The moment was heavy. Winds howled across the decimated battlefield. The ground was torn, littered with trenches of lava, scorched trees, shattered boulders, and smoldering debris.
A soft breeze blew dust off the battlefield as Smoothie rose slowly from her seat, her long legs crossed elegantly as she gazed down.
"No more games," she declared, her voice sharp and final.
"Begin. Full power."
---
WHOOSH!!
A pillar of blue fire erupted into the sky.
Marco, no longer grinning, flared into his full phoenix form—majestic, blazing, wings stretching wide enough to cover the battlefield. His body glowed with celestial fire, divine and relentless.
"They asked for full power…" he muttered.
"Time to remind them why I'm the right hand of the old man."
With one beat of his wings, the trees bent, and a shockwave rolled outward. The air grew hotter.
FWOOM!!
He vanished.
---
BOOM!!
He reappeared behind Isshin, talons gleaming in flame, and SLASHED.
Isshin's sword barely blocked the blow, skidding backwards and dragging a deep trench through the earth.
"Fast…" Isshin muttered, spitting blood.
"This is beyond human speed…"
Fossa lunged with both blades, aiming for Gunnar's neck, while Rakuyo summoned a massive iron ball attached to his chain, swinging it like a wrecking ball.
"NOW!" they shouted in unison.
Gunnar stood calm. He raised one arm.
Left arm: Ice. Right arm: Lava.
He slammed both into the ground.
KRAK-KRAK-KRAK!
A violent fissure burst forward—one side froze, the other side exploded in magma. Steam and pressure blasted into the air.
"GET BACK!!" Marco shouted.
Too late.
Fossa was launched back, his blades scorched and arms blistered. Rakuyo's chain reached super high temperature mid-spin, the ball dropping uselessly. Both flew back into a tree trunk—splinters erupting.
"GAAAHHH!" they groaned, coughing up blood.
---
ACE appeared midair, spinning as he formed two fire spears in his palms. His haki now coated in deep obsidian, he twisted in the sky, yelling, "HIKEN—GATLING!!"
TWENTY fire fists burst from the air like meteors, slamming toward Marco in a dome.
Marco countered—"BLUE RAIN!!"
His wings folded in, and from his feathers shot hundreds of blue fire shards, like celestial arrows.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
The sky exploded.
A dome of fire, blue and orange, crackled and spread across the clouds.
---
On the ground—
Gunnar and Isshin charged side by side. Isshin, bleeding and smiling, dashed with terrifying speed.
"The left. I'll take it."
"Then I'll burn the center."
Gunnar leapt high, his body covered in lava armor, while ice crystals formed a crown on his head. Behind him, twin shockwaves cracked the air— Gura Gura no Mi power forming like white threads around his fists.
He punched down.
The island cracked.
A massive white quake-wave traveled underground, ripping up trees and sending boulders into the sky.
"WHAT IN THE—!" Rakuyo gasped, trying to shield himself.
But Isshin was already behind him, blade drawn.
"You forgot about me."
SLASH!
Rakuyo's armor shattered, his body spiraling, blood flying.
Fossa, trying to rise, was caught in the second shockwave and launched through three trees.
---
In the sky, Ace, now encased in blackened armament haki, clashed head-on with Marco.
Flames of red and blue spiraled like twin dragons.
"You're tough, Phoenix!"
"You're annoying, Ace!"
They collided, a massive explosion igniting behind them, visible from the Moby Dick.
---
ON THE SIDELINES
Crew members were screaming in awe.
"THE ISLAND IS GONNA SPLIT IN HALF!"
"ARE THEY EVEN HUMAN!?"
"MY MONEY'S ON ACE'S TEAM!!"
"I'M LOSING MONEY AND MY MIND!!"
Whitebeard sat silently, a grin across his scarred face.
"Gurarara… that's it, sons. That's how you fight."
He took a long swig of sake.
"Marco's finally fired up. And those brats? They're monsters."
---
Back on the field
Fossa lay on the ground, arm twitching. Bloodied. Armor cracked.
"I… I'm done…"
Smoothie raised her hand.
"Fossa, eliminated."
Rakuyo, coughing and leaning on a broken chain, groaned.
"I should've stayed in bed today…"
"Rakuyo, eliminated."
Isshin, on one knee, smiled through blood.
"Tell… Smoothie… I'll bring sake later…"
"Isshin, eliminated."
---
Only three stood.
Gunnar. Ace. Marco.
Flames circled the island. Craters marked the terrain. The sky flickered* with fire and ice. The next phase was coming.
---
The battlefield lay ravaged — a war-torn island scarred by flame, ice, and quake. The sky was darkened with drifting ash, the air thick with heat and the sharp scent of ozone.
Marco, his wings of blue flame shimmered like a ghostly halo, the embers trailing like sparks from a forge. Despite the destruction, his calm smile betrayed no fear.
Across the shattered earth, Ace and Gunnar flexed their fingers, the fire and ice around them crackling fiercely. Armament Haki gleamed on their skin like armor made of obsidian and molten rock, muscles tensed, hearts pounding in unison.
---
Without a word, the duel began.
Marco launched forward with a powerful beat of his wings, sending a shockwave that flattened the nearby rubble like a tsunami of flame. His claws became blazing scimitars, slicing the air with deadly precision.
