At this point, if they could just get Maude on their side...
At the very least, their chances of escaping would increase.
Right now, there was no time to worry about Ace's feelings.
"Get Maude to help?"
The Straw Hats, upon hearing this, couldn't help but recall how Maude had effortlessly subdued them in an instant—and how he had broken Luffy's arm.
Sabo and Morley exchanged glances.
They didn't want to trouble Maude, but their situation was dire.
If Maude came to assist, he might be the key to turning the tides.
Outside the Barrier.
Many Marines had already noticed the Shadow Mark in Nico Robin's hand.
"What is that?"
Despite their curiosity, they did not halt their relentless assault on the barrier.
Slashes, gunfire...
A barrage of attacks rained down on the barrier like a storm, yet they couldn't even leave a single crack.
Too strong… This yellow barrier…
The Marines were stunned.
In some ways, the barrier that Bartolomeo had materialized was even tougher than Kaido's defenses.
"Arara, this is really stubborn."
Aokiji gazed calmly at the barrier protecting Sabo and the others.
It was unclear whether his words were directed at the nearly indestructible barrier or at Sabo and his companions, who were putting up a desperate resistance.
Earlier, Aokiji had attempted to act, but all he could do was freeze the surface of the barrier.
If he went too far, the ice would only end up obstructing his own allies' vision.
Having witnessed Morley's ability back at Mad Hat Town, he temporarily backed off, leaving the task of breaking through the barrier to the surrounding Marines.
His gaze passed through the translucent shield and landed on Robin. He raised a finger and scratched his cheek.
This time, there was no lingering "debt" compelling him to spare Robin—or even Straw Hat Luffy.
"Move aside."
A figure radiating intense heat stepped forward—Akainu, pushing past the Marines to reach the barrier.
The flowing magma that dripped from his form forced the surrounding soldiers to instinctively make way.
Seeing Akainu, Sabo and the others tensed.
Without hesitation, Robin crushed the gecko specimen containing the Shadow Mark.
Summoning Maude—and hoping Bartolomeo could unlock Ace's cuffs—
Perhaps that was the only way they could escape Marineford alive.
...
In the distance.
Sensing the activation of the Shadow Mark, Maude raised an eyebrow.
He had been planning to continue watching from the shadows, but now he turned his gaze toward the execution platform.
"I thought you were planning to keep that thing until next year, Nico Robin..."
Maude sighed softly.
When he had casually given Robin this chance to call for help, he had considered a few scenarios—
Maybe she would use it if she ran into trouble on Skypiea.
Or if Aokiji came after her again.
If not those times, surely she would use it when she was captured at Enies Lobby, right?
Yet, she never did.
She had kept it until this very moment.
Maude truly didn't know what to say.
But a promise was a promise. He wouldn't go back on his word.
Shadow Flow—Phase Shift!
In an instant, Maude crossed most of the battlefield and materialized within the barrier.
The shield that had withstood the Marines' onslaught was powerless against his Phase Shift ability.
"Maude!"
The group lit up with joy at his sudden appearance.
"As expected of my idol! Not even my invincible barrier can keep him out!"
Bartolomeo's eyes shone as he looked at Maude, conveniently choosing to forget how Maude had previously struck them down without hesitation.
"Master!"
Usopp was overwhelmed with excitement.
With such a strong ally on their side, the weak and helpless Nami and Chopper were on the verge of tears.
Only Ace and Marco glared at Maude with rage, their eyes filled with killing intent.
Maude ignored their reactions and looked down at Robin with an exasperated expression.
"You really squeezed every last drop of value out of that one favor."
"You'll keep your word, won't you?"
Under immense pressure, Robin took a deep breath and forced a strained smile.
Not just her—everyone inside the barrier was feeling the crushing weight of the surrounding Marines' presence.
"Yeah, I'll do what I can."
Maude didn't make any grand promises. As he turned slightly, his gaze briefly flicked across Sabo and Morley before pausing for a moment on Karasu, another Revolutionary Army commander.
More precisely, his eyes lingered on the raven mask Karasu wore.
Philo's little raven mask was much cuter.
Maude thought to himself before shifting his focus beyond the barrier to Akainu.
His tone grew serious.
"After all, I'm not strong enough yet."
"....."
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
Was he even human?
"Now that my idol is here, I'll take down the barrier."
Bartolomeo dropped his exaggerated demeanor and looked at his companions with solemn determination.
Ace suppressed his fury and nodded toward Bartolomeo.
Sabo and Luffy instinctively positioned themselves protectively on either side of Ace.
Usopp moved in, ensuring Ace's Seastone cuffs were secure.
Marco clenched his teeth as he looked at Maude but ultimately suppressed his anger—
Given their current situation, escaping with Ace was far more important than settling scores with Maude.
The Revolutionary commanders Morley and Karasu, as well as Zoro, Sanji, Franky, and the other combatants, all braced themselves for the inevitable incoming attacks.
Outside the Barrier.
The Marines observed their movements closely.
But what caught their attention the most was Maude, who had suddenly appeared inside the barrier.
"Did he have some kind of deal with Nico Robin...?"
Sengoku watched in surprise.
He had assumed Maude had no reason or motivation to interfere. Yet with just a crushed gecko specimen, Robin had summoned him to her side.
The exact nature of their agreement was unknown.
But it didn't matter.
"Even if you insist on interfering, it won't change the fact that you're all doomed to perish here."
Behind his glasses, Sengoku's eyes gleamed with cold resolve.
Since things had reached this point, he would end all of them right here, in front of the entire world!
At that moment, Bartolomeo lowered the barrier.
Without its protection, a torrent of slashes and bullets rained down on them.
Immediately, Marco and Sabo led the group in deflecting the incoming attacks with their own abilities.
Meanwhile, Akainu, who had been preparing to strike, let his killing intent surge.
Without hesitation, he unleashed Great Eruption!
A massive, superheated magma fist roared through the air, incinerating the very oxygen in its path as it surged toward them.
Even before it reached them, the blazing heat reflected in their eyes.
Seeing the overwhelming power of the attack, Marco tensed and stepped forward.
Sabo, Morley, and the others activated their Armament Haki.
But Maude was faster.
Shadow Fist!
Dark shadows surged along his arm, forming a massive black fist that shot forward.
In the blink of an eye, it expanded, matching Akainu's Great Eruption in size and shape.
Two massive fists—one of molten fire, one of shifting darkness—clashed in midair.
BOOM!
A shockwave rippled through the battlefield as the impact forced both forces into a tense deadlock.
"Admiral Akainu's attack… was blocked?!"
"But it's just a Paramecia… how is it standing up to a Logia?!"
The Marines stared in shock as the towering Great Eruption failed to advance even an inch against the Shadow Fist.
"He stopped it!"
Nami and the others let out a breath of relief.
"I thought we were done for…!"
Tears welled up in Chopper's eyes.
The Straw Hat Pirates was shaken, but Bartolomeo remained unfazed.
Using the chaos caused by the clash between Great Eruption and Shadow Fist, he moved swiftly—unlocking Ace's Seastone cuffs in an instant.
Clatter.
The Seastone shackles hit the ground.
At that moment, Akainu felt the resistance emanating from the shadows, and his sharp instincts immediately grasped why his attack had been completely halted. His expression turned as frigid as a bitter winter.
Maintaining his outstretched fist, Maude smiled and said:
"Your magma may burn through flames… but shadows? You'd best forget about that."
—————————
Want to read waaaay ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/EmperorGarus [remove the parentheses ( )]
NOTE: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon!