"Marshal, urgent report!"
A Navy rear admiral suddenly appeared below the platform, addressing Sengoku with grave urgency. "The Gates of Justice have inexplicably opened on their own, and we've lost contact with the power room!"
"What?!" Sengoku's heart tightened, his gaze toward the vast sea sharpening with heightened alertness.
A heavy silence fell.
Whether it was the World Government forces on-site or the countless people watching the live broadcast, everyone felt the same oppressive quiet. The once-noisy World Government troops surrounding Marineford had gone utterly still, as if swallowed by an immense, foreboding tension.
All eyes were locked on the calm sea, like they were staring at a beast about to unleash its fury, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Then, in an instant, countless Navy soldiers' eyes widened in shock.
The empty sea before them was suddenly teeming with pirate ships—dozens upon dozens! One ship, two ships, three… a total of forty-three!
These were infamous pirate crews from the New World, each led by a different captain, but all united under one banner: the Whitebeard Pirates!
"It's the Whitebeard Pirates' fleet!"
"Even against the World Government's strongest forces, they're still choosing to fight?"
"Where's Whitebeard? Quick, find him!"
The Navy soldiers erupted in gasps and shouts, while viewers across the globe, glued to the broadcast, watched in silent anticipation, awaiting the outbreak of a war that would shake the world.
Just then—
Gurgle, gurgle…
Bubbles broke the surface of the water in Marineford's crescent-shaped bay, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Whitebeard's got a knack for showing up where you least expect him," Garp said with a carefree chuckle, looking entirely like he was here for the spectacle.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, however, wasn't so nonchalant. Her brow furrowed as she stared at the churning sea. "It seems Whitebeard's plans have already thrown ours into disarray."
And in that very moment—
Boom!
The sea in the bay surged upward, and three massive pirate ships burst forth from the depths. Their distinctive white whale figureheads declared their identity: the Whitebeard Pirates, led by the strongest man in the world, the Emperor of the New World!
"Three pirate ships… emerging from there?"
"That's Marco, captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' First Division!"
"Damn it, they've invaded right into the bay!"
The Navy soldiers were stunned, many breaking out in cold sweats, their palms slick with fear.
"Whitebeard, you've come after all," Sengoku muttered from atop the execution platform, his eyes blazing with intensity.
At the same time, the three Navy admirals finally lifted their gazes, all fixed on the central ship.
There, standing tall on the deck, was a towering figure with a white crescent mustache, a black bandana, and a flowing white coat. In his hand was his signature naginata, Cong Yunqie. His piercing gaze swept across the Navy forces.
After a moment, his eyes locked onto Sengoku's. With a hearty laugh, he said, "Gurararara! Sengoku, it's been what, over a decade since we last met?"
"Whitebeard!" Sengoku's face darkened. He hadn't expected Whitebeard to breach the bay so quickly.
The Whitebeard Pirates' flagship was now dangerously close to the shore.
Whitebeard's gaze shifted to the execution platform, landing on Ace. With a warm smile, he called out, "Ace, hang tight. I'll have you free in no time!"
"Pops!" Ace shouted back, his face a mix of emotions as he looked at the man who'd come to save him.
But at that moment, one of the three admirals seated on the high platform—Akainu—suddenly stood.
Ever since he accidentally killed three Celestial Dragons, his anger had been simmering, barely contained despite Sengoku and Kong's efforts to shield him from severe punishment. Now, seeing Whitebeard, that rage boiled over.
His eyes burned with cold fury as he locked onto Whitebeard. "Whitebeard, you'll pay with your life!"
With a roar, his arm transformed into searing magma, stretching toward Whitebeard with terrifying speed.
"Magma Hound!"
The blistering heat and sheer speed of the attack closed in on Whitebeard in an instant.
"Pops, watch out!" Marco and the others shouted, their faces paling.
They moved to intercept, but it was too late—Akainu's attack was too sudden, too fast.
Yet Whitebeard's expression remained calm. With a single swing of Cong Yunqie, he sliced through the air.
Crack!
The air shattered like a spiderweb, and the oncoming magma froze mid-flight.
Boom!
The magma exploded, spraying toward the Navy forces on the shore. Soldiers scrambled in panic, dodging the molten rain.
Whitebeard grinned, then slammed both fists into the air. Two more spiderweb cracks appeared in the atmosphere.
Crack!
The sea roared. On both sides of Marineford, massive waves surged skyward, reaching over a hundred meters in an instant before crashing toward the island with devastating force.
The sight made everyone's pupils shrink in terror.
"A tsunami! He caused a tsunami!"
"Is this Whitebeard's power?"
"It's horrifying—how can he do something this catastrophic so effortlessly?"
"Run! We'll die if we stay here!"
The Navy forces on the shore paled, their fear erupting into chaos as they fled the oncoming waves.
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T/N:
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