Chapter 223: Dead End, The Young Master Offers His Head.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

"Everyone, get on the ship—"

"Don't worry about us, you go first!"

As the last small 'Moby Dick' turned its paddle wheel, the injured members of the Whitebeard Pirates were sent into the cabin one by one. The other captains under Whitebeard also began directing the retreat.

"Woo, Pops..."

"If you want to be sad, be sad on the ship. Gather all the ships that can move!"

On the other side, the captains covering the retreat were being chased and beaten by the Marines, retreating step by step:

"Hmph, as soon as they rescue someone, they run away like scared dogs with their tails between their legs. What a bunch of cowards, the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"But with an incompetent captain, there's nothing they can do... Whitebeard is just a loser—"

?!

"That bastard!!"

Seeing Akainu, who was beating Marco and still had time to taunt, Ace was furious!

"Calm down, hasn't all this bloodshed made you mature?"

The white dove beside him poured a bucket of cold water on him.

"Do you want to get more comrades killed? Even—"

"Luffy?"

...

"What... what should I do now?"

"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"

A lifelike ice crystal 'phoenix' spread its wings and flew towards Ace, freezing everything in its path! It created an icy trail out of thin air, forcing Ace to stop and push his hand forward.

"Mirror Flame!"

With a sudden burst of flames from his arm, Ace created a massive wall of fire to block the ice crystal phoenix. The power was on par with Aokiji's 'Ice Block Pheasant Beak.'

In terms of Devil Fruit development, Ace had reached the edge of top-tier combat power. Additionally, fire somewhat countered ice, allowing Ace to barely hold his own against Aokiji.

If it were Akainu, under the suppression of a superior fruit...

One punch would knock him out!

Tch, the Blackbeard Pirates had arrived, but:

Facing the Whitebeard Pirates, who could still fight and retreat, and Whitebeard, who was injured but still holding off many Marines, the Blackbeard Pirates were hiding behind the Marine Headquarters fortress, watching the show. Roman, seeing them through the flying white doves, sighed.

It seemed the Blackbeard Pirates wouldn't show themselves unless the Whitebeard Pirates 'collapsed.'

As for the Red-Haired Pirates... who knows where they are! Roman's scouting birds hadn't found them yet, so they needed to force the Blackbeard Pirates to act.

"How about this, Ace~~"

To make the Blackbeard Pirates act, Teach had to think the 'situation was settled.' So:

"—Lend me your head."

???

——————

"Fire Fist!"

"Take back... what you just said!"

A burst of flames tore through the battlefield, attacking Akainu, who was pushing Marco back.

"How dare you insult Pops!"

Facing the suddenly 'reckless and impulsive' Ace, the captains were stunned. —Although this was the familiar Ace, his recent string of commands had made them think he had matured...

"Did I say anything wrong? Defeated by your biological father 'Roger,' stopped short of the 'throne.'"

With a stern face, Akainu stated the 'facts.'

"Playing house on the sea, with everyone calling Pops..."

"Shut up!!"

This time, Ace was truly angry! He spread his fingers, and the flames in his palm shot into the sky, then, under the constraint of Haki, condensed, condensed, and condensed—

Condensed into a nearly linear stream of flames, seemingly able to melt through the void, which Ace then threw at Marine Admiral Akainu.

At the tip of the flame stream, the fire energy had highly condensed into a solid, sword-shaped, sharp red crystal.

"Divine Flame: Great Flame Sword!"

This was Ace's strongest single-target skill! Along with the wide-range 'Great Flame Commandment: Flame Emperor,' it was Ace's ultimate move, even Admirals wouldn't dare to take it head-on—

"Inugami Guren!"

**Crack!?**

With a crisp sound, the manifested Great Flame Sword was bitten in half! On Akainu's right arm, which was constantly spewing magma, a dog head with sharp, scythe-like teeth emerged, its body boiling with magma, and its red, ferocious head terrifying to behold.

The dog head was enormous, and where its eyes should have been, two blazing flames burned, making it eerily frightening!

Akainu's name was not for nothing.

"You're just 'fire,' but I am 'magma' that can burn fire itself!"

