Chapitre 8: The Battlefield Reacts
The air around Marineford crackled with the energy of the ongoing war. Luffy's clash with Admiral Kizaru had sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, drawing the attention of Marines and pirates alike. The sheer force of their confrontation was unlike anything most of them had ever seen. Luffy, in his chaotic Gear 5 form, moved with wild, unpredictable fluidity. His rubbery body warped and twisted in ways that defied reason, but his sheer strength and the advanced power of his haki left a trail of devastation wherever he went.
As Luffy squared off with Kizaru, the rest of the battlefield took notice. Pirates and Marines alike found themselves momentarily distracted by the sheer spectacle of it all.
"Look at him!" a Marine shouted, his voice filled with disbelief. "Straw Hat Luffy... he's—he's fighting Admiral Kizaru and holding his own!"
"He's not just fighting him," another Marine gasped, watching as Luffy's fist stretched and crashed into Kizaru's chest again. "He's actually landing hits!"
The pirates, too, couldn't help but marvel at Luffy's power. His reputation as the leader of the Straw Hat Pirates had already spread far and wide, but this… this was something beyond what any of them had expected.
"He's gonna make it," one of Whitebeard's commanders said, eyes wide with awe. "He's really gonna reach Ace!"
Luffy could hear the murmurs around him, but his focus remained solely on Ace. The execution platform loomed in the distance, still guarded by more Marines, including Admiral Akainu and Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Ace was bound and helpless, but Luffy knew there was one other person standing between the Marines and his brother's execution: Garp.
Despite being a Marine hero, Garp was Ace's grandfather, and his presence on the platform was both a blessing and a curse. Garp's immense strength and loyalty to the Marines should have made him Ace's worst enemy, but his love for his grandsons kept him from acting. Luffy knew Garp wasn't going to let anyone hurt Ace—at least, not while he was standing there.
As Luffy dodged another attack from Kizaru, his fists tightened. Ace was so close, but so many obstacles still stood in his way.
Kizaru wiped dust off his coat, still unruffled despite Luffy's hits. "You've become faster," Kizaru admitted, his voice casual as ever. "But are you fast enough to save your brother?"
Before Luffy could respond, a massive surge of energy rolled across the battlefield, sending Marines and pirates alike sprawling to the ground. The air itself seemed to tremble under the pressure of it—conqueror's haki of the highest caliber.
Luffy's head snapped toward the source of the energy. Whitebeard. The old pirate stood like a colossus in the middle of the battlefield, his bisento held firmly in one hand, his eyes burning with fury. His conqueror's haki poured out of him in waves, knocking out weaker Marines and pirates as he plowed through the battlefield.
Whitebeard's gaze swept across the battlefield, and for a brief moment, his eyes locked onto Luffy. The old pirate gave him a nod, his expression softening slightly.
"You're doing well, Straw Hat," Whitebeard called out, his deep voice booming over the chaos. "But time's running out. If you're going to save Ace, you'd better hurry."
Luffy clenched his fists, determination burning in his chest. He knew that despite Whitebeard's overwhelming power, the Marines weren't going to let up. And as if on cue, a fiery figure stepped forward onto the battlefield, his body radiating intense heat. Admiral Akainu, with his fists coated in molten lava, marched toward Luffy with murderous intent.
"Straw Hat," Akainu growled, his eyes burning with hatred. "You're a disgrace to your pirate heritage and your bloodline. I'll burn you and your brother to ash, just like I should have done already."
Luffy's eyes widened at the mention of Ace, his rage boiling inside him. "You won't touch Ace!"
Akainu's expression darkened, his molten fist glowing brighter. "Your brother will die here today, no matter what! Absolute justice demands it!"
Before Akainu could make his move, his gaze flicked toward the execution platform, where Garp stood, his massive frame casting a long shadow over Ace. Akainu's molten fist tensed, but he knew better than to strike while Garp was so close.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who stood beside Garp on the execution platform, kept a watchful eye on the battlefield. Sengoku was known for his calm and calculating nature, but the situation was quickly spiraling out of control. He could sense the rising tension between Akainu and Garp. He knew that if Garp acted on his emotions, the entire execution plan could fall apart.
"Akainu," Sengoku's voice echoed across the battlefield, firm and authoritative. "Control yourself. The execution will proceed as planned. Garp is on the platform for a reason."
Akainu's jaw clenched, molten lava dripping from his fists. He sneered, his gaze flicking between Garp, Sengoku, and Ace. But Sengoku's authority wasn't something even Akainu could ignore.
"Tch," Akainu growled, though he withdrew his lava-coated fist. "Fine. But this boy won't leave here alive."
Sengoku nodded but kept a close watch on both Garp and Akainu. He knew Garp's loyalty to the Marines was unshakeable, but his love for his grandsons was a wild card no one could predict.
On the battlefield, Luffy was ready. His Gear 5 body contorted as he launched himself toward Akainu, his fists expanding and coated in advanced armament haki. "Gomu Gomu no... Gigant Rifle!" Luffy shouted as he swung his haki-infused fist at Akainu with all his might.
Akainu responded in kind, his molten fist meeting Luffy's attack head-on. The clash sent shockwaves through the air, and the ground beneath them cracked and melted from the heat of Akainu's magma.
"You're not going to win this fight, Straw Hat," Akainu snarled, his lava surging forward as he pushed back against Luffy's haki.
Luffy gritted his teeth, pushing against the overwhelming force of Akainu's lava. His Gear 5 form gave him the flexibility and power to counter Akainu's attacks, but the Admiral's raw strength was still a major threat.
Akainu's eyes glowed with fury. "You think you can save Ace? I will crush both of you under the weight of justice!"
Luffy's body trembled from the effort, but his determination burned hotter than Akainu's magma. "I won't let you hurt Ace!" he shouted, his fists tightening as he poured more of his haki into the attack.
Just as their attacks were about to reach a crescendo, a deafening roar erupted from Whitebeard's direction. The ground itself quaked as Whitebeard unleashed the full force of his Gura Gura no Mi power, sending cracks through the air and earth. The shockwave was so intense that it momentarily stopped Luffy and Akainu's clash, forcing them both to break apart and regain their footing.
Whitebeard's voice boomed across the battlefield. "Enough of this! If you Marines want a fight, then fight me! The era of Whitebeard is far from over!"
Luffy, panting and trembling from the effort of Gear 5, glanced at the towering figure of Whitebeard. The old pirate was fighting with everything he had, just like Luffy. But time was running out, and Luffy knew he couldn't afford to waste any more of it.
Akainu glared at Whitebeard, his molten fists dripping with rage. But his attention quickly returned to Luffy, his expression dark. "You'll never save him, Straw Hat. You'll die before you even get close."
Luffy's body shook from the strain, but he refused to back down. "I'm going to save Ace," Luffy said, his voice trembling but filled with determination. "And nothing is going to stop me!"
The battle between Luffy and Akainu raged on, but with Sengoku's firm control over the execution and Garp's presence guarding Ace, Luffy knew he had little time. Every second counted, and he had to break through—no matter what stood in his way.
End of Chapter 8 (Revised Again)
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone