The Ultimate Worst Generation

by stringdog

The Straw Hats have arrived on their final stop before descending to Fish-man Island and onto the New World, the Sabaody Archipelago. However, they're not the only big name rookies present, they are just one of 14 rookie crews present and the other 13 all have big names as well. Mass deep crossover with Fairy Tail, My Hero Academia, Black Clover, Akame ga Kill, and RWBY.

22. Chapter 22: Love Conquers All

Here is the twenty-second chapter in this story released in accordance with my upload schedule for this story. Several of the Warlords have taken to the battlefield as the War of the Best rages on but so far no Admiral has other than a brief attempt by Kizaru to take out Whitebeard, however that is about to change as the most ruthless Admiral the Navy has has sensed something dear to her heart on the battlefield. What will happen when Admiral Shirokami takes to the battlefield? Well let's find out as that is all that I have for the administrative stuff I have for y'all though there is a question to answer and a guest review that needs a response so I will do that now. Do keep them coming as your support is the best motivation for me to keep producing chapters at this kind of rate.

Who's the main character? Good question given the scope of this story and as of right now there is no main character but rather a focus on the new Supernovas and Luffy when he's around. This will continue through the time skip and shift a bit to see a few other characters that will play a major role but once the time skip is over and the Straw Hats reach Punk Hazard, Luffy and them will take the focus as from there on I'll for the most part follow Luffy and how the new crews interact with his New World journey starting in Punk Hazard. Think of this as a grand ensemble piece until then though and even after that there will be chapters/arcs that set up other plotlines, two concurrent arcs to Wano that have almost as much of an impact on the world as Wano, and a replacement arc for Wholecake that sets up the last thing for Wano though that will still follow the Straw Hats only it will be Zoro and Robin running the show due to Luffy and Nami going off to get Sanji back. I hope that clears everything up, One Piece is a vast universe and I'm significantly adding to it so it's going to be like this for a while.

To KGBeastboy (guest), thank you for your reviews, suggestions, and clarification and as always I will address them now. I'll admit, I'd not really thought about adapting Gold into the main story but for a different crew rather than the Straw Hats but that does actually work a lot better as it can actually be placed in without worrying about the whole non-canon issue and you've inadvertently suggested the one crew that it would work for. Of course with gambling Yami being involved is kinda needed but that could work as well depending on how I plan things. I will definitely consider this and see how it fits in with the outline and where to put it. The only thing I will say, and this is mainly because I've not clarified yet due to no need but this does bring it up, is that of the new crews only Fairy Tail is not complete to canon. That is to say, while Might is all of Class 1-A plus 2 support, Rose is RWBY + JNPR, Black Bull is the Black Bulls, and Night all of Night Raid, Fairy Tail is currently only 15 members. This is for a few reasons, mainly the ages of the characters as some are a bit older and have other purposes in this story, to allow for some to be added throughout (at least 4 will join during the time skip), and in some cases simply because the characters either don't work or I'm not a big fan of them so used the different nature of the story to have different paths for them. As of right now, the crew are the core members, some of the notable supporting characters (e.g., Juvia, Gajeel, Lily, Levy), and in one case a character who's magic adapted to One Piece was too invaluable on a crew to not include. I hope this clarifies things with Fairy Tail and the idea of doing Gold with them is a good one and works a lot better than you realize. As for the other post time skip films, I'm leaving Stampede alone. Due to the nature of it I want it to be its own standalone story with all the crews added so it's a bit too hard to work into the main storyline though we will see Bullet at least once. Red is also hard due to Uta's connection to Luffy and how it doesn't fit the canon either (could have been after Wano but Luffy's referred to as the 5th emperor in the film) but I've got some ideas for it as a standalone story one day. moving onto Flint, I'll admit that I didn't notice that but having him kick focused works, there are plenty of characters from the various series who fight with kicks and this would be a connection with Sanji. Whether they meet is TBD as the only real spot, at the moment, is Dressrosa and I've not started planning that arc so I'll know nearer the time. Thank you for clarifying the stuff with Buggy, yes Shanks just sees him as a friend which does imply that Shanks in a way views Buggy as an equal just not in power terms. Certainly, I can't wait for Buggy to appear and cause typical Buggy related chaos while consistently and spectacularly failing upwards at almost every turn as his actions are misinterpreted by almost everyone. Buggy's actions of presenting the fight will have an impact on Najenda, don't worry about that, and she'll certainly have some mixed feelings about him. I'm a fan of Buggy so I will try to use him as much as I can. As for Jellal, the reason why I didn't include him with the Vengeance Alliance is because in Fairy Tail when he breaks out he's not after vengeance but redemption but don't worry, I have a plan for his jailbreak and there will be a chapter that focuses on it where we'll see other characters who will play a role in events to come. It will be the post Blackbeard jailbreak and Dictator, along with any other named Tartarus escapees, are good to use then especially with Dictator's power and it's use in a jailbreak. The exception is Stain, I've got other plans for him so he won't be in Impel Down at the moment but he's around and will appear in due course. I'd always planned on Sienna attacking Leone due to her Devil Fruit at the start of the battle so I couldn't really have Shishido fight her but the suggestion allowed for a little fun that I worked in. I've corrected the typo, thanks for pointing it out, working with ranks and so many characters can cause the occasional thing to slip through the cracks. I figured the ranks were pre time skip and some will be promoted during it as the marines grow and a few vacancies are filled. Do keep reading and enjoying my work.

Anyway, that is enough for this long pre-chapter note so sit back and enjoy the twenty-second chapter in The Ultimate Worst Generation.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these great franchises.

Chapter 22: Love Conquers All

"Shirokami, don't you…" Akainu began but before he could finish Esdeath had already acted.

With a boom that could be heard across the plaza, Esdeath leapt off from where the Admirals were set up at the base of the scaffold and towards the battlefield. In her wake there was a small spike of ice and a layer of it that extended out over the ground around her takeoff point. She didn't really need to do that but, well, Esdeath needed to get his attention so the more flashy she was with her launch into battle the better.

It worked as the moment that she launched herself towards the battlefield the chatter began, how could it not seeing as a third Admiral had decided to join the fray. The Navy cheered at one of their strongest warriors joining the battle while Whitebeard just grunted as he watched the streak of white and blue that was Esdeath soar over the plaza and towards the ice, her trajectory taking her towards the battlefield itself and not at Whitebeard to engage him directly the way that Kizaru had.

This wasn't particularly good given her reputation so Whitebeard was ready to act as he might be needed to combat her. However, for the moment he trusted his commanders to try and contain the blood mad Admiral before he had to get involved as he needed to save his strength for when it was needed the most.

Naturally Esdeath didn't notice, or care, about any of this as she easily cleared the plaza and the front line of marines that were fighting on the ice and hurtled towards the battlefield that Aokiji had created as part of his defense against Whitebeard's opening attack. The ice was the perfect battlefield for Esdeath but even that wasn't of a concern to her. All that she cared about was that he was here, she knew it, and this time she wouldn't let him get away from her. He would hers forever and she'd finally be able to win his love the way he'd won hers.

Of course Esdeath still had to find him on the battlefield but that shouldn't be too hard. She knew her love intimately, well not like that but it was only a matter of time before she knew him like that as well, so she knew what it would take to get him to come to her. She just needed to make it clear that she was willing to do whatever it took to find him if he didn't come directly to her right away.

Her plan in mind, Esdeath landed on the ice with a boom in a spot that had been swiftly cleared by the frontline marines who fell back to give her space while Whitebeard Pirates also backed from the incoming attack. However, it wasn't an attack as Esdeath simply needed a place to land though the force of the impact cratered the ice and sent dust billowing upwards. Esdeath didn't actually need such an entrance, but she wanted to make sure that he knew where she was as she rose from her landing and strode out of the ice dust, drawing her rapier with her right hand as she did.

"Where are you my love?" Esdeath asked her voice loud and carrying over the battlefield due to the silence that had fallen over it from her arrival but she didn't care about that as she walked forward her rapier up and at the ready. "Come to me, I know that you're here. I can sense your presence; you can't hide from me my love."

"It's Shirokami!" A Whitebeard Pirate shouted as Esdeath strode forward his shout breaking the sudden silence. "Shit! Stop her!"

