One Piece: SSS-Rank Haki at Age Seventeen

"Look! Ace has been rescued!"

"Straw Hat and Mr. 3 are safe too!"

The pirate captains erupted into cheers.

Facing the Navy Headquarters had seemed like certain death. Yet now, a miracle had occurred… Ace had been rescued. Though it came after immense hardship, everything had been worth it.

"Gurararara… Marine Headquarters? Is that all you've got?!"

Whitebeard's eyes gleamed with a demonic crimson light as he gripped his massive naginata and slashed forward.

Crack—! Crack—!

The space around him fractured strangely, long thin fissures spreading outward like the very atmosphere itself had shattered.

"Grrr—!"

Akainu charged like a madman, launching a gigantic magma fist, completely ignoring his own injuries.

"This is no longer the era for an old relic like you to rule the seas, Whitebeard!"

"Gurarara! What an arrogant brat!"

Whitebeard laughed in fury. Gripping his naginata in reverse, he swept it upward in a devastating strike.

Zzzzt!

Black-and-red lightning surged upward, exploding in violent bursts.

BOOM!!

The magma fist collided with the blade, producing a cataclysmic shockwave.

Whitebeard's right arm bulged with veins as he unleashed every ounce of his strength without restraint.

BOOM!!

Akainu was blasted away like a meteor, flying several kilometers before crashing straight through the Marine Headquarters building and landing in the residential district.

"Admiral Akainu was blown away by Pops?!"

"That's amazing, Pops!"

The division commanders fighting the Marine officers were overjoyed. As long as they could escape now—once they returned to the New World, the Marines would never catch them again.

Suddenly—

Cough! Cough!

Whitebeard spat out a mouthful of blood. His aura rapidly weakened as his body staggered. He planted Murakumogiri into the ground to support himself.

"Well, well… Whitebeard, looks like you're reaching your limit."

Aokiji calmly observed Marco and Jozu, their bodies covered with frost crystals. Half of Aokiji's body had turned into solid ice.

"Ice Ball."

Aokiji moved first, firing several white ice pillars toward them.

Marco spread his wings and narrowly dodged, but Jozu was instantly frozen into a block of ice.

"Haa…"

Marco's face turned extremely pale. Fighting an Admiral had nearly drained his stamina completely.

But in the next moment, Aokiji suddenly appeared above him.

Ice power gathered around his arm, coated with powerful Armament Haki, as he slammed a punch down on Marco's head.

"Ice Glove."

BOOM!

Marco was smashed heavily into the ground. His Phoenix Flames of Resurrection healed his wounds and expelled the cold from his body, but he could no longer move.

He was simply… too exhausted.

Aokiji ignored him and charged straight toward Whitebeard, raising his right hand as ice gathered.

"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"

"Pops?!"

Ace leapt high off Oars the Continent Puller's body. Blazing flames ignited around his fist as he struck forward, fire roaring like a dragon.

"Fire Fist: Flame Dragon!"

Fire and ice clashed—perfectly evenly matched.

Aokiji did not press further. After all, Whitebeard—whose chest had been pierced by Akainu—could not possibly leave Marineford alive.

Meanwhile, those who had been knocked unconscious by Conqueror's Haki slowly woke up, staring blankly at the apocalyptic battlefield around them.

Suddenly—

A streak of golden light shot across the ground at incredible speed, arriving beside Whitebeard in the blink of an eye.

The dazzling light condensed into a white leather shoe, forming a midair axe-kick.

A teasing voice rang out:

"Whitebeard… have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"

Blazing golden light surged upward. The kick tore through the air with terrifying heat, descending straight toward the head of the World's Strongest Man.

The brilliance instantly blinded everyone.

"Kizaru!!"

Kizaru's sudden attack caught everyone completely off guard.

Even Whitebeard hadn't expected it.

It was simply… too fast.

But just as Kizaru's light-speed kick was about to strike—

CRACK!

Black lightning exploded.

A strange red gleam flashed in Luffy's eyes as he threw out a punch wrapped in lightning and Haki.

BOOM!

A golden beam shot backward.

Kizaru muttered helplessly,

"Well, there's nothing I can do… you're strong like a monster."

