章 16: Mission - Save yourselves! (4)
The roar of battle filled the air as Whitebeard unleashed a devastating slash toward Akainu, the force of his attack shaking the battlefield itself. The molten Admiral barely blocked it, gritting his teeth as Whitebeard's immense strength forced him back, sending him flying.
Whitebeard's face was a mask of determination, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at the Marine forces around him. His voice echoed across the battlefield, booming with authority.
"Listen, my sons!" Whitebeard's voice cut through the chaos like a thunderclap.
"This war… is already over for me. My time has come. But yours has just begun!"
Standing at a distance, Blake caught the look in Whitebeard's eyes. He wasn't just giving orders—he was delivering his final command as a captain, a father to his crew.
"You must live!" Whitebeard continued, his voice fierce.
"Get out of here! Escape with your lives! That's my last order to all of you!"
Blake observed the noteworthy figure of Whitebeard standing tall despite the wounds covering his body. Whitebeard, the mightiest man in the world, was choosing his death as a warrior, a general, and a father. Blake, although not part of his crew, understood the resolve. Whitebeard had chosen this battlefield as his final resting place—a fitting end for a man who had dominated the seas for decades. It wasn't just the decision of a father saving his sons, but the choice of a warrior seeking his ultimate glory on the battlefield.
Blake's thoughts sharpened, and he knew what came next. It was time to move.
He turned to Buggy, Mr. 3, and the group that had survived thus far.
"Film this," Blake ordered with a commanding tone.
"Film Whitebeard's final stand. Let the world see the true power of a legend."
Still clutching the visio-snail, one of the prisoners gulped but nodded vigorously. Even Buggy, with all his bravado, understood the weight of what was happening. The world needed to see Whitebeard's last moments—the moment a giant of the seas chose to die standing, unbroken by the Marines.
As Blake began moving, his keen eyes noticed that while most of the Marines were being drawn into Whitebeard's final onslaught, some were still focusing their attention elsewhere—on Luffy, Ace, and him.
Blake's eyes flickered with future sight. In just a few seconds, he saw Akainu moving through the smoke, his magma-covered fists aimed directly at Luffy. The Marine forces around Akainu were parting as the Admiral zeroed in on his target.
Blake's heart raced. Luffy was vulnerable. Feeling the mad dog's threat, Ace moved to block Akainu's strike, but Blake's future sight flashed with a deadly vision. Akainu's punch—it wasn't just any punch. It was a lethal blow aimed to end Luffy's life. It will kill Ace. Even though Ace is all flames, magma has a higher temperature. He'll be killed if he takes this punch.
Blake's mind worked quickly, calculating every possible move. The seconds slowed as he made his decision.
"No time to hesitate."
He summoned the electro-master ability, charging the electromagnetic energy around his body. His fingers buzzed with the power of the railgun, but this time, he wasn't launching mere projectiles. He was using sea stone bullets—the only weapon that could pierce through a Logia user like Akainu.
With a sharp inhale, Blake focused.
"Two shots."
The first railgun shot exploded from his fingertips with a mighty crack, hurtling through the battlefield toward Akainu. But as Blake anticipated, Akainu dodged, his body moving like molten lava, slipping out of the bullet's path at the last second. The force of the shot blasted into the ground, but Akainu had avoided it.
"At least he stopped his attack."
Blake's future sight kicked in again, showing Akainu's next move. He was about to reposition himself, aiming for Luffy and now Ace. But Blake had already predicted his move and where the Admiral would dodge.
Blake fired the second shot without hesitation, which aimed directly at where Akainu would move. The sea stone bullet cut through the air, and its speed was impossible for most to track. Akainu dodged again but seemed to move on the railgun path. His eyes widened as he realized his mistake, twisting his body at the last moment.
But it was too late.
The bullet slammed into Akainu's shoulder, not his head as Blake had aimed, but still with enough force to send the Admiral staggering. Molten magma splattered as the impact reverberated through his body, causing him to halt his advance.
Blake exhaled sharply, his fingers tingling from the strain of the double railgun shot. The recoil from the electromagnetic force had strained his muscles, leaving his fingers aching. It wasn't something he could sustain for long without rest.
