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[TIOP] Chapter : 99
🕑 Added 2025-04-21 08:23:59 +0000 UTCJack understood exactly why Whitebeard had called him out—it wasn’t just for the sake of a duel. Whitebeard was giving him something invaluable: the credit for taking down the legendary pirate, a final favor repaid in the most dramatic way possible.
Earlier, when Whitebeard had ordered his men to retreat, Sengoku had briefly prepared to launch a pursuit. But with a calm, almost casual glance in the direction of Mary Geoise, Whitebeard made his point. That single look was enough to make Sengoku halt. He knew then that Jack’s warning had been genuine.
Whitebeard had used the threat of exposing that information as leverage, bargaining for his sons’ safe escape.
Jack walked up to him, voice low and laced with irritation.
“Old man, I told you to stall Akainu, not throw me into the spotlight. What are you playing at?”
Whitebeard chuckled, deep and amused. “Gurararara... What’s wrong, brat? Getting cold feet?”
“You wouldn’t get it even if I explained,” Jack muttered. Then his tone shifted—quiet but firm.
“Just keep your eyes on Akainu while we fight. If he so much as looks Ace’s way, stop him—even if it means taking a real hit from me. Don’t worry, I won’t actually try to hurt you. Once Ace is clear, I’ll give you the kind of battle you deserve.”
Whitebeard blinked, momentarily surprised. He had underestimated how much Jack was still thinking three steps ahead. After that subtle agreement with Sengoku, Whitebeard had assumed his sons could escape freely. But this wasn’t a gentleman’s agreement—it was a war. And war doesn’t honor good intentions.
“Alright then,” Whitebeard rumbled. “Don’t worry, boy. Ace is my son... and anyone who comes for him is asking for death.”
Even before he finished speaking, his eyes caught the glint of red-hot magma. Akainu had already slipped away, transforming into his elemental form and heading straight for Ace and Luffy.
Whitebeard’s expression turned to fury as he immediately charged toward Akainu.
Moments earlier...
While Jack and Whitebeard faced each other on the battlefield, Akainu had been silently watching. Originally, he had intended to confront Whitebeard directly, but when Whitebeard surprisingly called out Jack for a one-on-one, Akainu saw an opportunity.
Without drawing attention, he made his move—closing in on Ace and Luffy.
To him, those two were more than just enemies—they were dangerous symbols. And symbols, he believed, needed to be destroyed before they could inspire anything worse.
“As soon as he saved you, he ran off with his tail between his legs. Whitebeard—what a coward. Useless, really. Just another relic of a bygone era,” Akainu sneered as he emerged behind Ace and Luffy.
“Hah… hah… A loser?” Ace, still catching his breath, came to a halt. He turned slowly, eyes blazing as he faced Akainu.
“Ace?” Luffy and Jinbei stopped too, alarm flashing across their faces.
“Take it back,” Ace said, his voice low and tight, filled with fury. “Take back what you said about Dad.”
“Don’t listen to him!” Jinbei pleaded, grabbing Ace’s arm. “He’s baiting you—keep moving!”
“But he insulted Dad!” Ace’s anger boiled over.
Akainu stepped closer, his tone dripping with disdain.
“Did I lie? Whitebeard—stabbed by the very son he raised—is nothing but a relic clinging to dreams of a throne he never claimed. Surrounded by sycophants who call him ‘father’ and play house on the sea like it means something.”
“I said shut up!” Ace growled.
Akainu didn’t stop. His voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
“A fish who ruled the sea for decades yet never became king. Betrayed by a fool he called son… and now dying just to protect the rest of you simpletons. Pathetic, isn’t it?”
By now, he was within striking distance.
“I told you to SHUT UP!” Flames erupted across Ace’s body, his fury manifesting in raw heat.
“Ace, don’t do it!” Izo shouted from a distance, panic in his voice. “He’s provoking you on purpose! Don’t fall for it!”
But Akainu pushed harder, his voice rising.
“Whitebeard will die as he lived—a failure. That’s the legacy he’ll leave behind: a glorified gang leader worshipped by fools!”
That was the last straw.
“Whitebeard is the man who shaped this era!” Ace roared. “I won’t let you defile his name! The era belongs to him—and it always will!”
Flames surged as Ace lunged forward and threw a punch—directly at Akainu.
“Aaaaaaghhh—!”
The moment their fists met, Ace’s arm was scorched. His flames were overwhelmed instantly.
Akainu didn’t flinch. He advanced through the blaze like a demon.
“You thought your Logia powers made you untouchable?” he said coldly. “You’re fire… but I’m magma. And magma consumes fire.”
