Chapter 289: Marines Get Word!?

Hearing my office door being busted open, I set down my files and glared at Vice-admiral Josu; despite my anger at being rudely interrupted, I knew it would only happen if something of major importance were occurring.

"Tch, speak, what's the problem." Asked Akainu with a grunt of annoyance as he lifted his head and glared at Josu while smoking a cigar.

"Fleet Admiral, I've just received word from one of our many patrols around Totto land, Big Mom's territory, that the Frenzy Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates are currently engaged in a deadly battle." Stated Josu urgently as he looked at Akainu, whose eyes narrowed with a deadly light at the mention of the Frenzy Pirates.

"Tsk, I need evidence, Josu! I will not order my men to enter an Emperor's territory unless I know for certain what is happening. A war with an Emperor isn't something to be taken lightly." Remarked Akainu solemnly as he narrowed his eyes at Josu, who winced before quickly nodding and reaching into his back pocket, only to place a transponder snail on the desk.

Eyeing the transponder snail, I glanced at Josu and grunted it before grabbing it.

"Fleet Admiral Akainu, report! What is happening in Totto Land." Ordered Akainu sternly as he eyed the transponder snail with a seemingly permanent scowl.

"V-Vice-admiral Soju reporting to Fleet Admiral! I'm currently on an island near Whole Cake Island, and with my spyglass, I can see The Destroyer of the Frenzy pirates and Perospero of the Big Mom pirates fighting on the beach, along with even more of their respective pirates." Stated Soju swiftly as he stood on a tall mountain looking at Whole Cake Island and watching the war between the two pirates.

"You're in Totto Land!?" Asked Akainu angrily as he slammed his fist on the table, causing it to crack while his stack of papers fell over, prompting Josu to pick them up.

"Y-Yes. When I saw the Frenzy pirates enter Totto Land, I had to follow them, Fleet Admiral. Because of our lack of information, we missed the chance when the Blackbeard and Frenzy Pirates fought, and I didn't want us to make the same mistake. I'm ready for any punishment, Fleet Admiral." Remarked Soku solemnly as he glanced at the transponder snail in his hand, which grunted.

"Tsk, punishment will be talked about later. Where is Chaos Kong and Big Mom?" Asked Akainu in annoyance as he calmed down and eyed the transponder snail.

"The two Emperors are also engaging in a deadly battle on a different island, Fleet Admiral. I would get closer to give you more details, but I don't think I can get close without getting killed; even from so far away, I feel the aftereffects of their clashing haki." Replied Soju softly as he gazed north, eyeing the distant island where flames and lighting constantly erupted from, along with a massive bo-staff occasionally.

"Hmph, stay where you are and update us on any changes." Ordered Akainu with a scoff as he placed the transponder snail on the table.

"Yes, Fleet Admiral!" Said Soju solemnly.

With the knowledge of two emperors clashing, this was an exceedingly rare opportunity that we, as the Marines, couldn't possibly pass up; however, facing an Emperor wasn't something to be taken lightly; we'd need to attack with enough force to destroy a country. No, we'd need even more.

Grabbing my transponder snail, I was about to call Kizaru, only to click my tongue when I remembered I had sent him on a mission; he wouldn't be available for some time. Grunting, I called the newly instated Admirals that took my and Akoji's spots, Fujitora and Ryokugyu.

"Fujitora, Ryokuga; the Frenzy and Big Mom Pirates are currently fighting. You two are to wait until an outcome is decided and then capture everyone when they're exhausted and injured." Ordered Akainu sternly as he eyed his personal transponder snail, waiting for a response.

"Got it, Fleet Admiral!" "I shall oblige." Said Ryokugyu and Fujitora, respectively, the former sounding excited while the latter seemed rather bland.

"Oh, What about Chaos Kong? Do we also, cap-" Asked Ryokugyu curiously as he glanced at his transponder snail, only for Akainu to viciously interrupt him.

"Kill, Chaos Kong. Capture everyone else." Stated Akainu through gritted teeth as he nearly crushed his transponder snail, his words causing both Ryokugyu and Fujitora to nod.

"Vice-admiral Josu, brief everyone and send fifty warships to assist Admiral Ryokugyu and Fujitora." Ordered Akainu with a hardened gaze as he eyed Josu, who saluted while nodding.

