Chapter 128 - War

In an instant, the serene silence gave way to the thunderous drums of war. The air became thick with the acrid stench of gunpowder and blood as the deafening clamor of clashing swords, booming cannons, and wild shouts vibrated through the area, transforming Marineford into a sea of chaos and destruction.

Across every inch of Marineford, there was a battle raging on. Marines and pirates, both seasoned veterans and fresh-faced recruits, collided with a ferocity that left no room for hesitation or fear. The line between friend and foe blurred amid the smoke and flying debris, and each moment was a desperate struggle for survival.

But the real fight was between the big players, each of which could erase the entire battlefield on their own if left alone. Frightened by Whitebeard's power, the admirals had no choice but to focus their efforts on him.

Whitebeard charged first, invoking the terrifying might of the Gura Gura no Mi. He sent a quake through the earth, aiming to disrupt the footing of the admirals. The ground split and roared, but Aokiji, acting swiftly, transformed the trembling earth into a glacial expanse, halting the quake's path and providing firm ground.

On the newly formed ice, Kizaru sprung into action. His body turned into pure light, bouncing off mirror-like ice shards, converging into one solid beam that darted towards Whitebeard in an unpredictable pattern. But Whitebeard countered, his naginata whirling to create a vortex, pulling the beam off its path and sending it spiraling upwards.

Not leaving any room for rest, a trail of superheated lava streaked through the ice, a fiery comet that signaled Akainu's entrance. He aimed a fiery punch at Whitebeard, who met it with the pommel of his naginata. Molten lava splattered in all directions, each droplet becoming a falling star on the icy battlefield.

As Akainu reeled, Aokiji lunged at Whitebeard, creating a dozen ice sabers in mid-air that shot toward Whitebeard. Whitebeard punched the air in response, sending out a shockwave that intercepted the icy blades. The cold air became a symphony of tinkling chimes as shards of shattered ice filled the air like snowflakes.

Kizaru, regrouping from his disrupted attack, dashed in. His form shimmered and split into mirror images from his sheer speed as he shot dozens of laser beams from each direction. But even in the face of Kizaru's attack, Whitebeard did not flinch. With a mighty roar, he slammed the naginata into the ground, creating a quake dome that sent Kizaru's attacks bouncing away in a dazzling kaleidoscope of light.

Continuing to press the attack, Aokiji swept forth, his body merging with the chilling air, becoming an icy gust. The frost-bitten wind howled towards Whitebeard, who, without missing a beat, invoked the power of his Gura Gura no Mi, creating a shockwave that dissipated the frosty assault.

But this was a mere prelude to the actual attack. From the whirlwind of icy mist, Aokiji emerged, his form reshaped into a towering glacial behemoth. His icy fist slammed down like a meteor plummeting from the sky. In response, Whitebeard charged his fist with seismic power, the air around it humming with an ominous tremble. They clashed, and the world seemed to hold its breath. A shockwave of epic proportions erupted, splintering the ice titan and causing Whitebeard to skid back on his heels.

No sooner had the ice cleared than a blaze erupted. Akainu, taking advantage of Whitebeard's weakness, unleashed a barrage of magma blasts. Whitebeard swung his naginata, creating a dome of vibrating air that turned the magma blasts into smoky trails.

However, Akainu did not relent. He closed the gap, a lava-coated fist arcing towards Whitebeard. The pirate roared, his palm glowing with seismic energy, and clashed with Akainu. The resulting explosion sent a plume of steam and smoke into the sky, momentarily obscuring the Titans.

In a blinding flash, Kizaru emerged behind Whitebeard, his light-formed foot aimed for a kick. Whitebeard, caught off guard, had no time to bring his naginata into play. Instead, he swung around, his seismic-charged fist colliding with Kizaru's light-infused kick. A thunderous crack resounded, the collision distorting the air around them and creating a ripple of light and tremors.

As the clash between Whitebeard and the admirals continued, they noticed a problem. Although the Admirals could hold Whitebeard back to some degree, there was no victor in sight. They were in a stalemate. Determined to change that, the two sides got ready to end the battle.

Each combatant leaped forward, time seeming to crawl as they closed the gap. Whitebeard roared, the Gura Gura no Mi's full power channeled into his seismic-charged fist. Aokiji, in response, unleashed a tsunami of ice shards, each a frigid blade aimed at Whitebeard. Akainu, roaring with equal intensity, let loose an inferno of molten fists, each a comet of unyielding heat. Kizaru, on his end, formed a massive spear of concentrated light, streaking towards the epicenter of the impending clash.