"Damn, that hurt," Blake commented, shaking his hand to ease the pain.
Akainu, now glaring at Blake, seethed with rage, but the immediate threat to Luffy and Ace had been neutralized—for now.
Blake looked over at Ace, who had been bracing for Akainu's deadly punch but now stood staring in surprise.
"Don't be like your brother, Ace," Blake called out with a smirk, his voice relaxed but tired.
"I don't have enough bullets to keep saving you both."
Ace, still processing what had just happened, nodded. There was a brief glint of understanding in his eyes. Blake had saved his life, but more importantly, Luffy's life. That meant everything. He took his brother by his vest from behind and took off, distancing himself and regrouping with some commanders who were nearby.
Whitebeard was engaging the Marines with the fury of a thousand storms, his powerful attacks sending shockwaves through the battlefield. His massive naginata carved through the air, every swing causing the ground to quake.
However, as Whitebeard held off most of the Marine forces, the rest of the battlefield was still far from safe. Pacifists continued to wreak havoc at the rear while Vice Admirals and influential Marine officers tangled with the Whitebeard commanders, their battles leaving devastation in their wake.
Blake's sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, his future sight alerting him to another threat looming closer. Marines were closing in on Luffy, Ace, and him despite Whitebeard's distraction. They needed to retreat and fast.
"We're running out of time," Blake muttered, glancing at Luffy and Ace.
"Whitebeard's buying us time, but it won't last forever."
Sengoku, high on the remaining platform, oversaw Blake. His eyes were sharp, and his mind was already strategizing how to neutralize this growing threat. He had seen the power of the Aetherians before—he knew what they were capable of if left unchecked.
"Focus on the one who freed Ace," Sengoku ordered coldly.
"We can't let him escape."
"An Aetherian..." Sengoku murmured, his voice carrying a weight of experience.
"I thought they were wiped out."
He clenched his fists, his mind racing with memories of the past. The Aetherians were dangerous, capable of great power if left unchecked. He had encountered their kind before—long ago when they posed a significant threat to the World Government's control. And now, seeing this new Aetherian in the middle of the most crucial battle the Marines had fought in years, Sengoku knew that this one needed to be eliminated.
Following Sengoku's orders, the Marine forces began to shift their focus toward Blake. This wasn't just about Ace or Luffy anymore. Blake had become a target, and Sengoku wouldn't rest until he died.
Blake gritted his teeth, the pain in his fingers reminding him of the double railgun shot. He could feel the tension rising, and he knew the surprise element was gone. His illusions wouldn't work anymore.
The Marines knew about him now. They learned about his powers, and Sengoku wasn't about to let him slip away. This was a fight for survival now.
Blake's mind raced as he prepared for the next move. He couldn't rely on illusions, and his mirrors had lost their edge. But that didn't mean he was out of tricks.
He switched out the Mirror Knight card, focusing entirely on Mikoto Misaka's powers. Electromagnetic pulses, railguns, and lightning strikes were his best weapons. He would have to rely on them and his future sight to stay ahead of the Marines.
"Alright," Blake muttered, his eyes narrowing as the Marines closed in.
"Let's see if you can keep up."
Blake darted through the battlefield, his body charged with electricity as he weaved between Marines and Pirates. His mind was sharp, calculating each move as the situation around him grew more dangerous by the second. The illusions he had used earlier, with his Mirror Knight card, had lost their edge. The element of surprise was gone, and the Marines had caught on to his tricks.
That's why he had swapped the card out for Mikoto Misaka's, relying now on her lightning-based powers and electromagnetism to keep himself and his allies alive. Still, the battlefield had grown even more chaotic, and despite his cleverness, it was becoming difficult to avoid detection. From his vantage point, Sengoku clearly noticed Blake real position and made him a priority target.
Blake had timed his moves perfectly, keeping low and out of sight when the significant threats—like the Admirals or Whitebeard himself—were most active. But luck could only last so long.
An explosion rocked the ground beside him, sending debris flying in all directions. Blake's sharp eyes immediately caught sight of the Vice Admiral who had launched the attack, his sword raised and determination set in his eyes.
"We can't let him live," Sengoku ordered again, his voice cold and relentless.
