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[TIOP] Chapter : 111
🕑 Added 2025-05-06 19:28:57 +0000 UTCSakazuki froze for a moment, then let out a cold laugh. Before Sengoku or the others could intervene, he sneered, "Since Admiral Kurohyou is so eager, why not? Let’s have a little fun!"
Akainu, still simmering from earlier, had been reined in by Sengoku’s glare. But now that Jack had jumped headfirst into this challenge, Akainu saw the perfect chance to put him in his place. He relished the thought—delivering a crushing blow to remind everyone of the gulf between an admiral and an upstart.
Among the three admirals, Akainu was known to be the strongest. So facing Jack, he felt no fear—only contempt.
From Jack's provocative words to Akainu's swift acceptance, everything happened so fast that the navy's top brass barely had time to react. But with the challenge thrown down and accepted, there was no turning back.
"Ala la~ So this is my welcome gift as the new Fleet Admiral?" Aokiji sighed, watching the two hotheads preparing to clash. "No wonder Sengoku always complained about headaches... I just stepped into this role, and already I’m dealing with this mess."
Still, he was somewhat relieved that the most troublesome one—Garp—was only a part-time officer. Dealing with Garp on top of this would have been an even bigger headache, and Aokiji, having followed him in the past, knew just how reckless that old man could be.
Sengoku and the other senior officers could only exchange helpless glances. It was clear now: this fight was inevitable.
As for the reporters? They were practically trembling with excitement, barely able to contain their cheers. They never dreamed they'd be treated to a spectacle like this—an admiral duel right in front of their lenses!
In short order, the area was cleared. Marineford was still under reconstruction, which meant the square had plenty of open space—though if Akainu and Jack went all out, there was a real chance the place would need rebuilding. Again.
"You two, knock it off! The square was just rebuilt—don’t tear it down again!" Sengoku barked, glaring at them.
Jack grinned and pointed toward the bay. "Fleet Admiral, mind freezing the sea for us? Let’s take this little game out there."
With a resigned nod, Aokiji muttered, "Troublesome..." But he knew it was the only option. If they fought here, Marinford might not survive the aftermath.
"Ice Age!" Aokiji called out, freezing the inner bay solid in an instant.
Without a word, Jack and Akainu leapt onto the frozen sea, their battle lines drawn. Around them, marines exchanged bewildered looks—how had things escalated so quickly? But no one was more thrilled than the reporters, who clicked away furiously, capturing every second.
"Admiral Akainu!" Jack called out, his eyes blazing. "Let’s see if you can handle my new strength!"
With that, he immediately used soru and got close to Akainu, ready to deliver a Haki-coated fist to the gut.
Akainu narrowed his eyes. He knew that Jack’s attacks carried more than just Haki—they were laced with chakra, something that posed a real threat even to Logia users like himself. But Sakazuki, a master of Advanced Observation Haki and future sight, wasn’t worried. He was confident he could read and counter the attacks. He wanted to first test Jack's strengths and weaknesses and then thoroughly teach the boy what would happen if he crossed him.
Or so he thought.
"Heh... now things are getting interesting," Akainu muttered, even as he felt an unexpected twinge of unease, understanding from a few exchanges that even Jack had unlocked future sight. Jack's strikes, both punches and kicks, were faster and hit harder than before, and they started raining on him faster than he could predict and elementalize. Akainu's smirk faltered. This wasn’t the same Jack he remembered.
Realizing this wasn’t going to end well if he stayed on the defensive, Akainu surged forward, closing the distance.
"Inugami Guren!" he roared, unleashing a signature attack at close range.
Jack didn’t flinch. "Galaxy Fist!"
He countered with a full-powered strike, his punch glowing with devastating force.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Shockwaves rippled across the frozen bay as the two titans clashed. The ice cracked and groaned, chunks splintering off as the sheer force and the magma residue of their battle caused the frozen sea to melt beneath them. But neither man showed any sign of stopping.
