Ultimate Fruit

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Chapter 58: Death

Whitebeard held his naginata to the side clad with his quake powers and swung it sideways.

Sengoku’s face paled as he shouted.

“GET READY! THE WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN...IS ABOUT TO ATTACK!!!”

As soon as he said that, a huge wave of force seemed to have emerged following the swing of Whitebeard. The Marineford shook and cracked sideways as if an earthquake just split it apart!

Aokiji and Kizaru no longer dallied with the commanders of Whitebeard and immediately turned to attack the strongest man himself!

Meanwhile, Akainu was about to join as well when he noticed Luffy, Ace, and Sabo escorting the freed Haruta out.

“You think that after you’ve escaped, you can just turn back and run away! Foolish!”

His lower body turned to magma as he shot towards Luffy and the rest!

Ace saw him and turned around, ready to attack Akainu head on.

However, in the fight of fire and magma, it was still magma which wins out!

“Ace was burned!?”

“Magma burns even fire! The relationship of our abilities is one of superiority!”

Akainu snorted in disdain. Just as he was about to attack again, a water pillar shot towards him.

“Akainu!!!”

“You! It’s good that you came here by yourself. I will bury you all in this place!”

Magma and water clashed, creating a huge amount of steam that Lucas could use to his advantage.

As Lucas held Akainu back, he shouted back at Luffy and the rest.

“GO! Leave this to me!”

“No! I’m not going to leave you again, Lucas!”

As always, Luffy never listened to him and tried to attack Akainu as well.

Akainu noticed how distracted Lucas was when Luffy entered the battle and thought this was his chance.

With a lunge, he made it seem as if he was about to attack Lucas when he suddenly turned and headed towards Luffy!

Ace was the first to react and pushed Sabo out of the way as he used his body to shield Luffy with eyes shut, preparing for the worst.

But, there was another person who reacted even faster than him. Lucas had been using his Observation Haki to its fullest extent as he battled with Akainu, he naturally knew what Akainu planned to do.

Seeing Ace try to shield Luffy with his body, the scene seemed to overlap that from the anime that he had watched.

This was the scene he truly wanted to change!

Lucas gritted his teeth and sped up as he got in between Ace and Akainu!

As soon as he did, he created a water shield to block Akainu but he still underestimated Akainu’s magma.

*Boom*

Blood started to drip on the floor.

When Ace opened his eyes he found that his body was still intact and he did not feel any pain.

Luffy saw Ace was fine as well and looked behind Ace. There was another person standing there with his back on them and his wings stretched wide like always…

Lucas looked back with a grin but they could see blood dripping from his mouth.

Akainu’s fist didn’t go through him, but it still hit him in the chest, causing him to spit blood from his mouth. But he didn’t dare to let this chance go to waste.

After all, he finally had Akainu at point-blank range!

He held onto Akainu with Armament Haki that he desperately tried to maintain as he slowly charged up his attack.

Akainu could feel the steam around them condensing and gathering around them, his face went pale as he knew how deadly that attack could be!

“Let go of me!”

Akainu raised a fist of magma and punched Lucas in the face, causing him to feel the burn and pain but he decided to bear it. Lucas decided to put all his focus on the one attack to kill Akainu!

As Akainu tried to break free and Lucas charging up, he spoke to Luffy behind him.

“Luffy...when we get back...will you still let me on your ship?”

“I-idiot! Of course I would! I...I saved you a room in the cabins! Nami and Robin have been cleaning it every day! Let go of him so we can all return! Look! I even got your phone back from Impel Down! You still need to record lots of memories in it! Don’t you want to return your family!? That’s why, let go! Let’s all go home! To the Millions Sunny!”

Luffy desperately tried to pull Lucas but he wouldn’t budge.

Lucas just smiled and spoke to Ace and Sabo.

“...Ace...Sabo...please...take him away.”

Listening to Lucas, Ace, and Sabo could only look at each other and grab Luffy on both sides who desperately refused.

“No! No! I won’t go! I’m not going to lose you again!!!”

Lucas smiled and remembered the day they parted in the past.

“Goodbye...Luffy. Thank you for picking me up…”

And now, he has to say it again. Only, he can continue what he wanted to say back then, now.

“...I’m glad...it was you who found me…”

“LUCAAAAAAAAASS!!!!”

*BOOOOOM!!!*

…

A few seconds earlier, on the other side of the battlefield, Whitebeard was fighting against Kizaru and Aokiji.

