Luffy's Call: My Journey with the Straw Hats

If he continued to attack, he would make an enemy of the entire Whitebeard Pirates. Even among the Marines, there were those who wanted to help Luffy. Though he fought without mercy, he had no desire to cut down such people. Besides, Shanks was his friend. Seeing this display of power was enough. He was even more in awe of Luffy's unique ability. There was no power in the world that could match it.

"Ace!" Seeing that Mihawk had stopped, Vista did not press the attack. Though their duel had been brief, he had felt the terrifying strength of the world's greatest swordsman. The gap between them was vast.

At this time, Luffy continued to run toward Ace. Though he was covered in wounds, though countless powerful enemies stood in his way, though he was exhausted both physically and mentally, he would not stop. He had to save Ace. Otherwise, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"Luffy!" Ace looked at his little brother's scarred body and couldn't help but burst into tears.

"Straw Hat boy, stop right there!" Smoker appeared, his body turning to smoke. Though Luffy's strength in Gear Second was considerable, Smoker had also grown much stronger. Luffy, already injured, was quickly knocked down. Smoker's jitte, tipped with Seastone, was the perfect counter to Devil Fruit users, and Luffy found himself unable to use any of his strength.

"Execute him again!" Sengoku, having recovered from the shock of Luffy's Conqueror's Haki, ordered the execution to proceed once more. He could see that Luffy had not yet mastered this power and had only released it unconsciously. And even if he had, it would not be enough to stop the full might of the Navy.

The guards on the platform stepped forward again.

"Ace!" Luffy screamed. Though Hancock had helped him deal with Smoker and had even given him the key to Ace's cuffs, he knew he wouldn't make it in time.

"Ace!" Whitebeard was also shocked. He was now facing both Akainu and Kizaru. With his heart pierced, his old age, and his existing illness, it was all he could do to fend off their attacks. He had no way to intervene.

"Ace!" Marco and the other Whitebeard Pirates shouted wildly.

But Ace had already closed his eyes. He accepted his fate. So many people were fighting and dying for him, the son of a demon. Perhaps his death would bring an end to all this. For him, this was a liberation. He didn't want his father or his little brother to suffer for his sake. His life, perhaps, was already perfect. Sometimes, death is not the end, but the beginning.

The situation was set. No one could stop it. The light of victory shone in Sengoku's eyes. Once Ace was dead, the Navy would have won.

Garp clenched his fists. He had his duty, and he could not change it now. He understood Ace's pain; perhaps keeping him alive would not be a kindness. But thinking of the time they had spent together, he wondered if there was no other way.

"A...ce!" Luffy screamed, his eyes filled with despair. He could do nothing but watch as his brother was about to be killed.

"Luffy, goodbye," Ace said, a smile on his face. Just like in Loguetown, when Luffy had faced his own execution, he smiled in the face of death.

"He's smiling!" Smoker shuddered, as if seeing Luffy on that execution platform all those years ago.

"The devil is smiling?" the Marines muttered, stunned.

"Death is coming," Akainu sneered. Kizaru shook his head, and Aokiji's face was like ice, unmoved. The other Marines just shook their heads. It was just the son of a demon. Pirates were scum. The Navy's purpose was to destroy them and bring peace to the seas. It was for this ideal that they had all joined.

"Hmph." Just as Ace's death seemed certain, a dark blue, majestic, and evil-spirited aura suddenly surged from the execution platform. Within a kilometer radius, the earth was torn apart. All Marines below the rank of Vice-Admiral who were caught in the blast fainted, foaming at the mouth. Even the Vice-Admirals were forced to one knee, panting, as if they had been struck by a physical blow.

"Crack!"

At the same time, the Seastone cuffs on Ace's wrists were shattered to pieces. A young man in black with a half-black, half-white sword stood on the platform beside him.

Moonlight held up his sword and looked at Luffy. "Sorry I'm late."

"Moonlight! It's you!" Ace was surprised and overjoyed. He never expected Moonlight to appear at this critical moment.

"He's the Vice-Captain of the Straw Hat crew, Moonlight!" Sengoku's pupils shrank. When had he appeared? He was standing right next to Ace, and he hadn't sensed a thing.

"It's him!" Garp's eyes widened. He had met Moonlight in Water 7 and knew of his strength. To appear now and not only save Ace but also shatter his Seastone shackles... this was a testament to his power.

"He is the Vice-Captain of the Straw Hat crew, Moonlight?" Akainu's pupils shrank. This was the first time he had seen him. Kizaru and Aokiji were not surprised; they had faced him before. But with him here now, the scales of victory had just tipped.

"It's him, that man!" Boa Hancock glared. She would never forget the shame he had brought upon her.

"Heh, heh, heh! The Vice-Captain of the Straw Hats is here!" Doflamingo laughed. His name was now known throughout the seas.

Gecko Moria stared at Moonlight with hatred. It was this man who had broken his plans. Kuma remained expressionless.

"The Straw Hats' Vice-Captain?" Marco looked at the man who had suddenly appeared. The name was familiar, but he hadn't paid it much mind before. Now, he had just saved Ace.

"Ace!"

"Great! He's saved!"

"Is this the Vice-Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates? He's amazing!"

