Little Oars Jr.'s Final Stand

"Oars! Maybe this is the last chance fate will give you."

Jiang Lin passed the Empress with a faint smile, transformed into the Undying Phoenix, and flew toward Little Oars Jr.

"Hell Hound!"

The phoenix wings melted into searing magma. Jiang Lin seized the air bubble before him and crushed it in his right hand.

"Boom!"

A violent explosion sent visible currents of air sweeping across the Bay, hurling people backward.

"You have attacked Bartholomew Kuma, wielder of the Paw-Paw Fruit. The system is copying his Devil Fruit. Host, hold out for one minute."

The system's message rang through Jiang Lin's mind alongside the deafening blast.

"D!"

As Jiang Lin intervened, a crimson figure shot toward him from afar. It was Akainu, whom he had just fought.

"You really don't know when to quit! Oars, this is as far as I can help you. The rest is up to you!"

Without looking back, Jiang Lin called to Little Oars Jr. behind him. Then he shifted form and attacked the Shichibukai before him.

"Great Eruption!"

Blazing magma fell from the sky like meteors, hurtling toward the Shichibukai and Marine Soldiers below.

"Hahaha... D! Sooner or later, you'll be mine!"

Doflamingo crossed his arms before his chest and easily sliced apart a chunk of volcanic rock flying at him. Chuckling, he looked up into the sky.

"Keh-heh-heh-heh! What a perfect body. If I could use it for my experiments, it would surpass every specimen I've ever collected."

Gecko Moria released a swarm of bats that easily shattered the volcanic rock before him. Through the dense shower of fragments, he gazed up at Jiang Lin, greed and fascination written across his face.

After Doflamingo and Gecko Moria, Bartholomew Kuma, Hawk-Eye, and the Empress each used their own methods to stop the volcanic rocks coming at them.

"You have attacked Moria, wielder of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit. The system is copying his Devil Fruit. Host, hold out for one minute."

When the system spoke, Jiang Lin did not linger. He transformed into a phoenix again and flew forward. Akainu, who had just arrived, followed him.

"Hurry! Stop him!"

Thanks to Jiang Lin's interference, Little Oars Jr. had nearly reached the Square.

"Stop him!"

Sengoku's voice came through the Den Den Mushi. The Shichibukai, still reeling from Jiang Lin's attack, obeyed the order and turned on Little Oars Jr.

"Swish!"

A thin, sharp sound cut through the air. Doflamingo sailed over Little Oars Jr. and, as he descended, effortlessly severed his right foot.

"How interesting! Ahahaha..."

Doflamingo's wild laughter rang across the battlefield.

"Ursus Shock!"

As Little Oars Jr. began to topple, Bartholomew Kuma's emotionless voice rang out again. An air bubble the same size as before emerged from his hand and drifted toward him.

The last time Little Oars Jr. had faced this attack, Jiang Lin had blocked it for him. Now there were only enemies before him. No one would come to his aid, and there would be no second stroke of luck.

"Boom!"

The air bubble struck Little Oars Jr. and burst outward in a twisting wave. The familiar shockwave slammed into him. This time, he had finally reached his limit. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to his knees in the Bay.

"Oars!"

Ace's cry rang over the Square.

"A... a monster!"

The Marine Soldiers stared at Little Oars Jr. Though he had been wounded again and again, he kept struggling forward. Terror filled their faces.

"He's reached the Square!"

The soldiers' shouts drew Jiang Lin's gaze back to Oars.

Oars lay sprawled across the Square, still straining to reach forward, as though he could touch Ace in the distance.

"Just a little farther... Just a little farther, and I can reach Ace!"

Stubborn resolve filled Little Oars Jr.'s voice. His fingers were so close to Ace, yet still impossibly far away. Their hands would never meet.

"Horn Blade: Shadow!"

From beneath Little Oars Jr., Gecko Moria delivered the final blow. A spear made entirely of shadow pierced straight through his body.

"Ace!"

Little Oars Jr. fell across the Square, defiance still on his face. His body crushed the wall between the Bay and the Square, joining the two halves of the battlefield.

"Oars! Advance over Oars's body!"

Whitebeard sent a Marine Vice Admiral flying with one punch, then gave the order to everyone.

At that moment, the battle moved from the Bay onto the Square.

"Tsuru, it's time to act!"

Faced with a battle that was turning one-sided, Sengoku calmly picked up a Den Den Mushi. On the other end, Marine Vice Admiral Tsuru began issuing orders through hers.

"Notify every fleet and soldier..."

As Tsuru's orders went out, Den Den Mushi calls began ringing throughout Marineford.

"What are you plotting, Tactician? Sengoku of the Buddha Form!"

Whitebeard stood aboard the Moby Dick and stared at Sengoku on the Execution Platform, his face full of suspicion.

Just as the tide of battle began to turn, Vice Admiral Garp started up the steps to the Execution Platform. His steps were unusually heavy, as though countless emotions held him back.

"Old man!"

Ace was stunned to see Garp appear beside him.

"What are you doing here? Do you object to the operation?"

Sengoku's voice came from the Execution Platform. He and Garp stood on opposite sides at its front, looking out over the hellish scene as they spoke.

"No! They're pirates. There's no room for sympathy!"

Garp's voice was firm, without the slightest hesitation.

"Then..."

"Shut up! What does it matter? I just want to stay here."

After snapping at Sengoku, Garp bent down and sat beside Ace.

"Villains don't deserve sympathy. But family is different!"

Garp's voice was quiet and drained of strength, nothing like the firmness with which he had just rebuked Sengoku. Yet hearing him now, Ace began to cry.