Chapter 208: [208] : Ace is Saved! Fire Fist! Between Brothers!

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Sabaody Archipelago.

The citizens and reporters stared in horror at the giant screen.

At this moment, a crucial Marine combatant, Kizaru, had been sent tumbling by a slash from Whitebeard. His fingers were even trembling subconsciously from the mental shock. Even against a severely deteriorating Whitebeard fighting on fumes, Kizaru couldn’t break through.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku, though immensely powerful, was completely pinned down by Dark King Rayleigh’s desperate defense, unable to disengage…

And before the last two Warlords, Mihawk and Boa Hancock—stood the man who had completely rewritten the course of this epic war—the absolute ruler of the seas, Sky Sovereign Rowen!

Before this man, even the World’s Greatest Swordsman had sheathed his world-renowned black blade, Yoru, his hands hanging at his sides, showing no intention of resistance.

And the Pirate Empress… had directly collapsed before this man!

All of the Navy’s forces of Justice were now completely blocked by the pirates.

And Straw Hat Luffy, this great pirate with a bounty exceeding one billion Beri, who had shown the world his formidable strength in this epic war.

His full power could even block a Marine HQ Admiral—was now, under the cover of the pirate forces, charging directly towards Fire Fist Ace.

At this moment, the eyes of the entire world were focused on Luffy.

CRACKLE! BOOM!

The onlookers on Sabaody Archipelago stared in horror at the terrifying figure on the screen.

The usually small and unremarkable Straw Hat Luffy—was now like an incarnation of a demon. Transformed into a figure over three meters tall, his bones and muscles incredibly inflated, his arms and legs a steel-like purplish-black, his chest adorned with a demonic pattern.

What terrified the world and the Marine forces even more—was the horrifying crimson-black lightning coiling around this man’s body!

After this epic war, everyone now understood what this violent, tyrannical crimson-black lightning represented.

The power that could transcend all on these seas!

The power that made the Four Emperors, and the new Emperor, Sky Sovereign Rowen, so terrifyingly strong!

Haōshoku Coating.

Under this violent, tyrannical energy, the entire execution platform began to tremble and crack.

The crucial Marine combatants stared, their faces grim. ’Straw Hat’s Haki… how is it even stronger than when he blocked Akainu??’

Rowen looked at Luffy’s Traits, his eyes flashing.

Sun God (Apex Gold)—had been completely ignited, its power now in full effect!

Luffy’s Haki—fueled by the hopes of everyone present, had grown even stronger.

This Apex Gold tier super-potential Trait was now beginning to show its true power.

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WHOOSH!

A figure slowly stood up.

The Marine forces—and the citizens and reporters on Sabaody watching the screen, erupted in cheers upon seeing this figure.

HERO GARP!

Garp’s full name, due to the ’D’ and Dragon, was not known to the public. The world generally only knew him as ’Garp the Hero’—

—At this incredibly critical moment… the man who had repeatedly cornered the Pirate King Gol D. Roger had stood up once more!

Previously, Straw Hat Luffy was knocked from the sky by Hero Garp—they believed this time would be no exception.

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“GET OUT OF THE WAY! GRAMPS!” Luffy yelled at Garp, who was once again blocking his path, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

“I AM A MARINE HQ VICE ADMIRAL! HOW CAN I GET OUT OF THE WAY??” Garp roared back, his eyes filled with immense emotional turmoil.

“IF YOU WANT TO SAVE FIRE FIST ACE—DEFEAT ME FIRST!” Garp grit his teeth, roaring at Luffy.

“I-I can’t do it!” Luffy’s advance halted.

Looking at Garp, Luffy grit his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.

“CAN’T DO IT?? THEN DIE HERE! MONKEY D. LUFFY! I WILL TREAT YOU AS AN ENEMY!” Garp bellowed.

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“Garp… you bastard,”

Sengoku muttered, gritting his teeth. His words to Straw Hat were already a clear enough hint—and Garp wasn’t even using Haōshoku Coating!

But Sengoku couldn’t bring himself to blame Garp.

Because Garp was genuinely trying to channel his Haki, but couldn’t.

This iron-willed man, facing the true life-or-death moment of his family—his heart was completely shaken—Once the spirit was in such turmoil… Haki, as its manifestation, became chaotic and unusable!

Forget Haki, even Devil Fruits, as manifestations of desire, were the same. Look at Kizaru, desperately trying to complete his mission, yet his body couldn’t move as he wished.

The human spirit held infinite possibilities, even birthing miraculous powers like Devil Fruits and Haki—but conversely, once the spiritual defenses were breached… people would lose control of their bodies, trembling uncontrollably, feeling nauseous.

Rowen understood this perfectly.

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“Cut the Image Transponder Snail feed,” Sengoku ordered.

Click!

Instantly, the live broadcast on Sabaody Archipelago went dark.

“Wh-What happened?? Why did the broadcast stop??” The citizens and reporters on Sabaody exclaimed in confusion.

“What happened?? What happened to Straw Hat??”

“Did Hero Garp defeat Straw Hat??”

“Was Fire Fist Ace executed??”

The crowd on Sabaody descended into chaos. But with the feed cut, they could see nothing.

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“Old man…” Ace whispered, looking at Garp’s back. He too understood Garp’s hint, his vision blurring.

“HMPH!!!” Garp roared, swinging his fist towards Luffy. But it contained not a shred of Haki.

“Ahhhh!!!” Luffy roared, shattering his own teeth as he threw a punch.

BANG!

SPURT!

Luffy’s right fist slammed heavily into Garp’s chin. Blood sprayed from Garp’s mouth. Garp looked at Luffy, his eyes filled with memories of Luffy’s childhood. Then, he slowly closed his eyes.

WHOOSH! BANG!

Garp crashed heavily into the ruins below, buried by rubble.

“Garp… In the end, you’re still their grandfather,” Sengoku’s face was incredibly grim.

“Sigh,” Tsuru also sighed. In this situation, even she couldn’t blame Garp in the slightest.

“VICE ADMIRAL GARP!” The Marine forces stared in horror at the scene. Hero Garp—knocked from the sky by Straw Hat Luffy… His condition unknown!

The last line of defense was broken.

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“ACE! I’M HERE!” Luffy bounced continuously before Ace. In Gear Fourth Boundman, Luffy couldn’t completely suppress this elasticity.

“You idiot… still as reckless as ever,” Ace smiled.

“Impact Wave——!” Sengoku, now desperate, prepared to break through Rayleigh’s blockade with his full strength. They hadn’t lost yet!

Fire Fist Ace was still in Seastone cuffs.

In that state, what could Straw Hat do even if he reached Ace??

“Give it up, Sengoku. You’ve lost,” Rayleigh stated calmly.

“Huh??” Sengoku’s pupils constricted sharply.

WHOOSH!

An Air Door opened.

A key, made entirely of wax, emerged from it, caught by Luffy—the power of the Paramecia Wax-Wax Fruit.

Before this ability, no lock could remain closed.

“CRAP!” Sengoku roared in horror. Sky Sovereign Rowen had never displayed This Devil Fruit before…

CLICK!

FWOOSH!

Searing flames instantly engulfed the entire execution platform. Though these burning flames were far less terrifying than what Rowen had shown before—they sent an unprecedented shockwave through the Marine forces, and made the pirate forces cheer wildly.

“FIRE FIST——!!!” A supremely confident roar echoed.

FWOOSH! BOOM!

A pillar of fire erupted from the raging inferno.

“ACE!” Marco and the others cheered.

“FIRE FIST ACE!” Seeing the man’s signature move, numerous Marines’ faces paled in horror.

The next instant, this terrifying pillar of fire engulfed many of the Marines swarming the execution platform below.

“Shishishishi! Ace!” Luffy looked at Ace, smiling from the bottom of his heart.

“RE-CAPTURE FIRE FIST ACE! IGNORE THE OTHER PIRATES!” The staff officers immediately issued the order.

Ace and Luffy were now at the very center of the Marine forces. From all directions, Marine soldiers swarmed towards them.

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“Ace! Let’s break through together!” Luffy yelled, a terrifying crimson-black light flashing in his eyes.

BOOM!

Terrifying crimson-black lightning roared furiously through the atmosphere. Under this lightning, countless elite Marines instantly went white-eyed and collapsed.

