One Piece: Bai Ye Deputy Captain of the Straw Hats

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

There's a reason the World Government's Three Admirals are living disasters. Oda himself once said the three most terrifying forces of nature are tsunamis born from earthquakes, volcanoes that scorch the earth, and hurricanes that leave nothing but ruin in their wake. He built his Admirals on that foundation. It's simple math. Akainu's magma is pure destruction, a force meant to erase things. It's just fundamentally more violent than Aokiji's ice.

When a fist of molten rock screamed toward the Sunshine Merry, Bai Ye stepped in its path, deflecting it with an unseen force.

"Another Admiral?" Nami breathed, her knuckles white.

"Damn it," Usopp stammered, his eyes wide. "That's on a whole other level. That magma punch… it's way stronger than Aokiji!"

Zoro's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, a low growl in his throat. "Hmph. So, they're finally getting serious." He stood behind his captain, a coiled spring of battle-lust waiting to be unleashed.

"Isn't this what we came for?" Bai Ye said, a cold smile on his face as he rejoined the crew. "This is what pirates do. We fight." He hadn't wanted to wait. If Fleet Admiral Sengoku wasn't so obsessed with his pageantry of "Absolute Justice," this war would have already begun.

He turned to the figurehead of the lion. "Luffy. Give the order."

Luffy, who had been sitting silently, rose to his feet. The Straw Hat Pirates assembled behind him, their faces set like stone. A feral grin stretched across his face as he looked out at the chaos of Marineford.

"Alright, everyone," his voice rang out, clear and strong. "It's our turn!"

"YEAH!"

With a unified roar, they leaped from the deck of the Sunshine Merry, plummeting toward the battlefield below.

Bai Ye was first. He thrust a hand into the empty air and tore a hole in reality itself—a shimmering doorway that opened directly onto the blood-soaked plaza of Marineford. He stepped through as if walking into another room.

Weight Point: Heavy Stomp!

Chopper went into his bipedal Heavy Point form mid-air, turning his descent into a cannonball drop. Just before impact, his body swelled grotesquely.

Guard Point: Monster Fur Ball!

He slammed into the ground as a gigantic, reinforced ball of fur, absorbing the impact with a deafening thud before shrinking back to his regular size. Five months of brutal training had given him mastery over his forms without the need for a Rumble Ball.

Next came the wings.

Franky Gliding Form!

Cien Fleur: Delphinium!

Franky deployed a set of mechanical glider wings from his back, while Robin sprouted a pair of elegant, butterfly-like wings made of countless arms, both of them gliding to a smooth landing.

"Yohohoho! A safe arrival!" Brook, being nothing but bones, floated down gently, light as a feather. It was, in its own way, disgustingly elegant.

Two more figures shot past him.

Twin-Barrel Ice Slide!

Still high above the ground, Usopp whipped out two pistols. One fired a stream of water toward the ground, and the other fired a freeze-dial blast, instantly creating a ramp of solid ice. He slid down with the grace of a pro, his Skypiea skates sparking against his creation. As he landed, a figure crackling with electricity appeared beside him. It was Nami, her body now a conduit for the lightning she commanded, allowing her to ride the thunder itself.

The last two were just showing off.

Sky Walk!

One Sword Style: Flying Dragon Blaze!

Sanji practically walked down the air, pausing mid-descent to light a cigarette with the effortless cool of a mob boss. Zoro, on the other hand, was pure violence. He drew Shusui, unleashed a flying sword slash at the ground, and used the powerful recoil to kill his momentum, landing perfectly. A massive fissure now scarred the spot where his attack had struck.

From the execution platform, Dracule Hawkeye watched with a flicker of interest. Months ago, this swordsman was nothing but raw determination. Now, he possessed real power. This trip wasn't a waste after all, Hawkeye mused, his gaze drifting to the two men who landed just ahead of Zoro and Sanji. Bai Ye stood there, wreathed in golden light and flames, an image of terrifying power.

And then came the captain.

BOOM!

Luffy used no tricks, no techniques. He just fell. He smashed into the plaza with the force of a meteor, shattering the stone ground into a crater. From the smoke and dust, he rose from a one-knee crouch, his posture radiating dominance. He slowly placed his hat on his head as steam began to pour from his skin, his body glowing a furious red.

Without a word, without a pump of his arms, he had activated Second Gear.

The sheer pressure rolling off him sent a wave of dread through the assembled Navy ranks.

-----

On Grove 29 of the Sabaody Archipelago, Shakky took a drag from her cigarette, watching the broadcast on a small screen. "You taught them well, Rayleigh," she said to the silver-haired man beside her.

Rayleigh took a long pull from his flask. "This is only the beginning." He chuckled, a sound full of memory and pride. "After today, the world will stop talking about the 'Worst Generation.' This is the dawn of something else entirely."

-----

Back at Marineford, Luffy walked out of his crater, facing the hundred-thousand-strong elite Marine force without a trace of fear.

He cracked his knuckles. "Let's go."

And just like that, with the whole world watching, the eleven members of the Straw Hat Pirates stood united at the heart of Marine Headquarters. They faced an army and took the offensive. The marines on the frontline flinched, seeing not eleven pirates, but an illusion of a thousand-man army charging them.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" Akainu roared from the platform, his voice dripping with venom. "EVIL IS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! AS ADMIRAL, I GIVE THE ORDER! ATTACK!"

Spurred by his command, the marines snapped out of their stupor, gripped their weapons, and charged.

Luffy took one step forward, his eyes locked on Akainu. He didn't see the army. He only saw the man standing beside his brother.

"GIVE ACE BACK!" he screamed.

BOOM!

A shockwave of pure willpower exploded from him. A storm of black and red lightning, the Haki of a Conqueror, swept across the entire battlefield. In an instant, thousands of marines, the so-called elite, collapsed, their eyes rolling back in their heads as foam frothed on their lips. They were no match for a will that had been honed in hell itself.

The remaining soldiers faltered, stepping over the bodies of their fallen comrades, but their discipline held. They continued their charge.

"SUPER! With this many soldiers, it's time for the Straw Hat Army to make its grand debut!" Franky yelled, striking his signature pose.

Bai Ye stopped, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "He's right."

"It's time the Navy met the other members of our crew."

The ground behind him erupted in a blinding light, a complex, glowing array formation spreading across the stone. A thick, multi-colored mist billowed upwards, and from within it, a terrible, deafening noise began to rise.