Chapter 14: Akainu
Marineford was engulfed in chaos. Whitebeard's pirates fought fiercely against the Navy forces, while the newly freed prisoners from Impel Down burst into the battle. But everyone was paying special attention to the figure standing alongside the legendary pirate Whitebeard, shoulder to shoulder.
Garp and Sengoku, from the command center, looked on with somber expressions. They knew Alaric all too well. They had raised him, watched him grow. And now, there he was, fighting alongside those he had once sworn to defeat. The scars in both men's hearts were deep, laden with a pain that only the failure to raise a child could generate.
"We knew this day would come..." Garp murmured, his jaw clenched, his eyes tracking Alaric's silhouette.
Sengoku didn't respond. His gaze was fixed on the young man who had once been like a son to him, a promising marine, but now a dangerous shadow of the past.
Among the marines on the battlefield, those who had known him over a decade ago exchanged glances of astonishment and confusion. Alaric had been partially erased from history by the World Government. Many believed he didn't exist; others vaguely remembered him as a forgotten legend. But those who knew him well, the veterans, understood who he was, and fear mingled with respect gripped them.
Smoker watched from a distance, his cigarette slowly smoking in his mouth. He had known Alaric when he was just a young recruit. Though older, Alaric had quickly surpassed him in rank. He remembered watching him rise with astonishing speed, a blend of innate talent and a ferocity that intimidated even the most experienced.
"I never thought I'd see him here..." Smoker growled, his eyes narrowed as he followed Alaric's every move. He knew what Alaric could do, and that concerned him.
Beside him, Tashigi stared wide-eyed. She didn't know Alaric, but his beauty and presence were impossible to ignore.
"He's... one of the most handsome men I've ever seen..." she whispered, barely aware she was speaking aloud. But beyond his looks, something caught her attention: the spear Alaric carried.
"Is that... Phobos?" she murmured in awe, instantly recognizing the Saijo O Wazamono. She knew that spear was one of the twelve supreme weapons, forged by a master craftsman whose name was synonymous with power. "What kind of warrior wields a weapon like that?" she thought.
In the distance, the three admirals were also watching. Kizaru, with his languid expression, let out a low whistle.
"Well, well... if it isn't Alaric..." he said in his carefree tone, though his eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and caution.
Aokiji, ever relaxed, furrowed his brow slightly. Alaric was an enigma even he couldn't fully predict. He knew of his strength, but he was unaware of Alaric's true intentions at that moment.
However, Sakazuki, Akainu, looked at him with pure hatred. To him, Alaric represented the most unforgivable betrayal. Someone who had once been part of the Navy and now fought alongside pirates was, in his eyes, the worst kind of criminal.
"That damn traitor..." Akainu growled, fists clenched, lava bubbling in his hands as he struggled to contain himself.
Meanwhile, Boa Hancock observed the scene from a privileged position. Her eyes never left Alaric. No matter the chaos around her, nor the war being fought at that very moment, the only thing that mattered to her was him.
Seeing the golden earrings dangling from his ears, the ones she had given him in Impel Down, made her heart leap. Her serious and arrogant demeanor completely vanished, replaced by an expression rarely seen on her: pure, almost childlike love.
"He's wearing my earrings!" she exclaimed to herself, her face flushing as she cupped her cheeks with both hands, entirely oblivious to what was happening around her. In her mind, it meant something much larger.
"That means we're married!" she whispered, trembling with excitement, her eyes following Alaric with absolute devotion. She didn't care what others thought. He wore her gift, and to her, that said it all.
Alaric, for his part, was completely focused on the battle. After his brief clash with Whitebeard, he had calmly positioned himself at his side, shoulder to shoulder, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The chaos in Marineford did not cease, but the atmosphere seemed to freeze for a moment when Alaric, standing alongside Whitebeard, suddenly vanished. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared among a group of marines who had no time to react.
The sound of the spear Phobos tearing through flesh resonated across the battlefield.
Alaric wielded his spear with deadly precision, piercing several marines in a single thrust, the blade of Phobos glowing with a crimson hue as it absorbed the blood of its victims. With each drop of blood the spear consumed, Alaric felt his strength renew. His body, already radiating power, seemed invulnerable, constantly recharging through that blood connection.
Alaric's height surged to 7'5", the crimson armor created by his Devil Fruit began to envelop his body, covering him from feet to neck, leaving only his face exposed. The armor vibrated with an almost palpable intensity, shining as if the blood itself gave it life.
