The Altered Plot, Saving Ace Was Hard, Hard, Hard!

"Two annoying brats."

A trace of gravity flickered deep in Whitebeard's eyes.

Against Akainu alone, he held the absolute advantage.

But facing the combined attack of two Admirals at once—

Especially someone like Kizaru, who specialized in using speed to entangle his opponents—

Even he felt immense pressure. Breaking through quickly would be far from easy.

Meanwhile, as Kizaru moved to intercept Whitebeard,

Marco, who had been stuck dealing with Kizaru's "clingy" attacks and barely managing to cope, was finally freed.

Without the slightest hesitation, blue-green regenerative flames blazed across his body. With a powerful beat of his wings, he transformed into a cyan meteor and shot straight toward the execution platform.

However—

"Boom!"

A dull sound like an ancient bell being struck rang out.

A giant golden Buddha blocked Marco's path.

"Marco! Your opponent... is this old man!"

Buddha Sengoku!

Marco's heart sank.

Facing this legendary figure who had also survived from the old era, he felt unprecedented pressure.

But at this moment, he had no path of retreat.

Blue flames wrapped around his body as he launched a savage flying kick straight at Sengoku's face.

Sengoku's massive golden Buddha palm seemed to slowly push forward.

"Buddha Shockwave!"

A terrifying shockwave erupted instantly.

As Marco's blue flames burst forth to block it, he twisted away at high speed and narrowly avoided the attack.

But Marco was not Luffy. Naturally, Sengoku had no reason to hold back.

The enormous Buddha body took a heavy step forward, and both palms slowly came together before his chest.

In an instant, boundless golden light seemed to bloom behind him, transforming into more than a hundred phantom golden arms.

"Great Buddha Hundred-Hand Bodhisattva!"

In an instant, over a hundred golden palm prints the size of millstones rained down upon Marco like a violent storm.