Hi guys Azza here!
Ok so just a quick thing to say that this story has now surpassed the word count for Volume II making it the longest story out of the three! We'll be at one million before you know it, super excited by this but figured I'd mention it for you all and thank you all again for reading this far!
Anyway, on with the story!
I do not own Fairy Tail, One Piece or the Nasuverse.
Portgas D Ace
/Execution Plaza/
"Don't let a single one of these bastards escape," a Marine shouted as the World Government forces continued to rain down a veritable hailstorm of gunfire across the now retreating Allied Forces.
Whitebeard's last command had indeed been heeded as Allied Command sent word down the ranks to approve the order. The higher-ranking officers from both Eden and the Whitebeard Pirates now linking up in order to aid in the retreat.
"We don't have long," Jozu roared over several explosions that peppered the area surrounding their flimsy cover. "Where is Artoria!?"
"The King Of Knights is unable to break away from her engagement against Dracule Mihawk," Caesar replied as the entire group hit the deck, shrapnel flying over where their heads had once been. "I haven't been in such chaos since the campaign in Gaul, I must say this is all rather exciting!"
"That's all well and good, but can we stay on topic," Marco huffed as they all slowly got to their knees, not risking returning to their feet lest they be forced to hit the deck again. "What's the plan!?"
"The plan is rather simple," Caesar sniffed as he placed a Den Den Mushi in between the group. "This is Caesar, are the ships prepared?"
"Though we have been forced to divert around fifteen ships to avoid the Navy erecting a blockade, the remainder of the ships are ready and waiting your command Sir!"
"Excellent. Now then, here is what we shall do-!"
As Caesar began to explain his plan for their retreat, the battles around them continued to increase in severity.
The entire area Artoria and Mihawk were fighting in was completely sliced apart as massive gaping fissures littered the area and the two swordsmen crashed against one another with relentless ferocity.
The legendary Black Blade of the strongest swordsman clashed with Excalibur once again as their wielders pushed against one another with all their strength. Both felt the ground fold in under them as it buckled from the sheer pressure behind the attacks, a massive crater forming with the pair at ground zero.
"You are truly worthy of the title King Of Knights," Mihawk said as the pair pushed against one another at the same time, breaking the clash and skidding backward into defensive stances. "It has been over a decade since I've found another sword user that can match me like this!"
"The title of World's Greatest Swordsman is indeed accurate for you as well, Dracule Mihawk," Artoria replied sharply as her blade began to glow a bright golden colour. "Though I respect your skill with the blade, I cannot allow that to get in the way of my duty here as one of the Commanders sent to aid the Whitebeard Pirates. If defeating you is what is necessary to save them, then I shall not hold back!"
"I would be offended if you did," Mihawk sniffed in response as both sword users vanished and appeared at the centre of the crater once again.
Bringing his blade down vertically, Artoria sidestepped it and moved to perform an upward slash which was also sidestepped. Both spun around and crossed blades, using one hand to twirl their blades as they clashed again and again which sent sparks flying out across the crater.
Artoria winced as she felt one of the sparks graze her cheek, but refused to let it distract her at the pair both crossed blades one last time before separating and eyeing the other warily.
"That's good, not even the slightest falter," Mihawk hummed appreciatively as a slight burn slowly formed on his cheek. "I haven't had anyone to fight against like this since Red Hair lost his arm so do forgive me for indulging my desire for a real fight just a little while longer."
Both slid their right legs back in preparation to attack one another however, before they had the chance to continue, Natsu skidded right through the area between them before vanishing.
In the time it took for both sword users to blink, Natsu vanished and the Servant that arrived with Grand Avenger appeared, smashing the ground with enough force to fold several metres of rock inward which forced both to jump back lest the ground crumble beneath them.
It was then that Artoria noticed the Servant in front of her, the familiar brutality on full display. There was no doubt about the identity of this one, she couldn't forget his name.
"Kirei Kotomine!"
The Servant snapped his attention to Artoria and rose back to his full height, a small smile etching its way onto his face. This posture didn't fool anyone though, any battle-hardened warrior could tell he was still fully on guard.
