Capítulo 15: Mission - Save yourselves! (3)
Ace took a deep breath as the seastone shackles fell from his wrists, clattering to the ground. The surge of power returning to him was almost overwhelming. He flexed his fingers, feeling the familiar warmth of his Logia Devil Fruit abilities reigniting in his veins. He glanced up at Blake, his expression one of deep gratitude.
"Thanks for that. You saved me," Ace said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them.
Before Blake could respond, Mr. 3 interjected, puffing out his chest.
"Ahem! I believe I was the one who actually freed you, Ace!" His voice carried a mix of pride and indignation.
"Let's not forget the wax key I meticulously crafted under immense pressure, thank you very much!"
Blake raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips twitching into a smirk.
"Sure, Candlestick. All the credit goes to you. Without your 'meticulous craftsmanship,' Ace would still be stuck."
Ace chuckled, nodding toward Mr. 3.
"Of course. I owe you both, but we don't have time for thanks right now."
Blake's face turned serious, his eyes scanning the battlefield.
"Exactly. Look around, Ace. The war started because of you. The Marines still have the upper hand. Now that you're free, you must regroup with the Whitebeard Pirates, or the Marines will continue to target you and Luffy."
Ace's eyes flickered toward the battlefield, noticing the Marines' focus was still on them, and the Whitebeard Pirates struggled to maintain their ground.
Blake's voice cut through the noise, his tone calm but firm.
"If you stay here, fighting solo, they'll tear you apart. You must regroup, create a stronger front, and stop giving the Marines any advantage. The key to getting out of here alive is working together, not rushing in recklessly."
Ace nodded slowly, his respect for Blake growing.
"You're right. I need to get back to my crew."
Blake smirked.
"Good to know you're not as reckless as your little brother."
Just as Ace prepared to move, the ground began to rumble, the air growing thick with heat. A molten figure appeared through the smoke, striding toward them with murderous intent. Akainu had arrived, his fists dripping with searing magma. His eyes locked onto Ace with the cold determination of a predator closing in on its prey.
"Ace," Akainu's voice boomed across the battlefield,
"Running away now? You'd disgrace your father's name—Gold Roger, the scum of the seas!"
Ace's eyes flashed with anger, and he stepped forward, fists clenched, but Blake's hand shot out, stopping him in his tracks.
Blake's voice was calm, measured.
"Don't let him get to you. He's just trying to provoke you into a fight you can't win right now."
Akainu sneered, his eyes narrowing.
"What's this? A new friend protecting you? You'd think Whitebeard's men were strong enough to protect themselves, but it seems even Roger's son needs babysitting!"
Blake's gaze remained steady, his expression calm yet sharp.
"For someone who flaunts his strength, you rely a lot on cheap words."
Akainu's eyes blazed with fury, but Blake continued calmly.
"Face it, old man. Your words don't mean much. Ace knows better than to listen to someone like you. He's not as foolish as his brother, after all." Blake glanced at Ace, giving him a look that said,
"You're not, right?"
Ace hesitated for a moment, the fire in his eyes cooling as he recognized the truth in Blake's words. He wasn't here to settle grudges but to survive and get his family out. He felt indebted to all of them already, especially his adoptive father. He gave a slight nod, stepping back.
Blake turned back to Akainu, his posture relaxed.
"Looks like we're done here. You'll have to find someone else to provoke."
Akainu's fists crackled with heat, but before he could make another move, a massive figure appeared behind Blake and Ace, looming like a titan on the battlefield.
Whitebeard himself.
"Magma Boy," Whitebeard's deep voice rumbled, filled with raw power and authority.
"You dare threaten my son?"
Blake stepped aside as Whitebeard strode forward, his gigantic naginata in hand, ready to confront the molten Admiral. Blake's eyes flickered with interest.
"I think the old man's got this one."
With Whitebeard now facing off against Akainu, Ace turned to Blake.
"You're right. I need to get back to my crew. But first—Luffy. I can't leave him behind."
Blake nodded, watching Ace run toward Luffy, who was still fighting through the Marines, desperate to reach Ace. As Ace reached Luffy, they exchanged a quick nod, and together, they began retreating toward the sea, aiming to rejoin the Whitebeard Pirates and escape Marineford.
Meanwhile, Blake had his path to follow. With Ace and Luffy heading for their escape, Blake casually returned toward Buggy and his band of misfits, who were now entangled with several mighty Marines.
"Captain Buggy! We're under attack!" one of the pirates yelled, frantically pointing toward the approaching Marines.
Buggy, in full drama mode, screamed in response.
