Chapter 117: War of the best
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"Fujiazami ~ Undying Thistle!!!"
Marco soared in front of Whitebeard, intercepting every attack aimed at him by forming a protective swirl of fire in front of him, out of his wings as a shield.
"I won't let you harm even a single hair on my old man!"
"Oh, should I be scared!?~~!" Akainu quipped as he began to make his move.
Molten lava surged from Akainu's right arm, coalescing into a massive fist.
"Great Eruption!!!"
The enormous magma fist erupted into the sky like a volcanic blast, exploding into countless fiery projectiles raining down below.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Ahhh!!"
"An Admiral is finally in action!! Admiral Akainu is making a move!"
"Can Whitebeard survive this?"
With ease, Whitebeard pierced one of the falling fireballs using his naginata Murakumogiri. A single move from him extinguished the flames of the magma.
"It's like watching the end of the world unfold before our eyes!" said one of the spectators, utterly shocked at the devastation broadcasted live.
Whitebeard smirked, responding to Akainu's display. "You're only fit to snuff out birthday candles, Lava Boy."
Akainu grinned darkly. "Heh… Won't you enjoy a lavish funeral, Whitebeard?"
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Nearby, a commander shouted, "Boa Hancock! Keep moving forward! Don't stop now!"
"Don't be afraid! Charge now!!"
BOOM
Suddenly, thunderous footsteps echoed, growing louder with each passing second.
"What the hell is that?!" Shisui's sharp eyes caught sight of the approaching figure, a towering giant so massive it was like staring at a mountain. His astonishment was palpable.
"This world... truly has the most bizarre wonders. Creatures this massive actually exist?"
Even Akira looked impressed. "Finally, someone worth taking note of," he murmured as he observed the giant approaching.
Vice Admiral Tsuru's eyes narrowed as she recognized the figure. "That must be the descendant of Oars the Continent-Puller!"
Doberman marveled at the sight. "Massive… He's already beyond what anyone imagines a giant could be."
Having recovered from his previous injuries during the battle at Enies Lobby, Doberman stood ready alongside the Navy to face Whitebeard's forces.
"Go, Little Oars!"
"Brother Ace is kind and good-hearted! I won't let him die!!" Little Oars roared, his enormous weapon crashing down as he charged ahead.
"Gishishishishi! So the descendant of Oars serves under Whitebeard?" Gecko Moria shrieked in excitement.
"I want it! I want that corpse for myself!"
Doflamingo chuckled maliciously. "Fufufufufu... This is going to be fun."
Meanwhile, the Navy's Giant Squad mobilized to intercept Oars.
"For once, we're the ones looking up at someone!"
"No kidding. It's our job to stop him here!"
Born as natural warriors, many giants in the Navy had been abducted as children and raised under the World Government's iron grip. Brainwashed into believing the Government had saved them, they fought with unwavering loyalty, having never seen their homeland again.
"Keep firing! He's still flesh and blood—he can be hurt!!"
BOOM! BOOM!
Shells bombarded Little Oars as he pressed forward. His colossal frame made him an easy target for the artillery.
"Oars! Stop! You're too big; they'll use you as a living target!" Ace shouted desperately from the execution platform.
"Brother Ace!! I'm coming to save you!!" Oars roared.
"Ursus Shock!!"
The devastating impact of Bartholomew Kuma's paw attack struck Oars with crushing force, sending him staggering backward, blood spraying from his body. The blow left him gravely injured.
"At least... I'll take down one of the Warlords!" Oars roared, throwing a massive punch at Doflamingo.
But before the punch could reach him—
SLASH!
Oars's leg was severed cleanly.
"Fufufufufu! This is so much fun!" Doflamingo laughed maniacally.
"Dammit, Doflamingo! Why'd you go and cut off his leg?! I said I wanted his corpse intact!" Moria screeched angrily.
"Tsuno-Tokage ~ Spiky Shadow Lizard.!!"
THUNK!
Moria pierced Oars's chest with a spear forged from shadows, delivering a fatal blow.
"Oars!!!"
"Captain Oars!!"
"Those damn Warlords! They're monsters!"
"They've turned Oars into a massive target!" Shisui commented, shaking his head at the chaotic battle.
Akira, observing closely, explained, "His size is both his strength and his downfall. While his enormous body grants him incredible power, it makes him a slow-moving target. There aren't many ships in the world that could even accommodate someone like him.
"More importantly, Oars doesn't know how to use Armament Haki. Without it, he's just a giant target. A giant who knows Haki, though... now that's a force to be reckoned with."
"Oars!" Seeing Oars fall, Whitebeard's expression darkened.
"You've let your guard down, Whitebeard! You've no time to mourn on the battlefield!" A Navy Vice-Admiral wielding a massive axe lunged at Whitebeard from behind.
Without even looking, Whitebeard swung his fist backward.
CRACK!
The axe shattered instantly, and Whitebeard grabbed the Vice Admiral's helmeted head, slamming it to the ground.
SMASH!
The Vice Admiral's helmet broke apart, blood gushing from his ears and nose as his skull was reduced to pulp.
"Vice Admiral Lonz has been killed!!"
Whitebeard with a sad look said "Oars, you didn't die for nothing! I've sent a giant Vice Admiral to the afterlife for you!"
"Step over Oars's body! Keep advancing!!"
With Whitebeard leading the charge, his men surged forward with renewed ferocity. The battlefield erupted into a chaotic free-for-all, bodies falling left and right.
Amidst the carnage, Doflamingo laughed gleefully. "Fufufufufu!!!"
"Pirates are evil?! The Navy is justice?! Such ideas have been rewritten countless times already!"
"Children who know nothing of peace... and children who know nothing of war… Their values are fundamentally different!"
"Only those who stand at the top can redefine good and evil!"
"And right now, this battlefield is the ultimate neutral ground!"
"Justice will prevail? Of course it will!"
"Because the victor decides what's just!"
"Fufufufufu!!!"
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