Akainu stood at the bow of the Marine flagship, his gaze icy as he watched the distant Giant Warrior Pirates. Just moments ago, he had remained in this very spot, taking on a combined Hakoku attack from Blue Ogre and Red Ogre.
"Mere pirates... daring to launch an assault on the Marines..."
His fist clenched tightly, and magma dripped from between his fingers, burning charred holes into the deck.
Seeing the fleet of the Giant Warrior Pirates still taunting from a distance, Akainu waved his hand and coldly commanded,
"All forces, attack! Annihilate the Giant Warrior Pirates!"
At his order, the Marine fleet immediately adjusted their cannons. The next moment, the sea erupted with thunderous explosions, the night sky illuminated by the crimson glow of cannon fire.
Amidst the bombardment, Akainu leaped into the air. With his magma-coated arm, he launched a devastating punch directly at the flagship where Blue Ogre and Red Ogre stood. The massive magma fist engulfed the enormous ship, specially built for giants.
Blue Ogre and Red Ogre's expressions darkened. Before arriving, they had already heard Joy Boy's warnings about the strength of the Marines. Besides Carl, the greatest threats included the six Marine Admirals.
According to Joy Boy, each of these six Admirals possessed power that far exceeded that of the giants, and all of them were top-tier Devil Fruit users.
Among them, Akainu was said to be the most formidable in overall strength, his Devil Fruit's destructive power the most fearsome. He was the one they had to be most cautious of in this war against the Marines.
Yet, their first encounter upon attacking Mary Geoise had led them directly to Akainu's fleet.
However, with the pride of the Giant race, retreat was never an option. Blue Ogre and Red Ogre exchanged glances, their century-old battle instincts communicating without words. Together, they raised their shields and launched themselves into the air, charging straight toward the incoming magma fist.
The moment they clashed, they roared in unison,
BOOM!!!
Magma exploded midair, fiery trails raining down. Some of the molten rock sizzled as it plunged into the ocean, sending up massive clouds of steam, while others struck several unfortunate giant warships. One ship, particularly unlucky, had its keel melted through, causing it to sink into the sea amidst the smoke.
Though Blue Ogre and Red Ogre had barely managed to block Akainu's attack, they couldn't prevent their forces from suffering losses. Seeing the sinking warship, their faces darkened.
On the deck of the Giant Warrior Pirates' flagship, Loki leaned against the thick mast, arms crossed, watching the battle unfold with an indifferent gaze. He made no move to intervene.
With his abilities, he would be the best match against Akainu. But he preferred to watch Blue Ogre and Red Ogre struggle—true to his philosophy of letting allies fend for themselves while he remained unmoved.
...
Akainu let out a disdainful snort, flipping midair and landing back on the deck of his warship.
Standing at the bow, he fixed his unwavering gaze on the approaching enemy fleet.
Dorry swung his massive battle-axe and bellowed,
"Cowardly Devil Fruit user! If you've got guts, face me in a real fight!"
Brogy echoed, roaring,
"The Marines are all the same—weaklings who hide behind their warships, whining like women!"
Akainu sneered. In his mind, their taunts were nothing but hot air.
Despite his fiery temper when dealing with pirates, Akainu was a man of both brute force and calculated strategy. Verbal provocation had no effect on him.
If anything, he excelled at psychological warfare. Just look at the original timeline—during the final moments of the Summit War, Ace had been moments away from escaping, yet Akainu's precise words had goaded him into turning back, sealing his own fate.
Akainu's gaze shifted to the flagship, where Blue Ogre and Red Ogre stood, and he said flatly,
"Is taunting all you have left?"
Dorry and Brogy bristled with rage, their beards quivering. Without hesitation, they ordered all their ships to charge through the cannon fire toward the Marine fleet.
A smirk tugged at Akainu's lips. In an instant, his lower body transformed into surging magma, propelling him forward like a volcanic eruption as he shot toward the incoming giant fleet.
"I'll give you that chance!"
Seeing Akainu personally coming for them, Dorry and Brogy momentarily hesitated. They had already witnessed his destructive power—if he landed on their flagship, the battle's shockwaves alone would be enough to sink it.
Without delay, the two giants launched themselves into the air once more, meeting Akainu in midair before all three crashed onto the deck of another warship.
The moment he landed, Akainu's magma-coated fist slammed against Dorry's massive battle-axe. Though the axe managed to block the strike, the searing heat and impact forced Dorry to grit his teeth in pain, nearly losing his footing.
Brogy moved to assist, but Akainu was faster. With a swift pivot, he stomped down, pinning Brogy's enormous sword into the deck.
By human standards, Akainu was an imposing figure, but against a giant like Brogy, he seemed minuscule.
Yet despite the size difference, Akainu's sheer strength prevented Brogy from lifting his sword.
Watching Brogy struggle, his face reddening with exertion, Akainu raised his head and said expressionlessly,
"In the face of justice, your strength is nothing but insignificant trash."
As his words fell, Akainu's Marine coat flared behind him, the kanji for "Justice" illuminated crimson by the rising magma.
Dorry regained his stance and swung his axe at Akainu's torso. However, Akainu effortlessly activated his Logia intangibility, allowing the weapon to pass through his molten body, leaving only a trail of magma in its wake.
Seeing this, Dorry gritted his teeth.
"What a monster!"
Muscles bulging, Brogy seized the opportunity to wrench his sword free from the deck. Glaring down at Akainu, he roared,
"Don't underestimate the strength of the Giants, you bastard!!"
A sharp glint flickered in Akainu's eyes as he barked,
"Trash is still trash!"
A highly concentrated magma punch pierced through Brogy's abdomen, leaving a gaping, charred hole.
Brogy's eyes widened in shock. A choked gasp escaped him before he coughed up a mouthful of blood, which evaporated before it even touched Akainu.
His massive sword clattered to the ground as he staggered backward before collapsing onto the deck.
Dorry's eyes widened in horror as he roared,
"BROGY!!"
At that moment, an icy path rapidly spread across the ocean, climbing onto the warship's deck within seconds.
From the frozen surface, Kuzan's form materialized.
Akainu glanced at him and casually flicked the remaining magma from his fist.
Fully solidified, Kuzan took in the scene before him, clicking his tongue as he muttered,
"Ahhh... seems like I showed up a little late..."
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