The marines, trembling, tried to counterattack, but it was futile. Alaric was not only a brutal warrior but had also mastered Rokushiki, the Navy's secret technique set.
"Soru," some thought, watching as Alaric vanished and reappeared in the blink of an eye, moving with such speed that he seemed intangible. With a swift movement of his spear, he knocked down a line of soldiers as if they were nothing more than sheets of paper.
"Geppo"—Alaric leaped into the air, stepping in the void, defying gravity. From that elevated position, he spun in the air with lethal grace, launching his spear downward like a meteor. The tip of Phobos pierced the ground, creating a shockwave that sent marines around him flying.
With a fluid motion, he reclaimed his spear and prepared for another attack, this time utilizing "Rankyaku," a high-speed kick that sent a sharp blade of wind slicing through several distant opponents. His skill with Rokushiki was unmatched, honed over the years, making him even more unstoppable on the battlefield.
A group of marines tried to surround him. Bullets and attacks harmlessly bounced off his crimson armor. Then, he swung his spear in an arc, slicing with surgical precision everyone surrounding him.
"Unstoppable...!" some of the marines shouted, retreating in panic at the massacre Alaric was unleashing.
Alaric's haki intensified. His Observation Haki allowed him to anticipate every enemy movement, dodging attacks before they were even launched. His Armament Haki, enveloping his spear, made every strike devastating, breaking defenses and crushing opponents with superhuman force.
With his cold, focused gaze, Alaric continued advancing toward the central square, carving a path of destruction in his wake. A group of lieutenants lunged at him, but it was in vain. He used "Shigan," extending two fingers forward, and pierced one of their chests with a direct blow that penetrated his body as if it were butter.
With a sharp twist, Alaric raised his spear and, using "Geppo," launched himself at another group of marines, knocking them down one by one. With each impact, the spear Phobos drained more blood, further reinforcing his vitality and allowing him to remain tireless.
"This is the true power of a god of war!" murmured one of the officers, watching Alaric, covered in his blood armor, advancing toward the plaza like an unstoppable force.
From atop a nearby tower, Garp and Sengoku watched, unable to intervene due to pain and confusion. They knew Alaric had surpassed any limits the Navy had imposed on him, and now he was something more: an entity that defied logic itself.
Akainu, witnessing the massacre, could no longer contain his rage. With lava bubbling in his hands, he shouted in hatred:
"TRAAAAITOR!"
But Alaric didn't hear it. For him, there was only one goal in mind: reaching the square. With his spear held out in front and his crimson armor gleaming, nothing seemed capable of stopping him.
Akainu's fury was palpable. The Admiral, his body radiating heat and smoke from the bubbling lava in his fists, advanced relentlessly toward Alaric, his eyes filled with hatred and resentment. To him, there was no act more despicable than betrayal, and Alaric, a former Marine now fighting alongside pirates, was the epitome of everything Akainu loathed. The battlefield at Marineford, already devastated by war, seemed to shrink in the face of the impending confrontation.
Alaric stood among the rubble, never breaking his gaze from Akainu. Despite the charged atmosphere of violence, he maintained an outward calm that masked the storm within. His crimson armor pulsed, fueled by the blood spilled around him, while his Observation Haki allowed him to sense every movement and latent emotion in the Admiral's rage. Though he knew he was at a disadvantage, he wouldn't back down. He never had, and he wouldn't start now.
Akainu raised a fist covered in lava, his face twisted in fury.
"ALAAAARIC!" he shouted, unleashing a wave of magma in the shape of a gigantic fist toward him.
Alaric moved with astonishing speed, his body disappearing momentarily with "Soru" before the magma fist struck the ground, causing an explosion that sent debris and fire flying everywhere. In the blink of an eye, Alaric reappeared several meters away, his crimson armor shining and covering him completely from feet to neck. His eyes, cold as steel, met Akainu's.
"You've always disgusted me…" Alaric said in a low, almost contemptuous tone, preparing for the next attack. His words cut through the distance like a dagger, igniting Akainu's fury even more.
Furious, the Admiral launched another attack. This time, the very air seemed to melt around him as Akainu unleashed a barrage of "Ryusei Kazan"—magma meteors—toward Alaric. Each burning projectile fell like hellish rain, destroying everything in their path. However, Alaric, utilizing his Observation Haki to the fullest, managed to dodge most of the projectiles, his movements quick and precise, barely visible to human eyes.
"He's faster than I remembered," Akainu thought, frowning as he watched Alaric move like a specter, evading each magma explosion that touched the ground.