"Artoria Pendragon, truly a … pleasure to see you again," Kirei replied as Natsu appeared at her left, panting slightly with clear battle damage on him.
"I most certainly cannot say the same!"
"A shame, but understandable," Kirei replied neutrally as he waved his hand. "After all, its not like you're burdened with those two poor excuses of Masters this time so perhaps you'll actually get somewhere in this Grail War?"
"You bastard-!"
"Artoria, settle down," Natsu hissed as the King Of Knights glared back in response. "He's riling you up Artoria, use your head! We all know you perform better when you retain your cool so settle down!"
"And how would you know anything about me!?"
"Mordred is the exact same," Natsu replied easily which had Artoria grit her teeth and shake her head in turn. "Calm down Artoria."
He was right though. In terms of how well she performed during battle, a calm and collected mind always prevailed and even Excalibur itself was telling her that.
With a sigh, she slowly looked back up at Kirei, noticing that Mihawk had left the crater during the time she had been thinking. Looking back to Natsu, she smiled softly and nodded once before looking back to Kirei again.
"I must say, I'm surprised you even managed to manifest as a Servant," Artoria finally said as Kirei shrugged lazily in response.
"Different world, different rules. Besides, you and I both know that the Grand Order itself is an irregularity, my presence here is far from the strangest occurrence by those standards, is it?"
"All that aside, why would you work for the World Government anyway," Natsu asked which had Kirei chuckle softly in response.
"I don't work for them."
"But why would you fight for them then," Natsu shot back as he clenched his fists. "You tried to assassinate either Luffy or Ace right in front of me and you expect me to believe you don't work for them!?"
"I am not bound to any entity of the World Government," Kirei repeated as he extended his arms outward as if gesturing to the chaos around him. "My contract lies with Grand Avenger himself!"
"Bullshit! A Servant being the Master of another Servant," Natsu snapped back in response. "That can't be true, it defies everything I know about the rules of a Grail War!"
"Actually, it is possible for a Servant to gain control over another if they manage to acquire the Command Seals," Artoria cut in, shocking Natsu as he looked back over to Kirei. "I've seen in firsthand during a Grail War I fought in."
Natsu had to admit that he wasn't an expert on Grail Wars, his knowledge obtained from Scathach clearly outdated in many ways. From Madara Uchiha and Abigail Williams appearing in the Foreigner Class and now Kirei Kotomine in the Alter-Ego Class, two Servant Classes not described at all in the book he read, he knew that there were things that had been deliberately hidden from him.
But for a Servant to also be a Master? Why would they hide this piece of crucial information, for what purpose?
"Does this mean that Alexander Anderson is also contracted to Grand Avenger," Natsu asked suddenly as Artoria's gaze snapped to him. "He appeared alongside the pair of you when I had assumed him defeated after Thriller Bark?"
"He was recently contracted after being brought back by General Makenshi, yes."
That was another name he'd forgotten about. General Makenshi Of The White Mist, the strange and powerful figure Kaze had been searching for since they first met back during the incident in the Hidden Sand Village.
Where was he during all this?
His heavily fatigued, concussed and adrenaline fuelled self was struggling to recall vital information. Important people, key figures of the conflict that needed to be addressed. Likewise, he was forgetting other important details though what those were remained beyond his reach.
Only the gut feeling of acting drove him now.
"It seems I'm out of time," Kirei muttered as he looked back to where Grand Avenger was still standing and nodded. "As fun as this has been, I have important matters to attend to."
"You aren't going anywhere," Natsu snapped as he charged forward only to stumble and drop to his knees. "UGH-!"
"Natsu," Artoria gasped as she dropped to his side and watched in horror as he spat out a solid chunk of flesh mixed in with a pool of blood. "What …!?"
"I have done what was requested of my by my Master," Kirei said as his form slowly vanished.
"What have you done Kirei," Artoria shouted only to receive a small smile before the man fully faded away. "Damn you-!"
She was snapped out of her frustration by another pained cough as Natsu spat out another chunk of flesh, clearly in pain.
"What has he done!?"
