While Akainu was slaughtering Beckman and the others, Garp's golden fists were relentlessly pummeling Hawkeye, beating him to the brink of collapse, his entire body was drenched in blood.

"Black Blade Ultimate Technique! Sky Splitter!"

Mihawk let out a hoarse roar, submerged in the icy seawater, as his black blade unleashed its strongest technique.

The ocean before him was instantly split open for over a thousand meters, torn apart by a terrifying combination of sword energy and Haki, forming a massive trench.

SHING!!

A thousand-meter-long black light shot into the sky, unleashing immeasurable power, even sending Garp flying with a single slash.

The thousand-meter slash was nothing short of a cataclysmic force, sending the entire ocean into a frenzy.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

The ice within a radius of dozens of miles shattered.

Even the ice beneath Akainu collapsed layer by layer, causing the scorching magma lake to plunge into the sea, boiling millions of tons of water.

SIZZLE!

A meter-long gash split open on Garp's golden rock-solid chest, blood gushing out like a waterfall, drenching the golden Buddha with blood.

"Guh!"

The sheer power of Hawkeye's slash was horrifying.

Even in his overwhelmingly dominant state, Garp was sent flying over a thousand meters, crashing into the sea like a meteor and sending towering waves surging.

After delivering that devastating strike, Hawkeye seemed to lose all of his strength, his body sinking into the depths of the sea.

****

Meanwhile, as the magma lake collapsed into the ocean, Akainu's terrifying form emerged from it, charging towards Beckman and the remaining four of red hair pirates crew.

"Beckman! Catch!" Yasopp bellowed, hurling his rifle toward him.

Beckman's face darkened as he caught it.

"Yasopp! Are you abandoning your wife?!"

"What's the point of having a wife when my brothers are gone? Kill that bastard Akainu for me!"

Tears welled up in Yasopp's eyes, his body covered in burns.

Lucky Roux carried the unconscious Snake on his back, fleeing frantically.

"This bastard... why won't he just... die already!!"

Beckman roared hoarsely, firing his rifle without even looking.

A bullet wrapped in black-and-red Conqueror's Haki lightning tore through space with distorted arcs, exploding against Akainu's body with a thunderous boom.

"Run! This bastard's still alive!" Beckman bellowed, scanning the vast, shattered sea.

There was no sign of Shanks anywhere, and his face turned ashen as he shouted.

"SHANKSSSS!!"

"Mihawk's gone too! Damn it, we shouldn't have come this time! ARGHHHH"

Yasopp's eyes were filled with tears.

"Shanks is with me!"

A bright voice suddenly rang out from above, leaving Beckman and the others stunned for a moment.

Gradually, joy spread across Beckman's face as he looked up at the sky.

"Luffy!!"

High in the sky, Luffy propelled himself with jets of air, holding the unconscious Shanks in one arm as he swiftly descended toward Beckman and the others.

"Straw Hat Luffy... you've truly grown strong."

The haunting voice of Akainu echoed from behind, making Beckman's heart clench.

He turned back angrily, frustration written all over his face.

Akainu's body dripped with molten lava, a fresh wound visible on his shoulder—clean through, not yet covered by regenerating magma—clearly inflicted by Beckman's latest attack.

"Beckman, Yasopp, Lucky... Where are the others?"

Luffy landed and handed Shanks over to Beckman.

At his words, pain flashed across Beckman's face.

"Akainu killed them!"

Luffy's body trembled, his face overcome with grief.

The members of the Red Hair Pirates had been comrades for over a decade—Luffy had known them all since he was a child.

Though he had already suspected the worst before landing, Beckman's confirmation shattered the last sliver of hope in his heart.

A helpless rage surged within Luffy.

What kind of world is this?!

Why do the people he cherish always leave him so suddenly?!

All he want is unshackled freedom—why is that so hard?!

Why can't we all just live happily together, achieving our dreams while those he care about stay safe and healthy?

Why must everything come down to life-and-death battles?

Why must family stand on opposing sides?

Why must brothers sometimes fight to the death over differences in ideals?!

"Luffy! Stop spacing out—we need to go!" Beckman shouted urgently, seeing Luffy frozen in place.

He had every reason to panic.

Aside from the unpredictable Akainu, there was also Garp, who had eaten the Buddha Fruit.

Even if Garp was supposedly Luffy's grandfather, he wasn't theirs—and Beckman knew full well how much Garp despised Shanks.

If not for Shanks, Luffy might have become a Marine by now!

Luffy hesitated, his gaze fixed on the wounded Akainu.

A cold fury welled up inside him, urging him to unleash his power and finish Akainu off right here.

Akainu seemed to notice Luffy's hesitation and let out a sinister chuckle.

"Straw Hat, you're not bad. If it weren't for that bastard Caesar, you'd be one of the Four Emperors of the New World by now. Hahaha! A weakling who had to be saved by your idiot brother Ace two years ago, risking his life again to saving others."

"That orphan Ace, abandoned by his own father, a worthless fool who called another man 'Dad,' a pathetic loser defeated by Blackbeard! Even in hell, he must be so proud of you now!"

"So run! Just like two years ago—let someone carry you while you cry and wail like trash, like a drowned rat! Run away!"

Luffy's body trembled, his eyes bloodshot from Akainu's taunts, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

A ferocious surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted, rustling the straw hat hanging around his neck.

"Luffy! Don't let him provoke you! Have you forgotten how Ace died? Akainu, you bastard, did you eat a garbage before opening your damn mouth?"

Yasopp's furious cursing made Akainu's face darken further.

"Straw Hat, run away now. So what if you defeated the Shichibukai? So what if you took down an Emperor? You're still a weak, spineless coward—someone who doesn't even dare to avenge his own brother!"

"I'm heavily injured right now. You defeated Kaido, didn't you? Hahaha! Even I would struggle against that monster, yet you beat him but still don't dare face me?"

Akainu dashed forward, molten lava oozing from his body as he sneered.

"Ah, I get it. You're thinking of Ace, aren't you? Scared I'll punch through your chest like I did his? Hahaha! Does that scar still hurt? Consider it a mark of growth. Stand still—let me brand you with another one!"