Jack, seeing that his chakra-enhanced Haki strikes were almost equal to that of Akainu's Haki-laced magma strikes, moved up a gear; he started using Conqueror's Haki infusion in his punches. The first strike landed with devastating force. It took nearly half the abdomen of Akainu, after reforming back, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Had he not elementalized in time, the damage would have been much more.
"Hu… Hu…" Akainu panted, his breath ragged. In contrast, Jack only seemed to grow stronger, his strikes coming faster, his spirit burning hotter. His attacks flowed like an unstoppable river.
Watching from the sidelines, Sengoku scowled. "What is this kid playing at? He's even mastered conqueror's infusion. Has he been hiding his true strength all along?"
"If that’s the case, then during the war at Marineford, Ace wouldn’t have stood a chance!" he growled.
Garp scratched his chin thoughtfully. "No… he wasn’t holding back then. He must've made a breakthrough recently—just like he said."
Sengoku let out a heavy sigh. "Well, whatever the case, this level of power more than justifies his promotion."
Back on the ice, Akainu gritted his teeth. "Damn it! I’ll burn this entire bay down—Dai Funka!"
But even as he poured magma into his attack, Jack was still fast enough with his sage mode + future sight to avoid the attack.
Jack grinned, exhilarated. "So you’re pulling out your ultimate move? You think I’m scared? Watch this—Ultimate Galaxy Fist!"
With a roar, Jack unleashed his strongest blow yet, his energy surging like a tidal wave. For the first time, he was fighting without restraint—and it felt incredible. Akainu's seemingly endless stamina was exactly what Jack needed. The more they fought, the more thrilled he became.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The clash between Jack and Akainu shook the entire bay, each explosion ripping through the frozen sea. Aokiji’s ice shattered under the force, and Marineford’s inner bay reverted to churning seawater once again. The two combatants had separated, now facing each other from opposite ends of the harbor—locked in a silent standoff.
Jack stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his voice calm as he asked, "So, Admiral Akainu... care to go another round?"
But hidden from view, his hands trembled faintly.
Truthfully, Jack knew that even with his conqueror's Haki infusion, his haki was not yet strong enough to bridge the gap of the explosive power of Akainu's magma powers + armament emission. He couldn't outlast Akainu. But this wasn’t a battle to the death—it was a show of strength, meant to send a message. So Jack played the part of the reckless upstart, willing to take on an admiral head-on.
From the sidelines, one of the reporters couldn’t help but exclaim, his voice thick with awe, "Incredible… I never imagined the young Admiral Kurohyou would match the power of veteran Admiral Akainu!"
The bystanders—reporters and civilians—saw only the dazzling surface: explosions, raw force, and a seemingly equal match. But among the ranks of the navy—vice admirals and senior officers—there was a different kind of tension in the air.
They had expected Jack to be strong, but Conqueror's Infusion was a whole other level. He's starting to reach heights that only Garp, Sengoku, and Yonko have reached. But what also puzzled them was Akainu.
This wasn’t the Akainu they knew. He wasn’t fighting with the full, unrelenting fury that defined him. And now, as they watched closely, they noticed something else—his breathing was uneven, ragged. He had not completely recovered from the injuries given by Whitebeard's quake punches.
But one thing was clear: Jack had shown enough power today to warrant his promotion. No one could deny that now.
"That’s enough—you two, stand down!" At Sengoku’s silent nod, Aokiji stepped forward, voice firm. "This was meant to be a display, not a duel. Any more and someone’s getting hurt bad."
Akainu grunted, saying nothing as he turned away and stomped back to the viewing platform, his face set in a dark scowl.
Jack, on the other hand, walked back at a measured pace. His next task awaited—his speech.
Standing tall on the stage, Jack scanned the gathered crowd. A faint smile played on his lips. "After that little warm-up," he began, voice steady, "I believe I’ve proven I have the strength worthy of an Admiral."
The crowd murmured, but Jack raised a hand for silence. His eyes sharpened. "Now, what I’m about to say might confuse some of you. But I ask—hear me out before passing judgment."
In the stands, Sengoku and Aokiji exchanged uneasy glances, frowns creasing their brows. A sense of foreboding settled over them.
