Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Guns and cannons like a forest! White clothes as pure as snow!
A massive crescent-shaped fortress, fifty new warships, densely packed artillery, and a hundred thousand elite Marines! Plus, high-ranking Marine officers and generals from all over.
And five renowned 'Warlords': Kuma, Doflamingo, Mihawk, Hancock, and Moria.
Under the execution platform were the three Admirals: Kizaru and Akainu sitting with their legs crossed in the 'Admiral's pose', and Aokiji with his hands on his knees.
To teach you a lesson for being unsociable, we'll break your legs!
Finally:
"Celestial Dragons?"
"What are those disgusting creatures doing here?"
"Maybe they're 'execution overseers' sent by the Holy Land, who knows, hehe~~"
"Hope they don't wet their pants from the battle scenes, after all, they're the face of the World Nobles..."
That guy... isn't he from the Straw Hat crew?
No, maybe it's just a resemblance.
In the crowd, Smoker, with two cigars in his mouth, shook his head. Celestial Dragons becoming pirates... even fairy tales wouldn't dare write that.
All kinds of undisguised voices of disgust reached his ears, but Roman, sitting on the execution platform, ignored them all, resting his chin on his hand and pretending to sleep. Although he hadn't physically exerted himself, the series of remote controls had drained his mental energy...
No one could have imagined that someone would be sleeping to recharge in such a tense and highly watched situation.
Zzzzzz.....
???
Fleet Admiral Sengoku glanced at Roman, who insisted on watching the execution but started sleeping on the platform, and wondered for a moment: Could this guy be in cahoots with Garp?
Ace, who glanced at Roman before turning his head, was forcibly pressed to kneel on the ground. Facing imminent death, his emotions were mixed.
angry? He wasn't as skilled as others;
Sorrow? He wasn't afraid of death;
Sadness? Not really;
Maybe... a bit of regret.
He didn't care about his own death, but he was still worried about Luffy. Grandpa, I'm sorry to disappoint you... and Pops, I couldn't see you become the 'Pirate King.'
"Ace, reveal your identity..."
As Sengoku began to reveal Ace's identity as the son of Pirate King Roger, Roman had already fallen into a deep sleep.
---
"Roman,"
Facing Luffy, who seemed hesitant to speak, The White Knight, with his arms crossed, turned around.
"Ace is temporarily safe. The battle at Marine Headquarters hasn't started yet."
"It's not that, I wanted to say... never mind,"
Luffy, pressing his straw hat, grinned and returned to his usual cheerful self.
"Thanks."
"Saying 'thanks' is too formal,"
The White Knight waved his hand, and Luffy chuckled.
"But besides 'thank you,' I can't think of anything else to say."
Strictly speaking, this was Luffy's 'personal matter.' —Ace was Luffy's brother, but it had nothing to do with the Straw Hat crew. Whether it was helping Vivi or rescuing Robin, it was because they were adventure companions, something everyone agreed on.
And this time, it went against the Straw Hat crew's usual 'style,' which was:
Not to be enemies with the Marines!
Although they flew the pirate flag, unlike other real pirates who increased their bounties by killing civilians and Marines, the Straw Hat crew always avoided conflict with the Marines, even if they were much stronger.
Otherwise, could a mere Smoker really chase the Straw Hat crew? Who are you kidding, with that guy who turned a Logia ability into a 'debuff'...
"Just keep moving forward."
The White Knight pointed to the slowly opening Gate of Justice.
"I'll guard your back."
"That's right, Straw Hat boy~~"
Bon Clay, spinning with a wine glass, gave a thumbs up.
"I'll help you too! —Because we're friends~~"
This is a world where people truly go to great lengths for their friends.
Although it seems 'foolish,' it also makes countless men yearn for it.
——————
"They're here!!"
"Enemy ships spotted—"
"Prepare for battle, everyone!"
With various commands and slogans from the Marines, the entire Marineford instantly 'came to life!' Bullets were loaded, turrets turned, like a ferocious beast standing up, baring its fangs and claws without any concealment.
And on the sea facing Marineford, at least forty large five-masted, even seven-masted ships flying pirate flags, each with its own style, were slowly approaching.
"Be careful, it's Whitebeard's pirate fleet!"
"'Great Whirlpool Spider' Squard, 'Thunder Lord' McGuy, 'Knight of the Sea' Doma, 'Ice Witch' White Bay..."
One by one, the captains famous in the New World stood proudly at the bow, commanding their pirate ships straight towards Marineford. As for their target:
"Even you all..."
Seeing all of Whitebeard's pirate crews gathered, Ace didn't know what to say for a moment...
Was it excitement, shock, or regret?
"There are 43 ships in total, but Whitebeard's flagship 'Moby Dick' is still missing, and his combat captains are nowhere to be seen!"
?!
At this moment, the three Admirals below the execution platform reacted because they had already 'heard'—
Rumble~~~~
In the harbor of Marineford, the sea water rose like a mountain! As the massive amount of water was displaced, four huge warships emerged from the depths.
"It's Moby Dick!"
"Whitebeard is here!"
This was a massive warship, as large as an aircraft carrier, with a bow resembling a whale. Behind it were three slightly smaller ships, belonging to Whitebeard's main force.