"On it, Fleet Admiral! I'll have fifty warships sailing towards Totto Land by tomorrow!" Remarked Josu solemnly as he looked at Akainu before turning around and leaving his office.

"Tch, Chaos Kong." Muttered Fujitora with a furious expression as he clenched his fist.

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I don't know how my crew was doing as fighting against Linlin took all of my attention and then some; after all, she was an incredibly powerful opponent; she wasn't someone I could lose focus against. It's been a few days since our battle started, and although we're still fighting with intense ferocity, we've both quite wounded, and our exhaustion is continuing to grow; if I had to guess, the victor would be decided within the next four or five days.

Dodging a slash from Linlin, I kicked the air above, dodging yet another slash as I rapidly neared her before snaking past her sword and punching her face, causing her to spit blood while forcing her to take a step back, yet she wasn't an emperor for nothing as she immediately counter-attacked, slashing downwards, leaving a shallow cut on my chest as I sent flying through buildings, hills, and trees.

"Urgh, that was something alright." Muttered Diddy softly as he slowly stood back up, only to swiftly swing Naga-sa upwards, deflecting a sharp blade of wind into the sky.

Eyeing the rapidly approaching Linlin, I raised my bo-staff into the air and coated in lightning before chucking it at her like a spear, and although she blocked it, it still stopped her dead in her tracks, which allowed me to land on the broad side of her sword.

She tried to punch me, yet I used one of the seventy-two Bian to absorb her impact before combining it with mine as I violently kicked her in the face, sending her skidding across the island while I grabbed Naga-sa out of the air.

"Hehehe, t-this… This is one hell of a workout. Haven't felt this good since my fight with Blackbeard." Said Diddy softly with uneven breathing as he eyed Linlin while raising his bo-staff into the air, causing numerous dark clouds to swirl above him.

Shooting massive lightning bolts into the dark clouds above, I watched Linlin furiously charge toward me, seemingly looking unstoppable. Yet, the instant when she neared me, I swung Naga-sa downwards, causing all the accumulated lightning from above to strike down in one absolutely massive lighting blast.

"Ikoku sovere…" Stated Linlin aggressively as she swung at Diddy, only for an unbelievably massive lightning bolt to strike her.

'Beastly Thunder!'

Despite my powerful attack, when the lightning dissipated, she was motionlessly standing there with burn marks all over her body, yet before I could attack, I quickly raised my arm, just in time to block her attack.

"…ignty!!" Yelled Linlin ferociously as she swung at Diddy, releasing an incredibly powerful blade that propelled itself to him.

Although I blocked the attack, it still sent me crashing through mountains and even into the ocean before I finally managed to push it to the side, where it continued onwards long into the distance.

"Tsk, that fucking hurt." Muttered Diddy as he gazed at the deep gash on his arm, only to grin as he holstered his bo-staff onto his back before spreading his legs and outstretching his arms forward, with one above the other.

Slamming my tail against the air, I rapidly launched myself towards the island and Linlin, who was awaiting my arrival. Gathering all of my strength throughout my whole body into my arms, causing them to flex to their limit and tremble from the sheer power that was contained within them.

As I neared her, she raised Napoleon into the air and slashed downwards at me, yet what she attacked was merely my afterimage as I appeared in the air right in front of her chest.

"Fish-man Karate style-Rokugan!" Said Diddy with a ferocious smile as he eyed Linlin, whose eyes widened.

Linlin raised her arms to block the attack, but it was no use; the sheer might contained within this attack bypassed right through her haki before hitting her in the chest, causing her to cough blood as she was continuously forced backward while my attack continued to travel through the island and even beyond it, dissipating only after several miles.

Landing on the ground, I grabbed Naga-sa and violently attacked Linlin, who managed to regain her bearings before counterattacking with her weapons, clashing for the umpteenth time.

"Hehehe!" "Grrr!" Said Diddy and Linlin, respectively, as they struggled against one another, trying to overpower each other, yet neither could, their strength being equal.

Pushing each other back, we both lunged back into the fray, fighting with all of our might while completely forgetting about everything else; the two of us solely focused on the other as we continuously fought with no breaks, uncaring for the island we were slowly sinking into the ocean.

"Hahaha!!" Yelled Diddy with joyous laughter as he clashed with Linlin, their haki being felt for miles.