"The Navy's taken a hit, but it looks like they're about to unleash their full strength!"
Rayleigh had been closely observing the Navy's movements, spotting several unfamiliar faces among their ranks. Noticing the shift in Admiral Sengoku's expression, he knew the real battle was about to begin. Even Roger, standing nearby, grew more focused, his eyes narrowing with determination. This was no ordinary fight—it was about whether he could successfully rescue his son, Ace.
Though Roger had unshakable confidence in his own strength, he didn't dare underestimate the World Government, especially not after it had grown even more formidable in the twenty years since his death. And as the battle unfolded, the Navy's display of power proved everyone's expectations right—it was a force to be reckoned with.
First, new fighters emerged from the Navy's ranks, warriors of incredible strength that no one had ever seen before. There were those at the level of Rear Admirals, Vice Admirals, and even some who rivaled the Admirals themselves. Then came the weapons—massive cannons with devastating firepower, so potent that even Whitebeard's division commanders, like Marco, had to tread carefully to avoid injury.
As the chaos erupted, the Whitebeard Pirates quickly found themselves on the back foot. Yet, despite the overwhelming odds, every member of the crew fought with reckless abandon.
"Charge!"
"Save Ace!"
The Whitebeard Pirates roared as they hurled themselves at the Navy, their desperate assault shaking the battlefield. Their ferocity began to disrupt the World Government's carefully arranged formations, creating cracks in their defense.
Seeing this, the Whitebeard Pirates grew even more energized.
"Hahaha, who knew the Navy was hiding so many powerhouses!"
"This scale—it's probably on par with the massive Demon-Slaying Order at the Sabaody Archipelago last time!"
"Hey, they're up against us. If they didn't bring this kind of firepower, they wouldn't even dare start this war!"
"Exactly!"
Amid their excited chatter, the pirates didn't let up, relentlessly hammering the Navy's lines.
"Hmph, what a bunch of arrogant pirates!" Vice Admiral Firefist growled, his face darkening as he overheard their taunts. With a single swing of his sword, he sent a group of pirates flying. But as he turned, he caught sight of Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had entered the fray at some point, deftly battling another group of pirates.
"Tsuru, leave this to us! You can head back and take a break," Firefist called out.
Tsuru merely snorted, her voice sharp. "Arrogant brat, don't think we've already won just because the World Government's brought out its hidden forces!"
As she spoke, she activated her Wash-Wash Fruit ability, turning the pirates in front of her into clean, wrung-out "laundry" that she hung up to dry.
Firefist scratched his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. He was used to lecturing the younger recruits, but in front of Tsuru, he was just another rookie. He took her criticism in stride—after all, Whitebeard's strength was undeniable. Contrary to Navy intelligence suggesting the old pirate was weakened by age and injury, Whitebeard seemed as vibrant and unstoppable as ever. This was the man hailed as the strongest in the world after Roger's death. Who could afford to underestimate him? Even the combined might of the three Admirals had been casually brushed aside earlier.
As Firefist mulled this over, the three Admirals—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—launched another joint attack on Whitebeard. But with a single swing of his massive blade, Whitebeard sent them flying once more. Their bodies hurtled across the battlefield, some crashing into nearby buildings, others smashing straight through Navy warships.
The sight made countless onlookers' eyes widen in shock. If Whitebeard's earlier victory over the Admirals could be chalked up to a fluke, this second crushing blow was anything but.
Marco, Diamond Jozu, and the others, who had been ready to rush to Whitebeard's aid, were intercepted by Fujitora, Green Bull, and two CP0 agents. But seeing Whitebeard dominate the Admirals, their spirits soared.
"He's back to full strength!" Marco thought, his heart swelling with confidence. With Whitebeard's injuries healed, they no longer needed to worry about him. They could focus entirely on their own battles.
"Didn't expect the World Government to have fighters like you!"
"They've been hiding their true strength!"
"But to think they'd send out their full force like this—they must really be scared of us!"
"Hahaha, if we take down even these guys, the World Government's gonna look pretty pathetic!"
Amid the taunts and laughter, Marco and the others threw themselves into combat with renewed ferocity.
Meanwhile, Whitebeard's gaze swept across the battlefield. Unbeknownst to him, his sons had already cleared most of the obstacles in his path. A straight road to Ace now lay open before him.
Free of his old injuries and unburdened by stamina concerns, Whitebeard felt a surge of determination. The World Government's forces were far stronger than he'd anticipated, which only made him more cautious—and more resolved. He would take matters into his own hands and rescue Ace himself.
With a mighty leap, he launched himself off the Moby Dick, landing with earth-shaking force. Striding forward, he headed straight for Ace, his presence radiating overwhelming power that made the surrounding Navy soldiers tremble.
On the execution platform, Ace watched, his heart torn between excitement and guilt. He didn't know Whitebeard had recovered. All he saw was his aging father risking everything for him, and it filled him with shame for being such a burden.
But just then, a figure stepped into Whitebeard's path—a man with a black blade slung across his back. It was Hawkeye Mihawk.
"Oh? You, with the black blade," Whitebeard said, eyeing him with interest. "Fancy a fight with me?"
Hawkeye took a deep breath, his gaze locked on the towering, indomitable figure before him. "I'm not here for the World Government or the Navy," he said in a low voice. "I just want to see how far the gap is between me and the world's strongest man."
"Guahaha!" Whitebeard let out a booming laugh, his steps never slowing, as if Hawkeye were barely worth his notice.
Fury flashed in Hawkeye's eyes. In a single fluid motion, he drew his black blade from its sheath, the metal gleaming with deadly intent.
----------
T/N:
You'll also get 5 extra chapters just for being a free member!
Access 40 chapters in advance on my Patreon: [email protected]//allbluestories