A deafening impact shook Marineford as Akainu's force sent Marco flying across the plaza. His body crashed into a solid wall, embedding him deep within it. The intense heat radiating from the Admiral melted the stone around him, causing the wall and even the floor at Marco's feet to liquefy from the scorching temperature.
Just as Marco's knees began to buckle, a sharp voice cut through the chaos.
"Dance of Roses."
A wave of sword energy burst forth, slicing through the air toward Akainu and interrupting his advance. The crimson petal-like slashes forced the Admiral to halt his pursuit.
Akainu narrowed his eyes in irritation. His arms shifted into massive magma fists that fired forward like volcanic cannonballs. They slammed into Marco, blasting him further into the wall before erupting in multiple volcanic bursts. Countless magma bombs exploded outward, scorching the battlefield.
"Tch. More fools who don't know their place," Akainu muttered, glaring at Vista, Namur, and Izo as they rushed forward to join the fight.
Marco's blue flames flared violently, washing away the magma clinging to his skin. His burns knitted together almost instantly as his Phoenix regeneration activated once more.
"Marco, are you alright?" Namur asked urgently as he reached his side.
"I'm fine," Marco replied, though his breath was slightly unsteady. He lifted his hand and looked at the red, burnt skin still smoking from the heat. Within seconds, the wounds faded completely, leaving no trace of the devastating burns.
When he looked up at Akainu again, there was no mistaking the alarm in his eyes. This man… no, this monster embodied destruction itself.
'If not for the Phoenix regeneration, I wouldn't be able to even stand against him,' Marco thought. Ever since he found himself in this world, he had understood one thing clearly. In the Marineford War, there was only one foe he absolutely had to face head-on: Akainu. The other powerhouses held back for strategic reasons, but Akainu fought with lethal intent from beginning to end.
It was exactly why Marco had invested every attribute point the system gave him into Strength. Not speed, not endurance, not intellect. Pure strength, enough to withstand the magma titan standing before him.
Yet even with his Strength above seven thousand, more than twice the Marco seen in the original timeline, he still couldn't overpower Akainu.
If Whitebeard was the strongest pirate in the world, then Akainu was undeniably the strongest Marine besides Garp.
Akainu watched the rapid regeneration of Marco's body and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Phoenix regeneration. What a troublesome ability. If I don't obliterate you instantly, you just grow back."
To him, Marco's physical power was manageable, but the regeneration was what made him an exhausting opponent. If Akainu's destructive force couldn't exceed Marco's healing speed, killing him became almost impossible.
Izo raised his pistols and spoke with firm resolve. "Marco, don't take him alone. We fight together. I'll support you from range."
"Good. This pressure is too much otherwise," Marco replied without hesitation.
With Vista attacking from the front, Marco shifted into a defensive stance, countering Akainu's heavy blows with Haki-reinforced limbs and blue flame barriers. Izo's bullets, coated in Armament Haki, struck from a distance, creating openings whenever possible. Namur circled in to assist, keeping the momentum fluid.
However, even with the combined efforts of four commanders, the best they could manage was to hold Akainu back temporarily. The Admiral's attacks were relentless, burning through everything in his path.
After more than a dozen exchanges, Vista gritted his teeth and leaned close to Marco. "Marco, we need to fall back. Fighting an Admiral head-on is pointless. Ace is already safe."
Izo nodded quickly. "Yes. Even all of us together can't bring him down. There's no victory here. Retreat now while we still can."
Marco scanned the battlefield. The majority of the Whitebeard Pirates had already begun to withdraw, leaving only several commanders still engaged. He understood instantly that prolonging this battle served no purpose.
"Alright, retreat," he said.
The commanders immediately turned to escape. Through the clash with Akainu, Marco once again grasped the overwhelming gap between an Admiral and even the strongest commanders.
"Damn it."
Akainu's face darkened with rage as he watched them flee. He launched himself forward and gave chase without hesitation.
Across the plaza, Whitebeard's massive figure clashed with Admiral Kizaru. Whitebeard understood how dangerous Kizaru could be. With the Admiral's speed, intercepting Ace would be almost trivial.
"You are really going all out now, Whitebeard-san," Kizaru drawled lazily as he dodged Whitebeard's powerful swings. A beam of light shot from his finger toward the Emperor. Whitebeard countered with a punch coated in Armament Haki and Tremor energy, shattering the laser into scattered particles of light.
Kizaru prepared to attack again, but Vista's sword aura slashed between them, forcing the Admiral to elementalize and evade.
"Die, Whitebeard."
The instant Kizaru was pushed back, over a dozen Marine Commodores and Rear Admirals rushed forward, swarming like a tide to prevent Whitebeard from gaining any momentum.
"Out of my way," Whitebeard roared. His Murakumogiri surged with the Tremor fruit's devastating force. One swing shattered the air itself.
Explosive shockwaves rippled outward. The ground quaked violently, undulating like an ocean storm. Marineford's plaza could not withstand the repetition. With booming cracks, fissures spread across the concrete before the entire ground shattered. Rubble exploded upward, and thousands of Marines were flung through the air.
"Damn it. This monstrous old man…" Vice Admiral Momonga's expression shifted to despair. They had no real way to resist this level of destructive power.
"Oh, you revealed an opening, Whitebeard-san," Kizaru's mocking voice echoed from above.
A single laser beam pierced through Whitebeard's torso.
The Emperor staggered, coughing out blood. His sharp gaze locked onto Kizaru. "You annoying brat."
"Don't let him recover. Keep attacking!" Momonga shouted as he charged forward with the Marines behind him.
"Die, Whitebeard!"
The Marines surged ahead again, fear replaced by reckless determination.
Kizaru remained at a safe distance, watching the desperate struggle with detached amusement. "You are surrounded by Marines who are at least Commodore level. How long can that old body of yours keep fighting?"
Whitebeard swept his arm forward, releasing another powerful shockwave. The whirlwind of force sent Marines flying like scattered leaves.
But before he could unleash the next attack, a sharp sound echoed across the battlefield.
"Biu."
Another laser beam pierced Whitebeard's already wounded body.
Kizaru tilted his head slightly, voice dripping with mock concern. "I warned you not to show openings in front of this old man. Otherwise, I can't help but kill you, Whitebeard-san."
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