"Dad… is it true? Is what Squado said really true?"
One of Whitebeard's captains stepped forward, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Before Whitebeard could respond, Sengoku's voice cut through the chaos.
"Aokiji!"
Without hesitation, Aokiji unleashed his ice powers, instantly freezing Buggy the Clown and the Den Den Mushi broadcasting the scene. With that, the last live feed of the Marineford war went dark—cutting off the eyes of the world.
Meanwhile, seizing the moment of hesitation among the pirates, the Navy activated the siege walls, locking down the entire port in an iron ring.
Back at the Sabaody Archipelago, confusion and debate erupted.
"Could it really be true? Would Whitebeard sacrifice his own for the safety of Ace and his crew?"
The idea seemed impossible, yet Squado's accusation echoed in everyone's minds.
Not far from the commotion, Shakky appeared beside Rayleigh, her gaze fixed on the now-blackened screen.
"Heh… Sengoku played this masterfully. The Navy always stands on the moral high ground. Sometimes it binds them, but today… Sengoku wielded it like a sword." She smiled faintly.
Rayleigh took a slow sip of his drink, then replied with a quiet smile.
"Maybe. But pirates… we don't think in terms of rules and righteousness."
Shakky gave a small sigh, her expression softening.
"That's why we always find ourselves on the back foot. Even Roger—he paid with his life. And what did it achieve? Just a ripple in time?"
Rayleigh's eyes glinted with a rare intensity as he turned to her.
"No."
"Roger didn't cause a ripple. He set the entire era in motion."
"But… is this really the era Roger dreamed of?"
Shakky's voice trailed off, hesitating before she could say more.
"Do you think Dragon—" She stopped herself mid-sentence.
Rayleigh caught her meaning and simply smiled. There was no need to reply.
—
Meanwhile, back in Marineford, Whitebeard stood tall despite the blade still lodged in his chest. Blood trickled down his body, but his face showed no anger—only sorrow.
Instead of lashing out, he wrapped Squado in a powerful embrace.
"Even if you're a fool, you're still my son. I could never hate you. But tell me… who poisoned your loyal heart?"
Squado, still stunned by what he'd done, murmured numbly,
"It was… Akainu. He told me he was against the war too. Said, If I stabbed you, the Navy would spare my men…"
Whitebeard closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.
"So that's how it is… Sengoku, you've always been cunning. I'll give you that—you played this one well."
The chaos among the pirates hadn't yet settled. Many still questioned what they had seen. The betrayal seemed too real, too raw.
"You think I'd betray my own sons?"
Whitebeard didn't waste his breath on long explanations. Instead, he raised his fist—and with a mighty blow—shattered the frozen tsunami Aokiji had created. The ice cracked and split apart, opening a path forward for his fleet.
He turned and shouted,
"If you're a pirate, you choose what to believe. If you're not afraid to die—then follow me!"
Then, without hesitation, Whitebeard leapt from the ship, leading the charge himself.
The crew, now certain that Squado had been manipulated, roared in unison.
They no longer paid any attention to the broken man kneeling behind. With their faith renewed, they rallied behind Whitebeard and surged toward Marineford Square, ready to face whatever came next.
"Everyone, take your positions! The strongest man in the world is about to unleash his fury!"
Sengoku's voice thundered across the battlefield the moment he saw Whitebeard step forward.
"Clear the way for Pops! Don't let the Navy block his path!"
The pirates rallied together, forming a wall of resolve around their commander. But the Navy had already withdrawn to the square, and without warning, towering iron walls had risen, enclosing the port in a frozen steel bay.
"Why hasn't the encirclement wall fully activated yet?"
Sengoku frowned, his voice sharp with frustration as he noticed gaps where the wall hadn't reached full height.
"Apologies, Fleet Admiral!" a nearby officer reported. "The ice is too thick. Some of the wall mechanisms are jammed. We just need a bit more time!"
Then came the tremor of footsteps.
"Whitebeard! You won't take another step!"
Giant John roared as he raised his enormous sword and brought it down with earth-shaking force.
But Whitebeard, unfazed, met the blow with his naginata, stopping the blade in its tracks. In the next instant, he dropped the weapon, spread his arms wide—and gripped the very air around him as if ready to tear the world apart.
The pirates knew what came next.
"Move! Get away from Pops—now!"
Panic rippled through the ranks as they scattered, bracing for the quake that only Whitebeard could bring.
"Hah!!"
With a mighty roar, Whitebeard gripped the air itself and heaved—sending shockwaves through the earth. In an instant, all of Marineford began to tilt.
"What the—? The ground's slanting?! I can't keep my balance!"
Luffy, charging forward with determination, suddenly stumbled, eyes wide in disbelief.