"His attacks," Natsu managed to gasp out between ragged breaths. "He practically liquefied my insides with them, blasting them apart with such precise strikes!"
Looking back to the bits of flesh on the ground, she realized what he was doing. He was filtering out his destroyed organs and regenerating new ones. His severely fatigued state however meant that it was going to be a slow and painful process instead of one done instantaneously.
"We can't stay here," Artoria muttered as she held up her right wrist where the miniature Den Den Mushi was. "This is Artoria, the King Of Balance is down and I need immediate assistance!"
Artoria's eyes widened slightly at the lack of response and so she tried again, only for static.
"You won't get anyone," Natsu huffed as he managed to sit down. "Whitebeard made his final order and the evacuations have begun. Right now, everyone on the Allied side is preparing to flee as Whitebeard holds the line alone … we're cut off, basically."
"Of all the times," Artoria muttered as she looked back toward Natsu with a softer gaze, kneeling down next to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You really are a handful sometimes, just look at yourself …"
"If you know me as well as I think you do, you'll know that I'll do whatever it takes to help, consequences to myself be damned," Natsu chuckled weakly. "Ace is Luffy's Brother and an innocent man guilty of the crime of being born, of course I couldn't turn a blind eye to something like that."
An explosion went off just outside the crater as the entire area shook violently, no doubt one of Whitebeard's earthquakes going off. Both looked up to the crater's edge before looking back at the other.
"Can you stand?"
"I'm only about twenty percent of the way through regenerating, I'm basically stuck here until my heart and lungs are patched up and even then, it'll be slow until the rest is fixed."
"How long until you can regenerate your heart and lungs?"
"For you, give me five minutes," Natsu replied cheekily which elicited a small blush from Artoria before she abruptly huffed and pushed him over. "OW!"
"Don't be a fool and focus on healing yourself instead of being a shameless flirt! I swear, I don't remember which one of you is worse, you or Merlin?"
Both laughed softly, even as explosions went off all around the crater. Once the noise died down a little, Artoria continued to speak.
Once your heart and lungs are patched up, we need to make a break for it."
"Was about to say the same thing, the enemy line was already closing in before I got punted down here so they could even be on us before then."
"This will be a close one to escape from …"
"We'll make it Artoria, we're both strong."
"Yeah … strong," Artoria muttered as she thought back to when Mordred reappeared in her Ruler form before looking back at Natsu again.
As Natsu recovered in a crater under the watchful eye of Artoria, the battle of Marineford had shifted dramatically yet again as the Allied Forces rapidly began retreating back to the thoroughly destroyed rampart walls.
The forces of the World Government were in hot pursuit, though their spirit had been practically quashed thanks to the freedom of the sole man meant to be executed.
Speaking of said man, both Ace and Luffy continued to run toward the Allied Forces who had held back against the onslaught of troops being sent their way, determined to ensure both Brothers made it out alive.
"Come on Ace, we're almost there," Luffy cried as they had just about made it to their destination. "Just a little bit further!"
"Ace! Luffy!"
Both young men were shocked as Jimbei smashed his way through the last wave of enemies blocking their path to the Allied side. The Fishman was panting heavily, sporting several wounds, and yet he grinned like it was one of the greatest days of his life.
"Thank goodness, I finally made it through!"
"Jimbei," Luffy grinned back as he ran over to the former Warlord. "I was worried something happened to you after we split up!"
"Well, you could say that I suppose," Jimbei replied as he motioned to his slightly wounded self. "I knew you'd both need a way back to the Allied side and so I had to help out however I could!"
"Jimbei," Ace muttered as he slowly came to a stop before the large Fishman. "I can't believe you actually came …"
"Of course I came, you're my friend, just like old man Whitebeard is my friend," Jimbei snapped back as he playfully shoved the man. "The massive debt all Fishmen owe to Whitebeard aside, I couldn't stand by and let the World Government get away with what they were trying to do here!"
"Jimbei …"
"Enough about me though, we need to get out of here while we can," Jimbei continued, his tone becoming much darker as he looked beyond the pair toward the enemy forces. "Come on!"
