Chapter 62: Rok's Fury — To the Death!
Marineford battlefield
When Admiral Akainu suddenly declared G-9 Rear Admiral Alice a "traitor," almost every Marine turned to look.
Some were confused. Many were instantly filled with righteous anger.
Exactly the reaction Akainu wanted.
He didn't need permission. He only needed the chaos to be containable.
Momousagi's earlier insubordination gave him all the excuse he needed. Alice was close to Rok — guilt by association. In the eyes of the Marines right now, Rok was the devil incarnate.
And so, as Meigo roared toward Alice's heart**,
a thunderclap shook the entire bay.
Akainu's lips curled into a cold smirk.
So the kid ate some ridiculous Devil Fruit. Still too young. Too emotional.
He had predicted this.
The moment Rok appeared in a flash of crimson lightning to save her,
Akainu's real attack detonated.
The first Meigo suddenly swerved mid-flight, accelerating toward Rok's face.
At the same time,
a second Meigo shot from his left hand — straight at Alice's defenseless body.
Choose, brat. Take the hit and maybe die, or let the woman burn alive.
Either way — perfect.
"Bastard!"
Rok's mind raced.
He could survive one Meigo. Alice would be vaporized.
He prepared to shove her out of the way and tank both.
But —
Alice, already at her limit, used the last of her strength to push Rok out of the blast zone first.
Just like years ago, when she had let him win their duel on purpose.
She gripped her broken sword,
and took both molten fists alone.
BOOM! BOOM!
Even though Rok twisted desperately to shield her,
the twin Meigo still punched clean through her left shoulder and right abdomen.
Her sword melted. Her body collapsed into Rok's arms, blood pouring.
"ALICE!!!"
Rok's roar was pure agony.
Why… Why did she do that?!
AKAINU!!!
"Rok… don't be sad… Ever since I became a Marine… cough… I was ready to die… Just didn't think… cough… it would be by a Marine's hand… Too bad… I won't get to hug you anymore…"
Alice smiled weakly, coughing blood, still trying to comfort him.
"S-Shut up, Senpai! You're not dying!"
Rok's voice cracked — the calm, confident man was gone.
He had never imagined losing someone dear like this.
Anger, panic, desperation — all warred inside him.
But Akainu gave them no time to say goodbye.
The moment Alice hit the ground,
a massive Canine Crimson Lotus erupted toward the two of them.
Kill them while they're weak.
Honor? Only victors deserve that.
"AKAINU!!!!"
Rok's rage finally broke its leash.
His pupils bled crimson.
An overwhelming aura of death exploded from his eyes.
Death God's Gaze — full release.
In a flash, he moved Alice to temporary safety.
Then he turned,
Black Blade · Scythe of the Death God ignited with blood-red flames and thunder.
He charged.
**90,000,000 Volt Thunder Style · One-Sword Style — Death God's Stare!
HUMMMMM—
The blood-thunder slash tore across the battlefield.
Even Akainu faltered for a split second — his soul shaken by those crimson eyes.
Only an instant.
But for an Admiral, that was eternity.
The Canine Crimson Lotus was shattered mid-air.
Desperate, Akainu erupted with magma on all sides, barely holding back the thunder slash.
At that exact moment,
Marco the Phoenix, freshly punched off the execution platform by Garp, crashed nearby, dazed.
Rok saw him and shouted:
"MARCO! SAVE HER — NOW!!"
Still reeling from Garp's fist, Marco recognized the alliance.
He immediately shifted into phoenix form and began emergency healing on Alice.
While blue flames wrapped around her wounds,
Rok turned back to Akainu.
Face cold. Eyes burning with murder.
Akainu was right about one thing:
When it's life or death, there is no mercy.
Rok had no guarantee of victory yet.
But retreat? That would mean falling into the abyss forever.
Against a monster like Akainu,
there was only one option:
Fight to the death.
"Hahahaha! That's it, Rok!"
"Come! Face me head-on!"
"After I finish you, Whitebeard is next!"
Akainu laughed, exhilarated.
This was exactly what he wanted.
A fair, open execution.
So he could personally erase this stain on justice.
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