In a world where the endless ocean covered nearly every horizon, eating a Devil Fruit could easily be seen as the height of foolishness. The moment someone consumed one, they gained extraordinary powers unlike anything an ordinary person could ever dream of—but in exchange, the sea itself became their greatest enemy. A single fall into the water could rob them of every ounce of strength. Even so, countless people were willing to risk everything for that chance. To many, the promise of overwhelming power far outweighed the fear of drowning, especially when the reward could be a Logia Devil Fruit capable of turning its user into a force of nature.
After all, simply eating a Devil Fruit granted abilities that ordinary people could never imagine. This was especially true for Logia-type Devil Fruits, whose users gained devastating destructive power and bodies that were nearly invulnerable to conventional attacks. However, nothing in this world was absolute.
Even Logia users shared the same weaknesses as every other Devil Fruit user: seawater, Sea Stone, and above all... Haki.
Because of that, many Devil Fruit users avoided fighting on the open sea whenever possible. Without exceptional combat skills, it was practically suicide. Once they fell into the ocean—or if the ship they were fighting on sank—the battle was already over. Arthur intended to use that weakness to increase the odds of his three wives and Baby-5 defeating Admiral Akainu.
Hancock would serve as the main attacker, confronting Akainu head-on. That suited her personality perfectly. Robin and Monet would employ hit-and-run tactics, never allowing Akainu a moment to recover between attacks. Meanwhile, Baby-5 would protect the three of them while waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Hancock: "[Storm Femur]!"
Robin: "[Seis Fleur: Shigan]!"
BANG!
PUFT! PUFT! PUFT!
CLANG!
Hancock immediately coated her leg in Busoshoku Haki as black lightning crackled around it, launching a direct kick at Akainu. He blocked it with his right arm, which had also turned jet black under the protection of Busoshoku Haki.
At the same time, Monet attacked with one of her knives, its blade lined with Sea Stone. Akainu was forced to reinforce his left arm with Busoshoku Haki to stop the strike.
Meanwhile, six arms Robin had sprouted across the deck thrust toward Akainu from behind. He evaded them by transforming portions of his body into magma, leaving six gaping holes through his torso where the fingers should have pierced him.
Molten magma dripped continuously from both of Akainu's arms.
His expression remained cold...
Filled with killing intent.
Sakazuki: "Tch... It seems Tsuru and Gion didn't take weak pirates like you seriously. Don't expect justice to lose to the likes of you. [Dai Funka]."
Monet: "[Swap]." Seeing the overwhelming attack coming, Monet instantly teleported herself and Robin away to create distance from Akainu.
Hancock: "[Tempest Femur]." Her leg became pitch-black as advanced Busoshoku Haki completely coated it.
Baby-5: "[Busoshoku: Shigan]." Baby-5 suddenly appeared behind Akainu.
Monet: "[Swap]." Monet immediately teleported again, reappearing directly above Akainu as she launched another attack.
Robin: "[Dos Fleur: Shigan]." Robin sprouted additional arms from Baby-5's body to strengthen her assault.
Sakazuki: "Hmph... Pointless attacks."
Akainu met every attack without taking a single step backward. Hancock's Haki-coated kicks collided with his hardened arms, while Monet's Sea Stone blades flashed from impossible angles. Robin's countless hands struck from every direction, yet Akainu calmly shifted his body into molten magma whenever necessary. Sparks, magma, and flying splinters erupted across the warship's deck, but the Admiral remained as immovable as a mountain.Hancock continued her relentless assault as the primary attacker, her eyes becoming sharper with every exchange.
Robin, Monet, and Baby-5 worked together to create openings for her. There was no need for lengthy communication. After months of sailing together, their coordination had become second nature.
Baby-5: "[Fairy Dust]." Countless shimmering particles spread through the air, obscuring Akainu's vision.
Robin: "[Mil Fleur]."
A sea of arms blossomed around Akainu, emerging from the deck, the railings, and even the air itself. None of them were strong enough to hold him down. None of them could truly injure him. Their role was to become an endless nuisance, delaying every attack, every dodge, and every counterattack by a single crucial instant.
Monet: "[Swap]." Once again, Monet teleported herself, Robin, and Baby-5 away to maintain their distance.
Sakazuki: "Trying to hold me back?"
Akainu frowned.
Robin never answered.
Instead...
Even more arms continued to bloom around him.
At that very moment—
Hancock: "Here I come! [Supercell]!!"
Boa Hancock shot forward in a single burst of speed.
In the span of a single breath, she had already appeared directly in front of Akainu.
Lightning engulfed her entire body.
But this time...
Something was different.
The Haki surrounding her was far denser than before, turning every bolt of lightning jet black.
Even Arthur raised an eyebrow.
Hancock had successfully infused her Haki directly into her attack.
She concentrated every ounce of strength into her right leg.
Akainu raised his arm to block—
But he was just a fraction too slow.
At that instant, Hancock twisted her body.
Her kick crashed squarely into the side of Akainu's jaw.
The collision of advanced Haki and black lightning struck Akainu's real body before he could fully transform into magma.
For the first time...
The Admiral was truly blown away.
The deck of the warship shattered beneath the impact.
The magma coating his arm disappeared for a brief instant.
Every Marine aboard the ship froze.
Marine A: "...The Admiral..."
Marine B: "...He's injured?"
A single drop of blood trickled from the corner of Akainu's mouth.
He slowly wiped it away before looking at the blood staining his fingertip.
It had been years since anyone had managed to wound him like this.
Akainu slowly lifted his head.
The look in his eyes had changed.
It was no longer anger.
It was acknowledgment.
Sakazuki: "...Boa Hancock... You're far stronger than the intelligence reports suggested."
Hancock: "Just a scratch... Is that all?"
She took a deep breath, preparing to launch another attack.
Arthur: "No... That's already more than enough."
He quietly shook his head while watching from afar.
Arthur: "Because making Admiral Sakazuki bleed... is already an incredible achievement."
Sakazuki: "Enough playing around."
Akainu spoke only a few cold words.
The next instant...
He vanished.
Robin: "Hancock! Behind you!"
Robin's warning rang out across the battlefield—
But it came too late.
Akainu had already appeared behind Hancock, his gigantic magma fist hurtling straight toward her.
Sakazuki: "[Meigou]."
The attack did not hit Hancock's body.
Instead...
It pierced nothing but a mass of clouds.
Hancock: "UGH!!"
Fresh blood sprayed through the air.
Her body was violently blasted off the warship.
Monet: "Hancock!"
Monet immediately caught her companion before she could fall into the sea.
Sakazuki: "Die, Devil Child!"
Akainu did not pursue Hancock.
From the very beginning...
His true target had always been Nico Robin.