MTS: Marvel and Beyond

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Foolish Ace

After a brief moment of confusion, Luffy quickly reaffirmed his resolve. Becoming the Pirate King was his dream, and he would not give it up!

Of course, he also wouldn't give up saving Ace, not even if his grandfather tried to stop him!

If Grandpa was in the way, then Grandpa would be sent flying too!

In his awakened Devil Fruit state, the rocky road beneath Luffy's feet turned elastic like rubber. Even when Garp landed heavily on it, the road only twisted and bent but didn't completely collapse.

"Gum-Gum... White Stamp!"

Luffy's leg recoiled like a spring, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, and lashed out toward Garp.

Before this moment, Luffy had known his grandfather was strong but had no idea how strong.

Now, empowered by Alex's enhancements, Luffy's Observation Haki had awakened, allowing him to sense the overwhelming strength Garp possessed. Without hesitation, he unleashed his full power in this strike!

Garp's eyes widened in disbelief as the black and red lightning of Luffy's attack surged toward him.

Originally, Garp had planned to simply put on a show, feigning resistance and taking one of Luffy's hits before pretending to be defeated. But he hadn't expected Luffy to attack with such a powerful technique.

Faced with Luffy's full-strength kick, even Garp couldn't brush it off. He had to defend himself or risk severe injury.

What a good grandson he had!

But Garp was still the grandfather here.

Covering his fist in Armament Haki, Garp met Luffy's kick head-on. The clash of their Haki produced black and red lightning, and the shockwaves from their collision shattered the road beneath them.

One of them was fighting with all his might, while the other was clearly holding back. The outcome was clear.

---

After a brief struggle, Garp pretended to falter. Luffy's kick broke through his defense, striking Garp's chest and sending him flying. Blood spurted from his mouth as he smashed through layers of buildings, eventually being buried under the rubble.

Unlike in the original timeline, where Garp bit his own tongue to spit blood for show, this time, the blood was genuine—a result of Luffy's raw strength.

Even using 80% of his power, Garp was no match for his grandson.

Yet instead of feeling disappointed, Garp wore a genuine smile.

Ace, Luffy... you've both grown up!

—-—

Reaching the execution platform, Luffy spotted Mr. 3 and broke into a grin.

Mr. 3's Wax-Wax Fruit allowed him to produce wax with the hardness of steel.

In this version of events, without Alex's influence, Luffy hadn't formed a bond with Boa Hancock, meaning she hadn't given him the key to Ace's cuffs. Thankfully, with Mr. 3 present, they could simply craft a key on the spot.

As Mr. 3 set about creating a key, Luffy finally had a moment to survey his surroundings.

That's when he noticed Alex. His eyes practically popped out of their sockets in shock.

"Alex?! What are you doing here?!"

Alex sighed, shaking his head.

"Seriously? All those times you looked toward the execution platform, and your eyes were glued to Ace the whole time, huh?"

But knowing Luffy, Alex wasn't surprised.

—-—

As the Straw Hat ignored him to focus on freeing Ace, Sengoku's face grew darker. His body began to expand, glowing with golden light, until he transformed into a towering golden Buddha.

This was the power of the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Buddha, a mythical Zoan fruit.

As Sengoku assumed his Buddha form, the seagull perched on his head took flight, circling above the battlefield.

Sengoku swung his massive fist at Luffy. With his Observation Haki activated, Luffy anticipated the attack and countered with his own punch.

Both fighters wielded all three forms of Haki, and the collision of their power created shockwaves that shattered the execution platform below.

Ace and Mr. 3 tumbled down as the platform crumbled. However, Alex, who had been sitting at a distance, remained unaffected. The shockwaves couldn't reach him, and gravity held no sway over him. He leisurely sipped fine red wine from a goblet, calmly observing the unfolding battle.

Within five meters of Alex, nothing could approach him. Even Sengoku, after being struck and sent flying toward Alex, was instantly repelled by the Infinity, suffering additional injuries.

---

While Luffy held off Sengoku, Mr. 3 used his wax powers to craft a key, unlocking Ace's shackles.

Witnessing this, the pirates around them erupted in cheers:

"Finally! Ace is free!"

With Ace released, Luffy quickly sent Sengoku flying and took the opportunity to rejoin Ace. Their mission was to rescue Ace, and now that he was free, all they needed to do was escape Marineford safely to claim victory.

As the surrounding Marines closed in, Ace instinctively stepped in front of Luffy, a confident grin on his face.

