The searing heat of the lava distorted the air, igniting buildings and sending up plumes of thick black smoke, turning the city into a tapestry of black and crimson.
A pungent, acrid scent permeated the air.
Looking out over the vast metropolis, barely one in ten had survived.
The Quincies who had narrowly escaped death now had eyes streaming with blood and tears. Their faces were etched with pure hatred as they navigated around the flowing magma, charging toward the rising high ground.
Members of the Sternritter, scattered throughout the city, also rushed to the battlefield, clashing with the enemies descending from the heavens.
Among them, the most eye-catching was the giant-like figure of Whitebeard.
Ever since he burst into the fray, Whitebeard had led from the front, every movement unleashing staggering destructive power.
His bisento swept through the air, sending every enemy before him flying. No one could last even a single round against him!
Coupled with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, he shattered the very atmosphere with a casual swing, turning his section of the battlefield into a literal death zone!
His appearance, like a demon lord descended from the heavens, naturally drew a crowd of Quincies attempting to suppress him.
A dark-skinned, portly old man sat atop a floating tray, hovering in mid-air and hiding behind the ranks.
PePe Waccabrada, Schrift L, the ability of 'The Love.'
Seeing Whitebeard's peerless display of martial prowess, a look of greedy delight crossed his greasy face.
"With such immense power, he must be a general of the enemy. Become Me's slave obediently."
Taking advantage of the moment Whitebeard blasted away the enemies in front of him, PePe crept behind the giant and formed a heart shape with his hands.
"Hmm?"
Whitebeard sensed the man immediately.
He turned his head just in time to see the man making a heart gesture, shooting a heart-shaped object that branded itself onto his chest.
PePe was overjoyed, waving his staff with a single eye and wings up and down, unable to contain his glee.
"Hahaha! The enemy general has become a slave to Me's love!"
"Go! Kill every single one of your companions!"
He wondered how these enemies would feel seeing their former comrade suddenly turn his blade on them!
At the thought, PePe floated closer to Whitebeard, the expression on his old face growing more arrogant.
"This is war. Because of love, it is cruel and sorrowful."
The command was given, but the Whitebeard he expected to see attacked by his power did not move against his allies.
Instead, he remained standing firmly on his part of the battlefield.
Whitebeard touched the spot on his chest where he had been hit, then looked at the enemy before him, identifying him at a glance.
He remembered the briefing about a Sternritter member capable of controlling others.
Yet, despite being hit, he didn't feel the slightest bit of abnormality.
Whitebeard tilted his head, a trace of confusion surfacing on his face.
What was going on?
He was... completely fine.
Seeing Whitebeard unmoved, PePe couldn't help but bark, "What are you just standing there for? Didn't you hear me? Hurry up and prove your love for Me—"
Before he could finish, a flash of white light zipped before his eyes.
The world in front of him was suddenly split in two. Before his consciousness faded into darkness, his final thought was one of disbelief and confusion.
The enemy had clearly been captured by his love, so why could he still attack him?!
In the moment before his consciousness flickered out, he seemed to hear the enemy's scoffing voice.
"Idiot."
Whitebeard's face was full of disdain.
After cleaving the disgusting old man in half with a single strike, he swung his bisento, flicking the blood from the blade.
"I sold my soul to the Shinigami long ago. How could a puny ability like yours possibly work?"
During the earlier war council, they had worried about this enemy who could control hearts, considering various ways to counter him.
Looking at it now, they had been overthinking it.
The surrounding Quincies swarmed forward, and seeing another member of the Sternritter fall, their faces paled with terror.
"Lord PePe... has been killed by the enemy!"
"Even the Lords of the Sternritter are no match for them?"
"Damn it!"
"Don't panic! The other Sternritter will be here soon!"
Just as the Quincies were being cowed by Whitebeard's might, a mass of blue flames streaked in from the distance, spreading wings and circling above.
Everyone realized it was a great bird burning with azure fire.
The Phoenix, Marco!
Marco lowered his altitude, coming to Whitebeard's side.
"Pops, I just did a sweep. Ace has already encountered an enemy, and I've found the target I need to deal with."
Whitebeard looked toward the distant horizon but couldn't see that specific flame.
He looked down at the ground again, seeing the expressions of the Quincies clearly.
"Go and defeat your enemy first. Leave this place to me!"
"Take care, Pops!"
Marco nodded slowly without another word, flapped his wings, and flew into the distance!
Not far from the center of the city, the lava had leveled the streets and buildings, turning the area into a lifeless wasteland.
Yet, in a place where the intense heat had yet to cool, two figures stood atop the scorching black magma. Both were wreathed in flames, standing a short distance apart and watching each other warily.
Ace tilted the brim of his hat and looked at the man with the mohawk in front of him. His youthful face was full of confidence.
"You're the one among these Quincies who plays with fire, right? I was just looking to test myself against you!"