“Ace—!” Luffy tried to get up, eyes wide with horror, but his legs gave out. Exhaustion finally caught up to him, and he collapsed to the ground.
Akainu’s eyes flicked to Luffy. He scoffed.
“The son of the Pirate King… the son of the Revolutionary Dragon… and somehow, sworn brothers. Even your bloodline is criminal. I’ll start with you.”
With that, he raised his molten fist—aiming straight for Luffy.
"You’ve chosen death!"
Whitebeard's furious roar echoed like thunder across the battlefield. Before Akainu could react, Whitebeard’s mighty strike landed squarely on him, twisting his body with brutal force.
Just as Akainu prepared to counterattack, Jack suddenly intervened, delivering a swift kick that sent Whitebeard staggering backward. Akainu hesitated, then withdrew his strike.
“Whitebeard! You ran off in the middle of our duel?!” Jack shouted, his tone sharp with anger as he caught up to the old titan.
“Gurara... Marco, take Ace and the Straw Hat kid—get out of here!” Whitebeard called out, glancing at Marco, who had just finished unlocking his handcuffs.
“Dad, come with us!” Marco said, his voice tight with emotion. “Kizaru’s gone. Only Aokiji and Akainu are left. We can stop them together. You and Ace can escape too!”
Whitebeard shook his head and smiled wearily.
“Don’t be foolish, you brats. If you stay, you’ll lose your only chance to escape.”
He looked over at Jack, who stood before him swearing with all the fire of youth, and at Akainu, bloodied but unrelenting. There was no room left for sentiment.
Thanks to Jack’s timely warning earlier, Ace and Luffy had narrowly escaped death. Whitebeard knew better now—there would be no more hesitation. The safety of his sons came before everything else.
With a mighty push, Whitebeard shoved Marco away, then leapt high and brought his massive blade down, cleaving through the square of Marineford. The ground cracked and split, forming a deep chasm that separated the pirates from the navy. On one side stood Whitebeard—alone against the might of the Marines.
“Whitebeard,” Jack said as he stepped forward slowly, “I’ll give you the ending you deserve. As for the rest of you pirates—get on your ship if you don't want to witness your captain’s final stand.”
“Gurararara! You arrogant brat!” Whitebeard laughed heartily. “Fine then. Get on the ship, boys—and watch as I grind this loudmouth into dust!”
For a fleeting moment, he found himself amused… maybe even impressed by Jack.
“Stay sharp, Whitebeard! Here comes the Ultimate Galaxy Fist!” Jack’s expression hardened. The time for games had passed.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
The clash of titans began. Even the shockwaves from their battle tore through Marineford, reducing its structures to rubble.
Using the Sage mode and Armament emission in tandem, Jack fought, trying to level the playing field.
BOOM!
Another massive punch landed—Whitebeard’s raw power sending Jack flying across the battlefield and crashing straight into the headquarters building.
“The HQ’s collapsing!”
“Someone check on Rear Admiral Jack—he’s down!” A group of navy soldiers shouted in alarm as dust and debris rained down from the ruined structure.
From the sidelines, Garp watched with clenched fists.
“That idiot! I told him not to go head-to-head with Whitebeard right now!” he muttered, barely containing his frustration as he watched his disciple fall.
“Oh my~ Looks like we’ve been spotted~!”
A deep, mocking voice rang out as a massive figure slowly emerged from the shadows behind the ruined Navy Headquarters.
“Wait… that silhouette… no way—”
“Look up there! Behind the execution platform!”
Gasps rippled through the Marines. All eyes turned toward the platform, where a familiar—and unwelcome—group had appeared.
It was the Blackbeard Pirates, newly appointed as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, yet already causing chaos again.
“You?!”
Sengoku’s voice boomed with fury as he stepped forward. “How did you get here?!”
The battlefield was already in shambles—Whitebeard was rampaging, the navy had lost their grip on Ace, and the victory they thought was secured now felt uncertain. Worse yet, news from Mariejoes, under attack by the Revolutionary Army, was still unclear. Even with Kizaru dispatched to assist, Sengoku couldn’t shake the feeling that things were spiraling out of control.
And now this—Blackbeard, of all people, choosing this exact moment to return, accompanied by his monstrous crew.
It was a nightmare come to life.
“Fufufufufu! Just perfect! The real show’s about to begin!”
Doflamingo, always one to enjoy chaos, chuckled with glee from the sidelines, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Then, from the top of the platform, a booming laugh echoed through the battlefield.
“Zehahaha! Well, well, ‘Dad’—fancy meeting you again before you kick the bucket! Isn’t this just fate?”
Blackbeard Teach stepped forward, grinning from ear to ear, basking in the attention as the final act of this war threatened to erupt.
