Deciding the outcome through an arena battle was indeed a good idea.
The pirate alliance numbered over a million; even if the air force used up all their cannonballs, they couldn't kill that many enemies. As for the battleship force, they would probably be destroyed in the first wave of the attack.
A two-man arena battle to determine the victor could effectively avoid unnecessary casualties.
What is a war fought over?
People, territory, money!
Of these, people are the most important.
If they fought to the death, it would indeed show the might of the Marines and show the world that justice will never be done.
But afterwards...
Frankly, Rowen wasn't confident that he could wrest Akainu from the current pirate line-up.
If Akainu fell, it would be a massive blow to the Marines!
The barefooted aren't afraid of those with shoes.
The pirates already had no shoes; it did not matter if they won or lost.
Besides, even if they lost, wouldn't that be taken for granted by the people, who had grown accustomed to the Marines' victories?
But if the Marines suffered a crushing defeat, the higher their expectations, the greater the disappointment.
The confidence and glory gained by capturing Dragon and killing BIG MOM would be gone forever.
So!
"Akainu Admiral, are you sure your injuries are alright?"
Rowen frowned slightly.
He understood the reasoning, but after being hit and slashed by Whitebeard, Akainu's current state was far from good.
In the past, it had taken both him and Aokiji to stop Kaido outside the old G-5 branch, proving a gap in their power, especially now that he was injured.
Rowen's intentions were clear: he wanted Akainu to step back and let him take over.
"Kid, don't underestimate me!"
Suddenly, a tremendous pressure descended upon the entire area.
Akainu adjusted his hat, pulling the baseball cap down on his forehead, his expression stern and unyielding, exuding an air of unwavering authority.
"Before I fall in battle, it's not your place to show off, you youngsters!"
"..."
"Leave it to him, Rowen."
Kizaru flashed to Rowen's side, speaking in his usual slow, indifferent manner: "He's just like that, prideful."
Rowen fell silent.
Prideful?
That wasn't the whole story.
More than that, it was the honor of being an Admiral, the pride of being a soldier.
If he backed down today, regardless of what others thought, Akainu would be the first to look down on himself.
After all, he wanted to be Fleet Admiral!
"So be it."
At that moment, Rowen's Heart Network detected Sengoku's voice in the area.
The voice came from a distant battleship, for Sengoku knew that Rowen could hear him at that distance.
"Den Den Mushi?"
Rowen raised an eyebrow, realizing that it wasn't Sengoku himself, but a message being relayed through the Den Den Mushi held by Chaton.
"The sudden change in events has gotten beyond Marine's control. Let's settle this matter as it is."
Sengoku's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, sounding hoarse and tired.
"Understood."
Rowen nodded to show that he understood.
The Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) definitely didn't want a full-scale war with the Yonko, as mentioned before.
Add to this the secret meeting between Shanks and the Gorōsei in the original work, and Rowen had to suspect that Mihawk's ability to contact Shanks via Den Den Mushi was backed by the Gorōsei.
This was a matter of mutual compromise.
It was indeed beyond the Marine's jurisdiction.
Suddenly, distant cannon fire echoed, golden lasers shot in all directions, and nearby pirate ships exploded in flames, forcibly cutting a bloody path through the encirclement.
"Don't look at me like that, it's the Pacifista!"
Kizaru innocently shrugged his shoulders and said, "Surely, as a Yonko, you know what a Pacifista is?"
"Marine's new war weapon..."
Whitebeard's gaze darkened.
Super Electromagnetic Cannon, Plasma Cannon, Air Force, Thunder-Lightning Stimulation Device... and now the War Robot "Pacifista." The Navy's military power was indeed far advanced!
"Vice Admiral Chaton, lead the fleet to break through at five o'clock and rendezvous with the Pacifista!"
Rowen's voice carried through the electric current, echoing over the fleet.
"Yosh, leave it to me!"
Waiting would only result in being surrounded by pirates, so the fleet had already begun its escape. But with so many enemies around them, they couldn't find their bearings, wandering aimlessly like headless flies in the enemy's encirclement.
Now, with clear instructions, Chaton grinned and gave the orders to the entire fleet.
"Charge! Target: five o'clock!"
These matters were unimportant; neither Whitebeard nor the others cared, nor did Rowen. The real focus was still on the few people on McKinley Island.
Smart pirates wouldn't foolishly crash into the naval fleet, for in a critical situation, did they really think that Soryu and Kizaru, the two most agile creatures in the world, were just for show?
So, despite the lively battle at the fleet, it was the small pirates, blinded by the glory of "eliminating the Marines", who were actually at a disadvantage with the cooperation of the Air Force.
"Hm, enough with the endless chatter, are we fighting or not?"
Kaido swung his spiked club impatiently.
"I won't take advantage of you, Akainu. The injuries on you were caused by Whitebeard, not me!"
"So I won't use my Devil Fruit Form Change!"
"I can defeat you with my fists alone!"
The unique second transformation of Zoan Ability users gives them significant power boosts. Kaido didn't want to take advantage of what Whitebeard had left behind. His Yonko pride made him despise such actions.
So he promised not to transform himself, opting for a fair fight.
"Huh!"
"Anyone can talk big, I hope you won't regret it!"
The tall figure wore the mantle of Justice, and the strips of cloth that encircled his chest were stained with blood, radiating a fierce aura.
"Then... we'll leave the battlefield to you."
Shanks said, stepping lightly and running towards the slowly retreating [The Red Force].
The Whitebeard Pirates' [Moby Dick] did the same. At their level of strength, once a real battle broke out, a single move could cause catastrophic destruction, making it dangerous to watch the battle.
But as the ships of the Hundred Beasts retreated from the shore, Rowen couldn't help but take a closer look.
"Kano Country?"
"No, those are warships from Wano Country!"
At first glance, Rowen also mistook these ornate ships for the treasure ships of Kano Country. But upon closer inspection, although their styles were similar, they had distinct features that were unique to each of them.
Looking across the sea, the only ships whose style resembled the treasure ships of Kano Country were those of Wano Country. Rowen couldn't think of any others.
"Kaido has actually contacted Orochi of Wano Country?"
Rowen frowned silently.
That mysterious Kozuki Toki, the Time-Time Fruit Ability user, had sent Momonosuke and his group 20 years into the future. Now, there were only two years and a few months left.
Since Kaido's last defeat, he had been in hiding, only to reappear later when he attacked Cake Island for the first time. This had to be taken as a signal.
If Kaido controlled Wano Country, which had created the Poneglyphs, possessed the world's only advanced seastone processing technology, and was shrouded in mystery, it wouldn't bode well for them.
Boom!
Suddenly, an explosion snapped Rowen out of his thoughts.
He looked up to see Kaido attacking decisively as soon as everyone left McKinley Island!
He was not one for defense; in battle, he only knew how to attack relentlessly. With an indestructible body and unbeatable fists, he fought with the utmost ferocity, crushing his opponents.
But his opponent was Akainu.
He is one of the strongest Marines of the era!
Facing Kaido's swinging spiked club, Akainu braved the palpable pressure of the wind, and terrifying waves of heat erupted like Burning Mountains and Boiling Seas. The crimson magma shook the ground before bursting upwards.
Boom!
The sound Rowen heard was that of a volcanic eruption.
At the center of their battleground, the ground cracked under pressure, and a volcano a thousand meters in diameter suddenly erupted. Rivers of magma surged upward like a celestial dog devouring the moon, turning the sky and ocean crimson!
...
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