If Kizaru hadn't clashed with the Celestial Dragons and gradually grown indifferent afterward, Roger's Great Pirate Era wouldn't have progressed so smoothly.
"Damn it! That bastard Kizaru!"
Marco, who had been knocked unconscious by Whitebeard earlier, had regained consciousness thanks to Ivankov's Horm-Horm Fruit ability. Watching the Red-Haired Pirates, who were covering their retreat, get massacred by Kizaru, even the usually composed Marco almost couldn't stop himself from rushing in to fight him to the death. It wasn't just because of the Red-Haired Pirates—more importantly, it was for revenge for Whitebeard!
"Calm down, Marco! Right now, only you can lead everyone back to the New World! Do you want Pops to die with regrets?!"
The blood-soaked Vista roared. Except for Diamond Jozu, who had exceptional durability, every division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates was covered in wounds. If it weren't for their determination to fulfill Whitebeard's final wish, some of them might not have been able to hold on any longer. Even Ace had exhausted his stamina protecting his comrades—if the fight continued, he might not even have enough strength left to activate his Devil Fruit abilities.
Ironically, the one in the best shape was Marco himself. Knocked out earlier by Whitebeard and possessing extraordinary regenerative abilities, he was now the most capable among the commanders. That was exactly why Vista wanted Marco to take responsibility—to lead their crew back to the New World and survive.
"I understand! Everyone, get on the ship! Leave the rest to me!"
Marco clenched his teeth so hard that his gums nearly bled, barely restraining himself from charging at Kizaru. In just a few seconds, he had figured it out—if the Whitebeard Pirates could retreat successfully, then with Dragon, Rayleigh, and Shanks on the battlefield, those three could escape freely without any burdens holding them back. Even if the Navy was stronger, there was no way they could take down three top-tier powerhouses at once. Unless they were willing to turn Marineford into ruins, and even then, it wasn't certain that they could stop Dragon and the others.
With that, Marco transformed back into a phoenix and flew towards the most chaotic part of the battlefield, where the Navy and pirates were clashing the fiercest. The situation with the Red-Haired Pirates wasn't something he needed to worry about—what he had to ensure was that the Whitebeard Pirates didn't become dead weight for their allies.
The blinding lightning that had swallowed up dozens of Red-Haired Pirates finally dissipated. It was Kizaru's first time unleashing a Lightning Release technique of this scale—he had accidentally burned through too much chakra. Fortunately, with his physique, even without the so-called Sage Body, his chakra reserves weren't inferior to those of Hashirama Senju in his prime. A technique of this scale? He could unleash a hundred more—he'd just need to rest a few minutes afterward.
"Tsk… went a little overboard, huh? Burned them to charcoal…" Kizaru pinched his nose in mild disgust. With dozens of bodies charred black by his lightning, the stench was unbearable.
"KIZARU!!!"
A feral, grief-stricken roar erupted across the battlefield. Shanks, his body half-burned by magma, charged straight at Kizaru. Even Akainu, despite doing everything in his power to stop him, couldn't hold him back. When Shanks fought with his life on the line, even a Fleet Admiral like Sakazuki struggled to contain him.
But Sakazuki had left his mark—Shanks' entire side was seared by magma, his face twisted in fury. He looked less like a man and more like a demon from hell, wreathed in molten fire.
"Tch… what a violent guy."
Kizaru casually reached into thin air and drew forth a blade of light. Because this time—Shanks wasn't playing around. The sheer intensity of his Conqueror's Haki alone meant that if Kizaru didn't take this fight seriously, he might actually end up on the losing side.
"Supreme Slash—Divine Descent!"
Shanks' rapier gleamed as it turned pitch black. Only the greatest of swordsmen—those who had honed their Armament Haki over countless years—could permanently dye their blades black. As he swung his sword, his colossal Conqueror's Haki coiled around it—one unstoppable slash, like a deity descending from the heavens, annihilating all demons and monsters in its path!
"Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi!"
