Chương 9: A New Level of Haki
The battlefield of Marineford was a swirling maelstrom of chaos, but Luffy's mind was sharp and focused. Gear 5 crackled with energy around him, but he could feel his body straining under the immense pressure. Every muscle screamed in protest, but Luffy had no intention of stopping. He couldn't stop—not with Ace so close.
Admiral Akainu stood across from Luffy, his fists dripping with molten lava, his eyes burning with hatred. The ground beneath them was charred and cracked from the heat of their clash, and the air smelled of smoke and ash. Akainu's presence alone made the battlefield feel suffocating, as if the very air around them had been set on fire.
"You think you can stop me, Straw Hat?" Akainu snarled, his voice filled with venom. "I'll burn you and your brother to ashes. Absolute justice will not be denied."
Luffy's breath came in ragged gasps, but his eyes were filled with determination. "You're not gonna touch Ace!" he shouted, his voice shaking with fury. "I'll protect him no matter what!"
Akainu's molten fist surged forward, aiming directly at Luffy. "Then die with him!" Akainu roared.
Luffy's observation haki flared, his senses sharp as he predicted Akainu's every move. Time seemed to slow as he twisted his body, narrowly dodging the Admiral's magma-coated fist. The ground where Luffy had stood moments before melted into a pool of bubbling lava, but Luffy's body snapped back like a rubber band, avoiding the attack with unnatural flexibility.
Luffy's heart pounded in his chest as he landed several feet away, his fists trembling. Gear 5 allowed him to contort and stretch his body in ways that defied logic, but the strain on his body was immense. He could feel his muscles burning, his stamina depleting rapidly.
"I have to end this fast," Luffy muttered under his breath, his gaze never leaving Akainu.
Before Luffy could launch another attack, a loud roar erupted across the battlefield. Luffy's head snapped toward the execution platform, where Garp and Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood like sentinels, keeping a watchful eye on the execution of Portgas D. Ace.
Ace was still bound, his face etched with a mixture of defiance and despair. He watched as the battle unfolded around him, powerless to stop it. But beside him, Garp stood still, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. The Marine hero's face was a mask of anguish—his duty as a Marine conflicting with his love for his grandson.
Luffy could see the tension between Garp and the Marines around him. Sengoku remained calm, his authority unquestioned, but there was a palpable sense of unease. Garp was holding himself back, but how long could that last?
"I have to hurry," Luffy whispered. Time was running out.
Akainu's molten fist surged toward Luffy once more, but this time, Luffy didn't dodge. His eyes locked onto Akainu's fist, and with a roar, his entire body twisted and expanded. His arm stretched back, blackened with advanced armament haki, and his muscles bulged as he unleashed the full force of his attack.
"Gomu Gomu no Red Roc!" Luffy bellowed, his haki-infused fist crashing into Akainu's molten arm with the force of a meteor.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, and for the first time, Akainu's expression faltered. His magma fist met Luffy's haki-coated punch, but the power behind Luffy's attack was overwhelming. Akainu grunted as he was forced back, his feet skidding across the scorched ground.
Luffy's heart raced as he pressed forward, refusing to let Akainu regain his footing. His advanced observation haki was sharper than ever, allowing him to predict every move the Admiral made. His body, though straining under the weight of Gear 5, responded to his will with blinding speed.
Akainu's eyes narrowed, his molten fists glowing brighter as he prepared to counter. "You're persistent, but that won't save you."
Luffy's fists tightened, his muscles trembling from the effort of maintaining Gear 5. He could feel the chaotic energy of his new form pushing him to his limits, but he couldn't stop now. He refused to.
"I don't care what it takes," Luffy growled, his voice filled with fury. "I'm not letting you hurt Ace!"
Suddenly, Luffy's conqueror's haki flared, surging outward like a tidal wave. The air crackled with electricity as his willpower washed over the battlefield, knocking out weaker Marines and pirates in an instant. Even seasoned fighters felt the weight of Luffy's haki pressing down on them, their bodies trembling under the sheer force of his spirit.
Akainu gritted his teeth, his own will clashing against Luffy's. "Hmph," he sneered, unaffected by the burst of conqueror's haki. "You think your haki is enough to defeat me? I'll show you what true power looks like!"
Akainu slammed his fists into the ground, causing rivers of molten lava to surge toward Luffy. The heat was unbearable, the ground beneath Luffy's feet melting away, but he didn't falter. His observation haki allowed him to see the path the lava would take, and his body responded instantly.
Luffy leaped into the air, his legs stretching as he dodged the waves of magma. His body twisted and contorted, his movements fluid and unpredictable. Akainu's attacks were powerful, but Luffy's advanced haki was sharper. He could sense every move the Admiral made, predicting each attack before it even happened.
"Gomu Gomu no... Jet Culverin!" Luffy roared, his arm stretching out like a whip, coated in advanced armament haki.
Akainu barely had time to react before Luffy's fist collided with his chest, sending him crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring Akainu from view.
Luffy landed several feet away, panting heavily. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath. Gear 5 had pushed his body to the brink, but the fight wasn't over yet. He could feel it—the fatigue creeping into his limbs, the strain of maintaining his chaotic form.
Suddenly, the dust cleared, and Akainu stood up, his body glowing with molten lava. His expression was one of pure rage, and his fists burned hotter than ever.
"You think that's enough to stop me?" Akainu snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "I'll burn you and your brother alive!"
Luffy's fists tightened. His body was trembling, his muscles screaming in protest, but he couldn't stop. Not yet. Not when Ace was so close.
Akainu surged forward, his lava-coated fists ready to deliver a final, devastating blow. But as he closed in on Luffy, a massive figure stepped between them.
"That's enough."
Luffy's eyes widened as Whitebeard stood in front of him, his massive bisento raised. The old pirate's presence alone seemed to shake the battlefield, his conqueror's haki radiating out in waves.
Akainu glared at Whitebeard, his fists still burning with molten heat. "Whitebeard… you're standing in my way."
Whitebeard grinned, his eyes blazing with fury. "Then come and fight me, Akainu. Let's see if your so-called justice can handle the power of a dying man."
Luffy's heart pounded in his chest. He knew Whitebeard was buying him time, giving him a chance to reach Ace. But he had to hurry. Whitebeard couldn't hold off Akainu forever.
With renewed determination, Luffy pushed his exhausted body forward, his gaze locked on the execution platform.
"I'm coming, Ace!" Luffy shouted, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
And this time, nothing would stop him.
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