Hummm—
As Teach's hand fell limply, Whitebeard's powers were restored. In the next instant, a silver-white spherical membrane of energy manifested over his fist, the unmistakable power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
"Oh? Is he going to deliver the killing blow to Blackbeard?"
Alucard watched Whitebeard's movements with keen interest. He wasn't explicitly using his own power to command Whitebeard right now; instead, he was allowing the soul a degree of free will.
But just as Alucard assumed Whitebeard was going to use that quake-fist to shatter Teach's skull, the titan's arm pivoted, shifting the trajectory of the attack to the right.
A surging wave of white atmospheric pressure blasted toward the sky on the right, completely pulverizing the frozen ice blocking the harbor and restoring it to open sea.
"This is..."
"Pops... he..."
Marco was the first to realize what was happening. He roared, "What are you waiting for?! Get to the ships!"
Vista reacted just as quickly, shouting, "Don't waste this final opportunity Pops made for us! Move! Now!"
With the ice cleared, the pirate ships could sail once more. The pirates of the Whitebeard fleet seized the moment, boarding their vessels one after another and making a frantic escape.
"Don't think you're leaving..."
Fujitora intended to intercept the ships with a meteorite, but sensing the layer of ice still obstructing the sky, he furrowed his brow. "No... if I bring a meteor down now, the impact on the ice will cause too much collateral damage to Marineford."
With a sigh of resignation, Fujitora sheathed his blade. "It seems I am powerless to assist."
Seeing this, Kizaru felt it wouldn't be right to let the moment pass without a final effort. He leaped into the air above the sea, crossing his thumbs and index fingers. "Yasakani no Magatama!"
A rain of light particles surged toward the fleeing pirates like a storm, obliterating two Whitebeard subordinate ships in a single volley.
Finally, Kizaru landed on the mast of a Marine battleship, hands in his pockets as he tilted his head. "I suppose... that's as much of a result as we're going to get, ne~"
"Edward Newgate..."
Alucard looked at the motionless Whitebeard and thought to himself: To think that even in this state, he could act on his own will.
That final strike wasn't a vengeful blow against Teach, but a way to shatter the glacier so his "sons" could escape. Without a doubt, it was exactly what Whitebeard would do.
Gurgle...
At that moment, Teach's body on the wall dissolved into dark water, making his own getaway.
"Master."
Robin walked up behind Alucard and spoke in a hushed tone.
Alucard closed his eyes. Countless spirits surged out from the sky, the battlefield, and the manipulated corpses, flowing back into his coffin. Whitebeard's body, too, gradually dissolved back into the pool of blood.
"The fun is over. Let's go."
Alucard turned to leave. At this point, no matter who they were, everyone stepped aside to let them pass. No one dared to utter a word of protest, watching in silence as Alucard and Nico Robin departed.
"In any case, Whitebeard is dead, even if Fire Fist Ace escaped."
Kuzan had walked up to Sengoku at some point, saying quietly, "What we need to do now is..."
Sengoku stepped forward, raising his arms. "The war... IS OVER!!"
Though there was no jubilant cheering, a sense of profound relief washed over the faces of the Marines when they heard those words.
It was over. Finally, it was over.
"Treat the wounded!"
Great Staff Officer Tsuru stepped forward, her voice ringing out clearly. "Anyone still able to move, drop everything else and help the injured! We cannot allow any more lives to be lost!"
After issuing the orders, Tsuru stood in the center of the battlefield, her weathered face turned toward the sky. "What exactly was the outcome of this war?"
Whitebeard was dead, but his power was now held by Alucard.
The bloodline of the Pirate King, Portgas D. Ace, had escaped.
The Seven Warlords losing Jinbe was now a certainty.
Was this a victory for the Navy? Or for Whitebeard?
In truth, it was neither. It was Alucard's victory!
…
Three hours later.
As an emergency news bulletin spread across the globe, the world learned the results of the war.
"So, the Navy won after all?"
"The world isn't going to end! Thank goodness!"
"Drinks are on the house today!"
"The legendary treasure, the ONE PIECE, is real! Men, to the sea!"
"Does this mean Alucard the Immortal has claimed the throne of the strongest in the world?"
"It's terrifying... Alucard the Immortal..."
At a harbor dock, a group of children were playing. One boy started singing a rhyme: "The Great Pirate Whitebeard~~ More terrifying than a demon~~"
Slap!
Another boy smacked the back of his head, annoyed. "Stupid! Whitebeard is dead! You can't sing that song anymore!"
The boy who was hit started tearing up. "Then how should I sing it?"
The leader of the kids said proudly, "I changed it. From now on, we sing it like this..."
"The Great Pirate Alucard~~ More terrifying than a demon~~"
The other children's eyes lit up and they all began to chant: "The Great Pirate Alucard~~ More terrifying than a demon~~"
…
Five hours after the war ended, a massive wave crashed against the base of Mariejois. A gargantuan silhouette gradually emerged from the surf, it was Wolf!
He was currently dog-paddling in the water, staring at the massive hole blasted into the Red Line. He marveled, "Amazing... even I could crawl through that~~"
On Wolf's back, a mechanical hatch opened. Dr. Vegapunk, accompanied by Dr. Indigo and several other researchers in white lab coats, stepped out onto the giant's back.
When Dr. Indigo saw the crater, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. "As expected of the legendary Dyna Stones, said to rival the Ancient Weapons. They actually managed to blow a hole straight through the Red Line!"
Walking at the front, having already stepped into the Red Line cavern via Wolf's palm, Dr. Vegapunk said coldly, "Cut the chatter. Is the Visual Den Den Mushi ready? We need to carry out the Captain's orders immediately."