Esdeath wasn't really paying attention to the nobodies around her but she heard the cocking of a few rifles and pistols and turned as several of Whitebeard's crewmembers who were nearest her lined up their shots. Before she could fully turn to them they fired, a rapid staccato of shots ringing out as they tried to take out one of the Navy's strongest weapons.

She had to give it to them, they didn't hesitate to attack despite facing a superior and stronger opponent, Esdeath could respect that, but it was useless to her. She simply raised her left hand and a thick shield of ice appeared in the air between her and the bullets that intercepted them, the ice cracking slightly but that was it.

"Please, you're nothing more than flies to me." Esdeath said as she transferred her sword to her left hand and turned to punch the back of the ice wall with her right fist. "Now die like the weaklings that you are."

There was a boom from her punch and the ice wall shot at the Whitebeard Pirates only as it did it shattered and formed into a swarm of viciously sharp ice shards. The pirates didn't have time to move before the swarm of icy death hit them, skewering them in their vital spots and impaling them, blood bursting from the wounds and knocking the pirates back.

Some of the shards even went all the way through them and carried on to hit other pirates behind them. None of the original attackers knew this, however, as they were all dead before they hit the ice, their blood adding to the red stains on the cold ice before it began to freeze.

"Stay back from her!" A new, male, voice shouted from her right. "She's too strong for you to face! Only a commander can take her on."

"Well you may be a warm up, I guess." Esdeath said as she tossed her sword back to her dominant right hand and turned her head as she raised the rapier and intercepted the downward strike from the latest attacker. "Let's see if you can entertain me for a few moments."

There was a clang Esdeath's rapier blocked a powerful strike from a decorated saber style sword with a purple hilt, the blades sparking and the darkness of the attacking blade telling Esdeath that it was infused with Haki. That was to be expected seeing as the sword was being wielded by a short man with short, scruffy, brown hair and blue eyes who was wearing a dated green tunic with a white ruff around the collar and on the shoulders and white pants with a flared hem.

Esdeath recognized the man at once, he was Haruta, the 12th Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and one of their notable swordsmen though not their strongest one as that was the 5th Division Commander Flower Sword Vista. Regardless, Haruta might have been able to put up a decent fight, for a few moments, but from the attack and her block Esdeath could already tell that she'd win this fight with ease. Normally she'd do that and kill Haruta in short order but she needed to get her love to her and now that she had the attention of the battlefield she could do that once she got rid of this weakling.

"Begone, I've got more pressing things so I can't toy with you as I'd like." Esdeath said derisively as she pushed back on Haruta's sword and swung hers through it with a powerful sweep of her body. "Here, deal with these and leave me alone. Consider this a mercy, normally I'd kill you outright and not give you a fighting chance to retreat."

The force of her push send Haruta flying back, which given that he was in the air to begin with wasn't hard, but the distance was impressive. The raw strength of Shirokami was a shock to him but Haruta didn't have time to deal with that as a storm of icicles appeared in the air above her as she pointed her rapier at him.

Haruta knew what was coming before they shot at him so he got his sword up and ready as he landed on the ice and slid backwards over it as the icicles shot at him. With his sword up he was easily able to intercept them and block most of the onslaught and avoid getting skewered. He wasn't perfect, the icicle storm was too fast for even his reflexes, so a few did slice his arms, legs, and side as the slid but they were all non-lethal grazes so he would live, not that Esdeath noticed as she focused on her own goal.

"Tatsumi!" Esdeath bellowed her arms wide and face up, the force behind the one word getting plenty of attention from the battlefield and easily being picked up by the transponder snails broadcasting the battle to Sabaody. "I'm right here my love! Come to me, I'm waiting for you with open arms! You're the only person that can keep me from running wild and having fun on this battlefield, that's how much I love you my darling! Show yourself or else I'll fully let lose here."

"Man what is up with Shirokami." Haruta said as he panted from the attack a bit of blood dripping from his arm onto the ice. "And who the hell is this Tatsumi guy? Poor bastard though, one encounter and I know that I don't want to deal with that bitch. I doubt anyone but Pops could beat her so best to leave her this Tatsumi and hope he knows what he's doing."

With that the 12th Division Commander turned and rushed back into the battle behind the Admiral to help resume it knowing that he'd at least survive if he was fighting anyone from marine grunts to Vice Admirals. If the most ruthless Admiral was willing to not fight so that one person could come to her, who was he to pass that up? It meant a slightly easier path to saving Ace and besides, Pops could handle Shirokami if it came to it.

Esdeath didn't care, she'd already assessed that division commander as weak so she could kill him at her leisure. Right now she wanted to see her love and she knew that her point would play to his beautifully naïve and noble soul. He'd come running to stop her from hurting more of the attacking pirates even though they were criminals due to his own views on the World Government and the Navy and then she'd be able to take him away with her. This time, however, she was never letting go of her love.

---

Tatsumi heard the shout as he leapt over some charging marines who were armed with swords and came down on the low ranking officer that was behind them barking out an order to his underlings. As he fell towards the officer, Tatsumi pulled his sword back and then thrust it forward as he reached the unfortunate man before he could reacting, landed such that he was able to drive his blade through the officer's chest right where his heart was and taking him down to the ice, dead before Tatsumi landed.

As he did so, Akame leapt over him having taken out the marines Tatsumi had jumped over with a single sweep of her katana that had cut their inferior swords as if they were made of wood and landed past Tatsumi as she slashed Murasame through the air. There weren't any marines right there but three more had been lining up shots ready to try and take them out the moment that Tatsumi killed the officer.

They didn't get the time pull their triggers as the compressed slash of air that Akame had sent at them, one that wasn't on Mihawk's level but still well within sword master range due to her own sword skills, that took all three of their heads off. This gave Tatsumi and Akame a moment's peace as the few marines nearby began to back away following the deaths of more than half a dozen marines in less than 10 seconds.

"Tatsumi." Akame said turning to him, not needing to say any more than that after what they'd just heard.

"I know." Tatsumi said a hint of resignation in his tone as he rose, making sure to avoid as much of the blood as possible as he stepped passed the dead officer and up to Akame. "And I know what I have to do."

"I don't like it." Akame said her feelings roiling inside, she knew what she felt and that it was true but was still unable to admit them to herself, and making her fearful even if she knew that this was the right course of action. "We know what she's like. If she's serious about this it's an offer we can't pass up in this battle."

"I probably know that more than anyone here, even the marines who serve under her." Tatsumi admitted as he pulled the hood of his jacket over his head. "But all of our training together since the last time will pay off, I know it, it's why I was so intense about it because we knew that we'd run into her again. Besides, I'm the one she wants and if it can occupy her then that's good for Whitebeard as his men can focus on getting to Ace with one less obstacle in the way. We always knew that I'd have to do this when she took to the battlefield."

"We did." Akame said as she steeled herself and pushed her feelings down to focus on the mission at hand. "And I'll back you up."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Tatsumi said with a smile. "Hold back for now Akame, I have to face her alone to start. I trust you to act when appropriate."

"I will." Akame said her tone now deadly serious even if her mind was still a bit off with what Tatsumi had to do. "Now go Tatsumi and stay alive."

Tatsumi nodded at that, a confirmation of his promise from before they entered the Grand Line to survive, before he turned and ran off towards where Esdeath was standing. Akame let out a deep breath as she focused on the switch she flipped when in battle. Usually this wasn't an issue but the unresolved feelings between her and Tatsumi, both knew what was there but neither had yet acknowledged it to themselves let alone the other party, blurred her mind when it shouldn't.

Akame closed her eyes and shook her head, her senses ensuring that nothing happened as she used this moment to mentally prepare herself for what was to come. She needed it to focus on the battle and backing up Tatsumi, she could address her feelings when the battle was over and they were safely away from Marineford.

She trusted Tatsumi in a way that she'd not trusted anyone other than her sister before she defected and had failed to take Kurome with her due to the brainwashing that Kurome had been through so Akame knew that Tatsumi would come back alive. He'd done so twice before with Esdeath so he could now, especially with Akame backing him up this time. It was more the woman's clear and open love for Tatsumi and what that forced Akame to confront, and how she wanted to act on it, that was a concern.

That would have to be dealt with though, Akame knew it. She'd do so when the time was right but for now she needed to be in position to protect and aid Tatsumi the moment that the opening presented itself. That thought cleared her mind and Akame opened her eyes and set off so that she was ready to act when the time came and she was more than certain that that time would come soon.

---

Tatsumi noticed none of this as rushed towards where Esdeath was, the ice not an impediment to him even in bare feet. He'd long adapted to cold environments, a perk of his Devil Fruit, so this was nothing to him as he tore across the battlefield cutting down any marines that tried to get in his way as he moved towards the insane Admiral that had called out for him.

It wasn't like Tatsumi wanted to do this, he didn't. He'd tried to get Esdeath to defect the first time he'd ended up in her clutches because it would be better if she was their ally rather than their enemy but she slapped him for suggesting it. Then stuck her tongue down his throat which was his first kiss, and hers as well it turned out, right afterwards. Still, Tatsumi felt that he could get her to change sides and with her power she'd be a major boost to their fight against the World Government but even with her feelings for him Tatsumi had failed to persuade Esdeath before his opportunity to escape appeared, which he took.

Tatsumi did get a second chance at convincing her to defect when he'd accidentally run into her while scouting out an uninhabited island with Lubbock right when she was patrolling nearby. The situation was then made worse when he and Esdeath were sent to some random island in the West Blue by a strange man's warping Devil Fruit. It was during that ordeal he'd learned about Esdeath's past and her general mentality and realized that it would be fruitless to try and turn her away from the World Government. She'd never defect so long as the World Government provided her with what she wanted.

That was a shame in the sense that it meant that her power, whatever it was as Tatsumi still had no clue what Esdeath's Devil Fruit was though he had a theory having seen more of it than most while on that island in the West Blue, would be useful to either them or the Revolutionary Army. Add in her lack of remorse or hesitation when it came to killing and turned on the right targets she'd be a game changer for them like she was for the Navy but alas she was never going to defect.

As such she was on their priority kill list along with Akainu. The other Admirals and Fleet Admiral Sengoku weren't a priority as they'd yet to show the blatant disregard for life and enforcement of the World Government's tyrannical and corrupt oppression that Akainu and Esdeath had shown. Of course killing Esdeath and Akainu was a different challenge in its own right and right now they weren't strong enough to do so.

Thanks to his experiences with her, Tatsumi knew first hand that Esdeath was out of their league. Even Akame couldn't beat her at her current skill level, at least not without something absurdly powerful like a one hit kill ability or some kind of massive powerup move that Akame didn't have. However, there was something that they could use if they had to engaged her like they did now, and while Tatsumi didn't particularly like it he knew that it was important to do so. That thing was, of course, him.

Esdeath's love for him seemed to be genuine, or at least as genuine as it could be with someone like her, so they had the advantage there. How they could use it to their advantage was still unclear but they could at least use it to distract her and keep her away from the battle where she could single handedly turn the tide unless Whitebeard himself engaged her. Even Esdeath herself had just acknowledged this with her shout and so Tatsumi would take that to keep her from the battle even if it meant fighting her himself.

That was a prospect he wasn't excited about but he'd been training hard since his two incidents with her and he was sure that she wouldn't kill him due to her desire to take him in alive so Tatsumi felt that he could at least keep her occupied until Akame came to help him out. Then they could work together to prevent Esdeath from running wild on the battlefield, which right now was the best contribution that the Night Pirates could provide.

What came of it Tatsumi didn't know but he was ready to do his part in this battle and hopefully survive his third encounter with Esdeath. He'd made a promise to Akame on that front and he intended to keep it, as well as to finally tell her how he felt as he couldn't deny it to himself any longer. With their line of work they could die any moment so he owed it to Akame to tell her but only once this was over.

For now, however, he had to focus on the mission at hand and so all other thoughts left his mind as Tatsumi reached the wide, rough, circle in the battlefield that Esdeath had created around her and leapt over the pirates still backing away from the battle loving Admiral as she stood there grinning at them, rapier out and to her side. It was time to once again face off with one of the most dangerous women in the world.

Due to where he'd been in relation to Esdeath when she'd arrived on the battlefield, Tatsumi's leap wasn't directly in front of her but rather slightly to one side so he had to turn in the air as he landed on the ice and slid over it until he came to a stop in front of the blue haired woman though he made sure there was a few dozen feet between them. Tatsumi kept his head down, hood up and sword to his side pointing at the ice. As it did the blood of the marines that he'd killed up to this point in the battle slowly dripped off the tip of his blade and onto the ice where it froze, a poignant statement in its own right.

For her part Esdeath's grin got broader as the man landed in the cleared out area around her and slid to a stop before her. He wore a simply white jacket with a hood pulled up and unzipped to show his chiseled chest and slightly ragged black shorts with no boots on though Esdeath knew why he'd not bothered with footwear. As she'd expected, he held bloody short sword in his right hand that was dripping the red liquid of the weaklings that he'd killed onto the ice next him. Even with his head down and hood up, Esdeath knew who he was, she'd know his presence and scent anywhere.

"I was right, you are here my love." Esdeath said. "I'd recognize your scent anywhere."

Her statement a little creepy but as Tatsumi could recognize Esdeath's scent as well, which he really didn't want to given mix of different lusts he was smelling from her, he didn't necessarily begrudge her the fact. Tatsumi could do this because one of the side effects of his Devil Fruit was that it enhanced his senses even in his human form and when he'd realized this he'd trained enough to be able to employ scent and sound into his fighting style though there were other Mythical Zoan users with better enhanced senses.

"It's only been a few months since you left me but it's felt like years." Esdeath continued when Tatsumi didn't say anything. "And like our second fateful encounter it looks like you've bulked up a bit since out little vacation in the West Blue my love."

"As far as I'm concerned it's too soon but we knew that you'd be here given what the Navy's using this execution for so I was ready for this." Tatsumi said as he rose his head, his hood falling down as he did and he met the icy blue eyes of the Navy's most bloodthirsty Admiral with a pierce green gaze of his own. "So here I am as you requested."

"That you are, it's so good to see you again Tatsumi." Esdeath said, the sight of his face causing her cheeks to flush red and her voice got a coy note to it that was more disturbing to the hardened pirates and marines watching than any threat that Esdeath could shout. "I don't see a scratch on you, the blood that I see clearly isn't yours, so this battle hasn't slowed you down in the slightest. Also, I heard of your exploits in Sabaody, the power of Tyrant is in worthy hands."

"You don't care that I used my Devil Fruit to vaporize an entire platoon of marines?" Tatsumi asked. "Or the countless marines that I've slaughtered today?"

"They were weak, I do not care for the weak as only the strong serve under me." Esdeath said dismissively, which was true as the marines who reported directly to Esdeath were fiercely loyal to her because of how well she treated them. "But you're not weak, are you my love? No, I can see it in your eyes and I know from seeing you in action that you're strong. Then again, only someone strong could survive eating the Tyrant Devil Fruit in the first place."

"I don't know about that; I ate it because I had to after the Navy attacked and began to exterminate my entire town." Tatsumi said the hatred in his words at the memory of the night that had changed his life forever. "That's why I can't join you lot, you showed your true colors that night."

"Your town were nothing but traitors for harboring that Devil Fruit but the Navy was weak that day and paid for their fail as your revenge against us was justified and we paid for our weakness." Esdeath said still unconcerned about her own side, she may be a good leader when it came those who served under her but she had no sympathy for failure and weakness. "And besides who am I to complain, that day made you and proved your strength right when I started to feel the need to fall in love. Then our paths crossed, it was fate my love."

"Call it what you want." Tatsumi said as he forced himself to calm down, he couldn't be angry or emotional when dealing with someone like Esdeath. "It makes no difference to me. This won't be like the last two times we met though."

"Come Tatsumi, don't play hard to get with me." Esdeath said smiling at him in a way that she'd never smile at anyone else as she extended her left hand invitingly to him. "You know that I can make you great my love. Come with me and I'll groom you for power, you'll be the greatest Fleet Admiral in history of the Navy with my guidance. I will see to it that all your crimes will be forgiven and you can do as you please atop the Navy."

"Never!" Tatsumi said the defiance in his tone. "I will never betray my friends or side with genocidal, corrupt, monsters like the World Government. No matter what you offer me I'll stick to my convictions. I'll die before I join you."

"Yes, yes I can see that." Esdeath said her tone sultry and a shudder running through her because even though Tatsumi had once again rejected her offer to join the Navy he'd shown the depths of his conviction and she couldn't deny that that was a massive turn on for her when it came from the man she loved. "A shame but that won't stop me from being with you and in time I'll convince you to see things my way."

"You can try but I'll never break." Tatsumi said as he set himself and raised his sword. "But if you want me that badly then come and get me because this time I'm not going to go down without a fight even if it is against the bloody bitch that is Admiral Shirokami."

"You really do know how to treat a woman just right my love, I'm so hot for you right now!" Esdeath said with a slight pant to her voice as she raised her own sword. "So be it, this will be fun Tatsumi. Show me how much stronger you've become. Shave!"

Esdeath suddenly shot forward with one of the Six Powers but Tatsumi was ready for it and backed up a pace and got his sword down and to his side so as to intercept Esdeath's the moment that she reached him and tried for a slash from low to high across his chest. The two Supreme Grade swords collided with a boom that sent wind billowing around them and sparks flying from the locked blades as Tatsumi held the blow. Esdeath just grinned and blew him a kiss as she realized that she couldn't break the block but Tatsumi just grunted as he pushed down and stepped forward to repay her with a slash of his own.

Naturally Esdeath wasn't going to let that happen and she spun around as she let Tatsumi push away her sword so as to add to her own momentum and slashed at Tatsumi's side in response. Tatsumi twisted at that and leapt back as he moved his sword around to knock Esdeath's away though not before it cut a line into his jacket.

Esdeath had the reach with her longer rapier but a rapier, even one of Esdeath's quality, was a sword made for precise slashes and stabs while Tatsumi's short sword was made for power and deep cutting to the point of dismemberment or decapitation. Not that that really mattered in a duel like this and Tatsumi knew that as he fell on the defensive while Esdeath laugh with glee and began to press him.

It was clear to Tatsumi that Esdeath wasn't giving it her all, she knew that she was better than he was with a sword. As such, rather than go straight for the kill she was toying with Tatsumi, testing to see if his skills had improved since the last time they were together as she unleashed a furious series of sharp slices and stabs that were almost impossible for the eye to see but Tatsumi got his sword up and intercepted all the attacks that came at him. Their blades met over and over again as Esdeath pressed him, her grin manic as he continued to block her blows, swords sparking and wind blowing from the clashing blades.

"I see that your skills have improved, my love." Esdeath said as she pressed. "You've been practicing since the West Blue though I didn't get much of a chance to assess you there, I was having too much fun on our island date."

"I have to be ready for you." Tatsumi said not addressing how Esdeath saw that incident as a date rather than whatever that man who sent them there had intended it to be. "If we're in the same area you will find me so I can't be defenseless when you do."

"A man after my own heart but I wouldn't love you if that wasn't the case." Esdeath said grinning at him thoroughly enjoying how much stronger Tatsumi was compared to what she'd seen before. "But you still have much to learn my love and I'll teach you, don't worry."

As she spoke Esdeath finally found a chink in Tatsumi's defense and with a quick flick of her wrist she changed the direction of her rapier faster than Tatsumi could react and tried to slice him across the left side of his neck in a way that wouldn't kill him but incapacitated him long enough for her to capture him and take him away with her. However, at the last minute and with a speed that Esdeath hadn't seen yet, Tatsumi took his left hand off his sword and flicked it up so that the back of his hand hit the edge of her blade as she slashed and redirected it upwards.

The result was that rather than slice his neck, the tip of Esdeath's rapier slice Tatsumi along his left cheek from his jawline to his temple where it sliced off a small chunk of his brown hair while narrowing missing his eye. However, even with the quality of Esdeath's sword, it didn't cut Tatsumi's cheek or hand where he'd made contact with the razor sharp rapier. Hell, it didn't even leave a mark on his skin.

This caused a flicker of surprise to briefly flash across Esdeath's blue eyes but only for a fraction of a second. However, Tatsumi picked it up on that and as he was already moving he used that small window of surprise to grab Esdeath's extended right hand with his left making sure that there was skin to skin contact between them and yanking her towards him while holding his arm up and to the side as a red flush appeared on her cheeks from his action. Tatsumi was not above using subterfuge or his opponent's feelings for him in a duel to get an advantage, especially when that opponent was someone like Esdeath.

Esdeath let out a slight, and Tatsumi hated to admit cute, eep at the contact and his subsequent move to pull her closer to him but he pushed it to the back of his mind as he thrust his sword forward and at Esdeath's gut right below her impressive breasts. Tatsumi had kept his sword low due to having to remove his hand to deflect the slice to his neck but he took the unexpected opening and drove his sword home. However as he did there was a cracking sound and his sword was stopped well short of his target by a thick wall of ice that appeared over Esdeath's abdomen to protect her though it did sink in past the tip.

"My, my, Tatsumi, you've really improved." Esdeath said grinning now though her cheeks were still pink as Tatsumi held her right hand high and to the side in his left keeping her sword away from him and his grip was almost painful for her, not that she minded as it was Tatsumi who was holding her hand. "Forcing me to use my ice against you when I was trying to beat you with just my sword, you only make me fall deeper in love with you every time we meet. I can tell that you aren't hesitating in your efforts to kill me, that's just what I want to see from the man who has my heart."

"I knew that you were holding back, had to try something." Tatsumi said meeting Esdeath's blue eyes with his green ones and not looking down at his sword that was stuck in the ice between them. "At least you're taking me a bit more seriously."

"I always take you seriously, you're my love Tatsumi and you will be mine." Esdeath said her grin never fading though in that moment all she wanted to do was kiss him but she couldn't with the ice protecting her from his sword. "This strength just shows it. Your potential is immeasurable, you will be great under me, in more ways that one of course but if you want to be on top I'd let you, so long as you can dominate me that is."

"I will never join you but if you won't try to kill me then that's on you." Tatsumi said trying not to grimace at the scent he was getting from Esdeath but her arousal was extreme and with his enhanced senses it was pungent to him. "You're right, I won't hesitate to kill you if I get the chance."

"That's just another thing that I love about you and why I will make you mine." Esdeath said. "Not that that attack would have hurt you I see. I didn't use Haki in that slice but I think I'll need to from now on. You're as tough as Kaido it seems and I feel that that Devil Fruit of yours is the reason why."

"I made sure to adapt my body to a what a Supreme Grade blade feels like so as to prepare for this." Tatsumi said knowing what he had to do. "It will take more than that to pierce my skin now."

"Yes, I see, the true power of Tyrant at work." Esdeath said. "Only a man who could make me fall in love with him could wield it."

"Oh I'll show you a bit of the power Tyrant gives me." Tatsumi said as he shifted his weight. "Right now!"

With that Tatsumi roared and spun using his momentum to yank his sword out of the ice that was protecting Esdeath's abdomen, which itself fell way the moment that his sword was free, and lifting her off her feet with his left hand still holding her right. As he did he tossed her away from him and across the empty patch of ice that was their personal dueling ground.

It wasn't effective at all, Tatsumi knew that, and Esdeath showed that she'd basically let Tatsumi throw her by laughing as she flipped in the air and landed on the ice in a crouch, sliding back over it without any hint of instability on the slippery surface. However, the toss wasn't meant to affect Esdeath, just get her away and set her up because Tatsumi had smelt that her presence was in range so he needed to set Esdeath up. After all, this was a scent he was very familiar with and one that filled him with strength knowing that it was near.

Their whole plan had been for Tatsumi to occupy Esdeath and get her to focus on him and then, if possible, set up an opening for Akame to strike. They weren't sure what that opening would look like seeing as this was Esdeath that they were dealing with but Tatsumi just had to find it because all Akame needed was a small opening and she'd be able to make her move.

Tatsumi had managed to do just that by tossing Esdeath away and the moment that he'd set it up Akame had used Shave, a perk from her assassin training days, to close the distance from where she was holding back and then leap into the air and over the dueling ground so that she was above and coming down on Esdeath as she came to a stop. As she did, Akame flipped forward in the air several times to increase the speed as she generated countless blades from her body that she sent down at Esdeath as she flipped.

Against most opponents this would be a good strategy but against someone like Esdeath it was nothing more than a small distraction as she turned to the blades that were raining down on her before they got to her and weaved through them, occasionally deflecting one with her rapier if it got too close, before she got it up as Akame closed in on her. That was to be expected though and was why Akame was coming down with a savage, speed and gravity enhanced, two handed downward slash with her katana that she'd infused with Armament Haki in an attempt to vertically bisect Esdeath.

Naturally, that failed as well as Esdeath got her blade up and infused it with her own Armament Haki turning it jet black and grinning as she met Akame's Supreme Grade sword with her own Supreme Grade one. The force of the impact of two of the 17 strongest swords in the world was a boom that cracked the ice beneath Esdeath's feet and set a shockwave out from the impact that knocked nearby marines and pirates off their feet.

Even Tatsumi was affected. He had to crouch down and drive the tip of Incursio into the ice to endure it and thus couldn't get close enough to aid even with his stronger than natural body so he too had to ride it out as Esdeath blocked Akame's surprise attack.

Akame was undeterred by this as she tried to push through the block, the blades sparking on each other as she tried to break Esdeath's stance, but she failed and as soon as she realized that she sent a series of blades out of her abdomen and legs, infusing all that she could with Armament Haki, and at Esdeath. This was mainly done to distract Esdeath and force her to make an ice wall to intercept the blades as she swung through he block and forced Akame away for her. This worked for Akame as she let Esdeath force her back before she landed on the ice and used Shave to kick off it and loop around Esdeath.

The moment that she did Tatsumi used his crouch to push off the ice with all the power he could muster, which was a lot as he cracked the ice beneath his feet, and shot at Esdeath as she brought her sword back to her side now that she was no longer blocking Akame's attack. As he flew over the ice Tatsumi kept his sword low and to his side in a similar style to how Akame did when she rushed an opponent, his move in sync with hers, as he closed in on Esdeath before he launched a savage upswing at her as he reached her. As he did, Akame appeared on Esdeath's other side going for a downward slash.

Esdeath just grinned as ice rooted her to the battlefield and she got her rapier up to intercept Tatsumi's strike with a boom that ended his momentum there and almost threw him off balance had he not trust his feet into the ice to stabilize himself and used Esdeath's own strength to his advantage as he pushed against her block. At the same time Esdeath created a massive, rough, sword of ice that was between her and Akame's blade and grabbed it, turning it black with her Armament Haki just in time to intercept Akame's blade on it and hold if firm as the black haired girl landed on the ice on her other side.

"Now this is fun!" Esdeath laughed as she pushed back on Tatsumi and Akame's blades, she'd not expected the latter to arrive but she wasn't complaining as Akame was wanted dead or alive so the former worked just fine for Esdeath and if she did it in front of Tatsumi then all the better as it reinforced her superior strength. "I'm going to enjoy beating you and claiming my prize!"

"Tatsumi is not yours to have!" Akame shouted as Tatsumi disengaged and fell back to allow her to unleash a series of blades from her abdomen and at Esdeath but the Admiral spun around to sweep them away with her sword while dropped her Haki from the ice and allowing Akame's katana to cut through it knowing that she'd avoid the katana with her spin. "I won't let you take him away from me again!"

"Oh so that's how it is, rival." Esdeath said instantly realizing the emotion in Akame's voice though her attempt to through the other swordswoman off her game failed as Akame sliced down the moment she realized the ice was vulnerable and got Murasame up to intercept Bloodletter as Esdeath brought it down on the down swing at the end of her spin causing another blast of wind and sparks to fly as the two blades clashed again. "I will show Tatsumi who the superior female is today and eliminate a rival for his heart in the process, that will show him that I'm the one for him."

Akame grit her teeth as she didn't rise the bait, she couldn't let herself, and pushed back on Esdeath before leaping back on the ice and flipping as she sent several more blades from her body at the older woman. She knew what her heart was telling her about her feelings for Tatsumi and that she wasn't fully containing them at the moment but she couldn't give into that, she had to focus on the battle at hand and then she could deal with them.

"Not bad." Esdeath said as she created an ice wall that took the blades in it before she tossed it to the side as Akame landed next to Tatsumi who'd looped around so that they could rush her together now that their opening gambit had failed, not that they'd expected it to work to begin with. "But still not enough to beat me. Keep trying though, let's see how much you can push me so I can really make it clear to Tatsumi how strong I am."

Tatsumi just looked at Akame who nodded at him. They could do this; they could hold off Esdeath and ensure that she wasn't the major threat on the battlefield that she normally was.

With that look they turned and rushed the laughing Admiral. Esdeath was really enjoying this little duel and settled into it by getting her rapier up to intercept them as she countered Tatsumi's raw power style and Akame's mobility and precision based style with her own swordsmanship, the three Supreme Grade blades singing as they clashed while the battle raged on around them.

---

"What the hell is Shirokami doing!" Smoker grunted out as he beat down a pirate with his jitte while looking over at the Admiral who was standing alone on the battlefield. "Saying something like that, what will the world think of one of our Admirals being in love with a vicious pirate who's killed countless marines."

"It's pretty common knowledge in the ranks." Tashigi said as she locked swords with a pirate next to Smoker and pushed back on the man who clearly wasn't expecting so much resistance from her. "We all know that Shirokami fell for a rookie pirate a while back. Isn't that why his bounty is so high?"

"No, that monster earned his bounty without any aid from Shirokami's feelings for him, which if those feelings become public knowledge the standing of the marines will be shaken." Smoker grunted as a few bullets passed through his body but he paid them no heed as he watched a pirate in a hooded white coat leap over and into the area around Shirokami. "I'm not for covering things up when it means hiding our own failures but something like this could really damage the Navy's image. Our best hope is that this time she arrests the Adaptive Monster and we can put this mess behind us while he rots away in Impel Down. That is him, right? I can't see his face."

"One sec, I know a way to identify him without seeing his face or Devil Fruit." Tashigi said as she pushed back on the pirate and slashed him across the chest before he could react sending him tumbling to the ice as she turned to look knowing that her commander had her back so that she could confirm the sword that was in the man's right hand. "Yes that's him, no question, the Adaptive Monster Tatsumi is on the battlefield. I'm with you Smoker, we need to capture him so that we can get that sword back. To see something like that in the hands of a pirate is a disgrace, even more than the swords that Pirate Hunter Zoro uses."

"What do you mean?" Smoker asked, he didn't share Tashigi's interest in swords but if they were dangerous then he agreed that they shouldn't be in the hands of pirates. "You recognize that sword?"

"I do, it's called Incursio." Tashigi said nodding at the short sword that Tatsumi was carrying, his hood had fallen down confirming his identity but Tashigi was too focused on his sword to notice that small fact. "An ornate hilt with an inlayed ruby on both sides, a chain link tassel as if to try and restrain it, and a black body is fitting for a sword of its caliber and reputation. To have 5 such blades on a single battlefield, I never thought I'd see the day."

"So it's like Mihawk's sword then?" Smoker asked recalling what Tashigi had said about it when the Warlord used it to attack Whitebeard as the chat between Shirokami and Tatsumi began to pick up.

"Correct, it's one of the 17 swords, or I guess blades, of the highest quality, a Supreme Grade." Tashigi said. "Whitebeard's naginata and Shirokami's rapier are also Supreme Grade so it looks like we'll see two such blades clash. This will be a sight to behold, I can't recall the last time two Supreme Grades met in battle. It's said that swords of that caliber choose their wielders and I don't doubt it. Despite being a pirate, Tatsumi is known as a talented swordsman and is recognized as such for his crew though that is in part because the best swordswoman on the Night Pirates is more known for her assassination skills then her sword skills."

"That whole crew is a problem." Smoker growled. "After the Straw Hats, they're top of my list to arrest for their extensive crimes."

"Few actively target the Navy and World Government like they do." Tashigi said. "But Shirokami can handle him easily. Even with Incursio, Tatsumi won't best Shirokami and Bloodletter."

"Of course Shirokami's rapier is called Bloodletter." Smoker said as the talk ended and Shirokami rushed Tatsumi. "It fits her reputation. There are few things I disagree with in the Navy but one of them is how Shirokami conducts herself in battle."

"The legend around that rapier is that it will only allow someone of sufficient skill and desire to spill blood every time its drawn to wield it." Tashigi said ignoring Smoker's statement as her nerdiness over swords kicking into high gear just as Tatsumi blocked the attack and began to engage in a duel with Shirokami, the force of the two Supreme Grade blades clashing generating wind that made everyone glad there was a gap between the combatants and everyone else. "Of the Supreme Grade swords it's said to be one of the most vicious in terms of personality. Unfortunately the other one that's said to be vicious is Incursio, the blade she's facing."

"Given what that bastard's Devil Fruit is that doesn't surprise me." Smoker noted as Tatsumi pushed Shirokami back but she spun with it to attack again forcing him to back up to avoid getting cut. "Seems fitting for a monster like him."

"I wouldn't be surprised if there's a tie between the sword and his Devil Fruit though what I cannot say as both are shrouded in mystery." Tashigi admitted fascinated by the duel of Supreme Grade swords as they sparked and flashed with Shirokami pressing Tatsumi. "Legend puts Incursio's forging at a millennia ago making it one of the oldest blades in the world, a feat that if true could only be accomplished by a Supreme Grade, and that the wielder must be able to embrace the savage nature of battle to use it. He's also got to respect the sword and acknowledge its power, according to legend, but I don't know more than that."

"Still, that does explain a lot." Smoker said as Shirokami landed a slash to Tatsumi's cheek that didn't do anything and resulted in Tatsumi resorting to some kind of trickery to stab Shirokami but it failed and Shirokami was now just chatting to him as they seemed locked up. "I've yet to see that Devil Fruit of his in action but I've heard that it's a nightmare to witness."

"Reports indicate that it was used on Sabaody." Tashigi said recalling the report she'd read a few days ago regarding the incident with a Celestial Dragon that was caused by Straw Hat Luffy. "At the same place Straw Hat assaulted that World Noble."

"That doesn't surprise me, I just hope that they don't join forces." Smoker said as Tatsumi ended the lockup by tossing Shirokami away, and freeing his sword in the process, but it was clearly a tactical move on his part as suddenly a swarm of blades shot down from above as Shirokami came to a stop causing her to turn and weave through them before getting her sword up to intercept a downward strike from a black haired female pirate wielding a black katana. "Great, now the Blade Princess has leapt into the battle. Well given her ability to kill having Shirokami deal with her is as good as anything."

"It's more than that." Tashigi said bracing against the massive wind burst from the clashing of the Haki infused blades as the girl trued to push through Shirokami's guard and failed so she unleashed several blades that were intercepted by a wall of ice to cover her landing before she used Shave to swing around Shirokami as Tatsumi rushed Shirokami. "That's the 5th Supreme Grade sword out here and the one I know the most about seeing as it was stolen from the World Government a while back. Murasame, a katana with a shady history of assassination and murder, and being wielded by a trained assassin known for her swordsmanship more than her Devil Fruit. It's a disgrace to see it in such evil hands."

"Ah yes that story." Smoker said recalling the information he'd heard regarding the Elite 7 and their ties to Cypher Pol and the World Government's more clandestine activities. "A lot is likely propaganda but I wouldn't put it past the World Government to have a unit like that that is even shadier than CP9. Akame, a pirate who defected from them if I recall correctly."

"Yes and in the process she killed her superior and stole Murasame from him." Tashigi said as Shirokami laughed and blocked a simultaneous attack from two Supreme Grade swords with her own and a large sword made of ice that she'd coated in Armament Haki. "It's said that only those who see Murasame's true beauty can wield it. Whatever the case, we cannot let a pirate, especially a cold blooded murderer like the Blade Princess, continue to own it. Same with Incursio."

"Agreed but we can't intervene, at least not while Shirokami is fighting as we'd just get in her way." Smoker said as a pirate tried to cut his arm off only to realize his mistake as Smoker turned to him and punched him in the face with his jitte. "Leave the fight to the Admiral and trust in her power, she can easily handle two rookie pirates. We've got smaller fish to deal with."

"Yes sir." Tashigi said as she turned back to the battle at hand.

Tashigi knew that she had to help out as much as she could as the battle was picking back up following the start of Shirokami's duel, which the the Whitebeard Pirates were using to distract the Navy and push towards the plaza. Still, she hoped that Shirokami would win and soon so that they could retrieve two of the Supreme Grade swords that were in the hands of pirates.

---

The fight between Esdeath, Tatsumi, and Akame wasn't a stalemate per se but it had succeeded in the latter two's goals as it had occupied Esdeath and allowed for Whitebeard's forces to continue to push forward and towards the plaza where the scaffold was without having to deal with the threat that she posed. Already two of Whitebeard's strongest subordinates were planning attacks as they worked to back the marines up into the plaza but naturally Sengoku had his own plans and Akainu and Guresai were still in position ready to act if needed.

As such things were progressing according to plan for both sides, for the most part at least as no plan survived first contact. The one thing that wasn't going to plan, for the marines at least, was that Esdeath was in the middle of the battlefield being fully distracted by the pirate she was in love with, and declaring said love for anyone in the battle to hear, and not actually doing her duty. Her power was tremendous and if she were to work with the other Admirals they could actually fight Whitebeard directly but right now all she was doing was toying with two Super Rookies.

Toying was the operative word because that was what Esdeath was doing. She wasn't moving much, just enough to keep the attacks from Tatsumi and Akame at bay using her sword and ice that she created as needed to deflect their attacks be it from their swords or the blades that Akame shot out of her body with her Devil Fruit. They weren't breaking past her defense and she had plenty more tricks up her sleeve if they pushed her but for the moment Esdeath was simply enjoying herself as Tatsumi showed her his potential over and over again while Akame proved that she was a rival that Esdeath had to kill.

It was that bit that did get to Esdeath. She knew how amazing Tatsumi was, she'd fallen for him at first sight after all, so it shouldn't surprise her that another female had fallen for him. Still, that infuriated her and filled her with an emotion she wasn't familiar with, jealousy. It didn't help that the girl she'd identified as a rival for Tatsumi's heart was his attractive crewmate, fellow assassin, and a swordswoman wielding a Supreme Grade katana. Worse, and Esdeath hated to admit it, was that this brief exchange had made one thing clear to Esdeath; in pure swordplay, Akame was the superior fighter.

All these factors combined and built over their duel as swords sparked and sang as they clashed while ice chipped and shattered to royally piss Esdeath off. She was the one for Tatsumi, she was the superior, stronger female, and she'd show that by killing this bitch in front of him and making sure any threat to her love was eliminated. Tatsumi would realize that she was right for him when she did, Esdeath knew it, because after all the strong survived while the weak died.

To achieve this Esdeath knew that she had to get Tatsumi away from the fight but still near enough to watch her kill Akame. That meant occupying him for a bit, which with her power wasn't a hard task. All she needed wan the right opening.

That came a moment later when she sliced upwards with her rapier and forced Akame to leap back from it to avoid being cut from crotch to throat. As Akame flipped back she sent out a handful of blades from her body to cover her retreat and open things up for Tatsumi as he charged in but Esdeath was already prepared.

As Tatsumi rushed her, Esdeath kicked out with her left foot and spun on her right sending an arc of ice out and at Akame as she landed on the ice several feet away from her while a barrier of ice appeared in air between them to intercept the blades that Akame had sent her way when she'd flipped backwards. Esdeath finished the spin as Tatsumi reached her and she coated her leg in Armament Haki just as he swung his sword at her.

The result was a boom but Esdeath had momentum and power on her side and she kicked through Tatsumi's sword and into his chest and blasted him backwards. With her Haki she bruised him but his enhanced physic prevented anything worse from a glancing blow. That was all Esdeath needed as she finished swinging through her kick to face Akame as Akame cut through the ice arc with a downward slash of her katana.

"Stay there my love and watch me prove why I deserve your heart." Esdeath said as she held out her right hand to him, her sword momentarily in her left, and snapped her fingers as he landed on the ice and slid back over it. "Here, show me more of your strength and get past this."

At the snap, a large, flat, thick sheet of ice materialized in front of Esdeath's hand and then shot at Tatsumi, growing in length as it did so that it was now a pillar of ice rather than a sheet. Before Tatsumi finish sliding back over the ice the pillar was on him and he was forced to get his sword up to block it with the flat of his blade right before it hit him in the chest. The force winded him and pressed his sword to his chest as it began to push him back over the ice.

Esdeath just grinned as she tossed her rapier back to right hand and kept the pillar in the air and pushing on Tatsumi though only enough keep him occupied by it as he quickly dug his heels in and came to a stop pushing against it, able to see over it as Esdeath shot forward with Shave just as Akame did the same. Their one on one would add to the distraction for Tatsumi as a spilt second later they clashed at full speed.

The two different styles of sword slammed into each other and brought the women to a complete halt on the ice as air blasted out from the impact and sparks flew. Esdeath just grinned and Akame grunted against the block, the former wielding her rapier in one hand while Akame had two on the handle of her katana, both blades black with Armament Haki coating them.

This was just what Esdeath wanted as she suddenly manifested a small ice dagger in her left hand and laughed as she slashed it at Akame's face. However, Akame was proficient enough in Observation Haki to sense the attack just before it came, though her years of combat experience and Esdeath's clear blood lust also helped sense the attack coming, and leapt back avoiding it but inches. It was so close that a few strands of black hair fell to the ice but Akame ignored that as a long blade shot out from her stomach and at Esdeath's exposed side to counter the attack.

Esdeath just laughed as she kicked up her fighting a notch and formed ice over her abdomen to intercept the blade and push it away as the ice moved off her body. With the blade still emerging from Akame's gut it would force her to move if she didn't break it off so Akame was forced to do that as she fell back the blade flying harmlessly past Esdeath before it clattered to the ice behind her.

That was just the start because as Esdeath came to a stop from her lunge she slashed her sword through the air sending a compressed slash of air at Akame. This was just a distraction, something to briefly occupy Akame as Esdeath created several icicles around her body that she then shot at Akame.

Akame had to send her own slash of compressed air at Esdeath's to negate it as she backed up even more and used Murasame to cut the icicles that were sent at her as they were too close to produce blades to intercept Esdeath's attack. However, this was what Esdeath really wanted from her attack as she used Shave behind the icicles to close the distance her left hand out and glowing blue as ice formed on her palm that she stretched out towards Akame.

The move was good, fast, and skillful but Akame managed to get left forearm up in time so that a razor sharp blade shot out of it ignoring the bracer she wore there due to how Devil Fruits almost always seemed to apply to one's clothes as well and at Esdeath's outstretched hand. Akame was using Esdeath's Shave and desire to freeze her against the Admiral to impale her hand.

Well, she tried to at least but Esdeath saw the move and formed a thick block of ice in front of her hand that intercepted the blade and slowed it at once. This wasn't unforeseeable, however, and Akame didn't let it throw her as she thrust her arm down and snapped off the blade before another on shot out of her chest to distract Esdeath as Akame leapt up into the air.

Esdeath was forced to slash the blade away with her rapier and by the time she did Akame had flipped in the air so that when Esdeath looked up Akame was looking down at her from midair right as she used Moonwalk to kick off the air. The use of one of the Six Powers, the second that Akame had shown in this duel, in an unconventional way was impressive but Akame was only using it so that she could increase the speed of her descent and get behind Esdeath before she could reach, slashing her right along her spine with Murasame in the process.

The blow was intense and Esdeath had arced her back as if hit, which got some concerns from those who'd stopped fighting to watch the duel, but as Akame looked up from her crouch behind Esdeath she saw that the entirety of Esdeath's back was covered in a thick sheet of black ice showing that she'd formed it directly on her back and infused it with Armament Haki at the last minute to block the attack. Akame grit her teeth and leapt clear with a flip and sending a few blades as Esdeath slowly turned to her not engaging right away other than to block the blades with a sheet of ice.

"I can see that your reputation is well earned, that 255 million bounty on your head is probably a little low but you won't live long enough to see it increased so it doesn't matter." Esdeath said as she tossed the blade studded ice sheet to the side while Akame landed in a crouch a few feet from her and Tatsumi struggled with the ice though admittedly he was as transfixed by the duel as anyone else who was watching it. "Very good. This will only help my case when I kill you."

"I wonder, what will the Navy gain from executing Fire Fist Ace and at the cost of this battle?" Akame asked as she rose using this moment to ask Esdeath a few probing questions rather than respond to the Admiral's threat. "What will be left for you when this is over? You can't hope to think that victory today will change anything."

"Victory is all that matters, proving that we are stronger than Whitebeard and his allies." Esdeath said calmly. "The victors will be all that is left, that's how it's supposed to be. The strong survive, the weak die."

"So all that will be left with be murderers standing atop a mountain of corpses." Akame retorted knowing that this applied to her side as well if they won just as much as it did to the Navy. "Because that's all we are. The Navy, us pirates, we're all nothing more than murderers today."

"And? Am I supposed to feel remorseful or excited about that?" Esdeath asked though with her it was a rhetorical question as it was clearly the latter. "A victory for either side means more chaos, I'm sure of it, so I'm going to enjoy it fully and all the comes from this little war that we courted. If you aren't ready to die then surrender and accept your fate. I'll kill you quickly, it's the least I can do for Tatsumi."

"Never!" Akame shouted her emotions and feelings breaking through for a moment. "I'll never surrender to you or give up Tatsumi!"

"I expect no less from someone who's like me, it will make whoever wins even more impressive to Tatsumi." Esdeath said grinning. "So come at me then, Blade Princess, and let's see if you can back your words up with steel. Remember, those who can't win must perish, that is the natural order of things."

"No!" Akame shouted as she rushed at Esdeath with Shave and reached her before Esdeath could move or use ice forcing Esdeath into a furious duel of blades as Akame let her anger fuel her for a few seconds and put Esdeath on the back foot for a second. "Everyone wants to live, those who died today wanted to live as well! No one has the right to kill another sentient being!"

"A rather silly thing to say for an assassin with your body count." Esdeath said with a laugh as she recovered from Akame's furious salvo and they locked blades. "I wonder, how many marines have you killed today alone?"

Akame didn't get a chance to answer that as Esdeath suddenly kick up, an ice blade forming over her right boot as she launched a savage kick right at Akame's gut. Akame formed three blades in a line from the underside of her breasts and that shot down over her abdomen as a crude shield of blades and intercept the kick there. The ice shattered while the blades held but the force of the kick sent Akame up and back into the air which was right where Esdeath wanted her.

"You're talented but not at my level, however as a sign of respect for your strength I'll use a bit more of my power than normal to kill." Esdeath said with a grin. "And make it clear just how outmatched you were."

At Esdeath's words the ice below Akame rippled and suddenly morphed as it shot out almost liquid in its movements forming a spiked pillar that solidified as it bore down on the airborne Akame. Akame didn't have time to process the change, all she could do was bring Murasame around and intercept the point on the flat of her blade. The move protected Akame from being skewered by it but she was sent flying even higher into the air and almost to the top of the scaffold which caught Ace and Sengoku's eye.

That wasn't all though because Akame was still alive so Esdeath, grinning the entire time, made three more pillars of ice shoot up from around her as Akame flipped over and began for fall head first to the ice below. As they did, more spikes of ice shot from the pillars while the pillars maintained their structure and integrity. The extent of this level of ice manipulation was beyond anything that Akame and Tatsumi had seen or heard about with Esdeath, in fact it was beyond anything that any one even Whitebeard was aware of when it came to the Navy's sole female Admiral, and really got everyone's attention.

Naturally Akame couldn't really dwell on that as she was forced to use Murasame to deflect herself away from the first ice spear, and then the second before she infused her blade with Armament Haki and flipped in the air to cut the last one that was now moving past her thanks to her deflections into several pieces. However, all this did was briefly block Akame's view of Esdeath which was more than enough time for Esdeath to finish her plan as she fully expected the girl to not fall to her ice even with revealing more of her power than normal.

As such Esdeath had leapt up into the air the moment that Akame's vision was briefly obscured so that when she could see again, Esdeath was right in front of her in midair and before Akame could react the older woman had flipped in the air and kicked Akame in the back of the head with a savage heel kick, her foot coated in Armament Haki thus adding to the blow. Akame had a split second to react and coted the back of her head in Armament Haki to protect her just before the kick landed and she was kicked down and into the ice with a crash.

