[Group Chat: Three-Way Banter]
Ace suddenly blew up the chat:
"Holy crap, Hiruzen! Itachi is insane!"
"He brought a Celestial Dragon to the execution stand and broadcasted it! Half the Marines don't even want to fight anymore!"
"He wrapped Marco in Susano'o armor like a mount wielding sword and shield charged straight into battle! That guy's too creative!"
…Wait, are you seriously talking like the First Hokage now?
"He rode Marco to come save me! Literally flew in on him wrapped in a full-blown Susano'o! Just came slicing and shielding his way through like some legendary hero!"
"When will this stupid group finally get a screenshot function? I really want to show you guys this!"
"Not gonna lie, I used to badmouth him on forums. From this day forward, I'm officially an Itachi fanboy!"
Seriously? That reckless? That's not like Itachi at all. His style's never been this wild... What the hell did you pirates feed my prized pupil?
The Third Hokage mulled over it silently, finally unable to resist asking:
"How's the fight at Marineford going?"
"I just clashed head-to-head with Akainu! Evil can't suppress righteousness. I won barely!"
What?! You soloed Akainu?!
As if anticipating the Hokage's shock, Ace followed up immediately:
"Okay, okay I got a few perks from the early-access buff. He also underestimated me. Took one full combo of Conqueror's Haki coating and got dazed!"
The Third Hokage: And you?
"Originally, I planned to act cool and make a stylish escape…"
"But now? I CAN STILL FIGHT!"
A lava fist over a hundred meters wide came crashing down like a meteor from the heavens.
Even more terrifying, the entire punch was sheathed in Armament Haki jet-black and plated like scales over the molten core.
Ace crossed his arms before his chest. A reflective wall of flames laced with black lightning formed in an instant.
Haki-Infused Mirror Flame!
Two elemental forces both blazing hot collided violently. The shockwave nearly blew the execution platform apart.
Even Garp and Sengoku, watching from nearby, had to shield themselves. Their Haki flared to protect the surrounding Marines.
Sengoku roared: "Garp, did you secretly teach him this?! You damn old fool!"
Garp bellowed back: "I don't even know what's going on!"
The lava fist churned atop the Mirror Flame, the clashing Haki and red-black lightning forming a terrifying vortex in the sky.
"I can hold this!" Ace grit his teeth and let out a defiant roar.
Fire and magma, locked in a battle of wills, eventually burned each other out reduced to ash in midair.
But the recoil forced Ace back several paces, each step gouging deep, scorched lines into the ground.
He looked up Akainu hadn't budged an inch.
In the clash of Devil Fruit and Haki, it was clear who held the upper hand.
Ace clicked his tongue and reset his stance.
He knew he still wasn't quite strong enough to solo the Navy's strongest Admiral. But he wasn't discouraged. He'd train two hundred times harder when this was over and break that guy's face next time.
From the lake of lava, Akainu rose slowly, each step sizzling as magma devoured the earth.
His voice came rumbling through the molten inferno like a devil's decree:
"How many more attacks like that can you throw? I can keep this up for ten days and ten nights."
"Choosing not to flee immediately was your biggest mistake."
"Now prepare to die."
Each word summoned another geyser of magma. The execution platform had become a vision of hell.
Were it not for Garp and Sengoku's protection and coordination, the nearby Marines would have perished already.
Sengoku muttered grimly, "Garp… Akainu has surpassed you, hasn't he?"
Garp's expression soured, torn between duty and emotion. "…Yeah. Probably."
Ace… don't die now.
Elsewhere…
The Armored Susano'o Phoenix rampaged through the battlefield like a divine juggernaut.
Air trembled in its wake. Not a single foe could withstand even one strike.
Aokiji was tied down with Whitebeard.
Kizaru was being soloed by Rayleigh.
Sengoku had to keep an eye on Garp.
Mihawk was dueling Vista.
The rest of the Marine elites? Mere cannon fodder.
Was there no one left to stop them?
Akainu glanced sideways, noticing the incoming threat his focus wavered slightly.
That's when the voice of the "accursed bloodline" rang out brazen and mocking.
"Akainu! You think I stayed because I'm afraid of you?"
"My flames have already surpassed your magma!"
"You say you can fight ten days? I'll go eleven!"
"You can't do a damn thing to me!"
"Come at me! Without Conqueror's Haki, you'll never catch up to me!"
Tch. Killing this cursed brat is the key.
He'd underestimated him before and now this punk was grandstanding like some hero? Unforgivable.
Akainu's attention snapped back.
He had to admit: Ace was no longer someone he could brush aside. To take him down, he needed to get serious.
If any other Admiral had been here Aokiji or Kizaru they'd have lost control of the situation.
Thankfully, he was the strongest.
Akainu's magma surged with devastating heat. The granite beneath his feet vaporized instantly.
Both arms turned into snarling lava beasts massive hellhounds, each wrapped in top-tier Armament Haki. Drooling magma, they corroded the ground with every breath.
Crimson Lotus: Hellhound!
But Ace grinned madly, slamming his fists together no trace of Logia transformation this time.
He wasn't using the Flame-Flame Fruit at all.
Pure Haki Combat!
Even with Conqueror's Haki coating, Ace found himself pushed back blow after blow. Akainu was undeniably the Navy's top-tier combatant.
But right in the middle of this clash, Ace smirked.
Because his backup had arrived.
Amaterasu!
The cursed black flames ignited upon the lava itself burning hotter than hell.
The legendary inextinguishable fire began devouring the magma.
Ace burst into laughter.
The reason he didn't elementalize earlier? He didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.
"Ace! We're here!"
From above, the Crimson Armored Phoenix let out a soaring cry. Marco's healing flames reached their peak brilliance.
Akainu's eyes widened what kind of fire was this?! Since when could magma burn?
Forced to cancel his Logia form, he gathered the cursed magma into his Navy cloak, then tore it off and flung it aside before the black flames reached his core.
"You damn pests!"
Kizaru had warned him about those black flames, but he'd scoffed what fire could possibly threaten magma?
Now? He'd nearly been incinerated.
Ace, sensing blood, didn't hesitate.
Haki-Infused: Fire King!
This time, it was everything he had. No holding back.
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