"Husband!"
"Victor, brat!"
"Victor!!!"
"Mr. Victor!!"
"Victor boy!"
…
The clash between Victor and Admiral Akainu had already become the center of attention on the battlefield.
So, when Akainu's magma swallowed Victor's Thunder Dragon, the world froze in shock!
A loud cheer erupted from the Navy's side. As expected—before the might of a Marine Admiral, even the man who once controlled the battlefield like a thunder god was nothing more than a minor obstacle.
Hancock, Whitebeard, Luffy, Ace, Crocodile, Marco, Jinbe, and others who had fought alongside Victor roared in anger and disbelief.
Whitebeard in particular tried to shatter Akainu's magma barrier using the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, but Admiral Kizaru anticipated the attempt. A golden laser pierced Whitebeard's arm, halting him.
Victor—who had already displayed extraordinary talent—now seemed doomed in the eyes of both pirates and Marines alike.
His greatest weapon, speed, was suppressed. Even his mighty Thunder Dragon was devoured.
How could he possibly survive against Akainu, the Marine Admiral with the most destructive power?
Inside the magma barrier, Victor was indeed cornered.
"Victor, the moment you opposed justice, your fate was sealed. I, Admiral Akainu, will never allow a criminal like you to live.
Not only you—Fire Fist Ace, son of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, and Straw Hat Luffy, son of the Revolutionary Dragon—both of them will die here as well. All three of you will fall under the banner of justice!"
Akainu's breathing was heavy, magma flowing endlessly around his body.
Though he had swallowed Victor's Thunder Dragon with Hellhound, it wasn't easy. It drained him heavily.
And that only made him more determined to crush Victor.
Victor staggered, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth, struggling to stabilize his body from the backlash of his failed strike.
"Akainu, if you want to harm my husband, you'll have to kill me first!"
Ignoring Victor's protests, Boa Hancock stepped in front of him, her figure radiating determination.
"Hmph. Boa Hancock, you're still one of the Seven Warlords—at least for now. Victor is doomed, but I might spare your life. You know my strength. You're no match for me. You'll only die."
Akainu frowned. Hancock wasn't officially stripped of her Warlord status yet. Killing her recklessly would stain the Navy's image.
But Hancock only laughed coldly. "Spare me? Don't make me laugh. If the man I love must die, how could I live alone? You'll never understand love, Akainu. You're nothing but a heartless brute."
The Pirate Empress stood tall, her beauty overwhelming—but Akainu cared nothing for it. His heart beat only for absolute justice.
"Hancock…"
"Don't worry, husband. I'll stand with you no matter what—even if it means death. But…" Hancock's smile softened. "I don't think I can protect you forever. You once told me you didn't want to work too hard…"
That smile etched itself into Victor's heart—not just because of her beauty, but because of her unwavering love.
Perhaps the greatest reward he had ever received in this world wasn't given by the system, but by fate: Boa Hancock, the woman who truly loved him.
"In that case, I'll kill you first, Boa Hancock! Hellhound!"
Akainu lost patience. His arm erupted into magma, forming the head of a rabid hound, lunging straight at Hancock!
She braced herself, but she had overlooked one thing: even if Victor couldn't escape the magma barrier, he could still move freely within it!
Just as she prepared to counter, Victor appeared in front of her, shielding her with his body.
"Husband!!!"
Thirty Million Volt: Thunderbird!
Victor unleashed his lightning strike, clashing head-on with Akainu's Hellhound. But Thunderbird was far weaker than Thunder Dragon.
BOOM!
The Hellhound tore the Thunderbird apart, magma pouring down toward Victor.
Armament Haki!
Iron Body!
Victor roared, covering himself in layered defense. He refused to dodge—if he moved, Hancock would be the one struck.
BOOM! BOOM!
The magma crashed into his body. Even weakened by the Thunderbird and blocked by Haki, the attack still seared a burning scar into his chest.
Victor's eyes widened in pain. He finally realized—Akainu's magma could burn through even Haki!
"Husband!!!"
Hancock rushed to catch him, tears streaming down her face.
Victor grinned through the agony. "Hancock… how could I let you die? I still need to eat your soft rice…"
He forced a crooked smile to comfort her before gripping the Second Generation Kitetsu, glaring at Akainu. "Red Dog… you won't kill me that easily!"
With a sudden burst of speed, Victor darted around, forcing Akainu to chase him. If he couldn't overpower Akainu directly, he'd stall for time, waiting for an opening.
"You think speed will save you? Naïve! If you and the Pirate Empress love each other so much, then die together! I'll give you both a funeral in magma!"
Akainu snarled, erupting lava from his arms to force Victor back before leaping high into the air.
A gap tore open in the magma barrier.
The battlefield held its breath as Akainu reappeared, both arms glowing like volcanic eruptions.
"Victor! Boa Hancock! Accept justice—Meteor Volcano!!!"
Countless magma fists rained from the sky like a volcanic storm, filling every inch of the barrier with blazing death.
From Whitebeard and Sengoku down to ordinary Marines and pirates, everyone believed it was over. Within that fiery prison, no one could survive.
Victor clasped Hancock's hand, looking up at the incoming inferno.
"System! If you don't trigger a choice now, your host dies here!"
[The system has just given a choice. Cooldown is required. Every choice changes destiny—treat them seriously.]
[And remember—every system reward is top-class. Do not underestimate any reward.]
Victor finally understood.
With no hesitation, he pulled the Power Pill from his inventory and swallowed it whole.
Ding!
A surge erupted in his core. Not just heat—something far greater than magma itself.
It was as if he had swallowed a sun.
As the meteor shower of magma crashed down, Victor clenched his fist and roared.
BOOM!!!
A blinding light exploded within the magma barrier, as brilliant as a supernova, illuminating all of Marineford.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The searing fists of magma disintegrated against a colossal fist of light. Victor's punch shattered Meteor Volcano itself, then drove forward without slowing—straight into Akainu.
"Wha—?!" Akainu's eyes widened.
The fist of light consumed him completely, blasting through the magma barrier, smashing through the Navy's iron walls.
BOOM!
Akainu's body was hurled across the battlefield, slammed straight into the Marine Headquarters itself.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The building crumbled, the Navy's symbol of justice collapsing into rubble.
When the dust settled, Admiral Akainu was buried beneath the ruins.
And for the first time in the war—
The flag of the Navy Headquarters had fallen.