"Luffy, let me protect you this time!"

---

Suddenly, an icy spear shot toward the brothers. Exhausted from battle, Ace was too slow to react. But before the spear could hit, a powerful Haki-infused fist smashed through it, brushing past Ace's face.

The rhythmic sound of The Drums of Liberation grew louder, reflecting Luffy's elation. He laughed heartily:

"Hahaha, Ace, thanks to Alex, I'm not the same as before. This time, I'll protect you!"

Ace's expression turned complicated as he looked at Luffy. The brother who had never beaten him in sparring or fights was now undeniably stronger. Though a pang of jealousy surfaced, it was quickly replaced by pride and joy.

Ace burst into laughter.

"Haha, that won't do! We're brothers, so we fight side by side! Luffy, one day I'll surpass you again!"

Just then, a chilling fog enveloped the area. From the mist came a cold, calm voice. Admiral Aokiji appeared before them, blocking their path.

"Talking about 'one day'? You won't even see tomorrow's sun. You're not escaping from here."

Blood dripped from Aokiji's forehead, staining his white shirt—a wound from his earlier clash with Luffy. Though injured, the admiral remained a formidable obstacle.

Ace, weakened from months of imprisonment and mistreatment in Impel Down, was far from his prime.

Luffy, too, was battered and exhausted from his battles in Impel Down and Marineford, including his earlier clashes with three admirals. His injuries had reached a point where they were no longer healing as quickly.

Though Aokiji had expended significant energy in his battles, his remaining strength still posed a major threat to the brothers.

Luffy charged forward first. Planting his hands on the ground, he pushed off with his feet at such speed that to onlookers, his legs seemed like spinning wheels. The ground beneath him, transformed into rubber, stretched and compressed like a spring. When it reached its limit, it launched Luffy forward with incredible speed—a true slingshot start.

The battle between the brothers and Aokiji began. Despite their best efforts, they were quickly stopped by Aokiji's ice powers and the combined might of the surrounding Marines.

---

Meanwhile, at a distance, a loud rumble announced the arrival of the Maelstrom Spider Pirates. Using turbine-powered propulsion, their damaged ship crawled across the land, heading straight for Marineford's walls. Their goal: to sacrifice themselves and create an escape route for Whitebeard and his allies.

As the ship hurtled toward the wall, a lone figure stepped in its path. With a single hand, the man stopped the massive ship in its tracks.

Whitebeard, panting heavily, addressed the pirate crew's captain, Squard: "Squard, you don't understand how cruel it is for a parent to bury their child. Don't be so reckless. You couldn't even wound me before—everyone has their time to die naturally.

Our mission is complete. There's no more need for me here. Listen carefully, Whitebeard Pirates. As your captain, I now give you my final order...

This is where we part ways. All of you must live and return safely to the New World!"

Whitebeard's crew looked on in shock. The invincible man they had always revered now seemed frail and weary, his former strength a distant memory. Though outwardly healthy, Whitebeard's figure now appeared aged, as though he no longer belonged to his legendary prime.

The once Strongest Man in the World was now a hero in his twilight years.

—-—

Above the battlefield, Alex packed away his table and chair into his Pocket Dimension, his gaze resting on Whitebeard with intrigue.

Despite Alex having fully healed Whitebeard's body, the pirate still carried a death wish. Could it be that he sensed his life nearing its natural end?

Alex already knew that even without his many ailments, Whitebeard's time was limited—he had only a few months left at best. If Whitebeard could indeed sense this, then his decision wasn't surprising.

If Alex were in Whitebeard's position, he might have chosen the same. A giant among men, a legend of the seas, would rather burn brightly one last time than fade into obscurity.

While Alex understood Whitebeard's resolve, he couldn't entirely accept it. It felt as if all his efforts to save Whitebeard's life had only fueled the man's fiery determination to shine brighter—and burn out faster.

But Alex had a broader vision. He wanted to rewrite more than just this moment, and for someone with his power, that was easy. Yet, for now, he chose to stay back. The hero's role was to intervene at the critical moment.

—-—

In the distance, Whitebeard shared a heartfelt farewell with Ace. His life had been a testament to the truth that pirates could forge genuine familial bonds, built not on schemes and deceit but on loyalty and love.

As Ace turned and fled, Whitebeard shouted his final encouragement.

"Don't waste my efforts, Ace. Live well! Live for all of us!"

Ace, carrying Whitebeard's expectations, clenched his fists and ran.

