No matter what Sengoku and the others thought, Garp had already been blown away and lay among the ruins, completely careless about what anyone thought.
Breaking through the last line of defense, Luffy finally reached the execution platform he had fought so desperately to reach. Holding the key made by Mr. 3, he moved to unlock Ace's handcuffs..
"Do you really think you can ignore me like this?"
A suffocating pressure suddenly erupted behind Katie. After Garp's defeat, the silent Sengoku finally made his move. His body transformed into a ten-meter-tall golden Buddha, and he struck with full force from the very first attack.
"Buddha Impact!"
In the next second, a massive shadow engulfed Katie and Luffy. There was no time to unlock Katie's cuffs—the attack was already upon them.
Left with no choice, Luffy had to abandon the key.
"Gum-Gum… Balloon!"
Taking a deep breath, Luffy's body suddenly inflated, turning into a giant rubber balloon more than ten meters wide. He shielded Katie with his body, taking Sengoku's attack head-on.
In an instant, the powerful impact landed, and Luffy spat blood from the sheer force of it.
Yet even so, he kept his mouth tightly shut. If he opened it, he would lose the form and Ace behind him would be hurt. He absolutely would not let anyone harm Ace—not anyone!
Boom!
Just as Luffy was about to collapse, the execution platform beneath Katie gave a loud creak and suddenly crumbled.
With no support left, Luffy and Katie fell toward the ground, narrowly avoiding Sengoku's attack.
Amid the chaos, Luffy quickly aligned the key with the lock.
Click.
Ace's restraints were finally undone. His long-lost power surged back. This feeling of freedom—it was truly incredible.
"Luffy, thank you—seriously. I can't believe my little brother had to come save me!"
"Now it's big brother's turn to protect you and help you escape!"
Though Luffy hadn't done this for Katie specifically, from her position on the platform, she had seen clearly how much danger he faced,the wounds he endured. Even if she wasn't the real Ace, his determination moved her.
A flickering flame quietly ignited in the ruins, and when the pirates saw it, tears streamed down their faces in excitement.
Ace… was finally saved. Everything they sacrificed was worth it. They had given so much for this battle. Countless lives were lost—people who would never rise again.
But even in their final moments, all those who fell had only one wish in their hearts: that someone—anyone—could save Ace. Every pirate who joined this battle had done so willingly. Not a single one had been forced.
They all knew the risks, yet they came anyway. None of them wanted to lose the warmth and kindness that Ace brought.
"Ace!"
Countless voices shouted his name, filled with uncontainable emotion.
"Ice Age!"
Ignoring the enemies before him, Aokiji enlarged himself and dashed toward the platform without looking back. Even though Jozu tried to guard against him in advance, he was still frozen solid like an ice sculpture.
"Get out of my way!"
Without the seastone restraints, Ace punched a marine officer blocking his path. For those who hadn't mastered Armament Haki, they were no different from weaklings with power levels of five—they didn't stand a chance.
But Jinbe, who had witnessed it all, was shocked.
What did I just see?
How is that person able to control fire too?
Isn't Ace the one with the Flame-Flame Fruit? How could there be a second person?!
If he hadn't seen Ace escape from Impel Down with his own eyes, Jinbe would have thought that person was Ace. But that person was clearly not Ace—it was Katie.
He couldn't accept it. Everything happening around Katie defied reason.
But whether he could accept it or not, the truth remained: Katie's power, granted by the system, far exceeded anyone's imagination.
"Blazing Rope!"
A towering wall of fire burst from Katie's body, forming a scorching flame barrier over ten meters tall, wiping out half of the enemy forces in an instant.
At this moment, Luffy and Katie charged forward together. Though they'd never fought side by side before, thanks to Observation Haki, Katie could clearly sense Luffy's every move and easily keep pace.
"Twin Ice Spears!"
As they crossed half the battlefield, the real obstruction appeared. A shadow loomed within a mist of ice—before the figure even arrived, the attack did.
"Flame Pillar!"
At the same time as her shout, a fiery column erupted from the ground, melting the ice spears midair.
Katie's face turned grim. Only one person in the world could unleash such a powerful ice attack—Navy Admiral Aokiji.
"Kuralala… I can't let you leave, Fire Fist Ace."
Even now, Aokiji still looked half-asleep. Katie couldn't help but wonder how this guy managed to stay drowsy all day long.
"If you really have the strength… then I'll acknowledge it."
Words were pointless at this stage. When heroes meet on a narrow path, the brave win. There was no room for retreat—it was do or die!
"Pheasant Beak!"
Aokiji's right arm turned into ice and morphed into a massive bird, freezing everything in its path. Even the water vapor in the air crystalized into tiny ice beads.
"Fire Fist!"
From Katie's right fist, searing flames erupted, creating a raging sea of fire.
The next moment—flame met frost. There was no thunderous explosion, no shockwave. Only silent devouring.
The fire melted the ice.
The ice snuffed out the fire.
For a time, neither side could gain the upper hand.
But then—an unexpected turn occurred elsewhere on the battlefield.
Whitebeard, who had been holding back Akainu, suddenly clutched his chest in pain. His face twisted in agony. Then, he dropped to one knee—his heart condition had flared up at the worst possible moment!
Akainu wasn't about to miss that opportunity.
His arm turned into magma, and he moved in at blinding speed toward Whitebeard.
"Dark Dog!"
His magma-coated fist plunged into Whitebeard's abdomen, punching a hole the size of a bowl through his gut.
"Whitebeard… you're really too old for this."
Akainu withdrew immediately. He knew this wound alone wouldn't kill the old titan, but staying near him was too dangerous. A dying beast was the most vicious and savage of all.