Fists of burning fire forged an unrelenting offensive network, forcing Sakazuki to continuously retreat and block.
Erupting with volcanic fury, Sakazuki unleashed even higher-temperature magma after taking several direct hits from Ace. Thoroughly enraged, the Admiral candidate transformed into a walking disaster zone.
Ace deftly dodged the barrage, his steam-shrouded fists shooting out in rapid succession and forcing Sakazuki back several more steps.
Neither Sakazuki nor Borsalino had reached the absolute peak of power they would demonstrate during the Paramount War years later. Their Devil Fruit mastery was still far from fully mature, which allowed Ace and Kikyo to hold the upper hand in their respective clashes.
Shiraishi raised an eyebrow, mentally calculating his next move when a sudden commotion broke out on Garp's end.
CRACK!
The ice shattered. Garp let out a sinister chuckle, his eyebrows and beard coated in a thick layer of frost. On the surface, the Marine Hero seemed to have taken a heavy blow, but Shiraishi cursed inwardly—the old fox was completely playing dumb.
As their fists collided once again, Shiraishi felt a sudden, unsettling sensation. His body felt as if it had been pierced by Sea-Prism Stone weaponry. His mental energy and physical strength drained rapidly, pulled into the deep vortex surrounding Garp's fist.
That's the feeling of Sea-Prism Stone!
Looking closer, Shiraishi noticed a faint layer of seawater wrapped around Garp's fist.
Relying solely on that thin coating of seawater to neutralize his Glaciate field with Haki while causing him genuine trouble...
This old man really knows how to play dirty... As expected of the Marine Hero, he doesn't limit himself to conventional tactics.
Realizing the danger, Shiraishi pulled his hand back forcefully, taking three quick steps back as his knees nearly buckled. The wings on his back erupted with brilliant blue flames, but Garp picked up a cluster of cannonballs and hurled them like bullets to intercept the blast.
"He's actually fighting Garp to a draw...?"
"No, Aoki Shiraishi is going on the offensive again!"
Before the crowd's chatter could settle, Shiraishi reinvigorated his spirit. Flapping his dual wings, he glided close to Garp, who had yet to fully shed the lingering frost. A massive surge of freezing energy gathered in Shiraishi's palm.
In an instant, thick frost condensed on the surface of a silver blade, transforming into a massive spear of absolute zero that thrust directly toward Garp's throat.
A flash of lightning struck Garp's elbow. Guided by his Observation Haki, Garp's forearm whipped out on pure reflex, blocking Shiraishi's strike with a sharp CLANG.
Garp's eyes glowed with a crimson hue as he continuously refined his Observation Haki. His body made micro-adjustments, forcing his stiff, frost-bound muscles to respond and hold off Shiraishi's relentless sequence of rapid strikes.
He can fight like this too?!
While Observation Haki provided foresight, relying on instinctive muscle reactions demonstrated that Garp's mastery of Observation Haki was by no means inferior to his legendary Armament Haki.
Shiraishi was genuinely taken aback, nearly allowing the old man to counterattack. He threw one fist wrapped in dominant frost to maintain the cold, and another coated in neurotoxins borrowed from Nihilego to numb Garp's nervous system further.
Having experienced Shiraishi's neurotoxin before, Garp barely managed to expel the cold. Though the icy stiffness diminished with each second, internal injuries mounted across his organs—yet he showed not a single trace of defeat.
Shiraishi flashed across the sky at extreme speeds, stirring up a blizzard. Taking advantage of his opponent's impaired mobility, he shifted through eight different angles in the blink of an eye, unleashing eight consecutive freezing beams.
Then, like a spectral phantom, Shiraishi materialized directly behind Garp, moving to secure victory as Garp's punch hit empty air.
At the critical juncture, Garp's Observation Haki picked up the danger. Spinning his body rapidly, he delivered a devastating iron fist.
Seeing this, Shiraishi condensed his Haki as well. His powerful fist shattered the air barrier, blasting through the forcefield to collide directly with Garp's punch.
Garp's expression changed. Shiraishi swung both arms, delivering continuous shockwaves one after another, refusing to give his opponent a single moment to catch his breath!
He's completely bullying an old man!
Oh no... if this continues, Grandpa's back is going to give out...
