Chapter 145: Akainu's Shock and Regret

After Shiro gave the order.

Hundreds of thousands of Central Authority troops, led by the Pirate Empress, Issho, and others, began to retreat slowly.

Although Issho didn't know what kind of evacuation method Shiro had prepared at this time, their route of retreat wasn't to the port to board warships. Instead, they were heading deeper into the island!

But since Issho had already bet on Shiro, he naturally wouldn't have any other ideas. Besides, the only thing he could do now was to trust him completely.

"Hahaha, Shiro, have you lost your mind? You actually let those rebel criminals retreat into the depths of the island!? Hahaha, it seems today is a good chance for this old man to get rid of you once and for all!"

Fleet Admiral Akainu sneered as he looked at the direction in which Issho and the others began their retreat.

He doubted Shiro's intentions because Shiro's methods had always been unpredictable.

But to retreat into the island's depths? Could hundreds of thousands of troops, including Navy elites, escape by flying away? Surely, not all of them were proficient in Rokushiki.

Since they couldn't fly, wasn't this a death wish!?

When the support from the World Government and Navy Headquarters arrives, it will spell the end for Shiro and his forces!

"Sakazuki, don't be careless!"

Unlike Akainu, Sengoku the Buddha was much calmer and more cautious.

After all, Shiro's methods had always been terrifying, leaving Sengoku uneasy. How could someone like Shiro court his own death without a plan? There must be some kind of arrangement—perhaps something that ordinary people could never imagine.

Yet, Sengoku was also perplexed—what method could Shiro possibly have that could allow hundreds of thousands of troops to break through the encirclement in such a short time and leave the island for safety?

Boom!

There was no more time for words. The battle between Shiro and Akainu had reached its peak.

Akainu unleashed his magma abilities to their fullest. The surrounding land and sky were shrouded in extreme heat from his magma, creating an overwhelmingly terrifying momentum.

But Shiro no longer held back. He unleashed his elemental abilities, the most notable being his fire, which reached its current peak under his control.

This shocked Akainu.

How could it be?

The flames surrounding Shiro weren't just resisting Akainu's magma—they seemed stronger!

Unbelievable!

Wasn't magma supposed to burn even fire? Fire Fist Ace, who had the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit, was completely suppressed by Akainu's magma in the past. So why wasn't Akainu's magma suppressing Shiro's fire?

It defied Akainu's understanding.

"Does it surprise you, Akainu? My flames are even hotter than your magma!"

Shiro laughed.

"Just like how the World Government and the Navy have underestimated the Central Authority, you too are underestimating the current situation. Wake up, Akainu!"

At this moment, Shiro unleashed his full strength, and with every slash of his sword, mountains were leveled. His Haki clashed fiercely with Akainu's, overwhelming him.

Caught off guard, Akainu found himself struggling against Shiro's newfound strength.

He had thought he was prepared to face Shiro after their previous clashes before the top war. But the battle revealed that he had once again underestimated the terrifying young man before him.

After all, even though Akainu had trained specifically to counter Shiro's abilities, Shiro had also grown stronger—far more terrifying than anyone could have anticipated.

Shiro's strikes were overwhelming. Every time Akainu attacked, Shiro not only defended but also reflected the force back at him!

Within thirty rounds of combat, Akainu was nearly driven mad. He had never fought such a suffocating battle in his life, not even against Kuzan.

This kid, Shiro, was a complete monster.

Regret!

Akainu's biggest emotion right now was regret.

If he had personally pursued Shiro when the first incident broke out, perhaps he could have killed him before he grew into the menace he was now. The Navy might have avoided so much disaster.

But it was too late.

Even Akainu had to admit that Shiro now stood at the pinnacle of the world.

He could even rival Whitebeard in his prime or Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King himself!

And that wasn't the most terrifying part.

The real horror was that in just two months, Shiro had grown to a level that sent shivers down the spines of even Admirals.

Boom! Boom!

Akainu's resolve began to crack. Seizing the moment, Shiro unleashed a devastating attack. The power of his sword technique burst forth, sending Akainu, the Fleet Admiral of the Navy, flying again!

In that instant, the Navy forces lost all hope.

Even Fleet Admiral Akainu was being crushed by Shiro! Who in the Navy could defeat him now?

It seemed the Navy had truly lost…

Meanwhile, at Mary Geoise, the Five Elders were holding an emergency meeting.

Updates about the situation kept arriving, and the expressions of the Five Elders grew darker with each report.

"I never thought that kid Shiro would grow this strong."

"Indeed. If we let him continue to lead the Central Authority, it could spell major trouble."

"The Revolutionary Army is already a pain, we can't afford another uprising. It's time we got rid of Shiro."

"The Navy has failed us again. Akainu can't even handle a kid!"

"I'm more concerned that the forces surrounding the island of war won't be able to stop Shiro from escaping. We can't dispatch stronger forces fast enough. The situation is dire."

The Five Elders debated intensely, recognizing the gravity of the situation. If Shiro continued to grow, the Central Authority would soon become a new Revolutionary Army, an existential threat to the World Government.

Swoosh—

Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared.

The Five Elders stood up immediately, their eyes filled with intensity.

"Five Elders, it's urgent… Imu has arrived."

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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg