Chapter 285: [285] : Ace’s Haōshoku Coating VS. Akainu! The Marines’ Resolve!

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“FIRE FIST!”

The moment they heard Ace’s roar, Sanji and Zoro instantly vanished from their positions.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A frighteningly massive pillar of flame raged through the atmosphere, aimed directly at Akainu.

Even more terrifying, the very tip of this pillar of fire was shaped like a fist.

An immense amount of flame element was concentrated there, the power of the Flare-Flare Fruit pushed to its absolute limit, forming a horrifying fire fist that burned like a miniature sun.

Before the Flare-Flare Fruit was Awakened, Fire Fist was just a pillar of flame.

But after mastering the fruit to its peak and unleashing its full power, Ace could now concentrate a massive amount of flame element into a single point.

His Flame Glove came from this principle, pushing the Flare-Flare Fruit’s power to its extreme.

And ’Fire Fist’, naturally, also evolved.

Ace concentrated all the flame element at the forefront of the attack, forming a nearly solid Fist of Fire, followed by a massive trail of flames—creating a cataclysmic area-of-effect attack.

After the Awakening of the Flare-Flare Fruit… Fire Fist—Ace’s signature move, had reached a completely new level.

More importantly!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Violent, tyrannical crimson-black lightning roared furiously in the atmosphere, wrapping itself around the nearly solidified fist of flame.

Haōshoku Coating—Fire Fist!

If it were just a wide-area pillar of flame, Ace’s Conqueror’s Haki wouldn’t be strong enough to cover it entirely.

But to coat just the Fist of Flame at its head, was more than enough!

Using a Logia ability as a medium to wrap it in Conqueror’s Haki, creating a long-range Haōshoku attack!

The effect was similar to the signature move of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger—using a flying slash as a medium to wrap it in Conqueror’s Haki, creating the Haōshoku slash—”Divine Departure.”

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“Hound Blaze——!”

Akainu roared, his right arm instantly turning to magma.

The Magma Arm rapidly elongated, forming the shape of a dog’s head.

And within that dog’s mouth, like a miniature volcano, was the terrifying explosive power of a volcanic eruption.

Hound Blaze—a move that concealed the power of a volcanic eruption within its fangs.

WHOOOOOOOOOOSH!

The Magma Dog head shot forward, lunging to bite the fist of flame, the volcanic power within it determined to swallow the fire fist whole.

According to the principles of Devil Fruit matchups, even an Awakened Flare-Flare Fruit at full power should have been helplessly extinguished by the Magma-Magma Fruit, which was its superior.

BUT!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Countless globs of magma and violent, tyrannical crimson-black lightning tore at each other in the atmosphere.

This wasn’t a clash between the Magma-Magma and Flare-Flare Fruits… It was a clash between Akainu’s Magma—and Ace’s Haōshoku Coating!

Just as “Divine Departure” used a flying slash as a medium for a long-range Haōshoku attack—

—Ace’s Fire Fist now used the property of fire burning and extending through the air as a medium for a long-range Haōshoku attack!

The Magma-Magma Fruit was the superior of the Flare-Flare Fruit, completely countering its ability.

But Haōshoku Coating was not countered by the Magma-Magma Fruit. And the tyranny and violence of Haōshoku Coating were in no way inferior to the horrifying destructive power of magma.

Although Ace’s current Haōshoku Coating hadn’t reached Luffy’s level, this attack was a do-or-die move, unleashing all of his Haki in a single, ranged blast.

In one blow, Ace had pushed his Haki and Devil Fruit ability to their absolute limits.

For a moment, Akainu’s Hound Blaze couldn’t gain any advantage.

In the storm of energy from their collision, the crumbling ground was littered with magma that had been torn from Hound Blaze by the power of Ace’s Haōshoku.

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“FIRE FIST! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE??”

Gion and the others stared at the scene in horror.

Fire Fist Ace, during the Summit War, he couldn’t even stand up to Fleet Admiral Akainu for a single exchange.

Relying completely on his Flare-Flare Fruit, he had been utterly helpless against Akainu, whose Devil Fruit completely countered his.

The matchup between Devil Fruits was just that cruel. The Flare-Flare Fruit, even among the incredibly rare Logia types, was a top-tier power.

But against the Magma-Magma Fruit, it had no chance…

BUT NOW—

Ace could use his signature Fire Fist, to contend with a full-power attack from Fleet Admiral Akainu.

And could even use the characteristics of the Flare-Flare Fruit to launch a long-range Haōshoku Coating attack.

With this attack, he had completely blocked Fleet Admiral Akainu’s magma ability.

EVERYTHING HAD CHANGED.

In just one short year, how could everything have changed so drastically??

Gion and the other core Marine officers were drenched in cold sweat.

THERE WERE TOO MANY OF THEM.

The number of Admiral-level fighters under Sky Sovereign was just too many.

WHAT A HORRIFYING FORCE!

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“Fire Fist Ace has also learned Haōshoku Coating??” Akainu’s forehead throbbed with veins.

This attack from Fire Fist Ace was merely using the Flare-Flare Fruit as a medium, utilizing the characteristic of flame element to burn and extend through the atmosphere, attaching a large amount of Haōshoku Coating energy to the elemental fist of fire for the attack.

Against the Flare-Flare Fruit’s ability, his Magma could dominate.

But against Haōshoku Coating, especially a do-or-die attack where Fire Fist Ace had poured almost all of his Haki into a single blow…

Even his full-power attack couldn’t gain any advantage.

“I am a Flame Human of the Flare-Flare Fruit. Don’t forget that the power of fire isn’t just heat and temperature… it’s the power to burn in the air! And my Haōshoku Coating can use that as a medium to be unleashed at full power.”

An astonishing crimson-black light flashed in Ace’s eyes.