He had been on his way to Kaido's location when he spotted Bazz-B speeding across the lava and recognized him immediately.
When they had received intelligence on the Quincy forces to plan the operation, he had marked Bazz-B as his target from the start.
"Since we both have the power of flames, why don't we see whose firepower is superior?"
Bazz-B looked at the enemy who had suddenly dropped from the sky to block his path.
He sized the youth up, and seeing the raging flames dancing across Ace's body, his lips curled into a cold smirk.
"I see. So you've made me your target?"
Ace raised an eyebrow, his tone casual. "That's only one reason. Based on that cool hairstyle of yours, I'll give you a proposal."
"C-Cool hairstyle!"
Bazz-B was flattered, instinctively touching his flamboyant mohawk.
He looked at Ace, his face flushing slightly.
Heaven knew that among the Quincies, there was almost no one who appreciated his aesthetic. Even his childhood friend Haschwalth couldn't understand his taste.
He hadn't expected the enemy he met this time to actually understand his sense of style.
He was moved!
Because of this, Bazz-B wasn't in a hurry to attack. He asked with some interest, "What did you want to say?"
Ace smiled. "You guys are definitely going to lose this war. Why not come over to our side? Your strength isn't bad. I have some clout with the Big Boss; if I put in a good word, I might be able to save your life. What do you say?"
"I say no!"
Bazz-B's expression turned cold.
He extended his index finger, pointing it at Ace as a fierce flame ignited at the tip.
"I have no interest in the weak idea of surrendering to an enemy!"
"Burner Finger One!"
Seeing the other man attack without further hesitation, Ace was already prepared. He clenched his fist, and the flames surrounding him surged higher.
"What an impatient personality."
"Fire Fist!"
Ace threw a punch, the flames forming a massive fist that crashed straight toward Bazz-B.
Both were masters of manipulating fire. A contest of pure firepower erupted instantly as their conversation reached a dead end!
Watching the towering flames erupting in the city center, the Phoenix turned his gaze back, his eyes flashing.
"Ace has already started his fight. No need to worry about him. My target, on the other hand..."
"But before I track down that poisonous guy, I should notify the others!"
Flying over an occupied position, the ground below was covered in frost. Quincies stood frozen like ice sculptures.
Sensing the sudden drop in temperature, Marco looked down and found Kuzan's tall figure on the glittering ice-covered ground.
At this moment, Kuzan was standing next to Garp, with a group of soldiers crossing the ice behind them.
Marco lowered his altitude slightly and shouted down, "Aokiji, I saw your target! He's over there!"
With a sweep of his wing, he pointed in one direction and shot out a burning feather, leaving a blue trail in the air.
Below, Kuzan heard Marco's voice and turned toward the blue trail.
He scratched his head and said to Garp, "Mr. Garp, I'll go handle my mission first before coming back for you."
Garp waved his hand dismissively. "Go on, then. All the nearby enemy positions have been taken anyway."
Kuzan nodded slightly, his feet blurred, and he vanished from the spot, appearing far away in an instant.
As he flickered through the streets, he headed toward the direction Marco had indicated.
In the distance, a massive mammoth was leading a group of strangely shaped animals, rampaging through and trampling the Quincies.
It was Jack and the members of the Beast Pirates!
He had charged so hard that he had long since separated from the main force, diving deep into enemy territory.
After clearing out the small fry trying to obstruct him, a burly man suddenly appeared in front of Jack, blocking his path.
"What a barbaric beast!"
The man wore Quincy attire, with rugged features and a thick beard. His face showed a bloodlust and killing intent that rivaled Jack's.
"I am Driscoll Berci. The Schrift His Majesty bestowed upon me is O, The Overkill!"
"The more enemies I slaughter, the stronger I become—"
Before he could finish, a massive shadow loomed over him.
Jack didn't bother wasting words. He simply used his colossal body to slam directly into the man.
"Die!"
Boom!
The man was sent flying, crashing into a nearby building.
"That hurt a little."
The man's gruff voice rang out as he threw aside a pile of rubble and stepped out, seemingly uninjured.
Another white figure hovered in the air, descending to land beside him.
Tall and thin with long black hair parted in the middle, his lower face was covered by a black mask. Only a pair of large, black, lidless eyes were visible on the upper half of his face, lacking even eyebrows.
Äs Nödt, Schrift F, the ability of 'The Fear.'
"Driscoll, how unsightly," he said.
"Shut up, Äs Nödt! It's just a beast. I'll butcher it right now!" Driscoll said indignantly.
Seeing another enemy appear, the Beast Pirates grew surprised.
"Lord Jack, another member of the Sternritter?"
"What should we do? Should we retreat and find the main force?"
Hearing his subordinates' voices, Jack swung his thick trunk, sending the speaker flying.
"Idiots! What does it matter if there's one more enemy? We charge, of course!"
"Who do you think I am!"
Jack was unmoved, simply preparing for his next attack.
