Hello, hello, I'm here to say how hard it was for me to write this fight, as there were ideas I had to discard or scenes I struggled to describe. I also wanted to finish all of this here since, I reiterate, I want to get this done as quickly as possible; that way, I won't be at chapter 1000 and we'll still be in the world of One Piece. I also have some ideas I'm going to discard for this very reason.
In addition to saying that I'm taking a four-day break from writing, for two reasons: the first is that I have to fix the research report, which I haven't done yet, and I want to start doing that tomorrow. And the second is that I'll dedicate myself to fixing the remaining chapters, more specifically the English translation fic, since I haven't done that yet, as it takes a bit more time since I have to compare both versions and see if the original writing idea is correct.
Well, with that said, I hope you enjoy the chapter, because I literally racked my brains trying to write it as best as possible.
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Dante throws a punch at Hades's face, which Hades blocks with his forearm and counters with a punch to his stomach. Hades immediately throws a punch at Dante, but Dante blocks it with his palm and counters with another, deflecting it to the right. And so they tried to hit each other before the eyes of the viewers watching the Marine broadcast.
The speed of each other's punches intensified; each punch transmitted raw power, generating waves of fire and Haki around them. Until they both backed away to throw a punch at each other, both using Conqueror's Haki.
(Note: A mental image of this scene is All Might versus the Nomu from the first season of BNHA.)
The cameraman almost fainted from the Haki clash, but his will to continue filming kept him standing.
Hades steps back again, only to extend his arms forward, joining them at the edge of his palms and spreading his fingers.
Hades: "Wave of Fire." With those words, a layer of blue fire burst from his hands as if trying to swallow Dante, like waves in the sea.
Dante, with his sword behind his back, quickly unsheathes it and cuts the sea of fire that was trying to consume him in half.
Generally, Hades wouldn't have used blue fire in this attack, since this fire, while it can't spread far into the surroundings without a means to spread, with his awakening, that was no longer a problem.
Dante senses some danger above, only to see Hades with several balls of blue fire spinning in his palm, which he then throws at him in a flash.
Using Soru, Dante dodges the fireballs and explosions as quickly as possible, moving across the terrain.
Seeing that the attack was over, he used Geppo and Soru at the same time, leaping at Hades with terrifying speed, and Hades was able to dodge it at the last minute.
In the air, they could be seen colliding. Dante tried to slash Hades, and Hades dodged and tried to hit others with some difficulty, as Dante was faster than Hades.
At the last second, Dante managed to land a blow, knocking him to the ground. Hades fell but immediately got up, only to crouch down and vomit blood while clutching his heart.
Dante: "Sulli's poison is designed to act quickly and periodically cause certain parts of the body to fail for a few seconds before they can continue to function normally afterward, as it is intended to have an immediate effect. It's not fatal, but it's useful enough to weaken Hades momentarily."
Hades, his eyes red, glared at Dante with great hatred; he had begun to stop thinking rationally and was driven by pure revenge.
Using his fire as a propellant, Hades launched himself at Dante. Dante blocked the attack with the Fusion Sword, only for Hades, using his fire, to slam the sword with all his might and move it, leaving Dante an opening for a clean blow to his chest.
Just as he was about to strike Dante, Hades pressed something on his sword, opening it up and launching six different swords. This confused Hades long enough for Dante to grab one of the swords and launch an energy blast at him.
Hades was thrown far away by the attack, disappearing from Dante's sight. Dante took the opportunity to grab the scattered swords and sheath them on his back, leaving the main sword in one hand and a shorter one in the other.
Just as he was about to go where he thought Hades was, Hades opened his eyes and ducked, only for a laser beam of fire to appear and graze his hair. This laser tore through everything it encountered, heating it up so much that it melted everything in front of it.
Dante got out of there only to find the same laser chasing him. The laser cut through houses, the mansion, and debris; it even reached some of the warships, which exploded on the spot seconds after being hit by the attack, destroying their infrastructure but not completely destroying them.
Seeing that one was coming at him head-on, he placed his two swords in a cross shape and blocked the attack, causing the attack to go from one beam to five beams, which spread out all around.
Hades: "Enough with these games. I won't stop until I see you dead and destroy everything you've ever known; nothing will remain but ash of everything you love and cherish." He then raises his arm, and a plasma laser of fire spreads throughout his arm and then launches itself at Dante.
(Note: Some real-life lightsaber experiments use fire to transform it into plasma, as I recall.)
On the Moby Dick, some of Whitebeard's commanders were standing next to him, watching the battle between the two.
Marco: "Father, it seems Dante didn't use all his skills to fight you."
Whitebeard: "Next time I see him, I'll teach him a lesson so he doesn't hold back next time."
