Time flew.
In the blink of an eye, another three days had passed.
Finally, the day of execution had arrived.
It was eleven o'clock in the morning. Only four hours remained until the public execution of Fire Fist Ace, captain of the second division of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Across the world, uproar and tension gripped the seas. A heavy, oppressive atmosphere blanketed the oceans. Countless people anxiously gazed toward the southeastern, northwestern, and Grand Line seas, awaiting the unfolding storm. Everyone knew that Four Emperors Whitebeard was a force more terrifying than any demon.
Among pirates countless as the stars, Whitebeard was always the one who struck the deepest fear.
This era—Whitebeard. Today, he represented the horror of an age.
After years of silence, he was about to awaken fully. The public execution of Fire Fist Ace, second captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, was the spark. The war between the Whitebeard Pirates and Naval Headquarters was about to ignite.
"Gudong~"
"Four more hours!"
"In four hours, the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines will…"
"No! Not four hours! The war may have already started!"
"Perhaps at any moment, the Whitebeard Pirates will appear!"
On Sabaody Islands, Mangrove No. 30, voices buzzed with anticipation. This was the designated Marine live broadcast site. Signals from Naval Headquarters' videophone system were transmitted in real-time to massive screens here.
At this moment, nearly all of Sabaody had gathered. Reporters from major news agencies, tourists from every corner of the world, and anyone with the means had come to witness this epoch-defining battle firsthand.
"Which way will the world turn after today?"
"Will Whitebeard really appear, just for a comrade?"
"He will. Whitebeard is never the kind to abandon a partner!"
"Days ago, the New World lost sight of his massive ship, Moby Dick!"
"And some of Whitebeard's famed captains were spotted reaching the first half of the Grand Line!"
"This war can no longer be stopped. Between Whitebeard and the Marines, who will prevail today?"
"I have a feeling… the greatest war of this era is about to begin!"
Tick… tock…
The hands of the clock moved slowly. At a precise moment, the hour, minute, and second hands aligned at the top. Noon had arrived.
Sabaody Islands Live Plaza
Snowflake-like lights and shadows danced across the three giant broadcast screens. A breathtaking scene unfolded: Naval Headquarters, Marineford.
One hundred thousand elite Marines had gathered from all over the world. They stood in neat formation, solemn and imposing. Their combined fighting spirit seemed to merge into a single, overwhelming force, even causing the clouds above to seem to collapse. The Marineford compound resembled a dragon's den, ready to ensnare the approaching Whitebeard Pirates.
"Oh! Look at that! Seven Warlords of the Sea at the front!"
"That demon-like figure is Shichibukai Gekko Moriah, and he's still alive!"
"Wasn't Moriah defeated by Fairy Tail? What luck!"
"Forget Moriah—look, it's the Empress herself! Pirate Empress Boa Hancock!"
"The number one beauty in the world lives up to her reputation… I'd gladly be her servant!"
The melon-munching crowd in Sabaody, regardless of gender, was mesmerized by the Pirate Empress. Some were petrified on the spot by her mere presence.
"In addition to the Empress and Moriah, there's Shichibukai Tyrant and the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk!"
"I heard there's a new Shichibukai too. Where is he?"
"Don't worry about that. Look at the total might of the Marines!"
Ten phalanxes, 100,000 soldiers—and these were not ordinary sailors. Every single one was a trained Marine.
Excitement erupted across the plaza as reporters and the crowd shouted in awe.
The broadcast shifted to the execution platform.
More than a dozen Vice Admirals—Stolo Berry, Shitieres, Dalmesia, Bastiyu, Maynard, Gumir, Jonathan, Kong Ming, Mozambique—stood at attention. On either side, six Giant Vice Admirals—John Giant, Ronse, Lacoulois, and others—loomed like mountains.
The screen panned upward to the second floor of the platform. There stood elite Vice Admirals: Flying Squirrel, Dauberman, Ghost Spider, Huoshaoshan, and the legendary Grand Staff Vice Admiral Crane. Nearby, the legendary hero Vice Admiral Garp also presided.
Above them, three chairs side by side: Admiral Aokiji Kuzan, Admiral Akainu Sakazuki, and Admiral Kizaru Polusalino. The three Marine Admirals, the highest-ranked combatants, sat with crossed legs, radiating overwhelming power.
"Ohhh!"
The plaza erupted with excitement.
"Those are the highest fighters of the Marines!"
"Three Admirals, plus the Vice Admirals led by hero Garp…"
"It's spectacular! I've never seen a lineup like this!"
"But… what if the other side is Four Emperors Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world?"
"Even the Whitebeard Pirates won't leave today without a fight!"
Suddenly, the broadcast turned to the other side of the execution platform.
Escorted by two executioners wielding long blades, the fuse of the impending all-out war stepped forward—Fire Fist Ace, second division captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. Heavy footsteps echoed as he approached the platform.
The camera shifted to Marshal Sengoku. He scanned the assembled forces, then pulled a small videophone bug from his pocket.
"Today is a day of great importance!" Marshal Sengoku's voice boomed across Marineford, reaching the live audience in Sabaody.
"Before the execution begins, I have one final announcement regarding the significance of today's public execution!"