Kizaru couldn't be bothered with flashy techniques. At his level, the light sword he forged from his mastery of the Pika Pika no Mi was on par with the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades. But since Shanks had lost his mind, Kizaru decided—he'd grant him the same level of respect he had given Whitebeard. A full forty percent of his true strength.
CLANG!
Black blade met light blade. The moment their weapons clashed, their titanic Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, engulfing all of Marineford in a storm of raw power. Even Admirals—beings at the peak of the world—felt momentarily stunned by the impact.
From the point where their swords crossed, a wave of pitch-black lightning detonated across the battlefield. The air itself split apart. The pressure of their swords nearly shattered space itself.
BOOM!
The sword pressure, compressed to its absolute limit, suddenly exploded, blasting massive, fan-shaped craters hundreds of meters wide on either side of the battlefield. Everyone caught within the range was instantly crushed into a bloody mist.
Yet, rather than an ending, this terrifying collision was like the signal flare of an even fiercer battle. Witnessing his comrades being slaughtered, Shanks completely lost control, unleashing his full power. For a moment, he was actually matching Kizaru, who was only using forty percent of his strength.
Their blades seemed magnetically drawn to each other, clashing again and again!
Each impact sent tremors rippling through all of Marineford. It was a battlefield straight out of legend—massive flying sword slashes and blinding flashes of light streaked across the air, mercilessly cutting down any unlucky bystanders who strayed too close.
Before long, both Marines and pirates instinctively backed away, unwilling to get caught in the crossfire of Kizaru and Shanks' duel. Only Dracule Mihawk stood his ground, his golden eyes gleaming as he observed the battle.
If not for the last shred of rationality holding him back, Mihawk would have loved nothing more than to switch places with one of them—or, better yet, join in for the ultimate duel between the world's greatest swordsmen.
"This brat Shanks… He really has inherited Roger's swordsmanship…"
Rayleigh watched the clash in shock. Kizaru being a monster was one thing, but Shanks had actually surpassed even him. The thought made Rayleigh chuckle bitterly—if Kizaru had shown this level of strength back in Sabaody, Dragon might have had to break him out of Impel Down by now.
"Shanks! You can do it! Take down that damn Admiral!"
Luffy, wrapped in thick bandages with only his head free to move, stretched his neck as far as he could, crying and shouting encouragement to Shanks with everything he had.
If not for Sabo holding him down, Luffy would have already charged in to avenge Lucky Roux and the others. After all, aside from Shanks himself, most of the Red-Haired Pirates were his friends.
"Kizaru-sama is as dazzling as ever in battle! Capture every moment! I don't want a single second missed!"
Hancock swooned as she barked orders at her pet snake, which not only had to support her for a better vantage point but also had to use its tail to hold up a Den Den Mushi, recording every second of Kizaru's fight.
Despite his injuries, the enraged Shanks was unleashing strength that put him on par with the strongest of the Four Emperors. However, the power of rage had its limits. No matter how much he wanted to cut down Kizaru and avenge his fallen comrades, the force behind his strikes was slowly but steadily weakening.
Clang!
As their swords clashed once more, Kizaru raised an eyebrow slightly.
To be honest, Shanks' outburst had caught him a little off guard. Normally, the guy acted like a carefree good-natured fool, rarely angered even when insulted by those far beneath him.
Who would have thought that watching his comrades die would push Shanks into such a terrifying frenzy? Even if it was temporary, the power he unleashed was enough to rival Whitebeard in his prime.
"…So this is your limit? At this level, you'll never be able to defeat me."
Kizaru's expression remained calm. Even though Shanks' overwhelming Conqueror's Haki was interfering with his Observation Haki, he didn't need it to see the truth. Shanks' breathing was growing heavier, his strikes losing their edge—his body was reaching its breaking point.
That reckless burst of power clearly wasn't without consequence. And on top of that, in order to escape Akainu, Shanks had taken a full-force magma punch from Sakazuki.
If it were one of the weaker Warlords of the Sea, they wouldn't even be standing by now.
"I'm going to kill you!!!"
