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"Justice! Will absolutely never perish!!"
As the words fell, the tattered but still recognizable Marine coat behind him—with the characters for "Justice" illuminated by the golden light—seemed magnified countless times, deeply imprinting itself in the eyes of every Marine soldier.
The military morale that had wavered due to Blackbeard's dual Devil Fruit powers and Whitebeard's dying declaration now miraculously stabilized.
[The soldiers' trembling bodies gradually calmed, and the hands gripping their weapons regained their strength. The presence of the Fleet Admiral himself was a banner!]
"You think you can destroy Marineford? You really think too highly of yourself, Blackbeard Teach!"
Sengoku's eyes bulged with fury as he raised that terrifying shockwave-laden giant palm once more, golden light beginning to converge anew.
However, having already suffered once, how could Teach fall for the same trick again?
"Zehahaha!! The same move won't work on me now!"
Teach grinned ferociously, clenching both fists. A dark vortex swirled faintly in his left hand, while the space around his right began to warp and tremble!
In a short span of time, he was already attempting to wield these two completely different powers with ease.
He built up his momentum, ready to clash head-on with Sengoku's shockwave!
A fierce battle representing the pinnacle of Marine power clashing against the dark ambitions of the new era erupted without mercy!
Shockwaves and darkness, the forces of tremors collided madly. Every clash caused the already fractured island foundation to collapse further!
At the same time, the "cleanup" on the bay's ice field continued in bloody fashion.
Sakazuki advanced like the coldest lava beast, striding forward with unwavering determination, pursuing anything that obstructed his goal of eradicating the "evil bloodline."
The Revolutionary Army's "Lightning" tried to block him with his scissors ability, but was mercilessly pierced through by a single magma fist from Sakazuki, sent flying—his life or death unknown.
Next, the okama king Ivankov roared as he charged in, unleashing his proud "Death Wink" and "Galaxy Wink" in succession. But against the absolute power gap and Sakazuki's unrelenting will to kill, he only held out for a moment…
Ultimately, he was smashed away by a ferocious magma fist, crashing into the ruins like a roadside pebble casually swept aside.
"The Straw Hat kid… must die!"
Sakazuki growled lowly. He no longer bothered with small fry, raising his head to the sky as his arm fully elementalized into a massive magma fist!
Countless enormous magma fists rained down like a meteor shower toward the bay's ice surface!
The blanket bombardment turned the already crowded retreat zone into a true hell on earth!
Ice melted, ships burned, pirates and Marines too slow to dodge screamed and wailed in the magma, instantly swallowed!
Screams, groans, and explosions once again became the battlefield's dominant melody—more wretched than at any previous moment!
This hellish scene finally shattered the psychological defenses of a certain young Marine.
"Stop… please stop!!"
Coby, Garp's disciple, clutched his head and knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face. The sounds of slaughter around him, the dying cries of his comrades…
Even the brutal sight of some blood-maddened Marines ignoring fallen wounded to pursue only pirates stabbed into his brain like countless needles.
"We've already won, haven't we?! Why keep doing this… why cause more needless casualties!!"
Just as his mind teetered on the brink of collapse, the screen shifted to the edge of the bay.
[At that moment, Jinbe prepared to leap into the sea while holding Luffy. As a fish-man, once he entered the water, Sakazuki would no longer be able to catch him…]
This might be their only path to survival!
Jinbe clutched the unconscious Luffy tightly and charged with his last ounce of strength toward the sea surface divided by ice and magma.
However, he had underestimated Sakazuki's resolve!
"You're not escaping!"
Sakazuki—who had been unleashing Meteor Volcano from afar—suddenly appeared before them as if teleporting!
His magma fist, carrying devastating heat, came smashing down!
"Fish-Man Karate: Secret Technique!"
Jinbe's eyes nearly split with fury as he desperately swung a fist to meet it! But he was already at his limit—how could he withstand a full-powered strike from a Navy Admiral?
"Pfft!"
The magma fist pierced straight through Jinbe's thick chest without suspense, the searing heat even cauterizing the wound!
The intense pain nearly made him faint instantly, yet he still used his body to shield Luffy with unyielding determination.
Luffy's chest was scorched with two hideous burn scars by the residual heat, but his life was temporarily safe.
Only the straw hat that had accompanied him for so many years fluttered lightly down onto the bloodstained ice.
Jinbe crashed heavily to the ground while holding Luffy, his consciousness blurring. Flashes of his conversation with Ace—the Fire Fist who had entrusted him in Impel Down to protect his little brother—surged through his mind…
No, he had risked his life to protect Luffy not just because of that promise, but because deep in his heart he admired this reckless boy who had dared to declare war on the world to save his brother!
