"In this battle, I want everyone to prioritize their safety. My greatest comfort will be seeing all of you return alive,"
Whitebeard said.
"Don't worry, Oyaji. We'll come back alive for sure, and we'll crush the Big Mom Pirates completely!"
Marco and the others cheered confidently.
"That's good to hear. I feel relieved," Whitebeard said with a smile.
After thorough preparations, the Whitebeard Pirates gathered their crews from all directions and started marching towards Bluff Island.
Bluff Island is a very huge island, has vast plains and dense forests, making it a sturdy and good location.
Big Mom chose this island for the war because it's more suitable. Just a few nautical miles away from Bluff Island, Big Mom's pirates had already started arriving one after another.
Big Mom stood at the center of her pirate ship as they approached the island. Once they landed, she watched intently as the Whitebeard Pirate Group's fleet approached.
"Whitebeard, you'll regret humiliating me this time!"
Big Mom said with bitterness in her voice.
Whitebeard destroyed the Queen Mama Chanter last time, and Big Mom didn't even get a chance to show her strength, which really annoyed her.
"Everyone, land on the island and take up advantageous positions!" Big Mom ordered.
Capone Bege's pirate ship led the way as Cracker stepped onto the island. Capone Bege, Kid, and the rest followed closely behind, exchanging secretive glances as they went.
"Wanna do it now?"
"We can't take down Cracker now. I'll hit him hard for a while, then make a quick escape. After that, we'll see how things go"
With a silent exchange of glances, the two groups agreed on a plan. Capone Bege, Kid, and Killer then cautiously approached Cracker.
"Do it!"
At Capone Bege's signal, the three of them launched a simultaneous attack on Cracker, each unleashing their strongest moves in a flash.
Boom!
With a loud noise and billowing smoke, the huge power force the boat spilled over onto the island. They watched as Cracker was pummelling into the ground, forming a large crater, making him unable to move.
"Master Cracker!"
Fighting Hormitz rushed over to support him, but the Capone Bege trio quickly retreated and dispersed.
Capone Bege and Kid Killer split into two groups, each hiding separately on the island. While Bluff Island is mostly rocky, there are also forests and caves scattered around.
"Mom, Mom! Capone Bege and the Kid Pirates have betrayed us!"
The Homies immediately reported to Big Mom, and the voice quickly reached Big Mom's ears through the fleet. Hearing this news, the Big Mom was immediately furious.
"Damn it, Capone Bege and Kid! Sooner or later, we'll find them and make them pay!"
Big Mom gritted her teeth in anger.
Big Mom despises traitors the most. It's something she can't tolerate. Over the years, every member who left her pirate group has all died without exception.
However, with the impending battle against the Whitebeard Pirates, Big Mom can't afford to be distracted. She has to temporarily put aside chasing Capone Bege and Kid.
"Mom, it's just two flies, don't let them get to you," Baron Tamagou comforted.
"Katakuri, take charge and keep everything under control. Anyone who dares to betray me, you deal with them," B
ig Mom instructed Katakuri firmly.
"Yes, Mother,"
Katakuri promised, then flew off, scanning the area below from midair using moonwalk
At that moment, the Whitebeard pirates landed one after another from the opposite side of Bluff Island to avoid any potential attacks from Big Mom's crew during their landing.
"Oyaji, it's finally time for the decisive battle,"
Marco said excitedly, standing beside Whitebeard.
"Marco, you and the other commanders need to stay further from my battlefield to avoid being caught up in the fight between Linlin and me,"
Whitebeard instructed.
"Got it Pops"
Marco nodded in understanding.
"Are we finally going to fight the Big Mom Pirates? I can't wait,"
Charles Vane said, clenching his fists eagerly.
"Yeah, let's show the world the strength of Whitebeard Pirates!"
Jozu exclaimed excitedly.
During the last Summit War, despite its grand scale, it was a complete disgrace for the Whitebeard Pirates. It didn't even dent the strength of the Marine Headquarter.
Even though any of the Four Emperors could have taken Whitebeard's place at the time, none of them truly fought against the Marine Headquarter.
During the last fight against Blackbeard's pirates, there was no display of the Whitebeard Pirates' strength because Blackbeard showed no will to fight at all.
He just took his main force and ran away. Blackbeard didn't have to face Whitebeard until he was overtaken by him. However, the scale wasn't on par with a battle between two Emperors.
And now, the real showdown is about to begin. Both Whitebeard and Big Mom have left part of their manpower on their own territory.
However, Whitebeard has more people left behind, and Big Mom knows that this battle with Whitebeard is a gamble for everything. So, she only left a symbolic portion of her forces.
But Big Mom has mostly left behind miscellaneous personnel. While it may seem like a lot of people, not many are capable to fight
So, it's fair to say that in this royal battle, Big Mom has somewhat depleted her foundation, while Whitebeard is more well-prepared.
In terms of combined strength, Whitebeard has 50 pirate ships while Big Mom has 60. These calculations include both main ships and various subordinate groups.
During the war to rescue Ace, Whitebeard initially brought forty-three pirate ships. However, upon his return, he gradually expanded his fleet.
Despite having a huge number, Whitebeard still has enough power to defend his own territory. On the other hand, with 60 pirate ships, Big Mom has almost all the power she can use.
However, some of them are inexperienced pirate groups who answered Big Mom's call to join the charge.
Even though the numbers are sufficient, the high combat power is not so much. But sometimes, the advantage of quantity in lower-tier forces can impact the advantage of higher-tier forces.
"Let's go meet them!" Marco exclaimed, already gearing up. Once most of the personnel had landed on the island, Marco and the others took off from Whitebeard's main ship.
Standing on the bow of Moby Dick, Whitebeard held a Naginata in his hand. With a powerful voice enhanced by vibrations, his voice echoed throughout the entirety of Bluff Island.
Everyone heard the booming voice.
"I, Edward Newgate, hereby declare that I will go to war with Charlotte Linlin, one of the Four Emperors!"
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TO BE CONTINUED
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