"Gurararararara—"
The man standing proudly at the bow had a distinctive crescent-shaped mustache, stood six meters tall, bare-chested, wearing a captain's coat! In his hand was a large sword taller than himself, one of the twelve Supreme Grade Swords, Murakumogiri. Although he was already 72 years old, the old man's robust physique was still as strong as ever!
He looked towards Ace on the execution platform from afar, showing a confident and doting smile.
"My beloved son, are you alright..."
"Pops!!!"
Ace's desperate shout brought Roman, who was 'sleeping' beside him, back to his senses. He opened his dark-circled eyes and looked towards the harbor below the platform, where a towering man stood on the largest ship.
Whitebeard!
He finally came, so—
Sitting up straight, Roman seriously looked at the rising killing intent below! Let me see what the top combat power in this world looks like, and by the way:
Compare it with the strong ones seen in those eyes.
"Hmm?"
Whitebeard's gaze fell beside the execution platform, where a young man in a white suit with a bubble helmet sat. In this world, only one group dresses so oddly:
Celestial Dragons!
Is it this little guy?
In an instant, Whitebeard recognized from the aura that this was the master of the puppet who had previously delivered 'intelligence' to him.
Gurararararara~~ To be able to make a Celestial Dragon betray their own camp, could 'you' really have appeared?
Joy Boy...
Unfortunately.
With just a distant glance, Whitebeard saw Roman's indifference towards Ace. Combining this with the words of the white puppet earlier, it was clear that the other party's assistance had nothing to do with Ace.
In other words, there was someone else?
I really want to meet that man before I die, the one Roger said could change the fate of this sea...
"Pops!!"
The shouts of his sons brought Whitebeard back to reality. Ace, seeing the man he respected the most and his comrades who had stepped into the Marine's trap without hesitation for his sake, anxiously shouted towards them.
"Everyone... I ignored your warnings and came out on my own!"
"Why can't you let me fend for myself?!"
"It was my reckless actions that led to this..."
Facing Ace's heartfelt words, Whitebeard calmly responded.
"No,"
"I was the one who sent you."
?!
"You're lying, you clearly stopped me—"
"I was the one who sent Ace to chase Teach, —right, Marco."
"Yes!"
A group of people began to emerge from behind Whitebeard, his direct commanders: 'Phoenix' Marco, 'Diamond' Jozu, 'Flower Sword' Vista...
"Oh, I heard it too, it was Pops who sent you to chase Teach."
A middle-aged man with a golden punk hairstyle, a dagger at his waist, and a tattoo of the Whitebeard Pirates on his chest nodded.
"Yes, I heard it too."
"Me too..."
"Me as well!"
As the group behind him nodded, Whitebeard slightly crouched, raising a clenched fist, his muscles like steel cables stretched to the limit!
As he activated his fruit ability, a blazing white sphere that seemed to encompass all colors formed on Whitebeard's fist in an instant. Just looking at it felt like it would shatter you! Then:
"Sengoku!!"
With a roar, Whitebeard's fist, carrying the light sphere, struck out fiercely!
Crack!!
In an instant, the air shattered like glass under Whitebeard's fist. The void in front of his fist twisted and rolled out like a sponge pierced in the middle! The air rippled, and a massive white 'storm' roared towards the Marines, as if to pierce through all of Marineford with one punch!
As the storm passed, countless cracks appeared in the air. A Marine captain, unfortunately caught at the edge of a crack, screamed as a fine crack swept from his left shoulder to his right leg, instantly causing blood to spurt wildly! He was nearly cut in half, severely injured and out of the fight.
The artillery touched by the fine cracks, which even bullets and swords could only leave a white mark on, instantly shattered into a pile of scrap metal! The entire Marine formation seemed to be bitten through by an invisible giant beast, all the way towards:
?!
This punch was clearly aimed at the execution platform!
This opening move of using a big attack made Akainu and Kizaru, who were sitting with their legs crossed, change their expressions. Even Aokiji beside them suddenly stood up, and the three of them raised their palms, aiming at the shockwave from a distance.
Armament Haki—External Release!
Crack, crack, crack, crack!
Amidst the intense friction sound that made everyone's teeth ache, the invisible vibration seemed to hit an unseen barrier and stopped in mid-air. The three Admirals were speechless.
"Hey, hey, hey, who starts a battle by using the 'ultimate' move?"
"Oh my, still strong despite the age, how scary..."
"Look—"
While the punch sent the Marine camp flying, the Whitebeard Pirates didn't take the opportunity to charge. Instead, four warships quickly moved to the left side of the island, looking like:
"How is that possible?!"
Sengoku was shocked. He had specifically left a trap in the middle for the Whitebeard Pirates. But instead of charging straight to rescue, they first looked for a foothold on the side?
Don't they know that Aokiji can easily freeze the sea—?!
"Aokiji, freeze them!"
Facing Sengoku's urgent order, Aokiji reached out towards the harbor.
"Ice Age!"
Crack, crack, crack, crack—
Amidst the continuous freezing sound, the entire harbor turned into ice in an instant, but Whitebeard just slightly curled his lips.
So eager to pin us down? Just as that kid's intel said.
"Activate the paddle wheels, force a landing!"
With rows of 'paddle wheels' appearing under the four warships, and with the inhuman strength of the crew and the immense power of those like George who jumped down to 'push the ship,' they managed to break free from the ice and headed towards the narrow battery on the left side of the island.
"Ace, my son!"
"Hold on, we're coming to save you soon!"
—————— ----
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