Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Crushing the Three Pillars of Justice
Hancock's piercing gaze locked onto the injured Admiral Akainu. Her aura radiated power, her Conqueror's Haki unleashed in full force, rippling through the battlefield.
The fury in her eyes was unmistakable. Akainu had interrupted her cherished moment with William, and for that, he would pay.
The Admiral, though battered and barely standing after his clash with William, mustered his resolve. Magma bubbled around his fists, his fury no less potent. "You pirates think you can toy with justice?" he growled. "I'll crush you all, no matter the cost!"
Hancock didn't flinch. She had spent three years sharpening her abilities, her strength now nearing that of a Yonko. Her Demon Fruit powers are deadly, capable of charming anyone—man, woman, or child—while her mastery of Armament and Conqueror's Haki made her a force to be reckoned with.
She moved first, closing the gap in an instant. Her long legs lashed out in a series of rapid kicks, each one infused with advanced Armament Haki. Akainu raised his magma-covered arms to defend, but her strikes shattered his guard, forcing him backward.
"You're too slow." Hancock said disdainfully, her movements fluid and precise.
Akainu roared, hurling a massive wave of molten lava at her. The ground hissed and cracked as the magma surged forward, but Hancock was unfazed. With a graceful motion, she summoned her Fruit ability, launching a volley of arrows that struck the magma mid-air. The fiery torrent solidified into stone and crumbled harmlessly to the ground.
The battle continued, Hancock's speed and power overwhelming the Admiral. Her kicks were relentless, striking with such force that even Akainu, known for his durability, struggled to keep up. Every time he attempted to counter with magma, she turned it to stone, rendering his attacks useless.
Finally, Hancock decided to end it. She stopped and tilted her head slightly, her expression softening into an adorable pout. Her voice took on a sweet, almost innocent tone. "Oh, Admiral Akainu." she cooed, "Are you really trying to hurt me?"
Akainu froze, his face reddening. For a moment, his unwavering resolve faltered, his magma flickering weakly. Realizing what was happening, he bit down on his tongue, blood dripping from his mouth as he tried to shake off her charm.
"Witch!" he spat, his voice laced with hatred.
But it was too late. Hancock spun with flawless precision, delivering a devastating kick infused with advanced Conqueror's Haki. The sheer force of her attack sent a shockwave through the air, striking Akainu square in the chest without even making direct contact. The Admiral flew backward like a ragdoll, his body smashing through the air before plunging into the sea.
A cry went up from a nearby warship. "Quickly! Help Admiral Akainu! He can't swim!"
Marines scrambled to dive into the water, desperate to rescue Akainu.
Hancock stood tall, her long black hair flowing in the breeze. Her piercing gaze swept over the battlefield, her victory clear. She muttered under her breath, her voice dripping with disdain, "disgusting scum!" With a flick of her hair, she turned away, her focus shifting back to the one who mattered most—William.
Meanwhile, not far away, the battlefield saw another shift. Kizaru, with a broken nose, returned to the fight. Blood dripped from his face, and his once-pristine sunglasses were shattered.
"That was quite scary…" Kizaru muttered, rubbing his face.
He spotted Aokiji struggling in the distance and prepared to assist, but his path was blocked. William appeared in front of him, arms crossed and a mischievous grin on his face.
"Going somewhere, Sparkles?" William asked, his tone playful yet challenging. "How about you stick around and see who's really the fastest?"
Kizaru sighed. "This is going to be troublesome!"
Without warning, he fired a barrage of laser beams. But William dodged them effortlessly, moving so quickly it was as if the beams were on slow motion.
Kizaru flashed behind him, aiming a kick at William's back, but William was already prepared. Using his space-manipulation ability, he teleported, reappearing directly behind Kizaru.
"Boo!" William teased, grinning wickedly.
Kizaru's eyes widened in shock, and he instinctively flashed into the sky to create distance. But to his dismay, William was already waiting for him, a dangerous gleam in his eye.
Before Kizaru could react, William delivered a thunderous kick to his chest, breaking several ribs and sending him hurtling toward the ground. Kizaru's impact left a massive crater, dust and debris flying everywhere.
When Kizaru struggled to stand, William was already in front of him, watching like a predator playing with its prey.
"Getting tired?" William asked mockingly.
Kizaru tried to create distance again, but William didn't give him the chance. With a fiery punch coated in advanced Armament Haki, William struck Kizaru's gut. The attack sent a destructive wave of flames and haki through Kizaru's body, bursting out of his back in an explosion of energy.
Kizaru coughed blood, smoke rising from his body as he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
At the same time, Aokiji found himself in an increasingly desperate situation. He was facing not one, but three fierce opponents: Robin, Marigold, and Sandersonia.
Aokiji attempted to freeze the battlefield with his Ice Age attack, but the trio avoided his attack effortlessly. Marigold transformed the ice into giant snakes using her Demon Fruit ability, each snake's head coated in Armament Haki as they lunged at Aokiji.
He tried to dodge, but Robin's ability came into play. Ten massive hands, each coated with haki, appeared from the ground around him, forcing him to defend himself. A few snakes and hands managed to land hits, their haki-infused attacks breaking through his defenses.
Aokiji turned to ice to escape, but every time he reappeared, the trio was ready. The battlefield was a relentless dance of attacks, leaving him with no opportunity to counter.
As he fought, one of Sandersonia's poisonous bullets struck his arm. The corrosive poison burned through his skin, forcing him to turn his arm into ice and shatter the affected area. But the damage was done, and he grimaced in pain.
Robin seized the opportunity, summoning two massive hands coated in haki. They appeared in front and behind Aokiji, clapping together with crushing force. The impact broke several of his ribs, and blood sprayed from his mouth.
Sandersonia, in her hybrid basilisk form, delivered the final blow. Her punch, infused with advanced Armament Haki, struck Aokiji's chest with all her strength. A shockwave rippled through his body, and he collapsed to the ground, barely conscious.
William and Hancock approached. William looked down at Aokiji, then turned to Robin.
"It's up to you, Robin," he said gently. "Whatever you want to do with him."
Robin knelt beside Aokiji, her expression unreadable. "You let me escape back then," she said softly. "So I won't kill you this time. But now, I owe you nothing. If you stand in our way again, you'll die."
With that, she stood, turning away. William grinned and knocked Aokiji out with a casual kick before pulling Robin into a warm hug.
Just then, a voice boomed across the battlefield.
"Hahahaha! You kids sure know how to cause a ruckus!"
Everyone turned to see an old man landing nearby with incredible speed, using Moonwalk. He had a wide grin on his face and an unmistakable presence.
Garp, the Hero of the Marines, surveyed the scene. His sharp eyes took in the battered forms of Aokiji and Kizaru, then rested on William and his group.
"You did quite a number on those two," Garp said, chuckling. "I like what you did to those Celestial pigs, but as a marine, I can't just let you walk away. I have to take you to Impel Down."
William laughed, his confidence unshaken. "You're strong, old man. Who are you?"
"Monkey D. Garp," the man replied proudly, pounding his chest. "And you're not bad yourself, kid. How about it? Want to have a fight with this old man?"
William's grin widened. "Why not? Let's see what you've got, old timer."
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