Chapter 24: Akainu Dies, The Hidden Mission Is Completed!

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion erupted across Marineford as Krillin's energy blast collided with Akainu. The impact was so massive it drowned out all other sound, and in the blinding white light, the terrifying force devoured everything in its radius.

When the light faded and the smoke cleared, there was... nothing.

Akainu was gone.

The ground where he had fallen had vanished completely—reduced to a deep, smoldering crater. Even a large portion of the surrounding sea had evaporated from the intense heat of the explosion.

The crowd fell into stunned silence.

That one blow had been so overwhelming, so final, that the sheer devastation was hard to process.

Krillin calmly lowered his hand and clapped the dust off his palms. There was no trace of excitement or triumph on his face—only calm indifference.

> "It's done," he said quietly, as if he had just completed a simple chore.

He felt nothing about ending Akainu's life.

This wasn't the first time he had killed someone. He had experienced far too many battles, too many losses and victories. Life and death were just part of the path he walked.

But to everyone else on the battlefield, he had just done something unimaginable.

He had killed a Marine Admiral. Not just anywhere—but here, on the Holy Land of Marineford—the seat of naval power.

It was unprecedented.

Never in the history of the World Government had something like this occurred. And yet, it happened before their very eyes.

Even the Whitebeard Pirates, hardened veterans of countless battles, were frozen in disbelief. They had known Krillin was strong—strong enough to defeat Akainu.

But knowing and seeing are two very different things.

Watching the fiery, iron-fisted Admiral vanish in a blaze of energy left a deep impact. It reminded them all that Krillin wasn't just powerful—he was on a completely different level.

Even Whitebeard himself was briefly stunned.

> If not for Krillin's sudden arrival, Whitebeard thought, it wouldn't have been Akainu who died today. It would've been me.

Krillin turned and walked calmly toward Whitebeard. His tone remained casual, as though this entire event had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

> "Well, I've fulfilled your request," he said. "So, do you still want to continue this war?"

The question jolted Whitebeard out of his daze. He looked at Krillin, then glanced over the wreckage of the battlefield, and finally locked eyes with Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral.

> "No," Whitebeard said, shaking his head. "There's no need."

He turned to Sengoku and added with finality, "Warring States… this war ends here."

Whitebeard wasn't interested in slaughter. If the Marines hadn't attempted to execute Ace, there would have been no war at all. But now, the man who had hurt Ace—Akainu—was gone.

There was no longer a reason to continue the bloodshed.

And frankly, there was no point in testing Krillin further.

Whitebeard had no doubt that Krillin possessed the power to annihilate the entire Marine force if he wished. There was no reason to push their luck.

Sengoku remained silent for a moment, his expression grim.

What could he say?

An Admiral had been killed—wiped out in front of the entire world. The Navy's authority, their reputation, had taken a blow from which it might never fully recover.

But if they pushed forward now—if they continued this battle—the outcome would only worsen. Akainu was one of their strongest. If he could fall so easily, what chance did Aokiji or Kizaru have?

> None, Sengoku realized. Absolutely none.

If Krillin wanted to, he could probably erase the Navy from the face of the world.

Whitebeard had offered a way out. Sengoku had no choice but to take it.

> "Fine," he said. "The war ends here."

Thus, the greatest battle since the start of the Great Pirate Era—the Marineford War—came to an abrupt end. The tides of war receded, leaving only destruction, silence, and the echo of a single, world-shaking punch.

As the tension faded, Krillin smiled faintly and looked at Whitebeard.

> "Mission complete," he said. "If you're satisfied with my work, feel free to leave a five-star rating."

Whitebeard blinked.

> "Five-star… what?"

Just like Luffy before, Whitebeard found the term strange. But before he could ask, a surge of information rushed into his mind. It was as if an invisible screen had opened in his head.

Thug Group Registration Complete.

Client Status Verified.

Whitebeard suddenly understood everything.

He now knew where this mysterious warrior had come from—a different world.

Jack—also known as Krillin—was a contracted member of the "Cosmic Thugs Group," a powerful organization that took on missions across dimensions.

No wonder he was so strong.

No wonder his presence felt different, his energy unfamiliar, his power godlike.

Now it all made sense.

Whitebeard turned toward Ace, who was recovering nearby.

> So that's why Mr. Krillin saved him, Whitebeard realized. Ace must've activated a distress mission while on the brink of death.

And now the task was complete.

Krillin—or rather, Jack, as he was known in the system—was simply here to fulfill that mission.

> "Five stars it is," Whitebeard said, smiling. "You've earned it."

In his mind, a confirmation window appeared.

Rating Submitted: ★★★★★

As for payment—Whitebeard was no miser. He was willing to offer a portion of his power, his Gura Gura no Mi quake energy, wrapped with Haki and his willpower. He hoped the thugs group would transfer this reward to Jack.

But what Whitebeard didn't realize was that employers couldn't directly give rewards to the thugs themselves. The platform handled all payments.

Only if the client had something extra to offer—outside of the contract—could the thug keep it.

Back in the cosmic group chat, notifications appeared:

> Ding! Congratulations to thug Jack for completing a hidden mission! You have received 400,000 points!

Ding! You've been awarded a Five-Star Rating. You've earned a bonus lottery draw!

Ding! Hidden Mission Complete – Special Reward Unlocked: Strength Doubled!

Jack grinned.

He could feel it—his strength was rising rapidly, coursing through every cell of his body.

> So this is what it feels like… doubling in strength instantly!

His power surged beyond measure, far surpassing what he had before the mission.

> "If I keep this up," Jack muttered, "I might be able to catch up to Goku and Vegeta… maybe even surpass them."

But he knew better than to get carried away.

Rewards like this weren't common. Missions that offered them were rare and highly competitive. Not every request was as urgent—or dangerous—as this one had been.

He had simply been lucky this time.

Even so, Jack felt satisfied.

This world had been fun. The people were strong, the drama was intense, and the enemies were fierce. But most importantly, the mission was complete.

With a faint shimmer, Jack opened a portal back to the Cosmic Thugs Group HQ, leaving behind a war-torn Marineford and a world forever changed by his presence.

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