“Luffy, you…” Ace smiled, looking at Luffy.

Luffy was no longer the little brother he used to beat up, who couldn’t even control his Devil Fruit properly.

He was now one of the peak powerhouses on the seas—his strength far surpassing Ace’s, capable of fighting head-on with a Marine Admiral.

“Alright! LET’S BREAK OUT!” Ace roared, unleashing his Flare-Flare Fruit ability with all his might.

Under the combined power of Luffy’s Conqueror’s Haki and Ace’s Flare-Flare Fruit, a path for retreat instantly appeared.

“COVER ACE AND STRAW HAT’S RETREAT! ALL FORCES, WITHDRAW!” Whitebeard roared, raising Murakumogiri.

Even with Ace rescued, this was still the Navy’s home turf.

The Navy still held a numerical advantage!

If this war truly dragged on to the end, they still had a high chance of losing—but they hadn’t come here to win the war. As long as Ace was rescued, for them, it was the greatest victory!

“UNDERSTOOD!” Marco and the others roared back.

Next, just cover Ace and the others’ retreat, then all forces return to the New World, and this would be their victory.

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Suddenly—

“One after another… you bastards who defy Justice.”

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The earth trembled, and terrifying magma erupted from the ground. A figure composed entirely of magma slowly emerged from underground.

“AKAINU!” The pirate forces’ faces turned grim at the sight of the figure.

“Finally here!” Sengoku sighed in relief.

Rayleigh, seeing Ace was rescued, also began to retreat. Seeing Akainu appear, Rayleigh’s expression turned grim.

Unlike him and Whitebeard, Akainu was at his absolute peak. Even after taking such a heavy blow from Whitebeard, relying on his Magma-Magma Fruit ability underground, he had quickly recovered.

“DON’T THINK YOU’RE ESCAPING HERE ALIVE! FIRE FIST ACE! AND YOU, STRAW HAT!” Akainu roared, half his body now terrifying magma, blocking Luffy and Ace’s path.

“You are both sinful bloodlines. Dying here is your most fitting fate!”

BOOM!

Akainu roared, his Magma Fist hurtling towards Luffy and Ace.

“Ace and I… Will both get out of here alive!” Luffy roared back.

His full-power Haōshoku Coating surged, coiling around his right fist as violent crimson-black lightning, meeting Akainu’s Magma Fist head-on!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The moment they collided, a terrifying storm of energy erupted, sending out frantic shockwaves.

“Ngh??” Akainu’s face contorted.

“Ugh,” Sweat beaded on Luffy’s forehead. Clashing with Akainu’s full power—the stamina and Haki consumption was too much for Luffy now.

“Luffy!” Ace, seeing Luffy struggling, immediately moved to help.

But—

BOOM!

Akainu merely unleashed his Magma-Magma Fruit ability, sending Ace crashing to the ground with a cry of pain.

“Ace got burned??” Some pirates who didn’t fully understand Devil Fruits exclaimed in shock.

“How ignorant… You are fire and I am magma that can burn even fire itself! Between our abilities, there is a complete hierarchical difference!” Akainu stated coldly.

Not everyone was a monster like Sky Sovereign Rowen, capable of pushing a Devil Fruit beyond its limits—even if the Flare-Flare Fruit were mastered to its peak, before the Magma-Magma Fruit, it was utterly useless.

This counter relationship was incredibly cruel.

“ACE!” Luffy, seeing Akainu about to pursue Ace with magma, immediately launched an attack, forcing Akainu to stop and focus on him.

Akainu was stronger than Luffy now, yes, but against Luffy’s desperate attacks in Gear Fourth with Haōshoku Coating, even he had to be fully focused, not daring to be careless.

Taking a Haki hit of that level wouldn’t be pleasant for him either.

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Ace clutched his arm, cold sweat on his forehead, his eyes filled with unwillingness.

’Am I… no longer even qualified to stand by Luffy’s side and fight with him??’ Without Haki, relying solely on Devil Fruit abilities… could he do nothing?

Ace’s hand slowly moved towards his chest. ’Should I… use that power??’

“Hmph.” Rowen, seeing Akainu on a rampage, slowly moved.

Seeing Rowen’s movement, the entire Marine forces’s expression changed drastically…

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