In another secluded spot, a man with a large head and a man with a red tattoo on his face were seen watching Hades and Dante fight to the death.
Ivankoc: "This will be fine, after the deal we made with him to obtain weapons for our cause."
Dragon: "There was no other way. We'd have to steal from the Marines if they wanted weapons; I just wonder what we'll do if they capture him or he ever looks at Hades."
In East Blue, an old man is seen watching the broadcast with a child in his arm.
Garp: "That brat is already stronger, but not enough to defeat Hades; if Dragon couldn't, he can't be weaker than him." At that, the baby started crying. "I have to find someone to take care of you."
Somewhere in Paradise, in a bar, people are seen watching the broadcast. A man can be seen watching and drinking with great concern on his face.
Ruminoff: "Look how much you've grown, Dante. Just don't let you and my baby die." He said, downing the entire glass of liquor he had in one gulp.
In another, more secluded location in the New World, a young blonde woman with a worried and fearful expression was seen watching the broadcast, along with another, slightly older, blonde woman lying on a bed. The room was surrounded by plants and books.
???: "Please, don't let anything happen to Dante," the young blonde woman said.
At Marineford, some of the higher-ups, along with Kong, were watching the broadcast.
Tensei: "Are you sure you want to give Dante so much attention?"
Kong: "He's currently our greatest ally; like us, he seeks justice. In addition to his background and family history, he can be a valuable resource for us; that will give him the opportunity to join us in the future if something happens."
Returning to the island, Sengoku is seen hesitating over whether to intervene in Hades's battle with Dante, having been ordered not to interfere unless Dante is about to die. Surrounding him were several members of the high command under Hades, some of whom managed to escape, one of whom was Hogan.
Elsewhere, several marines were seen fighting each other. And in the midst of all this, a woman was seen walking calmly, looking at a screen amidst all this chaos, with two men at her side.
Marine 1: "What's wrong? Why are they attacking us?" asked one of the marines, who was defending himself from one of his comrade's attacks.
Marine 2: "My job is to defend and protect Madan Adeline; if you try to do anything to her, you deserve to die."
Adeline was watching the broadcast of Hades and Dante's battle and realized something.
Adeline: "That brat looks a bit like my sister; I might try to meet him in the future."
At that moment, a marine appeared in front of her and tried to attack, only for one of the guards to pull out a katana and instantly cut the marine in half.
Adeline: "Well, let's continue. We have to get out of here."
In a secluded spot, Zero could be seen walking along a path that was clear of both gangsters and marines. Ahead of him was a boat to get out of here.
Just as he was reaching the boat, a female voice was heard.
???: "My, my, what a perfect place. It's strange you didn't run into anyone on the way here." At that moment, Ruby appears behind them, hands in her pockets, walking awkwardly.
Zero: "Why did you follow me?"
Ruby: "I felt something strange about you, that's why, and I see you already knew this was going to happen."
Zero: "So?"
Ruby: "Well, I don't care that you betrayed Hades. I have nothing to do with all this. Just take me with you; all the other places are full of enemies."
Zero: "Fine, but I'll pay you back for this favor in the future."
Ruby: "No problem."
In a corner of the island, Doflamingo is seen holding a den den mushi, looking at his watch a little annoyed.
Doflamingo: "This is a little ahead of my plans, but no problem. I just need you to get here soon so you can get us out of here before I'm discovered."
Returning to the fight, Dante was dominating Hades, who was more skilled with the sword than Hades. With all seven swords drawn, he faced Hades.
The swords were thrown into the air, leaving two in his hand, which he used to attack Hades. The moment a fence fell, he would release one sword from his position to attack the other that had fallen, then kick the other sword upwards with one of his feet.
Hades was barely able to defend himself against this form of fighting, which was unpredictable and erratic; he was only able to defend himself because he knew when the swords were falling.
Suddenly, a pain hits his lung, which momentarily stops him. Dante uses this opportunity to kick him in the chin and send him flying up along with the other swords.
Already in the air, surrounded by the other swords, Dante appears, and with the greatest speed he can, he begins to slash Hades from side to side, using the different swords.
Giving him different slashes, he decides to make the final cut, but just as he throws him toward him, Hades bursts into flames and generates a fireball around him. This hits Dante, knocking him to the ground. The other swords also fly around, leaving him with only one in his hand.
Hades falls to his knees. He looked tired, wounded, and exhausted, and he wasn't the only one; Dante was the same.
Dante: 'If this keeps up, if I don't burn to death, I'll die of dehydration.' He thought as he stood up and wiped his sweat.
Hades also stood up, his body completely engulfed in blue fire. At that moment, he stomped his foot on the ground. From there, a scorching fire shot out in Dante's direction, which Dante dodged by moving to the side. The attack left a river of fire, from which Hades emerged, who tried to hit Dante, who dodged by moving backward.