Yet despite his agility, Alaric was not unscathed. Some magma bursts managed to hit his armor, slightly melting parts of his crimson breastplate. Although his Armament Haki absorbed much of the damage, the heat and force of Akainu's attacks were devastating. Still, Alaric stood firm, resolute, his body constantly revitalized by the blood absorbed by Phobos, the spear in his hand. With each step he took on the battlefield, he felt vitality returning to him, renewing his strength.
Frustrated by his inability to bring him down quickly, Akainu lunged forward, determined to finish him once and for all. Leaping into the air, he propelled himself toward Alaric, his fist transformed into a torrent of searing lava. Alaric, for his part, raised his spear, ready to meet the attack. When they collided, the impact was so powerful that the ground beneath them shattered, sending a shockwave across the battlefield that knocked nearby combatants off their feet.
Despite Akainu's immense force, Alaric managed to withstand the impact, aided by his crimson armor fortified with his Armament Haki, although he felt the strain. Akainu was a force of nature, unstoppable and brutal.
"You're more persistent than I thought," Akainu growled, increasing the pressure with his magma fist.
Alaric didn't reply but pushed forward with his spear, deflecting Akainu's fist and quickly retreating with "Geppo," jumping into the air to gain distance. From his elevated position, he surveyed the battlefield. Although he was at a slight disadvantage, his speed and skills remained a decisive factor. Of all present, only Kizaru surpassed him in speed, but Akainu, while formidable, was not invincible.
As Alaric calculated his next move, something caught his attention: the furious shout of Boa Hancock. From a distance, the pirate empress, wrapped in her usual elegance, watched as her beloved Alaric was hurt by Akainu's attacks. Her normally aloof and cold expression transformed by rage. Hancock's eyes sparkled with a fury that only someone touched by love could feel.
"How dare you hurt my husband!" she screamed, her fists clenched as her Haki began to surge. The nearby Marines and pirates were no match for her unleashed fury. With agile and powerful movements, Hancock began to ruthlessly attack the fighters around her. Marines fell before her, turned to stone with each kick and blow she delivered, and the pirates who crossed her path were not spared her wrath. To her, there were no distinctions at that moment: anyone who stood in her way or failed to help Alaric would pay the consequences.
Jinbe, watching from not far away, felt a deep concern. He was escorting Luffy alongside Ivankov, making their way toward the central square. The young pirate was determined to save his brother Ace, and although Jinbe shared his resolve, he couldn't help but worry about the outcome of the fierce battle between Alaric and Akainu.
"That battle won't end well…" Jinbe murmured, his eyes fixed on Alaric, who remained steadfast but was clearly in a complicated situation. He knew Alaric was strong, but facing Akainu was not something to take lightly.
Ivankov, with his characteristic eccentricity, shared the concern as well. "Alaric-Boy will manage! But we have to be prepared for the worst. We need to protect Mugiwara-Boy and keep moving!" he said, his enormous eyelashes fluttering frantically. The two continued to carve their way through the ranks of Marines, protecting Luffy, who, completely focused, advanced toward the place where Ace was.
The battle raged on. Alaric, now facing Akainu again, knew he couldn't afford to waste time. Every second spent in this confrontation was a second that took him further from his true goal: saving Ace. However, Akainu would not give him a moment's respite.
"You're going to die here, traitor!" Akainu roared, launching another devastating attack at Alaric, this time using his "Dai Funka," creating a massive wave of magma that threatened to consume everything.
Alaric, with his Observation and Armament Haki at maximum concentration, managed to evade the worst of the attack, but still received a direct hit that sent him flying several meters back. Despite the pain, he quickly got back on his feet, his body covered by the protective crimson armor, but it was clear that Akainu's attacks were starting to take their toll.
Before Akainu could launch another strike, a roar echoed across the battlefield. The very Barbablanca charged toward Akainu, saving Alaric at the last moment. The gigantic pirate, bisento in hand, blocked Akainu's attack with overwhelming power, generating a shockwave that split the ground beneath them.
"I won't let you mess with this boy, Magma Brat!" Barbablanca thundered, his voice like thunder shaking everyone present.
Akainu, scowling, took a step back, though his rage didn't diminish. Barbablanca looked at Alaric, who still stood but was clearly exhausted from the confrontation.
"You're a brave warrior, kid, but you can't face them all alone. Now, step back. I'll take care of this magma brat."
Alaric, though proud, understood that Barbablanca was right. He nodded briefly and stepped aside, letting the world's strongest man take his place in the fight against Akainu.
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