The world seemed to hold its breath as the Titans collided in a cataclysmic explosion of power. Ice, magma, light, and seismic energy erupted in a blinding display of raw power, the shockwave radiating outwards, sending a rush of wind that swept across Marineford. The battlefield shook under the immense force as the very air seemed to waver under the strain.

As the dust settled, an eerie silence fell over the battlefield. The once chaotic stage was now an ocean of shattered ice, speckled with the glowing embers of extinguished magma, and the air still shimmering with residual light.

But while Whitebeard and the Admirals had their fight, that battlefield didn't stay quiet. Countless people were in countless fights, be it for survival or an advantage in the war. One of those people was Marco, Whitebeard's right-hand man, who transformed into a fiery blue phoenix as he soared into the sky, attempting to reach Ace through the air.

But as he flew over the battlefield, a haki-clad bullet whistled near his ear. Looking down, he saw a Vice Admiral pointing a pair of pistols at him.

The Vice Admiral was a middle-aged man who radiated a sense of rugged authority. his shoulders broad and battle-hardened, jawline sharp like a well-forged blade. His eyes, thin and observant, lay beneath commanding eyebrows, their gaze holding an ocean's worth of stories. His back carried a slight hunch, a testament to his age.

His attire was as unique as the man himself. A dark fedora hat, its brim casting shadows over his eyes, sat atop his head, sporting a band adorned with an intricate gridline pattern that lent a touch of stylish flair. Cloaking his upper body was a distinctive Marine jacket, its high collar adding a touch of formality. The jacket, subtly brown in color, bore the same captivating gridline design. Underneath, a long-sleeved blue shirt lay partially unbuttoned, its sleeves casually rolled up.

Wrapped around his waist, a yellow belly band, added a burst of vibrant color, providing a stark contrast against his brown trousers. His feet were comfortably nestled into geta sandals: wooden footwear raised on two supportive slats, which added a little height to his figure. To complete his image, a lit cigarette dangled lazily from his mouth, smoke swirling around his face.

Marco identified the man: He was Tokikake, also known as Chaton, one of the strongest Vice Admirals. An unofficial Admiral, if you will. But there was a problem. If he was attacking Marco, then that would mean...

With his Observation Haki, Marco suddenly noticed a figure appear beneath him as a woman wielding a sword jumped up towards him at lightning speed.

Reacting quickly, Marco's claws blackened as he dived down, using the momentum to clash against the woman and causing her to shoot back to the ground with a large boom as a dust cloud encased her.

Marco sighed with a wry smile, this was why he was worried. The woman stood up, unscathed, as her Katana blacked in her hand. She was another Vice Admiral: Gion, also known as Momousagi.

Striking in stature, Momousagi unfurled as a vision of elegance and power. Crimson lips complemented her pale skin. Ripples of midnight-black hair cascaded down her back, her long ebony curls held loosely at the nape. A singular mole graced the right side of her face beneath her lips, bestowing an enigmatic charm to her visage. Her eyes, stark and imposing, were pools of obsidian framed by sharp, slender brows. Above these, a smudge of subtle pink highlighter muted the intensity of her gaze.

A distinguishing black spider, etched meticulously on her left thigh, was a signature symbol of hers. Draped over her shoulders was a Marine coat, worn like a cape. Its cuffs were a delicate pink in color, a testament to her rank.

Beneath the coat, a short-sleeved blouse in a matching soft pink graced her figure, its neckline deep enough to reveal her cleavage. Paired with her outfit was a pair of deep, earthy-brown shorts, their simplicity offsetting the flamboyance of her shirt. Black heels completed her look, a final touch to her ensemble that was quite odd on a battlefield.

Bullets shot up like a metal storm, each one whistling through the air with lethal precision as Chaton unleashed his twin pistols. Positioned high up near the execution platform, he stood as an unwavering bastion, his trained eyes capturing Marco's blazing silhouette darting across the sky. The blazing flames of the Phoenix Pirate painted the skies above Marineford with strokes of fire and power.

Marco, taking note of the incoming projectiles, spiraled deftly in mid-air, evading the storm of lead with supernatural agility, leaving traces of searing fire in his wake. His body flared bright and bold, his every move masterfully executed.

With a whirl of blazing plumes, Marco swept down from the scorched sky, determined to eliminate the obstacles that stood between him and Ace.

Bullets continued to fly toward him, But this time Marco absorbed them like a sponge to keep his speed, healing almost instants from each wound a bullet inflicted. Phoenix talons flared to life at his feet as he barreled down towards Momousagi. The swordmaster was ready, her Haki-enhanced sword slicing the air, the hiss of sharp steel harmonizing with the crackling of Marco's flames.

