In the original work, Adrian, harboring a deep-seated dislike for the Whitebeard Pirates (with the exception of Whitebeard himself), found their performance during the Summit War utterly disappointing. Their disarray after Whitebeard was incapacitated, coupled with their inability to protect their territories post-war, cemented his opinion that they were undeserving of the "world's strongest pirate crew" title. In his eyes, the crew's strength was a mere reflection of Whitebeard's power. Without their captain, their true lack of strength was immediately exposed.
Now, standing opposite them, Adrian had no intention of letting them off easily.
With a simple raise of his right arm, the Moby Dick and two other pirate ships in the harbor suddenly soared into the sky, defying gravity. The pirates aboard screamed, plummeting into the water below as their ships were sent hurtling through the air. Casualties mounted in the blink of an eye.
Everyone, including Whitebeard, was stunned. Before they could react, the three ships, under Adrian's command, were redirected toward the Marine warships.
What the hell?!
Dragon, who was making a hasty exit with Luffy, was equally flabbergasted. Acting on pure instinct, he summoned three giant tornadoes, which deflected the ships just before they could crash into the Marine fleet. However, in his haste, he had no control over the force or precision of the tornadoes. The Moby Dick slammed into the thick iron wall of the Marine base with a deafening bang, exploding on impact. The other two ships capsized and sank, disappearing into the depths of the sea.
Wails and screams echoed across the water. The bodies of Whitebeard Pirates, both wounded and dead, floated everywhere.
"You... again!" Dragon's gaze turned toward Adrian, a storm of fury brewing in his heart. How could this guy be so destructive? The unintended consequences of Adrian's actions were staggering; their alliance with the Whitebeard Pirates was now surely over. He couldn't help but wonder if Adrian was intentionally trying to wipe out the Revolutionary Army.
Adrian, you bastard! I was just about to make my escape, and you couldn't resist giving me one last headache!
What truly unnerved Dragon were the three Devil Fruit powers Adrian had just displayed: the abilities of the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder-Thunder Fruit), the Suna Suna no Mi (Sand-Sand Fruit), and the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi (Float-Float Fruit).
How is that even possible? Isn't he a monster? How can a person eat three Devil Fruits and not die? No, he should have died after eating the second one! I need to get out of here. This guy is truly a devil!
Gurgling, gurgling…
BOOM!
Before Dragon could move, a scorching fountain of lava erupted from the ground in front of him, blocking his path.
"Dragon, where do you think you're going?" Akainu, his body enveloped in magma, emerged like a demon god. Despite the blood streaming from his head, his terrifying aura remained undiminished. "I told you, I won't let you get away! You and your son, with your evil blood, should stay here and die obediently!"
The legendary "One Piece" duo—the number one criminal certified from the World Government and the number one from the Marines—were now face-to-face.
He didn't die from Whitebeard's attack? This… Dragon inwardly cursed. Akainu, are you made of iron? Why are you so persistent? You were just a step away from being pummeled by Whitebeard. Wouldn't it be better to just take a break? Why can't you be more like Kizaru or Aokiji? Or at least like my old man, Garp!
And Adrian, you son of a bitch. Ever since I met you, it's like I've had the worst luck imaginable.
With no other choice but to protect his son, Dragon gritted his teeth and prepared to face Akainu.
Meanwhile, the sudden turn of events had left everyone else in a state of shock.
Whitebeard, however, was the first to regain his composure. He roared at Adrian, "You bastard! I'm already fighting for my life, and you still dare to mess with me?!"
Seeing the chaos, Whitebeard finally understood. He'd had a fleeting suspicion back at Fish-Man Island when he saw Adrian single-handedly move the giant ship Noah. As a lifelong rival of the Golden Lion, he was all too familiar with the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi's abilities. But the ironclad law that Devil Fruit users could not move freely in the sea had led him to dismiss the thought. He never expected Adrian to use the same trick on him twice. A profound rage swelled in his chest.
Did he plan all of this from the very beginning? This is outrageous!
"Just now... was that the Golden Lion's power?!" The others, finally processing the scene, were equally stunned. He's a Suna Suna no Mi user, right? How can he also have the Golden Lion's ability? Is it really possible for someone to eat two Devil Fruits and live?
"Oh, the secret that little brother is hiding is truly amazing~~" Kizaru mused, completely forgetting the mission Sengoku had just given him.
"He... did he really has two..?" Sengoku's expression was a mix of confusion and dread. A strange sense of foreboding tightened its grip on him. He felt as though he were a pawn in a larger conspiracy, and the puppet master was the mysterious young man before him.
Unaware of the thoughts running through the minds of those behind him, Adrian's attention was fully fixed on Whitebeard.
"Whitebeard, Akainu was right. The time for you old-timers is over!" Adrian's eyes blazed with excitement. "So, you might as well die here and make way for the younger generation. I've already prepared the most spectacular funeral for you!"
Hiss—
Every Marine soldier simultaneously held their breath. What is this guy doing? He just caused countless casualties to the Whitebeard Pirates, and now he's openly taunting Whitebeard? This scene feels familiar... Didn't Akainu get nearly killed by Whitebeard after a similar stunt?
"Is that Shichibukai kid crazy? That's Whitebeard!"
"Does he think he can provoke the world's strongest man so brazenly just because he killed a few of the Revolutionary Army's commanders?"
"Bastard Shichibukai, don't provoke him! He'll destroy Marineford!"
The Marine soldiers panicked and halted their advance.
"Mr. Sengoku, is it really okay for us to let that kid provoke Whitebeard like this?" Kizaru asked, his animosity toward Adrian seemingly even greater than his animosity toward the Revolutionary Army.
"Do you want to deal with Whitebeard instead?" Sengoku snapped, his patience worn thin by Kizaru's laziness. He and Akainu were both apprentices of Zephyr, but look at the difference! Akainu is always ready to step up, even in the most critical moments. Although I'll never make him the next Fleet Admiral, I'll definitely give him a medal for this!
"Mr. Sengoku, I'm injured. Please pretend I didn't say anything~~" Kizaru quickly waved his hands in refusal. Why would I do that? That stupid Akainu just got his face caved in by that old man. Am I, the most handsome man, a fool? I am the most elegant Admiral in the Marines. If my clothes get dirty, I'll lose my respect.
"Gurararararara, brat, you're the one holding a funeral for me?" Whitebeard's laughter erupted in a mix of fury and amusement. He held his bisento, Murakumogiri, back and then swung it forward with a sudden, powerful motion.
"Big Shock!!!"
This was the first time Whitebeard had used a named attack. Its power was unimaginable.
BOOM—
Like a flash flood, a terrifying shockwave that distorted space and shook the entire island raged forth. Without a moment of hesitation, Whitebeard launched his full-powered attack, pouring all of his anger and accumulated resentment toward Adrian into this single blow. The deaths of Little Oars Jr., Marco, Namur, and countless other crew members, all victims of Adrian, demanded vengeance. Whitebeard intended to use Adrian's life to honor the souls of his fallen family.
"This power is terrifying… Mr. Sengoku, that old man is going to sink all of Marineford!"
The Marines reacted with more terror than Adrian did. After all, this was their base. If it were destroyed, it would be a humiliation.
Kizaru's face took on a rare look of solemnity. This attack made him feel a genuine sense of danger.
"Is he going to take down all the Marines just to let the rest of his crew escape?" Aokiji's figure appeared beside Sengoku, his eyes fixed on Whitebeard as he spoke to himself.
"Hmph, so what if he's Whitebeard? He can't just destroy Marineford because he wants to," Sengoku sneered. A golden light erupted behind him as he prepared to strike.
Even Garp, who had been silent, stood up and took a position in front of the Marine Headquarters building. His sad eyes now burned with a new fire of anger toward Adrian. It's this cursed kid who dragged my son and grandson into this massive war, putting him in this impossible dilemma. Garp had nowhere to direct his rage, and Adrian had now become his target.
"A full-power attack right from the start? Whitebeard, you're so predictable."
Facing the collapsing space and the overwhelming shockwave, Adrian showed no fear. Instead, his eyes gleamed with a crazed fighting spirit. The blades of Oto and Kogarashi, which he held in his hands, instantly swelled to a hundred times their size. As he brought the two colossal blades down, he sneered, "It's a day I've been waiting for. More-More: 100-Fold Cross Slash!"