Clapping his hands together, he pulled a golden longsword from his palms.

Ama no Murakumo Sword.

Holding the blade with both hands, Kizaru slashed forward.

Luffy showed no fear, responding with fists and kicks.

Sparks scattered, the air exploded—light and lightning clashed evenly.

Luffy stared intently at that slippery "yellow monkey," not daring to relax for even a moment.

Other than him, no one present could stop Kizaru's assassination attempts.

This man was truly… Emperor-level.

"Hearing you say that almost sounds like you're not a monster yourself!"

Luffy grinned.

"I'm nowhere near that terrifying…"

Kizaru muttered lazily.

Though their conversation sounded casual, their movements never slowed.

"You're really troublesome."

Kizaru sighed helplessly.

His body suddenly dispersed into countless golden photons.

In an instant the photons flew high into the sky. As his figure reformed, Kizaru raised his arms with his signature pose, his pristine white Justice coat fluttering behind him.

Blinding golden light erupted.

Countless golden beams burst from Borsalino's body like a raging storm.

"Yasakani no Magatama."

"Tch!"

The sky filled with golden light bullets, forcing Luffy to squint.

Luffy took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and swung.

BOOM!

A massive shockwave—infused with black lightning of Haki—erupted like a hellish storm, colliding with the rain of light and causing a massive explosion in the sky.

The next moment—

A black figure and a golden one burst through the smoke and flames simultaneously, colliding head-on.

For now, neither side could gain the upper hand.

THUD!

At that moment, Whitebeard slammed Murakumogiri heavily into the ground.

The thunderous sound drew everyone's attention.

"Listen well, Whitebeard Pirates…! I am now issuing my final captain's order!"

"Wait, Pops! Don't say something like that!"

"We don't want to hear it!"

"We're all going back to the New World together!"

The pirates looked at the towering figure of Whitebeard, shouting through tears.

"Gurararara… Everyone has their day to die!"

"You will part ways with me here. All of you—live on and return safely to the New World!"

Whitebeard's arms bulged like coiling dragons as he slammed both fists into the air.

"I am a remnant of the old era… There is no ship in the new age that can carry me!"

CRACK—! CRACK—!

Countless fractures spread across space as the overwhelming power of the Gura Gura no Mi enveloped all of Marineford.

RUMBLE!!

The ground beneath the island began to split apart.

Massive waves rose violently along the surrounding sea as fierce winds howled across the battlefield.

The earth groaned, spewing dust.

Towering waves surged higher and higher, forming a terrifying tsunami.

The entire world seemed to tremble.

Everyone's expressions changed drastically.

This… was the power of the World's Strongest Man.

"Damn it!"

Sengoku dragged his wounded body, staring bitterly at Whitebeard unleashing his might.

"Now that Ace has been rescued, he has no restraints… Does he intend to bury Marineford along with himself?!"

Sengoku grabbed a Den Den Mushi and issued an urgent order.

"Cut all broadcasts. Deploy the Pacifista!"

Damn it… because of that Straw Hat boy, his encirclement wall strategy had completely failed.

Sabaody Archipelago — Commercial District

Crowds packed the streets, staring at the giant broadcast screens.

"What's going on?! Fire Fist Ace was actually rescued?!"

"Can the Navy really wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates?"

The civilians were filled with anxiety.

"Zehahahaha! Whitebeard is about to die!"

"His territories will become ownerless!"

The pirates watching revealed their naked ambitions. These young rookies—who had never suffered true defeat—were already dreaming of ruling the seas.

Revolutionary Army Headquarters — Baltigo

Rayleigh sat on a bench as the wind stirred his silver hair. His left sleeve hung empty as he drank deeply from a bottle.

"Whitebeard… are you leaving as well?"

Tears blurred his vision, fogging his old spectacles.

Nearby, Robin stared intently at Luffy's figure on the screen. Her blue-black eyes were filled with worry.

"Luffy… you have to come back safely!"

At that moment, the broadcast Den Den Mushi signal was cut.

The screen turned black.

Along Marineford's coastline, rows of Pacifista stood in formation.

Golden lasers began to charge—

A symphony of slaughter was about to begin.

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