When he noticed that all of his men had retreated behind him, he swung his naginata once more and made a fissure behind him that separated him and his men who were retreating.

This was also when Ace and Sabo had managed to drag Luffy to the back.

Just as everyone saw Whitebeard being stabbed and shot by the many marines and two admirals, a loud explosion engulfed both Lucas and Akainu!

Everyone apart from Whitebeard, Kizaru, Aokiji, Garp, and Sengoku were blown away from the blast and was thrown on the ground.

When the dust settled, they saw a bloodied white-haired man with broken wings behind him now died in his own blood. On closer look, there were shards of ice seemingly forming from his wounds.

In front of him was another man with a large hole on his right body which was now missing a right arm.

But despite the large explosion...both of them were still alive!

“Haa…haaa...haa...dammit...he’s...still...not dead!?”

Lucas turned and saw everyone already evacuated. Only him and the old geezer Whitebeard remained.

Seeing all the wounds on Whitebeard’s body, Lucas laughed.

“Heh, do you regret not being healed now, damn geezer?”

“Gurarara...if you did heal me, you would just die earlier than me now, brat.”

Lucas tried to laugh to distract himself but ended up coughing blood.

His ability started to kick in and a warm sensation filled his body. He could feel his injuries being healed slowly but surely.

“Well, geezer? Can you still fight?”

“Gurarara, brat, don’t die before me now.”

“Heh, what are you saying? I’m immortal!”

Lucas calmed himself with a light joke. He wasn’t a fool. He knew that it would take time for his body to recover...and it seems the enemies wouldn't give him this chance.

He thought that facing death, he would be frightened and afraid to make a move...but looking at the situation now, he only felt calm and at peace.

It had been fun...living in the world of One Piece.

He was able to meet the characters he grew up reading and sail with them. He even became a father...it was too bad he couldn’t see his child now. This was his only regret.

Thinking so, he spoke to Whitebeard again beside him.

“...Say...how does it feel?...To be a father?”

“...Gurararara, better than being a Pirate King.”

“Heh, Roger’s a father too you know?”

“That he is.”

Lucas smiled and felt a power he never felt before in his heart.

I see...so this is…

“Shall we?”

“Let’s.”

The next moment, the area in front of Lucas suddenly turned to water which continued to expand onto the marines in front of them while Whitebeard readied his quake clad naginata on the side.

Lucas felt his new power once more and uttered.

“Freeze! 3rd Degree...Awakening! NIFLHEIM!”

Suddenly, all the water that extended from him let out a chilling air. The water itself didn’t freeze, but everything it touched felt coldness deep within their bones!

Even Aokiji...felt cold!

This wasn’t just the chill of Lucas’ water, he seemed to have felt the chill of death brushing over him just now.

This was when he noticed Whitebeard making a move as well.

“No good! EVERYONE BRACE YOURSELVES!”

*BOOM*SHATTER*

Alas, he was too late. Whitebeard swung down his naginata, and the whole Marineford shook.

Those frozen by the cold water instantly shattered into many pieces.

Only a few quick-witted marines had survived.

After delivering that attack, Whitebeard stood still as strength left his body

Before he lose all strength, he shouted.

"ONE PIECE IS REAL!!!"

...Soon, his heart stopped.

Beside him, Lucas smiled peacefully as frost slowly covered his body. A thought floated in his head.

Maybe he’ll even get to see the legendary Pirate King Roger in the afterlife? Now that would be something...

Unlike the Burn series of his Degree modes, he had jumped directly to the 3rd Degree freezing mode. Naturally, his body could not adapt to it just as fast.

It only took a moment for his entire body to turn into ice. His heart...had just stopped beating. But before it did, a flash of light appeared from within him and caused the ice to shatter into tiny pieces as it drifted in the wind...taking it to god knows where.

At this time, Luffy broke free from Ace and Sabo, stumbling a few times and dropping the note Lucas left for him as well as Lucas’ phone.

When he saw the note, there was only a tiny piece left. Luffy tried to hold on to it but...he found that it had disappeared from his hand...it was no more.

Only then did everything sink in for Luffy as he turned and saw Lucas’ body shattering and disappearing in the wind.

The phone dropped from Luffy’s hand as well which strangely turned to ice and shattered on the ground just like Lucas...

“LUCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!”

…

At this moment, Shanks arrived and saw the war results. He sighed heavily and thought he was too late…

The least he could do was to claim Whitebeard’s remains for the Whitebeard pirates to mourn. As for Lucas’ remains...unfortunately, it was already lost in the seas.

