The Summit War's Climax

Du Yang sneered, offering no further response, and instead drew a Western-style blade he had snatched.

In an instant, Conqueror's Haki, resembling black lightning, coated the blade, and with lightning speed, he slashed fiercely toward Akainu.

Facing the threat from Sakazuki, he chose to act rather than argue.

Besides, the debt of his parents' blood could not go unavenged.

As the blade, wreathed in dark red arcs of Conqueror's Haki, descended, Akainu felt a sense of disbelief.

The sheer tyranny of this Haki and the sharpness of this will were not something an ordinary person could possess.

"Arrogant!"

Akainu's combat instincts were exceptionally sharp, and he did not hesitate for a second. Facing this unavoidable strike, he pushed the power of his Magma-Magma Fruit to the absolute limit he could control.

"Great Eruption."

His magma-transformed right fist erupted like a volcanic blast, the dark red light becoming blindingly intense as it slammed head-on into the black blade-light that tore through the sky.

The next instant.

The pitch-black blade-light and the dark red magma fist collided violently in mid-air. With the point of impact as the center, a terrifying shockwave, mixed with black lightning and molten fire, instantly surged outward.

BOOM!!!

Wherever the shockwave passed, the solid granite ground was ripped up in layers as if it were fragile biscuit.

Marine soldiers and pirates standing too close were swept away by the shockwave before they could even let out a scream.

The Execution Platform shook violently, and Sengoku's expression turned grim: "Is it really like this? Such powerful Conqueror's Haki... things have become much more troublesome."

"Why would a person like this get involved in this mess?"

Whitebeard watched the two figures at the center of the clash, the corners of his mouth curling up involuntarily as he said happily: "Gurarara, Marines, it seems not everyone will let you do as you please."

Doflamingo appeared beside Dracule Mihawk, and, finding the chaos amusing, teased: "Fufufufu, did you see that, Mihawk? Your status as the world's strongest swordsman might be in jeopardy."

Dracule Mihawk clutched his black blade Yoru, his eyes burning as he stared at that black blade-light, saying with total focus: "Sword skills aside, to be able to channel such powerful Conqueror's Haki into a blade and unleash Advanced Conqueror's Haki—it seems this is a swordsman rarely seen. Coming to Marine Headquarters this time was not in vain after all."

At this moment, throughout the entire Summit War, Du Yang and Akainu had become the focus of the entire battlefield.

What many Marines found hard to believe was that a Marine Admiral, going all out, still seemed to be at a disadvantage.

Under the gaze of countless shocked eyes, at the center of the energy clash, that sharp, peerless black blade-light had actually forcibly split Akainu's magma fist.

Pitch-black lightning coiled around the blade, cleaving the dark red magma right down the middle.

"Urgh!"

Akainu let out a muffled grunt.

His entire body was sent sliding back more than ten meters by the residual force that had cut through his attack, and his magma-transformed right fist now bore a deep, gaping wound.

Although the churning magma was rapidly repairing his fist, the damage from the Advanced Conqueror's Haki was substantive and exceptionally effective.

Furthermore, the aftermath of that powerful black blade-light instantly overturned a large number of Marines behind Akainu, much like Dracule Mihawk's green blade-light.

Sakazuki could not believe that in their first direct clash, he had been completely suppressed.

On the Marine side, Sengoku, Garp, Aokiji, and Kizaru—all powerhouses at the level of the Four Emperors and Admirals—had their expressions change.

They had expected the Conqueror's Haki of the man blocking Akainu to be formidable, but what could one person really do... yet they had not expected this Conqueror's Haki to be so extraordinary; the presence of a single person seemed to shroud the entire Marine Headquarters.

They had expected the opponent to have mastered Advanced Conqueror's Haki, but they thought its intensity would only be at the level of Dark King Rayleigh, something a Four Emperors or Admiral-level fighter could temporarily hold off if they got serious... yet they had not expected Akainu to show signs of defeat; one person wouldn't be enough, it would likely take two or more.

They had expected the opponent's appearance to shift the situation slightly, but that the overall collapse of Whitebeard's side was irreversible... yet this sharp strike completely shattered their illusions and left them stunned.

This suddenly appearing man was definitely an opponent the Marines could not ignore, one who might even turn the tide of the entire war.

However, the one who found it hardest to accept was Akainu.

He raised his hand, looking at the slash mark on his palm that was struggling to heal, then looked up at the figure standing with his blade, surrounded by swirling Haki, the anger in his heart burning like a raging fire.

"To think you could wound me." Akainu's voice was terrifyingly low. "Everyone here is either a Marine or a pirate. You are not a Marine, so you must be a pirate."

"Such a dangerous pirate must not be allowed to live."

Seeing that the opponent had fully committed to killing him, Du Yang pointed his Western-style blade at Akainu and said: "That's right. Not only am I a pirate, but I am also the pirate who will kill you."

At this moment, the focus of the entire Summit War shifted to Du Yang and Akainu.

Whitebeard, feeling the pressure suddenly ease, shouted to the entire battlefield: "My sons, did you all see that? Even a Marine Admiral has been suppressed!"

"All units, listen up! Target the Execution Platform! Rescue Ace at any cost! Let these Marines see what we are made of!"

"Ooooooh!!!"

The morale of the Whitebeard Pirates soared to its peak at this moment.

Marco, Vista, Diamond Jozu... every commander, every captain and crew member of the allied pirate fleets launched a fierce charge toward the Marine lines.

Luffy also looked at Du Yang with great gratitude and shouted loudly: "Thanks, mister! After I rescue Ace, I'll treat you to some barbecue!"

Following that, he charged fiercely toward the Execution Platform.

On the Execution Platform, Fleet Admiral Sengoku's expression was so dark it seemed as if water could drip from it.

He stared fixedly at Du Yang, who was currently confronting Akainu below, then glanced at the Whitebeard Pirates launching their frenzied charge, and immediately shouted regardless of the consequences: "Borsalino, Kuzan, Garp, you cannot hold back any longer! That fellow who suddenly appeared is a massive variable capable of changing the tide of battle. If this continues, Ace might actually be rescued by them."

"All naval forces, suppress them with full strength! Do not let them get within half a step of the Execution Platform."

Sengoku understood that Du Yang's appearance truly had the potential to alter the entire situation.

Kizaru was no longer wearing his usual lazy expression, instead curling his lips in a grimace.

As a powerhouse at the level of a Yonko or Admiral, no one understood better than he did just how troublesome the Conqueror's Haki erupting from Du Yang truly was.

Aokiji felt the same; the blade aura Du Yang had unleashed left him thoroughly shaken.

Yet, he felt the problem was not insurmountable.

No matter how strong Du Yang was, just how strong could he be? Could he possibly be stronger than the Pirate King?

Even someone as powerful as the Pirate King of the previous generation, Rocks, had fallen at God Valley.

If one Admiral-level combatant couldn't defeat him, then they would add another.

If they still couldn't win, they would add yet another.

Could it be that five Admiral-level combatants combined could not defeat a single man?

The chaotic melee erupted in full force.

The Summit War had finally entered its most tragic and brutal stage of total, all-out warfare.

The pirates continued to charge, their offensive relentless and frenzied, wave after wave.