Chapter 13: Kill Akainu? Help Akainu? The Pirate-Navy Objective Shifts!

Although killing Akainu was just a request from Whitebeard, it posed a dilemma.

For Krillin, there was no personal grudge against Akainu. He had no reason to kill the man. But since Whitebeard was the client, and this was a formal request, it couldn't be ignored.

After all, if he didn't complete the request, Whitebeard might not give him a five-star rating—and that would look bad on his mission record.

So even though Krillin didn't hate Akainu, he had no choice but to shrug and say, "Sorry, nothing personal."

On the battlefield, Whitebeard's thunderous voice echoed like a storm, drawing the attention of every pirate and marine alike. His powerful declaration shocked everyone.

The legendary Emperor of the Sea—Whitebeard—had just asked someone to kill Admiral Akainu!

While the idea of a Yonko targeting an admiral wasn't strange in itself—after all, pirates and marines were eternal enemies—this situation was different.

Because Whitebeard wasn't the one doing it himself.

He had just publicly requested someone outside of his crew to kill an admiral on his behalf.

And who was this person?

The mysterious man who had earlier produced magical beans that healed Ace's fatal wounds… the man who had casually appeared beside Whitebeard and offered to help end the war.

When Whitebeard asked him what he wanted in return, the man responded indifferently, as if any request was fine—no matter how large or impossible.

That kind of composure, that level of power… it was unreal.

And then Whitebeard made his request—to kill Admiral Akainu.

This simple exchange caused an uproar across both pirate and marine forces. What it implied was staggering.

This mysterious man didn't treat the war on Marineford as a big deal at all. His relaxed manner when speaking to Whitebeard, as if anything could be done easily, made it feel like the war itself was just a small bump in the road.

He hadn't joined the war out of loyalty or necessity.

He joined because he chose to.

And he gave Whitebeard the freedom to ask for anything.

Killing Akainu? No problem.

That confidence… that nonchalance… it shocked everyone.

---

Even the members of the Whitebeard Pirates were confused.

They looked at the stranger with mixed feelings.

"He wants to kill Akainu… as expected of Dad. Still so domineering!"

"Too bad Dad is heavily injured. Otherwise, he would've done it himself!"

"But still, for Dad to rely on this man… could he really be that powerful?"

"He can fly and move at incredible speed, but that doesn't necessarily mean his strength matches the Admirals."

"If Dad asked him to do it, then Dad believes in him. That's all I need to know."

"We owe this guy—Ace was dead if not for him. There's no way we'll let Akainu walk away from this."

With those words, the Whitebeard Pirates shifted their focus. Their goal had changed.

They were no longer simply trying to block the Navy's advance.

Now, they were going to help Krillin kill Akainu.

---

On the marine side, the reaction was immediate.

"All naval forces, stop the pirates at once!" Admiral Sengoku shouted, his voice ringing across the battlefield.

"Aokiji! Kizaru! Go support Akainu immediately!"

"And the Warlords of the Sea—Shichibukai—you're not exempt! Support Akainu!"

He couldn't afford to take chances.

Sengoku didn't know much about this mysterious man who had suddenly appeared beside Whitebeard. But from what he had seen—the healing bean, the way he slapped away Kizaru's light-speed attack—he could tell that this man was dangerous.

Very dangerous.

And if he did succeed in killing Admiral Akainu, it would be catastrophic for the Navy.

An Admiral falling in battle, in front of the entire world?

That would be a massive blow to the Navy's authority and morale.

So Sengoku acted decisively. No matter what it took, Krillin must not be allowed to succeed.

---

Hearing Sengoku's order, Kizaru and Aokiji sprang into action. They immediately moved to Akainu's side, preparing for a coordinated defense.

But the Shichibukai… didn't move.

These so-called "Warlords of the Sea" were merely pirates working under a government contract. And when the time came to put their lives on the line, especially against an unknown force?

They hesitated.

Some of them had already been holding back in their fights with the Whitebeard Pirates earlier.

Now, Sengoku was asking them to fight an unknown enemy—someone who had shown hints of Admiral-level power?

Not a chance.

They stood still, choosing to remain on the sidelines. They weren't going to die for a war that wasn't theirs.

---

Meanwhile, Krillin's eyes swept the battlefield as Aokiji and Kizaru flew in to support their fellow Admiral.

"So… that's Akainu," he muttered.

Until now, he hadn't even known who Akainu was. He'd been meaning to ask Whitebeard for clarification.

This small moment of honesty made those nearby gape in disbelief.

He didn't even know who Akainu was… and yet he agreed to kill him?

Was he overconfident? Naive?

Or just that powerful?

The fact that he accepted the mission so casually, without even knowing who the target was, left many people speechless.

---

Suddenly, two more figures rushed over.

It was Ace and Luffy, who had just made their way to Whitebeard's side.

Krillin turned as Ace looked at him, his expression mixed with embarrassment and concern.

"Mr. Krillin… I'm really sorry to trouble you," Ace said hesitantly. "But… can I ask you for one more favor?"

Krillin blinked. "Sure, what is it?"

Ace clenched his fists. "Please… don't kill Akainu."

Everyone nearby was stunned again.

What?!

---

Krillin tilted his head. "Wait… you don't want me to kill him?"

Ace nodded. "I'm grateful for your help. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead. But… I want to be the one to stop Akainu. It's personal."

Luffy stood beside him, nodding furiously.

"Yeah! Ace needs to do this!"

Krillin scratched his head. "Well, that's… complicated. The mission I accepted from your father was to kill Akainu."

Ace bit his lip. "I know. But I want to earn my own closure. I need to prove that I can defeat him myself."

Krillin looked between Ace and the battlefield, where Akainu now stood with Aokiji and Kizaru beside him, ready for war.

"…Tell you what," Krillin finally said. "I'll stall him. I'll fight him, but I won't kill him unless absolutely necessary."

Ace's eyes widened. "Really?!"

Krillin grinned. "You saved your brother from execution. You've got guts. I'll give you your chance. But if things go south, I'm stepping in."

Ace bowed. "Thank you, Krillin!"

---

Back on the Navy's side, Sengoku and the Admirals were preparing for battle, unaware that their target was now planning to hold back—at least temporarily.

But Krillin's job wasn't simple anymore.

Now, he wasn't just a hired warrior.

He was balancing two missions:

1. Respect Whitebeard's request to defeat Akainu.

2. Respect Ace's wish to face Akainu on his own terms.

The battlefield was growing more chaotic by the minute, but Krillin remained calm.

This war had just taken another unexpected turn—and it wasn't over yet.

patreon(Jutsu_143)