Taking advantage of the chaos of the Summit War, Blackbeard had broken into Impel Down, recruiting a crew of ruthless monsters from among the worst criminals in history.
Then, he returned to Marine Headquarters — to seize the dying Whitebeard's power for himself.
His plan was perfect:
Wait for Whitebeard to fall under Marine's assault…
Then use the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit to steal the Shock-Shock Fruit — the ability that could destroy the world.
If successful, he would become the first man in history to wield two Devil Fruit powers — the ultimate pirate emperor.
But plans rarely survive reality.
Sugisawa Yuuto's arrival had thrown everything into disarray.
Originally, while Marine and Whitebeard clashed within the Singing World illusion, Blackbeard could have freely hunted down the world's strongest fighters in reality.
However… halfway through, he and his crew encountered Rayleigh the Dark King and the Revolutionary Army.
They had become obstacles in his path.
Then, thanks to Uta's song, everyone was pulled into the Singing World — stripping him of his perfect opportunity.
Now that the illusion was broken, everyone had returned to reality together — Marines, pirates, and all.
Blackbeard and his men were surrounded by Marines in the bay plaza, completely on the defensive.
He needed to act fast to turn the tables — and, if possible, to salvage his original goal.
Blackbeard's dark eyes darted rapidly, then he raised his voice with feigned urgency.
"Our problems can wait! If Ace escapes now, it'll be too late!"
He turned toward Marshal Sengoku, his tone full of false concern.
"Hurry, Marshal! If Fire Fist Ace runs free, the Whitebeard Pirates won't fight you to the end anymore! It'll only humiliate the Marines!"
Sengoku frowned.
Of course, he saw through Blackbeard's ploy.
But he also knew the man had a point — preventing Ace's escape was their highest priority.
If their hostage got away, Whitebeard's forces would have no reason to keep fighting.
"Everyone!" Sengoku bellowed from atop the execution platform. "The targets are Fire Fist Ace and the Straw Hat brothers! They must not escape the bay plaza!"
Instantly, the tens of thousands of surviving Marines moved in unison, closing in from all sides.
Rows upon rows of rifles and blades surrounded the three brothers who had barely reunited.
"Damn it!"
"Teach, you bastard!"
"Why couldn't you just keep your mouth shut?!"
The Whitebeard Pirates felt their hearts twist in panic.
"Marco! Jozu! Vista! Go — bring Ace and the others back!"
From the deck of the Moby Dick, Whitebeard's deep voice thundered across the bay.
"Yes, Father!"
The captains of the Whitebeard Pirates charged forward in unison.
"Squard! Dikalban! Doma!" Whitebeard called again, summoning the allied captains.
"Yes, Father!"
"Understood!"
"The priority is Ace! There's no need to storm the plaza — secure our escape route!" Whitebeard ordered.
Then, taking a deep breath, he clenched his massive fists and struck the very air itself.
BOOM!
The atmosphere cracked like glass.
RUMBLE!
The towering ice walls surrounding Marineford trembled and shattered under the devastating power of the Quake-Quake Fruit.
"Father!"
"Let's go!"
At Whitebeard's command, the Forty-Three allied pirate crews moved out together.
They had experienced the previous war — they knew Marine tactics like the back of their hands.
They wouldn't fall for the same traps again.
Then, with a thunderous roar—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Giant footsteps echoed across the battlefield.
The ancient giant Little Oars Jr. had returned.
"Ace! I'm coming for you again! This time I'll save you for sure!" he bellowed, determination blazing in his eyes.
"Stop, Oars! Don't move forward!"
"You'll be trapped again!"
"Father said we hold the line here — to open the escape route!"
The pirate captains shouted, but Oars only clenched his fists tighter.
"If I don't hold it up, the encirclement wall will rise completely!"
"You idiot! Even if it does, you don't need to sacrifice yourself again!" Whitebeard barked.
"So what if it rises?" came Sengoku's cold command from the execution platform. "Let's see how you'll break through it this time! Power Room — raise the encirclement wall!"
"But, Mr. Sengoku," the power room officer stammered, "there are still many Marines and allies trapped on the ice below!"
Before he could finish, a booming laugh shook the air.
"Gurararara! So that's your choice, Sengoku?"
Before anyone could react, Whitebeard leapt from the deck of the Moby Dick.
With two great strides, he crossed the shattered ice and slammed into the plaza.
Leading the charge himself, he tore through Marine lines as if they were nothing.
"Marshal Sengoku! We can't stop him!" a terrified Marine shouted.
"Damn it, Whitebeard!" Sengoku roared. "You've already died once! Even your soul must be damaged, and yet you still wield such power…! No choice — raise the walls, no matter the cost!"
"Yes, sir!"
The trembling voice from the power room responded, and the mechanisms roared to life.
The entire bay quaked as massive steel walls began to rise, surrounding the plaza like the jaws of a colossal beast.
"That bastard Sengoku," Whitebeard growled, his golden eyes narrowing. "He's willing to bury his own men alive?"
Their plan to use the trapped Marines as hostages had been ruined.
With the walls closing in, the battlefield was now a sealed cage — a killing ground.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The walls locked into place, completely enclosing the bay and everyone within it — thousands of Marines and pirates alike.
"Whitebeard! If I could kill you once, I can kill you again! Die — Meteor Volcano!"
From atop the encirclement wall, Admiral Akainu raised his arm, transforming it into molten magma.
He unleashed a barrage of blazing punches skyward.
Thousands of molten projectiles rained down like meteors, exploding across the bay and plaza in fiery devastation.
"Hey, hey, Sengoku!"
Across the battlefield, Rayleigh shouted as he clashed blades with Admiral Kizaru, golden light scattering around them.
"Are you seriously doing this? You Marines really don't care about your own people, huh?"
"Shut your mouth, Rayleigh! This is none of your concern!" Sengoku barked back.
"Oh? I'd say it is," Rayleigh said with a wry smile. "If it weren't for me, Blackbeard would've torn you apart already. Call this repayment, maybe?"
"I didn't ask you to save me!" Sengoku shot back coldly. "Once this is over, I'll have you sent to Impel Down. I'll even ask Magellan to give you special treatment — three meals a day!"
"Much appreciated," Rayleigh chuckled, parrying another light-speed strike. "But I'm not planning to retire in a prison cell just yet.
Also — you might want to remember — it's not just the Whitebeard Pirates you've trapped inside that wall."
Sengoku's eyes widened.
"Nani…?!"