A massive fist of molten magma, nearly twenty meters wide, roared across the battlefield. Its heat warped the air as it shot forward, striking Little Oars Jr.'s head and blowing it apart in a single devastating burst. The one responsible stood amidst the rising steam and molten debris, his expression cold and merciless—Admiral Akainu.
Ace had been moments away from thawing Little Oars Jr., but the brutal scene froze him in place. His eyes widened, refusing to accept the sight of the gentle giant's headless body collapsing to the ground.
"Little Oars…!"
The Whitebeard Pirates' voices trembled with fury and grief.
Aside from Marco himself, no one had contributed more to Ace's rescue than Little Oars Jr. Without him clearing the path into the plaza, they might never have broken through the Marines' encirclement. He had sacrificed everything for Ace. And now, he had been killed without hesitation.
Akainu drew back his magma-coated arm, molten droplets sizzling as they fell. "I should have finished off this demon back at the bay," he said coldly. "Letting him live created far too many problems. As long as this old man is here, none of you will escape."
"Akainu…!"
"That monster killed Little Oars Jr.!"
"Get him! Avenge Little Oars!"
Overwhelmed with rage, several Whitebeard Pirates charged toward him without hesitation.
"Stop! Don't be reckless!" Jozu's urgent voice cut through the chaos. He knew exactly how dangerous an Admiral was, having clashed directly with Aokiji earlier. Even commanders like him couldn't stand against an Admiral alone. Charging blindly was suicide.
Akainu's eyes narrowed.
"Fools. Red Lotus."
His magma reshaped into the massive form of a hound's jaws, tens of meters long. The blistering heat devoured every pirate in its path, their bodies melting away before they could even scream. The magma hound then burst apart, scattering volcanic bombs over the fleeing pirates.
Explosions thundered one after another. Even Marines were caught in the blast radius this time.
The carnage forced the enraged pirates to regain their senses. Jozu instinctively moved to block one of the volcanic bombs, but even that brief contact scorched his arm. He clenched his teeth, pain flashing across his face.
"This…" he muttered, grimacing as the heat seeped deeper into his skin. "This monster…"
Akainu's strength wasn't just power—it was lethal. His magma reached terrifying temperatures that even diamond-level defense could not withstand. The pirates who had rushed forward were reduced to molten remains in an instant.
Akainu stepped over the scorched ground, his expression unchanging. "Don't delude yourselves. Saving Fire Fist doesn't mean you can leave. Pirates are all the same. This old man will make sure none of you walk out of here."
Ace's fists trembled as he stared at Little Oars' falling body, then at the comrades being swallowed by magma. His anger eclipsed reason.
"Akainu… I'll kill you!"
Marco immediately shouted, "Ace, stop! You can't take him head-on!"
Marco knew Akainu's strength far too well. In the original sequence of events, Ace died by Akainu's hand. If that happened here, Marco's mission would be a complete failure.
"Marco, take Ace away now!" Whitebeard's voice boomed across the plaza. He had exchanged blows with Akainu moments earlier and understood perfectly that Ace—still inexperienced with his fruit—stood no chance.
Marco burst forward, wings igniting in blue flame. At the same instant, he pushed all of his newly earned attribute points into strength, raising it to 7,723. Every point mattered. Every point increased his chances of standing against the magma tyrant.
But Ace, fueled by rage and overconfidence from his earlier clash with Aokiji, ignored all warnings. Flames engulfed his body as he roared, "Fire Fist!"
Akainu's voice thundered back at him. "Reckless brat. If you want death, this old man will give it to you."
Their fists collided—fire versus magma.
This time, the outcome was instantaneous.
Akainu's magma swallowed Ace's flames effortlessly, overpowering him completely. The blow sent Ace flying, magma burning his arm and searing through his flames.
"Ace!"
"He's made of fire! How can he be burned?!"
"What kind of power is that?!"
The Whitebeard Pirates froze in disbelief. Ace had fought Aokiji as an equal earlier. Even if Admirals varied in strength, the gap shouldn't have been this overwhelming.
Akainu walked toward the fallen Ace, whose breath trembled as he clutched his scorched arm. The Admiral glared down at him.
"Hmph. You Logia types think you're untouchable. This old man has killed countless like you. Your flames are ordinary. Mine is magma. You cannot defeat me."
Ace's eyes trembled with anger… and fear. Only Whitebeard had ever made him feel the weight of death. Now Akainu became the second.
Akainu's fist ignited again, preparing to deliver the finishing blow.
Suddenly—
"Ace, get out of there! I'll hold him off!"
Jozu rushed in with everything he had.
"Brilliant Collision!"
"Hmph, another fool. Great Eruption!"
The two attacks clashed. For a split second, Jozu's confidence flickered. But it vanished as soon as he felt the blistering heat rapidly spreading from his arm through his entire body.
His diamond skin softened. Then melted.
A torrent of magma engulfed him, launching him violently across the battlefield.
"Commander Jozu!"
Despair struck the Whitebeard Pirates. Their strongest defender had been overwhelmed without suspense.
Steam poured from Jozu's battered body as he hit the ground, his left arm severely burned.
"Commander Jozu, behind you!" someone shouted.
Jozu barely had time to register the warning before he felt a chilling presence at his back—followed by a lazy, drawling voice.
"It looks like you're burning up quite a bit. In that case, let me help you cool off."
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