The entire Marineford fortress froze in stunned silence.
"Wait that was… the Golden Lion, right?!"
"It really was him! The Flying Pirate himself!"
"But he just got smashed straight into the ground?!"
"Who could possibly do that?!"
As the dust began to settle, a calm figure stepped forward from the edge of the smoking crater.
Ezra D. Vale.
The gathered marines blinked in disbelief, awe flooding their faces.
"Vice Admiral Ezra?!"
"He's so cool!"
"Unbelievable… he took down the Flying Pirate!"
Their whispers trembled between reverence and fear.
From within the crater, a low rumble echoed stones floated upward, twisting through the air. A shadow rose amidst the debris. The Golden Lion himself slowly emerged, his body covered in dust, a thin line of blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.
He wiped it away and let out a feral grin. "I remember now… I've seen your face in the papers." His eyes blazed with fury. "You're the brat who captured Gol D. Roger!"
"Tell me where Roger is!" he roared. "Or I'll tear this place apart!"
Ezra's expression didn't waver. His voice was calm, cold, and cutting. "He turned himself in. You should learn what that means."
The Golden Lion's fury erupted. "LION'S WRATH: EARTH ROLL!"
Massive chunks of stone twisted together, forming dozens of colossal lion heads, all charging toward Ezra at once.
Ezra's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing with irritation. "How many times do I have to say it? He surrendered!"
He raised his sword, the blade shimmering with scorching red light. "Strike of the Blazing Edge!"
With a flash, his blade cut through the air. The burning slash cleaved through the stone beasts like paper, scattering them into molten fragments.
Before the Golden Lion could react, Ezra appeared right beside him in a blur of speed, the air crackling from the force.
"I've been in a bad mood lately," he said quietly, his gaze colder than steel. "So you'll do nicely."
"Crimson Fist!"
His right fist slammed into the pirate's gut like a meteor. The impact tore through the air with a thunderous boom, sending the Golden Lion flying downward.
He hit the ground with a deafening crash, carving out a massive crater that shook the fortress.
The marines nearby could only stare, dumbfounded.
But from within the rubble, the pirate rose again, gasping but alive.
"I'll kill you!" he screamed, his hair wild, his aura blazing.
"Roger was supposed to be free! How could a man like him surrender?!"
Ezra's gaze hardened. "I told you already. He's facing his fate in Loguetown next month. But since you're too stubborn to listen, I'll make sure you don't have to wait."
His tone turned sharp, his words echoing through the air like judgment. "I'll send you to hell ahead of him."
Then, his spiritual energy surged. The ground trembled.
"All things of creation… return to ash. Ryūjin Jakka."
A wave of unbearable heat burst from him, spreading across Marineford like the wrath of the sun itself.
The marines screamed and stumbled back.
"It's too hot!"
"Is this Vice Admiral Ezra's true power?!"
"The air itself is burning!"
Some dove toward the harbor, desperate to cool themselves, only to cry out in pain as the sea began to boil.
"AHHH! The ocean's boiling too?!"
From a nearby tower, Sengoku and Garp arrived just in time to see the inferno. Sengoku's eyes widened. "This… this level of energy is absurd!"
Garp frowned deeply. "He's already reached admiral-level power."
In the center of the chaos, Ezra stood unmoving, surrounded by swirling flames. The sky turned crimson, the air shimmering as oxygen burned away.
Across from him, the Golden Lion's bravado faltered. His body trembled.
"What… what is this power?!" he stammered, sweat pouring down his face.
Ezra's voice carried over the roaring blaze. "You'll find your answer in the afterlife."
The pirate's eyes widened. "No! I am the Flying Pirate! I won't die here!"
He thrust out both swords, shouting, "LION'S WRATH: OCEAN'S FURY!"
The sea itself rose at his command, transforming into massive serpents of water that lunged toward Ezra.
Ezra didn't even flinch. He scoffed. "Tricks like that won't save you."
His blade glowed brighter, molten patterns crawling up its length. He pointed the tip downward.
"Burn forever in Inferno Hell!"
He drove the blade into the ground.
The world exploded.
Columns of fire erupted from the earth, blazing towers that devoured everything they touched. The water serpents evaporated in seconds. Then, the fire pillars merged, forming one colossal inferno that crashed down upon the Golden Lion.
The pirate's scream echoed through the burning skies.
"No! I can't die! I'm the Flying Pirate! I still have to see Roger!"
His voice was swallowed by the flames. When the firestorm cleared, there was nothing left but drifting ash.
Ezra exhaled slowly, resting his sword against his shoulder. "Good thing I held back. Any more, and Marineford would've been reduced to cinders."
He sheathed his sword and walked toward the scorched crater. Only ashes remained where the Golden Lion had once stood.
Footsteps echoed behind him. He turned to see ranks of marines approaching, their eyes wide with awe and reverence.
"Private!" Ezra called.
"Yes, sir, Vice Admiral Ezra!"
"Clean up the battlefield."
"Right away, sir!"
The young soldier's voice shook with excitement. To stand this close to the man who killed the Flying Pirate it was a moment he'd never forget.
Sengoku and Garp approached, stopping beside Ezra.
Sengoku's usually stern face softened into a smile. "Ezra… you've gotten stronger again."
Garp crossed his arms and chuckled. "Looks like it's about time we made you an admiral, huh?"
Ezra's expression twitched. "…You're joking, right?"
The two old men just laughed, but the young vice admiral could only sigh. The fire in his eyes dimmed replaced by a single thought.
Promotion again? Seriously… can't a guy take a break?
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