"Focus all available forces on him."
The Marines immediately obeyed, shifting their focus toward Blake.
The number of attacks coming his way was increasing, and the intensity of the Marine forces was becoming overwhelming. His future sight flashed in his mind, showing him wave after wave of Marines closing in, ready to pin him down. Whitebeard couldn't content with all the marines present. He tried to support Blake in escaping, launching tremor punches on the marine waves that focused him. He was grateful for this clever brat who shortened Ace's rescue.
"Great, now I'm the center of attention," Blake mumbled, but still composed.
"Just what I needed."
He had relied on Buggy and the chaos to stay under the radar, but that was over. Now, Sengoku was pulling the strings, directing every Marine to focus on him.
Blake glanced at Buggy, who was still scrambling to stay alive amidst the battle. Buggy had proven helpful for distractions, but now, even he couldn't help. The battlefield was narrowing in, and Blake knew he needed a new plan. He felt the pressure mounting, the Marines closing in from all directions.
Blake summoned his electricity, launching a wave of lightning spears and electromagnetic pulses toward the approaching marines, aiming to disrupt their formation. But his instincts told him it wouldn't be enough. These weren't ordinary soldiers—they were the elite. And they had been trained for moments like this.
A Vice Admiral lunged at him, sword gleaming with Haki. Blake barely dodged in time, his electromagnetism boosting his speed, but not without a scrape. He felt the sting of the blade slice through his skin, and for the first time, his blood splattered on the battlefield.
It was getting harder to avoid being hit. His reaction speed and future sight had saved him so far, but even they had their limits.
Sengoku watched the battle with keen eyes, focusing on Whitebeard and Blake. He saw how the young Aetherian adapted and used his powers with precision and intelligence. But Sengoku also knew that Blake was tiring. His attacks were still sharp, but his movements were becoming more desperate.
"We must crush him before he realizes his full potential," Sengoku said, his voice like ice.
"If he lives, we'll have another Whitebeard-level threat on our hands."
The Marines surrounding Blake tightened their formation, their attacks becoming more coordinated. They were no longer simply trying to push him back. Now, they were aiming to kill.
Blake's muscles screamed with exhaustion, but he pushed forward, electricity crackling around him as he leaped into the air, avoiding another barrage of gunfire. He could feel the pressure mounting, his every step chased by danger. But he wasn't going down without a fight.
He glanced toward the edge of the battlefield, where Luffy and Ace were retreating toward the sea, backed by the Whitebeard Pirates and jinbei. They were moving toward safety. But Blake wasn't so lucky.
There was no escape route open to him—not yet. But he could make one. He has to make one.
Blake surged forward with a flash of electricity, making his way toward a group of Marines blocking his path. His hands crackled with energy as he summoned a powerful electromagnetic pulse, knocking them back just enough to create an opening.
But even as he moved, he felt the cold gaze of Sengoku watching him from the distance. Blake's sharp instincts told him that Sengoku wasn't just a strategist—he was a personal threat. Sengoku knew about the Aetherians, and Blake could feel it in the way the Fleet Admiral was directing the battle. The Aetherians weren't just a passing memory. They were a threat Sengoku had faced before.
The realization hit Blake like a wave. Sengoku wasn't just commanding the Marines to kill him because he was strong—he wanted Blake dead because of his heritage. The past of the Aetherians was coming back to haunt him, and Sengoku was ensuring that Blake wouldn't have the chance to become what his ancestors were.
Blake's eyes narrowed.
"He's not going to stop until I'm dead."
"Alright then," Blake muttered, his voice steady despite the chaos.
"Let's see if you can catch me."
The battlefield was closing in on Blake, but he remained unfazed. Sengoku's orders had shifted the Marines' focus onto him, turning the area into a death trap. Yet, Blake still had one crucial advantage: his future sight and unmatched agility. His movements were sharp and calculated, weaving through attacks with the precision of a man who could see moments ahead. Every dodge was anticipated, every maneuver planned. He had been buying time by engaging the Marines directly, but now, his focus shifted. It was no longer about holding ground and buying time for others—it was about escaping, and he was determined to slip through their grasp.
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