Whitebeard swung his peerless greatsword, Gyuntoku, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from his spot.
"What incredible speed!"
Akainu's magma had just transformed into a searing hot lava armor when he felt a presence behind him so intense that it made his skin ache. The sharp blade swung down mercilessly.
Instinct for survival made Akainu's body react faster than his mind, and he leaped away, but that brief hesitation of less than a second cost him his arm, sliced off by Whitebeard.
"Father!"
The crew of the Whitebeard Pirates shouted in surprise and delight. They didn't know what had happened, but Whitebeard's body had suddenly returned to normal, and his speed was beyond anything they had ever seen.
They had never witnessed Whitebeard unleash such swift attacks before.
"Akainu, I don't want to kill you. I just need to take my people away."
With Whitebeard as the center, a shockwave field formed within a three-mile radius.
Everyone caught within this field struggled to breathe, feeling as if they were under the weight of a thousand tons of rock.
"Don't dream! You think you're worthy to kill me?"
Akainu, of course, refused to back down. Blazing magma erupted from every inch of his body, regenerating the arm he had lost and enveloping him in a fiery magma form.
"Then it's time to fight!"
Whitebeard barked coldly, and the very fabric of space trembled with his voice, showing signs of cracking.
The battle between the two was intense, with Whitebeard utilizing the full extent of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit abilities. Everywhere his blade sliced, space itself seemed to fissure.
"What's going on? He should be on his last legs, how can he still possess such strength? No, if this continues, we'll lose!"
Sengoku watched the battle unfold and saw that Akainu was at a disadvantage. A thought flashed through his mind, and he intended to step in and aid Akainu.
As he took a step forward, a burst of white mist erupted between the two combatants. A snow-white, ancient-looking longsword with its sheath was planted firmly in the ground, emanating an aura as powerful as the King of Beasts' Haki.
The blade had yet to be drawn, but the domain of the sword had already formed. The fierce knife-edge aura sliced through the air, causing pain to anyone who came too close. What a formidable divine blade indeed!
Only those of Sengoku, Kapu, and Kizaru's caliber in the Navy could withstand this aura, leaving the rest of the Marines frozen in place.
"Tsk tsk tsk, let them settle this among themselves. You shouldn't interfere."
Han Yu smiled at Kapu and Sengoku. That snow-white, ancient longsword was none other than Hyourinmaru, emitting an icy chill that separated the battlefield between Whitebeard and Akainu.
Some stubborn Navy soldiers attempted to approach, but as soon as they stepped in with one leg, it began to freeze at a visible rate, accompanied by intense pain from the intense cold.
Their comrades rushed to check on them, only to find that the leg was completely encased in ice from the inside out, rendered useless.
"Should we intervene?"
Kapu stood beside Sengoku, eyeing the icy crystal barrier that could freeze people instantly, his expression grave.
They were all sharp-eyed individuals and knew that sending ordinary Marines into the fray would only result in their deaths as cannon fodder.
"The problem lies with that young man. I'll test his mettle first!"
Sengoku growled softly, and a golden light surged from his body, forming a golden protective layer akin to being gilded.
This was the Daibutsu Form of the Mythical Zoan Type of the Hito Hito no Mi Devil Fruit!
With a sharp whistle that split the air, Sengoku vanished from his spot.
In the blink of an eye, Sengoku's figure appeared not far ahead, his golden fist striking without any flourish.
The fierce wind from the punch that stung his face did not faze Han Yu in the slightest. Instead, he witnessed the red-clothed woman by his side raise her hands, and a scarlet glow emerged from her palms, clashing head-on with the fist of Warring States.
When the two collided, it was Sengoku who was at a disadvantage!
He was sent flying backward by Wanda's Chaos Magic, covering a distance of several hundred meters.
"Didn't he say he didn't want to be disturbed? Can you please cooperate?"
Wanda lightly brushed her hair aside and giggled, revealing a captivating smile that was almost mesmerizing.
If not for the inappropriate setting, some might have even rushed forward to propose marriage on the spot.
"Sengoku!"
Garp the Fist flashed forward, appearing behind Sengoku and using both hands to brace him, stopping the latter's backward momentum after crashing through several walls that were over five meters thick.
"This kind of power... how is it possible? Who is that woman?!"
Garp the Fist exclaimed incredulously. He had just helped Sengoku dissipate the force, and the strength transmitted through Sengoku to him was no weaker than his own earnest punch!
Yet, Wanda's delicate cheeks appeared as if the attack had barely taxed her at all.
Both the Marines and Pirates around them were stunned. Sengoku was one of the peak fighters among them.
Being sent flying such a distance and requiring Garp the Fist's assistance to stop spoke volumes about Wanda's immense strength.
"Wanda, I'll heal this guy. You block their attacks, and Pietro, you join in too. Be careful, they're not weak."
Han Yu pointed to Ace, who had been impaled in the chest, addressing Wanda and her brother.
"Hehe, don't worry, I won't let their attacks touch you!"
Quicksilver chuckled, having been eager to join the fray after seeing his sister's display. With Han Yu's consent, he took off running.
In this battlefield with tens of thousands of people, some Marines were about to shoot at Han Yu and the others, but their fingers suddenly grasped emptiness before even reaching the triggers.
Not only their own guns, but the weapons in the hands of their comrades had vanished as well!
"What's going on? Where's my gun?!"
"My sword is gone too!"
"Who took my pants?!"
Quicksilver held a pile of weapons in his arms, tossing them on the ground, and indeed, there was a pair of pants among them.
"Haha, my hands were too fast. Don't mind it!"
Quicksilver laughed happily, without a trace of apology in his smile.
Watching Quicksilver having fun, Han Yu and Wanda exchanged glances, both seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes.
"Wanda, be careful," Han Yu admonished.
"Don't worry, no one will be able to get close to you!" Wanda stood there confidently, and few dared to attack her recklessly, given her earlier display of power against Sengoku that had stunned everyone.
"This guy's injuries are severe. Directly consuming a Senzu Bean wouldn't suffice; I'll have to assist in the healing process." Han Yu inspected Ace's wounds, noting the complete piercing of his chest and the charring of his internal organs. In any world, such injuries would be fatal.
"Fortunately, I refined these Senzu Beans, allowing them to heal even severe injuries. Otherwise, Ace wouldn't have made it through today." Han Yu reached into a small pouch, pouring out a dozen or so Senzu Beans into his hand. With his other hand, he crushed the beans, turning them into a fine powder.
"Rise!" Han Yu whispered, and with the power of his Green Lantern energy, he manipulated the Senzu Bean powder, transforming it into a green stream that drifted towards the hole in Ace's chest. Upon contact, the green stream immediately began repairing his bodily tissues, and the hole in Ace's chest visibly healed at an astonishing rate!
"Here, take one of these. It'll restore your strength and heal your injuries." Han Yu telepathically sent a Senzu Bean to Luffy, who consumed it instantly, regaining his vigor.
No one dared to attack Ace again, knowing that the woman who effortlessly subdued Sengoku would make short work of any others who dared to engage.
As Ace's vital signs gradually returned to normal, Garp's mouth opened and closed without uttering a word. Only Sengoku, standing closest to him, noticed the subtle change in Garp's expression. It seemed as if he had just let out a sigh of relief.
Sengoku gazed at Ace, whose breathing had stabilized, then turned to Garp. The latter said nothing, prompting Sengoku to let out a soft sigh before his tone turned stern.
"We'll attack together. We can't let that man rescue Ace so easily!" With that, Sengoku launched himself forward, transforming into the Daibutsu Form of the Mythical Zoan Type of the Hito Hito no Mi Devil Fruit. In that instant, he seemed like a god descending from heaven, his body swelled several meters tall, becoming a golden mini-giant.
Garp hesitated for a moment, but the words "Justice" etched on his back compelled him to take action.