In the second half of the Grand Line, at the Red Port behind Marine Headquarters, the battle raged on.
Dragon clashed with Sakazuki.
Sabo faced off against Admiral Momousagi.
Shiryu crossed blades with Admiral Chaton.
The clashes of these six individuals covered the entire area, making it impossible for anyone else to get close.
"Wind Cutter!"
Dragon spread his arms, two storms gathering in his hands. Descending from the sky like a pteranodon spreading its wings, he crossed his arms and swung them downwards, hurling the two storms outward.
The gales pushed against each other, one veering left, the other right, rubbing and grinding as they birthed a massive slicing attack.
The wind howled violently. Sakazuki, stood firm and unmoving, raised his hand toward the descending slash. Magma spewed from his arm as it swelled and swelled, though his fist remained compact.
The Marines who knew Sakazuki recognized this preparation instantly, this was the calm before the eruption.
A volcano was coming!
"Volcanic Eruption!"
Having suppressed it for so long, the volcano that had swollen his entire arm erupted from underground under immense pressure.
Sakazuki's power wasn't just his own strength; it included the impact force of a volcanic eruption.
One must understand that a volcanic eruption can blast ash kilometers into the sky. Its power is among the greatest in the natural world.
The flowing, scorching magma shot straight into the sky, violently colliding with the wind blade slash.
The front was cut through, but more surged from behind, wave after wave, continuously wearing down the power of the wind slash.
As the volcano kept erupting, the wind force gradually diminished.
It was like hitting a mountain peak, unable to cross over.
As the wind weakened, the slash naturally ceased to exist. The magma also receded, leaving the ground covered in volcanic lava radiating intense heat.
"Cold Wind!"
Dragon swept his arm, unleashing a frigid gale. The molten flows cooled instantly, hardening into black basalt.
"Justice will never fall to evil. Every criminal's final destination is hell." Sakazuki glared up at Dragon.
""The 'criminals' you speak of are merely those who oppose you. Those who yearn for freedom and equality far outnumber you. By your own logic, it is you who are the criminals, the sinners against the world" Dragon retorted.
"Rebels daring to speak of justice, fools are fools, swayed by every gust of wind. The world needs order, and men strong enough to enforce it. Without order, f everyone were equal, the world would surely descend into chaos due to injustice."
"Some people's destinies are determined the moment they are born. Their fate was decided long ago. The world cannot be changed."
Sakazuki charged forward rapidly, his fist coated in Conqueror's Haki.
"If that's true, then you deny every effort you've made! Was everything you've done preordained too? Do you dismiss the sweat, the struggle, the lives of everyone who ever tried? Should everyone just go and die?!!"
Dragon raised his arm, dragon claws wreathed in Conqueror's Haki, crimson lightning bursting around his palm.
The clash of their wills, Conqueror's Haki versus Conqueror's Haki, blazed brighter than any light. Their fists collided.
BOOM!!!
An explosion louder than thunder echoed all the way to Marine Headquarters.
In the headquarters office, Vice Admiral Tsuru, holding a teacup, felt the tea inside ripple and form waves.
"Nowhere in the world is safe. No place to go, no place to flee. From the Four Blues to the Grand Line... Perhaps the Sea God will choose to change the seas, to restore calm," Tsuru said quietly.
"Alright, I understand. It's fine. You may surrender, thank you for holding out this long." Sengoku spoke into a Den-Den Mushi.
"Sorry, Mr. Sengoku... We were incompetent. We couldn't..." the person on the other end choked up.
"You've done well. I know how hard you fought. You may surrender. There's no need for meaningless deaths." Sengoku replied.
"Y-yes sir… we understand." Click.
Sengoku let out a heavy sigh.
Beside him, Garp crunched noisily through yet another bag of rice crackers, the kacha-kacha echoing endlessly. He had already eaten over a dozen bags.
"The North Blue has completely fallen..." Garp stopped and sighed.
"East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, and now the North Blue... All four seas have fallen," Sengoku sighed deeply.
"With the Four Blues lost, news from the first half should come soon," Garp said.
purupurpuru!!!
The Den-Den Mushi rang again. Sengoku picked up.
"Marine HQ, emergency report!" came the panicked voice.
"This is Sengoku. Speak."
"Ah, Mr. Sengoku! Thank goodness! This is G-1. We are under attack by the Revolutionary Army! Requesting immediate reinforcements!" the person on the line said.
"What about Vice Admiral Momonga? He was delivering supplies. Has he not returned to defend?" Sengoku asked.
"Vice Admiral Momonga... he was ambushed. He's been captured. Now Revolutionary Army officer Emporio Ivankov is leading their forces to attack us."
"Momonga lost? What about Aramaki? Wasn't Aramaki sent for support? Hasn't he arrived yet?" Sengoku frowned.
"Ad-Admiral Ryokogyu..." The Den Den Mushi suddenly shed tears.
"What happened?" A chill ran through Sengoku, Tsuru, and Garp.
"Admiral Ryokugyo... is already dead."
"What?!" Sengoku exclaimed.
"Who killed him?" Garp crushed the rice cracker in his hand, stunned.
Tsuru's expression remained calm, but the tea in her cup spilled.
An admiral, dead. First captured by Roy, and now slain. The blow to Marine morale was immeasurable.
"It... it was... Issho!!" the person on the line said.
"Issho?!!"
The three froze. They never expected the killer of Ryokugyu to be the former Marine Admiral, Fujitora.
"Where is Issho now? Attacking G-1?" Sengoku asked.
"No... He went to Mary Geoise"
"He went to Mary Geoise? Then he marches to his death." Sengoku growled.
"Mr. Sengoku, we need support! They've already broken through!"
"We cannot spare reinforcements. Marineford itself is under siege. If you cannot hold, surrender." Sengoku said coldly.
"S-surrender?" The vice admiral at G-1 was struck dumb. Surrender, to the Revolutionary Army? If the World Government returned, they'd all be executed.
"R-really, Mr. Sengoku? We should surrender?" he asked in disbelief.
"The Four Seas have fallen. Losing the Grand Line makes little difference. What matters is the decisive battle. As long as we win that, everything can be reclaimed. Preserve your lives. That is an order." Sengoku commanded.
"Yes!"
In less than ten minutes, the first half of the Grand Line had also fallen...
...
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