He tried to hit Dante three more times until Dante stopped and stood in front of him. Instantly, a fireball formed.
Hades: "Dragon's Roar," he said, then hit the fireball, sending a plasma blast shooting out in Dante's direction.
Dante used his sword to split the attack in two, deflecting one to his right and the other to his left.
The attack melted everything it touched, leaving only dust and ash. It also left Dante's sword glowing red once he removed his Haki, as he only used it when he was about to attack and activated it constantly to keep his energy up.
Dante was dehydrated and tired and had several wounds and burns from the fire. His hands were burned, as were his neck and part of his abdomen, with wounds caused by the fire cuts.
Hades appeared in front of Dante without him noticing, kicking him, which he could only defend with Haki. It didn't end there, continuing with a barrage of blows. Dante, tired, couldn't stop him, so he waited for an opening and, the moment he saw it, kicked him in the stomach, then kicked him in the face again, pushing him away.
As he fell, he burned the entire floor, leaving it charred and red-hot. He got up and was once again enveloped in blue fire, but this time it was much stronger, as if Hades were just fire and nothing more.
Hades: "Detonating Fire Golem," he said, running toward Dante. Dante positions himself to impale Hades with his sword, and the moment he attacks, Hades explodes, generating a gigantic pillar of fire that can be seen all over the island.
This caught everyone's attention. At least among those still on the island, some had already escaped, like Zero, Ruby, and Morgans.
Shortly after, the pillar of blue fire dispersed. In the scene, a man can be seen standing with red eyes, blood in his mouth, and breathing rapidly. A little further away, a young man can be seen lying on the ground, with extensive burns all over his body, including his neck and a bit of his face.
Dante: "Your reward is lower than it should be; being poisoned and injured, that you can still do this is ridiculous." He said as he slowly stood up.
Hades was now calmer and thinking rationally.
Hades: "Impressive. Being able to cover much of the damage with the sword makes you a great swordsman, but you still need more, and as a sign of respect, I will use my most powerful attack yet." With that, he took to the sky using his fire.
Dante, now standing up, walked over to one of the swords on the ground, and when he picked it up, he heard Hades speak.
Hades: "Appear before me, great celestial being capable of illuminating even the darkest world." He extended his hand forward. "I summon you to dazzle the world with your presence so that they may see your glory." A ball of blue fire appears in his palm. "Rise and show the world the origin of life." He raises his palm upward, and the ball of fire rises to the top until it disappears. "Make night into day and burn everything in your path." Suddenly, a gigantic ball of blue fire appears in the sky, so large that it covers the entire island.
Everyone still there stared at the sky in disbelief. Sengoku became nervous, thinking that if that ball fell to the ground, only a few would be able to survive it, perhaps him and Kuzan, but he didn't know the conditions he was in to be able to do anything.
Dante stood still, watching what Hades was doing, capable of controlling the basic components of the world, like helium and oxygen, to do this and stabilize it. It seemed ridiculous to him.
Dante: "What an awakened Devil Fruit can do," he said to himself more than anyone else.
Hades: "Go and descend, bringing hell to earth, miniature sun." Saying the name of the attack, he swung his hand down, aiming at the island, causing the giant ball of blue fire to begin descending to the ground.
The cameraman was about to drop the camera, but he continued filming, not missing a single detail of what was happening.
Sengoku was about to act to stop the attack, but he felt a strong Conqueror's Haki. Looking over, he saw Dante, two swords in hand covered in Haki. They were crouching, looking up at the sky, ready to attack.
Dante: "I most likely won't be able to use Armament Haki after this, but it doesn't matter; I'm not alone in this." And with that, he leaped toward the miniature sun, destroying the terrain he was standing on.
Grasping both swords and using all his strength, he slashed twice at Hades's attack. For a moment, nothing happened, only to see the attack split in two, then split into four. With this, the stability of the attack disappeared, creating a massive source of energy and heat directly toward the island.
The island was covered in a wave of light and heat, momentarily blinding some and causing them to faint from dehydration. Meanwhile, the cameraman fell, knocking him out, as did the den den mushi, abruptly ending the broadcast, and the same thing happened to the other snails that were filming.
The entire island would spend a minute like this before returning to normal. The marines would begin to see their wounded, at least those who were halfway healthy. Among those being checked were Arthur and Sulli, one of whom couldn't walk and the other was still unconscious.
Elsewhere, a little closer to the beach, Dante could be seen walking toward that spot, much of his body burned and in pain. Only for Hades to appear, kick him, and send him sprawling to the ground.
Dante stood there, moaning in a low voice. Hades stood over him, aiming to point his finger at him, causing him to burst into blue flames. Dante, in response, uses all of his remaining Conqueror's Haki toward Hades.
