"For me… and Sabo… cough… live… well…"
Luffy forced a familiar, foolish smile toward Ace, his lips pale and trembling, just like he always did.
…
That smile slowly froze.
The light that once filled his wide, curious eyes faded completely, turning dull and lifeless.
His body lost its rubbery elasticity, stiffening as it collapsed heavily into Ace's arms.
"Luffy…"
Ace's hands shook uncontrollably as he stared down at his younger brother. Luffy's internal organs had already been evaporated by the magma, his chest burned through, his eyes empty.
Ace's mouth hung open, his mind utterly blank.
"No… no… No!!!"
Ace fell to his knees, his world shattering.
"I never imagined that while trying to kill the son of the Pirate King, fate would have me kill the son of Dragon instead."
Boom!
Admiral Sakazuki Akainu's magma arm roared as it burned violently, the explosive heat finishing the destruction inside Luffy's body.
Only after confirming that the pirate's life had completely vanished did Akainu sneer coldly.
"Hmph. Even while unconscious, he sensed his brother's death and rushed in to act as a shield."
Akainu turned his gaze toward Ace, his killing intent pressing down like molten steel.
"Using your own brother as a human shield. Truly despicable."
"Since you have already lost the ability to think…"
"I will be merciful and send you to reunite with him."
Puff!
Akainu's magma arm was severed instantly.
Swish!
A rapier coated in Armament Haki slashed out from the shadows behind him, slicing cleanly through the magma limb before arcing straight toward Akainu's head.
"Oh my, that was close."
Akainu's magma skull split apart as he barely avoided the fatal blow, reforming moments later.
"If you had aimed for my head first, you might have succeeded."
He looked down coldly at the man standing before him, draped in a blood-red cloak.
"Redfield the Red. Have you also become that man's lapdog?"
"What a mistake…"
Redfield stared darkly at Luffy's lifeless body in Ace's arms, guilt crushing his chest.
"To think I allowed Straw Hat to be killed right in front of me."
He had failed Shirogai.
"I will take your life as compensation."
Redfield flicked his rapier, which dissolved into a swarm of blood-red bats, swallowing Akainu's vision.
"Cheap tricks."
Akainu ignited his body, magma surging outward in a violent tide that incinerated the bats instantly.
"You relics of a dead era, abandoned by time, still believe you can run wild in this age?"
As Akainu roared, the ground beneath them turned crimson.
Then magma erupted.
Boom!!!!
…
"Oh no! Straw Hat Boy was killed by Akainu!"
In the distance, Okama King Ivankov widened his heavily lined eyes, blasting Vice Admiral Yamakaji away with Death Wink as he screamed in horror.
"This has gone completely wrong…!"
Dragon would be furious.
And Straw Hat Boy's vice captain…
The Plunderer, Shirogai Yamikuro.
…
"Luffy!!!"
Boa Hancock collapsed to the ground, grief-stricken, surrounded by shattered stone statues of Marines and pirates alike.
…
"What?! Straw Hat Boy is dead? This is not a joke, right?!"
Clown Buggy froze midair, clutching a Visual Den Den Mushi. His eyes locked onto Luffy's burning, pierced abdomen.
For reasons even he could not explain, a deep sense of loss washed over him.
"I thought you would be my greatest rival for the Great Treasure…"
"I never imagined you would die like this."
Buggy spoke into the Den Den Mushi with rare solemnity.
"Broadcasting tragic news…"
"The pirate rookie who sailed for only a few months, carrying a bounty of three hundred million Berries…"
"The son of Revolutionary Army Commander Dragon…"
"And the captain of the great pirate, The Plunderer Shirogai Yamikuro, whose bounty stands at five billion Berries…"
"Straw Hat Luffy."
"To save his brother Ace, he was pierced by magma and killed by Admiral Akainu."
Buggy's voice wavered.
"I fought him before. Reckless, yes… but a pirate with a genuinely kind heart."
…
At the World Broadcast Venue, shock rippled across the crowd.
"Straw Hat Luffy was killed by an Admiral in one blow? Is this the power of an Admiral?!"
Others whispered uneasily.
"He was fighting the Celestial Dragons and the Gorosei earlier… how could he fall so suddenly?"
"I saw it. He blocked Akainu's punch to save Fire Fist Ace."
"And now the captain of The Plunderer is dead at Marineford…"
"The Marines will provoke another Emperors level catastrophe."
Marine loyalists cheered loudly.
"Pirates deserve death! Long live the Marine!"
"That is right! Supernovas, Emperors, all of them fall before absolute justice!"
Someone hesitated.
"Wait… wasn't Shirogai Yamikuro once the Navy's Chief Instructor at Marineford?"
A devoted supporter shouted excitedly.
"Vice Admiral Shirogai Yamikuro was never truly a pirate!"
"He became one to understand why piracy is growing!"
"If he ever abandons piracy, he will return to the Marine!"
Others scoffed angrily.
"What justice?! Did you not see the Celestial Dragons slaughter Marines earlier?!"
Arguments erupted across the world.
All because one pirate fell.
…
"Is Straw Hat really dead?"
Crocodile hovered as a swirling sandstorm, frowning.
"Strange. I thought Null would kill Akainu one moment earlier."
"Null…"
Doflamingo's strings twitched as realization struck him.
"So that is what you call Shirogai Yamikuro."
"Fuffuffuffu… no wonder you two are connected."
"Was your defeat also his doing?"
…
"Akainu! What have you done?!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku finally lost his composure.
"This execution was meant as a warning, yet it has completely spiraled out of control!"
He stared at Luffy's body in Ace's arms, dread gripping his heart.
This punch would enrage two men.
Marine Hero Garp.
And Shirogai Yamikuro.
"Sakazuki!!!!"
A roar shook Marineford.
"I will kill you!!!"
Boom!
A terrifying burst of rage flooded the plaza.
"You dared… touch my grandson…"
Boom!!!!
A crushing, godlike killing intent erupted.
"Garp!!!"
Sengoku shouted as Garp sent Vice Admirals flying.
"Calm down!"
"My grandson is dead! How can I be calm?!"
Garp leapt skyward, Armament Haki surging violently around his fist as he smashed down toward Akainu.
"Fist of—"
Boom!
The strike landed with earth-shattering force.
"Impact!!!!"
---
Garp low-key a hypocrite, well, in this 'fanfic'