Marineford's outline appeared on the horizon. The fortress that symbolized the Marines' Absolute Justice crouched like a colossal beast, radiating suffocating pressure. Dozens of Marine warships stood ready at the harbor, their cannon muzzles menacing. The tension of an approaching battle filled the air.
The combined forces of the Red Hair Fleet and the Pluton Battleship slowly spread into formation, like a sharp sword aimed straight at the Marines' heart.
Shanks stood at the flagship's bow, Gryphon angled forward. "Everyone! Today, we'll tear apart this false justice!"
The war drums thundered! The fleet began its charge!
"Fire!" Akainu ordered coldly from the Marine side.
Cannon fire tore through sea and sky! Thousands of shells rained down!
"Our turn." Allen's gaze sharpened. "Pluton, activate the Firmament Shield at full power! Charge the main cannon!"
Ripples spread across the Pluton Battleship's surface. A massive energy shield unfolded, keeping most of the shells outside. At the same time, the main cannon began gathering destructive energy!
"We can't let Pluton fire!" Kizaru turned into golden light and surged forward. "Yasakani no Magatama!"
Light projectiles rained down, only to veer off strangely as they approached Pluton-Allen had already deployed his Torch Dragon Domain!
"I'm your opponent, Kizaru." Allen spread his dragon wings and soared into the sky! His blue-and-gold dragon scales gleamed in the sunlight, arcs of electricity flowing over them!
"Oh~ You've gotten quite a bit stronger~" Kizaru sounded relaxed, but his eyes grew serious. "But it's still not enough~"
Light and dragon clashed fiercely in the sky! Every exchange sent tremors through the air!
On the sea below, boarding battles erupted between the Red Hair Fleet and the Marine warships! Shanks cleaved a warship apart with a single slash. "Beckman! The left flank is yours!"
With a cigarette between his lips, Benn Beckman fired precise shots. "Understood."
Ace faced his old opponent, Akainu. "I won't lose this time! Flame Emperor: Sunburst!" A massive fireball blasted toward Akainu!
"Hell Hound!" Akainu met it with a magma fist! The clash of fire and magma produced huge clouds of steam!
Sabo sought out Fujitora. "A wielder of gravity... Let me see what you've got!" His steel pipe, coated in Armament Haki, thrust straight forward!
"You have courage, young man." Fujitora drew his Cane Sword. "Gravity Blade: Raging Tiger!"
In his Gear Fourth Boundman form, Luffy bounced between the warships. "Gum-Gum... Murder of Crows Cannon!" Countless fists swept through the Marine soldiers!
All-out war erupted! Marineford's harbor became a battlefield! Cannon fire, powers, and Haki intertwined in a symphony of death!
"Advance! Push inside the fortress!" Shanks directed the fleet through the defensive line. "Our target is the underground command room!"
But the Marines put up extraordinarily fierce resistance! Countless officers and soldiers threw themselves forward, one after another! Pacifista units joined the battle as well!
"These robots are a pain!" Luffy punched a Pacifista away. "Why do they just keep coming?!"
Allen fought fiercely against Kizaru in the sky while keeping watch over the whole battlefield. "Pluton, covering fire! Precision strikes on the Pacifistas!"
Pluton's secondary cannons fired in unison! Every precise beam destroyed a Pacifista!
"What an annoying warship~" Kizaru tried to get around Allen, only to be blocked by the Torch Dragon Domain. "Looks like I'll have to deal with you first~"
"Ame no Murakumo: Light-Speed Consecutive Slashes!" Kizaru's speed surged, and countless light swords slashed at Allen from every direction!
"Torch Dragon Secret Art: Thunder Radiance Mirror Reflection!" Allen folded his dragon wings around himself, their surfaces taking on a mirrorlike sheen! The light swords struck his wings and were reflected back!
"What?!" Caught off guard, Kizaru was struck by his own attacks and staggered back with a grunt!
