One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

Aokiji stood rooted in place, his fists clenched tightly.

As the Admiral of Headquarters—one of the most powerful figures on the seas—it was rare for him to appear so frozen, so shaken. But the enormity of what was unfolding had left him paralyzed.

Abort the Buster Call? 

Ensure the safety of the people?

These words reverberated in his mind, over and over.

Years ago, the incident at Ohara—where Aokiji had participated in a Buster Call—had marked him deeply. It was a memory seared into his conscience. Ordinary civilians, who had no part in the forbidden research of the Void Century, were mercilessly wiped out, their lives swallowed by the bombardment. Even those who had fled in escape boats were not spared. The trauma of that event had forever changed Aokiji. 

But now, here at the Sabaody Archipelago, history seemed poised to repeat itself on an even greater scale. The number of people at risk was far larger than during the Ohara incident.

Though the Five Elders had, at this moment, agreed to negotiate with Ace, Aokiji knew better than anyone that the Buster Call was still very much in motion. Negotiations might buy time, but once the signal was given, the Buster Call would be executed with ruthless precision. Nothing—not even the World Nobles' domain—would be spared. Though the giant mangrove trees that formed the archipelago were impervious to destruction, everything built upon them, including the lives that dwelled there, would be obliterated.

The Buster Call was the World Government's embodiment of absolute justice, and its activation meant the total annihilation of the target.

The chilling similarity to Ohara struck Aokiji deeply. It shook him so profoundly that, in a moment of lost composure, he had even considered taking action against Akainu, his fellow admiral. The emotional weight of the situation was that heavy.

But despite the turmoil within him, Aokiji knew one thing: he was powerless to stop the Buster Call.

Even as an Admiral of Headquarters, the executor of the Buster Call, he was helpless to halt its course. The fate of innocent lives would once again be sealed, erased from history by the hands of the Marines. Aokiji dreaded what this repeated tragedy might turn him into.

Yet, just when it seemed that all hope was lost, something unexpected happened—Ace intervened.

Ace, using Kizaru as leverage and exploiting the Five Elders' grudging compromise, demanded that the Buster Call be suspended. And it wasn't just any demand—it was in line with Ace's philosophy, rooted in protecting the lives of the innocent. Ace's words echoed powerfully in Aokiji's heart, especially when he mentioned that this was a wish of his fleet captains, a wish that aligned with the very thing Aokiji had longed to see happen for years.

Obviously, he has not yet formally joined the Entei Pirate Fleet, still technically a Marine Admiral's opponent, yet advocating on his behalf. 

Ace could have asked for anything—the recognition of the Entei Pirates' special status, immunity from Marine and World Government pursuit, or even some kind of sovereignty over vast territories. With the power Ace wielded and the standing of the Entei Pirates, such privileges could have easily expanded his influence over the seas. Many strong men, who feared the wrath of the Marines and the World Government, would be eager to flock to Ace's side, further swelling his power. 

In fact, Ace could have taken this opportunity to elevate his pirate fleet to an unprecedented level, perhaps even surpassing the heights of the infamous Rocks Pirates, becoming the dominant force of the era.

But Ace had chosen a different path. Instead of seeking personal gain, he used the Five Elders' concession and Kizaru's life as a bargaining chip to demand the suspension of the Buster Call for the sake of the people.

Aokiji was overwhelmed by this act.

Here was Ace, using his leverage to do something that Aokiji had desperately wished for, but had always been powerless to achieve. The tragedy of Ohara had haunted him for years—his regret, his pain. Now, facing a similar situation, even with his position as an Admiral, there was still nothing he could do. Even the Fleet Admiral couldn't halt the Buster Call once the Five Elders had set it in motion.

Aokiji had resigned himself to the fact that history would repeat itself. He thought the people of Sabaody Archipelago would meet the same fate as Ohara—erased, their cries silenced by the roar of artillery.

But Ace's actions proved otherwise. Ace had shown him that it wasn't over.

This man—the man who stood against the greatest powers of the world—had the ability to change its course.

Aokiji clenched his fists, his gaze locking with Ace's. Slowly, a sense of resolution settled into his expression.

Within the Marines, even if he were to become the next Fleet Admiral, he knew he would still be unable to change the world. The rigid structure of the Marines and the shadow of the World Government's authority bound him. 

But Ace—Ace had the power to make a difference.

It was time for him to decide.