He looked back at Luffy and saw him still in shock while being dragged by Ace and Sabo onto Law’s ship which had just arrived followed by Hancock and Jimbei.

Shanks sighed again and turned back to his ship.

This is still not the time for them to meet...

All over the world, the news was passed on.

In the Marineford war, an admiral, a former shichibukai, and a yonko had died!

Akainu...Lucas...and Whitebeard!

All three who had left their names in the world had died in the war!

Of course, those three were not the only ones who died. Countless pirates and marines had died as well. It was just that everyone was focused on these big names.

What's more, Whitebeard had confirmed it!

ONE PIECE IS REAL!!!

This sentence resounded in everyone's heart and soon, another era of chaos started!

This is the era of Whitebeard!

Soon after the war, another shocking piece of news was heard.

Portgas D. Ace, the son of the Pirate King Gold Roger...has become the new Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates!

To prove his strength, he had deterred every pirate that dared to touch their territories all by himself. Some even said that he held off Big Mom on Fishman island but it was unknown whether this story was true or not.

More shocking news followed.

After the war, the Fleet Admiral Sengoku chose to retire from his position and Aokiji took over as the new Fleet Admiral.

Kizaru seemed to have disappeared somewhere but never lost his title of Admiral, signifying that he will one day return.

The news of Impel Down’s Level 6 prisoners escaping wasn’t leaked out as the Government feared it will only lead to their image worsening in the public’s eyes.

It was also said that the Revolutionary Army has begun to move as if they were preparing something big, it was unknown what it was.

A few days later, another news had shocked everyone.

The Shichibukai system...had been demolished!

It seems that with the recent cases of Shichibukais turning on them and a few nations petitioning for it had led the government to abolish the system. The leading nation who petitioned this seemed to be Alabasta, which was led by not Cobra, but Princess Vivi Nefertari!

No one knew what happened, but it was as if she just changed one day and was no longer the kind and smiling Vivi that they knew. Instead, she had the image of a cold and authoritative Queen!

When the news of the Shichibukai system was abolished, the marines started to go after the known ex-shichibukais to apprehend them.

Doflamingo had disappeared underground, it was unknown what he was planning but several underground forces seemed to be making a move.

Moria had also disappeared somewhere and was later found dead in the sea along with Absalom.

Mihawk is still on his island. No one was powerful enough that could apprehend him.

Jimbei is hidden somewhere, no one knows where he is.

As for Hancock...when the marines reached the area where Amazon Lily used to be, it was already gone! The entire island...had disappeared from the map!

Going back to 3 days after the war, on a certain island, Nojiko had appeared before the Amazons and used her powers to lift the whole island in order to safeguard them from the marines and government.

Luffy had also woken up from his shock and started to smash everything in sight.

Both Ace and Sabo tried to stop him from hurting himself but could do nothing.

Jimbei was about to step in when another person got to Luffy first.

It was Hancock.

“Luffy! Please stop! I don’t wish to see you hurt yourself!”

“ARRRRRRGGGGH!!! I’M STILL WEAK!!! I CAN’T PROTECT A SINGLE THING!!!”

Still, it was as if Luffy didn't hear her at all. He continued to smash mountains after mountains with his hands and head which were already covered by his own blood.

“Luffy…”

“GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!”

Unable to see this any further, Hancock snapped at him and sent a kick at Luffy.

“ENOUGH!”

“Gah-!?”

Ace, Sabo, Jimbei, and even Rayleigh had their jaws dropped when they saw what she did.

Before they could react, Hancock already appeared in front of Luffy who was about to snap out at her, only to feel soft mounds on his face.

Hancock embraced Luffy on her chest as she cried.

“Please...stop hurting yourself! If Lucas was here...would you want him to see you like this!?”

“...”

“I know...that you are hurting from losing someone you cared about...but please think of the ones who are still with you...we are still with you...I am still here, Luffy...”

“I…”

As he was embraced by Hancock, Luffy lifted his arms and started to count.

“Zoro...Nami...Usopp...Sanji...Chopper...Robin...Franky...Brook...Ace...Sabo…Hancock...! I still have...all of you!!!”

Hancock smiled and held Luffy tighter.

“That’s right...Luffy.”

“...I...still have my crew...there is a place...where we decided to meet up. That’s where I need to go...”

Finally, Luffy broke into tears as he shouted to the skies.

“I WANT TO SEE THEM AGAIN!!!”