Seizing the opportunity, Allen dived down. "Shanks! I'll get you through!"
Pluton's main cannon finally finished charging! "Firmament Destruction Cannon... fire!"
A torrent of destructive energy blasted straight into Marineford's main gate! The fortifications crumbled like paper, exposing a passage underground!
"Now!" Shanks slashed through the obstacles ahead. "Strike team, follow me!"
Allen, Ace, Sabo, and Luffy followed close behind! The five drove into the fortress like a sharp blade!
The passages inside were a tangled maze, with defenders stationed behind layers of defenses! But against five top-tier fighters, every defense proved feeble!
"Move!" Ace erupted in flames, clearing the obstacles ahead! "This way!" Sabo used Observation Haki to sense the passage layout and point out the shortest route! "Gum-Gum... Giant Battle Axe!" Luffy's enlarged foot smashed through a heavy gate! "Light-Dark Shuttle!" Allen's Power of Zhulong warped space, teleporting the group forward! Shanks unleashed his Conqueror's Haki at full strength, and Marines collapsed unconscious in droves wherever he passed!
At last, they reached a massive alloy door. It bore the World Government's emblem and emitted unusual energy fluctuations.
"This is it." Shanks's expression was grave. "The Uranus control room."
The Ark Core against Allen's chest vibrated violently. "Uranus Core detected... Resonance beginning..."
Suddenly, the alloy door opened on its own! An unexpected figure stood inside-
"What a touching reunion... my dear older brothers."
Portgas D. Rouge?! No, this figure was younger, but she bore an astonishing resemblance to Rouge!
The woman smiled, toying with a device that resembled the Ark Core yet differed from it. "Welcome to the throne room of Uranus. I'm the head of the Uranus Project... Angelica."
Allen was stunned. "You're...?"
"Your younger cousin~" Angelica tilted her head and smiled. "Aunt Rouge was the person I admired most~ What a shame she chose the wrong path."
She raised the device in her hand. "But that's all right~ I'll finish what she left undone~ I'll reshape this world with the power of Uranus~"
The device shone! The entire control room lit up! At its center, sealed within a massive crystal pillar, was the true body of Uranus! It was a humanoid mechanical construct, radiating a heart-stopping pressure!
Warning: Uranus activation at 92%... Full awakening imminent...
"Stop her!" Shanks charged first! Gryphon slashed straight down!
But an invisible barrier stopped the blade in front of Angelica. "It's useless~ In here, I'm a god~"
She waved her hand gently, and a terrifying blast of energy sent Shanks flying!
"Shanks!" Allen unleashed his Power of Zhulong and steadied Red-Haired. "What is this power?"
"The domain of Uranus~" Angelica smiled. "In here, I can suppress every ability connected to the Ancient Weapons~"
Sure enough, Allen felt his Power of Zhulong grow sluggish! Ace's flames became unstable as well!
"Then we'll use physical attacks!" Luffy hurled his rubber fist forward! Sabo thrust his steel pipe straight at her! Ace attacked wreathed in flames!
But the invisible barrier blocked every attack!
"Useless, useless~" Angelica chuckled. "Unless all three weapons are gathered together, no one can break Uranus's absolute domain~"
Just then, the Ark Core and conch against Allen's chest suddenly flew out! They resonated with the Uranus Core!
Resonance between the three weapons detected... Beginning final authentication...
Angelica's expression changed. "What?! You have the Poseidon Conch too?!"
The three Ancient Weapons emitted dazzling light! Within that light, a phantom image of Rouge suddenly appeared!
"Mother?!" Allen and Angelica cried out at the same time!
Rouge's phantom smiled gently. "Children... Don't let power lead you astray..."
She looked at Angelica. "Angelica... My darling niece... You've taken the wrong path..."
Then she looked at Allen. "Allen... Lead everyone toward a bright future..."
The phantom faded, and the light of the three weapons merged into one! Cracks appeared in Uranus's absolute domain!