Shanks growled through gritted teeth. With his easygoing nature, he had never experienced such pure rage before—not even when Roger was executed.
To Shanks, every member of the Red-Haired Pirates, even the newest recruit, was a precious comrade.
And now, dozens of them—including Lucky Roux—had died at Kizaru's hands. No matter what, Shanks had to avenge them!
"Oh? But your sword seems to be telling me otherwise."
Kizaru chuckled softly as he pressed forward, slowly forcing Shanks' blade back.
From start to finish, he had only been using forty percent of his strength. The problem was, Shanks' outburst wasn't endless. While his rage had allowed him to push past his limits, it couldn't last forever.
And now, he had finally reached his breaking point.
"You bastard!!!"
Shanks clenched his teeth, feeling the terrifying force pressing down through his sword. Even in his current state of unrelenting fury, he couldn't help but be shocked by Kizaru's strength.
So this was the "Navy Monster" that even Captain Roger had chosen not to fight?
For a fleeting moment, Shanks wished he could ask the late Whitebeard—just how had he managed to take the title of "World's Strongest Man" from Kizaru?
He was giving it everything he had, even shattering the stone pavement beneath his feet to disperse the force, but it was useless—his beloved sword was still being forced back, inch by inch.
"Hm, gotta say, you came looking for a fight yourself, so don't go crying later that I bullied a cripple," Kizaru quipped, his usual lazy drawl tinged with amusement.
Shanks' expression darkened.
Until now, he had never regretted losing his arm. Wagering a limb for the future of the next generation had always seemed like a fair trade.
But in this moment, doubt crept in.
If his left arm were still there, would he have a chance to avenge his crew?
And thinking further—given his strength at the time, could he have saved Luffy without losing his arm?
His focus wavered, and Kizaru noticed immediately. Seizing the opportunity, he exerted more force, carving a deep, bone-revealing gash across Shanks' chest and sending him flying.
"Flash…"
Now serious, Kizaru wasn't going to waste time like before. The moment Shanks was airborne, he raised his light sword again, ready to leave him with a wound he'd never forget.
Before Rayleigh had revealed himself, Kizaru had considered letting Shanks live to maintain the balance of the New World.
But with Rayleigh stepping in, the remnants of the Roger Pirates would surely start stirring.
In that case, the Red-Haired Pirates were no longer necessary. The Roger Pirates, though weaker than Shanks' crew, had a far greater reputation—making them a much better "wild card" for the Navy to manipulate in the future.
Eliminating Rayleigh and his remaining crew would also be far easier than dealing with Shanks and his hardened warriors.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
A bullet tore through Kizaru's torso. Of course, even with Armament Haki, it did nothing to his Logia body.
"Swift Slash."
Kizaru wasn't hurt, but that didn't mean he would ignore it. His sword swing, originally aimed at Shanks, now redirected toward the source of the shot.
Slick!
The flash-speed slash crossed hundreds of meters instantly—before anyone could react, Benn Beckman's right arm was severed.
Blood didn't even spurt immediately; it was only when his severed limb hit the ground that it gushed out like a miniature fountain.
Silence fell.
Just moments ago, Shanks had been holding his own against Kizaru.
Now, in mere seconds, both he and his first mate had been grievously wounded.
Losing his dominant right arm meant Benn Beckman would never be the same again. Not everyone could turn a handicap into strength like the legendary one-armed swordsman, or even Shanks himself.
"Damn it!"
Rayleigh's face darkened. Without Shanks and his crew, ending this war quickly would be much more difficult.
Too bad Sengoku wasn't about to let him capitalize on that distraction.
Watching Kizaru cut down the captains of the Red-Haired Pirates in rapid succession, the Fleet Admiral felt both shocked and exhilarated.
If the Navy could wipe out both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Red-Haired Pirates in a single day, they might not be able to erase piracy altogether—but this would be the perfect moment to bring the so-called "Great Pirate Era" to an end!
Compared to that, the failure to execute Ace would be a minor loss.
With two Emperors gone, the New World would be wide open to the Navy.
°°°
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