Thank you Gatomeong first and Mori for the drawings I commissioned. As always, thank you for reading!, you can check out the art on ao3 check out on chapter 84. I was asked if I am gonna read the new One Piece that will air on netflix. Yes, I will!
Marineford 5
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The smoke and screams of Marineford formed a backdrop of chaos as Jinbe carefully set Frisk down on the ravaged earth. The child's legs, still weak from injury and exhaustion, barely supported her weight. Jinbe, with a mix of concern and admiration, couldn't hide his apprehension with a small sigh. "I know earlier that we decided already but I'm still not happy for you to be here," he insisted, the concern on his voice unmistakable.
As Frisk took a step forward, her knees buckled slightly, a visible testament to the toll the battle and her injuries had taken on her. Hancock's eyes softened, a rare display of emotion from the Pirate Empress, as she reached out to steady the child.
Frisk, determination etched in her features, turned to face Jinbe and Hancock. "Thank you, both of you, for everything," she said, her voice soft but filled with gratitude.
"Of course, my dear. Remember, you are a friend of Luffy, and thus, a friend of mine. Be safe, little knight." With that, Hancock gave Frisk a kiss on the cheeks, with Frisk giggling. Many men would die to get a kiss from Hancock.
Frisk then turned to Jinbe. "Jinbe, right? Thank you for helping Luffy and protecting me. "I hope we can meet again, under better circumstances." she added, giving a hug to Jinbe. Jinbe immediately returned the hug.
With that, she ran forward, directly into the fray, her figure quickly swallowed by the maelstrom of conflict.
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Injured, her body a map of bruises, cuts, and burns, Frisk moved with a purpose towards the execution platform. Her small frame darted between combatants weaving through the chaos. Each step was agony, each breath a searing pain, yet she pushed forward.
Marines, seasoned by countless battles, turned their weapons toward her, only to hesitate as they witnessed the spectacle before them. A child, no more imposing than a wisp of smoke, yet she held an aura with an intensity that pierced the veil of fear and doubt. They attacked, their training overriding their hesitation, but each blow they landed only seemed to fuel her determination.
Frisk dodged when she could, endured when she couldn't, and every time she was knocked down, the ground beneath her seemed to reject her defeat, propelling her back to her feet.
The Marines whispered among themselves, awe and fear mingling in their voices. "How is she still standing?" Frisk had injuries that would have caused anyone, especially a child as young as she was, to fall long ago.
And still, Frisk fought on.
Vice Admiral Strawberry and Momonga stepped forward, their eyes fixed on Frisk. They had observed the waning morale of their troops, roded by the sight of a single child's resilience. Strawberry, towering and imposing, wielded dual swords, while Momonga, wielded a Katana. Frisk held her stick.
The clash was immediate and brutal. Strawberry swing his swords, creating a sweeping arc designed to keep Frisk at bay, while Momonga circled, waiting for an opening to deliver a decisive strike. Frisk, however, danced between their attacks with surprising agility, each movement a calculated risk.
Each maneuver, while perfect, pushed Frisk's already battered body to its absolute limits. With every evasive maneuver and counterattack Frisk executed, new wounds were added to Frisk's collection of injuries. A deep gash appeared on her arm as she narrowly avoided Strawberry's attack, the sharp edge cutting through the air and skin with equal ease. A well-aimed kick from Momonga landed heavily against her ribs, the impact audibly cracking bone, drawing a muffled gasp of pain from Frisk.
Despite the mounting injuries, Chara pressed on, her mind focused on outmaneuvering the two Vice Admirals and joining the execution stand. Frisk dodged a flurry of sword strikes from Momonga, each miss by a hair's breadth resulting in shallow cuts that marred her skin. The physical toll was evident in the labored breathing and sluggish movements, as Frisk became increasingly desperate, relying more on unpredictability and sheer will than calculated tactics.
Frisk baited Strawberry into overcommitting to a powerful downward Strike. As the swords embedded itself into the ground, Frisk leaped forward, narrowly avoiding Momonga's slashing blades. In a blur of motion, Frisk closed the distance to Strawberry, delivering a precise strike infused with Haki, momentarily stunning the Vice Admiral.
The climax of the battle saw Frisk forcing Momonga into a reckless charge, using her dwindling energy to sidestep at the last moment. However, as they moved, Momonga's blade grazed Frisk's sides, leaving a deep, painful wound. However, even in that moment, Frisk grabbed Momonga's extended arm, twisting and redirecting his momentum to send him crashing into Strawberry.
Frisk's eyes, glazed with pain but burning with an unwavering will, met the wary gazes of the surrounding Marines and the recovering forms of Vice Admirals Strawberry and Momonga. The air around her crackled, her SOUL flickering with the last vestiges of energy. In her hand, the simple, crackled with black lightning.
Vice Admiral Strawberry and Momonga, recovering from their unexpected collision, recognized the signs. Their seasoned eyes widened, the realization dawning too late as they scrambled to launch a preemptive strike against Frisk.
But time seemed to slow, the world holding its breath as Frisk, with a primal swing that mingled pain with determination, swung her stick with all the might her frail body could muster. As the stick moved through the air, it seemed to trace a burning arc, the Conqueror's Haki infusing with a radiant, destructive power.
Just before Strawberry and Momonga attacks could connect, Frisk's swing reached its zenith, releasing a massive shockwave that exploded outward in a concentric circle of raw force. The ground beneath their feet cracked, sendings tremors through the battlefield, as the shockwave obliterated everything within its immediate vicinity.
The two Vice Admirals and the marines were sent flying, their expressions frozen in shock as the force of the Haki-imbued attack hit them with the unstoppable fury of a natural disaster. Around Frisk, the landscape bore the brunt of the impact, a small circle of devastation marking the epicenter where Frisk stood.
The shockwave rippled through Marineford again. In the heart of the cleared area, Frisk stood, her breathing heavy, her body swaying from the exertion but she walked forward but was suddenly scooped up by someone.
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Ivankov, having learned from Jinbe of Frisk's association with Luffy, approached the child. "My goodness, darling! You look just as bad as the Straw Hat-boy!"
Frisk, mustering the remnants of her strength, looked up at the flamboyant revolutionary. "Please," she gasped, "I need to… get to Luffy."
With a nod, more to himself than Frisk, Ivankov scooped her up.
"Very well, my dear! Your courage is as commendable as it is foolhardy. Let's go to Luffy!"
They quickly made their way through the battlefield. Upon reaching Luffy, they found him weakened and barely conscious, supported by members of the Whitebeard crew who looked on with concerned expressions. Luffy's condition wawa dire. Luffy, with a labored breath, noticed Ivankov and Frisk in his arms.
"Iva…!" - Luffy
"Ha! You're still conscious..!" Exclaimed Ivankov
"This is my last request..! Please Listen..!" - Requested Luffy
Luffy requested for another hormone tension shot
"Another shot of tension hormones!?" Ivankov's voice rose in incredulity "That's crazy! Your body can't take it! During the fight in Impel Down… You were almost killed by that poisoin. Your body is at its limit! If you push it any further… You could seriously die!" Exclaimed Ivankov
Despite the warning, Luffy reached out, his hand gripping Ivankov's collar with a desperate strength. "I have to do all I can… If I die, that's fine…! Let me fight, Iva…! If I don't fight now… If I can't save Ace… I… I'd want to die! Right now… GIve me the strength to fight!" Luffy's voice cracked with raw emotion.
After a tense moment, Ivankov's resolve softened, his shoulders slumping in resignation. "Look, If I let you die, I won't be able to look Dragon in the eye, you idiot! Fine… Do what you will!" With a swift motion, Ivankov administered the shot of Tension Hormones.
As Luffy staggered to his feet, reinvigorated by Ivankov's tension hormones. The execution platform loomed ominously, the countdown to Ace's fate ticking away with each passing second.
Frisk, her body wracked with exhaustion and pain, beckoned Ivankov with a weak gesture. "Please, set me down," she implored. Gently, Ivankov placed her on the ground beside Luffy.
Clutching a small key in her hand, Frisk extended it towards Luffy. "I've been holding onto this… For you, It's the key to free Ace's cuffs" she murmured.
"Quickly, Luffy," Frisk continued, "Hold my hand and close your eyes. Focus with me." Luffy looking at Frisk's expression, complied, grasping Frisk's hand tightly, his other hand closing around the key.
