When All Things in the Universe Turn to Ash, Ryujin Jakka

Bakudo #81, Broken Sky

Akainu's Great Eruption smashed into an invisible wall of air, and the searing magma scattered to both sides of Haku!

"Is that idiot Akainu out of his mind!" Sengoku roared angrily. If Haku hadn't just blocked that attack, just think how many marines would have become casualties! The mere thought of it filled him with lingering fear.

Haku also wore a gloomy expression. The bastard was gambling on whether or not he would protect Garp's warship and the marines aboard it when he launched that attack! No matter the outcome, Akainu would not be the one on the losing end.

Haku shouted sternly, "Everyone, get away from the plaza immediately! Otherwise, suffer the consequences at your own risk!"

With that, Haku used Body Flicker to appear right in front of Akainu, his right fist coated in Armament Haki as he hammered Akainu flying straight into the center of the Marineford main plaza.

Garp also wore a headache-inducing expression as he said to Aokiji, "Kuzan! That brat Haku is angry, hurry up and freeze the plaza!"

Everyone found it somewhat strange—why did Garp want Kuzan to do that?

Ice Age

With a solemn expression, Aokiji did as Garp said, knowing that Haku was about to get serious now!

In an instant! The entire marine plaza turned into a pristine world of ice and snow.

Akainu crashed into the center of the plaza, covered in writhing, bubbling magma!

"Bastard!" he cursed angrily. Haku's merciless punch just now had sent a sharp ache through his chest. If his senses were right, he knew at least a few of his ribs were broken!

Haku's figure also appeared in the center of the plaza, facing the marine admiral before him. The Zanpakuto in his hand lashed out with a massive slash.

Akainu's body rapidly underwent Elementalization to dodge the attack, using the momentum of evading the slash to close in, his arm extending at blinding speed as he unleashed a Hell Hound at Haku!

Haku's expression remained unchanged as he effortlessly sliced the Hell Hound into two pieces. Facing Akainu, Haku said arrogantly, "I originally intended to hold back a bit, at most fighting you to a draw so everyone could save face!"

Haku raised the Zanpakuto in his hand, pointing the tip straight at Akainu before him. "Now I've changed my mind. The next slash might just burn you. So! Are you ready, Admiral Akainu!"

Hearing those words, Akainu said furiously, "Brat! What kind of joke is this, I am a magma man who ate the Magma-Magma Fruit. Do you really think you can beat me!"

Inugamae Guren

Black-red magma churned, and a giant red hound formed!

Akainu unleashed an Inugamae Guren at Haku, aiming to bite down on the arm wielding the Zanpakuto.

Raging flames surged out from Haku's body, enveloping both man and blade in fire!

In the distance, Kizaru widened his eyes in astonishment and said, "My, my! What a terrifying little brat! Is this a Devil Fruit ability?"

Meanwhile, Aokiji wore a painful expression. Maintaining his own Devil Fruit ability made him acutely aware of the terrifying high temperature inside the plaza.

When All Things in the Universe Turn to Ash, Ryujin Jakka!

Faced with this attack, Haku chose to release the Shikai of the Ryujin Jakka in his hand first.

Endless flames and intense heat enveloped the entire plaza!

Above the deep purple hilt, the entire blade of the Ryujin Jakka was wreathed in roaring flames! The intense heat emitted by the fire rapidly turned the ice across the entire plaza into steam!

Castle Burn, the flames released from the blade wrapped around Akainu's Inugamae Guren like a giant hand!

Akainu felt a bad premonition in his heart, cutting off his continued output of the Inugamae Guren as he pulled back and retreated.

Yet the flames released by Haku enveloped the Inugamae Guren and instantly reduced it to ashes!

Akainu's pupils shrank to pinpricks. If he hadn't dodged just then, he suspected his body would have been burned to nothingness by Haku's flames!

Torch!

Haku instantly drew his blade, slashing out a tornado-like wall of fire that swept toward the retreating Akainu.

Akainu roared, "Great Eruption!" His massive molten fist shattered the approaching flame tornado.

Before long, Haku's figure appeared behind Akainu, the Ryujin Jakka in his hand flicking upward. The searing, high-temperature slash instantly carved a wound across Akainu's back.

Akainu's body instantly underwent Elementalization to escape Haku's pursuit. He felt somewhat grateful that he hadn't chosen to engage Haku in close combat just now!

Instantly, he rapidly condensed a giant magma fireball a meter in diameter high in the sky. Akainu hurled the magma fireball down at Haku, reducing everything in the fireball's path to ash via scorching heat!

Haku stood unflinching, grasping his blade with both hands and raising the Ryujin Jakka high. He shouted loudly, "Scorching Hell!"

Dozens of towering pillars of fire converged, lifting the molten fireball and sending it flying toward the ocean before detonating it instantly!

A powerful shockwave triggered a tsunami that surged toward Marine Headquarters.

To prevent Marine Headquarters from being swallowed by the sea, Aokiji used Ice Age once more to freeze the entire tsunami solid.

"What a terrifying ability!" Kizaru raised an arm to shield his eyes; he certainly didn't want to be blinded by the heat!

Sengoku felt a pang of heartache for the Marineford plaza. Needless to say, after this battle, this plaza was as good as ruined!

Aokiji also wore a grave expression. He knew that if the power of that last attack had landed on the ocean surface, it could have easily boiled the sea dry!

Seeing this, Akainu felt a heavy weight in his chest. He knew that once his Magma-Magma Fruit ability was successfully blocked by his opponent, he would easily find himself on the defensive!

Haku closed in instantly, arriving right before Akainu in a flash. He swung the Ryujin Jakka, every single strike dragging a trail of searing flames.

Akainu's body rapidly underwent Elementalization to evade Haku's attacks. He chose a hit-and-run style to buy time; he simply refused to believe that Baiyuan's stamina could sustain such intense close combat for long!

Yet Haku gave Akainu no such opportunity, his figure appearing instantly at Akainu's side. The Ryujin Jakka in his hand carried a terrifying heat as it swept across Akainu's body.

"Great Eruption!" Enduring his injuries, Akainu spewed out a massive magma fist, knocking Haku flying!

Haku crashed heavily into the center of the plaza, fortunate that he had managed to block with his Zanpakuto just in time, or he would have been severely injured right then!

In the distance, Sengoku watched and shouted, "Hey! Garp, the flames your grandson just used shouldn't be a Devil Fruit ability, right?" Clearly, he had already picked up on something!

"Huh? What are you saying, Sengoku? The two brats were making too much racket, I didn't catch that?" Garp feigned ignorance with a look of failing to hear properly.

Knowing the old man was shielding his grandson, Sengoku didn't dwell too much on the issue.

If Haku could hear what Sengoku had just said, he would only marvel that the man truly lived up to his reputation as the strategist Fleet Admiral, deducing from this short exchange that what he used was not a Devil Fruit ability!

Meanwhile, a brand-new development on the battlefield dragged everyone's attention right back over there.

Sengoku's expression first shifted, and then he roared in fury toward Akainu's direction, "Sakazuki, you bastard, are you trying to destroy Marineford?!"