The moment that Akame hit the ice on her back, the force cratering the surface slightly, Esdeath held out her left hand from the air and the ice around Akame rose up to hold her in place, her body spread-eagled on the ice, cracks emanating around her and back, limbs, and sword frozen to it and head ringing as she stared up at Esdeath's grinning face high above her. Akame couldn't move and the Admiral had a direct line to her while Akame was too stunned to focus on her Devil Fruit power. This really wasn't good.

"This ends now!" Esdeath said a gleeful note in her voice as she looked down at where Akame lay below her and decided to use one of Akame's tricks against her. "Tatsumi will see who the stronger woman is when I kill you! Moonwalk!"

---

Tatsumi saw all that happened between Akame and Esdeath but was helpless to intervene as he pushed against the ice that had been used to push and then hold him back while also being distracted by the fight going on in front of him. This lasted until the ice roiled up and formed a spikey pillar that intercepted Akame in midair in an unnatural manner, a way he'd never seen Esdeath use her ice powers, and sent Akame flying further upwards. This was followed by more pillars bursting up from the ice and then sending spikes at Akame as she began to fall to the ice.

This all but confirmed to Tatsumi what he'd long suspected about the nature of Esdeath's Devil Fruit but he put that to the back of his mind as Akame worked to deflect the spikes of ice that were sent at her and he sensed Esdeath tense for a leap. Clearly there was more to this than just trying to skewer Akame in midair and it was about to come for his friend and crewmate so Tatsumi needed to do something and fast.

That snapped Tatsumi into action and he focused on overcoming the massive, blunt, pillar of ice was pushing against him and which he was fighting against with his sword and raw strength. Esdeath had used this to give her time to focus on Akame and it was a testament to just how strong she was that she could fight without an issue, even show more of her power, while keeping control over this pillar that was able to keep Tatsumi occupied while also allowing him to watch her duel with Akame. Esdeath wanted him to see her kill Akame, she'd stated as much, and Tatsumi wasn't going to stand that.

Tapping into his strength and letting his feelings for Akame, along with his burning desire to protect her, come out he roared and turned his Supreme Grade sword in his hand so that the blade was on the ice. As he did Tatsumi focused on his own spiritual energy and coated his right hand and forearm in Armament Haki. He was still couldn't manifest it all the time but he could use it about 55% of the time and this situation demanded that he use it so he pushed through any blocks he had, his drive to save Akame pushing him forward, and extended the Haki to his sword coat incursion turning it pitch black.

The moment that he did he knew that he could overcome the power of Esdeath's Devil Fruit and with another roar he cut through the ice with a clean, neat slice that parted it around him. The force that Esdeath was using to push it sent it flying past him and into a line of marines that were behind Tatsumi and just watching the duel sending them flying but Tatsumi didn't care about that.

Tatsumi was free of the block and Esdeath hadn't noticed. That wasn't a surprise; she was solely focused on killing Akame and Tatsumi cut it just as Esdeath kicked Akame in the head and drove her down into the ice so there was little chance that she'd realize that Tatsumi was free. It was a bad kick but as there was no blood Tatsumi was sure that Akame had used Armament Haki to protect herself which was good. However, before Akame could move, and likely a bit dazed from the kick and impact with the ice, the ice rose up to freeze her where she was spread-eagled on it just as Tatsumi was free to move.

"This ends now!" Esdeath said a gleeful note in her voice, her voice carrying to where Tatsumi was as he tensed his knees. "Tatsumi will see who the stronger woman is when I kill you! Moonwalk!"

"Shave!"

Tatsumi shouted the word at the same time that Esdeath used Moonwalk. Esdeath kicked off the air to plunge down at Akame with increased speed while Tatsumi used Shave for the first time, in battle at least as he'd mastered Shave on the way to Marineford after the boss, Akame, and bro finally got the technique through to him, to shoot forward and put himself between Esdeath and Akame.

It was close, very close, especially as Tatsumi had little practice with the move and how to control it once his speed increased but his emotions and desire to save Akame were pushing him on. As such he got himself between her and Esdeath, which meant that he was actually standing over Akame his legs straddling her as she looked up at his sudden arrival, sword up and across his body, just as Esdeath reached them and thrust her rapier forward and down aiming for Akame's heart.

No one could see the sudden impact but as the two Haki coated Supreme Grade blades clashed the boom that sounded from Bloodletter being stopped by Incursio could be heard across the battlefield and got a lot of attention. As marines and pirates alike looked over, including Whitebeard who turned his head to the battle but gave no other expression, smoke and ice dust debris flew up from under Tatsumi's feet and covered him and Esdeath as the battle around them paused to take in what had happened.

For her part Esdeath was still in the air looking down, point of her rapier out and pushing against the sudden block in the debris cloud. She knew that she couldn't remain like this for much longer unless she used another Moonwalk, which she did to try and break through the sudden block but it held.

A moment later the ice dust cleared to show her that Tatsumi had intercepted her strike with the flat of his blade, Armament Haki coating it as he held it up and above him, his left hand on the back of the blade for added stability as he grit his teeth and refused to budge. Sparks were flying from where the tip of Esdeath's rapier was pushing against Tatsumi's sword as Akame looked up at Tatsumi standing above her eyes wide at what he'd done.

"Bold of you Tatsumi." Esdeath said grinning down at him knowing that she wouldn't break this block with their positions but kicking off the air once more to really test the man she loved, which he responded to by continuing to hold his ground as he glared up at her. "I wouldn't have held off even for you my love. It would have been a shame to kill you but it would mean that you were weak and not worthy of my love. You're not though, I know that."

"If I die I'd be breaking a promise to someone special to me." Tatsumi grunted back the emotion clear in his voice as he held Esdeath off through another Moonwalk kick and causing Akame's eyes to widen even more as he stood over her. "I can't let that happen even if it's someone like you that I have to stop. I'll stand up to anyone to protect my friends and crewmates and do all I can to live up to my word."

"Yes, I can tell, that conviction and determination of yours is so fucking sexy." Esdeath said kicking off the air again with Moonwalk to hold her position but again Tatsumi held his block. "And clearly I can't break this block so you once again proved that you aren't weak and have once more deepened my love for you even more. Come with me my love, I will unleash your full potential upon the world but first you must stand aside and let me kill that bitch behind you before I move onto the rest of your crew. They will all die by my hand, I promise, and then you will see why I am the woman for you."

"You won't be killing anyone today Esdeath." Tatsumi said his rage and anger building as he held the block through yet another Moonwalk kick and with one last defiant statement Tatsumi fully gave into his emotions as he stood there defiant to stop Esdeath from killing Akame until the end. "I won't let you or the Navy hurt anymore of my friends, not after everything you've taken from me and I will especially not let you hurt the woman that I love!"

Tatsumi roared out the last part as he finally admitted deep in his heart what was true regarding his feelings for Akame. With that defiant declaration, combined with his other emotions, a palpable wave of intimidation that warped the air around Tatsumi shot out from all around his body, his words carrying across the battlefield and all the way up to Sengoku and Ace atop the scaffold because of the force in them.

Almost everyone had turned to the clash between an Admiral and a lowly rookie pirate by the time Tatsumi spoke so many were around the combatants and swept up in the wave that emanated from Tatsumi as it passed over them before it suddenly ended. When it did marines and pirates alike began to fall to the ice, unconscious.

I think that that's a nice little cliffhanger to end this chapter on, I just couldn't resist something like this after all. I'm sure we all know what this means and what's just happened and this makes Tatsumi the second confirmed crossover character with this ability, not that anyone is surprised with it, and it's come at the right time for him. This also confirms one of the pairings that will occur in this story and the only one that will actually happen for a long time as the others are still up in the air to see if/how they will happen and there is still development in this one as well. Lastly, yes, part of the solo duel between Akame and Esdeath is drawn from their duel in the final episode of the anime with some changes to fit Akame's Devil Fruit power and ending a lot sooner than the anime for obvious reasons. This will likely be the only moment that is heavily drawn from Akame ga Kill. There really isn't much more to say on this long chapter, it was all a buildup to the final moment and what happened there and as such I will leave this chapter off here. If you liked this please favorite, follow, leave a review, or let me know in a PM and if there are any questions will posed in reviews and PMs I will try to answer them as best I can. Until next time.

Stringdog