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Before Zoro could pull Luffy to safety, a colossal figure had already reached them from behind. Its long, dark shadow enveloped the crew, like a mountain pressing down on them!
"Three-Sword Style: Lion's Song!" (Santōryū: Shishi Sonson)
Zoro reacted fastest, turning instantly to unleash his most powerful technique without hesitation!
However, facing the swords, Kuma gently raised his left hand to block. The three blades instantly stalled, unable to move an inch forward.
Kuma then pushed his empty right hand forward. The paw pad on his palm tapped lightly on Zoro's body.
Swoosh!
Zoro's figure streaked away like an afterimage, flying directly out of Marineford!
"Zoro!" Luffy screamed in terror. His crewmate was gone!
"Bastard! What did you do to that moss-head!" Sanji kicked furiously toward Kuma's head.
Kuma's left hand flashed out like lightning. The paw pad on his palm tapped Sanji's body, and Sanji's figure also vanished.
"S-Stop it!" Luffy roared, on the verge of collapse.
However, Kuma's actions showed no hesitation. With alternating swings of his hands, Carina, Brook, Usopp, and Chopper all disappeared from sight.
In just a few breaths, the Straw Hat Pirates were completely scattered!
Luffy's eyes were wide, and his body twitched uncontrollably. In this moment, the world in his eyes completely lost its color. He had set sail with his crew full of confidence. Yet, let alone becoming the Pirate King, he couldn't even defeat a single Warlord of the Sea!
The next second, Kuma's figure appeared in front of Luffy.
Ace instantly stepped in front of him, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Bastard! What do you want!"
Kuma leaned in close and whispered a few words to him. Ace froze instantly.
"Why should I believe you!"
Kuma stated calmly, "I have no need to lie to you. With my strength, I could easily kill all of you right here."
Ace fell silent.
Kuma then stepped past him and came to stand beside Luffy.
"In this world, those without strength are lambs waiting to be slaughtered! Luffy, this is not the place you should be yet!"
Swoosh!
Luffy's figure vanished from Marineford.
In the blink of an eye, only Ace was left alone on the scene.
"Fuffuffuff... I thought you'd send him flying too!" Doflamingo sneered. His implication was that Kuma had deliberately rescued the Straw Hat crew.
Kuma replied calmly, "Our orders are to fight the Whitebeard Pirates. How I deal with the Straw Hat crew is my own business!"
Kuma wasn't stupid. Saving the Straw Hats allowed for plausible deniability. Saving Ace would be absolute death! He still had his mission.
"Tch! How boring!" Doflamingo clicked his tongue, having hit a dead end.
Ace didn't hesitate for a moment, turning and running. Although he knew he was no match for the two Warlords, if he could just break through, there was still a chance!
"Fuffuffuff... where do you think you're going to run to?"
Doflamingo waved his right hand. Several nearly invisible, thin threads sliced toward Ace like blades.
"Cross Fire!" (Jūjika)
Ace crossed his arms, shooting out a cross-shaped flame that ignited Doflamingo's threads.
"Oh dear! You actually managed to burn my threads! You're quite strong!"
The threads fell to the ground and quickly burned into ash. Ace took advantage of this moment to escape a bit further.
Tsuru, observing from the shadows, felt her blood pressure spike. Was this guy treating her like a fool? If his threads were that easy to burn, how was he still a Warlord?
Doflamingo didn't care whether his intentional slacking was discovered. Or rather, so what if it was? The Five Elders wouldn't bother him over such a small matter!
Heh heh! The son of the Pirate King Roger!
If he escaped alive, the seas would surely become more chaotic and exciting, wouldn't they? He wondered how those foolish World Nobles would try to solve the problem then? Thinking this, Doflamingo's face broke into a look of extreme anticipation.
"Trying to run? Did you ask me first?" A cold, grim voice entered Ace's ears.
Tokikake had broken away from Jinbe and was using Soru to catch up. Although Jinbe was a Warlord, his home ground was the sea. Facing an Admiral Candidate on land, managing to stall him for even a short time was already impressive.
"Damn it! I'm almost there!"
Ace was only a tiny distance from the main battle zone. At this point, he had to risk everything!
He spun around suddenly. Endless flames erupted from his body, turning the surrounding area into a sea of fire. Ace then raised his hands, and the flames surged into the sky, rapidly condensing into a form.
"Great Flame Commandment: Fire Pillar!"
A giant fire dragon roared to life in the air, swooping down with overwhelming power.
Tokikake's brow tightened. This attack was not insignificant; if he took it head-on, he would be injured!
"Rankyaku: Pig Thrust!" (Rankyaku: Buta Tsuki)
Armament Haki surged onto Tokikake's leg. As he unleashed a kick, the powerful slash merged with the Haki, forming a gray wild boar with massive tusks that fiercely charged toward the fire dragon.
BOOM!
Under the terrifying shockwave, the execution platform was completely pulverized. However, Tokikake's strength ultimately proved superior. The gray wild boar bit through the fire dragon's neck, roaring triumphantly. The fire dragon dispersed into countless flying embers, drifting down onto the ground.
"Haha! Thanks, Marine-san! Cough, cough!"
Just then, Tokikake noticed something. Ace had used the shockwave from their clash, coughing up blood from the impact, to fly past the surrounding wall and land safely among the Whitebeard Pirates!
"Hahaha! Well done, Ace!" Jozu, along with several captains, rushed to receive Ace, shouting loudly.
"We've got Ace! Brothers, let's retreat!"
"ROAR!"
The Whitebeard Pirates were ecstatic. Stealing a man right from under the Marine Headquarters' nose!
They actually did it! This would be a moment for the history books!
"Bastard!" Sengoku was consumed by fury. His plan had been flawless! It was all because of those three—Bullet, Rayleigh, and Gaban! If they hadn't tied up the Three Admirals, the Whitebeard Pirates would never have broken through his encirclement!
"Gurararara..."
Whitebeard forced Sengoku back with a strike, roaring with paternal satisfaction. He raised his Murakumogiri and shouted, "Everyone! Clear a path for Ace and the others!"
The pirates responded, charging toward Ace's location.
Just then, Squard, one of Whitebeard's affiliated ship captains, approached Whitebeard.
"Pops, are you alright?"
Whitebeard glanced at him and smiled.
"Squard, is that you? I'm fine. Sengoku alone can't do anything to me!"
"You've come at a good time. Go cover Ace! I'll hold the line for you!"
"Yes, Pops!" Squard raised his long blade.
The next second, he reversed his grip. His blade plunged violently into Whitebeard's chest!