Chapter 25: The Battle Begins—Itachi's Ultimate Fire Release
"Look! It's the Straw Hats!"
"They're getting off the ship!"
The New Fish-Man Pirates pointed and shouted as the Straw Hat crew descended from the Thousand Sunny one by one.
The residents of Fishman Island watched with mixed emotions. Questions erupted from the crowd:
"Straw Hats! Are you really going to destroy our country?!"
"Why did you kidnap the royal family?!"
"Did you really abduct our mermaid citizens?!"
"Are you friend or foe?!"
Luffy stood at the forefront, adjusting his straw hat. Beneath its brim, his eyes were fixed straight ahead.
"Whether we're friends or enemies—that's for you to decide."
Before him: 100,000 murloc soldiers. Behind him: his crew. And Itachi.
Jinbe had torn free of his chains. He approached Itachi and bowed deeply—a gesture of profound respect.
"Uchiha Itachi. From the bottom of my heart—I thank you."
In those moments before the battle, Jinbe had finally understood. Itachi's words had forced him to take ownership of his own plan, to speak his truth instead of letting conflict fester. The intervention had been subtle but decisive.
"No need for thanks." Itachi shook his head. "I simply accelerated events. The plan was yours. Thank yourself."
Jinbe's eyes widened. He bowed once more, then turned to Luffy.
This WAS Jinbe's plan: he and Shirahoshi would allow themselves to be captured. When the residents of Fishman Island had witnessed their last hope crumble, Luffy would appear—not as a pirate, but as a HERO. A human hero for fish-men to believe in.
Luffy hated the "hero" concept, and execution had been... chaotic. But the result was what mattered.
"The Straw Hats are pirates, but they're on OUR side!"
"Princess Shirahoshi called for help, and they ANSWERED!"
"They're here with Boss Jinbe to save our country!"
The murmurs spread.
Jeo, a striped shark-man officer of the New Fish-Man Pirates, sneered. "Popularity doesn't win battles. You're still just LOWLY HUMANS! Mere pirates!"
He raised his arms—
WHAM.
Nami's fist sent Brook flying mid-sentence as he attempted to flirt with Shirahoshi.
"Respect the princess!"
Brook collected two fresh lumps on his skull.
Nami presented Shirahoshi with the Celestial Dragon's letter. The princess's eyes lit up.
"This is—the hope my mother left behind!"
Robin smiled warmly. "To endure such pain without passing on the hatred... you're truly remarkable, Princess Shirahoshi."
Jinbe's gaze was equally proud. "Your silent endurance all these years—that's the true hope of Fishman Island."
While they spoke, something even more shocking than 100,000 enemies unfolded behind them.
Itachi addressed Zoro calmly: "Samurai. Do you have three swords with you?"
Zoro's eyebrow rose. "I do. Why?"
"If you have three, lend me one."
Record scratch.
Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Franky—even Luffy, who'd been watching Shirahoshi—all snapped to attention.
"BORROW A SWORD?!"
"FROM ZORO?!"
"Zoro's a SWORD MANIAC! He'd never—"
Usopp rushed to intervene. "Itachi-brother! We don't treat you like an outsider, but Zoro's swords are—"
Zoro closed his eyes. Considered. Smiled.
"Wado Ichimonji won't leave my hand. Enma's too dangerous for anyone else."
He drew his third sword.
"But I'll lend you this one."
The crew's jaws hit the deck.
"ZORO ACTUALLY—"
Luffy's eyes bugged out.
Itachi accepted the blade, testing its weight. "Thank you. I'll return it when I find a suitable weapon of my own."
"See that you do. I'm a three-sword style fighter." Zoro nodded.
"Do you even know how to use a sword?"
"A little."
Usopp hyperventilated. He'd NEVER seen Zoro like this.
Luffy rushed over. "Hey Zoro! I want to—"
KICK.
"OUT."
Luffy flew across the deck—and laughed. Even he understood now: Zoro lending his sword meant something. Trust. Acceptance.
He leaped up, grinning. When this battle's over, I can definitely say it.
Jeo cleared his throat. Loudly.
No one noticed.
Daruma, the smallest among the officers, looked up at him. "Uh... Jeo? They ignored you."
"I did that on purpose," Jeo muttered.
Dosun sighed.
CRASH.
Hody emerged from the rubble, brushing off dust. "Vander Decken's useless. We'll have to kill Shirahoshi ourselves."
The officers brightened. "CAPTAIN HODY!"
"The steroids are still working," Daruma observed.
"With how much he took, they'd BETTER be." Dosun hefted his hammer.
Hody strode forward, pointing at the Straw Hats. "Jinbe. Helping humans cheer—you disgust me."
He gestured at the chained human pirates in the distance. "The World Conference is coming. As Fishman Island's NEW king, I'll show those humans true terror! Drag them ALL into the sea!"
His gaze swept the Straw Hats. "And YOU—you'll end up just like those pathetic slaves!"
His laughter echoed. The fear of Itachi had been burned away by steroids and madness.
"WE HAVE 100,000 SOLDIERS! EVERYONE—ATTACK!"
The New Fish-Man Pirates erupted.
The residents panicked.
"The Straw Hats only have eleven... with Jinbe, twelve! Against 100,000?!"
"If they lose, we lose our HOMES!"
On the Straw Hat side, reactions varied.
Chopper cried. "100,000! A HUNDRED THOUSAND!"
Robin raised her hands, then lowered them with a sigh. "I feel like I'll be trampled flat before this war even starts."
"THAT'S TERRIFYING!" Usopp wailed.
"A hundred thousand... when you see it, it really hits you. They become tiny dots in the distance."
"I don't HAVE eyes that become dots, but I agree!" Brook raised his sword nervously.
Nami smiled smugly from behind Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp.
"THEN STOP USING US AS SHIELDS!"
Franky flexed. "I'm ready! Check out my SUPER armor!"
Sanji lit a cigarette. "A hundred thousand means we each need to take out... what, nine thousand?"
Zoro's hand found Enma. "Numbers aren't everything. Scared?"
"Of YOU, moss-head?!"
Luffy stepped forward, Conqueror's Haki building—
Itachi sighed.
Luffy paused. Grinned.
"Troublesome, isn't it? Sorry for dragging you into this."
Itachi regarded him with that calm, penetrating gaze. "Based on my observations, you're not the apologizing type."
"Huh?"
Another sigh. "Never mind. I simply dislike expending this much chakra immediately. We'll need to pace ourselves."
Before Luffy could ask what "chakra" meant, Itachi launched himself skyward—soaring above the charging murloc army.
The front lines noticed. "Look! One of them's jumping!"
"Forget him! We have NUMBERS! CRUSH THEM ALL!"
They charged, weapons raised.
Hody's eyes tracked the ascending figure. Recognition hit like a physical blow.
That's... the one with the crimson skull!
Itachi's hands moved through seals—slower than usual, the technique demanding more chakra than anything he'd used in this world.
Fire Release chakra gathered in his mouth. Built. Condensed.
He opened his jaws.
And HELL descended.
FIRE RELEASE: GREAT FIRE ANNIHILATION!
A sea of flame erupted from his mouth—not a stream, not a dragon, but a CATACLYSM. The fire spread across the sky like a burning net, covering Gyoncorde Plaza in an infernal canopy.
The murlocs below froze, staring up at the impossible sight.
Fire. Burning. UNDERWATER.
And it was coming for them.
(End of Chapter)
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