Their collision was a crescendo of flames and steel, a burst of energy that kicked up dust and debris around them. Momousagi moved with the grace of a dancer and the precision of a duelist, parrying and countering Marco's fiery attacks. She spun, her blade a blur as it collided with Marco's flaming fists, sparks flying as fire met steel.

On the outskirts of the clash, Chaton's keen eyes followed Marco's every move, his pistols aimed with deadly precision. He fired, each bullet finding its mark with unerring accuracy.

Marco lashed out with a series of rapid-fire punches. Momousagi parried, her sword moving in a lethal dance. She was a storm, her movements a whirlwind of lethal grace. Marco, undeterred, pushed forward, his blows landing with devastating power.

Momousagi, going at the attack, lunged forward toward Marco, her blade tracing an arc of lethal intent through the air. She executed a swift slash, the deadly edge of her sword aimed to cleave through the rush of fire and through Marco's chest. But Marco twisted his body masterfully, evading her blow and unleashing a counterattack.

Fire roared as Marco's leg turned into fiery talons, ablaze with power, and lashed out toward Momousagi. She twirled with uncanny agility, her blade a blur as it parried his attack, deflecting the onslaught. But the impact was palpable, the resulting shockwave blowing up dust and debris around them, masking her in a veil of gritty smoke.

Meanwhile, Chaton, from his strategic vantage point, didn't let up his assault. The rhythm of his guns filled the air, punctuating the cacophony of the battle. Another bullet zipped through the air, this one aimed at Marco's exposed back. The phoenix reacted, flames compressing around him, and he moved, a streak of blue fire across the battlefield, just in time to see the bullet bury itself in a nearby rock formation.

Momousagi capitalized on Marco's divided attention, lunging from the obscuring dust. Her blade streaked towards Marco, cutting a path through the air. But Marco, his Observation Haki alerting him, sidestepped the attack. He retaliated with a blazing roundhouse kick, aimed straight at Momousagi's ribs, sending her rolling back.

As Marco prepared to press his advantage, the ground suddenly trembled, a resonant boom reverberating through the air. The deafening sound silenced the battlefield, the warring factions momentarily frozen, their instincts telling them that danger was approaching.

Those with Observation Haki good enough spread it out to find the cause of the disturbing sound, but all they picked up was a metal shell making its way to them incredibly fast.

The shell, a monstrous embodiment of destructive potential, soared through the sky towards Marineford, a smoky trail marking its deadly path.

Kizaru, trusting his instincts, wasted no time. A brilliant, golden beam of pure light shot from his finger, streaking across the sky. The deadly shell and the shining laser connected above Marineford, detonating the shell.

In an instant, the world became light and fire. Kizaru's beam collided with the shell, and the detonation was immediate and overwhelming as the shell birthed an explosion so ferocious it seemed to defy the very laws of nature.

A wall of raw, pulsating energy ballooned outward from the epicenter, consuming the heavens in its wrathful embrace. The sky was obliterated, replaced by a swirling inferno of unimaginable power, its radiance so blinding it eclipsed the sun itself.

The very atmosphere quivered, rippling outwards like a stone cast into a still pond. The resulting shockwave was an unstoppable beast, tearing through the air with violent, unyielding force. It pummeled everything in its path, reducing the formidable buildings around the fortress to trembling husks, their once sturdy structures crumbling under the violent tremors.

The earth didn't just shake - it roared. The ground beneath Marineford convulsed as if the island itself was in the throes of agony. Cracks spider-webbed across the surface, opening like gaping wounds in the earth, while the sea, whipped into a frenzy by the airborne turmoil, thundered against the shoreline with monstrous waves.

A deep hush blanketed the battlefield, not a single soul daring to draw breath. Each and every warrior stood as if turned to stone, their expressions etched with shock and dread, bearing silent testimony to the cataclysmic events that had just unfolded. In the aftermath of the explosion, an uncanny silence reigned, a silence so profound it was louder than any terrified scream.

Yet, it was in this stillness that the aged groan of strained timber rang out, amplifyed in the silence until it boomed like a storm unleashed. A symphony of creaks and moans pierced the quietude, reaching every corner of the war-torn landscape, bellowing a sonorous warning of an impending arrival.

Through the veils of smoke that blanketed the sea like a cloak, a monstrous silhouette emerged. A ship, colossal in its majesty, clawed its way through the hazy curtain, shattering the placid smoke screen.

"Alright, you had your fun, that's enough." A voice rang through the battlefield as the silhouettes of a man and woman became increasingly clear atop the ship.