Originally, Akainu was just boasting, but to his surprise, Ace, the center of the whole affair, actually charged at him! This made him pause, but—this was right, young, impulsive, reckless, and foolish, this was how the captain of Whitebeard's second division should be. The calm command earlier must have had another reason...

Akainu's guess was quite accurate, but:

Since you turned back, don't think you can leave!

Akainu suddenly lunged, his whole body turning into overwhelming magma, determined to burn away all evil! And Ace, returning to his 'reckless' nature, unhesitatingly punched back with his fiery body.

As the captain of Whitebeard's second division, Ace should theoretically be the third strongest in the crew. Even if he wasn't a match for an Admiral, he should at least be able to hold his own for a few moves. However:

Ace's true strength wasn't necessarily greater than the captain of the fifth division, 'Flower Sword' Vista. His position as the second division captain was partly due to the vacancy and partly due to Whitebeard's trust and training.

Moreover, the Magma Fruit was a superior version of the Flame-Flame Fruit, a natural advantage:

As soon as they clashed, Akainu immediately unleashed his 'ultimate move'! The magma erupting behind him gave his arm a cataclysmic recoil force. In an instant, his arm extended, concentrating the power to topple mountains and cover the sky into his five fingers.

"Hellhound!!!"

Facing this incredibly fast strike, Ace instinctively covered himself with Armament Haki and activated his elemental form. However:

The five claws were engulfed in explosive flames, but Ace immediately heard the dull sound of flesh tearing. Looking down, he saw a magma-covered arm piercing through his chest!

???

Am I... defeated... just like that?

As the arm withdrew, Akainu, his body like burning hellfire, looked at Ace with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"With subordinates like this, how could Whitebeard not lose?"

"I..."

Ace, with his chest pierced, barely turned his head, seeing the white dove on The White Knight's shoulder, who waved its wings with a 'rest in peace' expression.

—Though they hadn't been together long, Ace could read the dove's expression on its 'paper' face...

Alright, though he had been defiant when the dove said, 'Just play your impulsive, brainless self,' 'You'll be defeated quickly anyway,' now he could only think:

Indeed, your judgment surpasses mine.

Snap,

The body with a pierced chest fell to the ground. Even with the inhuman physique of this world, surviving such a severe injury with the chest pierced through and the heart and lungs gone would be a miracle.

"Ace??!!!"

Luffy, who was also fighting nearby, was stunned. As he ignored his opponent and flew towards Ace's body, a pure white armored hand struck the back of his head first.

Thud!

As a numbness spread through the back of his head, a mix of arrogant and gentle yet unyielding aura surged into Luffy's mind, making his muddled brain think one last thought:

Isn't this Roman's Conqueror's—

Smack.

The White Knight grabbed the unconscious Luffy and leaped back, leaving the battlefield. Only then did the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates react:

"Ace!!"

"Brother Ace??"

"This... this can't be—"

The battlefield echoed with cries of disbelief! But the fact was right in front of them, Ace had been killed by Akainu with a single blow through the chest! His body was already cold... well, cooked.

"Phoenix Talon!"

"Bloody Rose!"

Marco's flying kick and Vista's rapier simultaneously hit Akainu! But:

"Good Haki,"

Akainu, with a sword mark as wide as a palm on his neck, coldly spoke. These two Whitebeard Pirates' captains were:

Still not enough!

On the other side:

Ace?!

Whitebeard, who was covering the rear alone and covered in weapons and wounds, turned around, his eyes full of sorrow and regret...

"Zehahaha~~!!!"

But before Whitebeard's sorrow could show on his face, a group of people jumped out from the shadows and stood on the execution platform, striking poses! And the one in the center was undoubtedly:

"Long time no see! ... It's great to see you one last time before I die, Pops!"

Facing this 'title,' the injured Whitebeard squeezed out a name through his teeth:

"Teach!!"

Phew~~

Finally, he's out. Holding the unconscious Luffy, The White Knight retreated to the Whitebeard Pirates and looked at the arrogant and evil Blackbeard on the high platform! No rabbit, no hawk, huh? Ace had to die, Whitebeard's spirit had to be broken for you to come out...

Fine, the job of taunting the Marines is now yours.

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