Whether the enemy was one or a group, it made no difference to him. He would simply charge and crush them!
At that moment, one of the Beast Pirates shivered, clutching his clothes.
"Hey, do you guys feel like it suddenly got a lot colder?"
"Now that you mention it, it really did!"
Thick-skinned as he was, Jack also noticed the change.
This place had been scorching due to Sakazuki's lava, which had made him somewhat uncomfortable.
But with the sudden chill, he actually felt quite refreshed.
"Temperature drop?!"
"Only one person can do this!"
Jack spun around and looked behind him. A tall figure was walking toward them at a leisurely pace.
Everywhere this person walked, the ground beneath his feet froze instantly, turning into frost.
Jack's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Aokiji... Kuzan!"
It was indeed Kuzan!
He flickered and appeared instantly in front of Jack, waving his hand casually toward the Beast Pirates.
"You guys stay back. Don't get caught in my range."
As he spoke, ice crystals began to cover his sunglasses. He looked through the lenses at the two men in front of him, focusing particularly on the tall, thin figure with the black hair.
"Ara ara. The Fear and The Overkill, right?"
According to the plan, his mission was the Quincy who could drive people to fear.
As for The Overkill, since he was here, he might as well take care of him too.
Jack looked at Kuzan, his eyes shadowed.
Ultimately, he clicked his tongue and said to his men in a frustrated tone, "Let's go."
With that, he turned and rumbled away with his subordinates.
Only Kuzan and the two Quincies remained in the street.
"You dare face the two of us alone!"
"How arrogant!"
Äs Nödt narrowed his eyes. Just as he was about to move, he found his feet bound to the spot by a powerful force.
Looking down, he saw that his feet had been frozen to the ground without him noticing. The frost was still climbing, reaching his knees in the blink of an eye.
Kuzan pulled his hands from his pockets, frost covering them, and exhaled a breath of freezing mist.
"It's a mission, but I also promised Mr. Sengoku that I'd keep you both here."
"Gentlemen, why don't you keep me company for a bit?"
"Arrogant fool!"
Äs Nödt and Driscoll roared. Their spiritual pressure surged, and pillars of light erupted from them, shattering the ice that connected them to the ground.
Faced with Kuzan's effortless display, both sensed his immense strength. They immediately played their trump cards, entering their Vollständig forms.
Kuzan scratched his head. He knew the pair wouldn't give up so easily.
In that case, he would get a little serious.
Elsewhere, Marco had also found his target.
A lean figure sat quite comfortably atop a relatively intact tall building, watching the slaughter below with a trace of helplessness on his face.
"The headquarters of the great Quincy empire, invaded so easily by enemies. It really is a lethally ironic turn of events."
"Haschwalth still hasn't come out to lead the resistance. Is he thinking of running away? I wonder if he'd take me with him."
He pulled a thermos from his waist and poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Forget it, why think so much? Just have some coffee and take a break."
He blew on the steam and took a gentle sip, looking completely out of place in the atmosphere of fierce battle.
Marco shifted out of his phoenix form, keeping only his arms as wings as he slowly landed behind the man.
Seeing the man's relaxed posture, a strange expression crossed his face.
"Your companions are all fighting, yet you're hiding here slacking off. Is that really okay?"
The man continued drinking his coffee, not showing the slightest surprise at Marco's sudden appearance.
He finished the coffee in the lid in one gulp, slowly stood up, and began screwing the lid back onto the thermos as he turned around. His voice carried its usual relaxed tone.
"You guys came prepared this time. Even if a minor character like me joined in, I doubt it would make much of a difference."
Marco flapped his wings and said, "Don't be so modest. You might look like a background actor, but our boss praised you to the high heavens."
"He said that among the Sternritter, your ability is the most unsolvable, and that we have to be extremely careful."
"Is that so... I never thought your boss would hold me in such high regard. I'm lethally flattered."
The man raised an eyebrow, his voice sounding genuinely surprised.
"Let me introduce myself. Askin Nakk Le Vaar. The Schrift His Majesty gave me is D, The Deathdealing!"
Askin looked at Marco and asked, "And you? Your boss knows me so well and sent you to face me, which means you must be very strong, right?"
"Marco!" Marco replied with a relaxed face. "Marco the Phoenix!"
"I wouldn't say I'm exceptionally strong, but the boss sent me to deal with you precisely because I have an immortal body."
"Additionally, before this Great War started, the boss gave me some power. In Soul Society terms, he raised my strength to the level of a first-class spiritual power. All just to deal with you."
Askin's eyes flashed, and he became instantly alert.
Giving subordinates great power... didn't that sound exactly like their Majesty?
He tucked his thermos away, spread his hands, and sighed.
"You have an immortal body?"
"It seems our compatibility is truly terrible. This really is a lethal crisis."
As fierce battles erupted everywhere, a spatial portal opened in front of Sengoku on the high ground.
Ren's follow-up forces had arrived.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]