All across the battlefield, marines staggered and stumbled. With a single move, Whitebeard had thrown the entire battlefield—and its warriors—into chaos.
"No... it's not just the ground—look!"
A marine, staring at the port, pointed in shock. "Even the sea is tilting! The whole island is shifting!"
His voice trembled. Logic failed him. This—this couldn't be real. Could a single man truly have this kind of power?
From the execution platform, Sengoku watched with narrowed eyes.
"He is the man who makes the world tremble," he muttered grimly.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield's edge, Squardo fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
"What have I done? How could I ever doubt the man I call 'Dad'…? I'm sorry, Dad... I'm sorry, Ace..."
Marco approached him quietly, his voice steady but intense.
"Squardo, crying won't change anything. If you want to make it right—stand up and fight. For Dad, for Ace, for all of us."
Then came the thunder of footsteps.
"Pah, pah—!"
Whitebeard leapt into the air and unleashed a devastating punch toward the giant Navy soldier. The strike didn't even make contact—but the sheer force sent Giant John flying, blood spraying from his mouth as he crashed backward like a ragdoll.
Without pausing, Whitebeard's wrath surged onward—his next attack hurtling straight toward the execution platform.
Whitebeard's quake attack, redirected by the three admirals, crashed straight into an unassuming corner of Marineford—directly into Jack's home.
Jack wasn't inside at the time. He had been watching the chaos unfold from the top of his house, enjoying the spectacle like a casual observer. But in an instant, the shockwave flattened his modest home, reducing it to rubble.
"Hmm... Sakazuki, weren't you the one steering the direction of that blast?" Kizaru muttered, his usual lazy smirk in place, thinly veiling his attempt to pass the blame.
He knew full well—Jack might not yet match the admirals blow-for-blow, but he was dangerously close. And provoking him could be a serious mistake.
Meanwhile, Luffy, who had nearly been caught in the shockwave himself, perked up at the unfamiliar noise.
"What was that?!" he exclaimed, turning toward the wreckage. His eyes lit up with surprise and curiosity.
On the execution platform, Ace froze in disbelief. This wasn't supposed to happen. Jack had made it clear—despite their bond, as a marine, he couldn't intervene. That's why he had chosen to stay out of the war.
So why was he here now? And why did he look like he was about to take action?
On the platform, Sengoku and Garp exchanged confused glances, clearly just as baffled by Jack's sudden appearance.
Then, from the ruins, a voice rang out—low, calm, and seething with anger.
"So... who was responsible for that last attack?"
Jack stepped through the dust and debris, wearing the cloak of justice, his eyes burning with restrained fury.
The pirates blinked in confusion.
"Wait, a Rear Admiral? Right now?"
They looked at one another, bewildered. Seriously? We're in the middle of an all-out war with your side—was destroying your house really that unexpected?
From across the battlefield, Tashigi's eyes lit up.
"Captain Smoker! It's Rear Admiral Jack!" she shouted.
Smoker, casually puffing on his cigar, squinted toward the newcomer.
"Tch... I thought that bastard had gone missing," he muttered, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"Hina thought he said he wouldn't get involved in this war," Hina remarked coolly, flipping her hair back with a faint smile.
"Gurararara! So, it's just a kid after all. What's the matter, brat? Got a problem with me?" Whitebeard boomed with laughter as he turned to face Jack.
"So it was you who launched that last attack, Whitebeard?" Jack asked calmly, his eyes narrowing as they landed on the deep, fresh wound across Whitebeard's chest—a wound that spoke volumes.
But after a brief exchange of glances, Jack understood.
Whitebeard wasn't fighting to win. He was fighting to die. The injury had sealed his fate—any thought of retreat had vanished. All he wanted now was to save Ace and ensure the escape of his "sons."
"Technically, yes, the attack was mine," Whitebeard replied, grinning. "But the real culprits are standing right over there." He jabbed a thick finger toward the row of admirals.
The trio—Kizaru, Aokiji, and Akainu—had been standing side by side. But at Whitebeard's words, Kizaru and Aokiji nonchalantly took a step back, leaving Akainu slightly forward, his face as grim as ever.
"Rear Admiral Jack," Akainu growled, "as a marine, it's your duty to uphold justice—no matter the cost."
He didn't want a direct clash, not with Jack. He knew exactly what Jack was trying to do—find an excuse to intervene and save Ace. But with eyes from both sides watching, retreating wasn't an option.
Meanwhile, in the crowd, a group of escaped prisoners from Impel Down were watching the exchange, baffled.
"What's going on? Who even is this navy guy?" one of them asked.
"Why do Whitebeard and the admirals look... cautious around him?"
They didn't understand, but one thing was clear:
Jack wasn't someone to underestimate.
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