All three started sprinting toward the Allied side, barely twenty metres of distance to go. However, just before they managed to reach them, a voice sliced through the chaos like a knife.
"Of course you'd run, that's all Pirates who look up to Whitebeard can do, isn't it? Bad enough they're less useful than trash, taking up space amidst the seas and stealing from the righteous who dwell there, but they have the nerve to act like they've accomplished something here!?"
All three skidded to a stop as many of the people around them likewise stopped, the words echoing across the area which clearly enraged many within the Allied ranks.
"But what could we expect from Pirates who call a washed-up relic like Whitebeard a 'Father' and act like the man is a virtuous angel? Whitebeard is nothing more than a deluded old fool who should have carked it decades back, a decrepit old relic that poisons the very fabric of this world with his very existence!"
"The hell did you just say," Ace snarled as he spun back around, fire randomly spawning across his body before flickering out. "Take back what you just said about the old man!"
"Ace, don't listen to him," one of the nearby Whitebeard Pirates called out as he placed an arm on the man's shoulder. "He's just trying to rile you up-!"
"As if I'm gonna let it go," Ace snapped as he shrugged off the man's arm. "He mocked the old man, I'm not gonna let that go unanswered, Akainu!"
"You want me to 'take it back' as if the words weren't the truth," Akainu replied mockingly which only served to further anger Ace. "Not in a million years would I ever take it back and I'll tell you why!"
As Akainu adjusted his hat, the attention of everyone in Marineford focusing on him directly, Natsu and Artoria finally managed to get out of the crater with Natsu's arm slung over the King Of Knights shoulder.
Both stopped upon seeing the scene before them and looked to one another with little more than grim realization.
"Your Father was Gol D Roger, the man who conquered the Grand Line and opened up the door to the new era known as the Great Pirate Era by sacrificing himself at Loguetown. To an outsider, his motives might have seemed strange, and as a Navy Admiral it isn't my place to say this, but he was true to his title as King Of Pirates," Akainu said as he pointed toward Iskandar, switching over to Leonidas before finally landing on Artoria and Natsu's position. "Like them, he earned his title as a King, forged his name like them into the annals of history as a legend, a constant in our world! Compared to Whitebeard, the man might as well be a … Devil, so to speak."
The tone the Navy Admiral used wasn't lost on a select few within the area that were fully aware of what Akainu was talking about, Natsu in particular shocked that the man actually knew a detail such as that.
"When Roger died, his title went uninherited," Akainu continued. "Whitebeard refused to step up and claim it, cowering before the Throne like a cowardly dog instead of embracing what should have been his destiny!"
"Shut up …"
"By contrast, the other Emperors are leaps and bounds ahead of that old relic! Hundred Beasts Kaido, Charlotte Linlin and perhaps the closest to the mantle, Red Hair Shanks, all three are far beyond anything Whitebeard could ever hope to be!"
"Shut up-!"
"Whitebeard is a failure who couldn't become a King! He is a man who fell short of the mantle and will forever be known as a loser who died for nothing! The talk of his so-called family and his name supposedly keeping the peace across various islands of this world is laughable," Akainu snapped as Ace took several steps forward. "He took in a bunch of useless garbage and raised them up from child soldiers, calling them his Sons, roaming around looting and plundering with his fake family, imitating what it meant to be a true King-!"
"Shut up Akainu-!"
"He travelled the seas for decades, gained nothing and wound up here trying to save a dirty blooded bastard! So useless he was backstabbed by a weak-minded, weak-willed fool whose name won't even be remembered a year after his death!"
"Akainu-!"
"How pathetic," Akainu sighed as he smirked in Ace's direction. "Like they say, let the trash pile up and it will eventually start to smell. This entire battle is the garbage known as the Whitebeard Pirates being tossed straight into the compactor of history where it belongs. And it smells … like … shit."
"What a heartless bastard," Natsu snarled as he felt Artoria's grip on his side tighten. "To say such things so callously …"
"This is the truth of what World Government brass are like Natsu, and why we directly oppose them," Artoria replied quietly as they both watched Ace slowly advance toward Akainu. "They despise freedom, the entire world is their prison and the Celestial Dragons are the ones prompting it to fester like this!"
