Chapter 94: Clash of Titans (II)
[ 15 Power Stones= 2 bonus chapters]
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After uttering his ominous threat, Akainu's gaze fixated on the Moby Dick's position, his expression grave. He knew Whitebeard's pride too well to underestimate his response.
Suddenly, the Marine Base trembled. Though imperceptible to most, Akainu and Garp's trained senses detected it, their expressions shifting abruptly.
"Sakazuki, Whitebeard's up to something. Brace yourselves and steady your stance," Garp advised, his years of experience with Whitebeard guiding his intuition.
Akainu wasted no time. "Everyone, stay alert! Whitebeard's using his powers. Maintain your positions," he barked into the phone transceiver, his mind racing with the implications.
The realization hit Garp swiftly. Familiar with Whitebeard's capabilities, he knew the tremor signaled Whitebeard's intervention. "Akainu's right. We're dealing with Whitebeard's seismic abilities," he confirmed, his tone tense.
Prepared for Whitebeard's imminent attack, Akainu's heart raced. He anticipated a direct assault, but Whitebeard's ability to trigger seismic activity from a distance caught him off guard. The sheer magnitude of the tremors shook him to the core.
As Akainu relayed his warning, the base's soldiers remained vigilant. Unfamiliar with Whitebeard's powers, they trusted Akainu's directive implicitly.
Another tremor followed, intensifying Akainu's apprehension. Alongside Garp, Vice Admiral Crane, and Kuzan, he scanned the horizon for signs of trouble.
Minutes later, a spectacle unfolded that left the Marines awestruck. The tranquil sea erupted into violent upheaval, birthing a colossal tsunami that surged towards the base.
The sight rendered most Marines weak-kneed. While the island might withstand the onslaught, the base faced imminent destruction.
Observing the impending disaster, Akainu's expression soured. "Kuzan!" he barked, his voice laced with urgency.
Responding to Akainu's call, Kuzan sprang into action, confronting the towering wave head-on.
"It's Vice Admiral Kuzan!" the Marines exclaimed, witnessing his fearless charge into the fray.
Before the mammoth wave could crash down, Kuzan unleashed his freezing powers.
"Ice Age!" Kuzan commanded, manipulating the elements to encase the tsunami in ice.
The abrupt transformation elicited cheers from the Marines. If not for Kuzan's intervention, devastation would have been inevitable.
Meanwhile, the captive pirate captain Karl marveled at Kuzan's prowess. Witnessing Whitebeard's powers firsthand, he couldn't help but be awestruck.
Unfazed by Karl's reaction, Akainu's focus remained on the ice wall. He marveled at Whitebeard's might, his prior encounters with the pirate paling in comparison to this display.
Though the comics exaggerated Whitebeard's power, the reality surpassed Akainu's expectations. Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit ability posed a formidable threat, capable of unleashing devastating tsunamis with ease.
The standoff left both sides at a loss, separated by a towering wall of ice.
Vice Admiral Crane's sharp gaze caught a sudden shift in the ice. "Sakazuki, ready the artillery! The Whitebeard Pirates are advancing," she commanded, her urgency palpable.
Reacting swiftly, Akainu relayed the order, only to be interrupted by a sudden collapse of the ice wall. What followed left him reeling.
Emerging from the wreckage, a massive pirate ship bore down upon them, prompting an immediate response from Marine artillery.
"FIRE!" Akainu commanded, his voice a thunderous roar amid the chaos.
As cannons roared and shells filled the air, Akainu couldn't help but acknowledge Whitebeard's cunning. Despite the failed tsunami, Whitebeard's strategy had brought them perilously close.
The relentless barrage from Marine forces intensified, aiming to repel the advancing pirates. Yet, with Kuzan's intervention, the frozen sea hindered their progress.
Seizing the opportunity, Whitebeard's pirates abandoned their ships, charging across the ice towards the base.
In the heat of battle, Karl taunted Akainu, reveling in Whitebeard's cunning. Unmoved, Akainu silenced him with a steely glare, his patience wearing thin.
As the skirmish unfolded, Kuzan once again intervened, freezing the sea to halt the pirates' advance.
Undeterred, the pirates pressed forward, abandoning their ships for a chance at victory.
"FIRE! Don't let them breach the defenses!" Claude's hoarse cry echoed across the battleground, signaling the start of a fierce confrontation.
"Brothers, it's time to show the old man what we're made of! Charge ahead and take down these Marines!" A pirate captain's exhilarated cry echoed through the chaos, met with a resounding roar from the assembled pirates who surged forward, heedless of the raining artillery fire from the Marines.
As the pirates closed in on the base island's shore, Borsalino, stationed on the frontline, wasted no time issuing orders. "Intercept the pirates at all costs!" he commanded, prompting dozens of generals to lead Marine forces in a frantic clash against the encroaching pirates.
The clash erupted into a full-blown battle as the two sides collided on the shore and the icy surface surrounding the base. Despite their numerical superiority, the 20,000-strong Marine force faced formidable opponents in the battle-hardened pirates, each with their own distinct leadership and combat prowess.
Amidst the chaos, cries of "Kill!" filled the air as combatants from both sides fought fiercely, each side determined to annihilate the other without mercy. Though lives were lost in the brutal exchange, neither side faltered, with fallen comrades swiftly replaced by fresh fighters eager to continue the fight.
While only a fraction of Whitebeard's pirates were engaged in combat, those under his direct command followed Marco's strategic directives. As the second-in-command of the Whitebeard Pirates, Marco's seasoned leadership ensured a coordinated assault aimed at breaching the Marine defenses.
As the battle raged on, Garp watched with a grim expression, while Vice Admiral Crane, though taken aback by the turn of events, remained steadfast in her resolve. "This is unexpected, but our advantage remains," she declared, acknowledging Whitebeard's formidable abilities while maintaining confidence in Marine's defenses.
Harrington and Onigumo, positioned as the second line of defense, stood ready to repel any pirate incursion. Meanwhile, Claude's soldiers, stationed near Akainu's high platform, prepared to defend their positions with expert precision.
Observing the unfolding chaos, Akainu remained composed, his focus fixed on the looming threat of Whitebeard and his elite crew. Though outnumbered, he knew Whitebeard's direct intervention could tip the scales in the pirates' favor.
As the battle intensified, Marco's assessment confirmed Whitebeard's suspicions. "Father, the Marines are resilient. It won't be easy to breach their defenses," he reported, prompting Whitebeard to take decisive action.
"Let's join the fray," Whitebeard commanded, his order met with eager compliance as the pirates, bolstered by their headquarters' elite fighters, surged forward with renewed vigor.
In the midst of the chaos, Akainu and his officers observed the clash between Marine and pirate captains, impressed by the prowess of Whitebeard's elite crew. As the battle raged on, the outcome remained uncertain, with both sides locked in a deadly struggle for supremacy.