Marineford's Oris Plaza trembled underfoot as Akainu strode through the carnage, his body radiating crimson heat. Behind him trailed a contingent of Marine officers, their formation tight as they carved through the Whitebeard Pirates' ranks. Every swing of Akainu's molten fists left charred corpses in its wake—lesser pirates vaporized before they could scream.
The Admiral moved with terrible purpose, his advance unstoppable even for legends. When his path finally cleared to reveal Whitebeard himself, Akainu's lips curled into a sneer. "Hiding behind your children now, old man?" His voice dripped with contempt. "Pathetic. The great Emperor reduced to begging for scraps of protection."
"AKAINU!"
Whitebeard's fingers brushed the cauterized hole in his chest. Frost crept into his gaze, the air thickening with murderous intent.
Jozu slammed his diamond forearms together, sending sparks flying. "Let me shut this bastard's mouth for you!"
The Emperor gently shouldered his furious commander aside. "Stand down, son." His chuckle carried across the battlefield as he faced Akainu squarely. "That tongue of yours might be your deadliest weapon, boy. Well—second deadliest. Can't forget your talent for scurrying through tunnels like the rat you are."
"Die!"
No more taunts. Akainu's right arm erupted into liquid magma, elongating into a snarling canine maw—Crimson Dog Bite. The molten jaws lunged for Whitebeard's throat.
Murakumogiri flashed.
The bisento hummed with milky-white energy as Whitebeard countered, Tremor-Tremor vibrations shearing through the attack. Magma exploded across the plaza, eating craters into stone where droplets landed. The shockwave dispersed harmlessly—Whitebeard's stance faltered ever so slightly, his free hand pressed to his seeping wound.
Akainu's eyes narrowed. The old lion was bleeding focus to maintain his Armament Haki seal. One push. Just one more push.
He shifted tactics.
Where before he'd fought with overwhelming force, now Akainu circled, striking only when Whitebeard's guard dipped. Minutes stretched as the Emperor's breathing grew labored, each parry slower than the last.
Then—
Whitebeard's grip spasmed mid-swing. Blood fountained from his lips as his knee hit the cobblestones, Murakumogiri barely keeping him upright. Fire raced through his veins, his vision tunneling. The Life Strengthening Agent's final dregs burned away, unleashing decades of accumulated damage. Organs failed. Bones splintered.
"WHITEBEARD!"
His sons' cries barely registered through the roaring in his ears.
Akainu sneered, fiercely swinging his lava-transformed right fist. Magma geysered from his shoulder, propelling the punch like a cannonball aimed between Whitebeard's eyes.
Blue fire intercepted.
Marco's talons closed around the molten fist, flesh sizzling as he wrenched it aside. Flames licked up his phoenix wings when he snarled, "You won't touch him."
The plaza shook with their clash.
The next moment. Phoenix Brand! Marco lifted his right claw, and a massive blue flame shockwave sent Akainu flying backwards... ...... Above the surging Blue Sea, the Dreyfus, with its red dragon figurehead, cut through layers of white waves propelled by the Breath Dial, heading towards the Marineford island gradually appearing on the horizon in the distance.
Red-Haired Shanks stood by the bow, his brow furrowed, a pensive look on his face:
"Just now... Kaido's presence disappeared!" Rayleigh picked up a bottle of red wine, tilted his head back for a drink, and then murmured:
"Did a Four Emperors just fall like that? It seems the brutality of this war is beyond our imagination!"
After estimating the distance between the ship and the island, Red-Haired Shanks turned to Benn Beckman behind him and said:
"Now, I plan to go ashore first myself. Beckman, you bring the ship to the edge of the island and then come to meet me..." With that, Red-Haired Shanks didn't wait for Benn Beckman's reply.
He leaped into the air, using a technique similar to Moonwalk, and rapidly rushed towards Marineford. "Ah! You really are reckless..." Seeing this, Rayleigh couldn't help but give a helpless bitter smile. Immediately, he also jumped into the air, walking on air, following closely behind Red-Haired Shanks. ........... Bang-! Bang-!
By the execution platform, Luffy swung his fist at Kong's head, while the latter struck him in the chest. The next moment. Having taken a solid punch from each other, their bodies immediately flew backwards in opposite directions, falling onto the ground. "Wahoo-! I can't lose air..." A puff of white smoke came out of Gear Fourth Boundman Luffy's mouth, startling him.
He quickly covered his mouth and swallowed back the air. After a few seconds, he finally stopped the air leak. He flipped up quickly, touched his chest, and said with apprehension:
"Old man, you're really strong!" "Phew-! Time spares no one... A brat like you, when I was young, I could beat at least two!" Kong breathed slightly, raising his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Hehehe-! It's time to finish this. I'm in a hurry to rescue Ace, I don't have time to delay..." Luffy laughed, bit his left arm, and began inflating his muscles. Meanwhile, his right arm began to swell at a visible speed, with white steam constantly swirling around his body. "Hahaha! You really are arrogant... worthy of being Garp's grandson."
Kong laughed heartily, clenched his right fist, and quickly gathered his Haki of Armament and Haoshoku onto his right fist, emitting waves of heart-pounding aura. "Gum-Gum King Kong Gun!" Luffy roared, pushing off the ground with his legs, dragging his giant dark red right arm, and charging towards the Commander in chief of the armed forces of the World Government before him with a whistling sound.