Humming in agreement, they focused their attention back onto Ace and Akainu as the young man's body exploded into orange flame, a furious expression on his face.
"You don't know anything about the old man," Ace snarled, his glare not affecting the Navy Admiral in the slightest. "The old man gave us a place to live, a place to grow and learn and become better than we ever could have imagined ourselves being! A monster like you would NEVER understand his greatness!"
"Trash like you who refuse to live the way the law dictates don't deserve a home; you deserve a firing squad-!"
"-STOP IT-!"
"-WHITEBEARD WILL DIE A LOSER! IT IS HIS FATE FOR BEING A NAÏVE BLEEDING HEART IN A WORLD OF ORDER-!"
"-WHITEBEARD IS A GREAT PIRATE WHO SHAPED THIS ERA," Ace roared as his mind flashed back to when he first met the old man, the annoying yet warm and understanding smile practically burnt into his memory as his entire body exploded with fire that pushed everyone around him back. "DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE MAKE FUN OF THE MAN WHO SAVED ME!"
Ace charged toward Akainu who cocked back his right arm as it morphed into magma, the very ground beneath him cracking under the sheer pressure.
"THE NAME OF THIS ERA SHOULD BE WHITEBEEEEAAAAARRRD!"
As Ace and Akainu's Fire and Magma fists clashed, it sent out shockwaves that knocked down most who were nearby. The roars of Ace were drowned out by Akainu's roar in response to Ace's declaration as the man was almost immediately beginning to be pushed back.
"Both Whitebeard, and you idiots who call him your Father are nothing more than BLIND FOOLS!"
Akainu's attack completely engulfed Ace's as the man was blasted away, the fist he'd used for the punch now completely burnt as he landed face first on the ground several metres away.
"There's further proof of the arrogance you all share," Akainu sniffed as he stepped up to Ace's downed form. "You're a Logia User who thought himself invulnerable thanks to his element. So stupid you fail to even understand how elements work!"
"Tch-!"
"You are Fire, but I am Magma. Magma is, and always will be, superior to Fire! Even when Dragneel clashed with me earlier, he was forced to infuse other elements into his attacks in order for his Fire to hold up against it!"
As Akainu loomed over Ace, Luffy went to move to help his Brother. Unfortunately, it was at this moment that his own fatigue started catching up to him and his legs failed him and he fell to his knees.
"Luffy," Jimbei gasped as he watched Luffy try and fail to get back onto his feet. "You shouldn't fight any longer. You've suffered a lot since Sabaody and you aren't like Dragneel so you shouldn't keep going like this!"
Luffy's vision darkened ever so slightly as he narrowed his eyes on the ground, trying to figure out what was happening to his body. As he grappled with this, Akainu continued to speak.
"Portgas D Ace, the Son of Gol D Roger and Monkey D Luffy, the Son of the Revolutionary Monkey D Dragon … I must admit that even I was amazed to learn that the two of you are Step-Brothers," Akainu muttered as he looked over toward Luffy's downed form. "The amount of dirty blood between the pair of you could poison this world beyond repair, therefore I have decided that it no longer matters if all the others get away! So long as I kill the both of you, Justice shall stand tall amidst the sea of chaos you Pirates unleash!"
"What-!?"
"Watch what I'm about to do, Ace," Akainu chuckled darkly as Ace put two and two together, his eyes shrinking to the size of pinpricks as Akainu vanished.
"NO," Ace roared as he spun around to see Akainu going right for Luffy. "LUFFY!"
Ace's words seemed to register to Luffy, his vision somewhat clearing as he looked up to where he'd heard his Brother's shout, only to see Akainu and his massive Magma Fist bearing down upon him.
His mind went blank as he tried to process what was surely going to be his death.
He didn't have the strength to move.
He didn't have the power to block.
He knew begging wouldn't work.
There was nothing in his mind that could possibly stop Akainu in this moment … nothing conceivable, anyway.
Blood splashed against his face, bringing attention to the fact that he wasn't dead yet.