Ace met him mid-air, his twin fire spears flashing like comets. He twirled, scattering a barrage of flaming needles. Gunnar circled low, hands glowing — one hand a swirling inferno, the other wrapped in glacial frost, and his fists wrapped in the tremors of Gura Gura no Mi.
---
The first clash was thunderous — fire met fire, ice tried to hold the inferno back, and the ground beneath them cracked and heaved.
Marco's blue flames danced through Ace's fiery onslaught, the two fire-wielders locked in a deadly ballet. With a powerful downward slash, Marco cleaved a boulder in two, sending shards flying like missiles.
Gunnar, meanwhile, moved like a shadow, throwing icy shards that exploded on impact, freezing fragments of the earth. His lava hand blasted molten streams that hissed on contact with frozen soil.
---
The two on the ground combined forces — Ace's blazing fire piercing a frozen wall Gunnar created, melting and reshaping the battlefield in a breathtaking spectacle.
The crew watching from the sidelines were on their feet, mouths agape.
"They're gonna burn the whole island down!"
"This is insane! Look at that fire and ice combo!"
"Marco's not giving up either — he's a freakin' legend!"
Marco grinned, wings unfurling to their full span. He surged upward, diving with a roar of flames. Ace countered, forming a flaming whip that cracked like thunder.
Gunnar rushed in, his fists glowing, ready to smash.
They collided with earth-shaking force.
The three fighters tumbled through air and stone, trading blows in blinding speed. Flames, ice, and haki burst in waves, lighting the twilight like a tempest.
Ace twisted midair, sending fire spiraling like a dragon's breath.
Marco dodged, his phoenix wings glowing like blue stars, then caught Ace's spear and tossed it aside like a twig.
Gunnar charged, his lava hand smashing into Marco's side — the phoenix barely flinched, countering with a burst of blue flames that sent Gunnar sprawling.
The fight escalated in epic fashion — a dance of power, skill, and raw will.
Finally, battered and breathless, all three landed on the scorched ground.
Marco stood tall, chest heaving, his blazing wings slowly folding.
Ace and Gunnar exchanged a glance and then nodded.
With a simultaneous roar, they lunged together — a coordinated assault of fire and ice, a double punch enveloped in quakes and burning rage.
Marco's eyes widened for a split second.
Then he threw up his hands in surrender, grinning wide.
"Hah! I surrender! You guys win this round!"
Ace and Gunnar skidded to a stop, startled.
The entire crew burst out laughing.
Whitebeard shook his head, chuckling:
"The Phoenix really knows how to save face."
Marco's wings fluttered comically.
"Alright, alright! I'm out of feathers for now! Go easy on me next time, yeah?"
Ace laughed, slapping Gunnar on the back.
"You were tough, but not tough enough!"
Gunnar smirked.
"Guess it's true—two heads, one blazing and one icy, beat one fiery bird."
Marco bowed dramatically. "I'll be back… with a cooler strategy. Or maybe just more ice cream."
The island echoed with laughter, cheers.
---
The evening sun dipped low, casting warm amber hues across the deck of the Whitebeard ship. The air was calm now, a stark contrast to the chaotic storm of battle that had raged hours before. Bandages wrapped snugly around their wounds, Gunnar and Ace sat side by side, leaning against the sturdy wooden rail, muscles sore but spirits unbroken.
Marco hovered nearby, his gentle blue flames flickering softly as they worked their healing magic. The crew gathered around, some resting, some quietly sharing tales of the fight, others simply watching the sunset.
At the heart of the assembly stood Whitebeard himself, regal and commanding as ever, his booming voice carrying over the murmurs.
"Division Zero is now yours — the Holy Knights of the Whitebeard Pirates."
The announcement rippled through the crew like a wave. Eyes turned toward the three figures central to this new chapter: Ace, Isshin, and Gunnar.
The question lingered unspoken, heavy in the air:
Who would lead?
They exchanged glances. Then Ace spoke, his voice steady but warm as he turned toward Gunnar.
"For me, I want you to lead."
A hush fell over the crew. Shock flickered in their eyes, some mouths opening in surprise.
Isshin blinked, then smiled, a glint of respect shining through. "That's right. You have my support, Gunnar."
Ace's gaze locked with Gunnar's, earnest and sincere.
"I respect you — more than you know. And after fighting Weevil, I felt it. You're the one who's deserving. For now, at least."
Gunnar's heart hammered in his chest. The weight of his friend's words settled over him like a mantle — heavy, yet honored.
He swallowed hard, emotions stirring deep.
"Ace... thank you. I won't let you down. I promise."
A murmur of approval rippled through the crew, some nodding, others exchanging smiles.
---
Later, beneath the starlit sky, Smoothie found Gunnar sitting quietly on the deck's edge, the gentle waves lapping beneath.
She slid down beside him, her presence calm and steady.
"I heard what Ace said," she said softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "You're a good leader."
Gunnar looked at her, eyes tired but bright with gratitude.
"I don't know if I'm ready... but I'll do everything I can."
Smoothie smiled, warmth radiating from her.
"You don't have to do it alone. We all have your back."
Gunnar reached out, taking her hand gently.
"That means more than you know."