Frisk guided Luffy into the depth of his spirits, where his Conqueror's Haki lay in wait, a dormant storm of potential. "Hold on to this feeling," Frisk whispered, her consciousness intertwining with Luffy's.
The air vibrated with the buildup of their combined energies, a crescendo of power that threatened to burst forth. Then, in a moment, a colossal shockwave of Haki erupted from the epicenter of Luffy and Frisk's joined hands. The explosion of force was monumental, a tidal wave of willpower that swept across Marineford, knocking out 80% of the assembled forces, including the executioners poised to end Ace's life.
In the wake of the shockwave, Frisk, her energy expended beyond her limits, turned to Luffy with a look of finality. "LUFFY GO SAVE YOUR BROTHER! She screamed, pushing him forward with the last of her strength.
Luffy hugged Frisk with resolve reignited on his face. "Thank you, Frisk!" he shouted back, then, with the key in hand, he sprinted towards the execution platform to save Ace. Frisk, her body teetering on the brink of collapse, was approached by Ivankov. Observing her dire state, Ivankov, with a look of resolve, prepared another shot of hormones to increase her rate of recovery. "You've done so much, child. Let this give you strength to hold on," Ivankov whispered, injecting Frisk with the hormones, hoping to stave off the encroaching shadows of exhaustion and injury.
"Take care of this child, boys," He then turned, his flamboyant demeanor returning, as he sprinted to join Luffy, leaving Frisk in the care of the nearby Whitebeard Pirates
The pirates, witnessing the scene, moved quickly towards Frisk. As they reached to support her, they were met with silence. Frisk, lying motionless, showed no sign of response; One of the pirates checked for a pulse, a growing dread settling over the group as they found none.
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Frisk found herself lying in a familiar bed of golden flowers. The flowerbed she fell in the ruins, the very place her journey had begun. At the other side of Frisk is the entrance to the Ruins. In front of her stood Chara, their expression dark.
"Frisk, I've always stood by your decisions. Even coming here, into the world's most dangerous conflict. I supported you because I believe in your strength, your compassion," Chara began, their gaze not leaving Frisk's. "But right now, you're here because you're about to cross into the afterlife."
Frisk opened her mouth to speak, but Chara cut her off with desperation and fear.
"NO! YOU LISTEN! Your very being is unraveling! Body, SOUL, mind- it's all disintegrating! We're not just pushing limits; we've reached the end. There's nothing beyond this, Frisk!"
Chara's tears, unable to be held back longer, streamed down her face as she continued, the pain in their voice palpable." I don't want you to repeat my mistakes. My sacrifices led to sorrow, to a legacy of regret. I can't stand to see you follow that patch, to see your story end in needless tragedy."
Frisk, absorbing Chara's agonized words, embraced her deeply, her own tears joining Chara's in a silent river of shared pain and understanding. Tears streamed down Frisk's face as she spoke, her voice trembling with emotion.
"You're right about the regrets, Chara. But it's those regrets that I want to challenge, to prove that our choices meant something," Frisk whispered through her tears.
"Chara, what you did… It wasn't a failure. And yes, I'm scared- I'm terrified of moving forward without the power to SAVE or RESET, of facing the end without any chance to turn back."
Frisk inhaled sharply, her resolve hardening. "But our bonds, our shared journey- it remains a part of us, a beacon of hope. These connections, they'll reach me, sustain me, and one day, they might even save me. Because of you, Chara, we met here, in these very ruins. Your sacrifice brought us together, and I wouldn't trade that for anything."
"And you, Chara, your decision led to us meeting, didn't it? Right here, in the ruins of the flowerbed. For me, that's something I wouldn't trade for the world. Your story, your sacrifice, it brought us together, and that means everything to me."
Stepping back from their embrace, Frisk extended a hand towards Chara.
"Chara," Frisk's voice was soft but filled with determination, "Will you see this ending with me? No matter how it unfolds, I can't imagine facing it without you."
