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"Whitebeard..." Sengoku glowered at the approaching figure.
Whitebeard, a slight smirk playing on his lips, stood unyielding. Facing the full might of Marine Headquarters, he exuded the indomitable spirit of a man who had ruled the seas for two eras. His presence commanded respect.
"My beloved son... I hope he's alright."
Ace, teeth clenched, struggled to contain his emotions as he called out to Whitebeard and his crew.
"Pops... everyone... I was the one who ignored your warnings and ran off on my own. Why didn't you just let me die?"
Thatch, the 4th division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, had obtained the Dark-Dark Fruit, a power Blackbeard craved. Driven by avarice, Blackbeard murdered Thatch, stole the fruit, and betrayed the Whitebeard Pirates.
Teach, as a member of Ace's 2nd division, had ignited Ace's fury. Disregarding the consequences and Whitebeard's pleas, Ace had recklessly pursued Blackbeard, ultimately suffering defeat and capture by the Marines.
"No, it was my decision to let you go."
True to the original story, Whitebeard shouldered the blame for Ace's actions. In his eyes, Ace was his son, his family. As long as he didn't harm his crewmates like Blackbeard, Whitebeard would accept any of his choices. His commanders shared the same sentiment. Despite Ace's impulsiveness leading to the current crisis, they still considered him one of their own.
"You heard him too, Marco."
"Yeah, I heard. You've been through a lot, Ace." Marco, the 1st division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, affirmed.
"Anyone on these seas should know what happens when you mess with our crew." Vista, the 5th division commander, renowned for his flower swordsmanship, flashed a confident smile. "We won't let anyone who harmed you get away, Ace."
"Ace, we're coming for you!"
"Prepare to die, Marines!"
The commanders' voices boomed, their battle cries echoing across the battlefield. The tension reached fever pitch. Mihawk, the world's strongest swordsman, stood silently observing.
No one could discern his thoughts, and few dared to meet his gaze. Even the most formidable fighters trembled before his piercing stare. His eyes, usually as still as water, flickered with a hint of intrigue as they settled upon Whitebeard.
Whitebeard knew the odds were stacked against him. His health was failing, and he faced the entire might of Marine Headquarters. Yet, he had come without hesitation. He was Whitebeard, after all.
"Gurararara!"
Facing the overwhelming Marine forces, Whitebeard showed no fear, only an unwavering resolve and the domineering aura of a true king.
Age had weathered his body, but not his spirit, His heart.
As Whitebeard's laughter reverberated, an invisible pressure, a kingly aura distinct from Conqueror's Haki, washed over the battlefield, unsettling even the most hardened Marines. Whitebeard slammed his bisento into the ground, then crossed his arms and abruptly thrust them outwards. The air crackled and shattered like glass.
The force of the shockwave sent many stumbling, their faces contorted in fear.
"What was that? The air itself cracked?"
"The water level... it's acting strange!"
As the Marines watched in apprehension, the sea surrounding Marineford began to recede rapidly, creating an ominous atmosphere of impending doom.
Moments later, the ground trembled violently, and a deafening roar echoed across the bay. All eyes turned skyward as two colossal walls of water, towering like tidal waves, converged on Marineford from both sides.
Whitebeard's Tremor-Inducing Power, channeled into the sea, had generated these monstrous waves. The water, forced back by his attack, had now returned with terrifying force.
The Warlords and some of the Vice Admirals remained impassive, but the faces of the other Marines paled with fear.
The two gigantic waves crashed down, threatening to engulf Marineford entirely. It was as if the heavens themselves were falling. Terror gripped the hearts of countless Marines, their bodies drenched in cold sweat.
Just as disaster seemed imminent, Aokiji, positioned to the left of Akainu beneath the execution platform, made his move.
With a burst of speed, he appeared above Marineford, intercepting the towering waves. His hands transformed into ice, and two massive icy spears extended from his palms, piercing the oncoming walls of water.
"Ice Age!"
In an instant, a chilling wave emanated outwards, freezing the colossal waves solid. The impending deluge transformed into two towering ice walls, flanking Marineford on either side.
"We're... saved!"
"Admiral Kuzan!"
Countless Marines gazed at Aokiji, suspended in mid-air, their eyes filled with awe and reverence.
Whitebeard, looking up at Aokiji, boomed, "Kuzan... you little brat!"
Back when Garp clashed with Whitebeard and Roger, Kuzan had been a mere underling. In Whitebeard's eyes, he was still just a kid.
But years had passed, and Kuzan had risen to the rank of Admiral. Undeterred by Whitebeard's imposing presence, Kuzan met his gaze, took a deep breath, and extended his hand. Two icy spears materialized before him and shot towards Whitebeard.
"Ice Spear!"
Whitebeard sidestepped the attack with a grunt and launched a counterattack, his fist striking the air as if hitting an invisible barrier. The atmosphere cracked and buckled under the force of the blow.
