Sengoku stood frozen, his mind blank with disbelief.
Two colossal beasts were trading blows before him—monsters of scale and power far beyond comprehension.
And yet… one of them had Ace tucked under his arm like a loaf of bread.
What in the world am I even looking at?
Did he bring him as a hostage… or a snack?
The scene was so absurd even the battle-hardened Marines couldn't find their footing.
It wasn't just chaos that paralyzed them.
It was the aura these creatures emitted—cold, suffocating, ancient.
Every breath of it gnawed at their spines and froze their courage.
Sengoku's sharp eyes flicked toward Ronn.
He caught it—a faint, helpless smile tugging at the bartender's lips.
So he does know them, Sengoku realized grimly.
And judging from that look, this madness might actually be his fault…
"You seem to know what's going on?" Sengoku asked, his voice tight.
Ronn shrugged.
"Father and son. Having a bit of a disagreement. Don't worry, I'm sitting this one out."
Sengoku inhaled slowly through his nose.
Of course he was.
"Fine. Then we proceed. Marines—attack!"
His voice cut through the noise like a blade.
"Retrieve Portgas D. Ace at all costs!"
At once, the troops surged forward—Vice Admirals and lieutenants alike, swarming toward the two warring dragons.
But to everyone's surprise, the first figure to charge ahead wasn't a Marine at all.
It was Donquixote Doflamingo.
In truth, Doflamingo had no intention of helping.
He wasn't interested in justice, nor in saving anyone.
His only goal was to turn this battlefield into an inferno of chaos.
If he could kill Ace and make it look like the Marines did it, Whitebeard's vengeance would be absolute.
Navy against Emperor—
and when both lay broken and bleeding, he would rise above them all.
Even if the plan failed, he still had a backup—Ronn's tavern.
"Warm drinks, no Navy, no questions asked…" he mused, lips curling.
"That place feels like home already."
"He's really giving it his all this time," Kizaru murmured lazily.
"Didn't complain about the summons, and now he's leading the charge~"
He tilted his glasses down slightly, eyes narrowing.
"Not many pirates like that these days, eh, Sakazuki?"
"He's not right," Akainu growled, his form blurring into heat.
A crimson flash, and he was gone.
Even Kizaru blinked.
"My, my~ so fast. Makes me look lazy."
He sighed, scratching his neck.
What's with all this enthusiasm?
You're making the rest of us look like we're slacking off…
High above the burning amusement park, Doflamingo smirked as Akainu appeared beside him mid-air.
"Quick on your feet, huh, Admiral?"
Akainu's jaw twitched.
"Attack. I'll cover you."
He wanted to see what this schemer was really up to.
"Fufufufu…" Doflamingo's grin widened.
"I think you've got it backwards. I'm just here to… assist."
He spread his hands—pure mockery.
Akainu opened his mouth to retort when suddenly—
A shadow crashed toward them like a cannonball.
Shendu.
His wings were torn, smoke curling off his scales.
Carrying Ace was slowing him down, and his son's relentless lightning left him little chance to counter.
Now, driven by a gust of wind and a streak of bad luck, he was sent flying—
straight toward the two waiting predators.
Their eyes lit up in unison.
Opportunity.
Without a word, they moved.
The Admiral and the Warlord leapt together, each angling for the prize.
"Great Eruption!"
Akainu's molten arm swelled like a living volcano, flinging a torrent of magma forward.
The air rippled from the heat.
BOOOOM!
The blast struck Shendu squarely on the arm cradling Ace.
It didn't pierce, but the shockwave jarred his grip.
Ace slipped free.
Akainu's heart surged.
He launched forward, molten jets propelling him through the air—
Only for silken threads, thin as spiderwebs, to snake around Ace's falling form and pull him away.
Doflamingo had him.
"Hand him over," Akainu barked.
"And maybe I'll forget this ever happened."
Doflamingo laughed—a sharp, cutting sound.
"You should take your own advice, dog of the Navy."
He jerked his hands down, strings singing.
Shendu's immense body twisted mid-air—
and slammed headfirst into Akainu.
For a full second, both just… froze.
Their faces were inches apart, equally baffled.
"Why are you hitting me?!" Shendu roared.
Why indeed.
He couldn't catch Blackbeard, his son wanted him dead, and now this damn Admiral was punching him midair?
"I was aiming for Ace!" Akainu barked, trying to shove him off.
Then—
CRACK—BOOM!
A bolt of lightning as thick as a mast crashed down from the heavens, engulfing them both.
When the smoke cleared, Shendu and Akainu were blackened head to toe, smoking faintly like overdone barbecue.
The only reason they still stood was the regenerative power of Shendu's Horse Talisman and Akainu's God-Body.
"Father," a cold voice said above.
"Why bother protecting that human? Look at you now—pathetic."
The Demon Dragon hovered overhead, wings humming with electric fury.
Doflamingo's grin returned.
"Well, well… maybe we can help each other."
He tightened his grip around Ace's throat.
"You keep your father busy. I'll kill this one. That should sting for weeks."
He didn't strike yet—he was no fool.
Even half-dead, Shendu could kill him in an instant.
He needed the son to distract him.
"Fine," the dragon said at once.
"Deal."
Shendu's expression darkened.
"You little—"
Even Akainu couldn't help but glance between them, speechless.
For a heartbeat, the four hung there, each with their own purpose—
Akainu burning for justice.
Shendu bound by his word to Rayleigh.
Doflamingo scheming for chaos.
And the Demon Dragon, who simply wanted to irritate his old man.
Back at the shattered carousel, a scout stumbled in, shouting breathlessly:
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku—sir!"
"Whitebeard's fleet has appeared at Port 13!"
Sengoku's pupils shrank.
"Now of all times…"
The old strategist knew what that meant.
The board was already chaos—adding Whitebeard turned it into an inferno.
He gritted his teeth.
"Half the forces—split off! Garp, Chaton, you'll intercept Whitebeard's ships!"
"Under no circumstances let them reach this island!"
They saluted sharply and moved out.
The ground quaked with the thunder of boots and cannon wheels.
As the battle above raged on, Sengoku himself drew a deep breath—then leapt toward the carousel ruins.
If he couldn't contain the monsters, he could still end one threat.
"Blackbeard," he muttered, eyes narrowing as his golden aura began to glow.
"You're not walking away this time."
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