Chara, looking at Frisk's outstretched hand, let a small, sardonic smile spread across their face. "As if I'd leave you alone at most dramatic part of your story,"
Chara, meeting Frisk's hand with their own, nodded silently before dissolving into light, leaving Frisk. Frisk then turned her gaze towards the entrance of Ruins, where a new figure loomed in the shadows.
With a calm and determined smile, Frisk addressed the silent watcher, "Let's make a deal, Gaster."
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Frisk gasped, a ragged breath rattling in her chest. The whitebeard doctor's face swims in and out of focus, his words muted rumbles against the roaring in her ears. Her blurry vision catches a flash of red and white- Luffy, and Ace.
Straining her fading vision, she caught sight of Luffy, crouched and vulnerable, with Ace standing protectively in front of him. Time seemed to slow as Akainu, his arm wreathed in lethal magma, prepared to deliver a fatal blow to Ace.
In a surge of desperation, Frisk's body moved on its own. She vanished form the doctor's grasp, reappearing in a blur of speed that defied her critical condition. With every ounce of her remaining strength, she pushed Ace out of harm's way, positioning herself between the magma fist and its intended target.
The impact was immediate and catastrophic. Akainu's Magma fist collided with Frisk, a hole puncturing through her body as if her body were made of paper. The world around Frisk erupted into chaos, but for her, everything narrowed down to a single point of seeing the shocked face of Luffy and Ace.
Despite the agony and the gravity of her sacrifice, a gentle smile graced her lips, a serene acceptance of her fate shining in her eyes.
Luffy, horror-stricken, knelt beside Frisk, his hands trembling as he reached out to her. "Frisk..! Hurry, We've got to get you Help…"
Frisk, her smile unwavering, gazed into Luffy's eyes with a mixture of affection and resolve. "Luffy," She whispered, her voice a soft echo of her enduring spirit, "I'm glad you guys were okay… Can you… Come find me…? I promise… to be back"
Luffy, his eyes wide with the distress yet filled with an instinctual understanding, nodded. He knew Frisk well enough to realize the gravity of a promise to her. It was not just a word, but a sacred vow.
Swallowing hard, his hand trembling, Luffy hooked his pinky around Frisk's, sealing the silent pact between them. Frisk's smile widened slightly. Luffy, still clutching her hand, felt the life ebb from her body, leaving her cold and motionless in his arms. Frisk, the child who had traversed worlds, faced insurmountable odds, and touched the hearts of those she met, now lay still. Her face, serene and composed, bore the trace of her final smile, the peace she found in making that last promise with Luffy.
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The battlefield fell into a heavy silence following Frisk's sacrifice, the air thick with shock and mourning. Ace, witnessing the ultimate price paid by Luffy's young friend, was consumed by a tumult of guilt and anger. His face twisted in agony, the realization that Frisk had died to save him was a weight too heavy to bear.
Suddenly, a portal tore through the fabric of the battlefield, and from it stepped. From the swirling vortex stepped a skeletal figure, short with a toothy grin carved across his Skull. His usual blue jacket, black shorts with white stripes, and white slippers seemed incongruous amidst the chaos, yet he emanated an aura of power. His normally laid-back demeanor was replaced by an icy fury. His left eye socked, now blazed with an electric blue flame. Without a word, a telekinetic crackled filled the air, and two massive skull-shaped cannons materialized behinds the skeleton man, their gaping maws aimed directly at Akainu.
"You shouldn't have done that," Sans said, his voice cold and devoid of his usual humor, as the blasters charged with energy, ready to unleash their deadly power.
Amidst the turmoil, Ace and Jinbe, burdened with grief and responsibility, quickly took action. They moved towards Luffy, who stood in shocked silence, unable to process Frisk's death. Ace's voice broke through the din, filled with remorse but laced with a newfound resolve to not let Frisk's death be in vain.
Ace took command, his voice carrying over the din of battle. "Whitebeard Pirates, fall back!" He ordered. Making the act not from impulsivity but from loss and the heavy cost of the war. Ignoring Akainu's continued taunts, designed to provoke him more into reckless action, Ace focused on the safety of Luffy and his crew.
As Akainu prepared to attack more towards where Ace and Luffy was, Sans interrupted with a power blast from his blaster, striking Akainu squarely in the face. Sans, quipped dryly, "Always wondered why people never use their strongest attack first."