Just as Sakazuki's fatal follow-up was about to descend and end the Straw Hat kid's life once and for all…
The originally unconscious Jinbe suddenly erupted with his final reserves of strength, once again throwing his scarred and battered body in front of Luffy without hesitation!
At the very last second!
"Shoo!"
A sharp spike made of sand burst unexpectedly from beneath the ice, precisely and swiftly slicing through Sakazuki's elementalized body!
"If you want to protect something, protect it to the end. Don't let these guys do whatever they want anymore!"
At the critical moment, the one who intervened was none other than Crocodile!
Cigar in mouth, face cold and stern, he manipulated a sandstorm to instantly sweep up Jinbe and Luffy, pulling them out of Sakazuki's attack range.
This sudden rescue left everyone stunned. The sandstorm carried the two and crashed—perfectly—right into Buggy the Clown, who had been stealthily trying to slip away.
[Surrounding pirates who didn't understand what was happening immediately erupted in enthusiastic cheers, their eyes filled with infinite admiration for "Captain Buggy" daring to save people from Akainu's grasp!]
"Eh?! W-Wait! It wasn't me…"
Buggy's face paled in terror, but seeing the fanatical gazes around him and the approaching Akainu,
He could only steel himself, clumsily hoisting Jinbe and Luffy onto his shoulders and beginning to flee amid the mistaken "adoration."
Sakazuki burned with rage and was about to pursue when several Whitebeard Pirates division commanders fearlessly blocked his path!
"You're not getting past!"
"We'll avenge our old man and Ace!"
The captains' desperate interception temporarily halted Akainu's advance.
Meanwhile, on Sengoku's side, the situation had taken a sharp turn for the worse. Teach was growing increasingly proficient with the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, and the combination of darkness and tremors became ever more cunning and bizarre.
Though Sengoku was strong, facing this unprecedented dual-ability combination, he found himself momentarily struggling to fully suppress it.
"Captain! I'll help you!"
Burgess seized an opening and attempted to sneak attack Sengoku.
"Get lost! Small fry, don't get in the way!"
A explosive roar thundered like lightning!
Iron Fist Garp charged in like a cannonball. With a simple, direct punch carrying incomparable terrifying power, he smashed the burly Burgess straight into the ground.
Garp's face was ashen. Though his heart was tormented, he was still the Marine hero—defending Marineford was a responsibility he could not shirk!
"Garp!!"
Teach roared in fury at the sight and violently yanked both fists outward into empty space!
Imitating Whitebeard's most iconic move, he bellowed: "Destroy everything!!"
"Crack!!!"
The sky seemed to tear apart, the sea groaned in agony, massive fissures spread across Marineford, the ice completely shattered, and towering waves surged in the bay!
True apocalyptic collapse!
In this doomsday-like scene, pirates fled for their lives while Marines pursued with bloodshot eyes. Order completely broke down, and lives were harvested like weeds.
"That's enough! Stop wasting lives!!"
In this moment of extreme chaos and bloodshed, a voice choked with sobs yet exceptionally clear pierced through all the clamor like a sharp sword, causing nearly everyone on the battlefield to pause!
The one shouting was Coby—trembling all over yet forcing himself to stand straight! Tears streamed down his face as he roared with every ounce of strength: "Look around! Every soldier has family waiting for them!
Haven't we already achieved our goal?! Fire Fist Ace and Whitebeard are already dead!
Why keep chasing them?! This isn't justice anymore—this is just revenge! What exactly are we protecting?!"
Coby's words fell like a bucket of cold water over many Marines whose eyes had been blinded by slaughter and hatred.
However, what answered him was Sakazuki's murderous glare hot enough to melt steel.
"You… just wasted several seconds that could have been used to execute pirates!"
Sakazuki's voice was ice-cold and bone-piercing, carrying unmasked killing intent.
"The Marines have no need for a soldier like you—whose worldview is twisted and who shakes military morale!"
A magma giant fist erupted without warning, aimed straight at Coby's head!
The shadow of death instantly enveloped Coby; he didn't even have time to feel fear.
At this life-or-death instant,
A tall, upright figure appeared like the sturdiest wall in front of Coby, drawing his sword to block Akainu's attack!
"Well done, young Marine…"
"Those few seconds you risked your life for—whether right or wrong—have profoundly influenced the fate of the world!"
When everyone saw Red-Haired Shanks, everyone—including Teach—broke out in a cold sweat!
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