Sabaody Archipelago – Live Broadcast Plaza
"Quick, quick, quick! Send the report to Marine Headquarters!"
"Ten days ago, the so-called 'destroyed' Straw Hat crew has regrouped at Sabaody!"
"This is easily the biggest unexpected news of the day!"
Reporters from every major outlet rushed to act.
But not everyone cared.
"The Straw Hats are back together? That's hardly newsworthy."
"Hah! Doesn't matter—they'll just get wiped out again soon enough!"
"They've already been utterly crushed by an Admiral once, and they clearly learned nothing!"
"Yare yare… The Straw Hats and their lot are just a bunch of fools!"
"I don't even know why they'd get involved in this war, but the moment they step foot onto Marineford's battlefield, their fate is sealed!"
"Look! Not just the rank-and-file— even the Admirals have their eyes on them!"
"Five beri says the whole lot of them won't last three seconds!"
The plaza's spectators jeered without restraint, having no hope whatsoever for the Straw Hats.
To them, the crew was nothing but cannon fodder.
And that was natural—
This was the Summit War.
The highest level battlefield in the world.
Even the most promising Supernova of the year was no more than a fleeting ripple here—
gone in the blink of an eye under absolute, overwhelming power.
---
Marine Headquarters – Summit Battlefield
The chaos from the Straw Hats' sudden entrance had subsided.
The brutal clash between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines continued without pause.
But the Marines would never ignore the intrusion.
Smoker, Tina, Tashigi, and other Marines with personal interest in the crew began moving in.
Near them, Marine elites—including Rear Admiral Yukimora, a thousand-man slayer, and newly promoted Vice Admirals—closed the distance.
From their perspective, dealing with the Straw Hats required no more than this handful of officers.
Yet unexpectedly—
one of the Admirals, who had been circling near Whitebeard, began walking toward them.
A freezing chill swept in, dropping the air temperature to the freezing point.
"Ara ara… Straw Hats, and Nico Robin too. Walking right into the net today, are we?"
Admiral Aokiji spoke lightly.
Since the Enies Lobby incident, Aokiji had fully acknowledged Robin and her crewmates, deciding to let them live freely.
But to see them appear on this battlefield…
Even he couldn't pretend not to notice.
"Admiral Aokiji—we're here to save someone," Robin answered calmly.
Aokiji's eyes narrowed. He scanned Robin, then the rest of the Straw Hats aboard the Thousand Sunny.
His instincts told him they were different from Enies Lobby.
Before he could speak again—
A dazzling golden light bloomed overhead.
Admiral Kizaru descended from the sky, looking down on the crew.
"Save someone? I think you'll have trouble saving yourselves!" he smirked.
"Ten days ago, you escaped thanks to Kuma. The Celestial Dragons have been hounding me about it ever since… But today, I'll hand you over personally. Don't expect another lucky break!"
"Two Admirals right from the start, huh?" Jinbe muttered, feeling the pressure.
Zoro's fighting spirit flared.
Two years ago, at Sabaody, he hadn't just failed to help his friends—he'd become a burden.
Kizaru had treated him like a soccer ball, humiliating him and nearly killing him.
Today was the day to repay that debt.
"Then let's welcome them properly."
Sanji flicked his wrist, ready to transform his Raid Suit.
"Ooh, so scary~" Kizaru mocked, unfazed. He could feel they were stronger than ten days ago—but only ten days had passed. Growth had its limits.
A point of golden light formed at his fingertip, aimed squarely between Luffy's eyes.
"Garp, even if he's your grandson, he's not slipping away this time," Sengoku said grimly.
"Old man, what are you thinking?! That's Luffy—save him!" Ace shouted from the execution platform, chains rattling.
Garp's fist tightened, his expression torn. One side was his family. The other, the weight of absolute justice.
Boa Hancock's voice rang out, sharp with urgency.
"No! Luffy's in danger—let me through!"
She blasted aside anyone in her way.
From afar, Moria laughed.
"Serves you right, Straw Hat!"
Doflamingo grinned.
"Two Admirals have you locked down—you're finished."
"No… not yet."
Hawk-Eye Mihawk's gaze sharpened.
---
CRASH!
Blue flames burst through the air—Marco the Phoenix blocked Kizaru's path.
"Kizaru, picking on the little ones? I'll be your opponent."
On the other side, Diamond Jozu stepped in front of Aokiji.
"Ace's little brother and his friends—the Admirals are ours to deal with!"
Nami, Usopp, and Chopper exhaled in relief.
But the rest of the crew's expressions hardly changed.
Luffy's eyes never left Ace.
Two years had passed. He had thought he might never see his brother again.
This time—he would not let tragedy repeat itself.
He drew a deep breath.
"Ace, just a little longer! I'm coming!"
---
A sudden burst of sound split the air.
"Straw Hat Luffy—your journey ends here!"
Vice Admiral Dalmatian, in half-beast form, lunged in place of Aokiji.
His Shigan claw strike could pierce even steel.
But Luffy didn't flinch.
A red gleam flickered in his eyes—his Observation Haki(Kenbunshoku Haki) had already read the attack.
He tilted aside with ease, leaving Dalmatian startled.
The Vice Admiral's mind reeled—such skill was beyond chance. This wasn't instinct; this was superior Haki.
And then—his danger sense screamed.
Without hesitation, Dalmatian reinforced himself with Armament Haki and Tekkai, bracing for impact.
Too late.
"Gomu Gomu no—Haoshoku: Matoeru(infusion)!!!"
Luffy's body rose, his right leg wreathed in roaring Haoshoku Haki
The same strike that had clashed with Emperor Kaido's might now came down upon a Vice Admiral.
Dalmatian's defenses shattered instantly.
He was launched like a cannonball, blood spraying from his mouth, before smashing deep into a wall hundreds of meters away—unconscious.
---
The battlefield froze.
Marines and pirates alike stared, eyes wide, as disbelief spread like wildfire.
"Vice Admiral Dalmatian… was taken out?!"
"By that Straw Hat kid?!"
"No… no way!"
Even among Whitebeard's men, shock was written across their faces.
Moria's jaw dropped.
"Impossible! How can Straw Hat be this strong?!"
Doflamingo chuckled darkly.
"Observation to evade, Armament to strike? Not bad…"
Mihawk's pupils shrank.
"No… that wasn't Armament. That was Conqueror's Haki—infused into the attack."
Whitebeard laughed deeply.
"Haōshoku coating… quite the dangerous brat."
Kizaru's smirk faded into something more serious.
Aokiji's eyes narrowed.
Sengoku's voice rose.
"Garp! What kind of monster did you raise?!"
"I… I didn't even teach him Haki yet!" Garp said, dumbfounded.
Ace was stunned into silence. Even he couldn't have taken down a Marine elite like that in one blow.
In the Sabaody broadcast plaza, Sabo's pride burst forth.
"That's my little brother!"
The Revolutionary commanders whispered in awe:
"That's the Fifth Emperor…"
Helmeppo trembled.
"How strong is he?!"
Coby's eyes shone with admiration.
"This growth is unreal!"
Smoker clenched his teeth, realizing that the boy he once looked down on now loomed like a mountain.
Tashigi shook her head.
Tina's voice was grave.
"He's not the same as before. Fall back!"
Three Vice Admirals—Momonga, Onigumo, and Strawberry—stepped forward, clearing the way.
---
"Looks like it's my turn…"
Zoro's hand slid over Enma's hilt.
"I can't stand it anymore! I'm joining the fight!"
Two voices shouted together—
The Yamatos leapt to Luffy's side.