—-—

With all his remaining strength, Whitebeard swung his fist into the air, creating massive fractures that spread through the sky. The very foundations of Marineford trembled. Whitebeard's intent was clear—he would sink the naval stronghold into the sea and take himself with it, creating a grand funeral worthy of the world's strongest pirate.

Under the power of the Quake-Quake Fruit, Marineford was in chaos. The closer one was to Whitebeard, the more intense the tremors, and the Marines bore the brunt of it. Conversely, the pirates, further away, faced less impact, and Whitebeard's attacks served to hold off the Marines, giving his crew a chance to escape.

—-—

Then, a mocking voice echoed across the battlefield: "Saving Fire Fist Ace and running away immediately? The Whitebeard Pirates really are a bunch of cowards!"

Admiral Akainu sneered as he taunted the retreating pirates.

Most ignored his provocation, including Luffy and Ace, as they continued to flee with all their strength.

Unfazed, Akainu raised his voice.

"But with a captain like that, what else could you expect? Whitebeard is nothing more than a relic of a failed era!"

—-—

The pirates gritted their teeth but held their composure. They weren't foolish enough to waste the opportunity Whitebeard had given them by stopping to fight. None of them intended to fall for such cheap tricks.

But then, Ace froze in his tracks. His voice, barely audible at first, grew louder: "A... failure?"

He turned sharply, flames igniting around his fists, his eyes blazing with fury. He roared at Akainu:

"Take back what you just said!"

The others noticed Ace's shift in demeanor and quickly rushed to stop him. They pleaded with him to keep running, reminding him of Whitebeard's sacrifice.

But Ace shook them off, his face twisted with rage. "He insulted Pops!"

He pushed his companions aside and charged at Akainu, determined to make him take back what he had said.

Seeing Ace actually turn back, Akainu's face lit up with a smirk. He hadn't expected Ace to be this foolish.

Seizing the opportunity, Akainu continued to mock Whitebeard, insulting not just the man but also the crew he had built. These words were the last straw for Ace. Unable to contain his fury, he threw a fiery punch at Akainu.

The two clashed, but the outcome was inevitable. Ace was no match for Akainu, who sent him flying effortlessly. His body was scorched by the magma.

Realizing that Ace was too enraged to flee, Akainu relaxed and looked down at him with contempt.

"You're just ordinary fire," Akainu taunted. "I'm magma, my fire's superior—capable of consuming and extinguishing even your flames. Your ability doesn't even come close to mine!"

The Whitebeard Pirates, seeing Ace in danger, attempted to rush to his aid. But just as they took their first steps, they froze in place, their expressions shifting to joy.

At the same moment, Akainu stopped mid-attack. His face turned serious as his gaze fixed on the figure now standing silently behind Ace.

Ace clutched his injured arm and slowly got up, sensing something was wrong. He turned around to see a pair of cold, blue eyes gazing at him indifferently—it was Alex, who had appeared behind him without anyone noticing!

The members of the Whitebeard Pirates lit up with hope, knowing Alex was Whitebeard's ally and a fearsomely powerful fighter. With Alex here, there was no need to fear even a Marine Admiral.

On the other hand, the Marines were gripped with tension. They all stared at Alex with unease, not daring to let their guard down—not even Akainu.

Facing the enigmatic and notorious criminal Alex, who would dare relax?

What happened next caught everyone off guard. Alex moved—but instead of attacking the Marines, he kicked the injured Ace square in the face, sending him flying toward Luffy's location.

Cursing under his breath, Alex sneered, "I can't stand this anymore. What a goddamn idiot!

"You lose your cool just because of a few insults? You said you'd carry on Whitebeard's will, that you'd live courageously and never let him down? Bullshit!

"You've got a screw loose—just like your brother Luffy. No matter how normal you seem at first, deep down, you're both morons with negative IQs!"

Everyone stared at Alex, dumbfounded and slack-jawed. No one could understand why Whitebeard's ally had suddenly attacked Ace.

Yet, strangely, they couldn't help but agree with Alex's words. They also thought Ace's actions were utterly foolish.

In the next instant, there was no time to ponder further. A massive wave of pressure engulfed the area.

Alex wore a mocking smile, one that mirrored Akainu's, and said slowly, "You think ordinary fire can't compare to magma?

"Then tell me, what do you think this is?"

Blistering flames, controlled by Alex's ability to manipulate vectors, gathered in his palm. They compressed tighter and tighter until the heat intensified tenfold, radiating a brightness that rivaled the sun.

°°°

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