Ace began to worry about Garp's safety. The old man was getting up there in years, and facing the young, prime-conditioned Shiraishi was a massive disadvantage.
However, Ace was currently locked in a fierce struggle with Sakazuki. With similar Logia Devil Fruits, their battle was equally spectacular, as flames and magma tore across the sky like a shower of volcanic meteors.
Suddenly, an explosion rocked one side of Loguetown. Gecko Moria made his move, leading his crew in a full assault against the Marines. Shanks wanted to join the fray as well, but was forcibly dragged away by Buggy the Clown, who happened to be passing by.
"Waaaaah... You idiot Shanks! We don't have the right to get involved in a high-level fight like this right now!"
"Why are you crying, Buggy? Are you worried about me?"
For some reason, Shanks' mood brightened considerably. Looking at Buggy's complaining face, he gently adjusted the straw hat on his head.
With Moria taking the lead, other pirate crews quickly initiated their own riots. In an instant, the situation in Loguetown completely spiraled out of control.
"Is this your true objective?!"
Sengoku exchanged another palm strike with Uchiha Madara. Landing back on the ground, he looked at the escalating pirate riots around him, a heavy look flashing through his eyes.
"Too many useless words, Marine!"
Madara brought his hands together. The towering fire giant in the sky released countless dark(Magatama). Under his precise control, they rained down in an apocalyptic bombardment.
The entirety of Loguetown trembled on the brink of collapse.
The spectacle of the Sunagakure Pirates engaging the Marines in an all-out war was broadcast live to the entire world, leaving countless spectators trembling in fear.
They had finally executed one Pirate King, only for a far more terrifying crew to step into his place...
While civilians panicked, aspiring pirates across the seas cheered fanatically, demonstrating their intense desire for the Pirate King's treasure.
Madara's wanton destruction transformed Loguetown into a scene straight out of doomsday. Demonstrating the absolute demeanor of a supreme powerhouse—combined with the arrogance of Shiraishi on the scaffold—the Sunagakure Pirates officially became a global sensation!
Countless pirates frantically chanted the name of the Sunagakure Pirates while causing mayhem throughout the town. In the midst of the chaos, the Marines' high-level combat force was completely pinned down.
This was especially true for Yachiru Unohana. Wrapped in a terrifying shroud of killing intent, Fleet Admiral Kong showed traces of exhaustion and helplessness as his long sword parried her strikes. Unohana's bloodlust was simply too overwhelming.
Still, as Fleet Admiral, Kong was in his physical prime. His formidable hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship prevented Unohana from securing an immediate victory.
With her hair flowing wildly, Unohana grew more intoxicated with every exchange. Seamlessly weaving through dozens of sword styles, her supreme mastery left Dracule Mihawk watching from afar in total awe.
The fluid adaptation and synthesis of every style opened his eyes to new possibilities.
So different sword schools can be merged and harmonized like this...
Just then, a crimson beam flashed across the sky like a razor-sharp sword aura, aiming straight for Madara as he confronted Sengoku the Buddha in midair.
It was Patrick Redfield (Baloick)!
Fresh blood splattered onto the ground as the legendary pirate appeared, throwing the chaotic battlefield into even deeper turmoil. However, the moment Madara gripped his staff blade, a surge of lightning crackled to life.
Electricity?!
The Dark Nine-Tails could produce not only black flames, but also electrical discharges. Demonstrating his supreme taijutsu talent, Madara twirled his staff blade with both hands, its surface gleaming with silver electricity.
Amid the raging airflows, Redfield's blood-red cloak fluttered like a demon as his hands unleashed two crimson fangs of energy.
"Uchiha Madara... do you really think you can leave this place alive?"
Although he successfully dodged the lethal ambush, Madara was struck by the residual shockwave of Sengoku's Golden Buddha palm, causing a trickle of blood to leak from the corner of his mouth.
Had it not been for Ivankov's hormone modifications two years prior, a surprise attack like this would have inflicted severe, lingering injuries. Instead, his body remained remarkably resilient.
Does Chakra really erode a person's physical body over time?
Thinking of this, Madara looked coldly at Redfield and Sengoku ahead of him: "Leaving alive? That has never been something I concern myself with."