BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The banner of justice—the massive Marine Headquarters—lay in ruins from Victor's devastating punch.
Admiral Akainu, one of the Navy's strongest forces, was buried beneath the rubble.
"..."
The audience was stunned. Both Marines and pirates stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.
Especially the Marines.
Moments ago, Akainu had been dominating the fight, cornering Victor with absolute certainty.
And now… he was gone. Blasted away. Even the headquarters itself was destroyed.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Admiral Aokiji, and the higher-ups all wore tense expressions.
From the moment Akainu was knocked aside, the war had spun out of their control.
All because of one man—Victor.
"Oh my, oh my… I'm glad I didn't chase that little devil too hard. Scary~"
Kizaru, as usual, was the only one who looked relaxed.
Dusting his uniform casually, he spoke as though he hadn't just watched his fellow admiral get flattened.
"Gurarara… that damn brat, made me worry for nothing!"
For the first time since joining the battle, Whitebeard actually smiled.
The sheer destructive power of that punch had even shocked him. Even at his peak, he could only barely withstand such force.
"Wife, look—I knocked Red Dog away!"
The brilliant fist of light not only smashed Akainu, but also shattered the magma barrier, freeing Victor and Hancock.
"Husband, you… I—" Hancock covered her lips in shock.
She never expected Victor to unleash such immense strength in the face of Meteor Volcano.
That power was beyond anything she had ever felt.
But above all, she was happy. She loved Victor deeply, and seeing him become stronger filled her with joy. After all—
If he is fine, then I am fine too.
"Hancock, wait for me. When this war ends, we'll leave together."
Victor smiled, releasing Hancock's hand before charging back into the battlefield.
The effect of the Power Pill far exceeded his expectations. Though his previous punch had exhausted it, it restored his body to peak condition.
Victor clicked his tongue regretfully. If only I had stocked more of those pills…
If he had a hundred of them, he could level Marineford without effort. Admirals, Marshals—it wouldn't matter.
But unfortunately, he only had one.
Still, his very presence changed the battlefield.
No Marine dared to block Victor now.
They were terrified.
Even the strongest had their own opponents to face. Unless you were an admiral, who would dare step in front of him? Who could?
"Sons! Follow Victor—charge forward and rescue Ace!"
Whitebeard roared his final command. His sons responded with unstoppable momentum, pushing the Marines back with renewed fury.
The battle returned to chaos, but this time, the morale had completely shifted.
Thanks to Victor, Marine spirits plummeted while pirate momentum surged.
"Victor! Thank you!" Luffy rushed to Victor's side, both of them tearing into the execution platform where Ace was still bound.
On the collapsing platform, only Ace and Sengoku remained.
"All Marines! You are the guardians of justice—stop them! Victor is spent, the victory still belongs to us!"
Sengoku roared. As Fleet Admiral, he would not let the Navy fail—no matter the cost.
Leaping from the platform, golden light erupted from his body as he transformed into a massive Buddha.
"Tch… after fighting an admiral, now I have to fight the marshal? At this rate, the Navy and World Government are going to hate me for life."
"Can't wait to see how much my bounty spikes after this. Heh… and to think, all I wanted was to laze around on Amazon Lily, eating Hancock's cooking." Victor sighed inwardly.
He had only come here for the Thunder Fruit and a bit of excitement.
Instead, he ended up wreaking havoc at Impel Down, fighting the world's greatest swordsman, clashing with Kizaru, defeating Akainu, destroying Marine Headquarters, and now—facing the Fleet Admiral himself.
Each event alone would shock the world. Together, all committed by one man? The hatred the Navy and World Government would have for him after this… immeasurable.
"Luffy! Ace is yours. I'll hold off Sengoku!"
Victor faced down the golden Buddha without a trace of fear. And no one dared to doubt him.
Who could have imagined that an unknown man before this war would now stand toe-to-toe with the Fleet Admiral?
"You insolent brat! As Fleet Admiral of the Navy, I will not let a criminal like you walk free!"
Sengoku's golden palm came crashing down with a massive shockwave.
Victor intercepted, pushing Luffy out of range.
"Ace! I'm coming! Hehehe!"
Luffy sprinted, just one step away from reaching his brother.
Meanwhile, Victor clashed with Sengoku—thunder and speed against overwhelming shockwaves.
He had no illusions of defeating Sengoku outright, but with his agility and power, he could hold him back long enough.
"Oi, Sengoku! You know as well as I do—the future isn't ours anymore. Let go, old friend! Gurarara! We're relics of the old era. The new era doesn't have room for us."
Whitebeard's booming laughter echoed across the battlefield.
He had already seen the dawn of a new age in this war. He only needed Ace's rescue to leave this world without regrets.
But in his high spirits, clashing with Aokiji, Whitebeard failed to notice several figures disguised in Marine and pirate uniforms creeping up behind him.
At the same time, within the rubble of Marine Headquarters, the debris suddenly shifted.
Akainu, battered and bloodied, crawled out with cold fury in his eyes, clutching his injured arm.
Step by step, the Red Dog rose again.