The divisions and high-ranking officers under Creed's command rushed onto the battlefield, and the collapse on his alliance's side finally eased. The two armies soon fell into a stalemate.
"Kill them!"
"Don't let a single pirate get away!"
"Damn Marines, today will be your day of sacrifice!"
"Damn… that's Moria! He turned our dead into zombies! I can't bring myself to attack them, they were my comrades!"
"Those biscuit-looking soldiers are monsters! Even some of our Vice Admirals can't beat them!"
"Damn it, I've trained my Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) for years, and I still can't break their defense! This is insane!"
"That's the Biscuit Minister Cracker's Fruit ability under Big Mom!"
"Luckily, Vice Admirals like Doberman and Onigumo are joining the fight!"
At the start, the Marines had relied on their superior numbers and quickly seized absolute advantage.
But when Moria and Cracker both entered the fray—especially Cracker, who drove countless biscuit soldiers into the charge—even ordinary Vice Admirals struggled to hold the line, and the tide of battle swung sharply toward Creed's alliance.
Cracker's biscuit soldiers possessed staggering defense; even Luffy had needed Gear Fourth to smash them.
Under the furious assault of these biscuit soldiers, the Marine formation crumbled rapidly.
Even with Doberman, Onigumo, and other elite Vice Admirals taking the field, the biscuit soldiers were endless—no matter how many they shattered, more kept coming, and they still could not turn the situation around.
On the main flagship of the Marine vanguard far in the rear, Sengoku and several Admirals watched the scene unfold, brows almost twisted into the shape of the kanji "川."
"One man holding off a thousand troops… Cracker lives up to his name. To think such an ability is on the enemy side, what a waste."
Sengoku's voice carried a hint of regret as he simultaneously issued orders.
"Sakazuki, go break his biscuit formation and eliminate Cracker."
"Yes, sir."
Akainu stepped forward, his body erupting into blazing magma as he shot into the sky.
The overwhelming destructive power of magma was perfectly suited to dealing with biscuit soldiers.
But before Akainu could make his move, a blood-red wave of sword aura soared into the heavens and intercepted him halfway.
"Redfield?!"
Akainu's pupils shrank.
Behind Sengoku, Admirals Kizaru and Aokiji also began cracking their knuckles, eager to move.
"Looks like it's about time we got some exercise too."
Since the enemy had sent Redfield to the front, it meant the true main event had officially begun. Neither side's core combat forces could afford to sit still any longer.
"Be careful," Sengoku warned. "Shiki can manipulate massive stretches of seawater. He's a natural counter to Devil Fruit users."
As he spoke, Sengoku took off his coat of justice and undid the buttons of his jacket, revealing his solid, muscular torso.
If necessary, he was prepared to enter the fray as well.
With Morgans broadcasting the entire war to the world, the Marines had changed their approach. They planned to pierce through Totto Land with thunderous momentum and shock the world.
This vanguard assault could not be allowed to fail.
The problem was, Creed's side seemed just as eager to clash head-on with the Marine main force and decide victory in one direct confrontation.
That made Sengoku wary.
Was there some deeper scheme hidden behind that confidence?
Judging by pure numbers and overall top-tier force, Creed's side should still be at a disadvantage…
"Understood."
Aokiji and Kizaru also launched into the sky.
"Boom!"
The blood-red sword aura collided with crimson magma, detonating into an explosion of raw force that spread across several miles. The shockwave howled like a hurricane, blasting nearby ships away in all directions.
"Sakazuki, leave Redfield to me. You go find your Creed."
Kizaru descended in a flash of light, the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi (Heavenly Cluster Cloud Sword) blocking the incoming slash from the Lone Red.
"Fine."
Akainu didn't hesitate for even a second.
He had only one objective on this campaign: Creed.
He had buried himself in training within the Death Volcano for so long, enduring countless hardships, all for this very day.
His Magu Magu no Mi (Magma-Magma Fruit) had fully awakened. Among the Admirals, his current strength was the greatest.
Even Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, might not necessarily be able to defeat him now.
Today, he would wash away the humiliation of their last encounter with Creed's severed head.
"Rumble…!"
Terrifying magma erupted like a volcano from the depths of hell. Wherever Akainu passed, countless lives were burned away.
Even the biscuit soldiers, whose defense was nearly monstrous, were reduced to cinders the moment they touched his magma, unable to stop him at all.
If Cracker hadn't already retreated beforehand, he would have been locked onto by Akainu as well.
"Creed…"
Staring at Creed's main flagship dozens of miles away, Akainu's eyes turned bloodshot, endless killing intent surging like a tidal wave.
Just then—
"Gya ha ha ha! Sakazuki, you think too highly of yourself. Even you don't qualify to fight our captain. Your opponent… is me!"
Wild laughter rolled down from above as a golden figure descended from the sky.
It was Shiki, twin swords in hand.
"I didn't expect you to make a move so quickly, Shiki."
Akainu looked at the floating pirate in the sky with a bit of a headache.
With Shiki's power, he could certainly tie Akainu down, making it extremely difficult for him to reach Creed.
"Sakazuki, charge straight ahead. I'll keep him busy."
A pillar of ice suddenly thrust up from the sea's surface. The tip was razor-sharp, wrapped in billowing cold as it stabbed toward the airborne Shiki.
Aokiji had joined the fight.
"Thanks, Kuzan!"
Seizing the opening, Akainu turned into a flood of magma and surged forward once more.
Wherever he passed, Creed's allied ships were thrown into chaos, hulls bursting into flames one after another.
Akainu moved like a walking volcano, unstoppable.
"Gya ha ha ha! Don't underestimate me, Shiki the Golden Lion! Even two-on-one, you lot may not get past me."
"Shishi Zanpa (Lion Slash Wave)!"
Golden light flared beneath Shiki's feet as he unleashed two crushing slashes, the flying lion waves slicing the Aokiji on the ice pillar into four pieces. Then, both of his swords pressed downward before lifting up again.
"Rumble…!"
With that motion, tens of miles of seawater suddenly rose and twisted, rushing together in a massive spiral that sought to wrap around the magma that Akainu had become.
With seawater entangling him, not even Akainu could escape unscathed from such a move.
"Ko Hyoga Jidai (Little Ice Age)!"
A streak of frigid white swept across the battlefield, and in an instant, all the seawater Shiki had raised was frozen into solid ice. At the same time, the connection between Shiki and the sea was cleanly severed.
Aokiji reformed in another location, unleashing his strongest technique.
"Crash!"
Dozens of miles of ice slammed down in one colossal mass, burying the screaming, fleeing soldiers below and shattering many ships beneath its weight.
Fortunately, both sides had already ordered large numbers of ordinary soldiers to withdraw from the immediate area.
The death toll wasn't as catastrophic as it could have been.
After all, with top-tier powerhouses joining the battle, anyone who stayed in that zone would be nothing more than meaningless cannon fodder.
"Boom!"
Akainu burst out from beneath the ice, magma roaring as he continued to charge straight toward Creed's position.
His Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) had already locked onto that familiar, despised presence.
That man—the greatest evil in this world, the number-one enemy of Absolute Justice—Creed.
"Well now, Aokiji… the Ice Man really does have some bite."
Shiki landed on the massive ice sheet, looking toward the re-materialized Aokiji on the other end of the floe with a solemn expression.
If he wasn't mistaken, Aokiji's Devil Fruit mastery had reached terrifying depths as well.
Tricky—far more troublesome than he'd boasted earlier when he'd bragged about taking on two Admirals at once.
…
With Dragon's orders, the ships around Creed's flagship pulled back at once, leaving only the division captains and other high-level fighters in the area.
Creed rose from the throne on the deck of the Creed and flew into the sky, facing the oncoming Sakazuki.
"Long time no see, Sakazuki."
Creed smiled, not even drawing his sword yet, as if he really intended to chat in midair like two old acquaintances reunited.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For 20+ Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!] [[email protected]/Draumel]
[Thank You For Your Support!]