"You bastard!!!"
Jack was completely enraged.
His massive body shuddered violently, and within seconds, he transformed into an ancient beast.
Elephant-Elephant Fruit, Ancient Zoan, Mammoth Form!
"ROAR!!!"
With a thunderous bellow, Jack slammed his limbs down and charged straight at Luffy, who had only just managed to climb back to his feet.
The deck screamed in protest.
The air itself was torn apart.
Bang!
Luffy was sent flying, his body arcing through the air like a broken projectile.
Boom!
He crashed heavily into the ship's cabin.
"Come on! Get up again if you can!"
Jack panted heavily, his massive trunk raised high, cruel delight filling his eyes.
…
Yet only a few dozen seconds passed.
Crash!
A figure leapt out from the shattered cabin.
Luffy was battered and bloodied, his clothes torn to shreds, but he stubbornly straightened his back.
"Again!"
Jack's elephant eyes bulged wide.
Impossible.
What kind of monster was this brat?
Who was the Fish-Man here?
You or me?!
"Worororororo!"
High above, Kaido's colossal dragon body rolled through the clouds.
He had noticed the bizarre scene below long ago.
But he had no time to spare.
A blazing breath of dragon fire, like the wrath of the sun itself, poured down toward the figure beneath him.
"Puhahaha!"
Garp did not dodge.
Crimson lightning crackled wildly around his fist, overflowing with supreme Conqueror's Haki.
"Fist of Love: Meteor!"
He smashed his punch straight into the dragon breath.
Boom!!!
Black fist force and blazing red flames collided in midair.
The resulting energy storm shredded the clouds apart, tearing the sky open.
The two separated once more.
"That Marine brat…"
Kaido glanced down at Luffy, who had climbed to his feet yet again, and grinned.
"Interesting…"
"Hahahaha! Luffy's been tempered by this old man's loving fists since he was a kid."
Garp laughed with unrestrained pride.
"His body stopped being normal a long time ago!"
High in the air, King hovered silently, black wings slowly beating.
His mask concealed every trace of emotion, but his gaze was locked tightly on the deck of the dog-headed Marine warship below.
There, Vice Admiral Tsuru stood with her hands clasped behind her back, calmly looking up at him.
"King of the Beasts Pirates, lead All-Star, the Wildfire King."
Tsuru's voice drifted upward, her eyes resting on his jet-black wings.
"You are a survivor of the Lunarian race, aren't you?"
…
King's body stiffened slightly.
The name Lunarian had not been spoken in a very long time.
He despised having his race discussed, yet in front of this old woman, he dared not act recklessly.
Marine Headquarters' Chief Strategist.
Vice Admiral Tsuru.
A woman who, since the era of Roger, had terrified countless great pirates with both strength and intellect.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru."
King's voice echoed from behind his mask, metallic and restrained.
"You seem… not the least bit anxious."
"Heh."
Tsuru smiled faintly. Her deeply lined face revealed no emotion.
"Young man, don't be so impatient."
"Just watch."
"Watch how the emperors of the sea fall."
"And watch how a brand-new era is born."
"…Hmm."
King's pupils narrowed slightly.
He scanned the battlefield at lightning speed.
Jack completely outmatched the Marine wearing the straw hat in raw power, yet the boy was like an unkillable cockroach, crawling back up again and again, draining Jack's stamina and patience.
Queen remained behind on Onigashima.
And Kaido himself was locked in battle with the Hero of the Marines, Vice Admiral Garp. No victor would emerge anytime soon.
The Beasts Pirates had been completely stalled.
…
The Red Force cut through the sea like a bolt of crimson lightning.
At the bow stood Shanks, one hand resting on the hilt of Gryphon, his red hair whipping wildly in the wind.
His Observation Haki had already enveloped the entire battlefield.
The blood-soaked ice.
The fallen pirates collapsing in despair.
And that towering figure, riddled with wounds, yet still refusing to fall.
Whitebeard was still alive.
The weight in Shanks' chest finally eased.
He had not come too late.
The Marines had already achieved overwhelming victory. The Whitebeard Pirates were in complete collapse. Continuing this war served no purpose.
At this moment, if he stepped in as one of the Four Emperors to mediate, the Marines would give him this face.
After all, clashing with a fully intact Emperor crew would bring them no benefit whatsoever.
As long as Whitebeard and his remaining forces could be spared, the balance of the sea would not be completely shattered.
That was what mattered most.
"Everyone!"
Shanks drew a deep breath.
His voice, infused with overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, pressed down upon the battlefield like a crushing tide.
"Could you give me some face!"
Boom!
Invisible willpower surged like a breached tsunami, sweeping across all of Marineford.
Weaker Marines blacked out instantly, collapsing in waves.
Even hardened officers felt their hearts seize, legs trembling as they nearly dropped to their knees.
This was the Conqueror's Haki of Red-Haired Shanks.
"The war is over!"
Shanks' voice rang out again.
"End this war!"
"Continuing will only cause meaningless casualties!"
"The Whitebeard Pirates are defeated. The Marines have proven their strength!"
"Let us stop here!"
…
"Gurarararara…"
Whitebeard, still under Akainu's relentless assault, heard that familiar voice.
He lifted his head and looked toward the dragon-headed ship in the distance.
A faint spark of hope flickered in his clouded eyes.
Red-Haired brat… you came.
The battlefield would fall into chaos now.
That was when Jinbe could take the remaining boys away.
"Hmph. Red-Hair, huh. Good timing!"
Akainu's attacks intensified, magma fists raining down like meteors.
A second Emperor crew had arrived.
He had to finish Whitebeard quickly.
"So it's Red-Hair coming in?"
Kizaru stretched lazily, preparing to move.
"No problem…"
On the frozen bay, Aokiji's gaze settled on Shanks.
If it's Red-Hair that Garp let through, then so be it.
Since you're here, none of you are leaving.
"SHANKS!!!"
Below the execution platform, Sengoku roared, golden Buddha light surging around him.
He was about to unleash his own Conqueror's Haki to push Shanks back.
Then a lazy voice interrupted.
"Marshal, no need to get so worked up."
"Look."
"Hawk-kun seems to have something to say."
Kizaru pointed calmly to the side.
"…Hmm?"
Sengoku paused, instinctively following his finger.
There stood the young man who had controlled the rhythm of the battlefield from start to finish.
Renn Hawk.
He was calmly staring at Red-Hair Shanks.
Boom!!!
A wave of Conqueror's Haki no weaker than Shanks' erupted from Hawk's body, shooting straight into the sky.
Crimson lightning roared around him like bloodthirsty dragons.
Boom!!!
Two world-class Conqueror's Haki collided violently above Marineford.
And what everyone witnessed next became an image burned into their souls forever.
The sky above Marineford was ripped apart from the center.
The heavens split in two.
Shanks' pupils shrank sharply.
Impossible!
…
Renn Hawk met Shanks' stunned gaze, a slow smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
He took one step forward.
"Emperor of the Sea. Red-Haired Shanks."
"Give you face?"
He paused.
"Fine."
"But then you give me some face as well."
Hawk's voice turned ice-cold.
"Leave your head behind."