Chapter 176 – Blackbeard Appears
"Dad!!"
Not realizing it was an act, Marco and the others saw Whitebeard stabbed straight through the chest. Panic erupted among them as they rushed desperately toward the Moby Dick.
"Don't come over!!"
The gravely "injured" Whitebeard, leaning on Ace for support, roared at his men to halt. His voice carried over the din of battle.
"That fool Squard actually fell for the Navy's provocation… but even so, he is still my son!"
His words froze the commanders in place.
"Don't be careless—this is a battlefield. Keep your eyes on the enemy and don't let them take advantage of you!!"
"Dad… you—" Marco began, but Whitebeard cut him off with a thunderous laugh.
"This little wound won't bother me. Don't forget… I am Whitebeard!!"
He straightened his towering frame, voice booming with defiance.
But almost immediately afterward, cough—! Whitebeard spat up a thick mouthful of blood. His pallor betrayed his true condition, and no one could mistake how dire it looked.
"Whitebeard's been stabbed by one of his own!!"
"The one who attacked was the New World pirate, Great Vortex Spider Squard! He pierced Whitebeard's chest!"
"Quick! While he's injured, charge the Moby Dick! Take off his head and end this war!!"
"For justice!! Strike him down!!"
The Marines' morale surged. Spurred by what they believed was a fatal wound, they rushed toward the Whitebeard Pirates with renewed fury.
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"Take my head, will you?"
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed coldly. With a disdainful snarl, he raised his massive bisento and slammed it down. The air itself cracked—
BZZT… BOOOM!!
The atmosphere shattered as shockwaves ripped outward, sweeping across the battlefield. The incoming Marines were blown back like ragdolls, the quake's aftershocks even splitting parts of the Navy Headquarters' fortress itself.
Cough! Whitebeard staggered, clutching his chest as more blood spilled from his lips.
"Nicely done, Uncle. That was perfect—I almost thought you were really dying." Ace grinned wryly, raising his thumb in admiration.
Whitebeard winked back at him with uncharacteristic mischief, showing a rare playful side even in war.
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"Whitebeard, you've exposed your weakness!!"
A Giant Vice Admiral suddenly leapt onto the Moby Dick, blade raised high for a killing strike at the seemingly weakened Emperor.
Whitebeard started to rise, but Ace stepped in front of him.
"Let me handle this."
"Don't you dare take advantage of my father's condition!!" Ace roared, blocking the giant's blade with fiery arms before slamming a blazing punch into his massive chest, sending him flying backward.
But Ace's intervention also confirmed to the enemy that Whitebeard's injuries were indeed severe.
"Damn it… Dad!!" Marco and the commanders could no longer restrain themselves. Abandoning their opponents, they rushed toward the Moby Dick.
That opening was all the Admirals needed.
"Leaving your back exposed, Phoenix Marco?"
Kizaru's body flashed into light—two beams pierced through Marco before a blazing kick sent him flying across the plaza.
"Ah la la… Diamond Jozu, you too have a flaw."
With a cold voice, Aokiji struck. Ice Time Capsule! In an instant, Jozu was frozen solid.
"Damn it! That bastard Teach… how long does he plan on hiding?!" Ace growled, anxiety in his eyes as his crewmates fell one after another.
"Don't worry. Marco and Jozu aren't weaklings who'll fall so easily," Whitebeard reassured him with steady conviction.
Ace, however, clenched his fists. "We can't drag this out any longer. If Blackbeard still won't appear, then we'll force the Navy's hand!"
"Uncle, don't push yourself!!" Ace's voice suddenly broke with grief as he held Whitebeard upright. He shouted to the battlefield:
"Everyone!! The objective of this war has been achieved! We can retreat now!!"
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"Don't even think about it!!"
The Navy couldn't allow Whitebeard's forces to withdraw.
Sengoku snatched the Den Den Mushi in his hand and bellowed:
"Encircling Walls—activate!! Seal off every path of escape!!"
This war wasn't truly about Sabo's execution. Nor even about Ace. The World Government's true goal was the death of Whitebeard.
For decades, the New World had been dominated by the Four Emperors. Not even the Navy Headquarters, the proclaimed ruler of the seas, could penetrate that ironclad balance. To invade meant being crushed by Emperor alliances.
But if Whitebeard—the strongest of them—fell here today, that balance would shatter.
Chaos would engulf the New World, and in the aftermath, the Navy could finally extend its influence, planting strongholds and slowly tightening its control.
That was the ultimate goal behind the war.
"Roger that!" came the voice over the Den Den Mushi.
KRRRRTT!
The entire bay shook violently. From beneath the water, colossal steel walls rose, sealing off Marineford's inner harbor.
The Encircling Walls had closed.
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"Bastard!!"
From the plaza, Crocodile suddenly shouted at the Moby Dick, fury in his voice.
"Being stabbed by one of your own… Whitebeard, you're pathetic! Don't think for a second I'd ever lose to a coward like you!!"
The pirates glanced at him in surprise, none sure what drove his rage.
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"Sakazuki! Destroy the ice!! Strip the pirates of their foothold!!" Sengoku ordered.
"Understood!" Akainu's voice rumbled as magma flared across his shoulders. He raised his arm to melt the frozen bay—
But before he could strike, a mad, booming laugh cut through the battlefield from high above the Marineford fortress.
"Zehahahahaha!! Now this is one hell of a show!!!"
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