Chapter - 43

Akainu stalked his way over only meters from the couple watching the scene unfold. His plan seemed to be taking effect. If he was going to mentally break down like he did when he killed his brother, this battle was as good as over.

Luffy's tears flowed even more as he looked at Nami one last time before feeling his heart nearly explode. It was one of the worst pain he's ever felt. Was he having a heart attack? The palpitations only increased as he clutched his chest. Steam was starting to exit out his mouth and nostrils.

"W-what the hell's happening to me?" Luffy said looking at his hands. They were slowly beginning to metamorphosis into claws. His whole body was transforming, but it wasn't any of his gears, it felt stronger. Akainu had made the fatal error of anticipating Luffy would take this loss like he did Ace's. That was different in itself— it was a brother losing the only brother he believed was alive, a true tie to his past. This loss was not a boy losing his older brother and childish innocence. It was a man losing the woman he loved and their future together. The chaos flames consumed the yonko's heart in an instant feeding off the pain.

Akainu walked up behind the captain charging his fists.

"Now to finish you boy. NOW DIE!" Akainu charged looking to disintegrate the pair— they were totally helpless.

Akainu's attack was repelled by a pair of long wing like appendages—they certainly weren't feathers, It was able to repel his lava. The chancellor jumped back a few meters to assess the developing situation.

The wings spread open causing a great wind pushing back the chancellor even more. He could see an unfamiliar figure appear from under the wings. It was still the straw hat captain but significantly taller at least seven feet. His legs were extended, above his knees remained human and the bottom half resembled dragon legs. The top half was identical— above his elbows were human while his forearms and hands were Dragon arms, claws extending menacingly. The dragon appendages were bathed in black, he assumed it was to contain the dangerous chaos flames. The markings on Luffy's human torso and face were minimal, the real difference was the long spiked horns protruding from man's forehead. A thin dragon tail of sorts emerges from behind the tall figure. It was his mystery fruits true potential — the power to conquer the world.

"I don't know how you took that form Straw Hat Luffy, but it won't stop me fro-" Akainu couldn't even finish his sentence before the figure crashed his palm into the right side of his face incinerating the skin on contact. He pulled away only to sear his skin off, his face was now partially melted— he was lucky too keep both his eyes. Before he could do anything more the tall demonic looking figure sent a chaos flame in his direction.

Akainu abruptly stopped the attack only to be met with creature in his face again.

"Not this time demon!" He yelled slamming his other fist into the figure. The creature just caught his arm with its bare hand incinerating the arm with black and cerulean flames causing the man to scream in pain. Whatever this fire was it burned more fiercely than his lava, it seemed otherworldly. In all his years he never once encountered a power like this. It made the Mera Mera no Mi fruit look like a child's toy.

Before Akainu could react the demonic creature stretched its arm to resemble a long Scimitar sword— In a flash the chancellor's arm was severed from his body. The former admiral was screaming and kicking in pain from the loss of his arm. The hellfire still searing at his shoulder where he cut his arm clean off. The wound drew no blood except from the severed arm, his wound was cauterized.

The chancellor was going to finish this and make him pay for taking his arm no matter, what even if it cost him his life— he was taking Straw Hat with him. Standing up he began to charge at the beast reeling back for a final attack. In a split second he was falling onto his back, his left leg being severed from his body. It was numb for him, as hellfire continued to sear on his wounded leg. No matter how hard he tried the lava wouldn't recover his wounds, it was negated by the hellfire.

Luffy looked down at the crippled man whose powers began to fade until he was in his original state.

The chancellor passed out due to his wounds. It was all too easy. He wouldn't let him off the hook that easy. Luffy wasn't going to kill Akainu yet, he would wait. Finally he turned to see Nami was still in her same spot unmoved. The realization finally hit him and the captain snapped.

An inhuman roar rang loud enough to hear thorough out the holy city.

The straw hats all looked out in amazement and worry not knowing the situation.

Kizaru stopped his scuffle with the straw hats. He was getting quiet bored, it would be too easy to finish them off. It was just like he predicted, Akainu lost. Without a word he disappeared toward the tower leaving a bewildered group of pirates behind him.

"What was that guy's deal he didn't fight us seriously at all." Usopp pointed out to the still stunned group.

"Maybe he's just a spectator rather than a player. It didn't seem like his intentions were to harm us." Robin said still stunned.

"Should we check on the other two?" Sanji asked the co captain waiting for his order.

Zoro looked over to Pangaea seeing an ominous aura gather around the massive structure. The feeling he felt that night at the sunny all the months ago hit him—the feeling of hopelessness.

Before the swordsman could give an order Dragon and his personal guard came riding horses through the city. "We won! Akainu is defeated!" The revolutionaries cheered.

The straw hats cheered as well knowing Luffy and Nami had won their battle against the chancellor.

Zoro was the only one staring off still towards where Luffy let out the roar. He couldn't shake that feeling he just now.

"Luffy...what the hell's going on?"

Kizaru landed flew just out of sight of the straw hat captain watching the scene below. He was dragging an unconscious Akainu by his shirt— he noticed the fallen chancellor's grave injuries . The sharply dressed admiral also saw him cradle a small woman in his other arm close to him. Sighing to himself he knew some of the pain that the captain was going through.

It was a shame, Kizaru was a fan of young love. Never did he want that to happen, perhaps the chancellor finally payed for his past sins. Shaking his head one last time he disappeared In a ray of light looking forward to spectating.

Luffy spread his wings taking flight to meet with Sabo who was standing on the hill overlooking the city, ready to call in artillery— on command, ready to fire on the remaining Navy ships.

A strong presence broke him from his concentration. Sabo looked to see a tall somewhat familiar figure standing before him. The unleashed power oozing off the hybrid.

He threw the body of the chancellor on the ground unceremoniously.

"Keep him alive." Luffy barked to nearby medics.

"Luffy but that's.."

"JUST DO IT!" A demonic voice rang out from his brother causing the man to slightly grow unnerved. The feeling passed immediately after he saw the sudden sorrow look in his brother's eyes.

Luffy lifted his wing to reveal an unconscious Nami cradled into his chest, a slight smile on her face.

"Nami! Luffy wha-MEDI-" Sabo was stopped by Luffy who placed Nami into his arms shaking his head furiously.

Sabo could see his brother even in his dragon form starting to let the tears fall.

"Please look after her." Luffy places one last kiss on her head before standing up turning towards the holy city.

"Sabo tell everyone to retreat." Luffy states calmly regaining himself.

"Luffy..." Sabo said on the verge of tears. He wanted to let it out desperately. He saw how happy this woman was with his brother. Sabo could swear he never seen a girl smile like that with another man. They were truly destined in his eyes. He truly felt the loss of this woman he barley met, yet she was still family. Nami was supposed to be his sister in law. He let the tears finally flow thinking how she fixed his hat and the gladness she showed towards his brother. Sabo's heart truly broke along with his brother's that day.