"Now!" Shanks slashed at a crack! "Flame Emperor!" Ace erupted in flames! "Gum-Gum... Bajrang Gun!" Luffy struck with all his might! "Dragon Claw: Ultimate!" Sabo jabbed his steel pipe forward! "Torch Dragon Final Form: Light of Creation!" Allen unleashed all his power!
Their combined attack shattered the domain! Angelica was blasted away, the control device slipping from her hand!
Allen caught the device as the Ark Core connected to the Uranus control console!
Beginning control takeover... Progress: 1%... 5%... 10%...
"No!" Angelica screamed. "That's mine!"
She charged at him frantically, but Shanks stopped her. "That's as far as you go, little girl."
An even greater commotion suddenly came from outside! Akainu, Kizaru, and Fujitora broke through the encirclement and rushed in!
"Stop them!" Akainu roared. "They must not be allowed to control Uranus!"
The Three Admirals attacked at once! Their target was Allen!
"Not a chance!" Ace, Sabo, and Luffy met them together! The three brothers took on the Three Admirals head-on!
Shock waves swept through the control room! Everyone fought with everything they had!
Control: 50%... 60%... 70%...
Allen devoted all his strength to connecting with the Uranus System, and an ocean of information flooded his mind! He saw many hidden truths-the destruction of the Ancient Kingdom, the D. Clan's mission, the World Government's conspiracy...
80%... 90%... 95%...
Just as he was about to gain full control, something suddenly changed! The Five Elders appeared in a holographic projection!
"Activate the final protocol... Uranus self-destruct sequence..."
Angelica went deathly pale. "No! You promised you'd let me..."
"A pawn should know its place," the Five Elders said coldly.
The Uranus Core began to overload! Terrifying energy was about to erupt!
"This is bad!" Shanks cried. "It's going to explode!"
Self-destruct sequence detected... Emergency evacuation recommended...
Allen's gaze sharpened. "I won't let you get away with this! Power of Zhulong, full output! Ark Core, overload! Force control!"
He poured his Power of Zhulong into the control device as though burning his very life! Golden dragon patterns lit up across his entire body!
Control: 98%... 99%... 100%! Control takeover successful! Self-destruct sequence aborted!
The Uranus Core gradually stabilized. The Five Elders' projection vanished, leaving only a cold warning. "You've won this round... But the war has only just begun..."
The control room was in ruins. Angelica slumped on the floor, utterly despondent. Seeing that nothing more could be done, the Three Admirals quickly withdrew.
Shanks let out a long breath. "At last..."
Before he could finish, all of Marineford suddenly shook violently! The island began to sink!
"What's going on?!" Luffy cried.
Allen checked the console, and his expression changed. "Taking control of Uranus triggered the final security protocol... Marineford is going to scuttle itself!"
"We have to evacuate immediately!" Shanks ordered. "Everyone, return to the fleet!"
The group retreated swiftly. Allen took one last look at the Uranus control room and downloaded its core data into the Ark Core.
By the time they rushed out of the fortress, half of Marineford had already sunk beneath the sea! The Marine fleet was evacuating in haste!
They returned to the Pluton Battleship, and the combined forces began their retreat. Behind them, Marineford, the symbol of Marine Headquarters, slowly sank into the sea, sending towering waves surging upward.
"We... did it..." Ace watched the scene in disbelief.
Sabo's expression was complicated. "But the price was too high..."
Luffy pulled his straw hat low. "Shanks... Is this the path to becoming Pirate King?"
Shanks patted his shoulder. "This is the path you've chosen."
Allen stood at the bow, gazing at the sinking Marineford, the Uranus control device clenched tightly in his hand.
The war was far from over. The World Government would never let this rest.
But at least for this moment, they had won a precious victory.
The Pluton Battleship sailed toward the rising sun, a new journey waiting ahead.
What Allen did not know was that deep within the sunken Marineford, a sealed being opened its eyes.
"The time... has finally come..."
The real challenge had only just begun.