"Of course we are! But don't worry! The great Captain Buggy will—"
Before Buggy could finish his grand speech, a rear admiral swung at him, forcing Buggy to duck and scramble behind some debris.
Blake sighed, shaking his head as he appeared beside Buggy, his expression calm.
"Honestly, Red Nose, I don't even know how you're still alive."
Buggy flailed in panic, not realizing Blake had already dispatched the Marines with a quick electromagnetic pulse and some lightning spears. He has made another shift to his card slot, replacing Mirror Knight's card with Mikoto's. The Heimdall card was too valuable to be replaced, and he needed to keep the Hanataro's card for obvious reasons.
"Hey! I'm not just a loudmouth!" Buggy yelled, glaring at Blake.
"Sure," Blake replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Now, let's get moving before more of them show up."
Mr. 3 reappeared, his wax-covered hands ready for action.
"We need to retreat while the big guns are distracted. You saw Whitebeard facing Akainu—that's our best chance to slip away!"
Blake glanced over the battlefield, his eyes narrowing. The Marines were pushing hard, and the pirates were being cornered. The situation was becoming increasingly complex, even for the Whitebeard Pirates.
His gaze sharpened, scanning the battlefield with his enhanced vision. "Things are getting worse for the pirates. The Marines are tightening their grip. We need to act smart to get out of here."
Sensing a chance to prove his worth, Buggy puffed up his chest again. "Don't worry, Blake! The great Captain Buggy knows exactly what to do!"
Blake sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, sure you do, Red Nose." However, as he stayed with Buggy and Mr. 3, Blake remained stealthy, blending into the chaos while analyzing the battlefield. His mind was already at work, looking for the best way to ensure their escape.
In the rear, Pacifistas—massive cyborg weapons—were still causing devastation among the Whitebeard Pirates' lower ranks. Their relentless, mechanical assaults pushed Whitebeard's forces to their limits, and despite the pirates' best efforts, the Pacifists showed no signs of tiring. Their cold, calculated nature contrasted sharply with the chaotic energy of the battlefield.
Further ahead, the powerful Vice Admirals and high-ranking Marine officers clashed violently with Whitebeard's division commanders. The sound of swords clashing against haki-imbued fists echoed in the air. Figures like Jozu and Vista stood tall, matching their powerful Marine opponents blow for blow, but the tension in their battles was palpable. The Marines were relentless, driven by the command to recapture Ace and crush the pirates.
To Blake's right, Marco, the Phoenix, was locked in an intense battle with Kizaru, their fight illuminating the battlefield with bursts of light and flames. Kizaru's light-speed attacks were rapid, unpredictable, and deadly, but Marco's phoenix abilities allowed him to regenerate and strike back with impressive agility. It was a high-speed chess game between two formidable forces, but Blake could tell it was wearing Marco down.
Sengoku stood at the center of it all, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over the battlefield. His eyes were sharp, and his voice cut through the chaos as he barked precise commands to the Marines. Under his strategic direction, the Marine forces slowly began regaining their advantage, closing in on the pirates from multiple angles. His tactical brilliance was evident as he directed the flow of the battle, each order a calculated move to box in the Whitebeard Pirates.
Meanwhile, something strange was happening on the battlefield's fringes—Hancock, the pirate empress, stood among the chaos, not attacking the pirates but assisting Luffy and Ace as they pushed toward the retreat. The Marines who noticed this scene were visibly confused,
"A Shichibukai siding with pirates?!" one Marine muttered in disbelief, his face twisted in shock. Others shared his sentiments, their movements hesitating as they watched Hancock openly aid the enemy. Weirdly enough, they all had hearts in their eye sockets.
Blake couldn't help but smirk at the sight.
"Simps," he muttered under his breath.
"So disappointing."
The Marines, with all their supposed discipline and structure, were crumbling under the unpredictable allegiances of their forces.
But then, something darker caught his attention.
At the far end of the battlefield, lingering just out of sight from most eyes, Blake's gaze fell upon a shadowy figure he recognized all too well. The evil man from Impel Down, the one he had encountered at the entrance to the 4th level, was there, standing with a group of dark and twisted-looking figures. They moved with a sinister purpose, their eyes gleaming maliciously as they lay in wait, clearly preparing for something unknown. Their postures were predatory, like vultures waiting for the right moment to strike.
Blake's eyes narrowed.
"What are they waiting for?" he murmured to himself, his mind racing.
Whatever their plan was, it couldn't be good. Something was brewing, and the battle would take an even darker turn if these men had their way. Blake would have to keep his eyes on them—they were the kind of threat that moved in shadows, waiting to strike when no one was watching.
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