoed across the battlefield.
As more and more pirates fell victim to the hellish meteor shower, Akainu's attention shifted toward the Moby Dick, the legendary White Whale ship that had carried Whitebeard for decades. With Whitebeard elsewhere, the ship was left vulnerable to the lava rain. Akainu's attacks zeroed in, intent on erasing the vessel from existence.
But, Kaido stood at the bow of the Moby Dick, watching the magma rain approach. With a calm yet ferocious grin, he readied his massive weapon, the spiked mace Hachisai. "I want to play baseball too," Kaido growled, his voice thick with anticipation. As the lava drew nearer, Kaido swung his mace, coated with Armament Haki, and struck the incoming lava meteors with incredible force.
Boom!
Each swing sent the molten projectiles flying back toward the Navy Headquarters' square. The redirected lava caused massive explosions, incinerating numerous elite Navy soldiers. Kaido wasn't just defending the ship—he was launching a counterattack. And he wasn't random in his strikes. His aim was precise, targeting the densest crowds of soldiers.
"Kaido is hitting Akainu's lava back at us!" a marine screamed, watching in disbelief as their ranks thinned under the barrage.
"Damn it! He's turning Akainu's power against us!" another yelled in panic.
The square was soon filled with chaos. Everywhere Kaido's redirected magma struck, flames erupted, burning dozens, even hundreds, of marines at a time. In mere moments, the navy's casualties skyrocketed, far outstripping the pirates'. The square became a field of flames and screams, with marines running for their lives.
"Scatter! Kaido's targeting the crowded spots! Run!!" they shouted, desperation in their voices. Despite their efforts, they couldn't avoid the devastation Kaido unleashed.
On the execution platform, Sengoku watched in horror. His teeth ground together as the realization dawned—Kaido's counterattack was far more devastating to the navy than Akainu's original assault on the pirates. Despite the intended goal of eliminating the pirates, the marines were suffering far more. Their numbers were greater, and the density of soldiers in the square made them easy targets.
"Stop, Akainu!!" Sengoku roared, realizing the disastrous mistake. But it was too late—hundreds of marines were already dead, and thousands more were injured. Akainu's attack, meant to wipe out the pirates, had turned into a massacre of his own forces, thanks to Kaido's brutal retaliation.
Akainu, his face twisted in fury, finally ceased his attack. His fiery fists cooled as he glared daggers at Kaido, seething with rage. That beast had turned his own power against him, causing untold damage to the navy.
"The White Whale… it's been saved!" one of Whitebeard's pirates shouted, astonished.
"Kaido stopped the navy's attack!" another added, still in disbelief.
The pirates couldn't believe it. The mighty Kaido, one of the Four Emperors, had come to their aid. Akainu's terrifying meteor shower, which seemed like it would be their doom, was halted by Kaido's overwhelming strength. They had always viewed him as an enemy, but today, he had saved them from certain death.
"Dad, Kaido actually helped us…" one of the commanders muttered, his voice filled with awe. "This is completely unexpected."
On the battlefield, Whitebeard himself stood silent, watching Kaido's actions with a thoughtful expression. He had never expected to owe Kaido a favor, but now, the reality was undeniable. Without Kaido, the Moby Dick would have been destroyed, and many of his crew would have perished under Akainu's lava. Kaido had saved them, and Whitebeard, a man of honor, would not forget this.
Kaido, the strongest creature in the world, had shown his true might—and in doing so, had completely altered the course of the battle.
Whitebeard stood in thought, reflecting on his recent encounter with Kaido. The memory of their conversation lingered. Kaido had openly declared his intention to destroy the Navy, the World Government, and even the Five Elder Stars. At the time, Whitebeard dismissed the idea as madness, considering it an impossible feat that only a fool would pursue.
After all, if overthrowing the World Government were that simple, Rocks would have succeeded decades ago. Even Roger, the Pirate King, never dared challenge them directly. And Whitebeard himself had always opted for more subtle provocations, knowing full well that the World Government was no easy adversary.
But now, after seeing Kaido's immense strength firsthand, Whitebeard reconsidered. If he could survive this battle and escape Marineford, and if Kaido truly did set his sights on Mariejois, the Holy Land of the World Government, Whitebeard might just offer his help. His body was already failing, his time in this world limited. If he could give his life to help Kaido in such an audacious assault, it might be a worthy end.
Meanwhile, the Navy wasn't going to sit idle. Sengoku, seeing the devastation caused by Akainu's failed attack and Kaido's counter, gave the order to fire. The encirclement wall, now fully operational, opened its many large-caliber cannons, unleashing a barrage of shells at the pirates trapped in the inner bay. However, unlike Akainu's meteor shower, these conventional attacks lacked the same overwhelming power. The pirates, especially those with combat experience, were able to deflect or destroy the shells mid-air, reducing the damage.
Amid this chaos, Whitebeard focused his attention on the encirclement wall. His hand clenched, his Tremor-Tremor Fruit powers surged, and with a mighty swing, he sent a devastating earthquake toward the wall. The ground rumbled, the air cracked, and the entire battlefield shook.
Boom!
The tremor hit the encirclement wall with a deafening roar. The Navy held their breath, waiting for it to crumble under Whitebeard's immense strength. But after the dust settled, the wall remained intact. Though the tremor had shaken the area, even causing some Marines to lose their balance, the wall itself stood firm.
"The wall… it held!" one marine shouted in disbelief.
"Even Whitebeard couldn't break it!" another cheered.
Relief washed over the Navy forces as they realized their defense had worked. The encirclement wall had been specifically designed to withstand Whitebeard's power. Decades of intelligence and planning had finally paid off.
Sengoku exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing. "The plan is working," he muttered under his breath, and then more loudly, he gave the next order: "Prepare for the execution of Portgas D. Ace!"
The pirates panicked as the reality of Ace's impending execution sank in. They frantically searched for a way to breach the encirclement and save their beloved comrade. But time was running out.
Among the most desperate was Monkey D. Luffy, Ace's younger brother, who was fighting with everything he had to get through. But the path was blocked, and hope was slipping away.
Suddenly, a voice echoed across the battlefield: "Get out of the way!" It was loud, commanding, and filled with menace.
All eyes turned to the bow of the Moby Dick. There stood Kaido. "Everyone, get out of the way!! Don't block my path!" he bellowed.
The pirates, knowing Kaido's power, quickly scrambled to clear a path. In seconds, the area in front of Kaido was completely empty, giving him a direct line to the encirclement wall.
Sengoku, who had just started to feel relieved, tensed up once more. His eyes locked onto Kaido. "No… he's not thinking of…?" Sengoku's voice trailed off in disbelief.
"Kaido wouldn't try to break the encirclement wall, would he?" Sengoku muttered, watching Kaido approach. "Whitebeard couldn't do it. He shouldn't be able to do it either… right?"
But even as Sengoku spoke those words, doubt crept into his mind. Kaido wasn't like other pirates. He was known as the "Strongest Creature in the World" for a reason. If anyone could challenge the impossible, it was him.
Kaido took a step forward, his immense figure casting a long shadow over the battlefield. The tension in the air was palpable as the navy and pirates alike held their breath, waiting to see what the Emperor of the Sea would do next.