The maximum temperature of the Flare-Flare Fruit was below 1300 degrees Celsius, while the Magma-Magma Fruit could exceed 1400 degrees.

He was at a complete temperature disadvantage.

And the Flare-Flare Fruit was an intangible element of fire—while the Magma-Magma Fruit was tangible and possessed the terrifying localized destructive power of a volcanic eruption. It could be said that every property of the Magma-Magma Fruit was what the Flare-Flare Fruit feared most.

That was why the Magma-Magma Fruit completely countered the Flare-Flare Fruit, making it its absolute superior.

BUT THIS WAS ONLY REFLECTED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION!

Fire being intangible… also had its advantages. Namely, fire could burn and extend through the air—

Using the fire burning and extending through the air as a medium to wrap it in Conqueror’s Haki.

Because he himself was a Flame Human—wrapping his Haki was effortless, and he could unleash all of his Conqueror’s Haki in an instant, forming a horrifying long-range Haōshoku attack!

The power of a Devil Fruit wasn’t just for head-on clashes, it depended on how you used it.

Although his Flare-Flare Fruit could never defeat Akainu, Ace had never thought of giving it up. This fruit had been with him for too long—it had made him a truly famous pirate on the seas.

To ask Rowen to take it away would be to deny everything he had ever been. That would be extremely detrimental to the growth of his Haki.

If he couldn’t give it up, he had to find another way.

He found his inspiration while training with Rayleigh.

Rayleigh could also use “Divine Departure,” using a flying slash as a medium to wrap it in Conqueror’s Haki, forming an incredibly terrifying long-range Haōshoku attack.

Because a flying slash was also an intangible energy body—the Haōshoku energy could be wrapped around it to its maximum extent, unleashing frightening power.

If a flying slash could do it, why couldn’t his Flare-Flare Fruit??

After initially mastering Haōshoku Coating for attacks, Ace began to train specifically for this.

Now, Ace could instantly and rapidly unleash all of his Haōshoku energy, wrapping it around his Fire Fist and launching it, creating a long-range Haōshoku attack even stronger than his close-quarters combat.

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Of course, gaining such power came at a price.

Once the Haōshoku was launched at range, it was completely expended, a massive drain on his energy. With his current Conqueror’s Haki, he could only fire two such shots at most before it was completely depleted. It was truly an ultimate move.

There was still a considerable gap between Ace and Akainu’s combat power.

The fact that he could clash head-on with a full-power Akainu and even gain a slight advantage in a single exchange was a testament to the power of his new Fire Fist.

Akainu found it incredible. And a chill ran down his spine.

Right now, he was facing Straw Hat, Pirate Hunter, Black Leg, and Fire Fist… four Admiral-level or higher fighters!

He wasn’t Sky Sovereign Rowen.

Two Admiral-level fighters would be enough to exhaust his stamina and Haki. Four of them, one of whom was his equal or even superior in attack power…

If they really fought, he would be defeated in a very short time.

He wouldn’t even have a chance to retreat!

Rowen’s forces had well and truly matured. They were all true top-tier powerhouses on these seas.

Each one of them could shake the seas with a stomp of their foot.

What was more horrifying was that all these incredibly powerful fighters were gathered under the command of the powerhouse who stood above all others in this era—

Sky Sovereign Rowen.

He had yet to show himself…

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“FLEET ADMIRAL! RETREAT! WE WILL COVER YOU!”

Momonga roared, cold sweat on his forehead, but veins popping as well.

As one of the top Vice Admirals, Momonga knew exactly what four Admiral-level fighters meant. He also knew that if the fight continued, Fleet Admiral Akainu would surely be defeated quickly.

The Marines had already lost all three of this generation’s Admirals. They could not afford to lose their supreme commander, Akainu, here as well.

Even if Akainu’s sense of justice didn’t align with his own…

Even if his own power was like a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot against an Admiral-level fighter—he was still willing to lay down his life to buy time for Akainu’s retreat.

The Justice of the Marines now—could be without him, Momonga, but absolutely could not be without Fleet Admiral Akainu!

This was his resolve as a Marine Vice Admiral.

“FLEET ADMIRAL…”

“FLEET ADMIRAL, WE WILL JOIN THE FIGHT AS WELL.”

“WE ARE MARINES TOO!”

The numerous Marine Vice Admirals, facing four Admiral-level fighters, all drew their weapons, wrapping their comparatively weak Armament Haki around them.

The Vice Admirals bit down on their cigars, their eyes hidden in the shadows of their Marine caps, radiating an astonishing aura.

They were the cornerstone of the Marines.

And they were also Marines.

For the sake of Marine justice, they would gladly die!

This was the Disposition—and the responsibility of a Marine Vice Admiral.

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“Though we are on different sides… to be able to fight you is an honor for me as a swordsman,” Zoro’s eyes flashed wildly with crimson-black light.

“HMPH! RORONOA! WE ARE SWORDSMEN TOO! COME—”

Most of the Marine Vice Admirals were swordsmen, and not weak ones at that.

To be praised by Roronoa Zoro, who had now truly become a peak powerhouse on the seas, a true contender for the title of World’s Greatest Swordsman…

Even if they died in battle, they would have no regrets.

“I… WILL NOT RETREAT!”

Akainu bit down on his cigar, his arms turning to magma.

“FLEET ADMIRAL!” the Vice Admirals cried out in alarm.

“I AM A MARINE TOO! I CAME HERE TO ENFORCE JUSTICE! IF I CANNOT, THEN LET US ALL BE BURIED IN THE SEA TOGETHER!”

Akainu suddenly burst into laughter.

Victory or death.

This was not the decision a Fleet Admiral should make. But it was the resolve an outstanding Marine should have.

His justice would not yield an inch to pirates.

Even if it meant death!

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