He breathed in, his mind slowly beginning to process his surroundings as it normally would. The world around him became clearer, the smell of the battlefield reaching his nose, however it was mixed in with something that didn't register until his eyes managed to discern what was right in front of him.
All across the battlefield, both sides were frozen in shock.
Even Rider Of The Axis had stopped, his eyes widened at what had happened, the reaction of Shining Star hidden behind her mask.
Garp was horrified as he stood next to an unreadable Sengoku, neither having a single word to say.
Iskandar, to the shock of everyone, had his teeth grit and tears beginning to fall from his eyes as he bore witness to something that practically symbolized his entire reign. Even so, he knew how tragic it was, for he had experienced it himself.
Natsu and Artoria both dropped to their knees, mainly because Artoria was so stunned she could no longer support Natsu's weight and the latter having not recovered enough yet.
"Oh Luffy," Natsu choked out shakily. "I'm so sorry …"
Akainu's face was resigned as the smoke fully cleared from the area, the shocked Luffy simply gaping at what was before him.
A Magma Fist was mere inches away from his face, yet it refused to budge further. Blocking its advance, was the body of Ace.
His arms outstretched before his Brother, the fist had smashed through the centre of his back and out his chest, his Logia ability offering him no immunity to the superior Magma power. All he could do was use his body as a shield to protect Luffy, the last of his strength halting the fist in place.
Akainu sharply retracted the fist, blood spurting out to reveal the now gaping hole in the young man's torso. Ace dropped to his knees and into the arms of Luffy whose mind still hadn't fully come to terms with what he was seeing.
"This is the end of you Brothers," Akainu muttered darkly as he looked through the hole in Ace and directly into the eyes of Luffy. "I will not rest until you are both less than dust."
Akainu's words were lost on Luffy however, the only thing registering in his mind being his Brother and the blood that now coated half his body. The shallow breaths of the Fire Fruit User rapidly fading as he finally found the means to speak.
"Ace …"
"L-Luffy-!"
"W-we just need to get you some help," Luffy stuttered out shakily, his eyes not daring to move lower than his Brother's face. "Yeah … I know, Ivankov can-!"
"Luffy," Ace hissed, silencing his Brother as his forehead smacked into Luffy's own. "There's no time …"
"N-no time!? Wh-what are you t-talking ab-bout …"
"Look at me Luffy … I'm done for, my organs are barely there at all," Ace sighed. "B-but … I wanna say something … before I-!"
"Shut up-!"
"Luffy," Ace wheezed as his strength began to fail him. "Please …"
"You're still alive Ace," Akainu muttered as his fist turned back into Magma once again. "No matter, this one will take both of you out of the game for sure."
Luffy seemed to register what Akainu was doing, his eyes wide as the glow from the Magma lit up the area once more. Holding Ace tighter, he tried to move but failed as his body refused to obey him any longer.
"Stop … PLEASE," Luffy cried only for Akainu to ignore his plea entirely.
Nearby however, his cry was heard by someone however as Whitebeard spun around and noticed what had happened. The old man's eyes were wide at what he was seeing, his rage steadily climbing as he began to charge forward.
"ACE!"
"Foolish."
A red lance pierced Whitebeard through the back and out through the front of his chest as Cu Alter appeared from within the enemy line. The lance retracted back into the Berserker's arm as he stood between Whitebeard and Ace.
"You …"
"I'm afraid this is as close as you'll be getting, Whitebeard."
"You damn BRAT," Whitebeard roared as both he and Cu Alter charged at one another.
As Akainu's fist came down upon the Brothers, Luffy thought for sure this time they were dead. However, at the last possible moment, Jimbei leapt in the way and blocked the attack.
"Jimbei!"
"Ngh-!"
"So, you plan on getting in the way too!?"
"I won't let you hurt them any longer, Akainu!"
"Quit the pointless stalling, Jimbei! You are a former Warlord, surely you know how strong I am compared to the likes of you!?"
"If letting my body burn away will buy the Allied Forces some time, then I don't mind! I already accepted my death long before setting foot on this battlefield!"
