Journey to One Piece

249. You have a bigger fish to fry

Both of them sighed as Ken reappeared, much like he had done before. Sengoku was now boiling with anger. Slowly, he transformed into his Buddha form. The transformation was colossal, causing the platform to creak under the weight of his metamorphosis.

Ken, who had just reappeared, turned to face Sengoku, while Garp took a step back.

"Do you believe you can insult the Navy and get away with it?" Sengoku bellowed. His words reverberated across the battlefield, causing everyone engaged in combat to stop and focus their attention on the platform.

"Ken!"

"Ace!"

"Ken! Free Ace!"

"Idiot. If he could have done that, he would have attempted it long ago. Haven't you noticed the reactions of the Admirals and Fleet Admiral the last time he approached?"

"But he's so close to Ace."

"If we can reach him, I'm sure Ken will assist. However, he can't free Ace alone. Trying to do so would result in failure and his death. It would be a futile mission."

Such discussions were taking place, and the Straw Hat crew already knew that Ken couldn't free Ace on his own. Luffy and Sabo refrained from complaining the first time he approached Ace, understanding the reality. But Sengoku's patience was wearing thin.

His palm was already open, and a massive shockwave-like attack was poised to strike Ken. Sengoku intended to unleash a sweeping attack to prevent Ken from escaping, rather than a localized, point-based assault. The notion surprised Ken, who observed Sengoku preparing to strike.

"Sengoku-san, are you truly determined to deny me the chance to speak with my brother?" Ken inquired calmly, seemingly unaffected by the impending strike.

"Criminals forfeit their rights," Sengoku retorted, his attack relentless.

"Sigh! I suppose I have no other choice," Ken muttered. His Mangekyo Sharingan morphed into the Rinnegan, and then he exclaimed:

"Summoning Jutsu: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path" (Gedō Mazō)

And then it manifested—an entity beyond the comprehension of nearly everyone present on the battlefield, as well as the global population. Its appearance was instantaneous. Gedō Mazō stood as a nightmarish fusion of grotesque forms and eerie symbolism. Its towering structure, hewn from obsidian stone, exuded an aura of malevolence that sent shivers down the spines of those unlucky enough to witness it.

Its body resembled a mosaic of nightmarish faces, each one twisted in agony and despair, forever imprisoned within the stone. Its eyes were concealed beneath an enormous white cloth, while its long, gnarled arms extended outward like the limbs of a tormented soul yearning for release.

"What is this?"

"He... He..."

The appearance of such a colossal figure out of thin air sent shivers down everyone's spines. Fortunately, it materialized outside the platform; otherwise, the platform might have crumbled, potentially taking Ace down with it.

Sengoku's experienced eyes narrowed as he sensed the oppressive malevolence emanating from the statue. He had never encountered such a creature before. Although it was nothing compared to Zou, it was more terrifying than the elephant he had glimpsed from a distance once.

In a blur of motion, the statue's enormous arm swung downward, seeking to crush Sengoku beneath its weight. With reflexes honed by a lifetime of battles, Sengoku leaped backward, narrowly evading the devastating strike.

Sengoku hadn't anticipated the summoning of such a statue, and now he regretted engaging with Ken. The statue was causing more destruction than Marineford had ever witnessed before. A single attack obliterated structures in the vicinity. The ground trembled as the statue's fist slammed into the stone platform once again, generating shockwaves that rippled through the area. Debris and rubble were launched into the air, momentarily obstructing Sengoku's view.

Despite Sengoku's transformation, which made him enormous, he still seemed dwarfed by the statue's size. The dust veiled Sengoku's entire form.

"Well, he can fight while I speak to my brother," Ken remarked. Nearby marines stepped back, and many had already fled. Garp gazed at the statue, then at Ken, and repeated the process. He struggled to grasp the situation, finding it difficult to make sense of what was occurring. "Grandpa, do you also intend to oppose me?"

Garp and others had encircled Ken, expecting him to seize the opportunity and liberate Ace.

"A criminal like you should never be set free," Tsuru declared, ready to confront Ken head-on.

"Madam Tsuru, you should have possessed the same determination when Doflamingo employed the Cage. Instead, you merely waited and observed," Ken retorted, his words pinpointing her vulnerabilities. She struggled to fathom how Ken possessed such extensive knowledge of past events when he was just a child, seemingly oblivious to the world's occurrences. "Calm down, everyone. I'm not here to rescue Ace; I simply wish to converse. You wouldn't desire another entity like this to be summoned, would you?"

A collective shudder rippled through the group. Despite their overwhelming power, none of the marines attacked. They stared at Ken, as if trying to intimidate him, yet refrained from launching an assault. The statue continued its struggle against Sengoku, and the fear of a new threat arising kept them at bay.

Their foremost concern was to ensure Ace remained confined. Admirals struggled to return, but the Captains effectively kept them occupied.

Kizaru was stopped by Marco.

Jozu had stopped Aokiji.

And Akainu? Well, he was over smart and went to fight against Whitebeard. And thus he was tied down at the moment. They had all seen the Statue and they couldn't even believe their eyes. They really had never heard of such a being that could be summoned.

They had seen the summoning animals at the Buster Call, but this was something else. Ken didn't care of these people and just sat near Ace while the marines surrounded them.

"You shouldn't have come. Tell my father and Luffy that I am sorry. People are getting hurt because of me." Ace said as tears ran down his face.

"Did you forget your promises to Yamato and Otama?" Ken asked. This made his hands that was crucified flinch. He had not forgotten of them.