Chapter 170 – The Straw Hats' Exit
"Luffy…" Ace had wanted to hold his reckless younger brother back, but by the time he came to his senses, Luffy had already rushed headlong toward the Admirals. He actually intended to fight them head-on. Ace couldn't imagine where Luffy had found such courage.
With no other choice, Ace stepped in. He ducked to Luffy's side, shielding him with one arm while his other hand unleashed a torrent of flames against Aokiji's incoming Ice Bird.
"Mirror Flame!"
Boom!
Ice and fire collided, erupting into steam that blanketed the battlefield. Taking the chance, Ace pulled Luffy back and carried him away from the front lines.
"Luffy, don't be reckless!" Ace said sternly, setting him down. "There are too many people here you can't fight yet."
"But…" Luffy's fists trembled, his frustration burning. Still, he knew Ace was right. The power of the enemy just now was beyond him. He was still too weak.
"Ace!" The members of the Spade Pirates regrouped, rushing to his side.
"Brother Ace!"
"Ace-kun!"
The captains of the Whitebeard Pirates, alongside Crocodile and Ivankov of the Impel Down escapees, also gathered behind him.
On the opposite side, led by the Three Admirals, stood the Shichibukai and the gathered Vice Admirals of Marine Headquarters.
The battle, briefly interrupted by the sudden intrusion of the Straw Hats, was about to ignite once more.
"Luffy, go join your crew," Ace urged. "From here on, we'll attack with everything we've got. Can you keep up?"
"Of course!" Luffy grinned with unwavering confidence.
"Good." Ace crouched low, muscles tensing, then rushed forward once again to lead the charge.
This time, the fighting resumed even fiercer than before.
Ace didn't target the Admirals directly—instead, he clashed against Bartholomew Kuma of the Shichibukai.
"Kuma! Listen to me!" Ace called between blows. "Luffy is the son of your leader, Dragon. They don't belong on this battlefield yet. Please… find a way to send them away!"
"..." Kuma's face remained unreadable, but he gave the slightest of nods. Their exchange continued briefly, then, in tacit agreement, they parted without striking in earnest.
"Thank you." Ace's flames surged as he turned toward the execution platform, while Kuma shifted his focus toward the Straw Hats.
---
Atop the platform, two guards stood beside the chained Sabo. One of them was nervously watching the chaos below. When he spotted the Straw Hats, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
That man was none other than Bon Clay (Mr. 2 Bentham).
He had swapped places with Ace on Vice Admiral Onigumo's warship, allowing Ace to infiltrate Impel Down. Then, clinging to Onigumo's ship, he had followed it all the way to Marineford.
Originally, Bon Clay had only intended to escape once they arrived at this dangerous place. But fate had other plans. After knocking out a guard and disguising himself, he realized—horrifyingly—that he had taken the role of one of Sabo's two executioners.
At first, panic consumed him. He couldn't run without being exposed. But after witnessing Ace storm Marineford to save his brother, Bon Clay's heart swelled with emotion. The loyalty of brotherhood… it was the same bond he shared with Luffy.
Now, seeing the Straw Hats charging into the war, and realizing that Sabo was Luffy's brother, Bon Clay clenched his fists. He made up his mind.
"If it's for the Straw Hats, I'll do it. Even if it costs me my life."
---
On the battlefield, the clash tilted again. Despite Ace, the Whitebeard captains, and the Impel Down escapees, the pressure was mounting. Against the Admirals and Shichibukai, even their combined strength began to falter.
The Admirals were simply too strong. Only Ace and Marco could truly stand against them one-on-one.
On the Moby Dick, Whitebeard's face darkened as he watched his sons slowly lose ground. He wanted to wade into battle himself, but he remembered Ace's instructions before the war began, and held back—though his grip on his bisento tightened.
"Tch… Teach. You still haven't shown yourself. What are you waiting for?" Whitebeard muttered grimly.
---
"Usopp!"
A sudden scream rang out—it was Nami, her voice filled with terror. She had just seen Usopp swatted away like an insect by Kuma's massive paw.
"Luffy, save me!!" Nami cried as Kuma's towering figure loomed toward her.
"Nami!"
"Nami-chan!!"
The Straw Hats panicked, abandoning their own fights to rush to her side—but they were too late.
"Arm Point…!"
Even Chopper, trembling with fear, forced down a Rumble Ball and charged forward with desperate courage.
"Carved Hoof: Sakura Stampede!!"
A flurry of cherry blossom-shaped imprints struck Kuma's body. But the Warlord didn't flinch.
Expressionless, Kuma simply turned, raised his palm, and with a single strike—
Bwoop!
Chopper vanished in an instant.
"Chopper!!"
The Straw Hats cried out in horror, but their despair had only begun.
One by one, Kuma's paws erased them from the battlefield—sending them away to unknown fates.
"Ace! Save them—save my friends!!" Luffy screamed, his voice breaking. But Ace was locked in combat against two Admirals, unable to escape.
"Stop! Stop!!" Luffy's voice cracked as the last of his friends disappeared before his eyes. For the first time, he truly felt helpless.
"Give them back! Give me back my crew!!!"
With a desperate roar, Luffy hurled himself at Kuma, striking wildly in anguish.
"AAAAHHHH!!!"
But Kuma's palm came down once more—
Bwoop!
Luffy, too, vanished.
And just like that, the Straw Hats' half-hour at Marineford ended in cries of despair.
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