Chapter 530: Hearts Torn on the Battlefield

“Watch out!”

“Fire Fist!”

Udyr charged forward, kicking Chopper aside as he was trying to bandage wounds. With his left hand, he grabbed Ye Fan by the chin, while his right fist clashed directly against Ace’s Fire Fist.

The sneak attack went off without a hitch.

If Ace and Luffy had been closer, Udyr might’ve caught them both.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Not even Luffy had time to react before Ace was sent flying, crashing hard onto the frozen ground behind them.

Ace had only just recovered, and now he was covered with fresh wounds.

“Ye Fan!”

“Gum-Gum—Kong Gun!”

With a loud bang, Luffy snapped back to his senses, instantly switching into Gear Fourth. His black-and-red fist shot toward Udyr.

“You have nowhere left to run.”

Udyr stretched out his massive hand and caught Luffy’s fist.

Such a furious punch couldn’t even scratch him. He almost found it funny—how did someone as weak as Luffy manage to break Ace out from the hands of Sengoku and Garp?

Were those two old men just putting on a show?

Mobilizing the entire Navy Headquarters and a hundred thousand elite marines, all just to put on this farce?

Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.

“Villainy must be wiped out entirely. Leave not a single one behind.”

Whatever those old geezers were plotting, right now Udyr just wanted to finish off Luffy and Ace.

As for the consequences, he’d worry about those later.

Before Luffy could react, Udyr yanked him close, still gripping his fist. “Death is where your story ends.”

“Fire Fist!”

Ace suddenly appeared in front of Luffy, unleashing a massive Fire Fist directly at Udyr’s chest.

But even with Luffy and Ace teaming up, they stood no chance against Udyr. Using just his right hand, he knocked them both to the ground in a matter of moves.

“Let’s start with you, then I’ll finish the rest one by one.”

Splat!

Udyr’s right hand plunged straight through Ye Fan’s chest. When he pulled back, he was gripping a bright red, still-beating heart.

Ye Fan had been ready to give his life, hoping to trigger Luffy’s hidden potential. But as Udyr ripped out the heart of his doppelgänger, Ye Fan, vengeful as ever, burned Udyr’s face into his memory.

No rush. Your time is coming.

I won’t rest until I return the favor and send you to hell myself.

“No! Ye Fan!”

As Luffy screamed in rage and heartbreak, Udyr crushed the heart in his hand.

In that instant, Ye Fan pointed at Luffy and the others, and whispered with a faint smile, “Go… Don’t look back…”

Watching it unfold, Luffy collapsed to his knees and broke down, sobbing.

He’d been fine when they arrived—so why, just as they were about to escape?

Moments with Ye Fan on the ship flashed through his mind as if they’d happened only yesterday.

“Ye Fan!”

“Ye Fan!”

Not far away, Sanji, Zoro, Nami, and the others saw what happened and rushed even faster toward the sinking ship.

But Ye Fan looked like a broken ragdoll, tossed onto the ice without a trace of mercy as Udyr strode forward.

“Luffy, you have to go first.”

Ace grabbed Luffy’s shoulder and threw him back, while he charged at Udyr alone, blocking his path.

“Ye Fan is dead. I’ve lost my best first mate.”

“But I can’t just stand here and watch you go off to die. I won’t lose my last brother.”

Luffy, fueled by desperation, ran even faster than Ace. Swinging his fist, he rushed straight up to Udyr.

“Rushing to your own death—I have to admire your guts.”

“Earthquake Bear!”

Udyr didn’t hold back at all. Gathering all his power into his right fist, he smashed it straight at Luffy’s head.

Luffy’s fist hit Udyr at the same time, the clash so violent that both were knocked apart. But Luffy had it worse—his head was flattened by the impact. If it weren’t for the powers of the Gum-Gum Fruit, he’d be dead already.

“Not bad, you’ve got strength, but it’s nowhere near enough. The two of you have no chance of surviving.”

“Flame Emperor!”

Determined to save his brother, Ace didn’t hold back, ready to unleash his ultimate move.

A fireball began to expand from his fist. Once Ace unleashed his final form of Flame Emperor, it could wipe out most of the marines on the field.

“I can’t let you do whatever you want anymore!”

But Udyr wasn’t about to let him power up.

He stomped his right foot down, and the ice rippled like water turning a dark yellow beneath Ace. Caught off guard, Ace stumbled as the attack fizzled out behind him.

“If you want to die, line up—one at a time.”

As Ace struggled to his feet, Udyr appeared right in front of him and slammed a fist into his chest, pounding him deep into the ice.

“Ace!”

“Gum-Gum—Kong Gun!”

“Is that… Conqueror’s Haki?”

“Looks like I really can’t let you live now.”

Udyr was about to finish off Ace for good when Luffy’s punch suddenly struck—shrouded in thick, fierce Conqueror’s Haki—forcing him to change targets immediately.

If Luffy survived, the New World might see the rise of a terrifying new pirate. That was something Udyr refused to allow.

Clang!

Blinding sparks flew as the two powers collided midair.

But after a short struggle, Luffy’s strength ran empty first and he was sent flying.

“Luffy!”

“Luffy, get up!”

Luffy was blown away again, body rolling over the ice leaving a bloody trail.

Zoro and the others wanted desperately to help, but the gathered marines blocked their way.

“That’s it, Admiral Udyr, finish off the Straw Hat and Ace!”

“That’s right, if we take them out, justice will prevail for the Navy.”

The marines swarming the field threw themselves at Zoro’s group, desperate to hold them back.

As long as they delayed things a little longer, Ace and Luffy would die first. In that case, all their efforts would be worth it, and the navy would claim victory.

Knowing time was tight, Udyr wasted none. He rushed over to Luffy and rained down punch after brutal punch.

The sound of impact echoed over and over, ice shattering beneath them, until a massive hundred-meter pit opened up in the ice.

“Sandstorm!”

“Fish-Man Karate—River Suplex!”

Just as Luffy was about to die, Crocodile and Jinbei arrived. The two teamed up, blasting Udyr off Luffy with a coordinated attack.

“Why do troublemakers always show up at the worst possible moment?”

Udyr was annoyed, but he only cared about getting back to Ace, who was lying on the ice behind him.

“Brachiosaurus—Head Bash!”

Before he could move, a giant yellow brachiosaurus thundered in from the side, head covered in jet-black Armament Haki.

It was Quinn, one of Kaido’s three all-stars.

When Kaido’s crew joined the battle, King attacked first while Queen stayed back, searching for his true target.

But with the constant explosions just now, he finally spotted Admiral Udyr beating on Luffy and Ace.

Target sighted, Queen charged in. Transforming into his dinosaur form, he barreled forward, aiming straight for Udyr.