By this stage of the war, only the truly formidable remained standing.
Smoker and Hina were by no means weak, but even they struggled against the sheer number of enemies.
Moreover, the battlefield was still filled with powerful figures—formidable fleet captains and division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates, each stronger than the last.
Were it not for the Zombie Legion absorbing much of the enemy's firepower, Smoker and Hina likely wouldn't have lasted a minute under such overwhelming odds.
Despite their precarious situation, they chose not to retreat. Instead, they remained in battle, using the ferocity of the Zombie Legion's assault as cover to take down as many Whitebeard Pirates as possible.
It was a commendable plan, one that aligned with their sense of justice.
However, as the Zombie Legion's numbers dwindled to less than two-thirds of their original force, more Whitebeard Pirates found themselves free to shift their focus—and Smoker and Hina became their prime targets.
In an instant, their situation turned dire.
Even if they wanted to retreat now, it was too late. No reinforcements were close enough to aid them.
It was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed and killed by the Whitebeard Pirates.
And yet—
Perhaps they had already steeled themselves for the possibility of dying in battle.
From a distance, Maude watched as Smoker and Hina struggled to fight off the pirates surrounding them.
Both Marines, covered in fresh wounds, fought with unwavering resolve.
Strictly speaking, their predicament was the result of their own stubbornness.
But if they hadn't stayed to assist him, they wouldn't have ended up in this deadly situation in the first place.
"…Was it really worth it?"
Maude shook his head, muttering to himself as he raised his pistol.
"Consider this my way of returning the favor for helping me take down Izo. After this, we're even."
He pulled the trigger.
Bang! Bang!
Two bullets found their mark, taking down a pirate who was attempting to strike Hina from behind.
The pirate's body stiffened as blood gushed from his chest and skull. He collapsed with a dull thud.
Hearing the heavy impact behind her, Hina—her right eyebrow bleeding profusely—was momentarily startled.
She had no time to look back. Raising her Black Cage, she blocked three incoming blades, each coated in Armament Haki.
Clang!
The force behind the attack sent her staggering backward.
She barely managed to regain her footing, her breath heavy and ragged.
"Tch… This woman is tougher than she looks."
The pirates attacking her frowned in frustration.
They had expected to dispatch this Marine with ease. Yet, she had proven to be far more tenacious than anticipated.
"…But this ends now."
Seeing Hina exhausted, the pirates' eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
They gathered their strength, preparing to finish her off in one decisive strike.
Whizz! Whizz!
Suddenly, a hail of bullets came whistling toward them.
"Hm?"
The pirates quickly swung their blades, deflecting the incoming shots.
Then, they turned toward the source of the gunfire—
Only to see the last person they wanted to encounter: Maude.
Their expressions twisted with fury, their gazes filled with murderous rage.
Ignoring their glares, Maude calmly adjusted his aim and fired again.
Using a controlled amount of Armament Haki, he enhanced the bullets, increasing their range and accuracy.
Clang! Clang!
The pirates, fully aware of the threat, slashed at the bullets, deflecting them with precision.
While these bullets weren't particularly powerful, Maude had mixed in a few completely Haki-infused rounds capable of piercing even the toughest defenses.
The pirates cursed inwardly.
That cunning bastard…!
Realizing the danger, they had no choice but to focus all their attention on evading or blocking the shots.
Thanks to Maude's interference, Smoker and Hina finally had a moment to catch their breath.
"If you don't want to die, get back here now. I have no intention of covering you forever."
As he continued shooting, Maude spoke to himself.
He still needed to focus on reclaiming the shadows that were escaping from the fallen zombies—he couldn't afford to protect Smoker and Hina indefinitely.
With Izo no longer providing suppressing fire, the pirates were momentarily pinned down by Maude's relentless assault.
Covered in wounds, Smoker and Hina exchanged a brief glance.
No words were needed.
In unison, they made the swift decision to retreat.
Under Maude's high-frequency gunfire, they managed to fall back safely to their own ranks, escaping immediate danger.
Seeing them reach safety, Maude lowered his pistol and ceased fire.
Maintaining such rapid shooting at this distance consumed a significant amount of Haki.
However—
With over 500 shadows in his possession, all of which he could use to replenish his stamina and Haki, Maude had no reason to worry about running out of energy.
That was the very foundation of his confidence in this battle.
Now within a secure position, Smoker and Hina regarded Maude with complex expressions.
This man…
There was something about him they couldn't quite define.
At times, he exuded a bone-chilling aura that sent shivers down their spines.
At other times, he provided an unshakable sense of security, regardless of their allegiances.
Maude, however, paid them no mind.
Lowering his rifle, he focused entirely on reclaiming the shadows.
"If Whitebeard's forces regroup, the Zombie Legion won't be able to hold them back."
More and more shadows were absorbed into Maude's grasp, a clear sign of the zombie army's impending collapse.
While the undead had managed to take down quite a few pirates, at this rate, it wouldn't be long before the entire zombie legion was wiped out.
"Time to make preparations..."
Having anticipated this outcome, Maude turned his gaze toward Whitebeard's battlefield.
The two powerhouses from opposing sides—Whitebeard and Akainu—had finally clashed head-on.
The moment Akainu entered the fray, he asserted his dominance, stomping down on Whitebeard's naginata, Murakumogiri, just as the old man was about to unleash a devastating shockwave.
Molten magma gushed from beneath Akainu's foot, pouring over the weapon's blade, which was coated in Haki.
With that single stomp, Akainu forcefully disrupted the tremor-infused energy Whitebeard had gathered in his weapon.
"This is where you stop, Whitebeard."
"Gurararara..."
Whitebeard gazed down at Akainu coldly. "That depends on whether you have what it takes."
Before his words even faded, Whitebeard's arms suddenly bulged with power. With every ounce of his strength, he twisted Murakumogiri and sent Akainu flying with a powerful upward thrust.
Even in his deteriorating state, Whitebeard could still muster such raw strength.
Akainu was launched into the air, his expression unwavering as he stared back at Whitebeard below.
In the next instant, Whitebeard swiftly switched his weapon to his left hand and bent his right arm, his fist gathering an orb of crackling, condensed power.
From his airborne position, Akainu reacted in kind—his right arm transformed into a seething mass of molten rock.
Their fierce gazes locked in midair, a clash inevitable.
Maude watched intently as the battle between Whitebeard and Akainu reached its boiling point.
He had always wanted to challenge Whitebeard one-on-one, to personally test the strength of a Yonko. But the old man had never given him that opportunity.
Yet, now that Akainu had stepped up to face Whitebeard, the latter was more than willing to engage in a direct duel.
What a double standard.
Regardless, there was no way Maude was going to let Akainu steal the final blow.
At that very moment—
A familiar voice rang out from the direction of the execution platform.
"ACE! I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU!!!"
The passionate cry echoed across the battlefield, drawing countless eyes toward its source.
Maude's head snapped toward the execution stand, where he caught sight of a familiar figure—
The Straw Hat Pirates had somehow appeared near the execution platform.
"They show up now of all times..."
Maude's heart tightened with surprise, followed by a deep sense of exasperation.
Under his watchful eyes, Straw Hat launched himself into the air, body coiled like a drawn bow, aiming straight for Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Below the platform—
Zoro, his blade cloaked in Armament Haki, swung fiercely at the steel framework supporting the execution stand—
The arrival of the Straw Hat Pirates sent shockwaves through every fighter on the battlefield.
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