"Then I'll take that as your official resignation," Akainu roared as his Magma exploded out across the battlefield. "And your severance shall be your execution!"
Jimbei stood firm as Akainu's attack slammed into his guard. The pain was unbearable, but he refused to budge. He needed to buy as many vital seconds as he possibly could.
"JIMBEI, GET DOWN!"
Almost immediately, Jimbei dropped as Marco and Vista flew over his former position and lashed out at Akainu, pushing the Admiral back and taking large chunks out of his body. The Admiral merely sneered at the pair and shook his head.
"Haki Users, how annoying."
A blue blast pierced through Akainu's chest before exploding, ripping open a hole in the man's left side however it clearly had no effect. The Admiral's gaze moved over toward Sir Tristan, who stood a short distance away with a melancholic look.
"To think that after all this, Portgas D Ace would still fall to the World Government …"
"You're one of the King Of Knights lackeys," Akainu sniffed as he regenerated his body back to normal. "You'll die just like the rest."
"My life, and the lives of the other Servants, don't truly matter," Tristan hummed as power exploded from his form as his harp-like bow began to glow the same blue colour as the arrow Akainu was struck with. "So long as we can save as many current lives as possible, we can fade away satisfied!"
"We need to push Akainu back," Marco shouted as both he and Vista took offensive stances. "Let's make this bastard pay!"
"You're all fools," Akainu snarled as he moved to take a step forward only for dozens of the blue blasts to strike him at once, sending him skidding backward as his body was blasted apart again. "You only delay the inevitable!"
All eyes moved to Sir Tristan who, to the shock of many, had his own eyes open now with a steely gaze directed onto Akainu.
"Holy crap, he must be pissed now," Vista muttered. "The Knight Of Lamentation rarely ever opens his eyes …"
"You might believe yourself to be righteous and just, but you are little more than a deluded fool," Tristan snapped as he strummed his harp-like bow and summoned dozens more of the arrow shaped blasts around him. "We may have failed to save Ace, but we shall not fail to enact TRUE Justice in his stead!"
Leaping into the air, Tristan began strumming a pleasant melody, raining down destruction upon Akainu's position as dozens of the arrows struck the Admiral's position. Marco and Vista also moved in and engaged Akainu in close quarters, further pushing the Admiral away from Luffy and Ace.
Luffy however failed to register half of that, his full attention on his Brother who was barely managing to breath by this point. He felt Ace tighten his grip on the skin on his back and knew his Brother was going to speak.
"Luffy … I have a request," Ace gasped out as Luffy felt tears begin to sting his tired and worn-out eyes. "Could you tell everyone … what I'm about to say?"
Luffy could only whimper in response as he heard Ace gasp for breath, not daring to interrupt.
"The old man … all my friends … and you, Luffy. I want to thank all of you … for loving a dirty blooded good for nothing like me … up until this very moment," Ace gasped out as he began to cry.
Nearby, Whitebeard felt a shift in Ace, even as he fended off Cu Alter. Knowing full well what was coming, knowing full well he had all but failed.
"Thank you," Ace cried softly as his vision slowly began to fade to black. "Thank you all … from the bottom … of my heart …"
Ace's frown slowly turned into a smile as he pictured his family, pictured Luffy and their other Brother. At that thought, he managed to take one final breath.
"Its up to you now Luffy … so make Sabo … and I … proud …"
With the last of his breath spent, Ace closed his eyes for a final time as his strength faded. Luffy didn't even have the power to hold him up as Ace slumped to the ground … dead.
Many who had the ability to sense Ace via Haki or Aura felt his death.
Cu Alter seemed to slip back into the crowd, leaving Whitebeard alone to cry at the loss of his Son. He had truly failed to save him, to do anything, and it cut him deeply.
On the World Government side, Garp was also crying. However, unlike Whitebeard, he was not content with remaining idle as his eyes closed in on Akainu who was fending off Marco, Vista and Sir Tristan.
Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, he slowly started to advance toward Akainu's position as many World Government troops hastily got out of his way. Everyone could see the furious glare on the legendary man's face and no one wanted any part of it.