Hades: "That won't work. A few last words."
Dante: "Did you know that Conqueror's Haki can interfere with the vision of the future?"
And before Hades could say anything, his right shoulder was destroyed, sending his arm flying in the process.
To Hades' shock, as he retreated, Dante landed a paw on his chin, lifting it again and rising himself, only for a gust of wind to push him towards the beach.
Thanks to this, they both fell on the beach, but only on the sand and not in the sea.
They both got up. Both, badly injured, stared at each other, with Dante being the first to act, launching himself at Hades. He swiftly threw a punch, which was blocked by Hades's remaining hand. However, as weak as he was, he couldn't prevent Dante from sending him flying into the water, inevitably falling into the sea.
Hades didn't fall into a deep part, so he was able to stand on his knees very weakly, as the Devil Fruit curse affected him immediately, as the water covered him up to his abdomen at this point.
The moment he looked ahead, a direct kick landed in his face, knocking him back into the water.
Dante didn't think twice and held Hades's head underwater, drowning him. Being seawater, Hades had no way to defend himself. He tried to grab Dante with his remaining arm, but he didn't have the strength to do anything.
And so Hades's attempts to escape Dante's grip, which kept his head underwater, diminished until they finally ceased.
Seeing this, Dante slowly let go of Hades. Seeing that Hades didn't stop, he relaxed and sat in the sea, looking up at the sky and sighing deeply. He never intended to kill Hades, but it was the only option he could think of at the time.
And so ends Hades's story, drowned by the man he hated most.
*Scene break*
Sengoku reached the tunnels where Kuzan and the priestess were supposed to have met; the place was filled with destroyed ice and cuts. He continued walking only to see him sitting on the floor, covered in wounds.
Sengoku: "Did you lose?"
Kuzan: "In theory, yes. He didn't defeat me, but he managed to escape. His Devil Fruit is very annoying, on par with Sakazuki's."
Sengoku didn't say anything else; he approached Kuzan to pick him up and take him with him.
Kuzan: "Thank you. My heel is cut, so I can't walk properly."
Sengoku: "It's okay. Now we're all going to the G-8 to heal our wounds."
*A few days later*
POV Dante
Right now we're in the G-8, undergoing our treatments, which weren't that complicated. Thanks to Arthur's fruit, Sulli's knowledge of how to use it on her body, and the help of the Navy's chief medical officer, all of our burns were treated, at least to a certain degree.
I'll run through our injuries. First, I have several third-degree burns and less, and my skin was completely burned. After three sections of repair, I was back to normal, except my skin was a little tender.
Next up is Arthur, who had lost a leg, but luckily, they repaired it and all the burns and made it work again, except he lost his toes. They were able to heal the burns, but they couldn't make the flesh on his leg grow back. He didn't think much of it, as it was better than having no foot.
And the last one left with injuries was Trini, whose face was also treated, but like Arthur, they couldn't restore her eye, making it completely dysfunctional, leaving her blind in only one eye. She decided to remove her bad eye and is currently walking around with an eye patch.
Nothing bad happened to either Isis or Arthur, so there's nothing to report regarding injuries.
Now I'm waiting for the Marine's chief medic to free up so she can give me something specific. After that, there's a ship waiting for us, which will take us to Sabaody, and from there we'll return to the New World.
At that moment, the door opened, and a man with a bandaged arm emerged. He nodded at me and left. Shortly after, the chief medic came out with a chest, which I took and thanked her for, then went to where the others were.
After a few minutes, I arrived where Arthur, Trini, Sulli, Isis, and Hun, who had stayed on Monsalves' boat, were.
Arthur: "Good thing you arrived; I thought you were flirting with a nurse." He was going to contradict that but couldn't, since it was something he could do.
Dante: "I asked the head doctor there for something specific, and she gave it to me today." Then I took out the box and handed it to Trini.
She, surprised, took it and opened it; inside it was a fake green eye.
Trini: "This."
Dante: "I believe it, Arthur. I told him to keep quiet, and since I thought Sulli might end up telling you, I asked the head doctor to examine it and sterilize it so you could use it."
Sulli: "You have so little trust in me," she said, somewhat reluctantly.
Dante: 'Something about Trini, yeah,' I thought.
Trini took off the eye patch and put it on her eye, which, after adjusting it, looked as if she hadn't lost her eye.
Isis: "Wow, it looks perfect on you," she said with a smile.
Trini: "It seems that way, thanks to both of you."
Arthur: "It's okay; that's what friends are for."
I just nodded and looked at the ship in front of me.
Dante: "Well, let's continue on our journey," and with that, we all boarded the boat heading for Sabaody.