As the battle intensified, subtle differences gradually emerged. The Three Admirals appeared to be exerting their strength simultaneously, but their fighting will and level of commitment were quite different.
Battlefield 1: Akainu's All-Out Attack in the Lava Hell (Full Power Unleashed)
Sakazuki was utterly enraged. He could not tolerate the pirates' resistance, nor could he accept that Pluton, the Ancient Weapon "which should belong to the World Government," was wielding such power in their hands. His attacks became increasingly ferocious and reckless.
" Dog Biting Crimson Lotus!" He was no longer confined to human form; his entire upper body transformed into a multi-headed lava hound, frantically tearing at Luffy from different directions. Lava flew everywhere, melting the surrounding deck into a mess. Each impact carried the will to destroy everything.
" Hell Hound - Rampage!" His fists were like a rapid-fire cannon, unleashing countless miniature but faster versions of the Hell Hound's fist shadows that swept across the sky. Instead of aiming for single-point destruction, he launched a saturation attack, forcing Luffy to constantly dodge and block, thus depleting his stamina.
" Meteor Volcano - Modified!" He no longer cared about accidentally damaging his own fleet, summoning even denser lava meteors, some of which were deliberately aimed at Pluton's critical parts, such as engine nozzles or weapon platforms, in an attempt to paralyze Pluton's mobility.
"Pirates!!! Your very existence is a mistake! Today, right here and now, along with this ship, let us be reduced to cosmic dust!" Sakazuki roared, his molten body boiling violently with extreme rage, radiating suffocating heat and killing intent. He was truly carrying out " Absolute Justice," intending to utterly destroy everything before him.
Luffy's pressure increased dramatically. He pushed his speed to the limit in his Snakeman form, his rubber body contorting at incredible angles to evade attacks. His fists, wreathed in Conqueror's Haki, relentlessly shattered the lava, but he was clearly being pushed back, his Armament Haki rapidly depleting. "This guy... he's serious!"
Battlefield Two: Aokiji - Hesitation and Retreat Under the Frozen Threshold
In stark contrast to Akainu's fury, Kuzan's fighting seemed... somewhat distracted. His chilling aura remained, and his techniques were still powerful, but he lacked some of the decisive, ruthless edge he once possessed.
" Ice Ball!" He released a giant Ice Ball in an attempt to freeze Ace, but his speed and angle were too conservative, and Ace easily intercepted and vaporized it with " Mirror Flame ".
" Ice Rain!" Fine ice needles condensed in the air fell, covering a wide area, but their destructive power was clearly insufficient. They served more to interfere with and restrict movement. Ace's Flame of World Purification easily melted them, creating a safe zone.
" Two Thorn Spears!" The ice spears continued to condense, but the frequency and accuracy of their projection seemed to have decreased slightly. Sometimes they would even "just happen" to miss, hitting the thickest part of Pluton' armor or interrupting the flow of Akainu's lava.
Kuzan's gaze would occasionally sweep across the battlefield, noticing the fragments of his own ships ablaze from Akainu's indiscriminate attacks (though the World Government fleet was mainly on the periphery), and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. His sense of "justice" was wavering, especially after witnessing Imu's increasingly extreme "order" and the alternative possibilities displayed by the Allied Forces. His frozen movements seemed more like fulfilling his duty than a determination to kill.
" Kuzan! Is your heart no longer here?" Ace keenly sensed his opponent's abnormality; his flames burned even more steadily, and he even had a chance to speak. "This kind of battle is meaningless!"
Kuzan remained silent, only conjuring another thick ice wall to block Ace's fiery impact, but the ice wall seemed slightly weaker than before. "... Just do your job, Fire Fist." His tone was emotionless.
Battlefield 3: Kizaru - Slacking Off and Testing the Waters at Light Speed (Leisurely Stroll)
Borsalino perfectly exemplified what it means to "go through the motions without putting in the effort." His figure continued to flash like golden light on the field, appearing incredibly busy, but in reality...
"How terrifying~ This flame~ This fist~" He said it was terrifying, but he easily dodged the flames splashed by Ace and the Luffy with light speed, and even had the leisure to comment.
" Yasakani no Magatama ~" He released light bullets again, but the barrage was noticeably sparser, and a large portion of them "just happened" to hit the vicinity of Akainu hound, which was frantically attacking. He called it "firepower support," but in reality, it almost disrupted Akainu's attack rhythm.
" The Ame no Murakumo ~" His battle with Sabo and Tesoro was more like a magnificent performance. Sparks flew as his lightsaber clashed with the dragon claw and gold, creating an incredibly intense spectacle. Yet, each of his attacks seemed to be precisely calculated in terms of angle and force, perfectly blocked or deflected, never truly unleashing a killing blow. He would even use the force of the collisions to cleverly retreat, creating distance and continuing his "light-speed walk."
"Oh my gosh~ Pluton ' defenses are really strong~ What can we do if we can't break through them~" He said as he "tried" to shoot a few lasers at the thickest part of Pluton' shield, but of course, he returned empty-handed.
Sabo's Omniscient Domain clearly calculated the "water content" in Kizaru's attack, whispering, "He's stalling, observing... and perhaps even... gathering data." Tesoro also noticed, manipulating his golden defenses with even more ease, even occasionally using golden reflective bullets to cause some trouble for Akainu.
Kizaru's gaze would occasionally drift towards Allen in the direction of the core control room, a barely perceptible hint of scrutiny and apprehension flashing in his eyes. The ability to time made him, someone who relied on speed, instinctively feel uneasy. Without absolute certainty or clear orders, he chose the "safest" strategy—to slack off.
Allen took in the different states of the Three Admirals. He used his Power of Time with even greater precision and focus.
• Against Akainu: Disrupt him with all your might! Time Acceleration the cooling of his lava, Time Deceleration his attack speed, and even subtly guides his berserk energy to occasionally backfire, exacerbating his consumption and rage.
• To Aokiji: Almost no restrictions, and even occasionally "cooperate" with him, so that his ice may seem to cause trouble, but in fact it helps to stabilize some of the ship's structure damaged by lava (rapidly cooling the molten metal), secretly enhancing his "holding back" effect.
• Against Kizaru: Maintain basic spacetime folds for defense, but do not apply too much pressure, as if "cooperating" with his slacking off, just to ensure that he will not suddenly attack vital points.
The battle thus fell into a strange balance: Akainu unleashed a barrage of attacks, but the effects were constantly weakened and redirected; Aokiji was only going through the motions and even secretly creating obstacles; Kizaru was just observing from the sidelines; and CP0 was being held back by Sabo and Tesoro with the help of Pluton. Although the Allied Forces were under immense pressure, their core remained intact, and Pluton's functions remained complete.
"This can't go on!" Sakazuki, sensing something was wrong, roared angrily, " Kuzan! Borsalino! What are you waiting for?! Execute the supreme order! Destroy them completely!"
Will his roar awaken the "professionalism" of his two colleagues? Or will it steer this bizarre battlefield situation in another unpredictable direction? The fate of Pluton and the fate of Coruscant Ring remain unresolved.