A shockwave rippled outwards, shattering the icy projectiles before they could reach him. The force continued, impacting Kuzan himself.
Cracks appeared on Kuzan's body, but instead of blood, ice formed Then, his entire body shattered into fragments of ice, falling towards the sea below.
An intense wave of cold erupted, freezing the entire bay, including the massive tsunami that had been approaching from the open sea. The frozen landscape glittered under the bright sun.
Admiral Aokiji's actions had transformed the bay into a massive, frozen battlefield. With roars of defiance, the Whitebeard Pirates leaped from their ships onto the ice, charging towards the Marine lines. The air filled with the clamor of battle.
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"Let them see what we're made of!" Vista, wielding his dual swords, led the charge alongside the other commanders, spearheading the assault against the Marines.
"Fire!"
The Marine officers in charge of the artillery roared, and a barrage of cannon fire rained down upon the battlefield.
The heavy artillery of Marineford posed a significant threat, even to pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million berries. Even the Whitebeard commanders couldn't afford to be careless, using their powers to deflect the incoming projectiles.
Under orders, the Marines charged forward, clashing with the Whitebeard Pirates in a furious melee. Among them were Smoker, Tashigi, and Hina. The war had finally begun in earnest.
"War... it's a Scary thing... But as long as that man doesn't show up, we'll be fine."
Kizaru, standing at the front lines, widened his eyes slightly, a sly grin on his face. Suddenly, he transformed into a beam of light.
In a flash, he appeared in the sky above, his body radiating a blinding golden light, like a miniature sun. He crossed his arms, his index finger and thumb forming a circle, and looked down upon the battlefield with a condescending gaze.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Countless golden projectiles, like a torrential downpour, rained down from the sky. Each projectile exploded upon impact, their power surpassing even the heavy artillery.
In an instant, Kizaru appeared directly above Whitebeard, unleashing a blinding barrage of golden light. Whitebeard, seemingly oblivious to the threat, didn't even flinch.
"My, my, that's quite bright..." Whitebeard murmured, his voice impassive.
Suddenly, a figure erupted from behind Whitebeard, wreathed in blue flames, intercepting Kizaru's attack. Explosions rocked the air as the projectiles detonated against the figure, but they were all blocked. Not a single blast reached Whitebeard.
Below, the Marines and pirates paused their fighting, their eyes fixed on the aerial duel. The Marine officers watched in astonishment.
"Who is that? He actually blocked an Admiral's attack?" As they watched, Marco, engulfed in blue flames, grinned.
"We can't just... let you attack our Pops directly!" Marco declared, his voice resonating with power.
Kizaru, his face contorted in an exaggerated expression of mock fear, exclaimed, "How scary... the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Wreathed in blue flames, Marco's injuries from the initial barrage rapidly healed. He was like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
"Unbelievable! He took Admiral Kizaru's attack head-on and didn't even fall! Is that truly the legendary power?" The Marine officers, struggling to contain their shock, stared at Marco with a mixture of awe and apprehension. Kizaru narrowed his eyes.
"A Mythical Zoan-type... even rarer than a Logia... He's a phoenix, isn't he? You're no match for him." He added with a leer, directing the last part towards a specific individual.
With a shout, Marco's blue flames intensified, engulfing his entire body as he launched himself towards Kizaru.
"That's the first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates... Marco the Phoenix. I've never seen a bird like that before."
As countless eyes watched, Marco, having weathered Kizaru's attack, reached him and delivered a powerful kick. Kizaru raised his arms to block.
The impact reverberated through the air as their limbs collided, both imbued with Armament Haki.
Kizaru, looking at Marco, sneered. "That hurt."
"Don't lie," Marco retorted, putting more force into his kick, sending Kizaru plummeting towards the ground. With a thunderous crash, Kizaru smashed into a building, reducing it to rubble.
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Just then, one of the Warlords, who had been silently observing until now, stepped forward. This subtle movement caught the attention of many. It was Dracule Mihawk.
"Now this is a rare sight." Kizaru's voice, though still laced with his usual flippancy, held a hint of surprise. Mihawk, a lone wolf with no crew or allegiance, had earned his position as a Warlord through sheer strength.
His power was undeniable. Ian was an anomaly, incomparable to any other figure in the world, so no one could be measured against him.
"Is Mihawk finally making his move?"
Mihawk, his eyes narrowed, focused intently on Whitebeard. He had long since reached the apex of swordsmanship, And few could stand above him, and Whitebeard was one of them.
Of course, Whitebeard was old now, his strength diminished. Mihawk was unsure of his current capabilities. He needed to test him.
He slowly drew his black blade, Yoru. Its surface gleamed like obsidian under the sun, radiating a sharp, cutting edge even before it moved.
Mihawk's gaze remained locked on Whitebeard, his mind clear and focused. Then, with a sudden, fluid motion, he raised his blade and swung.
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