Twilight's End A New Dawn

Chapter 11: The Match That Shook Marineford

The Five Elders sat in brooding silence, lost in thought as one memory surfaced—a moment that still echoed within the walls of Marineford: the legendary sparring match between Admiral Selene "The Moonblade" and Fleet Admiral Akainu.

Though it had only been a sparring session, it was anything but ordinary. It became a battle that every Marine whispered about—the day the unrelenting fire of Akainu clashed with the unpredictable elegance of Selene's shadows.

The Setup: A Clash of Opposites

The match was intended to test Selene's abilities against Akainu's sheer brute force, a show of skill for the upper brass and to assert dominance within the Navy's ranks. Akainu, ever the believer in Absolute Justice, wanted to ensure that Selene knew her place beneath his command.

But Selene had no intention of backing down. She was used to dancing around fire—both metaphorically and literally—and she wasn't about to let Akainu intimidate her.

The First Exchange: Fire vs. Shadows

The moment the match began, Akainu wasted no time, launching a tidal wave of molten lava in Selene's direction. The heat in the training yard was suffocating, and lesser Marines watching from the sidelines could feel the intensity from a distance.

But Selene didn't flinch. With a graceful pivot, her body twisted effortlessly out of the way, activating Witch Time. For a split second, time slowed, and Selene weaved through Akainu's attacks like a shadow slipping through cracks in a wall.

In one fluid motion, she drew Orion and Lyra, her twin pistols, and fired several Haki-infused bullets, each one curving mid-air toward Akainu's exposed side.

BOOM! The impact sent Akainu skidding back, though his magma-coated body absorbed most of the force. "Hmph," he grunted, surprised but not impressed. "You're fast—but that won't be enough."

The Shift: Akainu Underestimated Her

Akainu doubled down, unleashing a massive wave of magma that scorched the ground. Lava burst from the cracks beneath Selene's feet, attempting to corner her, but she leapt into the air with a dancer's elegance, flipping mid-flight and firing more rounds from her pistols.

Each shot ricocheted off the molten ground, curving through the air with impossible precision—aimed at the weak points Akainu thought were safe. The audience watching the match couldn't believe their eyes. Selene wasn't just dodging Akainu's attacks—she was making the battle look beautiful.

When Akainu charged forward, his body transforming into a pillar of magma, Selene met him without hesitation. Her daggers flashed as she parried his strikes with uncanny precision. The clash between fire and shadow was nothing short of breathtaking—each movement she made felt deliberate, as though the battle were a choreographed dance.

Akainu's Rage Grows

Akainu's frustration grew with every missed strike. He was used to overwhelming his opponents with raw power, but Selene refused to be overwhelmed. Every time his molten fists came crashing down, she slipped just beyond his reach, as though she knew exactly where he would be.

The match took an unexpected turn when Selene closed the distance, summoning her panther, Nyx. In the blink of an eye, she appeared behind Akainu, pressing the cold edge of one of her crescent-shaped daggers against his neck.

"Checkmate, Sakazuki," she whispered into his ear, her voice soft but laced with amusement.

Akainu growled in frustration. "You think this is a game?"

Selene smiled, "Everything's a game—you just don't know how to play." With a teasing flick of her wrist, she vanished into a blur of shadows before he could react, leaving Akainu to seethe alone.

The Aftermath: Respect and Resentment

Though Akainu had not been officially defeated, it was clear to everyone present: Selene was not someone to be taken lightly. Her speed, precision, and adaptability had allowed her to match—and in many ways outclass—Akainu. It was a clash of brute force and finesse, and though no winner had been declared, it was obvious to all who had truly dominated the fight.

Akainu's resentment toward Selene grew from that day forward. Her refusal to yield to his methods, her defiance wrapped in elegance—it infuriated him. And yet, there was a grudging respect, buried beneath the frustration.

Selene, however, remained as unbothered as ever. To her, the fight had been nothing more than a dance—a way to show Akainu that fire could never catch a shadow.

The Elders Reflect: A Match They Can't Forget

"She outmaneuvered Akainu," one of the Elders muttered, shaking his head. "She could have ended the match right there if she wanted to."

"And she didn't even break a sweat," the mustached Elder added. "That fight showed us exactly why she can't be controlled. If Akainu can't overwhelm her with raw power, who in the world can?"

The bald Elder with the sword frowned. "Not CP0. Not CP9. Not even Akainu himself. If Selene ever chooses to turn her blade against us, there won't be anyone left standing to stop her."

A Force Untethered

"The worst part," one Elder murmured, "is that she doesn't care about power. She's not fighting for titles or rank. She fights for her own sense of justice—and that makes her more dangerous than any Yonko or Revolutionary leader."

"If she ever walks away from the Marines," the elder with the sword added gravely, "it will be the end of the Navy as we know it. Half the officers would follow her, and the rest wouldn't be enough to stop the chaos."

The Five Elders exchanged grim looks, fully aware of the precarious balance they were trying to maintain. Selene wasn't just an admiral—she was a force they couldn't control.

A Blade They Dare Not Cross

"In the end," one Elder said softly, "we must ensure that Selene never sees us as her enemy. Because if she does..."

The mustached Elder finished the thought: "There won't be anything left of us when she's done."

They knew that Selene's clash with Akainu had proven more than just her strength—it had revealed the limits of their power. They could not intimidate her. They could not outfight her. All they could do was tread carefully—and hope she never gave them a reason to regret their actions.

End of Chapter 11: A Lesson in Shadows

The Five Elders knew one thing for certain: Selene "The Moonblade" was beyond their reach. She wasn't bound by power, fear, or ambition—and she was too dangerous to antagonize.

If Akainu's fire couldn't break her, what hope did they have? The only option was to keep her close, tread carefully, and pray she never turned her blade in their direction.

Because once Selene set her sights on a target, there was no force in the world that could stop her. Not Akainu, not CP0, not even the World Government itself.