Sengoku however, noticed what Garp was doing, and sprinted after him.
"Garp," Sengoku roared as he leapt up behind the man, grabbed the back of his head and smashed it into the stone ground, creating a small crater. "The hell are you doing!?"
"You just keep holding me good and steady like that Sengoku," Garp replied darkly as blood trickled out from a head wound Sengoku caused. "If you let up for even a moment … I'm going to slaughter Sakazuki!"
"Damn it Garp," Sengoku growled as he felt the legendary veteran trying to get up, forcing him to use all his strength to keep him pinned down.
Back with Luffy however, he looked to be in an almost catatonic state. Tears streamed from his eyes, his head looking up at the darkened sky and yet there was no life behind his eyes.
He was broken.
Akainu meanwhile was rather pleased with what he'd managed to do as he blasted back the trio attacking him sending them all flying into nearby rubble. With little more than a huff, he looked back to where Luffy was and started advancing toward him only for Jimbei to shakily rise in Luffy's defence once more.
"Haven't had enough, Jimbei?"
"I-I won't let you," the former Warlord huffed as Akainu stopped several metres before him. "He's suffered enough!"
"The only cure for a Pirate is death," Akainu replied coldly as his right arm ignited with Magma once more. "You can both learn this important lesson together!"
"Jimbei," Marco cried out as he pried himself free from the rubble he was in. "Take Luffy and run!"
"Don't you fools realize that there is nowhere left for you all to run," Akainu sighed as he looked over his shoulder at Marco. "You'll all be dying here."
"We might have failed to save Ace, but his legacy lives on through Luffy," Marco snarled back as he entered his Phoenix Form and shot toward Akainu who turned to fully face him. "If we let him die, it would bring the greatest shame upon the entire crew!"
Jimbei, seeing that Marco was providing a distraction, grabbed Luffy and began to run. He only managed to get a short distance away before Akainu cottoned on to what they were doing however as Magma exploded from his form.
"Stop getting in my WAY," Akainu roared as he easily blasted Marco away, sending him flying across the battlefield with a single rage filled punch.
Spinning back around, Akainu's eyes zeroed in on Jimbei and Luffy. Taking a single step, he suddenly stopped.
"Admiral Akainu," one Marine called out in terror, the Admiral's eyes widening considerably as he felt a monstrous presence behind him.
The end of a naginata struck the ground, and as it did, the entirety of Marineford shook with enough force to knock over anyone who couldn't use Haki or Aura or wasn't a Servant.
As Akainu arched his neck to look over his shoulder, he saw Whitebeard towering over him and quickly deduced that the bloodlust was coming entirely from him.
Over with Natsu and Artoria, both actually recoiled at the sheer level of hatred being put out, however Natsu was visibly shivering which shocked Artoria more.
"Natsu, what's wrong!?"
"I-I don't believe it …"
"Believe what!?"
"W-Whitebeard," Natsu stuttered out as Artoria looked between the old man and Natsu in confusion.
"What is it? I know the bloodlust he's releasing is absurd, but surely that can't be enough to scare the likes of you?"
"Think for a moment Artoria," Natsu replied as he tried to compose himself. "Look at Whitebeard … just LOOK at him!"
Artoria was confused, but did as Natsu instructed, only to immediately recoil violently as she quickly deduced what Natsu had seen for herself.
"U-unbelievable!"
"Do you understand why I'm shaking now," Natsu asked quietly with Artoria rapidly nodding in agreement.
Indeed. The fear felt by the pair was in fact shared by all across Marineford in some form or fashion. The bloodlust in truth was but one factor of a greater whole, one ability gifted among a slew of others.
During the entire battle of Marineford, Whitebeard had fought ferociously against the Admirals, tens of thousands of World Government troops and countless Servants. His attacks tore apart the land, split the skies and the seas themselves …
Yet only now, as all eyes looked to the face of the now thoroughly pissed off World's Strongest Man, did his title truly shine through.
Only now, had he finally decided to use his Elder Devil's Aura.
So yeah, you can all guess what the next chapter will be like based off of THAT ending.
Hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one!