Boom...
One by one, buildings and gun emplacements, infused with shrieking souls, began to awaken—transforming into towering monstrosities several meters, even tens of meters tall. Wailing as they came to life, they charged straight at the Marine defensive lines.
A building extended massive arms of stone, fists clenched tight, sweeping a dozen Marines into the air with a single horizontal strike. Debris scattered in all directions.
A military fortress, utilizing the cannons installed within its structure, morphed one of its arms into a giant barrel and fired directly at the densest area of the Marine forces. The resulting explosion flung countless soldiers into the air, casualties unknown.
From a distance, the charge of these soul-infused monsters looked like a massive tide of war—crushing everything in its path, kicking up towering clouds of dust and debris.
Grotesque, human-like grins twisted across their faces. Like unstoppable war machines, they razed buildings, trampled the earth, and smashed through Marine defenses. Caught off guard, the Marines were forced into retreat as their lines crumbled under the assault.
"Damn it... What are these things!?"
"They were just lifeless structures! How the hell are they moving!?"
"Big Mom gave them souls!!"
"Big Mom Charlotte Linlin ate the Soru Soru no Mi! She can extract souls and infuse them into objects—turning them into loyal servants that fight for her!"
"Bullets aren't doing a thing! Damn it!!"
...
The Marines opened fire with their rifles, but the bullet storm bounced harmlessly off the creatures' rock-and-metal bodies, leaving little more than scratches on their surfaces.
Boom!!
A cannonball suddenly whistled through the air, slamming into the head of a soul monster and exploding in a burst of smoke and flame. Its head shattered into pieces.
The towering monster staggered, then collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash!
"Use artillery! Aim for their heads!"
A Rear Admiral shouted as he hoisted a heavy cannon onto his shoulder.
A vicious scar crossed his face, and his hardened, unshakable gaze spoke of a wealth of battlefield experience. Clearly, this was one of Zephyr's former subordinates—Rear Admiral Novi!
His warning quickly spread. The Marines snapped into action, breaking off from close-quarters fire and rushing to reposition themselves. They scrambled toward fixed artillery emplacements to strike back.
But the soul monsters gave them no breathing room. They pressed in relentlessly, flooding the battlefield and leaving no space to regroup.
"Damn it!! We can't get a clear shot!"
"There aren't nearly enough turrets!"
"They're moving too fast!!"
...
The Marines fought tooth and nail, their formation collapsing under the unending assault.
Suddenly—
A tall figure leapt gracefully from the rear ranks.
Long black hair fluttered in the storm winds. Her graceful form radiated sharpness and strength, and the Justice cloak on her shoulders billowed behind her like a banner.
Clang!!
The clear, ringing sound of a golden Meito being unsheathed sliced through the chaos.
A brilliant sword flash burst forward—slamming down directly onto a soul monster shaped from a cannon.
Swish!!
A thin, vertical cut split down the monster's core—cleanly slicing it in half!
"It's Commander Gion!"
"She really is a genius of Headquarters!"
"What incredible swordsmanship!"
As cheers erupted around her, Gion landed smoothly, expression cold. Yet behind her eyes, a shadow of grimness lingered.
These soul monsters were terrifyingly durable due to the materials they were formed from, and their only real weak point was their heads. The rest of their bodies—even if arms or legs were cut off—could quickly be reassembled using nearby debris and materials.
"Well done."
A hoarse voice sounded beside her.
Gion turned to see a middle-aged Marine wearing a peaked cap.
One of his eyes was blind—the milky white orb giving him a fearsome appearance. In his hand, he held a massive two-meter-long sword.
Though clearly custom-made, the blade was worn and battered, its edge chipped in countless places.
It was Vice Admiral Davos of Marine Headquarters.
Another elite warrior who had once fought alongside Zephyr on the high seas.
"Vice Admiral Davos..."
Gion spoke in a low voice.
Davos tightened his grip on the longsword, his voice hoarse.
"Commander Gion, a battle like this might be too much for students from your training camp."
"But we have no way out," Gion replied, her tone somber.
Davos paused, then let out a laugh.
"As expected of Admiral Zephyr's student..."
Clutching his chipped and scarred military blade, his lone eye locked onto the shrieking soul monsters. He raised his voice.
"Haki can hurt these things! All Marines who've mastered Haki—step forward!"
With a sharp swoosh, hundreds of Marines burst from the crowd. Their eyes were resolute, their movements precise and unwavering as they rushed to the front line.
Dark purple streams of Haki surged from their hands, instantly coating their blades.
Steeled expressions, calm gazes—the fierce aura of warriors seasoned by countless battles filled the air.
These were the most elite forces of Marine Headquarters!
Davos turned to Gion and the officers behind her. A wild grin suddenly stretched across his rugged, weathered face.
"Now... it's time to prove what your training camp is worth!!"
With those words, Davos—a 45-year-old Vice Admiral, half-retired—let out a thunderous roar.
Gripping his chipped sword, he charged forward without hesitation!
"For justice!!"
He didn't waste time telling Gion and the others to retreat just because they were from the training camp.
They were no ordinary recruits—they had been handpicked from across the seas and the military's finest ranks!
After enduring the training camp's harsh regimen, their strength had soared. Nearly every one of them had already mastered Haki!
Most importantly, just as Gion said...
There was no retreat.
This was Marineford—the heart of the Marine Headquarters!
Even if it meant fighting to the last, they had to hold the line!
In the next instant, as Davos led the charge, the elite Marines surged forward, meeting the soul monsters head-on with their Haki!
With nothing but flesh and blood, they clashed violently against the monstrous tide of steel!
At the same time, the pressure on Marines who hadn't yet mastered Haki eased.
Following their commanders' orders, they quickly took control of the turrets and hauled mobile cannons from the armory, unleashing a barrage toward the monsters' heads!
Marines were thrown into the air, bodies crushed underfoot.
The monsters roared, cannons thundered across the battlefield of Marineford.
Shouts, charges, clashes, and explosive blasts filled the air.
Blood rained, debris scattered.
Everything blurred into chaos and crimson.
The brutal war... had begun!!