"You are our benefactor!"

The Whitebeard Pirates erupted in cheers.

"Ace!" Whitebeard himself was reinvigorated. He had been badly injured and was slowly losing ground against the two Admirals. Now that Ace was saved, he had achieved his goal. He slashed at the two Admirals, preparing to evacuate. But his heart suddenly twitched violently, and a wave of pain wracked his body. He fell to one knee.

"Pops!" his crew cried out in alarm.

"No," Marco thought, his heart sinking. "The old man was already seriously ill. He's been conspired against and has been fighting two Admirals. He's reached his limit!" As a doctor, no one knew Whitebeard's condition better than him.

"BOOM!" At that moment, Akainu rushed forward. Taking advantage of his illness, he would kill him. He wouldn't let such a god-given opportunity pass. Lava burst from his body, and he launched a full-power attack, turning the ground around him into a world of magma.

"Heavenly Dog!" The attack was fast and cruel, the endless lava carrying the power to destroy the world as it bit through Whitebeard's body. His body trembled violently, and the smell of burning flesh filled the air.

"Pops!" everyone screamed. Even the Marines were shocked, their faces filled with disbelief. Had Whitebeard been killed just like that?

"Pops!" Ace cried, turning into a column of flame and flying toward Whitebeard.

"You bastard!" Moonlight was furious. "Hmph!" A crescent of sword energy shot out, shattering icebergs and tearing up the earth. He had been careless. He had underestimated the horror of Akainu. This omnipotent Admiral was a perfect combination of insidious cunning and overwhelming power. Whitebeard's body was already failing; even without this battle, he wouldn't have survived another six months. But to die in a hard-fought battle was a completely different matter.

At that moment, Moonlight was filled with a murderous rage. Akainu would die. He had to die.

"Moonlight!" Luffy was shocked.

"Is this the strength of the Vice-Captain of the Straw Hats?" countless people gasped. Moonlight's full-power attack was truly terrifying. Below the rank of Admiral, no one could stop his sword qi. The range of the attack was so wide that no one within a kilometer could stand their ground.

"How scary," Doflamingo was no longer laughing. He looked at Moonlight, his expression solemn. This strength shocked him.

Gecko Moria and Kuma both evaded the attack. Though they were furious with Moonlight, his power was undeniable.

"Such a domineering man," Boa Hancock's eyes flickered.

"What a domineering sword," Mihawk's eyes flashed, the black blade Yoru in his hand seeming to tremble with excitement.

"Yo, how scary," Kizaru said, turning to light and stepping on Moonlight's sword energy, dissipating it. He looked at Moonlight, his expression now serious.

"Get out of the way, or die," Moonlight said coldly and struck out again. The sword qi was violent and overwhelming.

"Ama no Murakumo!" Kizaru didn't dare to be careless. A sword of light appeared in his hand, and he met the attack. Though he blocked it, he was still forced to take a step back.

"Die!" Moonlight attacked again, this time holding nothing back. He flew into the sky, and twelve Pheasant Swords plunged into the ground, while another twelve hovered in the air, forming a hundred-meter sword domain. Kizaru, experienced as he was, immediately tried to escape, but it was too late. He was trapped by the sword energy, unable to move. Not just him, but everyone within a hundred meters, including Aokiji, was caught in the attack.

"BOOM!" An infinite number of slashes rained down, and when Moonlight landed, the space within a hundred meters had been completely emptied. Aokiji and Kizaru were injured again. They were already struggling to deal with Whitebeard's tremor-fist; now, under Moonlight's assault, they were panting and wounded.

"He is so domineering," the two Admirals thought, withdrawing from the battlefield once more.

"Amazing! What kind of sword skill is this? He slashed two Admirals with one sword!"

"Moonlight, Vice-Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates!" Everyone took a sharp breath. They had always heard that he was strong, but now they were seeing it for themselves. It was terrifying.

But he wasn't finished. Moonlight turned his attention to Akainu and slashed at him.

"Hmph!" Akainu, having just severely wounded Whitebeard, was about to press his attack, but Moonlight's sword qi was so terrifying that even Kizaru and Aokiji couldn't resist it. He didn't dare to underestimate it. Magma erupted from his body, forming a massive magma arm to block the slash.

At that moment, Ace flew to Whitebeard's side, grabbed him, and immediately retreated to their ship. Marco and the others stood guard. Their purpose had been achieved; the next step was to leave.

"Ace, get the old man out of here! Everyone, prepare to retreat!" Marco transformed into a phoenix and stood before them. "We'll cover you!"

"Right!" Ace didn't hesitate. He shouted to Luffy, and they began to retreat under the protection of the others.

"You want to go? Do you think the Navy is just going to let you leave?!" Akainu was furious. But as he was about to move, he heard screams from behind him. He turned his head and saw Moonlight flying into the sky. A bad feeling washed over him. Kizaru and Aokiji also cried out in alarm. They had seen this attack before and knew its terrifying power.

But it was too late. As Moonlight flew into the sky, meteors condensed from countless sword qi suddenly began to fall, even more terrifying than Akainu's own Meteor Volcano.

"Extreme Ghost Swordsmanship: Meteor Fall!" Moonlight roared.