"Good!" Kong's eyes flashed with brilliance. He didn't dodge at all, but instantly moved and swung his right fist to meet the attack. However... Just as both were putting in their full effort, preparing to deliver the final blow to end the battle... a sudden change occurred! From the crowd of onlookers, two white figures suddenly rushed out from the left and right, appearing beside Luffy.
One on each side, they directly restrained his arms. Finger Pistol! Pistol Punch! Guernica and Joseph each delivered a brutal blow to Luffy's back. Their powerful, long-Charge Haki penetrated his body, causing Luffy to cough up blood. At the same time, Kong's fist heavily struck Luffy's chest, making a "crack! crack!" sound of bones breaking. The next moment. Boom-!
Luffy collapsed onto the cobblestones of Marineford, his body limp and lifeless. He'd just exited Gear Fourth, leaving him vulnerable, and Kong's devastating blow sent him flying backward. Blood spilled from his mouth as he rolled onto the street, his heart ceasing to beat. His life force flickered, fading fast.
Nearby, the two CP0 agents landed gracefully after their mid-air leap. They steadied themselves, unaffected by the chaos around them. Without hesitation, they activated Soru, dashing toward Luffy's crumpled form. Their orders were clear: confirm his death or deliver the final blows. The Gorosei's mission left no room for failure.
Across the battlefield, Garp fought fiercely against Big Mom Charlotte Linlin. But when he saw Luffy struck down from behind, his focus shattered. His eyes widened, rage boiling within him. He abandoned his fight with Linlin entirely, turning with a roar and charging toward Luffy's location.
The CP0 agents had just reached Luffy's side when a cold wind swept past them. They froze, a primal sense of danger clawing at their instincts. Slowly, they turned to see Garp looming behind them, his face dark with fury. His voice was low, trembling with suppressed anger. "Why did you sneak attack my grandson?"
The air around Garp crackled with killing intent. He hadn't worried about Luffy's safety when he faced Kong. Garp trusted Kong to show mercy, knowing their history. At worst, Luffy would end up imprisoned in Impel Down—alive. But this… this betrayal by the CP0, this underhanded attack, shattered any semblance of restraint.
Guernica, one of the CP0 agents, tried to reason with the enraged Marine hero. His face was pale, slick with cold sweat. "Vice Admiral Garp, we were only following the Gorosei's orders!" He hoped invoking the Gorosei's authority would deter Garp. Fighting him was out of the question—they'd resorted to a sneak attack for a reason.
Garp's expression turned glacial. His chest heaved as his anger surged, uncontrollable and consuming. "The Gorosei? Let them eat shit!" he roared. His hands blurred, faster than the agents could react. He seized both their heads, one in each hand, and slammed them together with bone-crushing force.
The sickening crack echoed across the battlefield. The agents' skulls burst like overripe fruit, blood and brain matter splattering the ground. Sengoku, Kong, and the others watched in stunned silence. Sengoku's voice trembled as he pointed at Garp. "Garp… do you know what you've done?"
Garp didn't respond. He tore off his white Marine coat, the symbol of his position, and let it fall to the ground. His shoulders slumped as he walked to Luffy's side and knelt beside him. In that moment, he wasn't the Marine hero or the Vice Admiral. He was just a grieving grandfather, broken by loss.
His eyes were hollow, his voice ragged. "Luffy… why did you come to this war?" Tears streamed down his face as he cradled Luffy's lifeless body. "Why did you come… why!!!" His cries tore through the air, raw and desperate. "Luffy, why did you come here!!! Why!?"
Sabo, Zoro, Sanji, and Crow abandoned their fights instantly, rushing toward the spot where Luffy lay. The battlefield seemed to hold its breath as Garp's anguish echoed across Marineford.
Garp's sudden desertion forced Zephyr to reluctantly step forward, squaring off against Big Mom Charlotte Linlin to prevent mass devastation. Yet the Yonko didn't press her attack—her gaze locked onto Garp with predatory fascination.
She licked her lips, imagining the spectacle. How would the Marines handle their own hero after he'd publicly slaughtered CP0 agents? That wasn't just insubordination—it was a declaration of war against the World Government itself. The thought of watching their ranks tear each other apart sent shivers down her spine.
Across the battlefield, Sengoku and the remaining Marines stood frozen. Their faces twisted with conflicting emotions as they watched their legendary comrade sob uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Luffy's fading consciousness caught fragments of Garp's anguished cries.
Why... why am I here? The thought flickered weakly. Then—Ace! Like lightning, purpose surged through him. I have to save Ace! Heart—beat, damn you! I won't die here!
As his will crystallized, something primal stirred in his chest. Thoom. Thoom. THOOM! The rhythm built like war drums, each pulse louder than the last until the entire battlefield trembled under the resonance of the Drums of Liberation.
Sephiroth flicked blood from Masamune as another Beast Pirate crumpled to dust at his feet. The unnatural heartbeat made him glance toward Marineford's epicenter. A smirk twisted his lips as he murmured,
"This is seriously ridiculous! If I knew hitting Luffy until he was near death could awaken him, I should have beaten him to death earlier..."