A faint smile of determination crept across Aokiji's face.

"...Aokiji," Garp muttered, his eyes narrowing as he observed the other party's expression. In that instant, Garp understood. His feelings were mixed, conflicted. It was Garp who had accompanied Aokiji to the City of Water 7, and he knew of Ace's offer to Aokiji.

After their return, it was clear that something had shifted in Aokiji. His fighting spirit had reignited. It was as if he had returned to the man he had been before the tragedy of Ohara, before the weight of the world had dimmed his resolve. Aokiji had once been 'Kuzan,' the rising star of the Marines.

But Garp knew the man well—better than most.

Aokiji was his most trusted disciple, the one to whom he had passed on the teachings of his legendary "iron fist." Even his own grandson, Luffy, hadn't been entrusted with such training. It was Aokiji who had received it all.

Although Aokiji had seemingly regained his strength and resolve, Garp understood the reality. A man as wise and experienced as Aokiji was fully aware of how impossible it was to reform the Marines, let alone influence the World Government's decisions.

There had always been a dark cloud hanging over Aokiji's heart.

And during the incident at the Sabaody Archipelago, when the Five Elders initiated the Buster Call, that cloud had fully surfaced. The very thing that had haunted Aokiji—his deepest fear—was now a stark reality. The shadows of the Ohara tragedy returned, and for a brief moment, Aokiji had nearly lost himself, even considering an attack on the grievously injured Akainu.

But now, Garp could see clearly—the haze in Aokiji's heart had lifted. He had made his decision.

Aokiji was leaving the Marines to join Ace.

Garp's emotions churned within him. Should he feel proud of his grandson, Ace, for being able to sway even someone like Aokiji? Or should he feel regret, knowing that both his son, Dragon, had left the Marines to lead the Revolutionary Army, and now his disciple, Aokiji, was joining Ace, effectively becoming a pirate?

After a long pause, Garp exhaled and smiled once more. 

His grandson's success was, in its own way, also the success of an old man like him.

He was nearing retirement, after all. The affairs of the new era were no longer his to influence or control. Yet, looking at Ace, Garp felt a quiet confidence. The new generation had found its leader in Ace.

As Garp watched Ace's determined figure, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Abort the Buster Call?! Impossible!" Saint Nusjuro roared. The mere suggestion was unthinkable to him.

The Buster Call represented the absolute justice of the World Government. Once it was triggered, no matter how important the target—be it Enies Lobby or anywhere else—destruction was absolute. The signal meant that the target would be wiped clean off the map, no exceptions.

If the Buster Call were to be aborted, what would that mean for the World Government's claim to absolute justice? How could their reputation withstand such a blow?

"Propose something else, Flame Emperor," Nusjuro said in a cold, measured tone. "We can negotiate another condition, even one that exempts you from Marine and World Government pursuit. With your intelligence, you must understand what that privilege could mean. You could expand your influence swiftly and become the undisputed ruler of the seas.

"We can discuss these terms, but the Buster Call cannot be stopped."

Ace's response was instant and resolute. "Then keep fighting! I'm not here to barter."

Suddenly, the air around Ace ignited with a blistering heat, flames roaring around him. The temperature surged as the flames, burning at over 10,000 degrees Celsius, distorted the atmosphere itself.

"Let's see how long your Buster Call warships last against my firepower," Ace said coolly, his dark red eyes glowing like the heart of the sun, baring into the Five Elders.

The expressions on the faces of the Five Elders darkened. Ace was no ordinary opponent. 

This was madness. How could negotiations happen like this? In their long lives, they had never encountered someone who bargained with such ferocity, someone who wielded negotiation like a weapon. This wasn't a negotiation—it was a threat, a declaration of war!

Even in the early days of the World Government's founding, no other negotiation with rival nations had been like this. Ace was far more unyielding and unpredictable than even Kaido.

"Hahaha! Well said, Flame Emperor!" Kaido boomed with laughter. "If it's a war you want, then count me in! I'll help you sink those Buster Call ships! Hahaha! Old fools, get those warships ready. You'll need a lot more of them if you hope to last against the two of us!"

Shanks fixed his gaze on the Five Elders, his tone steady but urgent. 

"You'd better make a decision soon. Whitebeard's coming is imminent. With the power of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit, it doesn't matter how many warships you deploy—they'll all be swallowed by the sea."

In this delicate negotiation, Ace had shown Shanks immense respect. Now that Ace had made his conditions clear, and with the stakes so high, aborting the Buster Call was the only way to prevent more unnecessary deaths. Shanks, of course, would back Ace in this.

"The terms have been set by Ace, and the Red-Hair Pirates fully support his decision," Shanks declared, his voice firm. "If anyone objects..."

'Clang!' 

The sharp sound of a blade being unsheathed cut through the air. 

Beckman, Shanks' right-hand man, also drew his weapon.

"Come! We'll stand with him," Beckman said, his words an unmistakable challenge.

Shanks, gripping his sword Griffin with his only hand, let his Conqueror Haki flare, his presence dominating the space. The rest of the Red-Hair Pirates followed suit, their eyes fierce, their killing intent clear as they unleashed their Haki.

'Boom! Crack!'

Suddenly, terrifying bursts of thunder and storms filled the air. Nami, her body transformed into an elemental state, emitted violent arcs of lightning. Vivi, standing proudly, allowed parts of her form to shift into sand, while Raki soared into the sky, her delicate body morphing into the enormous vermilion bird form of her Devil Fruit ability.

Meanwhile, other powerful Devil Fruit users—those with powers like the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, Heal-Heal Fruit, Flower-Flower Fruit, Door-Door Fruit, Transparent-Transparent Fruit, and Ghost-Ghost Fruit—readied their abilities for action.

'Clang!'

Rayleigh smiled as his own sword slid out of its sheath just a little. Instantly, the air around him was charged with the overwhelming force of his Conqueror's Haki, black and purple lightning swirling menacingly around him. The intensity of it was enough to make even the hardiest souls tremble. Rayleigh was prepared to fight at full strength.

As the tension mounted, the Five Elders' faces twisted with anger. This situation was spiraling out of control.

Even worse for the Five Elders, the Marines present were lacking any will to fight. While the Red-Hair Pirates and the Entei Pirates stood ready, releasing their Haki and Devil Fruit abilities, it was clear that most Marines weren't preparing for battle. A small faction of the most extreme, hawkish officers remained ready, but the majority of the Marine forces showed no desire to continue fighting.

The real problem lay in the moral quandary they faced: the Buster Call, meant to be a demonstration of their so-called justice, was at risk of turning into a massacre of civilians. Most Marines, who prided themselves on upholding justice, were unwilling to target innocents with artillery. They couldn't reconcile the idea of waging war with the Entei Pirates, Red-Hair Pirates, and even Kaido just to continue the Buster Call.

To make matters worse, Kizaru, a key figure in the conflict, had been used as a bargaining chip, and no Marine wanted to lose their Admiral. Continuing to fight would not only mean turning their cannons on civilians, but also sacrificing one of their highest-ranking officers. 

Their sense of justice was unraveling, being weaponized by none other than Ace.

Ace had completely taken control of the battlefield. The cohesiveness of the Marine forces was rapidly crumbling under the pressure, their will to fight all but gone.

The Five Elders, after a quick exchange using their special communication abilities, came to a reluctant but unavoidable conclusion.

"We… agree to the terms," Saint Saturn announced, his voice strained, his face contorted with displeasure. The decision had been made.

Ace had used the weight of the captured Admiral Kizaru and forced the Five Elders, the highest authority of the World Government, to cancel the Buster Call. His strategy had been brilliant, leveraging strength, wisdom, and tactical foresight.

—

"Ding!"

"You used Navy Admiral Kizaru as leverage to force the Five Elders into halting the Buster Call."

"Your sharp insight led to the unprecedented suspension of a Buster Call, and as a result, your Conqueror's Haki has grown even more powerful!"

—

This grand war, initiated by Portgas D. Ace—the Fifth Emperor of the Sea and Captain of the Entei Pirates—had finally come to an end.

The battle had united nearly all the top members of the Entei Pirates, along with two of their giant commanders. The Red-Hair Pirates, with Shanks and his senior crew, had fully engaged. Even Kaido himself had stepped in.

On the other side stood the elite forces of Marine Headquarters, the Shichibukai, and the highest authorities of the World Government—the Five Elders.

The scale of this war far surpassed even the legendary God Valley Incident of the past.

And yet, this epic conflict concluded with the resounding victory of Portgas D. Ace and the Entei Pirates. History would remember this as the day the Flame Emperor overcame the impossible!